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Vol. 50, No. 6

(Founded in 1972—Our 585th Consecutive Issue)

F E AT U R E S

June 2021 A Hatton-Brown Publication

Phone: 334-834-1170 Fax: 334-834-4525

www.southernloggintimes.com Publisher David H. Ramsey Chief Operating Officer Dianne C. Sullivan Editor-in-Chief Senior Editor Managing Editor Senior Associate Editor Associate Editor

Rich Donnell Dan Shell David Abbott Jessica Johnson Patrick Dunning

Publisher/Editor Emeritus David (DK) Knight

BBrock Enterprises Built To Last

Expo Richmond Live Show Returns

Cindy Segrest Patti Campbell Rhonda Thomas Jacqlyn Kirkland

ADVERTISING CONTACTS DISPLAY SALES Eastern U.S. Kathy Sternenberg Tel: 251-928-4962 • Fax: 334-834-4525 219 Royal Lane Fairhope, AL 36532 E-mail: ksternenberg@bellsouth.net

out front: When her logger husband died, Samantha Bull had two little girls and no income. So she decided to keep the business going on her own, and with a little help from friends, she has succeeded. Her company, Bull IV Logging, operates in southwest Arkansas and neighboring states. Story begins on Page 8. (Photo by David Abbott)

Art Director Ad Production Coordinator Circulation Director Online Content/Marketing

Midwest USA, Eastern Canada John Simmons Tel: 905-666-0258 • Fax: 905-666-0778 32 Foster Cres. Whitby, Ontario, Canada L1R 1W1 E-mail: jsimmons@idirect.com

Hardwood Grading Results Of Research

Southern Stumpin’ . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 From The Backwoods Pew . . . . .32 Industry News Roundup . . . . . . .34 Safety Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Machines-Supplies-Technology 46 ForesTree Equipment Trader . . .48 Coming Events/Ad Index . . . . . .54

Western Canada, Western USA Tim Shaddick Tel: 604-910-1826 • Fax: 604-264-1367 4056 West 10th Ave. Vancouver, BC V6L 1Z1 E-mail: tootall1@shaw.ca Kevin Cook Tel: 604-619-1777 E-mail: lordkevincook@gmail.com International Murray Brett Tel: +34 96 640 4165 +34 96 640 4048 58 Aldea de las Cuevas • Buzon 60 03759 Benidoleig (Alicante), Spain E-mail: murray.brett@abasol.net CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

Bridget DeVane

Tel: 1-800-669-5613 • Tel 334-699-7837 Email: bdevane7@hotmail.com

Southern Loggin’ Times (ISSN 0744-2106) is published monthly by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc., 225 Hanrick St., Montgomery, AL 36104. Subscription Information—SLT is sent free to logging, pulpwood and chipping contractors and their supervisors; managers and supervisors of corporate-owned harvesting operations; wood suppliers; timber buyers; wood procurement and land management officials; industrial forestry purchasing agents; wholesale and retail forest equipment representatives and forest/logging association personnel in the U.S. South. See form elsewhere in this issue. All non-qualified U.S. subscriptions are $65 annually; $75 in Canada; $120 (Airmail) in all other countries (U.S. funds). Single copies, $5 each; special issues, $20 (U.S. funds). Subscription Inquiries— TOLL-FREE 800-669-5613; Fax 888-611-4525. Go to www.southernloggintimes.com and click on the subscribe button to subscribe/renew via the web. All advertisements for Southern Loggin’ Times magazine are accepted and published by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. with the understanding that the advertiser and/or advertising agency are authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The advertiser and/or advertising agency will defend, indemnify and hold Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. harmless from and against any loss, expenses, or other liability resulting from any claims or lawsuits for libel violations or right of privacy or publicity, plagiarism, copyright or trademark infringement and any other claims or lawsuits that may arise out of publication of such advertisement. Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. neither endorses nor makes any representation or guarantee as to the quality of goods and services advertised in Southern Loggin’ Times. Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to reject any advertisement which it deems inappropriate. Copyright ® 2021. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Ala. and at additional mailing offices. Printed In USA.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Southern Loggin’ Times, P.O. Box 2419, Montgomery, AL 36102-2419 Member Verified Audit Circulation

Other Hatton-Brown publications: ★ Timber Processing ★ Timber Harvesting ★ Panel World ★ Power Equipment Trade ★ Wood Bioenergy

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SOUTHERN STUMPIN’ By David Abbott • Managing Editor • Ph. 334-834-1170 • Fax: 334-834-4525 • E-mail: david@hattonbrown.com

When First Is Worst I

come from Alabama, so I know a thing or two about being number one…I know, I know, I’m sounding like THAT fan, but bear with me a minute. Alabama (this applies to the college football team, the country music band, and the state) has been #1, or close to it, their fair share of times…but not always in good ways. In music, Alabama the band has had a lot of #1 hits and other top 10 songs, gold records, and industry accolades. In sports, the University of Alabama’s various athletics programs, but particularly its football team, have won a few championships, and come close to winning more, both in the old days under the iconic Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant and more recently under the new GOAT, Nick Saban. And, of course, we do have another major college, Auburn University, which has also done quite well more often than not, including playing in, and winning, some SEC Championship and BCS national title games in the last decade or so. There was a stretch of a few years there, from 2009-2012, when the college football national championship winner every one of those years was either Alabama or Auburn, and Auburn was in the national championship game again in 2013, nearly extending the streak to five consecutive years. I have no doubt both schools will continue to see success. So, that’s when it’s good to be #1. But in a lot of other categories, Alabama as a state has unfortunately often come in #1, or close to it, where we don’t want to be. In the minus column for our state: arguably, just about everything else besides sports and music. Yep, football aside, we’re used to being #1, or close to it, in a lot of other categories, relative to population size: obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, infant mortality, violent crime, adult illiteracy, divorce, adultery, drug addiction, poverty; and often near to dead last (or first worst) in things like high school and college graduation rates, life expectancy, median income. In too many categories, we find ourselves at the top of the bad lists and the bottom of the good lists. A few years ago I read that the city of Montgomery can lay claim to having more STDs per capita than any other town in the U.S. That’s when being #1 is not so good! And I don’t mean to be so hard on my home state; I’m just using those broad negative stats to make a point. There are plenty of good things here too, besides football: beautiful countryside, hunting and fishing, beautiful beaches, some mighty fine logging, and plenty of really nice people. We also tend to have lower unemploy-

ment rates, lower property taxes, and a generally lower cost of living that offsets the generally lower income levels quite a bit, so that in many places the actual quality of life, to the extent it can be measured objectively, is higher than the raw data might suggest.

Danger Zone Logging is also #1 in a lot of ways—hey it’s #1 in our hearts, for sure. It’s a fine and honorable profession, one that performs a necessary service to society and the economy, and it’s filled with some of the best people you’ll ever meet. It’s generally unappreciated by much of the society that benefits from its labors. And it also consistently ranks as #1—on the list of the most dangerous jobs in America. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, there were 5,250 fatal work injuries across all sectors—all industries combined—in 2018. That number increased by 2% to 5,333 in 2019. The national average, among all industries, is about 3.5 workrelated deaths per 100,000 workers. According to a June 3, 2020 article in Business Insider, logging has a fatality rate of 97.6 jobcaused deaths per 100,000 workers. That is almost 28 times higher than the overall rate for all jobs combined. The second most dangerous job, professional fishing, apparently has 77.4 deaths per 100,000, so logging has a pretty big lead (20 more fatalities per 100,000). I found this very surprising; I very rarely hear about loggers dying in the woods. Many other jobs you might intuitively think of as being more dangerous are, statistically, not. Mining, for instance: 11 deaths per 100,000. Law enforcement: we all love our heroes and know they have a dangerous job, but it turns out that “police officer” (local, state and federal combined) ranks as the 16th most dangerous job in America, at 13.7 deaths per 100,000. How about firefighters? That’s gotta be one of the most dangerous jobs, right? I would have thought so. Well I didn’t see that on the Business Insider list…maybe I overlooked it or maybe they included it under EMT/rescue workers, it wasn’t clear…so I looked up some numbers from the U.S. Fire Administration and FEMA. In 2019, there were 62 on-duty firefighter deaths in the U.S., out of 1,115,000 firefighters (33% career and 67% volunteer). That’s the lowest

annual number since USFA started keeping track, and thank God for that. It’s a fatality rate of 5.56 deaths per 100,000…well below logging’s 97.6, assuming that figure is accurate. Farming and ranching comes in at #7 with 24.7 deaths per 100,000; truck driving at #6 with 26 deaths per 100K. And there are several other things on the list, compiled from Labor Bureau and OSHA statistics: electrician, roofer, pilot. A logger is more likely to die on the job than any of them. Heck, about the only thing deadlier than logging is COVID-19 (164 deaths per 100,000). And that’s not even counting non-fatal injuries. With luck, you could just be maimed or crippled. If memory serves, I believe I remember reading at one time, a couple of years ago, that the fishing industry briefly overtook logging as the most dangerous job one year, but logging reclaimed the crown the very next year and has, I think, held it since. So, yeah, it’s not always so great to be #1.

Improvements On the other hand, I came across this in a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) report from 1995: “The National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities (NTOF) Surveillance System indicates that during the period 1980-89, nearly 6,400 U.S. workers died each year from traumatic injuries suffered in the workplace [NIOSH 1993a]. Over this 10-year period, an estimated 1,492 of these deaths occurred in the logging industry, where the average annual fatality rate is more than 23 times that for all U.S. workers (164 deaths per 100,000 workers compared with 7 per 100,000).” So, both the overall numbers and the logging numbers were much higher 30-40 years ago. The absolute number of deaths overall was about 1,200 more per year (for everything combined) back then, and the rate was double what it is now. The logging fatality rate has come down by about 40%, from 164 deaths per 100K in the ’80s to about 98 in 2019. No doubt that’s due to a lot of factors. Logging has definitely become safer—more mechanized, fewer men on the ground, more use of safety equipment and greater awareness and education about risks— but it’s still dangerous work, so you guys be careful out there. Turns out you might be the toughest and bravest men (and women) in America. Now that part doesn’t surprise me at all. SLT

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Rising Above ■ Samantha Bull determined to keep her husband’s logging business going after his death.

By David Abbott FOUKE, Ark. t could be the premise for a Hallmark movie. Eight ★ years ago, Samantha Bull was a stay-at-home mom and housewife, happily married to her high school sweetheart, Michael, who supported his family with his logging company, Stanley Bull Jr. Logging (Michael was his middle name). They had two daughters, Josie, 11, and Leena, a newborn. Life wasn’t always easy, but it was good. Then tragedy struck. In March of 2013, at age 37, Michael was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma, an aggressive form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. A fast-growing cancer of immune cells in the blood, it is often rapidly fatal. Sadly, this turned out to be the case for Michael. He died in November that year. “It all happened very quickly,” Samantha says. “We were not really prepared for it at all.” A widow at 33, she was left with the assets of a business she didn’t know much about. She had helped

with the paperwork, but that was about it. Stanley Bull Jr. Logging had been a stable and profitable operation, but it wouldn’t run itself on autopilot. She had no other source of income—no college degree, no job experience. What she did have: two little girls to take care of and bills that weren’t going to pay themselves. So, in the midst of her grief, this young, suddenly single mom had to make a choice. She could sell the business her husband started, settle its debts and look for a job that would pay enough and a daycare she could afford. Or, she could use what her husband left her and try to make a go of the logging company herself. “It was either get rid of it or try to make it work,” she knew. “So, I thought, what the heck, let’s just give it a try.” Of course, making the decision to manage a logging business herself was just step one; actually doing it would be no easy task. “I was freaked out,” she admits. “I was scared. I didn’t know anything about what goes on out here in the woods.” Looking back, she has wondered

Left to right: Weyerhaeuser forester Gerald Wright, crew foreman Tad Ward and owner Samantha Bull

at times what made her do this. Part of it was certainly financial: the business was there, and could support her and the girls, if it succeeded. But in part, it was a way to honor the memory of her late husband and to preserve his legacy for his daughters. He grew up in logging, had worked in it the whole time they were married, since 2000. “Michael had a big passion for it. It was something he loved and I thought he would probably want me to at least try to keep it going.” For various reasons, her lawyer advised her to change the company name, or rather to form a new company under a different name: Bull IV

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Logging LLC. She chose that name as a play-on-words with a double meaning; it signifies that Michael Bull was “for” logging, because he was passionate about it, but also because they were a family of four.

Help Suffice to say, eight years later, Bull IV Logging is still going strong. Now 41, Samantha is proud of what she accomplished with a little grit and determination, but she’s also quick to point out that she didn’t do it entirely on her own. When she took over, the businesswoman admits, “I was nervous about

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it. You have to have a confidence in the people who are running the machines.” And she didn’t have that confidence; she believed the crew she had wouldn’t last. “It is hard to get good people who want to do anything,” she acknowledges, echoing a common frustration of logging business owners everywhere. What she needed was a skilled and experienced foreman to stay on top of everything on the job site. In June 2014, she hired Tad Ward to fill that position. Ward, who grew up in logging, turned out to be just what the doctor ordered. He had known Michael but had not worked for him, and he had known Samantha for a long time. Her dad, Braden Jackson, had been a truck driver, and actually used to haul wood for Ward’s father, Doyal Ward. He knew what he was doing, and she knew she could trust him. Tad turned out to be something more than just a foreman. They formed a partnership: Samantha manages the financials, the “business” side of the business, while Ward runs a loader and supervises operations in the woods. The arrangement has been beneficial for both of them. “It works, and it’s been really good,” she says. “I truly do not believe my business would have flourished like it has today without the help of Tad’s knowledge, drive and guidance along the way. I am forever grateful for him.”

The Bull crew uses three Deere loaders, one for keeping trucks loaded, the other two for sorting and merchandizing.

Equipment Stribling Equipment in Texarkana, Ark., supplies the Bull’s roster of John Deere machines, including three loaders—2011 and 2014 437Ds and a 2019 437E— one for filling trucks, and the others for delimbing, merchandizing and separating pulpwood from logs. With no local chip-n-saw market, they have fewer sorts. One of the loaders has a Rotobec grapple saw, making it easier to top stems, Tad says. Two skidders, a ’17 748L and ’18 648L, keep the loaders busy, each usually pulling to one of the delimbing loaders. A 2018 643L does the bulk of felling, and they keep a 643K in reserve on site. Several other spare machines are parked at Samantha’s house, ready if needed. A ’16 Case 750K helps build and maintain roads. The crew these days leaves Samantha feeling all kinds of confident. “To have a good crew is essential to running a logging operation, and I feel like I have some of the best,” she says. “I am very thankful for their hard work, determination, dependability and teamwork. It plays a huge role in making my business run smoothly.” Bryar Ward, Tad’s son, runs the 748L, with Blake Uncel on the

Left to right, James Nowlin, Blake Uncel, Bud “Pops” Bland, Bryar Ward, Shane Baker

smaller skidder. James Nowlin handles the cutter, while Shane Baker and Tad do most of the loading and delimbing. Bud "Pops" Bland, who is 82, mans the dozer, maintaining roads when it gets wet. He also keeps roads swept when needed, and handles BMP work. Four Western Star trucks and two contractors haul with Viking plantation trailers. Samantha buys her trucks and trailers from Lonestar Truck Group on the Texas side of Texarkana.

Maintenance Machine operators track hours and change oil when needed, every 500 hours on the newer equipment and every 250 hours on the older stuff. Machines run on average about 40 hours a week, so they go about six to eight weeks between service jobs. Major repairs go back to Stribling, and everything is still under warranty except for the two older loaders. One of those has 14,000

Company truck drivers, from left: Ryan White, Jerry Edgar, Larry Buford

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Stribling Equipment in Texarkana supplies all the crew's Deere machines.

hours on it and Tad says they haven’t had to do anything to it. When it comes time to get new machines, Samantha isn’t too concerned with trade-in value. “That girl won’t trade nothing,” Tad laughs. At the yard, there is a truck for which somebody offered her a lot of money, but she wouldn't sell. It sits in the yard and they crank it every now and then and let it run to keep the batteries charged. She has her reason, and it’s a good one. “Mainly the stuff I have kept was what Michael had, and I just can’t get rid of it,” she explains.

Ark-La-Tex Land Based near Texarkana close also to the Louisiana line, Bull IV Logging tackles tracts throughout that Ark-La-Tex corridor, in all three

states. In March 2021, when Southern Loggin’ Times finally caught up with them—a meeting that had been planned a year earlier but delayed by coronavirus travel restrictions— Bull IV was working on Weyerhaeuser land in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, about an hour from their home base in Arkansas. The 29-year-old pine stand is surrounded by private land and was part of Weyerhaeuser’s Willamette acquisition in 2002. It was a 40-acre job, or 35 acres when you count around the SMZs, according to Gerald Wright, a Weyerhaeuser harvest manager out of De Queen, Ark. who often works closely with Samantha and Tad. It was a clear-cut, with thinning allowed inside the blue lines that marked the streamside management zones. Not surprising-

Contract drivers Jimbo Clayton, left, and D.J. Clayton, right

ly, production here was light on pulpwood. “We run about eight loads of logs to every one load of pulpwood fiber,” Tad reckons. Though it was warm enough in March, this was a winter tract, Wright says, one they had held back for the wet months. “Most of them in this area we will hold for winter ground because it’s real sandy and hilly and has a lot of iron ore and rock underneath,” he explains. Bull IV gets timber strictly through Weyerhaeuser. When conditions are dry, Wright might have them working in Lafayette County, Arkansas; when it’s wet, he puts them in areas like this one, and it’s been extremely wet in recent months. “Probably worse this year than it has been in the last two or three,” Wright says. “We had three snow events down

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here, and then it rained probably two feet since on top of that.”

Markets “It’s really too far away for a lot of Weyerhaeuser’s internal mills,” Wright says of the tract. “So the logs here go to West Fraser in New Boston, Tex. Occasionally we will send some to PotlatchDeltic (in Waldo, Ark.), but normally not very much.” The crew averages 75 loads a week, when they can keep all six trucks hauling. “But it is so hard to find drivers,” Tad laments. “If it wasn’t for the trucking, logging would be nice!” The problem, in his opinion: there’s just a lack of qualified drivers. Progressive Insurance, Samantha says, runs potential drivers through

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Left, Michael Bull; right, daughters Josie and Leena

their system before she’ll hire them. She explains, “They have to be over 30, with three years of driving experience, and if they have any kind of tickets, you can forget it, because it will shoot your rates up too high.” Right now, Bull IV pays $55,000 in total insurance each year for the four company rigs. Recently they were considering adding a certain driver,

right up until their Progressive agent informed them that hiring him would double their premium: an additional $50,000 for just the one guy. Is there anything drivers can do if they have had problems? “I guess about the only thing you can do is quit and find a different line of work,” Tad says. “Trucks are a real fine line as far as making money anyway, I don’t care who you haul for. Once you cross that line to where you are not making money, you can’t keep them running. We

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have had to lay several drivers off because of insurance costs.” The other problem is finding a driver who is dependable, they add, one who will haul and who will take care of the truck. They do drug testing of drivers, going through a third party who does a random check every month, pulling certain drivers and not letting them know until the day of the test. “I’m real stern on drugs,” Tad says. “There’s not any place for it.” The company’s safety plan outlines a zero-tolerance drug policy. Weyerhaeuser requires a safety plan of all its loggers and provides topics for training. To comply, Bull IV has developed its own safety program. This includes at least one formal safety meeting a month, usually around a truck tailgate. “Since the Covid, now I show it to them one-on-one,” Tad says. Everyone uses CB to communicate in the woods, also a must with Weyerhaeuser. Everyone wears PPE (hard hats and high-visibility shirts are required), nobody works on the ground, and there are no chain saws on the job besides pole saws. “Safety is first,” Samantha says. “Everybody out here, just about, is family, and everyone out here is working for a reason, and I just want everybody to make it back home every day.” Logging is more than ok around these parts right now, they agree enthusiastically. Despite all the tumult of 2020, Samantha says the only thing that really affected their work adversely was the snow this winter. “Markets have been real good,” Tad adds. Wright points out that lumber has hit record high prices. “They have been running the Dierks mill and I am sure New Boston is the same way. They have been trying to just cut as much as they can, and we have been feeding them logs.” The two girls are doing well, their mom reports; Josie is now 19 and Leena is 8. Lena is in second grade now and Josie is attending cosmetology school. They have no interest in taking part in the logging business, though. The journey hasn’t been a walk in the park, and there’s always another battle to fight. But Samantha doesn’t back down. In 2018, five years after cancer took her husband, the disease came calling for her as well: breast cancer. She didn’t have to undergo chemotherapy, but she had a mastectomy and it has been clear since. “This girl right here is tough, let me tell you,” Tad says. After the mastectomy, he says, she went home the next day and wouldn’t even take the pain pills. “I am just proud to SLT be in her life,” he says.

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Hammer Down ■ Brandon Brock counters 2020 market volatility with diversity and plans expansion. By Patrick Dunning MAYKING, Ky. or Brandon Brock, ★ 37, owner of BBrock Enterprises, LLC, 2020 was a head scratcher of a year. It was the “lucky” 13th year in the woods for Brock, and he was starting to figure out how to efficiently manage his company when the world came screeching to a halt with the dawn of the new decade. Temporary mill closures and strenuous quotas had the young logger scrambling further for timber and trying to weather the storm during the first months of the pandemic. “We were just trying to survive,” he reflects a year later. “Our production was down about 60% in the middle of March. I just tried to maintain and keep our workers on

Brandon Brock was the 2019 Kentucky Forest Industries Assn. Logger of the Year.

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Hardwood sawlogs have remained the company’s focus with 40 loads hauled weekly on average.

the payroll with some cash flow.” Brock, like nearly every logger, felt the ripple effects of mills’ hesitancy to accept and store a large inventory, which has now culminated into supply backlogs attempting to match robust demand for lumber.

Not to beat a dead horse by revisiting events from what feels like a lifetime ago, but even a temporary stall in volume production has lasting effects on current balance sheets, future capital expenditure and even the logging industry’s

overall infrastructure, Brock says. Domtar’s paper mill in Kingsport, Tenn., temporarily shuttered in April 2020 and was expected to reopen after 90 days; instead, it underwent a permanent conversion that impacted Brock’s high-volume

dependent operation. “It was hard to make it each week and a big difference in volume when you’re used to pushing 60,000 ft. weekly,” he says of 2020’s summer woes. “We should have been in high production putting back for the winter

From left: Brandon Brock, owner; Tim Combs, cutter operator; Keith Collins, knuckleboom operator; Josh Cornett, skidder operator, mechanic

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months but it wasn’t there.” But resiliency beats a pity party any day. Brock has family that depends on him. Despite the 10-hour days and long weekends tinkering with machinery to have it ready to go the following week, Brock can’t help but brag on his crew of men, the reliability of his equipment, and his plans to continue growing his company’s portfolio despite the momentary disruption. “I have a feeling things are going to get better and I’m going to be ready when they do,” he declares. “We’re going to put the hammer down.”

ern Pocahontas Properties clear-cutting 30-year-old pine on reclamation land. BBrock Enterprises hauls hardwood and softwood pulp to the Pixelle (former Glatfelter) paper mill in Chillicothe, Oh., Weyerhaeuser’s OSB plant in Sutton, W.Va., and Columbia Forest Products in Greensboro, NC. The logger sends his sawlogs to BPM Lumber in London, Ky., and Taylor Lumber in McDermott, Oh.

Well Equipped

Buyer’s Market Southern Loggin’ Times Leslie Equipment in Pikeville helps with all of the company’s John Deere equipment needs. found BBrock Enterprises, LLC, in August of last year logging the strip-mining operation’s mounas 2021’s fiscal second quarter a 5,000-acre tract in Knott County taintop thermal coal removal perapproaches its end, he noted his owned by the second largest mining forming a clear-cut prescription, tar- export markets and domestic lumcompany in the United States, Arch geting a variety of hardwood (hickber consumption have come back Resources, Inc., mining shot rock, ory, white oak, chestnut and poplar) strong with the new presidential with BPM Lumber leasing its timwith 4 in. minimum DBH. They administration. After March 15, ber rights. Arch supplied BBrock were averaging 15-20 loads weekly 2020, Brock says no trees above the rock for free to construct all by looking to fencing, pillar and 1,200 ft. elevation can be cut to preaccess roads on site, which paid high-grade sawlog markets. serve habitat for an endangered bat dividends to both companies. When SLT followed up with population in eastern Kentucky, so Brock’s crew was staged ahead of Brock on how markets were faring he’s currently contracting for West-

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Brock runs everything John Deere except for a pair of Barko knuckleboom loaders in the woods. He says having a John Deere equipment dealer on both sides of the company’s Kentucky headquarters— Leslie Equipment in Pikeville and Meade Tractor in Hazard—increases his confidence in his equipment and helps with securing necessary parts. “Leslie has a bigger fleet size and a great ground program,” Brock says. “I tend to purchase more through them and use their rentalto-purchase option for four to six

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trailers set out and do the work with one truck to cut costs on workers’ comp and insurance while decreasing expenses on fuel, wear and tear and driver pay. Progressive Insurance provides all the company’s coverage needs in that regard. For additional diversity Brock is involved in abandoned mine land reclamation work for the state, excavation work on the side and contracts his trucks to local loggers. His latest endeavor, due to this year’s boom in lumber prices, is the

current construction of a small-production sawmill focused on crossties, fencing boards, flooring, sawdust and chips. Brock anticipates it will be completed and ready to operate by July 1 and that it will turn out 250MBF a month. The decade that has almost passed since he founded his LLC in 2011 seems like it’s been a short one. In that time, Brock was honored with the 2019 Kentucky Logger of the Year award on August 25, 2020. He gives the credit to his

crew, noting that without good help like them, it isn’t possible to be a reliable producer and to run such a clean operation that is compliant with the state’s BMP regulations. “I’ve got great workers,” he acknowledges. “I wouldn’t be able to make it without my crew.” As far as he’s come and as much as he’s accomplished, the young logger admits he’s still hungry. “We’re going to continue to grow,” he predicts confidently. “I’m ready SLT to put the hammer down.”

Brock and his son, Clay Mathew

months before I buy it to make sure I like it.” Brock’s equipment inventory— including three knuckleboom loaders (’19 John Deere 337, ‘97 Barko 160C and ’05 Barko 225), ’14 John Deere 225D LC excavator with Ryan’s DS28C sawhead, ’12 John Deere 548G skidder with Bear Paw chains, and three John Deere dozers (’09 650J, ’08 750J and ’96 650G) —easily proved a match for the steep, rocky landscape of the Arch Resource tract late last summer. “I’ve grown quite a bit but I reinvest a lot back into the business,” Brock says. “That’s the thing about the logging business: you have to put money back into it or you won’t have anything in the end. It’s rough on your equipment.” His ’08 F650 service truck is equipped with an Auto Crane boom, Miller welder, generator, vice, compressor, a plethora of tools and a pressure washer. Brock runs all woods equipment through his shop after every 500 hours for routine maintenance. Lucas oil and stabilizer is preferred in his engines, final drives and rear ends as well as in his log trucks, which are serviced on 10,000-mile intervals. “When we run everything through the shop I’ll touch up equipment with paint and get it looking brand new again,” he says. “I’m real OCD and like my stuff to look good. When it looks good your workers take better care of it and that helps with reselling.” Josh Cornett, fulltime mechanic, oversees all Brock’s woods machinery and trucks. Brock hauls his own wood and contracts his trucks for local loggers with his fleet rigs, including ’98 and ’03 model W900 Kenworths, ’02 model 379 Peterbilt, ’94 Western Star and four Pitts log trailers. With rate increases, Brock says it’s easier to keep two to three Southern Loggin’ Times

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On With The Show ■ After multiple Covid-19 delays in 2020, Expo Richmond makes a strong comeback.

Jewell Machinery welcomed attendees.

By David Abbott RICHMOND, Va. he well★ known steam engine that greets incoming attendees at the entrance to the East Coast Sawmill and Logging Equipment Exposition was on the opposite end of the Richmond Raceway lot this year from its usual location. In fact, the whole entrance was moved to the other side, one of the many changes forced on the 37th edition of Expo Richmond by the pandemic. First of all, this 37th Expo was supposed to have taken place a year

JP Pierson, Pitts Trailers President, caught up with Pat Weiler, left.

earlier, in May 2020, but was delayed by the pandemic shutdowns, first to October of last year and then again to May 2122, 2021. Expo Chairman Jamie Coleman estimates that about 4,000 in total were on hand for this year’s event. That’s just about two-thirds of the normal amount, down by 2,000 from the 2018 totals. There were also about 80 fewer exhibitors this year than in the last Expo. Many companies couldn’t make it due to continuing Covid-related travel restrictions, such as for those coming from Canada. In some cases, large corporate entities opted

Virginia logger Donnie Reaves made the rounds.

Those who could make it were glad they did.

Log A Load raised money for children’s hospitals.

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People were happy to get back out in person. Tigercat mascot on one of Binky Tapscott’s ATVs

A diverse crowd came from all over.

Many made quality connections.

Nelson Logging of Oxford, NC came with matching shirts for the whole family (not all of whom are pictured here). The next generation is on board.

Several outdoor exhibitors set up cornhole games.

Barko and the Rough Terrain Carrier

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Pierson, left, with Forest Pro’s Binky Tapscott, right

●

Weiler, Cat and Carter Cat had a crowd.

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to avoid potential risk and sat this one out, a policy that precluded the usual involvement from some local branches, dealers or reps. And yet, many did attend— some, like Pitts Trailers, brought a large group. All things considered (not just ongoing pandemic concerns but also fuel shortages), most of those who attended considered the 2021 Expo a success. Numbers were down, but it was a more robust crowd than it might have been. “We all knew going in that there would be less, and no one really knew what to expect,” Coleman admits. “Most of the people I talked to said it was a pleasant surprise.” The key word was quality, not quantity; many exhibitors related that the attendees they saw were not casual browsers but real potential leads, interested in making purchases. One Rotobec salesman said he had already seen three quality leads before 10 a.m. on the first day, adding that if he didn’t see anyone else, it would have already been worth his trip. People generally seemed happy to get back together in person, and some came from long distances: there were loggers from Georgia, Alabama, even south Arkansas. Robert Terrell, Jr. of Georgia’s Terrell Enterprises, Inc. came looking for a shaver to put on their wood yard to make shavings for animal bedding. Instead of taking much of a breather, Expo organizers (Coleman as well as Virginia Forest Products Assn. Executive Director Lesley Moseley, who Coleman credits with having done most of the “heavy lifting” this year) are already hard at work for the next Expo. They plan to do the whole thing over again next year, to get the schedule back on track for its usual biennial even year rotation. After the back-toback 2021 and 2022 shows, Expo will return in 2024, 2026 and so on from there. Fingers are crossed that next year will see the show completely back to normal, as Coleman says: “We’ll be ready SLT to rock and roll in 2022.”

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Making The Grade ■ Researchers seek industry standard for Appalachian hardwood log grading. By Curt Hassler, Joe McNeel, Jordan Thompson EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part one of a two-part series on hardwood mill practices in the Appalachian region, based on studies performed by the West Virginia University Appalachian Hardwood Center. It originally ran in the May/June 2021 issue of Timber Harvesting, another Hatton-Brown publication. esearchers with the Appalachian Hardwood Center (AHC) at West Virginia University have recently conducted more than 60 studies at sawmills in six states to better understand log grades, lumber grade yields and pricing of hardwood logs. In the course of these studies, the AHC became aware that mills had created their own de facto systems—unique to each individual mill or company. While these mill-

specific systems could vary considerably in how logs were graded/classified, certain commonalities were evident, including species, scaling diameter and number of clear faces. Certain nuances in assigning a grade were applied by mills, with no consistency between mills and could include log length, position in the tree (butt or upper log), and log end conditions. Mills in nine Appalachian sates were surveyed to determine procurement strategies and identify common grading and scaling measurement protocols that could be used in the development of a regional hardwood log grading and scaling system. This article documents how the hardwood industry, in the absence of a standardized industry-wide log grading system, conducts grading and scaling operations for hardwood logs in the Appalachian region. The survey is based on 110 use-

able survey responses. Responding mill production levels, range from 0.04 to 150MMBF in annual output.

Scaling Diameter, Length Scaling of hardwood logs is arguably just as important as grading since log pricing is based on both grade and volume of a log. The two measurements required to determine log volume are scaling diameter and length. Scaling diameter for hardwood logs is determined by measuring the diameter inside the bark at the small end of the log (DIB). Total log length is measured in feet. With these two measurements, the total volume, in board feet, can be calculated using an established log rule. Three log rules consistently used by the industry include the Doyle, Scribner, and International ¼ inch Log Rules. The most common log rule used by mills was the Doyle log rule, with

Developing workable regional scaling and grading standards will require plenty of communication, negotiation.

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76% reporting its use. The second most used log rule was Scribner decimal C (11%), followed by the International ¼ log rule (10%). Three percent of the surveyed mills used some combination of log rules, but in all cases, Doyle was part of the combination. The Doyle log rule was used consistently across all nine states in the sample, with Ohio and West Virginia using it exclusively. The International Log Rule saw the greatest use in Virginia and North Carolina, while the Scribner Decimal C log rule was used mostly in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Four options for measuring scaling diameter were reported in the survey: Average—The largest and smallest measurement taken through the center of the heart added together and divided by two; Short-way only (SWO)—the shortest measurement of diameter crossing through the heart of the log; Short-way then 90 degrees to that-

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Inconsistent grading practices mean getting the best value can be difficult.

(SW+90)—the shortest measurement of diameter crossing through the heart of the log and then 90 degrees to that, adding those two measurements together, and dividing by two; and Other—including purchasing logs by weight and measuring just the small end of the log inside bark (with no further explanation). The two most common methods reported were Average (43%) and (SW+90) (31%), with a combined total of over 74% of responses. There were six methods reported by respondents for handling fractional inches when measuring scaling diameter. The options were: A—Round up if the fraction is ≥0.5 inches (34%) B—Alternate rounding up and down if the fraction equals 0.5 inches (24%) C—Round up if the fraction is ≥0.75 inches (10%) D—Always round down (9%) E—Round down if the fraction is ≤0.5 inches (8%) F—Other options included rounding based on log quality or an implication that no rounding took place (15%) Mills were asked whether they buy logs of even lengths only or if they also buy odd length logs. For 107 responding mills, 60% purchased only even length logs, while the remaining 40% purchased both even and odd length logs. For those mills that purchase only even length logs, this creates a possible situation where a logger produces a 9 ft. log, sells it as an 8 ft. log to the mill— and the mill then produces and sells

9 ft. boards. Trim allowance ensures that a mill can saw lumber full length and not be forced to trim a foot or more. Of the 100 mills responding, 26% preferred four inches of trim, while

25% of the respondents reported using “Other” preferred lengths of trim ranging from 0-12 inches. Twenty-five percent preferred six inches of trim and 24% preferred a range between four and six inches.

If the preferred trim allowance was not present in a log, respondents were asked what trim allowance is acceptable before initiating a scalebased length deduction. A variety of minimum trim allowances were reported: 1 inch—20%; 2 inches— 32%; 3 inches—12%; 4 inches— 16%; Other—20%.

Scaling Deductions

In many cases, mills use established scaling rules, but then add their own “rules of thumb” that result in custom scaling practices.

Defects that affect lumber yield present a range of issues. Questions were posed about specific scaling defects, including double hearts, sweep, holes and shake. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of log scaling is dealing with scaling defects and developing a basic understanding of how they are handled. Understanding how they are most handled by the industry can help define the best options for a standardized scaling system. A double heart is created when the bole of a tree diverges and forms two forks, a common occurrence in hardwood logs with a negative effect on log value and lumber quality. Mills provided nine different approaches to determining the amount of deduction for doublehearted logs. Concerning deductions for sweep, about 37% of responding mills use diameter and length deductions when handling sweep, 33% reported using a diameter deduction only, nearly 18% used a length deduction only, while 12% did not use any diameter or length deductions. Holes that occur due to heart rot

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generally affect the cant section of the log where the cant is located. It is generally difficult to assess the impact of a hole and associated decay on lumber recovery and quality. Nearly 37% of responding mills use both diameter and length deductions for holes; just over 27% used a length deduction only; and 25% used diameter only. Nearly 11% of surveyed mills did not use any diameter or length deduction and instead simply estimate the board footage loss caused by the defect through a visual inspection. Shake occurs as an end defect in hardwood logs, where the growth rings separate from each other. Almost 39% of responding mills used both diameter and length when making deductions for shake, followed by 27% that used a length deduction only and 21% used only a diameter deduction. Just over 13% of the surveyed mills used only visual assessments of the loss of board footage caused by the defect.

Grading Protocols Grading hardwood logs is a process that uses the exterior features of logs to determine quality (or grade). Generally, a log is divided into four quadrants or faces, and

Wide scaling variability among log buyers makes for inefficient economic decisions across the industry.

each face is evaluated independently to determine the presence or absence of defects. The grade is then based, in part, on the number of clear faces. Of the mills sampled, 89% graded logs without rolling to examine all four sides/faces, while only 11% indicated they did roll logs when grading. The failure to roll the log is probably associated with saving

time in a production setting where time is of the essence in getting loads graded and scaled as quickly as possible. About 42% assumed the bottom of the log was “similar to other 3 sides,” followed by “clear” assumed by 34% of respondents. Assuming the bottom face is “clear” is often a false assumption that unfairly boosts the quality of a particular

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log. “Other” responses (24%) assumed that the bottom face on each log has at least one defect or that half of the logs contained defects on the bottom face. Finally, mills were asked if they would support the development of a standard log grading system. Of the mills that responded, 66% indicated they would support such an effort, 34% would not. Mill size did not

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play a role in defining whether a mill would support the introduction of a standardized log grading system.

Conclusions The various scaling and grading protocols examined in this survey, taken together, confirm that log grading and scaling are highly variable and depend in many cases on mill-based rules of thumb relative to grading and scaling standards. A variety of ad hoc systems are used in Appalachia, making it difficult to reach intelligent economic decisions about where to sell logs to maximize value. Ad hoc grading and scaling protocols do not serve the best interests of the hardwood industry. However, the authors believe the results do indicate a reasonable path forward in developing a standardized system. The Doyle log rule was by far the most common rule in use. But for a standardized system to attain broad acceptance, all three rules cited by respondents must be permitted (Doyle, Scribner, and International ¼ inch). Similarly, the option of buying both even and odd length logs must be included, even though a majority of mills (58%) purchased only even length logs. Further, the issue of trim allowance showed that discussion among log grading practitioners and mills would be necessary to reach consensus about handling such important factors in a standardized system. In the case of scaling diameter, a method must be chosen that is common but also does not favor buyer or seller in any significant way. The most common response was to measure the smallest diameter then the largest diameter and average them—but that tends to slightly favor the seller of logs. The best option would appear to be to measure the shortest diameter, rotate 90° and take the second diameter measurement, and then average them, which was the second most common response (31%). Handling fractional portions of an average scaling diameter also resulted in a number of options reported by respondents. Perhaps the most logical approach is to simply decide how to handle a halfinch fraction. For practical purposes, a rule that says “…round down if the fraction is ≤0.5 inches and round up if the fraction is >0.5 inches…” seems reasonable. The survey was not designed to elicit specific rules of thumb being used by respondents, as that would have unduly complicated the responses. The most reasonable approach is to analyze log and lumber yield data in such a way that the

selection of a rule-of-thumb would not significantly alter the overrun/ underrun expected from the log in the absence of the scaling defect. Even with 66% of responding mills favoring a standardized system, the elements of such a system must be simple to use in a production setting, mirror what the industry is currently using and serve as the basis for efficiently pricing hardwood logs. Log grades must be based on extensive empirical data that is col-

lected on a “per log” basis. The grades would necessarily be based on lumber yields of NHLA lumber grades, which relate back to scaling diameter and number of clear faces. It’s only by combining log grade with overrun/underrun, sawing costs and lumber/cant pricing that the pricing of logs can be consistently determined. Barriers are created when sawmills offer a variety of scaling and grading options. In that case, it can be difficult to define the best

option for producers, landowners and contractors. The opinions of all interested stakeholders must be considered in order to ensure acceptance, implementation, and continued development of a standardized hardwood log grading system. SLT Joseph McNeel is Director of the West Virginia University Appalachian Hardwood Center (WVU AHC); Curt Hassler is a research professor at WVU AHC; and Jordan Thompson is a procurement forester for Millwood Lumber in Gnadenhutten, Ohio.

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I Never Cared Until Now I never cared if you were gay or whatever acronym you chose to call yourself…until you started shoving it down my throat. I never cared what color you were…until you started blaming me for your problems. I never cared about your political affiliation…until you started to condemn me for mine. I never cared where you were from in this great Republic… until you began condemning people based on where they were born and the history that makes them who they are. I have never cared if you were well off or poor, because I’ve been both…until you started calling me names for working hard and bettering myself. I’ve never cared if your beliefs were different than mine…until you said my beliefs were wrong. I’ve never cared if you didn’t like guns…until you tried to take my guns away. But now, I care. I’ve given all the tolerance I have to give. This is no longer my problem. It’s your problem. You can still fix it. It’s not too late. But it needs to be soon. I’m a very patient person, but I’m out of patience. There are literally tens of millions of people just like me who are sick of all your anti-American crap! I’ve always cared about life, and all lives, but now you try to force the notion on me and my fellow citizens and patriots that certain lives matter more than others. You protest, riot, attack, burn and loot. Your so-called ‘movement’ has become a radical, out-of-control bunch of thugs, criminals and anarchists who are destroying our country. We have had enough! America is the greatest country on Earth, and if you don’t like America then you can leave. We are done caring about your misguided ‘feelings.’ You don’t have the right to enjoy American freedoms if you are trying to take that right away from other Americans.

ing banana bread and going for long walks, and the next you’re crying, drinking gin for breakfast and missing people you don’t even like. I’m at a place in my life where errands are starting to count as going out. Coronacoaster—noun: the ups and downs of a pandemic. I’m at that age where my mind still thinks I’m 29, my humor suggests I’m 12, while my body mostly keeps asking if I’m sure I’m not dead yet. Don’t be worried about your smart phone or TV spying on you. Your vacuum cleaner has been collecting dirt on you for years. I don’t always go the extra mile, but when I do it’s only because I missed my exit. When young people tell me about their problems, I like to tell them that story about the time I survived without a cell phone or the Internet for 40 years. How many of us have looked around our family reunion and thought, “Well, we’re just two clowns short of a circus?” You don’t realize how old you are until you sit on the floor and then try to get back up. The reason most of us become heavier as we get older is because there’s a lot more information in our heads.

Neat Stuff To Know

Glass takes a million years to decompose, which means it never wears out and can be recycled an infinite amount of times. Gold is the only metal that doesn’t rust, even if it’s buried in the ground for thousands of years. Your tongue is the only muscle in your body that is attached at only one end. If you stop getting thirsty, you need to drink more water. When a human body is dehydrated, its thirst mechanism shuts off. Zero is the only number that cannot be represented by Roman numerals. Kites were used in the American Civil War to deliver letters and newspapers. So if pipeliners Peanut oil is used for cooking in submarines because it The devil whispered to me, “I’m coming for you.” I whispered doesn’t smoke unless it’s heated above 450ºF. can just go back, “Bring pizza.” Nine out of every 10 living things exists in the ocean. ‘find another Having plans sounds like a good idea until you have to put on The banana cannot reproduce itself. It can be propagated job’, then clothes and leave the house. only by the hand of man. It’s weird being the same age as old people. The tooth is the only part of the human body that cannot welfare When I was a kid I wanted to be older, but this is not what I heal itself. recipients can expected. Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair. too, right? Life is like a helicopter. I don’t know how to operate a heliA comet’s tail always points away from the sun. copter. In 1976 the Swine Flu vaccine caused more death and illness It’s probably my age that tricks people into thinking I’m an adult. than the disease it was intended to prevent. Marriage Counselor: “Your wife says you never buy her flowers. Is that Caffeine increases the power of aspirin and other pain killers. true?” Him: “To be honest, I never knew she sold flowers.” The military salute is a motion that evolved from medieval times, when Never sing in the shower! Singing leads to dancing, dancing leads to slipknights in armor raised their visors to reveal their identity. ping, and slipping leads to paramedics seeing you naked. When a person dies, hearing is the last sense to go; the first My wife asked me to take her to one of those restaurants is sight. where they make the food right in front of you. So I took her In ancient times strangers shook hands to show that they to Subway… and that’s how the fight started. were unarmed. I’m amazed to see people about my age mountain climbStrawberries and cashews are the only fruits whose seeds ing. I’m proud of myself for getting my leg through my grow on the outside. underwear without losing my balance. The moon moves about two inches away from the Earth We can all agree that in 2015 not a single person got the each year. answer correct to: ‘Where do you see yourself five years The Earth gets 100 tons heavier every day due to falling from now?’ space dust. If you can’t think of the appropriate word in a conversation, Due to earth’s gravity it is impossible for mountains to be just say, “I forgot the English word for it.” I don’t mean to flaunt my wealth, but higher than 15,000 meters One day you’re loving your bubble, doing work outs, bak- I just paid cash for these bad boys. Everything weighs one percent less at the equator.

Times/Tribulations Of Senior Citizens

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FROM THE BACKWOODS PEW

Ditch Banks In many jobs, there may be a certain task which carries with it a higher sense of danger, a place where you pay a little more attention to being Antill safe. Maybe it is dropping frozen fries into hot grease or taking a box off the top storage shelf or maybe putting paper in the copier. Logging is considered one of the most dangerous occupations, in large part due to the environment in which it takes place. The wilderness has many hidden dangers. Old snags (dead trees), grapevines, stump holes and quicksand are all present in the eastern Coastal Plains; and the forester on foot, or the logger in his machine, is wise to look out for all of them. I have seen brush wrap up a bulldozer to the point it over-heated, and set itself and the surrounding woods on fire. Stump holes have “eaten” foresters and cutting machines alike! Old snags break off and fall unexpectedly; and grapevines can bring multiple trees down when only one is being prepared for. In many old forests and farms, you will find ditches. Many of these were dug back in colonial days to

drain water away from fields, or out of the woods. These drains move the water into a swamp or a river. The apparent purpose for these ditches, besides moving water, is to grow frogs. You can come up to any ditch in the woods during February and crack the ice with your boot, and from out of nowhere a frog will jump through the newly made hole while saying, “Thanks!” Along with frogs come snakes. On the ditch bank the forester has a chance to procure a story to tell at lunch, or a chance to become part of the story told at his eulogy. Snakes will curl up on the top of the ditch bank, in the debris along the edges of the ditch, in the water, or among the exposed roots of the trees lining the ditch. They are there looking for lunch. The forester, attempting to cross the ditch, must usually step across to the unseen bank on the other side. He may have to step down into the bottom of the ditch and thus be at eyeball-level with any snake on the bank. In stepping down, he has also brought the back of his leg into exposure to any snake he is stepping over. And last but not least, if he has to climb out of the ditch, he will be placing his hands on the ground at the top of the ditch bank. At the ditch, the forester is a target, and the snake is the assassin, hidden and waiting to strike. The

forester must be on alert when he arrives at a ditch. Being careless, or distracted, will carry consequences. One such ditch in South Carolina comes to my mind even now. I had one foot on the bottom of the ditch, working my way through knee-deep water to the other side, when I saw the assassin. He was watching me from behind some grass, about waist-level high on the other side of the ditch; he was close enough to reach out and touch. Another day, on another ditch, I found another snake curled up and watching, right where the path went down to the water. Concerning the works of men, by the word of Your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer. Uphold my steps in Your paths, that my footsteps may not slip.— Psalm 17: 4, 5 Our journey in life will cause us to cross many “ditches.” These are the places where we will find ourselves in danger. Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me under the shadow of Your wings, from the wicked who oppress me, from my deadly enemies who surround me. They have closed up their fat hearts; with their mouths they speak proudly. They have now surrounded us in our steps; they have set their eyes, crouching down to the earth, as a lion is eager to tear his prey, and like a young lion

lurking in secret places.—Psalm 17: 8-12 Ditch crossings are where the accuser lurks, where he waits for us to be careless. Maybe it is the laptop, a cell phone, or “pad” you use to browse online. A simple click, idle curiosity, and you get bit. Pornography is a scourge on our families, and one of the serpent’s most effective strikes. Maybe it is the way a co-worker likes to hug, and the hugs begin to last a little longer, a touch that lingers. Lunches turn out to be company-sanctioned dates, and another marriage fails, while we wring our hand from the serpent’s bite. No one is immune. The best snake boots will not protect a carelessly placed hand grabbing a root to get out of a ditch. Snake leggings will not protect the back of your thigh as you slide down the ditch bank. When you are eyeball-to-eyeball with a snake sitting high on a bank, no body armor will protect your neck. You are exposed to danger, from the most guarded to the most careless. Once we understand that we are vulnerable, that we cannot defeat this enemy on our own regardless of our church attendance, then we are at the point of getting help. Arise, O LORD, confront him, cast him down; deliver my life from the wicked with Your sword…—Psalm 17: 13 Call upon God. His sword is his Word. It is with God’s Word that the ditch bank can be cleared, and a crossing can be made in safety. Keep your eyes on God. The serpent is waiting for you. He knows your habits and your pride. Don’t linger at the ditches of life and risk getting bit. Run to Jesus. Let that be the story you tell others at lunch; instead of others talking about you and how you ruined your life, and who secured custody of your kids. Excerpted from Reflections on Rebellion and Redemption, Bradley W. Antill, author. Find it and other forestry devotional books at www.onatreeforestry.com Brad Antill has been a forester in the woods and swamps of the Southeast Coastal Plain for over 30 years. Besides being a forester, he is also an ordained minister of the Gospel, and together they combine as his two passions. He and his wife Cindy created On-A-Tree Forestry as a way of sharing his unique views of the gospel story. They share the fingerprints of God that are revealed every day in those same woods and swamps. Brad is a graduate of The Ohio State University forestry program, and a registered forester in North Carolina and West Virginia.

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INDUSTRY NEWS ROUNDUP change hands in Washington As We See It: Safe Routes, Round 13 ship several times since 1997, and durBy Danny Dructor Back in 1997, while serving on the American Loggers Council (ALC) Congressional Relations Committee representing the Dructor Texas Logging Council, I

was asked to spearhead a change in law to allow state legal weight tolerance on the Federal Interstate Highway System. That was 24 years ago, or in Congressional time, 12 sessions ago. We have seen leader-

ing that time, we have stayed the course in our attempt to make delivery of unrefined forest products to the mills and wood yards as safe as possible. Originally introduced as the “Right to Haul Act” and several edits defining and refining later, what is really a very commonsense

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piece of legislation was recently reintroduced as the Safe Routes Act of 2021 H.R, 2213 by Congressman Mike Gallagher (R-WI). Since its reintroduction, it has gained bipartisan support with the addition of Congressman Jared Golden (D-ME) as a cosponsor. So here we are in round 13 of what has turned out to be the longest attempt in the history of the American Loggers Council to get a piece of legislation across the finish line. Along the way ALC has garnered support and allies from organizations within our industry including the Forest Resources Assn., American Forest and Paper Assn., Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. and several state and regional logging associations that are members of ALC. We have also walked the halls of Congress with many of our sponsors representing the insurance industry and OEMs who consider this legislation an important step forward to improve safety by decreasing the likelihood of incidents while transporting unrefined forest products from the woods to consuming mills. I would be remiss if I did not point out that ALC members have worked diligently over the years securing support from Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate. The issue remains that, despite all the work, Transportation Committee Chairs have yet to allow this legislation due process with a fair hearing and a vote for passage. ALC’s position has been and continues to be one that involves safety for the general public and those drivers hauling the loads. Arguably more efficient routes to mills create the benefit of fewer CO2 emissions which should be of interest to the Biden administration. In addition, when state legal weight limits are utilized on shorter Interstate routes when available, fewer hours of service and fewer drivers are needed in an industry challenged to recruit new drivers. What was not anticipated is the opposition encountered from the railroad industry, which apparently views this legislation as a threat to their commerce. I cannot remember the last time I saw a load of logs being loaded on a railcar in the woods and being taken to a mill or collection yard, an everyday occurrence before rail service to rural areas became insufficient and modern infrastructure became available. In order to become more profitable, short line rail companies were acquired by larger rail lines. Tracks in rural areas that once served the timber and other

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rural industries were pulled up, and the rights of way became trails for recreation, forcing truck transportation to become more efficient. This begs the question then as to why rail is opposed to the narrowly crafted “Safe Routes Act of 2019.” It is hard for a Congressman or Senator to argue against safety and protecting lives, but what continues to amaze all of us is the unwillingness of the T & I Committee to move this simple legislation out of committee and give it the hearing it deserves. Safe Routes is not about revenue, or interfering with another industry’s commerce, it is about safety. Safe Routes Save Lives. Let’s hope that as we fight through Round 13, both the chairs of the Senate and House Transportation Committees and their members will give this legislation the opportunity it deserves. Danny Dructor is Executive Vice President of American Loggers Council, a 501(c)(6) trade association representing the interests of timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses across the United States. For more information visit www.amloggers.com.

Bosworth Is New SWPA Director On April 12, the Southeastern Wood Producers Assn. named Laura Bosworth its new Executive Director. Her predecessor, Tommy Carroll, is retiring in June after 20 Bosworth years with SWPA and 14 as its Executive Director. Bosworth calls it an honor to have been selected to step into Carroll’s

shoes: "This opportunity to lead and advocate for such a hard-working, tough and critical segment of the forest industry is truly an honor and a responsibility not taken lightly.” An Iowa native, Bosworth earned her Bachelors in Forestry from Iowa State University. She’s spent most of the last decade serving the forest industry in the South, beginning her career in Georgia as a county forester, later becoming the longleaf specialist for the Georgia Forestry Commission, where she advised on the prudent establishment of longleaf. Next, she took her passion for forestry to a regional stage when she joined the American Forest Foundation as their Southern Regional Tree Farm Manager. There she oversaw the network of thousands of landowners and volunteers and led the implementation and development of new certification tools in the Southeast. Most recently she served as Director of Forestry and Regulatory Affairs at the Florida Forestry Assn. “We have a lot of work to do and many challenges that on a quick glance sometimes seem insurmountable but must be addressed to protect not only the harvest and logistics sectors but keep the entire forest industry, and forest landscape, viable and vibrant,” Bosworth says. As rising lumber costs have the public discussing forest products, Bosworth hopes to focus some of that attention specifically on logging. “I want to highlight the challenges and logistics that loggers face, and help the public understand. I came into this position from the forestry and certification world, and chose to work with SWPA because I saw how loggers were treated: always the underdogs. I can identify with that, and am looking forward to taking that experience and

passion into this position to help focus on solutions, not problems, and change the conversation about how we address them. Forests and forest products are the most sustainable out there; loggers not only deliver these to the consumer, they also reduce forest risks like wildfire, pests and disease. Yet many federal assistance programs for agriculture are not even available to the forestry community. This doesn’t make any sense. I’m looking forward to working with our partners, new and old, to help make real changes for loggers in Georgia and Florida, and maybe beyond.”

ALC Names Dane As Executive Director As of June 1, Scott Dane becomes the Executive Director for the American Loggers Council (ALC), replacing the retiring Danny Dructor, who Scott Dane has been with ALC since July 2001. Dane brings with him a vast amount of experience working with timber harvesting and timber hauling associations, having been the Executive Director for the Associated Contract Loggers and Truckers of Minnesota for the past 17 years. Dane, who spoke at the Republican National Convention last summer, has experience in both the state and national levels in issues impacting timber harvesting and timber hauling. Dane has been a critical component of the ALC’s work to gain financial assistance for those businesses impacted by the COVID-19

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pandemic. He has also been involved in legislation allowing state legal weight tolerances on the Federal Interstate Highway System and other ALC initiatives like the Future Careers in Logging Act. ALC President Tim Christopherson states, “After close to 18 months of searching for a new executive director for the ALC, the search committee was able to narrow down the field to one candidate. I am pleased that Scott has accepted the position and look forward to working with him during the transition. He has the drive, passion and ambition to take the ALC to the next level.” Dane adds, “Danny has provided the leadership to develop the American Loggers Council into the leading national voice of the American logging industry. I look forward to continuing to build upon that foundation, expanding the partnerships, supporting the state members with their issues and promoting the agenda of the American Loggers Council.” The ALC office will be relocated from Texas to Minnesota, where Scott will set up the office beginning June 1.

Endowment Launches TimberHauling.com U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities in May announced the official launch of TimberHauling .com, a national buyers’ group that provides savings on products and services to nearly 10,000 independent small trucking and hauling businesses. The TimberHauling.com platform will help the sector move together as a unified market rather than thousands of independent producers. The timber harvest and hauling sector of the forestry industry is the strained link in the U.S.-based forest products value chain. This sector is continually dealing with a range of challenges, including inclement weather, mill quotas, labor shortages, high fuel and insurance costs, and high equipment costs—both upfront and ongoing. For a modest annual membership fee, members enjoy discounts and savings on parts and services. TimberHauling.com gives loggers national buying power and strength they have never had to shore up and further unify the sector. “The Endowment focuses on opportunities when others can’t or won’t,” according to Ewell Smith, Executive Director of the Carolina Loggers Assn. (CLA). “Developing a national platform that will save money for independent loggers and haulers will make them more costcompetitive and efficient.” This group also strengthens the capacity of state and regional asso-

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ciations to deliver services. The program is being piloted first in partnership with state logging associations in North Carolina (CLA), South Carolina (South Carolina Timber Producers Assn.), and Virginia (Virginia Loggers Assn.). “The Endowment is using our sector-wide vision, risk capital, and bridge-building competencies to build an ‘Amazon-like’ model to drive savings to individual timber hauling firms,” says Pete Madden, President & CEO of the Endowment. “TimberHauling.com is part of our Initiative 2020 Vision that mandates strategic and targeted investments to support the development of traditional forest products markets to retain and grow existing forest-based economies.” A variety of companies have already joined the platform: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company; MHC Kenworth; Setliff Law P.C.; Schwab Brothers Hydraulics; TCS Fuel Cards; North American Supply; and Cadence Petroleum Group. More companies and services are expected to be added as TimberHauling.com grows. Currently, TimberHauling.com is offering a free six-month “test drive” membership that can offer cost savings on hoses, tires, equipment, legal expenses, oil and fuel. Visit timberhauling.com and click on the pricing tab to learn more.

Paper Excellence Buys Domtar For $3 Billion Paper Excellence, a North America manufacturer of pulp and specialty printing, writing and packaging papers headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, Can., is

acquiring Domtar for $3 billion. After the transaction closes, Paper Excellence says it intends to continue the operations of Domtar as a stand-alone business entity. Domtar will continue to be led by its management team and Paper Excellence plans to retain Domtar’s corporate and production locations. Paper Excellence reports seven pulp and paper manufacturing facilities in Canada, with more than 2.8 million tonnes of production and $2.4 billion in annual sales. Domtar maintains corporate offices in Fort Mill, SC and Montreal and operates multiple pulp, paper, converting, liner board and chip mill manufacturing facilities in North America, including a paper facility in Bennettsville, SC and a pulp facility in Ashdown, Ark. The company reported $3.65 billion in sales for 2020.

Arkansas Pellet Plants Count On Residue Drax Group, a major producer of industrial wood pellets and owner of the world’s largest biomassfueled electricity generation plant in the United Kingdom, will begin constructing the first of three satellite pellet plants in Arkansas. The three plants are together expected to produce 120,000 metric tons of wood pellets a year from sawmill residues, supporting Drax’s plan to increase self-supply to its power station in the UK. Drax will begin construction of the first plant near a West Fraser sawmill in Leola, Grant County, with commissioning expected in October. Drax will utilize sawdust and other dry residual materials

from the West Fraser facility. Drax will begin construction on two more plants in other locations in the coming months. In total, Drax will invest $40 million in the state, creating 30 new direct jobs and many more indirect jobs across three Arkansas communities. The development of the satellite pellet plants is part of Drax’s strategy to increase biomass self-supply to 5 million tons by 2027, improving supply chain resilience while reducing pellet costs. Drax owns and has interests in 17 pellet mills in the U.S. South and Western Canada that have the capacity to manufacture 4.9 million tonnes of wood pellets a year. The pellets produced at the new satellite plants will be transported to Bruce Oakley terminal in Little Rock, Ark. before being shipped south to Louisiana to oceangoing vessels.

SYP Sawmill Plans To Come Back Soon Thankfully no injuries were reported after an air compressor exploded and started a fire at East Alabama Lumber’s sawmill at Lafayette, Ala. on April 22. The fire took out most of the sawmill in the primary breakdown area. “We’ve got some equipment that it didn’t affect,” says owner Bob Dudley, adding that while the planer mill and kilns weren’t damaged, much of the lumber breakdown green end was a complete loss. “We’re definitely going to rebuild.” He says mill personnel are looking at replacement equipment and developing a plan to get the facility back up and running as soon as possible.

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Dudley Lumber also operates a pine sawmill at Salem, Ala. and a small hardwood mill at Hatchechubbee, Ala. Dudley Lumber’s fire woes continued in early May when a line of extreme thunderstorms moved through the state causing extensive damage, and a lightning strike ignited a diesel tank fire at the hardwood mill. No additional equipment or property was damaged. Dudley Lumber purchased East Alabama Lumber from Byron Welch in 2001. Welch began the operation in 1950.

Enviva Considers Pellet Plant At Bond, Miss. Enviva, the world’s leading producer of industrial wood pellets, reports the possible development of a wood pellet plant in Bond, Miss., about 50 miles north of Gulfport. This plant would produce between 750,000 and more than 1 million tonnes per year. Enviva reports that construction of a 750,000 tonnes wood pellet plant continues in Lucedale, Miss., with completion expected in the middle of this year. And Enviva continues to move forward on the development of a wood pellet plant in Epes, Ala.

Virginia Increases Minimum Wage In what may perhaps be a sign of things to come nationwide, Virginia raised its minimum wage on May 1. The new minimum of $9.50 an hour is higher than the federally mandated minimum of $7.25 and is sched-

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uled to continue increasing each year for the next few years. Trailing only its northern neighbor Maryland, Virginia now has one of the higher minimum wages in the Mid-Atlantic region, higher than North or South Carolina, Georgia, Florida or West Virginia. The legislation is available to read at https://lis.virginia.gov/cgibin/legp604.exe?201+sum+SB7. The new law also directs three state agencies (including the Virginia Employment Commission) to conduct a joint review of the feasibility of implementing a regional minimum wage structure in the Commonwealth. The agencies must submit their findings to the General Assembly and Governor by December 1, 2023.

Ala. Gov. Attends Forest School Graduation On April 30, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey served as the keynote speaker at the spring graduation ceremony for the Alabama Forestry Commission’s Forestry Academy. The Forestry Academy’s Class of 2021 graduated 27 students. This was the first graduating

impacting and furthering the interests of Alabama from both environmental and economic standpoints.”

Strategic Biofuels Gains Ground

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey spoke at the Forestry Academy graduation, the first since 1994.

class from the program this century. Alabama Forestry Commission established the original Forestry Academy in 1979, and it continued through 1994. Now, after 26 years, the Academy has been reinstated. This first graduating class of the “new” Academy is composed of recently hired AFC employees from 20 counties across Alabama. These individuals have completed eight weeks of intensive classroom study and field exercises in forest protection, forest management and teamwork building. The Academy training will pay tremendous dividends

not only to the agency but also to forest landowners throughout the state as these men and women have become proficient wildland firefighters and knowledgeable forest managers. “Without our forest industry Alabama would lose 111,000 jobs and hundreds of millions in yearly income revenue, “ Governor Ivey told the graduates at the ceremony, which took place in Andalusia. “The safety and sustainable growth of our forests require our full attention, and proactivity. This is where each of you will make a significant difference in

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards joined Strategic Biofuels LLC CEO Paul Schubert in an announcement that the company’s wholly owned subsidiary, Louisiana Green Fuels, plans to develop a renewable diesel plant near the Caldwell Parish seat of Columbia. Situated on a 171-acre site at the Port of Columbia, the plant would produce up to 32 million gallons of renewable fuel annually through established refinery processes with wood waste as the feedstock. The company is completing feasibility and financing phases for the project in anticipation of a final investment decision by late 2022. Louisiana Green Fuels would make a capital investment of at least $700 million. The company would create 76 new direct jobs and more than 400 new indirect jobs. Strategic Biofuels reports it has raised 85% of its early-stage financing from investors in north Louisi-

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ana. In addition to the Columbia renewable diesel refinery, the company envisions the development of additional Louisiana refineries that would target production of renewable aviation fuel, as well as diesel. Strategic Biofuels states its renewable diesel is significantly different from biodiesel and is not subject to biodiesel’s severe blending limitations. “Renewable diesel is a high performance, low emissions, ‘drop-in’ synthetic fuel,” the company asserts. “The greenhouse gas, primarily carbon dioxide, produced by Louisiana Green Fuels will be captured and permanently sequestered in underground geologic formations, thereby preventing the captured carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.” The site, 25 miles south of Monroe, is on an active port site with a Union Pacific rail line. The company says the Port of Columbia site is located within one of the largest fiber baskets in the country, ensuring long-term costeffective feedstock supply; and that within a 75-mile radius of the site there are more than 40% more tons of pine grown annually on private lands, mostly managed plantations, than are harvested.

Pinnacle Is Officially Part Of Drax Drax completed its acquisition of North America industrial wood pellet produce Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc. The transaction received overwhelming support from both sets of shareholders. The acquisition increases Drax’s annual operational pellet production capacity to 4.9 million tonnes at 17 plants across Western Canada and the U.S. South—up from 1.6 metric tons. The deal also gives Drax access to four deep water port facilities and three major wood fiber baskets.

Stimpson Retires After Active Career

Gulf Lumber Co. sawmill and forestry operations. Educated in forestry, Stimpson became president of Gulf Lumber in 1987 and served in that capacity until 2009, which was the same year Gulf Lumber and Scotch Lumber merged to form Scotch Gulf Lumber, including the Gulf Lumber sawmill in Mobile and the Scotch sawmills at Jackson and Fulton, Ala. Stimpson served as CEO of Scotch Gulf Lumber. Scotch Gulf Lumber sold to Canfor for $80 million in 2013 in a threeyear purchase plan and Stimpson joined Canfor. In 2015, Stimpson became President of Canfor Southern Pine, based in Mobile, and led the company’s Southern U.S. business, helping the company expand from four mills to 15 operations including

Fred Stimpson, one of the Stimpson family members who ran Gulf Lumber Co. in Mobile, and who was most recently President of Canfor Southern Pine for six years, announced his retirement this past December. In April Canfor elected him to the company Board. Stimpson, a Timber Processing Man of the Year in 2000, spent much of his lumber career with

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a transportation company for hauling lumber and wood residuals across the Southeast. Stimpson’s successor as President of Canfor Southern Pine is Tony Sheffield. Previously, Sheffield served in financial and sales positions for Canfor Southern Pine, most recently as Vice President of Southern Yellow Pine Sales and Marketing. He was Chief Financial Officer for Scotch Gulf Lumber before the purchase by Canfor and was General Manager at Scotch Lumber before that.

Air Permit Issued For Proposed Plant Renewable Biomass Group has been issued an air quality permit by

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the Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Div. for the construction and operation of an industrial wood pellet mill in Adel, Ga. The permit allows the processing of not more than 497,000 oven dried tons of wood chips in the wood pellet dryer, not more than 337,968 tons of wood chips from the green hammermill, and not more than 246,234 tons of wood chips from the dry hammermills during any 12 consecutive months. The permit also requires the operation of a wet ESP and RTO. Last September the Adel City Council voted to annex a 171-acre industrial park area in Cook County into the city of Adel and to re-zone the property from agricultural to heavy-industry, where the new plant will be located. The company hopes to begin commercial production in the first quarter of 2022. The Renewable Biomass Group web site indicates the company wants to develop 2 million metric tons per year of industrial wood pellets projects over a seven-year period. The RBG air permit application indicates the plant will procure 1.1 million tons of softwood annually.

Weyco Plans Holden Makeover Weyerhaeuser Co. announced plans to make a two-phased $157 million capital investment at its southern yellow pine sawmill in Holden, La. Phase one includes nearly $19 million to upgrade lumber kiln drying capacity, while the second phase will include a major investment of $138 million to com-

pletely modernize the facility. “This investment is a testament to each employee here at Holden,” says Brent Mitchell, Holden interim mill manager. “It reflects a personal commitment to the highest level of performance, both operational and safety-wise, that each employee has. After years of planning this project, we’re excited for the sustained benefits it will bring to our people, our operation and the community.” Weyerhaeuser plans to modernize the sawmill to produce longer-length lumber, add a new planer mill, and add two continuous dry kilns for increased drying capacity. Additionally, the company will build out the necessary infrastructure; upgrade computer technology, control rooms, and heating and fan systems; invest in environmental technology to meet current performance standards; and invest in quality and safety equipment. Work is expected to take place over the next three years. The Holden facility began lumber operations in 1980 under Crown Zellerbach, and Weyerhaeuser acquired the mill in 1996.

Payeur Made Tracks With Quadco, Southstar Following a successful logging equipment career that has spanned five decades, Marcel Payeur, Quadco Group Sales Specialist and a former Payeur Southstar part owner, announced his retirement.

Payeur’s career began in 1967 as a mechanic with Timberjack in Ontario. He started as a field mechanic and parts man, but moved into sales and later into management. He soon made the decision to venture out on his own, opening a parts supply business in Vernon, BC in 1981. The business was successful, eventually carrying Hyundai, Volvo and Tigercat logging equipment. Payeur sold one of the first Waratah 620 processing heads in North America way before he eventually went into business with Waratah founder Dave Cochrane. While running the dealership, Payeur also developed the Skylead, a small skidder-mounted yarder used in smaller timber. Payeur got out of the dealership in 2004, but re-energized his career in 2011 when Southstar, a New Zealand-based attachments company, went up for sale. Together with four former employees turned business partners, Payeur and his team purchased Southstar, which included founder Cochrane who started the company in 2007 after he sold Waratah to Deere in 2000. They began manufacturing in Canada and New Zealand, and expanded Southstar’s presence in the Western North American market. During Payeur’s time with Southstar, the company developed hosethrough design and four wheel drive processor heads, and was the first to offer all three model types in grapple processor design. Payeur believes the decision to sell to Quadco in 2016 made sense because Quadco is committed to the industry and provides Southstar more global distribution opportuni-

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ties. He’s been a fixture as a key part of Quadco’s sales team ever since, even after Komatsu bought Quadco in 2018.

Upgrade Coming For ATI Malvern Anthony Timberlands, Inc. (ATI) will invest $10 million in improvements to its pine sawmill in Malvern, Ark. during the next six to eight months. “Our sawmill in Malvern has been in place for almost 75 years. We have made numerous improvements over the years, ensuring the viability of the mill through technological and production enhancement measures,” according to Steve Anthony, President of ATI. The project will include an upgrade to the primary breakdown systems of the mill—the carriage headrig for large logs and the sharp chain small log side. The mill’s trimmer line will also be enhanced to handle the higher production volume afforded by the upgraded primary breakdown systems. “Sawmill equipment is constantly evolving. If you are not periodically upgrading scanners, optimizers and lumber handling equipment, you are falling behind your competitors,” Anthony adds. “The windfall provided by recent record lumber markets will allow us to finance these, as well as major projects at other ATI locations, internally.” Installation of the new equipment will take place on a staggered schedule between August 2021 and January 2022. Employment numbers will not be impacted, while hourly production levels are expected to increase by 25%.

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Truck Runs Over Deckhand BACKGROUND: On a fall morning in the southeastern U.S., an operator finished loading wood onto a tractor-trailer and signaled the truck driver to pull forward. Three crew members (loader operator, truck driver, and deckhand) were involved in loading-related operations. To prevent overweight loads, the crew was using in-woods scales to inform the operator as trailers were loaded. The scales require batteries that must be replaced or maintained as needed. PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: Both the loader operator and the truck driver had over 20 years of logging work experience. The deckhand had approximately seven years of logging experience. UNSAFE ACTS AND CONDITIONS: The deckhand was trying to hook up a battery to the log scale. He did not inform anyone on the

crew what he was doing and positioned himself on the far side of the truck and trailer in a high-risk zone, out of the line of sight of the loader operator. The loader operator and the truck driver were not aware that he was there before the loader operator gave the all-clear signal to the driver to pull forward. ACCIDENT: As he pulled forward, the driver felt a bump and thought he had run over a piece of wood. He immediately looked around and asked where the deck-

hand was located. The loader operator scanned the area and saw the deckhand’s legs under the truck. The loader operator and truck driver quickly checked on the deckhand who was found between the wheels on the tandem axle on the passenger side of the truck. INJURY: The deckhand had been run over. The crew called 911 and administered first aid, but the deckhand never regained consciousness and died at the scene. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CORRECTION: l Deckhands and other ground workers should always stay clear of working equipment, suspended or moving logs, and log trailers being loaded and moved. l Deckhands and other ground workers should use proper communication such that all operators and drivers are aware of their presence while performing a task. l Ground workers should only be present within the log deck’s high-

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risk zone after the loader operator’s visual consent. Before granting consent, loader movement should cease (grapple/ forks on the ground) and continue only when ground workers are confirmed out of the high-risk zone. l The loader operator is responsible for safe loading/unloading and the safety of the truck driver as well as other workers on the log deck. If the operator loses sight of anyone around the deck, he/she should immediately cease operations until visual contact is made, and they are out of the high-risk zone. l Truck drivers should always remain in a safe area and be accounted for by the loader operator. Safe areas may include outside and well forward of the cab, on the same side of the truck as the loader, and in clear sight of the operator. l All on-the-ground workers should wear all the required PPE, including hardhats and highly reflective safety vests or clothes.

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MACHINES-SUPPLIES-TECHNOLOGY Smooth Boom Control

Further enhancing the machine operation in demanding forestry applications, John Deere adds its Smooth Boom Control technology to its M-Series tracked feller-bunchers and MH-Series tracked harvesters. Developed in global collaboration between the John Deere wheeled cut-to-length and full-tree forestry teams, the SBC system instantaneously responds to operator input while smoothing out the acceleration and deceleration of hydraulic functions on the machine, improving overall control. “Machine response is important to efficient machine operation, especially when working in challenging conditions day in and day out,” says Jim O’Halloran, product

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marketing manager, John Deere. “With SBC, we’re improving machine functionality, making operation easier on both the operator and machine. As a result, operators can control the machine movements more effectively, especially when reversing motions. SBC delivers a smoother experience for the operator and less wear and tear on the machine over time.” The SBC software further refines the motion of the boom, swing and travel functions using advanced signal control to keep the machine ready to go. This results in a significant improvement in overall joystick and foot pedal response, reducing the signal delay at the start and end of each operator command. The SBC software is now available as a standard feature on new tracked feller-bunchers and harvesters or as an upgrade for existing M- and MH-Series machine owners. Visit johndeere.com.

Two New Tire Sizes Adding two new sizes to its forestry lineup, the 73x44.00-32 and 73x50.00-32, MAXAM debuts

the complete range of the MS933 LOGXTRA, high flotation tire. Engineered from the inside out to provide demanding forestry equipment with a formidable solution, the MS933 delivers unparalleled performance, enhanced traction, and superior flotation in severe logging applications. The MS933 LOGXTRA was designed with a high-strength, beltstabilized construction to tackle the harshest terrains. Featuring the signature LOGXTRA compounding technology and manufacturing, the MS933 provides maximum protection from cuts and impacts in the toughest working environment. Additionally, the heavy-duty shoulder and sidewall allow users to take on the extreme without worrying about punctures. Manufactured with an extra-wide footprint that delivers exceptional flotation in muddy and wet ground conditions, the MS933 increases productivity on all sites. To prevent common bead winding and mounting defects, the MS933’s bead is designed with a thick and short cross-section for added stability and strength. The cutting-edge bead

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package is also nylon-wrapped, allowing the MS933 to outlast alternative options in extreme conditions. The MS933 LOGXTRA delivers maximum performance, extreme traction, and increased productivity at an undeniable value. The MS933 is available for skidder fitment in the below sizes to meet the needs of each application. Visit maxamtire.com.

Tigercat Telematics

Tigercat offers new features on its powerful RemoteLog and LogOn telematics system. Using the same satellite connection as RemoteLog, machine operators or technicians may now send and receive simple

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MACHINES-SUPPLIES-TECHNOLOGY text messages when no cellular mobile network is available. There is no need for another messaging service—RemoteLog does it all. Work site supervisors can send messages to machine operators quickly and easily. Get direct support at the job site from your Tigercat dealer when your phone is out of coverage range. Optimize your forestry operations through better communication. Purchase a Pay-As-You-Go text messaging data plan from your local dealer to get started. You can now access the “Data that Matters” from RemoteLog directly through a new web service using your IT servers. Now it is possible to share geographic position and production data for your machines with landowners and forestry operations companies. RemoteLog utilizes the well documented ISO 15143-3 (AEMP 2.0) Web API that is widely used in mobile machinery applications. You can easily view production, activity timelines, and fuel consumption on your mobile device using LogOn at the work site. Now you can download formatted reports in PDF or CSV formats and save them to your mobile device. View the reports anytime, or share them through email. Visit tigercat.com.

cals and cleaning solutions, while also enhancing optic quality. “The optics of the new window are clearly better, and, as a bonus, the cabin is now even quieter. The new kind of coating enabled by the manufacturing technique and the wear protection it brings are also significant improvements on the previous ones,” comments Sami Kulmala, marketing manager, John Deere.

The new, more durable coating on the windows is created during the manufacturing process, eliminating the need for separate coating or minor distortions. Additionally, the new windows comply with the ISO 21876 Saw Chain Shot Testing standard, proving their durability. With the new windows, the front window of the rotating cab and the rear window of the John Deere G-

Series forwarder fixed cab are almost 50% thicker than before. Additionally, due to the thicker material, the cab is better insulated, resulting in a quieter environment on the job site. The RENCRAFT Super Hard Coat polycarbonate windows are available as a standard offering on all Model Year 2021 G-Series harvesters and forwarders. Visit johndeere.com.

Improved Windows

Improving the durability of its machines, John Deere now features RENCRAFT Super Hard Coat polycarbonate windows as a standard offering on its G-Series harvesters and G-Series forwarders. Providing enhancements over the windows previously used, the upgraded windows are designed to withstand external wear. Additionally, the windows are improved to enhance scratch resistance and withstand chemiSouthern Loggin’ Times

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PRINT CLASSIFIED AD RATES: Print advertising rates are $50 per inch. Space is available by column inch only, one inch minimum. DEADLINES: Ad reservation must be received by 10th of month prior to month of publication. Material must be received no later than 12th of month prior to month of publication.

Click. Connect. Trade.

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CONTACT: Call Bridget DeVane at 334-699-7837, 800-669-5613, email bdevane7@hotmail.com or visit www.southernloggintimes.com

Logo indicates that equipment in the ad also appears on www.ForesTreeTrader.com

RECONDITIONED DELIMBINATORS!! In addition to new machines, CHAMBERS DELIMBINATOR, INC. now has factory reconditioned DeLimbinators. These units have been inspected, repaired, and updated as needed. Call us and we will help you select a DeLimbinator for your need.

Logo indicates that equipment in the ad also appears on

WE ALSO BUY USED DELIMBINATORS Call: 662-285-2777 day, 662-285-6832 eves Email: info@chambersdelimbinator.com 1123

LOGGER’S BEST FRIEND!

8309

Repair Hoses in the Log Woods Crimper Start-up Kit Less than $5,000 Contact: Chris Alligood 1-252-531-8812 email: chrisa.cavalierhose@gmail.com

www.ForesTreeTrader.com 2687

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Ready To Place Your Classified Ad? Call 334-699-7837, 800-669-5613 or email class@southernloggintimes.com for print ads. 4433

FOR SALE

Call or Text Zane 334-518-9937 Located in Alabama

3939

2014 CAT 559C Loader, Hydraulic trailer, CTR 426, 8700 hrs

IF YOU NEED

770

To buy or sell forestry, construction, utility or truck equipment, or if you just need an appraisal, contact me, Johnny Pynes with JM Wood Auction. Over 25 years experience.

Phone 334-312-4136 or Email: jpynes1949@gmail.com

EUREKA! EUREKA! EUREKA! OWNERS HAVE OVER 30 YEARS COMBINED EXPERIENCE!

EUREKA SAW TOOTH CO., INC.

7180

We can save you money on Saw Teeth. Hundreds of satisfied ACC OW EP customers. Rebuilt Exchange or New. We specialize in rebuild- CRE TING DIT ing Koehring 2000, Hurricana, Hydro Ax split teeth and all CARDS other brands. Call Jimmy or Niel Mitchell. Quantity Discounts!

4275 Moores Ferry Rd. • Skippers, Virginia 23879 PH./FAX (day) 1-434-634-9836 or Night/Weekends • 1-434-634-9185

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FOR SALE

959 Feller Buncher Operator

Contact Joe Currie General Manager (540) 808-7832

5024

VISIT US ONLINE

southernloggintimes.com

TIG welding, air hammer “peening” of the welds, and alloy repair rods are the proven way to fix cracks in feller saw disks. Balancing and straightening a specialty.

CARVER SAWDISK REPAIR Washington, NC 27889

252.945.2358

566

1845

Mountaineer Mechanized, a subsidiary of The Lyme Timber Company which owns 167,000 acres in southern West Virginia, is hiring a senior operator to run a John Deere 959 tracked fellerbuncher while tethered to an EMS Tractionline dual-winch tethering system. $24-30/ hr with benefits, company truck or commute reimbursement, and paid vacation.

1993 648D John Deere turbo single arch grapple skidder with winch, 28L tires, used daily. Fair condition. Pictures available upon request .............................................................$12,000 Call 251-542-9985 and leave message

Product Support Representative – Southern U.S.A.

13752

Tigercat is looking for a highly motivated, driven and organized Product Support Representative to cover the Southern USA. The successful candidate will be required to troubleshoot and resolve issues with dealer technicians to minimize downtime of machines. Close communication with dealers, district service manager, service department, internal management, and engineering will be required on a daily basis. Root cause analysis of failures for continuing improvement and prioritization of issues will also be required. Education and Qualifications: • Comprehensive understanding of Hydraulic, Electrical, Mechanical and Diesel Systems, and ability to troubleshoot and problem solve effectively and efficiently • Post-Secondary diploma/degree or equivalent education and experience • Excellent Communication Skills • Demonstrated ability to use initiative, work efficiently and independently • Computer skills in Microsoft programs • Strong organizational skills, planning and time management skills • Must be adaptable to a changing work environment, competing demands and able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events and manage multiple projects simultaneously • Valid Passport and ability to travel – worldwide and on short notice • Comprehensive understanding of drawings and specifications, geometric tolerances, and dimensions • Valid driver's license Primary Responsibilities: • Reports to the District Service Manager • Assist Dealers with Troubleshooting • Implement root cause analysis and effective corrective action • Work with the service department and engineering to improve the quality of Tigercat products • Solicit and analyze feedback from customers and dealers and evaluate results to identify trends and opportunities for improvement • Prepare technical reports and document oral and written communications • Participate in regional and national trade-shows Key relationships: Maintain communication with: • District Service Manager • Engineering Product Groups • Dealer Service & Sales Personnel

• Service and Warranty Managers • Tigercat Service and Sales Personnel

ABOUT THE COMPANY: Tigercat Industries Inc. is a privately owned, customer driven company engaged in the design, manufacture, sales and service support of a wide range of premium quality, heavy duty, off-road, mechanized vehicles and attachments used in the tree harvesting and offroad industrial applications. To learn more about our company, visit our website at www.tigercat.com What We Can Offer You • Generous vehicle allowance • Family oriented company • Interesting and challenging • Competitive Wages, Benefits and work and projects Profit Sharing • Skills development and training reimbursement How to Apply Please submit your resume through our career portal: https://www.tigercat.com/career-portal/ Only those selected for interviews will be contacted. We thank you for your application! Tigercat Industries strives to create a respectful, accessible and inclusive work environment. Upon individual request, hiring processes will be modified to remove barriers to accommodate those with disabilities. Should any applicant require accommodation through the application, interview or selection processes, please contact Human Resources for assistance.

9756

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A D L I N K ●

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ADVERTISER American Loggers Council American Truck Parts Around The World Salvage Bandit Industries Big John Trailers BITCO Insurance Caterpillar Dealer Promotion Eastern Surplus Firestone Agricultural Tire Flint Equipment FMI Trailers Forest Chain Forest Pro Forestry First Forestry Mutual Insurance G & W Equipment G&R Manufactured Solutions Hawkins & Rawlinson Interstate Tire Service K&R Weigh Systems Kaufman Trailers Komatsu Forestry Division Mike Ledkins Insurance Agency LMI-Tennessee Loadrite East Texas Loadrite Southern Star Magnolia Trailers Maxi-Load Scale Systems Mid-Atlantic Loadrite Mid-South Forestry Equipment Show Midsouth Forestry Equipment Moore Logging Supply Morbark Mudbelly Outdoor Supply Pitts Trailers Ponsse North America Puckett Machinery Quality Equipment & Parts River Ridge Equipment Satterwhite Log Homes Southern Loggers Cooperative Southwest Forest Products Expo Stribling Equipment Tidewater Equipment Tigercat Industries TRACT TraxPlus W & W Truck & Tractor Waratah Forestry Attachments Waters International Trucks J MWood Auction Yancey Brothers Yokohama Off-Highway Tires America

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409.625.0206 888.383.8884 936.634.7210 800.952.0178 800.771.4140 800.475.4477 919.550.1201 855.332.0500 515.242.2300 229.888.1212 601.508.3333 800.288.0887 434.286.4157 803.708.0624 800.849.7788 800.284.9032 870.510.6580 888.822.1173 864.947.9208 800.910.2885 336.790.6800 888.285.7478 800.766.8349 800.467.0944 800.528.5623 256.270.8775 800.738.2123 877.265.1486 540.416.4062 662.325.2191 870.226.0000 888.754.5613 800.831.0042 936.414.8141 800.321.8073 715.369.4833 601.969.6000 386.487.3896 855.325.6465 800.777.7288 318.445.0750 501.224.2232 855.781.9408 912.638.7726 519.753.2000 478.447.2893 601.635.5543 843.761.8220 770.692.0380 601.693.4807 334.264.3265 800.282.1562 800.343.3276

ADLINK is a free service for advertisers and readers. The publisher assumes no liability for errors or omissions.

COMING EVENTS July

September

15-17—West Virginia Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Cannan Valley Resort & Conference Center, Davis, W.Va. Call 681-265-5019; visit wvfa.org.

8-10—Tennessee Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Westin Hotel, Chattanooga, Tenn. Call 615-883-3832; visit tnforestry.com.

August 1-4—Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Summer Conference, The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, WV. Call 336-885-8315; visit appalachianhardwood.org. 5-8—Virginia Loggers Assn. annual meeting, Hotel Roanoke, Roanoke, Va. Call 804-677-4290; visit valoggers.org. 11-13—Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Expo, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga. Call 504-443-4464; visit sfpaexpo.com. 13-14—Southwest Forest Products Expo, Hot Springs Convention Center, Hot Springs, Ark. Call 501-2242232; visit arkloggers.com. 24-26—Louisiana Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino Resort, Lake Charles, La. Call 318-443-2558; visit laforestry.com. 31-September 2—Florida Forestry Assn. Annual Meeting & Trade Show, Sheraton Golf & Spa Resort, Panama City Beach, Fla. Call 850222-5646; visit floridaforest.org.

9-11—Great Lakes Logging & Heavy Equipment Expo, UP State Fairgrounds, Escanaba, Mich. Call 715-282-5828; visit gltpa.org. 17-18—Mid-South Forestry Equipment Show, Starkville, Miss. Call 800-669-5613; visit midsouth forestry.org. 17-18—Kentucky Wood Expo, Masterson Station Park, Lexington, Ky. Call 502-695-3979; visit kfia.org. 29-October 1, 2021—North Carolina Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Grandover Resort & Conference Center, Greensboro, NC. Call 800231-7723; visit ncforestry.org.

October 5-7—Arkansas Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Embassy Suites, Rogers, Ark. Call 501-374-2441; visit arkforests.org. 6—TEAM Safe Trucking annual meeting, The Coeur d' Alene Resort, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Call 207-8410250; visit teamsafetrucking.com. 7-9—American Loggers Council annual meeting, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Call 409-625-0206; visit amloggers.com. 19-21—Texas Forestry Assn. annual meeting, The Fredonia Hotel & Conference Center, Nacogdoches, Tex. Call 936-632-8733; visit texas forestry.org.

March 2022 16-18—2022 SLMA & SFPA Spring Meeting & Expo, Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans, La. Call 504-4434464; visit slma.org. 29-30—Wood Bioenergy Conference & Expo, Omni Hotel at CNN Center, Atlanta, Ga. Call 334-834-1170; visit bioenergyshow.com. Listings are submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with contacts prior to making plans to attend.

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Safety Focus

Coming Events/Ad Index

From The Backwoods Pew

Industry News Roundup

Bulletin Board

Machines-Supplies-Technology

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