Mobile Tree Spa has developed an all-in-one plant healthcare system designed to reduce the labor and equipment needed in the field. Work that once required multiple employees, vehicles and machines can now be handled by one technician using a single tow-behind unit.

Alex Shy, president and CEO of Mobile Tree Spa, originally developed and tested the MTS-180 through Shy Tree, Shy’s former tree care company. In operation, one technician using the unit helped generate approximately $50,000 to $60,000 in monthly revenue while simplifying how plant healthcare services were delivered.

Previously, crews might rely on a separate compressor, a spray rig in the truck bed and another truck or trailer to carry compost and other materials. The MTS-180 brings these functions together on one platform that can be towed behind a single truck.

“This was really about business efficiency in the field,” said Shy. “We wanted to put everything a technician needs for plant healthcare into one system.”

At the center of the MTS-180 is an ELGi 185 CFM portable air compressor powered by a Kohler diesel engine. It powers an AirSpade for soil excavation and decompaction, along with the system’s integrated spray rig. To support work 200 feet or more from the compressor, Shy identified 185 CFM at 100 psi as the target needed to maintain airflow and pressure.

Before selecting ELGi, he evaluated approximately five compressor brands. The ELGi unit stood out for its footprint, maintenance accessibility, airflow and ability to integrate into the MTS-180.

Quiet operation is also important for equipment used in residential and commercial landscapes. “The AirSpade itself is louder than the compressor running it,” Shy said. “For the amount of air it produces, it’s surprisingly quiet, and that matters when you’re working in residential neighborhoods.”

Mobile Tree Spa has built seven units as the platform has evolved from Shy’s original prototype. The company now provides tree care businesses with equipment, hands-on training and a broader business system to help them establish or expand plant healthcare services.

“As a local tree service owner, I could only have a direct impact on the trees in my own market,” Shy said. “If we can give other companies the equipment and system to do this efficiently, we can help them build a better business and preserve more trees at the same time.”

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“This was really about business efficiency in the field. We wanted to put everything a technician needs for plant healthcare into one system.”