When Adrian Strudwick, owner of Brentwood Tree Surgery, was weighing up whether to hire another employee or invest in a new machine, he made a game-changing decision — and hasn’t looked back since.
The purchase of an Avant 630 compact loader has not only accelerated operations across his tree surgery and firewood businesses, but it’s also unlocked new opportunities, turning the machine into what Adrian now calls “the centre of the firm.”
Adrian’s background is in engineering — he began in aircraft engineering before joining the forces in 1982. After leaving the military, he retrained in arboriculture, eventually gaining a degree in the subject and setting up Brentwood Tree Surgery.
Over the years, his business has expanded to include firewood processing, site / estate management, and driveway installation — and the Avant 630 has been instrumental in driving that growth.
The Avant 630 isn’t just a forestry machine for Adrian — it’s a versatile workhorse. Used both on-site and at the yard, the compact loader handles everything from loading trucks and towing trailers to moving hay bales for horses and feeding timber into kilns.
“We use it for shifting machinery, unloading our Unimog, clearing the yard, moving crates of firewood — you name it,” says Adrian. “It’s sped up production so much. What used to take multiple people and hours of manual labour, we can now do faster, more efficiently, and with less fatigue.”
Its versatility comes from its size, agility, and the vast range of attachments available — Adrian currently uses forks, a loading bucket, a power rake, and a stone burier, with plans to add a stump grinder and flail mower to his kit.
On-site at Barrack Wood, a historic woodland near Warley and Thorndon Country Park, Adrian uses the Avant 630 to manage timber extraction with minimal impact on the environment.
“It’s relatively light on the ground, so you don’t get the damage you would with a 10-tonne forestry vehicle,” he explains. “You can trailer it in and out easily, and you don’t need to leave it on site overnight. It’s so versatile.”
Barrack Wood, steeped in history from the Napoleonic era, is a delicate environment. Adrian’s careful management and the Avant’s low ground pressure make it an ideal combination for sustainable woodland work.
Brentwood Tree Surgery also runs a kiln-dried firewood company — the only one in the area with a wood kiln capable of drying 15 tonnes of timber in just five days.
“All the waste wood is burnt in biomass boilers to fuel the kiln,” says Adrian. “The Avant loads the firewood processor, moves the crates into the kiln, and unloads them when they’re ready. It’s essential to how we work now.”
The high-quality firewood meets DEFRA and Woodsure standards — a key requirement in today’s market — and Adrian credits the Avant 630 for helping maintain this efficiency and quality.
“It ticks so many boxes for a machine of its size. You can do so many different types of work with it – it really is a super tool,” he says. “And the quick-release hydraulics make switching attachments a matter of seconds. No downtime.”
He’s been so impressed with the performance that after three years of ownership, he’s looking to add a second unit — or possibly upgrade and keep the original.
Adrian also praises the support he’s received from Avant’s dealer, Avant South East. “Chris and the team have been fantastic. They’re a family-run firm and really good to work with.”
For Brentwood Tree Surgery, the Avant 630 has become far more than a machine — it’s a business enabler.
“It really is the centre of the firm now,” says Adrian. “The amount of jobs it can do is endless.”
