Brand Spotlight Petzl

Sherrilltree recently spoke with Petzl's Eastern Sales Manager Rudy Rutemiller (@run_rudy) about his work in the arborist industry, and how he got into the business.

• What do you find is so unique about the arborist industry?
• The depth of the industry, the countless ways to move in trees, the problems that need solving, the challenge and joys of working outside and the skills needed to do all of the above and plenty more.

• • What got you into this business?
  • I didn’t want a “traditional office job” as a college kid, so I quickly switched from the College of Engineering to the College of Natural Resources before my first day of classes at Virginia Tech. Working outside and with living creatures attracted me to Forestry; working with trees in cities was the ultimate blend of culture and environment.
  • Tell us about Petzl.
  • Petzl is unique in that we can outfit an arborist head to toe for PPE and climbing needs. We’re constantly innovating new solutions to working at height.
  • How has the Petzl business grown?
  • Like a lot of business, arboriculture can be about connections and knowing the right people. When I make the right connections, Petzl’s products speak for themselves and we find ourselves in win-win situations.

• How does Petzl come up with new projects/products?
• Petzl’s R&D team is like MI6 in the 007 movies -- we have all sorts of awesome projects happening. We’re constantly talking to end-users to see what problems need solving, then we get to work and test, revamp, test, revamp, then test some more.

• Tell us about your favorite day at work?
• The best days at work are always type-2-fun: the days that are horrible during, but are fun after-the-fact. The days humping eucalyptus logs up hundreds of steep stairs, or more recently the out-of-office days that start at 6am and don’t end until the bar after dinner.

• What do you like most about the arborist industry?
• The job intricacies & the fact that there’s always something new to learn next. Each site is unique, and there are a thousand ways to complete the job objective, whether you’re in the tree or in the office.

• How can people connect with your company? Where can they try/see your products?
• You can always find us at the TCI Trade Show, all of Sherrill Arborfests and, of course, online. You can also call our main line at 801-926-1500 and ask for a customer service representative or check out our website for all our technical content at www.petzl.com.

• Thanks, Rudy, for taking the time to talk to us! We love following Petzl @petzl_official and #petzlprofessional to see the epic perspectives-at-height and new products!