RAMSEY-based business Day Tree Services is on course to increase turnover by 50 per cent in the current year in spite of the depressed economy.

Managing director Malcolm Day started up the business in 1978 after becoming disillusioned with working for other people and, in spite of successive recessions since then, has managed to operate a successful tree-work and property maintenance business for more than 30 years.

The tree business, part of Dayclean LLP, has just launched an online presence at www.daytreeservices.co.uk

“Running a business has been a challenge over the last three or four years,” said Mr Day. “Yet, despite the economic downturn, we have recently taken on new employees and have decided to invest and grow the business.

“Times are hard for everyone, but rather than spend our days worrying, we have accepted this as a challenge and are working harder than ever before. We are aiming to increase our turnover by 50 per cent this year, and are currently on track to do so.”

In conjunction with the launch of the website Day Tree Services have also added fencing and landscaping to the portfolio of services on offer.

Mr Day’s son Mark, who is the family firm’s general manager, said the expansion had come out of the blue for the company, which had originally started as his father’s window-cleaning round.

“It had been hard for a few years, but we won a contract to help out a company from south London with some property maintenance work locally and then realised there was a lot more of that sort of work needed, so we did some marketing and won new clients.

“As a result, we’ve been able to increase the workforce by around two-thirds. Some of our new employees had been looking for work for some time.”