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SOUTHERN STUMPIN’ By David Abbott • Managing Editor • Ph. 334-834-1170 • Fax: 334-834-4525 • E-mail: david@hattonbrown.com
Optimistic Outlook orestry industry shows, association meetings and live demos have been a rarity for the last year, many replaced by virtual meetings. But in perhaps a sign of growing confidence that a return to normalcy could be in sight, Alabama logging machinery dealer Equipment Linc, Inc. hosted a live demo on Saturday, February 20. The Maplesville-based dealer is opening its second location near the demo site in Grove Hill in March, about 100 miles from Maplesville. This event served to introduce Equipment Linc to potential customers in the region. The demo attracted loggers and landowners from Alabama and Mississippi. “This was part of our open house,” owner Tommy Moore says. “The last time, we did its opportunities in the South. At least one logging it from Maplesville and we did live demos in the operation from Mississippi is reportedly planning morning then served lunch in the shop. But right to buy a Ponsse set after seeing it in action, and now, with Covid, we opted out from all that due to Moore reports several other promising connections social distancing.” They decided this year to keep it were made. outdoors, with a morning demo in the woods, servLaneville Mulching and Grading owner Dave ing on site grilled Conecuh dogs (a popular sausage Wenger sent a Barko carrier fitted with a Denis made in Conecuh County, Alabama). Cimaf mulching attachment for the event. Wenger Equipment Linc carries Barko, CSI, Delfab, is a friend and customer to Moore, and they’ve Rotobec, Big John trailers and Eco-Tracks, and known each other a long time. “He bought a 930 added Ponsse to the lineup a year ago. RepresentaBarko from us last year,” Moore says. With landtives from several of the manufacturers were on owners among those in attendance, this provided a hand to support their dealer and meet with cusgood opportunity to give exposure both to the Bartomers. A number of Ponsse people made the trip ko machine and to Wenger’s business. Micah Holfrom Wisconsin to answer questions about their cut loway, who supervises the mulching side of Laneto length system. David Sanders with Rotobec was ville’s business, operated the mulcher for the demo. there, as were Andy Weisel and Kevin Lee from Moore estimates about 100 folks showed up Barko. Tom Hirt of Delfab had planned to attend from Alabama and Mississippi, not counting dealer but couldn’t make it due to the recent winter and manufacturer employees. He was proud to weather crisis in Texas; weather also prevented have such strong attendance. “It was a wet week CSI’s Ralph Metcalf and Dennis Andrews from and we could have been limited on our crowd coming down. All of the support, even from those because people needed to work,” he says. “But who couldn’t make it in person, was much appreci- they still came out, so we were very thankful.” ated. “We had very good representation from our The new Equipment Linc location in Grove Hill manufacturers,” Moore says. “We were very has been in development for about a year but has pleased, they were very supportive.” been delayed by pandemic-related factors and Ponsse brought a Buffalo forwarder and Ergo weather. Moore expects to have the doors open by harvester, allowing attendees to take a ride with an middle of March. The Maplesville store opened in experienced operator and see firsthand what the April 2018. CTL machines can do. Ponsse is optimistic about Moore himself has a long background in the
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YouTuber Levi Spring will be posting a video to his Buckwild with Bubbarudy channel.
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Tommy Moore, left, visited friends, vendors and customers.
business. In the ’80s and ’90s he worked with both Mike Guy at Barko (and later Tigercat) dealer G&S Equipment in Prattville, Ala. and Gene Taylor at Timberjack (and later John Deere) dealer Warrior Tractor. For five years he was in business with Clark Salie, the son of Bill Salie, who used to own timber dealer Bama Wood in Montgomery. Later he went to work with the Parnell family’s timber operation based in Maplesville. “Jimmy Parnell and I went to school together at Auburn, and when he became president of Alabama Farmers Federation, I kind of filled his role,” Moore says. He was a manager for Parnell, Inc., he says, with the vision of one day maybe getting back into the equipment end of it. An opportunity soon manifested. “Lo and behold, in April of 2017, the late Brad Massey from Barko came to me asking if I was interested in taking on the Barko line,” he recalls. Shortly thereafter, Moore received a cancer diagnosis. He says his service manager and the Parnells stepped up to carry the load while he was in treatment. With cancer now in his rear view mirror, he says, it afforded him time to reflect on and appreciate all the blessings in life. “Our industry is such a tight knit group,” he says. “The relationships you build is probably the most rewarding part of it, because it can be a tough business monetarily and a challenge more often than not, but that’s what SLT keeps you going.”
For many, it was a family affair.
MARCH 2021 l Southern Loggin’ Times
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