Mulching Equipment That's Cut Out for the Job

by Patricia Edwards Schuster

July 1, 2010

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The Seppi Midiforst 150 tackles underbrush. The Midiforst 150 attaches to a skid steer and can mulch wood up to 12 inches with 100-170 horsepower.

Seppi helps clear the way for contractor’s growth in the Southeast

After 30 years in business together, Guy Rutland and his son Mark decided it was time for a change. Work for their helicopter forestry spraying and fertilization company was drying up. Since the Rutlands had some experience with land clearing and already had the equipment necessary for it, they decided to establish Rutland Mulching in 2003. Today, the company focuses on land and brush clearing and forestry mulching services throughout North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

“We are committed to project success,” Mark Rutland says. “If a customer is 99 percent satisfied, then we have not fulfilled our contract. That’s our philosophy, and anything less is unacceptable.”

That philosophy has helped Rutland Mulching grow into one of the leading site preparation contractors in the Southeast.

More Power Needed

Rutland Mulching uses the Seppi Starforst with the Bron 400 for mulching wood up to 16 inches.

The company handles projects of all sizes and having the right equipment is essential. As the business began to grow, the Rutlands realized they needed more powerful equipment for bigger jobs and bigger trees. For two years, they researched equipment, looking for a line of products that was cost-effective, easy to maintain, provided quality mulch and reduced downtime. They decided on Seppi.

"We’ve had other machines,” Rutland says. "We need reliable equipment that delivers high quality results."

The first product they purchased was a Seppi Superforst Mulcher attachment, the high performer in the Seppi lineup. It mulches wood up to 20 inches and comes in three working widths: 79 inches, 89 inches and 98 inches.

"We put it on the Bron 475, and it makes for a great combination," Rutland says. "It is universal, so we can also put it on a rubber tire tractor depending on what is needed.”

The Rutlands appreciate the quality manufacturing and advanced technology that Seppi offers. The Seppi rotor is unique, with its helical or spiral pattern for efficiency. The Superforst also features hammer "overlap" for producing quality mulch, a reinforced hammer holder and more counter-cutter rows than any other mulching head.

"You really can’t focus on one feature of the Seppi," Rutland says. "It is the overall package. If I had to though, it would be the rotor and the tooth life of the hammers. The rotor is simply built a lot stronger than others. The hammer holders support the cutting teeth from all angles."

Passing the Test

The Seppi Superforst and Bron 475 clear salt cedar and marsh elder as part of a levee maintenance project on the East Coast.

The Rutlands put their equipment to the test. For the past two years, they have been working on a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project, performing levee maintenance on the East Coast. This project entails clearing and mulching 400 acres of 12- to 15-foot salt cedar and marsh elder. Salt cedar, imported from Asia as an ornamental tree, was originally used for erosion control and windbreaks along waterways. It has an aggressive and thirsty root system.

The salt cedar was no match for the Seppi Superforst and Bron 475 combination—Mark Rutland says one pass did the job. The only problem was the “fluff” from the marsh elder. “There was fluff flying everywhere as we mulched,” Rutland says. The fluff would accumulate on the Bron’s air intake, clogging the radiator. They decided to work at night for a few weeks so the dew could prevent the fluff from flying around.

Because of the Superforst’s productivity and the support he received from Seppi, Rutland called his dealer, Paul Harmer of Richardson Service in Conway, S.C., to rent another Seppi. Harmer had a new Seppi Starforst and Bron 400 available. As the little brother of the Superforst, the Starforst weighs about 2,000 pounds less and mulches up to 16 inches. With the Seppi products, Rutland Mulching was able to complete the project in about six weeks.

The Rutlands decided they wanted another Seppi mulcher for smaller jobs such as cutting underbrush, trail grooming and tree-thinning in tighter spaces. They again contacted Harmer who works with Seppi Partners, the East Coast distributor for Seppi, and purchased the Seppi Midiforst 150, which is a powerful yet compact machine. The Midiforst 150 attaches to their skid steer tractor and can mulch wood up to 12 inches with 100-170 horsepower.

The Rutlands say Seppi’s products offer all of the advantages of their services and more. Rutland says the products have provided significant cost savings on every job by increasing productivity and eliminating the cost of hauling and disposing debris.

“We could not be more pleased,” Rutland says. “The Seppi is built to last.”

Mulching’s Environmental Benefits

When the Rutlands were thinking about taking their business in a new direction, one of the reasons they decided to focus on mulching was because of how it benefits the environment. Mark Rutland says it helps by:

•    Eliminating the need for a landfill

•    Leaving the soil structures intact

•    Allowing the soil to be ready for replanting

•    Alleviating invasive species that overtake native plants

•    Providing nutrient-rich mulch

Patricia Edwards Schuster
pschuster@fleetlogicglobal.com
Patricia Edwards Schuster is an independent public relations and marketing consultant. She focuses on technology and innovation.

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