March 4, 2014
Akron, OHIO — ACRT, the industry’s only independent vegetation management consultant, introduces Arborcision™, the proactive vegetation management tool specifically designed for cooperatives. Conceptualized and developed by Richard Jackson, CEO and founder of Arbor Intelligence (A Global ThinkTank Institute Company), Arborcision is offered exclusively through ACRT to help cooperatives identify and prioritize workloads, analyze costs, enhance system management, improve reliability, manage risk and make more effective decisions.
“Arbor Intelligence and ACRT have collaborated for many years with a shared goal of advancing the field of utility vegetation management,” said Jackson, who introduced Arborcision with ACRT’s executive team at TechAdvantage 2014. “Arborcision is the product of exceptional teamwork and a dedication to providing cooperatives unbiased, actionable data to make informed decisions about their programs.”
Based on Jackson’s 25-plus years of experience in big data analytics and 10 years specializing in the utility vegetation management market, Arborcision is a secure, Software as a Service (SaaS) management tool that combines real-life circuit samplings and proven algorithms to give cooperatives powerful insights into their vegetation management programs. The system is updated regularly and has been tested thoroughly in real-life scenarios to ensure maximum functionality and benefit to users.
Since its founding in 1985, ACRT has been committed to helping improve cooperative systems across the country through assessments, consulting, representation and training. With this rich history, ACRT’s leadership team felt it natural to collaborate with Arbor Intelligence in introducing Arborcision. The data provided through this SaaS can serve as a significant cost driver to improving vegetation management—a goal rooted in ACRT’s mission of protecting communities through research, management and education on the risk and liability of trees, said Mike Weidner, president and CEO of ACRT.
According to Wil Ortiz, manager of vegetation management for Union Power Cooperative, an early adopter of the technology, “Arborcision is a major evolutionary leap in the arena of utility vegetation management. There is nothing out there that even comes close to it. It should be a critical component of every right-of-way management program. The data is invaluable in decision-making, cost analysis and in the establishment of targets.”
Arborcision requires little upfront work from cooperatives. ACRT’s expert foresters collect a majority of the data in the field and then analyze it to build a comprehensive system management plan that enables the cooperative to:
- Determine cost drivers and the future state of circuits, as well as the overall system
- Identify areas at risk of class jumping and their potential costs
- Develop proactive plans that use accurate quantitative data
- Evaluate contracting methods and their financial impact
- Assess work crews for efficiency and value
- Report forecasted savings to boards and members, helping to justify decisions
“Arborcision from ACRT is a great way to gain accurate information about numerous aspects of your system—all to help you save money,” Weidner said. “By understanding potentially hazardous vegetation, overall workload and areas of improvement, you’ll be in a greater position than ever to implement a vegetation management plan that keeps you in power over your system and your public image.”
For more information or to schedule an Arborcision demo, visit http://arborcision.acrtinc.com/.
About Arbor Intelligence
Founded by Richard Jackson, the Arbor Intelligence division of Global ThinkTank Institute was formed to provide consultancy, research and development for the Utility Vegetation Management field. This includes Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS) and other product development. Jackson has more than 25 years of management consultancy experience, including work with big data analytics to improve organizational success and performance.
About ACRT, Inc.
ACRT, Inc. is a leading independent utility vegetation management (UVM) consulting company that proactively prevents and rapidly resolves utility challenges. We assess and monitor utility systems for vegetation liabilities and storm preparedness, consult with utility decision-makers on planning and budgeting, represent utilities to both customers and regulators, and train our personnel to be safety-focused industry leaders. We do all this and more to keep utilities in power over their systems and public image. Learn more at www.acrtinc.com.
The Arborcision/ACRT booth at the Expo
Arbor Intelligence 
