When Joe Hewitt launched Hewitt Tree Surgery in Cornwall in June 2024, he knew exactly what equipment he needed to compete in the domestic market. After nearly five years working his way from apprentice to fully qualified climber, including stints in Australia and New Zealand, he’d learned that reliable equipment makes all the difference. The FSI B21 stump grinder was the natural choice to complete his fleet, expanding the range of services he can offer to domestic customers across the county.
Growing from the Ground Up
“After I completed my apprenticeship, I started subcontracting, climbing for a lot of other tree surgeons throughout Cornwall” Joe explains. “I then spent some time working in Australia and New Zealand before coming back and setting up on my own.” Since launching, Joe has welcomed a new team member and a growing customer base to his books.
“We’ve invested in everything we need to service the domestic market – van, hand tools and woodchipper – and this year decided to get our own stump grinder. We found we were hiring one fairly frequently, but this was reliant on availability and sometimes involved a lot of running around to collect a machine, only to find it wasn’t in the best of working condition.”
The Right Fit for the Job
Cornwall’s coastal landscape brings plenty of challenges, from narrow gardens to steep steps, which made the lightweight FSI B21 the perfect choice.
“It’s light and compact enough to lift and manoeuvre around properties and steps, but powerful enough to handle most of the stumps we see in a residential garden. We’d previously hired the slightly larger FSI B22 so I knew first off to expect fantastic build quality and reliability. In addition, the FSI B21 is equipped with some useful features such as the hill-hold brake assist which is great for loading on trucks and working on slopes. It’s fitted right in with how and where we work” comments Joe.
FSI: Backed with Confidence
Joe’s decision to buy FSI was also backed by reputation and experience. He adds, “A lot of arb community groups praise FSI and from my own experience I’ve got only positive things to say.” This positivity extends too, to the relationship he’s established with FSI and his local dealer partner, Elmstar Machinery. “Jason at Elmstar has been brilliant. He was joined by FSI’s Lee Hatton on the install in September 2025 who, together, gave me all the information and tips I needed to get the very best out of my machine.”
He concludes, “The FSI B21 has been an affordable, versatile addition to the fleet, helping us expand our services as we continue to grow the business in new ways.”
Source Elena Cossar, PAN PR
