THE CUTTING EDGE

MAGNI RTH6.30 MAKES LIFE EASIER AT UPTON SPECIALIST TREE SERVICES

Specialist and highly qualified teams armed with specialised equipment are essential when dealing with Ash Dieback, a fungus that originated in Asia and threatens to devastate Britain’s estimated 80 million ash trees. Although the disease in ash trees, which have an average lifespan of 200 years, wasn’t formally described in Britain until around 2006, it has been known throughout Europe for more than 30 years.

It is particularly prevalent in the south of England, which is where we met up with Upton Specialist Tree Services. Their experienced team, utilising one of the latest Magni RTH 6.30 rotary telehandlers, was dismantling a diseased ash near Salisbury in Wiltshire.

The first signs of Ash Dieback often start with dead and blackened leaves hanging among the live foliage. Deterioration of the tree can be rapid, making it brittle and liable to collapse at any time. Climbing the tree to tackle the problem can be challenging and dangerous, so it is imperative that infected ash trees are only removed by a qualified, fully insured, and professional arboriculturist who is fully trained to work with dead or dying trees using appropriate machinery.

That’s why Wiltshire County Council called on Upton Specialist Tree Services, a well-established and highly recommended privately-owned company with two dedicated depots in Wimborne, Dorset, and Devizes in Wiltshire. Their clients include not only local authorities but also the M.O.D., The National Trust, Natural England, and private developers.

The company offers a range of other services, including site clearance, conservation and heathland restoration, stump removal, and forestry work, with many projects carried out across not only Wiltshire and Dorset but also Devon, Hampshire, Sussex, and elsewhere across the South of England.

It is accredited by the Arboricultural Association, CHAS, SMAS, Constructionline, SafeContractor, and CQMS, and undergoes rigorous assessment each year to ensure that its policies, practices, and procedures conform to these high standards. It is also ISO accredited, ensuring that it has a robust management system in place and has invested significantly in its team members’ futures, supporting them in furthering their qualifications and forging strong careers in the arboricultural industry.

"The Magni RTH 6.30 has revolutionised the way we work. It has made us far more efficient and productive, and it takes all of the heavy lifting out of what is a traditionally labour-intensive industry…

RUGGED & ROBUST

“We employed a team of six on this particular project, which involved removing a large ash tree that was overhanging a play area and a roadway, presenting a clear and present danger,” explained Ed Greatorex, Wiltshire Contracts Manager at Upton Specialist Tree Services. “We had three machines on site, including a biomass chipper and a mobile crane, but it was the Magni RTH 6.30, fitted with a Westtech Woodcracker CS750 Smart grip saw, that was the mainstay of the work.”

The machine was supplied by Magni UK in Dorset, and Ed adds, “We opted for the Magni RTH 6.30 because it does everything we need it to do. It is rugged and robust and, importantly, complies with all the necessary regulations— above and beyond where it needs to be—and that aspect was really the driving force behind why we chose the machine.”

He first came into contact with Magni at The Association Of Professional Foresters (APF) Exhibition, the UK’s largest forestry, woodland, and arboriculture trade show, back in 2022. “From the first day I walked onto their stand, they have been so helpful and supportive. They made the process of acquiring the machine so smooth,” says Ed.

VERSATILE & FLEXIBLE

“The Magni RTH 6.30 has revolutionised the way we work. It has made us far more efficient and productive in dealing with Ash Dieback throughout the county of Wiltshire. It takes all of the heavy lifting out of what is a traditionally labour-intensive industry and contributes significantly to the safety of our operatives. We simply wouldn’t consider any other brand now. The way it deals with trees beggars belief.” Once the heavy branches are cut away from the tree, they are lowered to ground level, where conventional chainsaws are used to reduce them to more manageable sizes before being fed into a wood chipper.

Ed says his operators love working with the Magni RTH 6.30, as it has a lot to recommend it, not least the machine’s versatility and flexibility. The 360° rotating turret makes it the perfect choice to maximise efficiency, allowing them to perform tasks faster and safer. Its comfortable and well-designed cab offers excellent visibility, which is essential when working in challenging environments.

Equipped with sturdy scissor stabilisers for increased safety and stability during working manoeuvres, even in limited or restricted spaces, the machine has a lifting height of almost 98 ft, a six-tonne load capacity, and a maximum lifting height of 85.4 ft. The cab is FOPS/ ROPS certified and equipped with an upper grill guard to guarantee operator safety. It is also airtight and fully pressurised, to ensure a safe working environment for the operator.

Achieving the most comfortable and ergonomic driving position, of course, is essential while working, and the Magni RTH cab allows you to easily adjust the steering wheel to the most ergonomic and comfortable position. When the column is straight, you can effortlessly access the cab. The seat can also be moved forward and backward to achieve the perfect support for your back.

The cab’s standard features include a USB port, which is ideal for charging smartphones and tablets. The user-friendly touchscreen display is used to manage the whole machine: it is extremely intuitive and can also be managed via a joystick. The stabilisers and auto-levelling can also be managed via dedicated buttons.

Its integrated diagnostics allow for fast and simple troubleshooting of electrical and electronically managed components, reducing the potential for any downtime. When a fault is detected, the system automatically shuts off any movement likely to worsen the fault and displays an alarm code that identifies the fault type.

Although the Magni RTH 6.30 was being used on this occasion to dismantle the ash tree with the Woodcracker saw and a hook attachment, it is also employed for different tasks as it can be equipped with various other accessories such as forks, winches, and platforms, thanks to its RFID automatic attachment recognition system that enables safe pairing.

“What we also like about the Magni RTH 6.30 is the technology that gives us the ability to digitally restrict the slew radius, which is essential when working alongside busy roads and carriageways or in very restricted areas. We can simply and easily set defined boundaries without any effort,” says Ed.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

“We would definitely recommend the Magni RTH 6.30 to other operators, as indeed we have done. It is simply the complete package—a Swiss Army knife, if you like; we are so pleased with its abilities and performance, which have made life a lot easier for our operators.”

He also has only good things to say about the team at Magni UK. “The support they have given us is phenomenal,” he says. “We opted for a service package, and any issues we have are dealt with promptly, which keeps any potential downtime to a minimum. When the time comes to renew this model, we will have no hesitation in staying with the brand, and perhaps we might even add a bigger model to our fleet going forward.”

“We opted for the Magni RTH 6.30 as it does everything we need it to do. It is rugged and robust, and importantly, it exceeds in complying with all the necessary regulations…”