Asplundh Tree Expert Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Vegetation management, utility services |
| Founded | 1928 |
| Founder | Griffith Asplundh, Lester Asplundh, Carl Asplundh |
| Headquarters | United States |
Key people | Scott Asplundh (Chairman and CEO) |
| Products | Vegetation management, tree pruning, utility line construction and maintenance, electrical system testing, traffic signal and highway lighting installation and maintenance, automated metering infrastructure, home energy use management programs |
Asplundh Tree Expert, LLC is a U.S.-based firm that specializes in vegetation management and tree pruning services tailored for utilities and governmental organizations. Additionally, the company offers services in utility line construction and upkeep, electrical system testing, as well as the installation and maintenance of traffic signals and highway lighting. Their portfolio also includes the deployment of automated metering infrastructure and programs for managing home energy use.
History
The company was established in 1928 in Pennsylvania by the Asplundh brothers—Griffith, Lester, and Carl—who brought together knowledge in arboriculture, electrical engineering, and finance. Unlike others at the time, Asplundh concentrated on utility line clearance and vegetation control instead of residential tree care.
By 1940, the business had grown beyond Pennsylvania into the Midwest and Middle Atlantic regions. During this period, it began issuing The Asplundh TREE magazine aimed at its workforce. In 1956, the firm launched a subsidiary known as Asplundh Brush Control Co.
The year 1990 marked significant expansion when Asplundh acquired New York's B & J Maintenance Co., Inc., L. Fulcher Electric, along with several smaller French clearance companies that formed its French division. The company also entered the New Zealand market through the acquisition of Electrix Limited, which was subsequently renamed Electrix Asplundh. By 1994, Asplundh had become the largest utility clearance enterprise in the United States and ranked among the country’s top private companies.
Lisa (Lemole) Oz, who is married to Mehmet Oz—a former candidate for the U.S. Senate from Pennsylvania—is the granddaughter on her mother’s side of one of the original founders.
Illegal hiring
In 2017, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Asplundh admitted guilt to a federal criminal charge related to illegal hiring practices. The company was penalized with a $95 million fine—the highest ever imposed in an immigration-related case—after it was revealed that thousands of undocumented workers had been employed between 2010 and 2014. Although these violations were initially detected during a 2009 audit leading to termination of affected employees, many were rehired using counterfeit documentation. Scott Asplundh, serving as Chairman and CEO, publicly accepted responsibility for the violations and issued an apology to all stakeholders impacted by the situation.