Asplundh Tree Expert history

The company in fact opened its first branch office in Columbus, Ohio, in 1931.

Three years later, the company moved to larger quarters in nearby Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, and in 1936 O.E. left his nursery business and joined his brothers, helping them move into new territory in the Midwest.

To keep in touch with their far-flung workforce, the company introduced The Asplundh TREE, a quarterly magazine, in 1940.

Liking what they found, Asplundh developed special formulae and, in 1946, began offering brush control services for utility rights-of-way, the company's first step in diversification.

In January 1949, Lester is elected president.

Then came the introduction of the hydraulic aerial lift, called a "Skyworker." Asplundh started leasing the lifts in 1953, but found their insulation poor.

In 1954 Asplundh sent crews to help restore service in Mid-Atlantic states following Hurricanes Carol and Hazel.

1956: Asplundh Brush Control Co. is created as a subsidiary to handle the right-of-way clearing work.

Meantime, also in 1958, the company established its Pole Maintenance Division for treating and reinforcing utility poles.

In 1968 Barr Asplundh, Griff's son, was elected president; by this time, all second generation family members working for the company had become board members.

Street lights seemed a logical place to use its lifts, and Asplundh began cleaning, inspecting, and repairing street lighting and traffic signals for utilities and municipalities in 1972 through the Asplundh Street Lighting Division.

1974: Asplundh moves to larger quarters in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.

Also in 1975, the company established its Railroad Division, turning its vegetation sprays on the weeds, brush, and trees along railroad tracks.

In 1989 members of the second generation began to retire.

1990: Utility line construction firm B & J Maintenance Co., Inc. is acquired and later renamed Asplundh Construction Corp.; operations in New Zealand commence through a joint venture.

Equipment development was another company tradition, and 1991 witnessed the unveiling of the manufacturing division's LRIII-55, an aerial lift with a reach of 55 feet, well beyond anything then available.

As President Chris Asplundh explained in a 1995 Forbes article, "Santa Ana winds in California, that's our problem.

Further diversification came in 1997 through the purchase of Southern Outdoor Maintenance, which was renamed Outdoor Maintenance Co., Inc.

Central Locating expanded into Arkansas, Illinois, and Texas through the 1998 purchase of certain assets of NORAM Damage Protection.

On the acquisitions front, Asplundh acquired a utility line locating service called NOCUTS, a subsidiary of Sprint Corporation, in 2000.

Called Asplundh Environmental Services, Inc. (AES), the new unit was formed in April 2002.

Investigators with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement began auditing Asplundh in 2009 and found that it employed unauthorized workers.