C&S Recycling
Services Profit Center

by Diana Barnum, Correspondent

Workers are on hand to take out any unwanted trash or waste like little paper bits that could interfere with the final product.

Sometimes companies have to take matters into their own hands to fulfill a need. And that need turns into a profit center.
In the case of C & S Tree Service & Recycling Center of Springfield, OH, their need to dispose of green waste was an issue. Work that started out as basic tree trimming and brush hauling with a pickup truck grew fast. And so did their waste disposal needs and fees.
“Plus, we couldn’t find a place to dump on Sundays,” said Clyde Suttles, co-owner of C & S Tree Service & Recycling Center with his brother Don, who focuses on sales.
The brothers expanded operations on their 20 acres surrounding an old drive-in movie site. Their tree recycling operations feature the handling of green waste throughout an approximately 12- to 18-month turnaround period. Main tree logs go directly to their sawmill in the old drive-in building, where it is cut into lumber largely for furniture and barn lumber. Remnants and other large tree sections are then cut into firewood. And remaining limbs and debris are made into mulch, with TG3 being the most popular, followed by natural, black and red.
“Our new goal was to become 100 percent recyclable,” explained Suttles.

Steam rises and circulates as temperatures average between 160- and 200-degrees. Some mulch will then go on to be colored.

History of Company and Resources
With a motto of, “Beautifying America One Yard At A Time!” the family-owned and operated C & S Tree Service & Recycling Center has been growing since it was established 26 years ago by Clyde and Don’s father, Donald, and long time friend, Floyd Lambert. They started trimming trees as a side job, then grew busy in a hurry.
By the year 2000, they were in the mulch business with their tree recycling and other operations. Mulch pick-up and delivery services, tree removal, pruning, cabling, trimming, fertilizing, stump removal, fence row cleaning, lot and field clearing, shrubbery work, sawmill service, timber cutting, crane & bucket trucks and tub grinder service. C&S even invites the public and city to dump their green waste for free and stores mulch on their site for smaller distributors who lack storage capacity.

Portable Vermeer TG525 tub grinder with crew: (left to right) James McKinster, Chad Sutters, Clyde Sutters, Don Sutters, Carl Sutters, James Tyree (first employee ever hired).

“We thought it would take five years to fill up our lot, but it only took eight months,” said Suttles. “About 8-10 of our 20 acres is in use. And as fast as we make mulch, we sell it.”
Overall, the company produces an average of between 500-600 cords of wood annually. They produced approximately 12,000 yards of mulch in the year 2000; 60,000 yards in 2002; and 150,000 yards in 2004. Their 2005 goal is 250,000 yards.
C&S purchased their first chipper from Vermeer in 1986 and they continue to purchase an average of two pieces of equipment from them every year.
“Vermeer always stands behind their equipment and servicing, like when they spent two days helping us set up our tub grinder,” said Suttles. “Paul (Strasinger ) has been our Vermeer rep since 1999.”

James McKinster, Chad Sutters, Clyde Sutters, Don Sutters, Carl Sutters, James Tyree, Robin and Anna Sutters with a couple of C&S trucks.

Challenges
Keeping up with supply and demand is a challenge. The current coloring unit used by C&S colors 40- to 60- yards per hour. Plans are in the works to upgrade equipment for greater coloring production efficiency of around 200 yards per hour.
C&S is also looking into the purchase of a horizontal grinder from Vermeer. The HG6000 series is great for large-scale reduction and recycling of waste and storm debris.
Other Equipment & Fleet Operations
Plant operations feature a portable Vermeer TG525 tub grinder, two Vermeer stump grinders ,a 252 and a 630; Trommel screens for screening up to 3 times; a Morbark 3000-P coloring machine that they load with colorants from AmeriMulch; sawmill and a fleet of mobile equipment to help with loading and transportation.
They use a couple of 950G Caterpillar front end loaders, about a half-dozen 1250 Vermeer pull-behind chippers, a 2000 International 48-foot crane truck, walking floor trailers, Great Dane dump trucks that can deliver about 50 yards of mulch, and 1-ton dump trucks.
With C&S open seven days a week, about a dozen workers are full-time, year-round. Staff increases to around 33 during busy season. Generally operations include:
• 4 trucks and chippers with 2-3 people on each crew
• 2 dump machine trucks with 2-man units to pick up logs, firewood, etc. with crane attachment
• A couple of workers running the mulch yard
• A few smaller trucks that are used for pick ups and deliveries
• Walking floor trailers that each hold about 70 yards and are used in retail sales, too
• Wholesale operations throughout the state and surrounding areas, delivering usually with dump trucks or walking floor trailers.

Product is screened up to 3 times. Clyde Suttles (owner of C & S Tree Service & Recycling Center of Springfield, Ohio) is holding mulch that was screened 3 times. In #5, sits the Morbark 3000-P coloring machine that they load with colorants from AmeriMulch. It colors around 40- to 60- yards per hour.

Trade Tip
Using family members in management and other staffing positions has proven very helpful. Even though several have gone on to other fields of interest, they often jump in to lend a hand when needed and join in work-related discussions, sharing ideas and advice.
Getting out there and being proactive with sales is another company booster. Word-of-mouth advertising has been their best marketing tool. And Suttles’s continual sales efforts have proven very valuable; for example, his sharing of the company news and information with media representatives, prospects, clients and their referrals via phone and email.

The Cat 950G is loading mulch into a portable Vermeer TG525 tub grinder for its 3rd and final screening.

Bright Spot Ahead?
There is plenty of need for tree service and recycling ahead. Crews are just now finishing up with this winter’s Christmas ice storms, removing broken branches and debris that fell on power lines and caused a lot of damage throughout the area.
For more information, contact C & S Tree Service & Recycling Center, 2551 Dayton Ave., Springfield, OH 45506.; 937-323-4273; go online at: www.candstreeandmulch.com or email treeandmulch@yahoo.com

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