Customer: COOMBES
As a multi-disciplined company operating across forestry, arboriculture and vegetation management, civil engineering, environmental support, and specialist road and rail projects throughout the UK, COOMBES need a reliable and performance-driven fleet of machinery.
When it came to investing in a new fleet of commercial woodchippers COOMBES, a long-term customer of Först Area Sales Manager Matt Smith, had some key priorities as Project Manager, Dan Wilks, explains:
We need suppliers that can customise their products to suit our needs. Reliability is obviously a huge concern, as is excellent aftercare for when things go wrong.
COOMBES’ recent delivery of new machines included both wheeled and tracked chippers from the unmatched power of the 42 horsepower ST6D42 and TR6D42 (the world’s most powerful 6” chippers) to the ‘King of the Bank’ XR8D with its 55 horsepower and Traxion control system, perfect for their rail vegetation management projects.
When asked why COOMBES continue to invest in Först chippers, Dan’s answer was concise and practical – just as you would expect from a Project Manager!
Först machines offer good tracking, powerful engines and you get a great distance on the chip throw. The size of the fuel tanks also means we can work a whole shift without needing to re-fill.
Aside from performance, the COOMBES team are realistic that machines being used so frequently on big projects in harsh environments will sometimes need aftersales support. Thankfully, Först’s market-leading FörstAssist customer service team has always been on hand to offer advice, support and repair when needed to minimise downtime as Dan confirms:
What sets Först apart from our experience is the aftercare and the efficiency of rectifying issues when they arise.
The new delivery of seven machines are now liveried up and ready to be put to work on projects across the country, and we think they look fantastic. When asked to sum up Först machines in 3 words, Dan’s response didn’t take long…
Powerful. Versatile. Orange.
We can’t argue with that!
