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Tree surgery equipment commonly financed in the UK includes high-value machinery like wood chippers, stump grinders, and access platforms such as cherry pickers and MEWPs. Other essential assets include logging trucks, tractors, forestry mowers, climbing equipment, and specialist felling machinery like harvesters. Because these items involve significant capital expenditure, thousands of UK arborists rely on asset finance—often through hire purchase, finance leasing, or operating lease structures—to spread costs and improve cashflow.
As the UK’s leading finance provider dedicated to the arboricultural and forestry industries, Gable Asset Finance offers bespoke funding solutions tailored to the realities of tree surgery businesses. This long-form guide explores the full range of equipment commonly financed, the buyers, the finance tools available, and real case studies showing how UK tree surgeons benefit from specialist finance partnerships.
Tree surgery operations rely on a combination of everyday tools and high-value machinery. The latter can be costly, and many contractors prefer to spread payments over time rather than commit large upfront capital. Below is a full breakdown of the most commonly financed equipment categories.
Tree waste management is at the core of modern arboriculture. High-quality processing machinery is essential for efficient site clearance and biomass management.
These machines often represent the largest financial purchases made by tree surgery companies outside of vehicles. Many businesses choose finance to secure the latest models with lower running costs and improved reliability.
Access machinery enables arborists to reach, prune, dismantle, or inspect trees safely where climbing is impractical or unsafe.
MEWPs and spider lifts are expensive assets, often costing between £20,000 and £120,000+, making leasing and hire purchase extremely common.
Transport is central to arboriculture, especially for crews handling waste, timber, and multiple site visits per day. These assets are commonly financed to preserve operational cashflow.
Large-scale forestry contractors often require high-output felling machinery, and Gable Asset Finance is one of the few UK specialists with underwriting expertise for such machines.
While heavy machinery is a major investment, day-to-day tree surgery relies on highly specialised tools and safety equipment. Many arborists now finance full “crew kits” to equip new staff or expand their team without large upfront costs.
Tree surgeons use a wide range of cutting tools depending on branch size, access, and the type of work being performed.
Gable routinely finances equipment bundles for new crews, apprenticeships, and business expansions – offering loans or asset finance packages that cover all PPE and rigging gear together.
Heavy machinery plays a critical role in both commercial tree surgery and large-scale forestry operations. These machines dramatically increase productivity, reduce manual labour, improve safety, and help contractors secure large public and private sector contracts.
Wood chippers remain the single most important machine for UK tree surgeons. Towable and tracked chippers allow efficient processing of limbs, brush, and timber into manageable chips.
Popular UK brands include:
Financing allows arborists to access efficient, low-emission engines, better safety features, and improved reliability compared to older models.
Tracked stump grinders and pedestrian models are essential for site reinstatement after felling.
Common models financed include:
With safety regulations tightening across the industry, MEWPs are increasingly used for large dismantles and sensitive operations.
Highly financed models include:
Forestry tractors provide power for mulchers, flails, winches, trailers, and loaders.
Common financed attachments include:
As mechanised forestry expands in the UK, contractors increasingly finance large specialist equipment:
These machines can cost anywhere from £80,000 used to over £450,000 new, making finance essential for even the largest forestry businesses.
Gable Asset Finance supports a broad range of professional buyers across the UK arboriculture, forestry, and land management sectors.
These businesses form the core of the market and regularly finance:
These companies purchase both tree surgery equipment and larger forestry machinery. They commonly finance:
These organisations often use leasing to spread budget cycles and maintain compliance.
Dealers such as Palfinger UK, MEWP suppliers, and chipper specialists often use finance for stock and demonstration units.
Start-up arborists frequently finance chippers, saw bundles, and climbing gear through small-ticket loans or hire purchase.
Gable provides one of the most comprehensive ranges of arboriculture-focused finance solutions in the UK.
Ideal for long-term ownership. Commonly used for chippers, MEWPs, stump grinders, tractors, and vehicles.
Tax-efficient rental structure with low deposits. Perfect for MEWPs, platforms, and fast-depreciating equipment.
Predictable payments and no risk of depreciation. Excellent for public bodies and large companies.
Used for PPE bundles, climbing kits, saw fleets, and vehicle deposits.
Unlock capital tied up in owned equipment—popular for chippers, tractors, MEWPs, and forestry machinery.
A new arborist in Bristol upgraded from an aging chipper to a new Först ST6P using Hire Purchase with a low deposit. The new machine boosted productivity, reduced downtime, and helped win more commercial jobs.
A growing tree surgery company secured a high-value MEWP through a Finance Lease, enabling them to carry out large dismantles and improve safety without a large capital outlay.
A forestry firm needed a tractor, winch, and mulching attachment. Gable structured a combined HP agreement with seasonal payments aligned to timber revenue.
A council upgraded its entire tree team’s PPE, saws, and climbing equipment using a loan facility. Monthly repayments aligned with budget cycles.
A developer-funded firm financed a 13t excavator and tree shear via HP, allowing them to complete large vegetation clearance projects faster.
A large tree company refinanced two chippers and a tracked grinder, freeing £60,000 for expansion while retaining their existing assets.
A private estate financed a tractor and timber trailer on a 5-year HP term to maintain woodland and respond to storm damage.
A new operator financed a full kit—saws, ropes, PPE—and a used Jensen chipper. Gable provided a combined loan and HP structure to make entry into the sector affordable.
A council acquired a spider platform via Contract Hire, ensuring predictable monthly costs and guaranteed maintenance.
A biomass contractor financed a forestry tractor with a heavy mulcher attachment. The new machine significantly increased output and reduced subcontracting costs.
Across the UK, Gable Asset Finance empowers arborists, forestry contractors, councils, and private land managers to invest in the essential tree surgery equipment they need. Whether it’s a £5,000 climbing kit or a £150,000 MEWP, Gable’s industry expertise ensures businesses get the right finance at the right time.