From Slash to Solution
In the forestry blocks of the Bay of Plenty, where fresh cuts mark the hillsides and the ground tells a story of logging past, there's a different kind of operation unfolding.
Among the fallen trunks and slash piles, you’ll find Chad — owner of Silvertree Biomass Solutions — not just cleaning up a site, but reimagining what forestry waste can become.
“We’re not just here to tidy up,” Chad says, motioning to the hulking CBI horizontal grinder rumbling in the background. “We’re here to turn a problem into a product.”
We saw waste — but we also saw value. And a way to give the land back its future. - Chad Empson
Dirt to Debris: A Career Grounded in Earth
Chad’s journey into biomass solutions didn’t start with wood — it started with dirt.
“I was on machines at 16,” he recalls. “Loved it. Earthworks became second nature. But over time, we kept getting more tree jobs — removal, clearing, cleanup.”
At first, that meant doing what most did: burn the debris, bury the stumps, or cart it to landfills. But that didn’t sit right.
“Fresh trees don’t burn well. Stumps are worse. It felt wasteful. So we looked for a better way.”
That search led to biomass markets, where wood could be ground and sold — not dumped. It also led to one pivotal investment: a CBI horizontal grinder capable of processing whole trees into valuable byproducts.
And just like that, Silvertree was born.
The Right Tool for the Job
Choosing the grinder wasn’t a snap decision. Chad looked at several machines — but kept coming back to the CBI.
“It’s the way it’s built,” he says. “The whole hog box opens right up — no squeezing into a steel coffin to change a part. For health and safety, for efficiency, it just made sense.”
But the machine was only half the equation. The other half? Equip2.
“When downtime costs you thousands, you need a supplier who has your back,” Chad says. “Equip2 gave us the full tour, showed us the stockroom, and proved they had the wear parts we’d need. That was the clincher.”
Gear that’s built to work, and backed by people who don’t disappear after the deal.
More Than a Clean-Up Crew
Silvertree isn’t your average arborist team with a chipper in tow. They’re designed for scale, for speed, and for transforming waste into worth.
“We don’t just take what you can sell to the mill,” Chad explains. “We take everything. Slash, stumps, bin wood — we grind it all, right there on-site.”
On good feedstock, the machine can hit 250m³ per hour. For chunkier stuff, it still manages a solid 100. And every cubic metre has a destination: compost, animal bedding, boiler fuel — even specialized orders with screen-sized precision.
“Some want it chunky, some want it fine,” he grins. “We can do both.”
We don’t leave behind a mess. We leave behind a usable product — and clean land.
A Different Kind of Forestry Future
On a recent project at Rocky Mountain Bike Park, Silvertree was tasked with cleaning up post-logging bin wood. But Chad saw a bigger opportunity.
“We wanted to show what was possible. Not just remove slash — but give the land back, ready to be used again.”
And that’s exactly what they did. The ground, once hidden under debris, became visible again. And the waste? Repurposed into resources the park — and the planet — could use.
You don’t just want a good machine — you want people who’ll help keep it running.
Built for Big Jobs, Backed by Bigger Vision
Silvertree isn’t chasing small jobs. They’re after commercial-scale clearing, where their gear and crew can move the needle — and move fast.
“We’re not a fit for someone with three trees on a lifestyle block,” Chad admits. “But for forestry operations, land developers, or big clearings? We’re built for that.”
And what makes it all work is the blend of experience, equipment, and support.
“We’ve worked with Equip2 for years on earth moving gear. When we looked at this grinder, it was a 12-month journey. Paul and the team were there the whole way.”
Even now, after the deal’s done, that relationship holds.
“If we hit a snag, they pick up the phone. They don’t just sell machines — they back them.”
Whether it’s a forestry block on the edge of town or a remote mountain being transformed into a bike park, Silvertree Biomass Solutions is proving there’s a better way to clear land — one that doesn’t stop at removal but keeps going until every piece of waste becomes something worth using.
And for Chad and his team, that’s the new standard.
Key Takeaways from the Field:
> From problem to product: Slash and stumps become compost, fuel, and bedding.
> Built for scale: Horizontal grinder processes up to 250m³/hour on clean feed.
> Clean land, clear conscience: Silvertree restores sites while creating revenue
> Downtime minimized: Support from Equip2 ensures parts are on hand and help is close.
> Fit for the future: A solution for forestry’s biggest headache - slash - that also delivers value.
See how Silvertree transforms slash into solutions with the right machine and a mission that goes beyond clean-up. Watch the full interview below.
