Kemp West was founded in 1982 to provide land clearing services for power line construction and road building. As an alternative to hand labor, the company developed brush cutting equipment to clear rights of ways. Eventually, all-terrain excavators “Spyders” were added for brush cutting on steep slopes. By 1991, Kemp West had grown to 50 employees with an emphasis in line clearance tree trimming. In 1996, the founder of Kemp West expressed interest in selling the company. With the moral support of a key group of long-term employees, Kemp West employee, Kari Hakso, and his wife Ruth Ann, purchased the company.
Today, with the same core group of employees, the company has grown to provide services to utilities, municipalities, and commercial customers throughout the state of Washington. Services include line clearance tree trimming, rights of way maintenance, work planning, tree care, and consulting.
