Nelson Tree Service
Nelson Tree Service is a private, Dayton, Ohio-based vegetation management contractor founded in 1919, providing utility line clearance, right-of-way clearing, herbicide application, and 24/7 storm response to utility companies, electric co-ops, and municipalities across the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1919
- HeadquartersDayton, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Nelson Tree Service does
Nelson Tree Service, LLC is a private U.S. vegetation management contractor founded in 1919 by Fred Nelson and headquartered in Dayton, Ohio. The company provides line clearance, right-of-way clearing, herbicide application, specialized equipment operations, and 24/7 emergency storm response services to investor-owned utility companies, electric cooperatives, and municipal-owned utilities across the Midwest, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and Texas. Service delivery is supported by seven documented regional offices and a fleet of specialized equipment including Jarraff and aerial off-road units, with GPS telematics integrated across all vehicles.
The company monetizes primarily through recurring multi-year utility contracts structured as time-and-materials, lump sum, or unit-price (per span, per tree, per foot, per mile) arrangements, often paired with KPI evaluation models. Customer acquisition is relationship-driven via enterprise field sales and a centralized bid-request process (1-800-522-4311 / [email protected]), supplemented by participation in industry conferences such as PowerXchange & TechAdvantage, ISA, FVMA, VMA-Kentucky, AVMA, ROW International, and SEE. Internally, Nelson operates TRACS©, a proprietary business management and tracking application designed exclusively for vegetation management invoicing and reporting, alongside the LCST Line Clearance Tree Trimmer certification program, Decision Driving defensive-driving curriculum, and SafetyFirst 'How's My Driving' program. Recent recognition includes Ameren's 2024 Eagle Award and Best in Class Award for outstanding safety, leadership, performance, and commitment.
Nelson Tree Service firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nelson Tree Service
- Legal name
- Nelson Tree Service, LLC
- Website
- https://nelsontree.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1919
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Nelson Tree Service is a private, Dayton, Ohio-based vegetation management contractor founded in 1919, providing utility line clearance, right-of-way clearing, herbicide application, and 24/7 storm response to utility companies, electric co-ops, and municipalities across the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Nelson Tree Service industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Utility Vegetation Management Services
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Support Activities for Forestry (1153)
- SIC
- Agricultural Services (700), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Utility Line Clearance & Vegetation Management (HSAIADAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Vegetation Management (ROW Clearing) for Distribution Lines (EUAEACAI), Tree Care & Arborist Services (IMAIAIAB), Hazard Tree Identification & Removal (Fall-in/Fall-zone Trees) (EUADAOAB)
Keywords
Where Nelson Tree Service is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dayton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
Nelson Tree Service business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Utility Line Clearance Services: Line clearance services to utility companies maintaining transmission and distribution power lines. Contract arrangements include time and materials, Lump Sum, and Unit Price (per span, per tree, per foot, per mile) models. Often integrated with Key Performance Indicator (KPI) evaluation models.
- Right of Way Vegetation Management: Vegetation management services including transmission line tree trimming, right-of-way clearing and reclamation, herbicide application, mowing and brush clearing.
- Emergency Storm Response Services: 24/7 emergency storm response services dispatched to assist utilities in power restoration during natural disasters, ice storms, hurricanes, and other unforeseen circumstances.
- Herbicide/Chemical Application: Herbicide application services using modern delivery systems with custom RTV vehicles for low-impact, low-visibility applications.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Missouri Zone 1 wage rates for tree crew positions |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Missouri Zone 2 wage rates for tree crew positions |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Nelson Tree Service product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nelson Tree Service provides utility companies nationwide with line clearance services, including distribution and transmission power line tree trimming, right-of-way vegetation management, herbicide application, mowing and brush clearing, and 24/7 emergency storm response. Services are delivered under contract arrangements (time and materials, lump sum, unit price per span/tree/foot/mile) often tied to KPI evaluation models. The company operates a nationwide network of regional offices and field crews equipped with specialized equipment and proprietary tracking systems.
Product overview
Nelson Tree Service is a vegetation management service company offering a unified portfolio of utility vegetation management services, not a software platform. The core service offerings include Utility Line Clearance, Emergency Storm Response, Right of Way Vegetation Management, Specialized Equipment operations, and Herbicide/Chemical Application. The company also operates TRACS, a proprietary software application for business management and tracking. Services are delivered through a nationwide network with a focus on utility companies, electric co-ops, municipal-owned utilities, and municipalities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Utility Line Clearance Distribution and transmission line tree trimming for utility customers, structured under time and materials, lump sum, or unit price (per span, per tree, per foot, per mile) contracts often integrated with KPI evaluation models.
- Emergency Storm Response 24/7 emergency storm response service team (SST) dispatched to assist utilities with power restoration after natural disasters, ice storms, hurricanes, and other unforeseen events, supported by a nationwide network of experienced storm service professionals.
- Right of Way Vegetation Management Comprehensive right-of-way vegetation management including transmission line tree trimming, right-of-way clearing and reclamation, herbicide application, mowing, and brush clearing for utility companies.
- Herbicide/Chemical Application Herbicide application services using modern delivery systems with custom RTV vehicles for low-impact, low-visibility treatments, performed by state-licensed applicators who recommend effective herbicide combinations while considering environmental impact.
Companies that use Nelson Tree Service
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Nelson Tree Service technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Nelson Tree Service partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Nelson Tree Service competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wright Tree Service: Major U.S. utility vegetation management contractor offering line clearance, right-of-way, and storm response services to electric utilities — overlapping service portfolio, customer base, and contract structures with Nelson.
- Asplundh Tree Expert Company: The largest U.S. utility vegetation management contractor and apparent corporate affiliate of Nelson (job postings route to careers.asplundh.com). Directly comparable in line clearance, right-of-way clearing, and storm response services to investor-owned utilities and co-ops.
- Trees Inc. Utility line clearance and right-of-way contractor serving electric utilities across multiple U.S. regions. Competes head-to-head with Nelson on the same T&M, lump-sum, and unit-priced vegetation management contracts.
- Lewis Tree Service: Family-owned utility vegetation management contractor with national footprint providing line clearance, herbicide application, and storm response to electric utilities — a direct competitor on the same multi-year utility bid processes.
- Osmose Utilities Services: Provider of infrastructure services to electric utilities including vegetation management for distribution and transmission rights-of-way. Overlaps with Nelson's core service portfolio on utility ROW and line clearance work.
- ACRT Services: Utility vegetation management and consulting firm providing line clearance supervision, contractor management, and right-of-way services to electric and gas utilities — directly comparable to Nelson's ROW and line clearance offerings.
- The Davey Tree Expert Company: Employee-owned national tree-care and utility vegetation management firm with a comparable service mix — line clearance, right-of-way management, and storm response — serving the same investor-owned utility and co-op customer base as Nelson.
- Lucas Tree Expert Company: Regional utility line clearance and tree care contractor serving electric utilities in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic — directly competes with Nelson's regional offices in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
Emerging players
- CN Utility Consulting: Utility vegetation management consulting firm that helps utilities plan, audit, and oversee vegetation management contractors like Nelson. Adjacent but comparable in serving the same utility customers and contract workflows.
- ArborMetrics Solutions: Provider of vegetation management software and work-management platforms to utilities and their contractors. Comparable to Nelson's proprietary TRACS© system and indicative of where utility-side digital tooling is heading.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Nelson Tree Service social profiles
Digital presenceNelson Tree Service financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nelson Tree Service leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Nelson Tree Service funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nelson Tree Service M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Nelson Tree Service
What does Nelson Tree Service do?
Nelson Tree Service provides utility companies nationwide with line clearance services, including distribution and transmission power line tree trimming, right-of-way vegetation management, herbicide application, mowing and brush clearing, and 24/7 emergency storm response. Services are delivered under contract arrangements (time and materials, lump sum, unit price per span/tree/foot/mile) often tied to KPI evaluation models. The company operates a nationwide network of regional offices and field crews equipped with specialized equipment and proprietary tracking systems.
Is Nelson Tree Service a public or private company?
Nelson Tree Service is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Nelson Tree Service founded?
Nelson Tree Service was founded in 1919. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Nelson Tree Service based?
Nelson Tree Service is headquartered in Dayton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Nelson Tree Service make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Utility Line Clearance Services are the primary driver. The others are right of Way Vegetation Management, emergency Storm Response Services and herbicide/Chemical Application.
Who are Nelson Tree Service's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wright Tree Service, Asplundh Tree Expert Company, Trees Inc., Lewis Tree Service, Osmose Utilities Services, ACRT Services, The Davey Tree Expert Company and Lucas Tree Expert Company. Emerging players are CN Utility Consulting and ArborMetrics Solutions.
Does Nelson Tree Service have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nelson Tree Service.
What industry is Nelson Tree Service in?
Nelson Tree Service's product category is Utility Vegetation Management Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAIADAK, Utility Line Clearance & Vegetation Management, with a secondary code of EUAEACAI, Vegetation Management (ROW Clearing) for Distribution Lines. Its NAICS code is 11531 and its SIC code is 700.