Twenty Years and Still Climbing: HTC Arbor Services Marks a Major Milestone
In 2026, HTC Arbor Services celebrates 20 years in business — two decades of growth, graft and getting the job done. For Founder and Director Andy Hollingsworth, the journey started long before the company did.
"I got into this industry when I was 12 years old," Andy recalls. "I saw an advert for a truck cleaner for a tree surgery company. I didn't know the tree surgery company — I just thought it was extra money."
That Saturday job led to selling Christmas trees, then college, then qualifications in arboriculture, then a job offer. Andy progressed through the ranks, developed a reputation as a skilled climber, and was sent to Boston, America for work experience. By the time he decided to go freelance, he'd worked across multiple companies, absorbed different techniques and made a deliberate decision to see as much of the industry as possible before striking out on his own.
"I decided that when I got to a point that I could do every single type of tree work in the industry — that I was comfortable with all of it — that's when I'd set up my own business."
Early Days
"I decided that when I got to a point that I could do every single type of tree work in the industry — that I was comfortable with all of it — that's when I'd set up my own business."
After a stint in Portugal helping a friend establish a business in the Algarve, a call came from the UK with a contracting opportunity. Andy returned, earned around £1,000, and put it straight into a second-hand LDV truck from the company he'd been working for.
"I had my basic tools, the truck I bought for £1,000, and I managed to convince a friend to come and work with me. I was the climber, he was the groundsman. That was us — just the two of us."
From those beginnings, the business grew steadily — picking up subcontracting work, expanding into power line clearance in Ipswich, investing in heavier equipment and taking on more people. When the 2008 recession hit, HTC's diversified client base helped cushion the impact. Rather than relying on a single income stream, Andy had already built relationships with multiple contractors.
HTC becomes…HTC
Hollingsworth Tree Care became HTC Arbor Services Ltd
The decision to go limited around 10 years ago marked another turning point — and a name change. Hollingsworth Tree Care became HTC Arbor Services, and Andy's wife Lauren joined as co-owner and Operations Director.
"Lauren becoming a director helped me no end," says Andy. "It meant I could be out on the tools with the lads, knowing the business side was being managed properly. She brought real professionalism to the admin and operations side — and we've just gone from strength to strength since."
For Lauren, joining the business was about building something sustainable for the long term.
Lauren, Ops Director
"My focus was on making sure the business had the structure and processes to match its ambition. Twenty years in, I'm proud of what we've built together — and genuinely excited about where we're heading."
"When I came on board, the foundations were already solid — Andy had built a great reputation and a loyal client base," she says. "My focus was on making sure the business had the structure and processes to match its ambition. Twenty years in, I'm proud of what we've built together — and genuinely excited about where we're heading."
Today, HTC operates across Northamptonshire and the surrounding counties — delivering everything from individual residential tree surgery to large-scale commercial site clearance and planned maintenance contracts. The team holds qualifications including NPTC, LANTRA and CSCS, and the business has invested continuously in equipment to match the scale of work it takes on.
Landscaping — turfing, fencing, slabbing, excavation — was added to the offer five years ago, extending HTC's capability and providing year-round continuity alongside the more seasonal tree work.
"Any job we can do — landscaping, tree work — we're all kitted up," says Andy. "We have a lot of kit that can tailor to the work we need to do. It makes life easier for the lads, saves on manual handling, and means we can say yes to more."
Twenty years. One truck. A lot of trees.
Here's to the next twenty.
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