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Vol. 49, No. 9
(Founded in 1972—Our 576th Consecutive Issue)
F E AT U R E S
September 2020 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
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Jerry Rogers His Own Way
out front:
22 Based in Philadelphia, Central Mississippi Land and Timber is a true family operation. When his heart forced owner Todd McKee (right) to cut stress, his son Caleb (left) and other family stepped up to help him run the company and its many subsidiaries. Story begins on Page 8. (Photo by David Abbott)
John Channell Just Getting Started
Art Director Ad Production Coordinator Circulation Director Online Content/Marketing
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 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
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Steve McMillan Wet Ground Tracks
Western Canada, Western USA
Southern Stumpin’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Tim Shaddick Tel: 604-910-1826 • Fax: 604-264-1367 4056 West 10th Ave. Vancouver, BC V6L 1Z1 E-mail: tootall1@shaw.ca
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Industry News Roundup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Machines-Supplies-Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 ForesTree Equipment Trader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Coming Events/Ad Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
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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 ® 2020. 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
Center Stage h, politics. I would say it’s that time new world from the wilderness.” again…election time…but it seems like that Stepping up to the podium at 7:40 p.m., sandtime is never-ending: as soon as we finish wiched between Gov. Kristi Noem of South counting the votes from one election, they’re Dakota and Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tenalready campaigning for the next one. nessee, Mr. Dane spoke for about two minutes, I love our republic, I recognize the importance wearing a suit and tie with a cap bearing the of citizens doing their civic duty, and I respect phrase “Make Logging Great Again.” those who are passionate in their political views I gotta say, I think he did a great job carrying our (as long as they can respect those with opposing message to a national audience. He looked poised views without demonizing them). But while and confident as he reminded Americans of the politicians all over this land are out stumpin’ for vital role forest products has played and continues votes, I will not use Southern Stumpin’ to stump to play in America’s past, present and future. for one candidate over another. I’ll endorse neither “Logging is the most dangerous job in the Trump nor Biden, either publicly or privately, for country, but we embrace that risk because we a myriad of reasons (mostly because I figure know America was built by strong people building nobody cares what I think anyway). things together,” he said. “America needs us to No, I prefer to remain an objective observer keep building, and we can’t wait to be part of it.” and a dispassionate analyst in these matters. As Calling out Joe Biden by name, Dane went on long as I don’t take a side, I figure I’m free to to blame the policies of Democrats and radical point out the flaws on either side, and to have a environmentalists for forest fires and mill clogood laugh at either’s expense. It’s more fun and, sures, while praising the Trump administration for me, more honest that way. Besides, I think for recognizing the value of proper forest manwe already know which way most, if not all, of agement in reducing wildfires and for other polithe people reading these pages will vote come cies beneficial to logging. “We’ve seen new supNovember 3. You don’t need my help with that. port for our way of life—where a strong back I don’t even have TV and wouldn’t have and a strong work ethic can build a strong middle watched the conventions if I did. But if you fancy class,” he added. following that sort of thing, Responding to the speech and tuned in to coverage of the next day, Virginia Logthe Republican National gers Assn. Executive DirecConvention on Wednesday, tor Ron Jenkins wrote, “For August 26, perhaps hoping a moment, leave the politics to see Vice President Pence out of your thought process or iconic football coach/anaand just focus on Scott’s lyst (and noted master of real message. Forests have elocution and enunciation) survived our human interLou Holtz speak, you might Minnesota's Scott Dane spoke up for loggers at vention and we have the Republican National Convention. have seen a pleasant surlearned much from history. prise. A representative of the logging and log truck- Managed forests will continue to provide many ing industry, one of your own, took the stage in benefits and they will be around for future generasupport of President Trump. Scott Dane, Executive tions. Regardless of what political party you call Director of the Associated Contract Loggers and your own, we know that good policies are those Truckers of Minnesota, and advocate for Minneso- which promote science, innovation, strong marta loggers, delivered a speech at the Andrew W. kets and multiple use.” Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C. In his conclusion, Mr. Dane stated, “We want Part of the third night of the GOP convention, to build families where we’re raised and stand by Dane’s remarks fit in nicely with the evening’s communities that have stood by us. We want that theme: Land of Heroes. “Logging has been a part way of life available for the next generation and of the great American story from the beginning,” we want our forests there, too. President Trump, Dane said. “If you go to the U.S. Capitol Rotunthank you for helping us do just that.” da and look up, you can see loggers on one of the If you missed it on TV, you can find Mr. Dane’s panels — New England settlers carving out a portion of the broadcast on YouTube (https://you
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tu.be/JTyHC2zN2Kk) or shared on social media by the American Loggers Council and others.
Leading Loggers In Virginia Speaking of Virginia, I want to publicly offer my congratulations to Virginia loggers Binky and Guke Tapscott, Frank Myers and Chad Shelton. The Tapscotts have been named the recipients of the Forest Resources Assn. 2020 Outstanding National Loggers award, while Myers is the new President and Shelton the new VP of the Virginia Loggers Assn. Myers replaces Vance Wright, the outgoing VLA President. I have done stories on all of those guys in the last several years. `You can read the full release about the Tapscott brothers, who own Tapscott Brothers Logging and Tigercat dealership Forest Pro, on pages 36 and 37 in this issue. Myers is also a past recipient of the FRA award. He and his brother-in-law Stephen Myers are co-owners of M.M. Wright, Inc., and were FRA’s National Outstanding Loggers in 2018. I did the story on Frank and Stephen when we named M.M. Wright our Timber Harvesting Logging Business of the Year in 2016. All these guys serve on VLA’s Board of Directors. According to Jenkins, “Frank is a founding board member of the VLA and has actively served the association and our industry. Frank was appointed by the Governor as an advisory member of the Board of Forestry representing the harvesting sector, where he is honorably serving the industry during his last term from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2021. Frank Myers received the American Loggers Council National Logger Activist award in 2015.” Jenkins continues, “VLA is also proud to have the leadership of Chad Shelton as VicePresident. Chad has also been actively promoting tax exemption of personal property, tools and machinery taxes on forest harvesting equipment. Thanks to Chad’s commitment and dedication, his resident county of Pittsylvania was the first Virginia county to adopt the new state law.” And the VLA director concludes, “Vance Wright was a great President serving VLA from the end of 2014 through August 22, 2020. Vance led the VLA with distinction for the last six years and brought new attention to the association and industry. He will continue to serve in SLT leadership as Past-President.”
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First Things First ■ Humble man of faith Todd McKee has his priorities as properly aligned as his equipment.
By David Abbott PHILADELPHIA, Miss. f the family that works together stays together then the ★ McKees should be one tight knit bunch. Patriarch Todd McKee, 53, and his wife Patti manage a multifaceted family enterprise with their sons Joel and Caleb and daughters-in-law Tamara and Marlee. “We have been partners for 33 years,” Todd says of his bride. Before taking on the office duties for the family businesses, Patti was a teacher for 14 years. The central company, under which the logging crews operate, is Central Mississippi Land and Tim-
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ber, LLC; but the equipment is all owned under Central Mississippi Equipment, LLC, while the trucks run under Wood Express, LLC, and employees work under Plantation Thinning Specialists, LLC. There is also McKee Construction, Inc., not to mention real estate and a few other ventures. Every part is held as a separately owned entity. Todd is the sole owner of the logging side, while Patti owns the construction company, and the couple jointly owns a lot of commercial real estate. Caleb helps his dad with logging and trucking, while Joel supervises construction. Patti works in the office with Tamara and Marlee, who was also a teacher before joining the diverse family business. There’s enough going on here to
keep all six McKees pretty busy, but at one time, Todd more or less carried everything on his shoulders alone. It had him stretched pretty thin. He used to be up till midnight many nights doing paperwork, then back up again by 3:30 to go to work in the woods. It was exhausting and stressful, and many years of it eventually took a toll on him. “My heart doctor, who was my friend before he was my doctor, tried to warn me that stress would kill me if I didn’t slow down,” McKee admits.
Stress Relief No surprise: turns out the good doc knew of what he spoke. Two years ago, when he was 51, Todd faced something of a heart scare.
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Patti and Todd McKee
He was walking with Patti one Saturday morning and found himself unable to make it up a hill. He didn’t at first want to accept that there was anything wrong with him, but Patti tried to get his phone, because she knew he had the heart doctor friend’s number. Todd was able to hold her off at first, but by the first of the following week, he was in the doctor’s office taking a
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stress test. “I flunked it,” he says. After having a stent put in one artery, the elder McKee had to spend just one night in the hospital to be monitored. Stress was the main culprit. His eating, he says, wasn’t perfect, but it wasn’t that bad because he had already been on a special diet for celiac disease, which in his case was also stress-related. “If it’s hereditary, they say it shows up between ages 6 to 13,” McKee says of the condition. He was diagnosed with his version of celiac at age 40. “They said they were seeing it like that in age 35-45 year-old males with high stress jobs. This is a stressful job,” he admits. After the heart incident, Todd and his family realized he had to make changes to relieve that stress; it only took this one warning to get his attention because he feared he might not get a second warning. “I was too involved and knew I had to take a step back,” he says. So the sons and wives stepped up. Before that, both boys had been working as surveyors after obtaining agricultural engineering degrees from Mississippi State’s main campus in Starkville. Older son Joel, 29, actually finished with a double degree in real estate. He’s worked in real estate, but construction was always his dream, so it was a natural fit for him to go that route. Younger brother Caleb, 27, took charge of the trucking fleet, including dispatch, and
Caleb, left, and dad Todd McKee
McKee bought all new Tigercat machines for both his Central Mississippi crews from B&G Equipment last year.
helps look after both company logging crews. “He comes to the woods now more than I do, and I am in the office more than I was,” Todd says.
Manpower Along with his family, McKee emphasizes two things above all else as critical to the business: faith in God and faith in his men. “Jesus comes first for us,” he states unequivocally. “He is what has built this company; we know that.” As for the men, he says, “It’s more about these guys than about me; they are the ones who have worked to build it, and some have been here a long time.” The many McDaniel men man-
ning McKee’s crews are good examples, including crew foreman Earl McDaniel. Along with some of his brothers, he’s been here 21 years, since McKee started all this. Back then, McKee was trying to make it as an independent timber buyer, but a few months into his journey, he couldn’t get it done like he wanted. So he hired the McDaniels, who had already been in the industry for some time. Their experience was indispensable. On Earl’s crew, Derek Foy mans the cutter, Patrick Miller and Eric Bishop run the loaders, while Andre Triplet and Earl’s son Jesse McDaniel drive the skidders. Another McDaniel, Raymond, is
Todd with his son Joel McKee, right
From left: Walter “Sonny” McDaniel (following CDC mask guidelines), his nephew Dennis McDaniel, Joe Davis, Keith King, Raymond McDaniel, Nick Hill
foreman on the other crew. His brother Sonny has been a cutter operator here also for 21 years, after a stint in the Texas oil fields. Dennis McDaniel and Nick Hill are in the skidder cabs, while Joe Davis and Keith King are on the loaders. For his part, Todd says he’s always been more on the business and forestry side, but he has run a skidder anytime they’ve been a man short, and he’d be happy to do it again if the need arises. Truck drivers are Patrick Adams, Daniel Allred, Tony Cistrunk, Diamante Clark, Anthony Houston, Tommy Houston, Timmy Houston, Charles Jones, Leonard Kirk, Jonathan Pilgrim, Larry Phillip- ➤ 12
Office crew, from left: Tamara, Patti and Marlee McKee
From left: Derrick Foy, Earl McDaniel, Patrick Miller, Eric Bishop, Andre Triplet, Jesse McDaniel
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The two crews were working a single tract when SLT visited in August.
Central Mississippi works mostly in private pine now.
9 ➤ son, Richard Stennis and Jerry Watson. Two mechanics, James “Chunky” Thomas and Robert Alford, use a service truck with a crane to make field calls to the woods when needed. Central Mississippi Land and Timber also has three timber buyers: Tim Harrison, his son Austin Harrison and Shayne Mayatt. In the office are Patti, Caleb’s wife Marlee and Joel’s wife Tamara.
“What he loves is Christ. He preaches strong and hard; he’s a good one. God is really working there, and it is awesome. As an independent church it is kind of hard to get involved in missions, but we have just had a couple that has come on , a former Baptist pastor who believes God has told him to come here and become the missions pastor. God is leading him to the Philippines as his first stop. He is not going there to preach full time but to start planting churches.” That is part of why the McKees got into construction. “I want to go to the Philippines and build the churches myself with this construction company,” Todd says. That desire to give back is a function of gratitude. “We know what God has blessed us with,” Todd says. “It’s God who built this family. My wife and I have been stuck like glue ever since we were married. The boys both have good wives, and we have four healthy grandchildren.” Joel and Tamara have John Thomas, 3, and Lucy, 18 months, while Caleb and Marlee have Allie, 2, and Smith, 18 months. “We couldn’t have been blessed any more.”
Faith McKee is more than happy to talk about his faith. He was raised in an Apostolic church, a Pentecostal denomination. “We believe in the infilling of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues,” he explains. Though he grew up in the church, McKee admits, “I probably went to a little rougher side somewhere mid-stream, as many of us do sometimes. I received the Holy Ghost in 1996, but and I got busy with this, and logging is a rough business. You pick up what you hear and I hear a lot out here; I try to keep that down but it still is here. I kind of let myself slide a little bit.” Still, he didn’t stray too far, and his faith has definitely affected the way he approaches business. “Anybody who’s worked for me knows what we
do. We are going to keep our name clean. Have I ticked a few folks off along the way? I’m sure I have, but we are not going to have a name for being crooks in the timber business, stealing or tearing someone’s land up. It will get wet and we will make a mess, but we will fix our mess. That’s who we try to be, anyway.” McKee and his family now attend the Sanctuary in Philadelphia, a progressive young Apostolic church that marked its ninth anniversary in early August. “They started in a coffee shop with 35 people on the first night,” McKee says. A growing church, the Sanctuary now sees 400-500 in attendance. Todd and Patti were not part of that original group; they have been going here for about four years. “This church has changed us,” McKee reveals. For one thing, it has helped bring the family even closer together. “Joel was living in Starkville at the time when we started going to this church, and they had said they were probably never moving home. Now they have moved home. Joel and Tamara have actually become the youth pastors at this church and Caleb and Marlee are the Sunday school directors.” Adrian Holley is the Sanctuary’s pastor. “He will tell you that he does not like religion,” McKee says.
By their service truck, mechanics “Chunky” Thomas and Robert Alford
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Machinery Both crews are outfitted identically with Tigercat iron: two 630 skid-
The crews haul about 250 loads a week.
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ders, two 234B loaders and a 724G cutter, all 2019 models bought from B&G Equipment in Philadelphia last fall. It is the first time McKee has ever bought all new equipment at the same time. “We’ll see how it works out,” he shrugs. He financed them for three years and hopes to get on a three-year trade-in rotation so everything can stay under warranty. That plan extends to his trucks, too. The crews haul with 14 Macks bought from TriState Mack in Meridian. He bought a new round this year, so 11 of those are 2020 models; the other three are ’19, ’18 and ’17 models. He also has a 2015 Peterbilt as a spare. The rigs pull a mix of FMI (Fryfogle Mfg., Inc.) and Magnolia trailers, both built in Mississippi. “We’ve done business with Gordon Fryfogle for years,” the logger notes. The crews handle all oil/filter changes and greasing in the woods. “If it throws up a code, B&G sees it and we see it too,” McKee says. One of his mechanics, “Chunky” Thomas, was a Stribling Equipment mechanic for 17 years.
Timber McKee is a forester at heart and by training; he has a technician’s degree from East Mississippi Com-
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munity College. He bought timber for Scott Paper for 10 years until his division was bought out by Kimberly Clark. He went on his own in 1999 with the intention of operating as an independent timber dealer; that is what Central Mississippi Land and Timber really is. With three foresters on staff, the company buys 100% of the wood for two company crews, two full-time contract crews and one part-time contractor. Nearly all of it is from private landowners, mostly plantation pine.
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“We started out doing plantation thinning. That market has just gone. It is nonexistent anymore. The paper industry is gone in this area. I know in some places it is doing well, but not here.” Hardwood, McKee adds, had been on the increase for a decade or better, with no quota to speak of, but 2020 has flipped that script. “We have a 400-acre block of hardwood we’re not going to touch this year because I can’t afford to cut it,” he says. Price and volume are
down. “You can’t get rid of it. A lot of mills are on quota that have never been on quota. And the price went south. They are telling us a lot of it is because of the schools. Schools now are the only ones using much paper, and paper milk cartons.” With schools out since March, demand for those products fell off. The McKee crews haul pine to Weyerhaeuser mills in Philadelphia and Millport, Shuqualak Lumber in Shuqualak, and Winston Plywood
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and Veneer in Louisville. Haul distances average 50 miles. The crews work inside a radius of 80 miles around Philadelphia, an hour and a half drive in any direction, and most of the mills are inside that circle. “We are in the middle of the timber basket in this location,” Todd says. “Most of what we do now is clearcut pine tracts for replanting. We get some saw logs and chip-n-saw, but very little pulp. We have to leave some of it in the woods because we just don’t always have anywhere to go with it.” Without quotas holding them back, these crews are capable of hauling 300 loads a week, McKee figures. “We do haul that, and north of that sometimes. Our average is probably around 250 loads a week because of quotas, but we are basically done by Thursday afternoon each week.” Tract sizes vary by crew. “We have one logger that is small, so we buy 40-acre tracts for him.” For the company crews, McKee says, they try not to buy less than 150 acres. When Southern Loggin’ Times visited in August, both crews were working near Meridian on different parts of the same tract that was just shy of 500 acres. The McKees aim to hold safety meetings once a week with woods crews and truck drivers. Todd has hired consultant service Safety Solutions to conduct more thorough monthly meetings as well. “We try to stay up with the game,” he says. “We haven’t put cameras in every machine yet but we do have cameras in every truck, including work pickups.” That makes insurance companies happy, but they still dictate what drivers can be hired. “We have had to let a few really good drivers go when they won’t cover them because of a ticket,” McKee acknowledges. “They’re really tough on log truck drivers because that’s where a lot of their accidents are.” The family plan is for the brothers to eventually take over as partners, owning everything 50/50, with Caleb still overseeing forestry operations and Joel running the construction business. Todd says he’ll probably back off in another10 years, but he’ll never retire entirely. “I’m not that guy,” he says. “I will still be involved. I think I would lose my mind if I quit completely.” But, he figures, he’ll grant himself the freedom to travel some, at least one good trip a year, which will make Patti happy. In his heart, McKee is still a forester, so he knows he will always want to be involved in cruising and buying tracts: “If I could just do what I wanted to do every day, that’s probably what I SLT would do.”
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South Arkansas Spitfire ■ Jerry Rogers isn’t like the rest—and that’s just fine by him.
By Jessica Johnson HOPE, Ark. ure it happens, but not ★ often do you hear of someone spending 15 years working for the woodlands office of a timber company and then, after seeing just how poorly treated loggers could be, buying their own crew. But that’s exactly what Jerry Rogers, 51, did. His story starts out like many in the woods. He came out of high school in 1987 and started toting a power saw before joining Potlatch’s site prep crew. By that point, Rogers learned how to do “pretty much everything” in the woods. But after a few years of getting his feet wet working, his wife, who worked full-time at the county unemployment office at the time, saw a posting for a job with International Paper. Rogers remembers the conversation like it was yesterday: “She says to me, ‘you know how to run a dozer and do all this and it has benefits!’ So I go interview and next thing I know I am working there, which I absolutely loved. It was such a great job.” Rogers worked in the woodlands office, with a team of foresters managing a 300,000-acre investment. Where’d he go to forestry school? The University of International Paper at Domino, he says proudly. And Rogers remained working on that land even after IP sold the investment to a company called Timber Star. Rogers says that, like IP, Timber Star was great to work with and work for. He grew less happy once Timber Star sold to its successor, a large timber investment group from out of state, 18 months later. He didn't agree with some of the decisions being made, and eventually, Rogers decided this way of doing business just wasn't for him. He was done with working for a big timber company, and ready to start his own.
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FJH Timber has five company trucks, with one dedicated to hauling the culls out of Potlatch-Deltic to Domtar in Ashdown.
FJH Timber Rogers moved from supervising harvests on company land to buying wood directly for a contractor he’d previously managed. He purchased a huge package from Deltic that was primarily first thinnings, with some second thinnings mixed in as well. The contractor put on a second crew to get the package handled in a timely manner, but soon, the pressure of the two crews became too much. So, Rogers purchased the second crew from the man and renamed it FJH Timber. For the last 10 years, Rogers has been going full speed ahead, primarily on thinning pine plantations, having come full circle from his power saw toting days. “I like quality work. When I worked for IP, that was what I did: first and second thinnings,” he says. He says that cutting for landowners means they are the boss, but typically he likes to do fifth row thins with the junk being cut out; and if a landowner ever tries to say they just want the big, slick straight ones cut, he’ll do it, but usually not without a little forestry lesson first. “I try to explain to them why you need to think from below, but we can randomly pick some to randomly up their paycheck off the stand.” Occasionally Rogers will bid on a clear-cut, like one he’s got purchased for summer of 2021 that is heavy to hardwood pulpwood, which he’s thinking might be easier to market than pine. But that’s not typical for him. He likes to stay consistent and produce between 5075 loads a week of pine off plantations going mainly to Graphic Packaging in Domino, Tex., GP in Gurdon, Ark. and Potlatch-Deltic in Waldo, Ark. Everything Rogers does is driven by his desire to retain his customers and think long term. “I don’t want to just do the first thin. Call it
greedy, but I want to do the second thin and the harvest cut, whatever they want,” he emphasizes. He blames part of that mentality on his background with IP, where he spent plenty of time making sure contractors picked up the garbage, but mostly, Rogers says he wants to keep customers for the long haul because appearance matters. You won’t drive by one of his tracts and see a bunch of hydraulic buckets, trash, or things of that nature. Not only does he feel he does a great job thinning the timber, but he keeps his tracts looking clean—portraying a positive image for the general public and the landowner.
understand but we need to know before an hour.” Thanks to his years working in the fiber office of a mill, Rogers says he knows how the dogs hunt. He adds, “If you send something Tuesday, contractors are going to get every truck driver they can get and flood the mill. But if you send something at lunch on the day they are quitting buying at 6:00, there’s not time to do that. But they certainly don’t have time to do it at 5:00.” FJH Timber keeps five company trucks rolling and two contract trucks, though one company truck one is dedicated to Potlatch-Deltic, where Rogers has the contract to haul culls from that mill to Domtar
in Ashdown. The crew keeps five to six trucks busy every single day. Rogers says that the production is greatly impacted by the mill’s decisions, of course, but more the mill’s communications. He remarks, “I can’t remember where I heard this, but it is a perfect analogy. They think we are a water hydrant that can be turned on to barely let it drip or turn it on full blast just that quick. We don’t need to drip and if we don’t need full blast that’s fine, but we still need an even keel.” Of course, mill communication can be fantastic and the driver issue will still be there, Rogers says with a laugh. He’s lucky, he believes, as
In The Woods With his background, Rogers buys all the wood for the crew, and loads the trucks. This allows him to make sure his company trucks and contract trucks are rolling at a pace that he is comfortable with, given the usual hour or so travel time. Having worked at a mill, and now being a logger, Rogers has a special point of view when it comes to production and trucking. He sees both sides—but that doesn’t stop him from being frustrated with the mill and speaking his mind. He remembers a situation a few months back where he got an email the mill would stop buying wood at 6:00 p.m. one evening, at 5:05 p.m. He had two trucks loaded, headed to the mill, but they wouldn’t make it to the gate until after 6:00 p.m. So, never one to shy away from speaking up, Rogers called the mill and told them they really needed to improve communication to be fair to everyone involved. “I know the mill operates in their own little world,” he explains, “but it’s like their phone lines are severed. We’ve got a tremendous amount of money invested and if you can’t buy we
Rogers is a bit of a thinning specialist.
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FJH Timber crew, from left, Tyler Randall, Don Whelington, Terry Rogers and Cody Whelington
he has some good drivers. But just like everyone else, he’s got reliability issues with others. The woods crew is solid, he says and they never skip a beat. They work with two John Deere cutters, a 643L-II and 634L, two John Deere skidders, a 648L and 748L-II, two John Deere 437D loaders and a 595B Barko loader. The John Deere machines are serviced by Stribling Equipment in Texarkana. Rogers has everything John Deere, but when it came time last
year to add another loader to his registry, he went with the Barko, sold and serviced by Crouse Truck Parts & Equipment, because he wanted to try something new. And he is very pleased he did. “The Barko is a little bit bigger machine, a little bit faster than the new 437s are. And it was $18,000 cheaper,” he says. “I’d be a little bit afraid to do that with a skidder or a cutter, because you do have parts that you need to have a little more ready, but loaders, knock on wood, you don’t really have a lot of problems and parts you’ve got to have.” Four Peterbilt trucks handle the hauling, with one older Kenworth. Five Pitts plantation trailers are attached to each. Trucks run with Vulcan scales.
Wrench Turning Rogers has a 50x80 shop where he lives in Hope, Ark. where he tries to do as much maintenance himself as he can. He admits that sometimes things just get too hectic, and it is just easier to let some maintenance, especially truck brake jobs, be handled by an outside contractor. Dependent on the temperature, grease is changed between two and three times a week using Schaeffer’s grease. Oils are changed around 10,000 miles on the trucks and 350 hours on the woods gear, using Schaeffer’s motor oil. Henry Oil in Nashville, Ark. provides needed fuel. Rogers calls them, “Johnny on the spot” when it comes to handling his account. And finally, perhaps the most important aspect, the payroll, tickets, permits, truck reports, taxes and other paperwork are handled by Cathy Rogers. “She is the most overworked and underpaid staff member of FJH Timber,” he smiles. “And I don’t know what I SLT would do without her.”
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Work Ethic ■ Hard working young logger John Channell is learning what it takes to get ahead.
By Patrick Dunning HUTTONSVILLE, W.Va. ogging is a tough gig. It helps ★ when you have the work ethic of John Channell. One of the newer faces on the hardwood scene, Channell, 32, stacks up pretty well against the old guard. The inevitable growing pains since the company’s founding in May 2015 have given way to deeper understanding of industry practices and diversifying markets. Channell’s never been afraid of work. In fact, he welcomes it. In the summers his mother used to drop him off at a local dairy farm on her way to work, where at 14 years old he milked cows until late afternoon.
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After graduating high school in 2006 he began working for United Coal Co. in Cassity, W.Va., and progressed through the ranks over the next decade; from a novice red hat to section foreman. He was responsible for the safety of 13 men working under him while ensuring all entries were stable. After a full day’s work in a cramped tunnel 40 in. in diameter, Channell would help with his dad’s excavating business by laying underground water lines. Working alongside his dad’s operation is where he first considered starting his own outfit. This idea manifested in a solo log truck operation that eventually became Channell Trucking, LLC. Channell exemplifies the West Virginian loggers’ mindset: durable
and up for a challenge. He had no previous experience in the field, only a desire to learn and the good sense to surround himself with knowledgeable friends and hardworking relatives to bend the learning curve in his favor.
Humble Beginnings Before starting the business, Channell and his wife Hillary discussed options over the course of several months about purchasing a log truck. Within that timeframe United Coal decided to restructure their leadership, which helped the Channells make the decision to pull the trigger. With a ’16 model International Paystar and a dream, Channell started contract hauling in the
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area to make ends meet. His friend, Jay Johnston, who also runs a logging operation, took a liking to Channell and helped him early on by leasing his loader and deferring payments the first couple months until Channell could get his feet under him. From there, the company would go on to become official. “I would help Jay in the woods when I had free time and he’s always been a real easy-going man,” Channell says. “To this day, if I need anything he’ll help me.” The first year was rough, Channell admits. Long days turned into longer nights as Channell stayed behind to maintain equipment after his crew departed. “We took a huge leap of faith and trusted God would provide for us,” he says. “I just hoped that I
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Hardwood dimensions between 16-18 in. diameters are targeted.
From left: John Channell, owner; Phil Taylor, loader operator; Jerry McCunne, Jr., skidder operator; Jerry McCunne, Sr., cutter operator
had enough to keep my payroll going past the first week. I wasn’t experienced so I worried about a number of different things at first but I was thankful to have good employees that were more experienced than I was.” Hillary even ran the loader Johnston provided after dropping off their kids at daycare for the first year and a half to offset costs.
Operations Southern Loggin’ Times found Channell Trucking, LLC in February logging 700 acres in Harrison County. Contracted through Appalachian Forest Products (AFP), Channell was conducting a selective cut and targeting 16-18 in. diameters. The lower portion of the tract was previously
cut for storm wood after Hurricane Sandy’s destruction in 2012 and now serves as the landing. Up the hill sections get steeper, which Channell believes is perfect for excavator use. “It’s much better being in steeper ground because it’s healthier for your machines,” he says. “Everything falls towards the roads and you don’t have to go looking for logs. I like the way the ground lays here.” In the future Channell plans to add a feller-buncher with a G&R forestry track system to his stock of woods equipment to increase production and worry less about topography. Other equipment used includes ’18 John Deere 337E loader, ’18 Deere 648L-II skidder, Cat D5K dozer and his favorite, a ’18 Deere 245G excavator equipped with a
Rotobec grapple saw. “The Rotobec saw takes all the danger out of the woods,” Channell believes. A 462 series Stihl chain saw along with three Husqvarna 372s completes the woods inventory. He quickly noticed a difference between the L-II series versus the H series skidders. “The L-II has a torque converter that’s more consistent with pulling, it doesn’t sit there spinning and digging when you have a big load like the H would. It buckles down and goes with it.” The skidder is outfitted with G&R tracks for additional traction. All maintenance is done in-house. They change oil in woods equipment every 500 hours and every 250 hours in the dozer, most of the time directly on the job site, with Chevron
15W-40. Trucks are greased weekly. Woodford Oil Co. in Elkins supplies bar and chain oil. Lykins Energy Solutions in Buckhannon supplies diesel exhaust fluid. Leslie Equipment Co. in Norton is Channell’s John Deere dealer. He deals with Rusty Harsh at LEC. Cleveland Brothers in Clarksburg sold Channell his first loader and skidder and also supplied the D5K Caterpillar dozer. He deals with Josh Hinkle at Cleveland Brothers. Channell no longer has that Paystar he purchased five years ago, but it proved to be a firm foundation to build upon. He currently runs a ’20 International HX tri-axle log truck, and ’20 International HX day cab tractor towing a Pitts pup trailer and Pitts 42-ft. log ➤ 26
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White oak is in demand to be used for stave logs.
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23 ➤ trailer. Both trucks were purchased from Newlon’s International Sales in Elkins. Channell and his crew average 20 loads per week.
Markets Hardwood export markets have continued trudging along this year. The pandemic took its toll on red oak, but the biggest loop Channell had to jump through was finding new pulpwood markets after Verso shut down their Luke, Md. paper
mill over a year ago due to continued decline in demand for grades of coated free-sheet paper produced at the mill. He hauled wood to Verso’s log yard in Daily until its shutdown in 2019, and has since secured local hardwood markets at Weyerhaeuser in Heaters, W.Va. “There haven’t been any quotas for pulpwood lately,” Channell says. “White oak is selling well and being used for stave logs. I haven’t been affected that much because my mill takes all species.”
That mill is AFP Logs & Lumber in Buckhannon, W.Va., where Channel hauls maple, red and white oak, and cherry veneer logs. Weyerhaeuser in Buckhannon accepts poplar. Kyler Doss, AFP forester, maintains a healthy relationship with Channell Trucking and purchases the standing timber that’s then contracted out to Channell. “The good thing about Mark Caroll and the folks at AFP is they’re still buying oak trees because they cut ties for timber mats, so it doesn’t
affect us,” Channell says. “A few mills have laid off their contractors and we’re very fortunate to have not missed a single day of work.” Alleghany Insurance Co. out of Elkins handles insurance needs for Channell Trucking and provides safeguarded measures for operating. Their agent, James Wallace, has played a major role in ensuring all needs are met with insurance and workers’ comp. Hillary maintains the company’s paperwork and payroll, and Carte Hall CPA & Associates, an accounting firm in Elkins, maintains the books further. Channell purchases his saws and parts from Varner Construction in Durbin. Channell and his wife have three boys: Wyatt, 6, Connor, 7, and Blake, 8. His solo crew consists of Phil Taylor, loader operator; Jerry McCunne, Sr., skidder operator; Jerry McCunne, Jr., skidder operator; and Paul Bradley Woods, truck driver.
Channell Trucking averages 20 loads weekly.
“It’s hard for a young company to get started in today’s conditions because it’s gotten so expensive. When you’re financing everything it can be rough,” he says. “But I had a good crew and it’s the crew that makes you.” Moving forward Channell plans to recontinue helping his father with his excavating business on the side while his young business continues to grow. He’s even considered expanding to multiple crews down the road if markets allow. That decision will come down to whether he can find a few good men who are willing to work. “You have to work for what you want,” he advises. “I always wanted everything, so I keep on working.” SLT 26
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Lawyer Patrol
I am too old to live
21. Eagles may soar, but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines. 22. What happens if you get scared half to death twice? 23. My mechanic told me, “I couldn’t repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.” 24. Why do psychics have to ask you for your name? 25. If at first you don’t succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried. 26. A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking. 27. Experience is something you don’t get until just
A truck driver often ‘amused’ himself by, of all under socialism. things, running over lawyers. He considered what he did a service to mankind. Besides, he enjoyed hearing I am addicted to the sound of the impact. luxuries like toilet One day the truck driver saw a priest standing beside his broken-down SUV and stopped to offer paper, electricity, help. He ended up giving the priest a lift. “Where are food, clean water you going, father?” he asked. The priest answered, “I’m going to the church three and shoes. miles down the road.” As the trucker continued down the road he spotted what he took to be a lawyer walking along and instinctively swerved to hit after you need it. him. But as he did so he suddenly remembered there was a priest in the 28. The hardness of the butter is proportional to the softness of the truck with him, so at the last minute he swerved, just missing the lawyer. bread. Even though he was sure he’d missed the lawyer, he heard a loud thud. 29. To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is Not knowing where the noise had come from, he looked in his mirrors but research. saw nothing. He turned to the priest and said, “I’m sorry father. I almost 30. The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard. hit that lawyer.” 31. The sooner you fall behind, the more time you’ll have to catch up. The priest replied, “I know, but I got him with the door!” 32. The colder the x-ray table, the more of your body is required to be on it. 33. Everyone has a photographic memory; some just don’t have film. 34. If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is not for you. 35. If your car could travel at the speed of light, would your head lights Reaching the end of a job interview, the human resources director of a large work? corporation asked a young engineer fresh out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology the following question: The keynote speaker was in such a hurry to get to the “And what starting salary are you looking for?” The Rotary Club meeting in a small town that when he engineer replied, “In the region of $125,000 a year, arrived and sat down at the head table, he suddenly realdepending on the benefits package.” The interviewer ized that he had forgotten his dentures. Turning to the inquired, “Well, what would you say to a package of man next to him, he whispered, “I forgot my teeth!” five weeks’ vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical The man said, “No problem,” and with that reached and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% into his briefcase and pulled out a pair of dentures. “Try of salary, and a company car leased every two years— these,” he said. The speaker tried them. “Too loose,” he say, a red Corvette?” The engineer sat up straight and said. exclaimed, “Wow! Are you kidding?” The man searched around in his briefcase again. “Yeah, but you started it,” quipped the interviewer. “Why are all the humans wearing muzzles? Did “Here, try these.” they all bite someone?” The speaker tried them and responded. “Too tight.” The man didn’t seem taken aback at all. He produced 1. I’d kill for a Nobel Peace Prize. a third pair from his briefcase. “I have this pair. Give them a try.” 2. Borrow money from pessimists. They don’t expect it back. The speaker smiled. “They fit perfectly.” He ate his meal and gave his 3. Half the people you know are below average. speech without any further troubles. 4. 99% of lawyers give the rest a bad name. After the event concluded, the speaker went over to thank his benefactor 5. 82.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot. and return the spare parts. 6. A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good. “I want to thank you for coming to my rescue. Where is your office? I’ve 7. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory. been looking for a good dentist.” 8. If you want the rainbow, you got to put up with the rain. “Oh, I’m not a dentist,” the man replied. “I own the local funeral home.” 9. All those who believe in psycho kinesis, raise my hand. 10. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. An elderly pastor was searching his closet for a tie before church one Sun11. I almost had a psychic girlfriend, but she left me before we met. day morning. In the back of the closet, he found a small box containing three 12. OK, so what’s the speed of dark? eggs and 100 $1 bills. He called his wife and asked her about the box and its 13. How do you tell when you’re out of invisible ink? contents. Embarrassed, she admitted having hidden the box for their entire 30 14. If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overyears of marriage. Disappointed and hurt, the pastor asked her why. looked something. The wife replied that she hadn’t wanted to hurt his feelings. He asked how 15. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm. the box could have hurt his feelings. She said that every time during their 16. When everything is coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane. marriage that he delivered a poor sermon, she placed 17. Ambition is a poor excuse for not having Be good to your spouse, an egg into the box. enough sense to be lazy. The pastor was relieved that only three poor ser18. Hard work pays off in the future; laziness remember, right now they mons in 30 years was certainly nothing to feel bad pays off now. could poison you and it would about, so he asked about the cash. 19. I intend to live forever....so far, so good. She sheepishly replied, “Each time I got a dozen 20. If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to be counted as a covid death. eggs, I sold them to the neighbor for a dollar.” buy her friends?
Great Expectations
Spare Parts
Gems By Steven Wright
Egg Money
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Hell & High Water ■ Steve McMillan has weathered storms but come rain or shine, he still loves what he does.
By David Abbott and Kevin Orfield NOTE: A version of this story originally appeared in the summer 2018 edition of John Deere’s magazine The Landing, written by Kevin Orfield with photographs by David Lee Mjolsness. Southern Loggin’ Times has updated the original piece with new information from a recent interview. BRISTOL, Fla. t’s hard to ★ believe it’s already been almost two years since Hurricane Michael hit the panhandle, laying waste to much of northwest Florida in October of 2018. It was a day that Steve McMillan, 67, the owner of McMillan Logging, won’t soon forget. “We were right in the heart of it, right where it hit the day it hit,” McMillan recalls. “I sat in my living room and watched every tree I own blow over. I had my children and grandchildren here and none of them would leave. It was something else.”
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At the time, McMillan’s crew had just recently been featured in John Deere’s publication The Landing. The profile focused primarily on the fact that the McMillan crew had spent that summer working knee-deep in the swamps of Tate’s Hell State Forest. Those were pretty harsh conditions, although nothing this logger wasn’t equipped to handle. After Michael, though, McMillan knew he needed to apply those capabilities elsewhere. “We came out of Tate’s Hell,” McMillan says. The first step was to get to their machines and get them out. “I called the forester down there and he said if you can, get your stuff out of there. I said I’ve got to get it out, everybody needs help.” He says it took him and his team two days to get it out and two weeks to get back to cutting timber. The first priority was using the equipment to help his community; for instance, his shovel machine was put to work picking trees up off of houses. “That is just what you do,” McMillan says. “You just help people in small communities. That is how I was raised.”
After they gave what help they could offer, McMillan Logging got to work on storm damaged timber. “We just tried to salvage every bit we could, as far as we could for as long as we could,” the logger says. “It’s amazing to see a tract with not a tree standing, everything broken or knocked over.” Thanks to a 360º rotating FR22B head on a John Deere 803M tracked feller-buncher, McMillan says getting to the downed timber was not that difficult for him. “Didn’t matter which way it laid, I could cut. It worked well and we got good production.” McMillan worked on storm salvage timber for almost eight months after Michael. By then blue stain had started setting in. When the remaining storm damaged timber was deemed un-harvestable, McMillan went back to Hell State to finish the contract there. “Most of them, the big landowners, already had a replanting program,” he says. “The ones who couldn’t get it all cut went in with a big blade on the front of a D8, pushed it all down and replanted. But it’s going to be a mess when
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you go to thin it the first time and there’s dead rotten wood piled up.”
Love At First Sight McMillan didn’t come from a logging family. He first got into it when he was 21 years old, with three years of a college education already under his belt. “It was 1972, and I was on summer break from college,” he remembers. “A bunch of boys I grew up with talked me into going into the woods with them. They said it would be a good summer job.” Like a summer fling that blossoms into an endless romance, this temporary vacation job turned into a lifelong vocation. Once McMillan got a taste for timber, he never looked back. “I just fell in love with it. It was supposed to be a summer job, but I didn’t return to school. I stayed in the woods.” McMillan’s mother was initially disappointed by his choice. She had raised him without a father, working three jobs to make ends meet. “We were dirt poor,” the logger reflects. “My mother worked hard so we could all go to college and have a better life. When I quit school, it broke her heart a bit. But years later she
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Steve McMillan
understood. If you love what you are doing and you’re happy, that’s the most important thing in the world.” For those who don’t remember it first-hand, logging was tough in those days. “It was pretty dangerous back then,” McMillan acknowledges. “Everything was done with chain saws and by dragging cables.” None of that dissuaded McMillan, and he’s never regretted his choice. “I just love it. I’ve done it my whole adult life. I like to move around and meet different people, and most in this industry are really good people.” McMillan worked for another logging family for almost 16 years, first for the father, and after his death, for the son. He was 36 when he decided to start his own business. “The right person came along and helped me get equipment,” he recalls. Getting started, he admits, was tough. “You work for somebody else till you have the opportunity to get some equipment, and it’s old, wornout stuff most of the time. You have to work seven days a week: five hauling and two fixing everything so you can go back to hauling on Monday. We worked some long hours back then. It was trying.”
From left: Joshua McMillan, Steve McMillan, Monroe Ammons, Tyler Ammons, Jonathan Ammons
Equipment It wasn’t hard just on him, either. “My wife stood with me the whole time, but finally she told me, ‘We’ve got to get you stuff to work with where you can spend some time at the house.’” Now, he runs newer machines, with everything on a three-year rotation. “We run it till the extended warranty goes out, then I trade,” he says. “With these new machines, we can’t work on them anyway because they’re too complicated. We don’t have the codes and the knowledge, so you have to call the dealer to get it done.” McMillan is well outfitted to handle swampy environments with several track machines, including Deere 803M and 853M and Caterpillar 521
tracked feller-bunchers. McMillan describes the tracked cutters as nimble, with a light footprint. “With conventional equipment, we could harvest 70, maybe 80% of the forest. With the 803M we can harvest it all. If timber is there, we’ll get it.” He drags with a John Deere 648L and two 648L-II skidders, fitted in wet ground with dual tires for improved flotation. At the landing, a 437E knuckleboom loader works with a 595 Barko, which McMillan says is ideal for handling big hardwood. He also uses a John Deere shovel machine when the terrain calls for it. Beard Equipment Co., Tallahassee is his equipment dealer. “Nothing’s ever been made that won’t break,” McMillan attests. “We work on wet ground, and the work
we do, conditions are extremely tough on equipment.” With that in mind, the company has a shop in Calhoun County with two full-time mechanics. One of them, Henry Bramlett, has been with the logger for almost 30 years, ever since the first day he started working for himself. The shop team handle all routine maintenance on trucks, but steers clear of engine and transmission work. For those repairs, McMillan goes back to the dealers. McMillan Logging does most of its own hauling with nine Western Stars and one Mack, purchased from Western Star of Dothan in Alabama and Four Star Freightliner of Tallahassee in Florida. The crew produces 80 to 100 loads a week, hauling to a wide
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McMillan keeps new equipment rotated every three years and under warranty from Beard Equipment in Tallahassee.
variety of locations: WestRock in Panama City, Cedar Springs Georgia-Pacific, Rich Lumber in Bristol, Cross City Veneer, Coastal Plywood in Havana and Elberta Crate & Box in Bainbridge, Ga., among others. Trucking insurance, McMilan says, is neither good nor bad: “It’s just something we live with. It could be worse or it could be better.” Bituminous has always been his insurance carrier.
Family, Crew One of the more difficult tasks these days, the logger says, is finding good truck drivers. “They’re just not out there any more,” he laments. “I have been fortunate to have good ones, and good help on the crews, for years, though. A bunch of them have been with me since I got started.” This summer McMillan was fielding two crews, one in pine and the other in hardwood. McMillan’s son, Josh McMillan, mans the track cutter
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on the pine crew, while Monroe Ammons operates the loader. Ammon has two sons, Jonathan and Tyler, working on this crew with him, one skidding and one cutting. On the hardwood swamp job, John Smith runs the loader, his son Mason Smith drives the skidder, Walter McCarter runs the shovel machine and McMillan himself is on the 853 track cutter, which is where he prefers to be. His wife Sharon does all the bookwork, and he praises her as “the backbone of the whole operation.” Other than help from an accountant with the taxes, Sharon does everything. “That way we can keep up with the money pretty close,” her husband says. They also have a daughter who works in the office. Sharon has also, for the last 15 years, run her own retail flower business in Calhoun County, McMillan’s Nursery. McMillan and Sharon have seven grandsons, no granddaughters. All of them hunt and fish. “We own some property; I bought 300 acres with two
ponds. It’s good hunting on it.” He also grows some longleaf pine on it, and some hardwood is starting to come back after what was lost in Hurricane Michael. “The one thing I love most about logging is the people — from the folks at our John Deere dealership to the foresters to my crew,” the logger reiterates. “There are just good people in the forestry industry. They all share a common goal of loving the outdoors and managing timber so it is a sustainable resource.” Coronavirus, he says, has not affected them too much this spring and summer. “There were some hiccups at one or two mills, but nothing major,” he reports. “We’ve been pretty well going along. The way we work, we are isolated. Everyone is on a tractor, not around each other, so we’re safe. We’re out in the open breathing good air and exposed to all the elements, so we just go on.” Asked if he has any plans to hang up his hardhat anytime soon, McMil-
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lan doesn’t hesitate to answers flatly, “No. I feel really good when I work. I was raised to work all my life, and I am kind of a workaholic, it’s sad to say. I’ve worked since I was nine years old, when I toted tobacco in the field. That used to be big in Florida, for cigars, so I worked four or five summers toting tobacco all summer. Back then young people had to work.” The worst thing faced in his area, he says: stagnant logging rates. “Labor and fuel keep getting higher and our pay stays the same. But you learn to adapt to that, too. You just do what you have to do, and there’s nothing really you can do. You try to hope everything goes like it’s supposed to do. If you wait for everything to get better, you’ll never go.” For McMillan, the difference is all about attitude. “I learned long ago in logging, when I first started working for myself 25 years ago: don’t get upset about nothing. It’s life, deal SLT with it and go on.”
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INDUSTRY NEWS ROUNDUP As We See It: Logger Relief Funds Update By Daniel Dructor As of this writing, August 3, Congress has yet to approve the next stimulus package to provide financial assistance to businesses Dructor during these unprecedented financial times due to the COVID19 pandemic. Members of the American Loggers Council are pushing hard to seek a relief package that would help logging and log trucking businesses to cope with loss of markets, quotas and other coronavirus related issues that are dragging down their businesses. What began as a request for a low interest loan to assist logging and log trucking businesses during these hard times has morphed into a bill, the Logger Relief Fund, House Resolution 7690 and Senate Bill 4233, that would allow logging and log trucking businesses to compare revenues for the first seven months of 2020 to those of 2019. If revenues are down by more than 10% in 2020 as compared to 2019, then a logging or log trucking business would be eligible to apply for funds not exceeding more than 10% of the gross business revenues for the period between January 1, 2019 and July 31, 2019. These funds are not intend-
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ed to make businesses whole, but rather to allow them the opportunity to reorganize as markets around them continue to recover. American Loggers Council has secured support from both Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate and are looking to try and push this legislation in the next COVID-19 or CARES-2 Act. Other trade associations are lending their support in these final days of negotiations between the House and the Senate, but we still need as many of you to e-mail, or call your House and Senate members offices and request that they cosponsor the legislation, this week! You can go online at congress.gov and track both of the bills and also see a list of the cosponsors that have already signed on. If you do not see your Congressman or Congresswoman on the list of cosponsors under H.R. 7690, or your Senators on the list of cosponsors under S. 4233, then you should reach out to their staff immediately and request that they sign on. Quoting a message recently sent to this office from a former staff member: “The art of the blow-off is highly refined on Capitol Hill.” Do
not allow them to simply send you a form letter that has been disguised with a blue ink signature that vaguely mentions your request for them to sign on to the legislation. Let them know that you are one of the folks back home that votes for them and that you are requesting that they represent you as one of their constituents. Be original and be firm. To quote another mentor in the logging profession and long-time advocate for our industry, Bruce Vincent: “The world is run by those who show up.” Have you shown up yet? Have you taken the time to respond to action alert requests that have gone out over social media sites and web sites? If not, and you wish to see the relief fund move forward, you must do so now. Thanks to all of you who have already made your voices heard, and thanks in advance to those who will reach out this week to help push this legislation across the finish line. American Loggers Council is a 501(c)(6) not for profit trade association representing professional timber harvesters throughout the United States. For more information please contact the American Loggers Council at 409-625-0206, or americanlogger@ aol.com, or visit our website at www.amloggers.com
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Two Southern Logging Firms Take Awards Two highly respected Southern logging operations were recently named the best logging operations in the United States for this year. McManus Timber Co. of Winnfield, La. was recognized by Timber Harvesting magazine in the September issue as the 2020 Timber Harvesting Logging Business of the Year; and Tapscott Brothers Logging of Scottsville, Va. was named National Logger of the Year by Forest Resources Assn. McManus Timber Co. is the 23rd logging operation to win this prestigious national award, which began in 1998, and the first logging company from Louisiana. The award honors contractors who operate top-notch logging companies in the woods, make an impact in their communities and work to build a better forest products industry. Owners Tony and Liz McManus have been leaders in the Winnfield community their entire lives, and McManus Timber has been one of the largest employers in Winn Parish over the years—with 30 currently on the payroll. The McManuses say one of the keys to their success over the years is the combined work ethic among the four family members— Tony and Liz, and their daughter Toni and her husband Josh McAllister. The company operates three logging crews and runs 11 log hauling trucks. Many employees have been with the McManuses for years, including a saw man with 37 years on the job and the trucking foreman with 25. Working primarily with Weyerhaeuser, the crews plan ahead for typically wet winter work, and all operations are fully compliant with state and federal environmental regulations. Politically active, the McManus family has long served the logging community in Louisiana: Tony McManus helped start the Louisiana Loggers Self-Insured Fund 25 years ago and remains active today, serving as Vice Chair; while daughter Toni is the Executive Director of Louisiana Loggers Assn. Josh McAllister is President of the LLA’s PAC, and serves as the Police Jury President for Winn Parish. For the McManuses, focusing on family first has led to success in the woods, leadership roles in the community and a better working environment for all Louisiana loggers. l Forest Resources Assn. (FRA) and Stihl Inc. honored Tapscott Brothers Logging as the national winner. The Tapscotts had won FRA’s Southeastern Region Outstanding Logger Award and then
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were selected by a national panel of judges as the U.S. winner from among FRA’s six regional winners. Charles (Binky) Tapscott and Troy (Guke) Tapscott started logging with their father, Harvey, in the 1980s. They have steadily grown the operation into the current business that now operates five logging crews and one chipping crew, numerous company-owned and contract trucks, and a large inventory of mostly-inhouse-built log and chip trailers. The Tapscotts’ multifaceted harvesting operations deliver wood to numerous mills throughout Virginia and beyond. Additionally, the Tapscotts operate their own logging equipment dealership, Forest Pro, affiliated primarily with the Tigercat brand. Forest Pro now has three locations across central Virginia. The Tapscotts have a long history of innovating. Binky created his own version of a chain flail delimber and patented a rever-
sible slasher saw. They also created their own gigantic clambunk trailer for long hauls from the woods to the log deck and are now experimenting with a drone for monitoring the progress of their crews’ forest harvesting and BMP work. The Tapscotts have often cooperated with the Virginia Dept. of Forestry and local schools to allow students and others to observe their Timber Harvesting magazine has named McManus Timber Co. of harvesting operation and Winnfield, La. as 2020 Logging Business of the Year. From left, Toni learn more about logging McManus McAllister, Josh McAllister, Tony McManus and Liz and forestry. McManus on the job in Winn Parish The Tapscotts became big supporters of the Log A Load for Kids program soon after it first started in Virginia. Additionally, Binky has been a longtime member of the Virginia Forestry Assn. (VFA) and Virginia Loggers Assn. (VLA), and he serves on the VLA Board of Directors. The Tapscotts maintain close contact with Tapscott Brothers Logging of Scottsville, Va. was named National their insurance carriers and Logger of the Year by Forest Resources Assn. From left, Rick Meyer; provide regular safety trainFRA Regional Manager; Ron Jenkins, VLA Executive Director; Binky ing and safety meetings for Tapscott with U.S. map shaped walnut wood plaque; Guke Tapscott all their woods and trucking with SE Region cherry wood crosscut saw plaque; Corey Connors; employees. VFA Executive Director
The Tapscotts have won FRA regional Outstanding Logger award three times now, spanning three decades—in the Appalachian Region in 1992 and in FRA’s Southeastern Region in 1998 and 2020. The FRA 2020 National Outstanding Logger Award prizes—a large, black walnut wooden award plaque from FRA and a $1,000 check provided by STIHL—were presented to Binky and Guke by FRA Appalachian Region Manager Rick Meyer at the luncheon of the Virginia Loggers Assn. board meeting in Columbia, Va. on August 22. VLA and VFA jointly submitted the Tapscotts’ nomination for the FRA award program.
Dates Set For 2021 Mid-South Event New dates for the 2021 MidSouth Forestry Equipment Show will be September 17-18, according to John Auel, Show Manager. Founded in 1984, the biennial event was canceled this year due to concerns about Covid-19. Monitor midsouthforestry.org for details as they unfold or call Auel at 601-325-7948.
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Morbark Announces Boehler As CEO Morbark announced the appointment of Brad Boehler as the successor to current President of Morbark Holdings and Vice President of Alamo Group’s Forestry and Tree Care Business Unit, Dave Herr. Before joining Alamo Group, Boehler was president of the Skyjack Group, a Canadian manufacturer of aerial lift equipment, including scissor lifts and telehandlers. Before joining Skyjack he worked for seven years at Tigercat International. Herr joined Morbark as a board director and became CEO in October 2016. He successfully led the compa-
ny through a period of intense growth, operational improvement, acquisition, and integration of complementary businesses, including Rayco Manufacturing and Denis Cimaf, Inc., and finally, the transfer of ownership to Alamo Group in 2019.
ALC Cancels Annual Meeting At Branson Travel restrictions and continuing concern over the COVD-19 virus has forced American Loggers Council (ALC) to cancel the 2020 Annual Meeting, scheduled September 2426, in Branson, Mo. The group has reorganized plans and will hold a vir-
tual board meeting on Saturday, September 26, with notices and details sent out once that information is available. In an email, ALC President Shannon Jarvis remarks, “Our sincerest thanks to everyone who continues to support the American Loggers Council as all venture together through these unprecedented times. We look forward to getting back together, and wish everyone a continued safe and healthy future.”
Ring Power Adds Weiler Forestry Ring Power Corp. announced an agreement with Weiler Forestry, Inc.
to become the authorized dealer of Weiler Forestry equipment in north and central Florida. Well known for its high-quality paving equipment, Weiler acquired the purpose-built forestry product line from Caterpillar in 2019. Weiler Forestry manufactures an expanding line of forest products through facilities located in LaGrange, Ga. (headquarters); Smithfield, NC; and Auburn, Ala. With this agreement, Ring Power will distribute and provide parts and service support for Weiler’s full line of purpose-built forestry products, consisting of wheel skidders, track feller-bunchers, wheel feller-bunchers and knuckleboom loaders. “These products complement the Caterpillar forestry excavators and dozers that Ring Power will continue to offer. We look forward to continuing to meet the needs of our forestry customers with a wide range of products and services,” says Charlie Usina, Ring Power Forestry Equipment Sales Manager.
RoyOMartin Completes 13th Safe Year Wood products manufacturer RoyOMartin announced that its land and timber department has completed 13 years without an OSHA-recordable injury, effective August 2. Logging and forestry have historically been among the most dangerous occupations in North America. Given those statistics and the vast amount of timberland managed by RoyOMartin foresters—nearly 550,000 acres—this accomplishment is especially noteworthy. Keys to the team’s success
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include reporting near-misses, performing quality safety audits, and making daily contacts, in cooperation with a dedicated team of health, safety, and environmental professionals. “This group of professionals leads the way in safety, not only in our workplace, but also in our industry,” states RoyOMartin Vice President of Land and Timber Cade Young. “While following safety protocols and best practices is critical in our line of work, what really sets our team apart is the genuine care and concern they have for one another. Safety is part of our culture, and we carry that mindset throughout our daily activities, wherever they may take us.”
Austria’s Binder Wins Klausner Sawmill Bid Austria-based Binder Beteiligungs AG submitted the winning bid at auction for the Klausner Lumber One LLC sawmill in Live Oak, Fla. Binder out-bid Austria-based Mayr-Melnhof Holz and Vancouverheadquartered Mercer International. In the preliminary (Stalking Horse) round of bidding, Mercer had bid $26 million and Binder subsequently increased it to $30 million. But the winning bid tally by Binder (acting through Timber One Acquisition Holdings LLC) reached $61 million plus liabilities, while Mayr-Melnhof was the backup bidder. The bankruptcy court was expected to approve the sale at a hearing on August 31. The Florida sawmill, which started up in 2015 with 350MMBF of annual production capacity, has basically stumbled through the ensuing years, and earlier this year its ownership filed for Chapter 11
bankruptcy. Foundation problems and labor issues apparently plagued the sawmill from the outset. Family-owned Binder of Fügen, Austria operates in 12 locations in Austria, Germany and Finland producing lumber, CLT and laminated beams. Binder has continued to expand its CLT production capacity in Germany and Austria and there’s some speculation whether Binder will bring CLT manufacturing to the Florida sawmill site. Another Klausner operation, Klausner Lumber Two sawmill in Enfield, NC, has also filed for bankruptcy. It reportedly never reached production. Mercer, known more for its pulp mill manufacturing, purchased a Klausner sawmill in Germany back in 2017.
SC Loggers Working With Roads Officials Officials with the South Carolina Timber Producers Assn. (SCTPA) have been working closely with local roads officials to reduce the impact from potential road and licensing ordinances implemented by counties. Going through a wet spell earlier this year, officials in Marion County had received complaints, mainly mud and dirt on roadways and overall condition of some county dirt roads, and were considering instituting a logger and truck licensing policy. SCTPA President Crad Jaynes along with representatives from the Forestry Assn. of SC met with Marion County officials and heard their concerns. The informal group came up with a plan to have roads officials contact either SCTPA or FASC if any road problems arise, and those groups will
address the issue by working with the logger, logger’s wood supplier and receiving mill. According to Jaynes, the approach has proved useful in working with other counties having roads problems, but loggers should never let it get that far. He adds, “It’s imperative that our industry do its part” in assisting counties and not having local road budgets take a hit due to logging operations.
Virginia Loggers Receive Tax Relief Following passage of a state law giving local governments the option, Virginia loggers are working with counties and other jurisdictions to adopt language exempting logging equipment and machinery from taxation—just as farming and agricultural equipment already is. Previously under Virginia’s commercial code, logging equipment was listed as “unlicensed machinery” and subject to state and local taxes. Since the new law went into effect, localities can now exempt logging equipment from taxation. According to Virginia Loggers Assn. Executive Director Ron Jenkins, VLA is now following up with counties and localities to make sure the exemption is included in next year’s budgets. The law went into effect this year after many budgets were already finalized. VLA Vice President Chad Shelton reports his county, Pittsylvania, was able to add the exemption this year, and he encourages other loggers to begin working with county supervisors and other officials.
Longhorn Beetle Discovered In SC An invasive species of beetle found for the first time in South Carolina has state and federal officials conducting surveys in Charleston County to determine the extent of the insect’s spread. The Asian longhorned beetle was found by a homeowner in Hollywood, SC, who contacted Clemson University’s Dept. of Plant Industry (DPI). A DPI inspector collected the insect for identification and conducted a preliminary survey of the trees on the property. At least four maple trees appear to be infested and inspectors have captured live beetles. “We were very fortunate that the residents reported it when they did,” says Steven Long, assistant director of Clemson Regulatory Services who oversees DPI and invasive species. “We think it is confined just to this local area, but we are just getting started with our surveys.”
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South Carolina is the sixth state to detect an Asian longhorned beetle infestation. The pest has been eradicated from New Jersey and Illinois; eradication efforts are ongoing in New York, Massachusetts and Ohio with guidance from the APHIS Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program.
WVU Developing Feedstock Solutions Aided by a $10 million competitive grant from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, West Virginia University is spearheading the development of a perennial multifeedstock production system that is sustainable and economically feasible for the region. The project includes establishing the Mid-Atlantic Sustainable Biomass (MASBio) for Value-Added Products Consortium, a regional group of universities, industry partners, national laboratories and governmental agencies interested in advancing the science and practice of sustainable bioproducts. Consortium partners include Penn State University, Virginia Tech, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, West Virginia State University, Eastern WV Community and Technical College, U.S. Dept. of Energy Idaho National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S.Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory and Rocky Mountain Research Station.
Georgia Power Seeks Biomass Plant Bids Georgia’s Public Service Commission recently voted to allow major utility Georgia Power to solicit bids for a new 50 MW biomass-powered power plant. The move is part of a Georgia Power effort to purchase more energy from a variety of sources as the company seeks to retire some of its older power generating facilities. In addition to biomass, the utility is also looking at streams turbine, battery energy storage and solar sources. The move is also driven by forest economics: Georgia landowners had few places to sell the mountain of timber damaged by Hurricane Michael in 2018, much of it salvageable only as boiler fuel. Georgia Power now purchases more than 335 MW of energy from 15 biomass producers, with most of the fuel coming from woody biomass. By comparison, Georgia Power is looking to add more than 2,200 MW of solar powered electricity in the near future.
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MACHINES-SUPPLIES-TECHNOLOGY Remote-Controlled Tracked Slasher Spruce Creek Mechanical, operated by logger John Steciak and engineer Tom Johnson, introduces the remote-controlled tracked slasher saw, which requires no cords or hoses and is touted as a safer method to buck logs. “Cut the umbilical cord” with a self-powered slasher mounted on a
self-propelled tracked carrier similar to tracked chippers and grinders. The low and long undercarriage keeps the slasher close to the
ground and stable. It can be turned and adjusted at a moment’s notice to fit the ever-changing scene on a modern logging job. No hydraulics or electrics to hook up. Cordless remote control can be used in any log handling machine. Picture how this can be so beneficial from an operator’s standpoint. Whether you have a large style log loader on tracks, a turntable loader on wheels, an excavator or even an
older log loader, you can now cut up trees into logs at amazing speed with a small, versatile and affordable selfpowered slasher. For the small operator that is content with his size, he can back up his rear mount loader and pull trees sideways onto the slasher deck beneath him to cut them to length. Two foot increment marks are built into the frame. Other features: —100% stand alone power: no hydraulics, no electrics —Reduced downtime: separating the slasher from the loader allows production to continue when the loader goes down for repairs and another one steps in. —Increased machine longevity: no oil contamination or overheating your loader hydraulics —Work efficiently: perfectly place and adjust slasher to operator’s preference without limts from hoses. Visit trackedslasher.com
Komatsu Upgrades Tracked Feller-Bunchers
To better meet customer needs, Komatsu is upgrading its XT-5 family of tracked feller-bunchers, adding performance and operator improvements, as well as covering the machines with a special 2-Year/5,000-hour warranty program. The XT430-5, XT445L-5 and XT465L-5 models were introduced in 2018, and these advancements were made based on customer feedback. Komatsu XT-5 machines let customers travel, operate the swing, arm and tool simultaneously for maximum usability. To further boost multi-functioning performance for its customers, Komatsu added 7% more horsepower (331 HP vs. 310 at launch) to the Cummins QSL9 engine and increased the hydraulic flow, while maintaining excellent fuel efficiency. Travel speed is increased by 25% to further improve productivity. The XT445L-5/XT465L-5 models now reach 3.3 MPH; the XT430-5 model, 3.2 MPH. Added lighting elements improve nighttime visibility of the right track and when using the rear camera, for a total of 13 LED lights brilliantly illuminating nighttime operations. “Working with, listening to, and responding to customers is the cornerstone of our product development process, so when
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they said that our XT-5 machines would be even better with a boost in speed and multi-functioning performance, we got to work,” says Todd Miyake, Vice President, forest division, Komatsu America Corp. “We have also added a special 2year or 5,000-hour warranty for a limited time period to offer customers an exceptional combination of performance, efficiency and peace of mind.” The special warranty program covers new XT430-5, XT445L-5 and XT465L-5 tracked feller-bunchers purchased through March 31, 2021, as well as those purchased since launch. This coverage is in addition to the standard Komatsu CARE coverage which includes 100-, 500-, 1000-, 1,500- and 2,000hour maintenance services for the first three years or 2,000 hours, whichever occurs first. All of these services are performed using genuine Komatsu filters and fluids. The XT430-5, XT445L-5 and XT465L-5 Komatsu tracked fellerbunchers introduced in 2018 were totally reengineered. Highlights include: —Outstanding serviceability with all service points easily accessible and gull-wing hood engine access
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—Increased power, torque even while using up to 5% less fuel —Increased lift capacities and the ability of the XT465L-5 to readily operate the Quadco 24" cutting capacity disc saw head —Left-positioned modern forestry cab with exceptional visibility and comfort —Customizable operator controls via IQAN-MD4 digital control system —Komtrax remote equipment monitoring and management telematics system, which can improve operator productivity and monitor machine health, a valuable tool for scheduling preventative maintenance and service. Visit komatsuforst.us
Tigercat H-Series Skidders Have Larger Cabs
The Tigercat H-series skidders introduce a new larger cab onto the successful E-series platform, while also improving serviceability, reliability and efficiency. The new skidder line includes 620H, 630H, and 632H 4-wheel skidders, as well as the 625H and 635H 6-wheel skidders. The newly designed cab on the H-series skidders provides 30%
more interior volume than the Eseries design. Window area has been increased to provide unmatched visibility. The new Tigercat designed seat rotator allows the operator’s seat to rotate from facing the rear of the machine to facing the left side cab door, allowing the operator to exit on either side of the machine. An innovative rotator design uses a spring applied, hydraulic release brake to lock the seat in any position. Operator controls are located on armrests and include many new features. Differential lock buttons are on the joystick and can engage front and rear separately. LED lights above the buttons illuminate when they are active. All H-series skidders feature load sensing hydraulics with larger, more efficient valves. Hydraulic tank capacity has increased 20%, and includes improved level detection and more robust mounting. Increased horsepower and larger cylinders on some models provide ample power and strength for any job. Engine enclosure doors have been reinforced and use “T” style compression latches to keep them securely closed. Belly doors now use pivot bolts to swing open and a new smaller door
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gives access to fluid drain plugs. When tilting the cab is necessary, quarter turn pins, adjustable sweep brackets and a larger tilt cylinder make the job much easier. Visit tigercat.com
AFM 75 Processing Head Has Punch
AFM-Forest Ltd. launches the AFM 75 processing head model, a toughbuilt head with high feeding power and excellent geometry for the most demanding logging operations worldwide. With its new HD frame and pins made from SSAB RUUKKI Scandinavian quality steel and nylon bushings it can fit on different tracked base machines. A wide tilt angle and the geometry of the front knives will guarantee an efficient and ergonomic way to pick up logs in steep slopes. Being designed in tight cooperation with customers, the new design of the AFM 75 offers easy
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access for daily maintenance and hydraulic hoses change, maximizing customer production. Optional feeding motors and rollers make the AFM 75 a perfect tool for harvesting and debarking operations in the most difficult species of plantation grown eucalyptus by offering good debarking results during the first feed. AFMForest proportional saw system and saw control guarantee a fast and efficient sawing in all tree species. With its modern geometry and optional top saw, Supercut saw system and 360 rotation it can fell, feed, crosscut and measure with precision in road side processing or in stump-to-stump operations with no compromises.
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Key features: —Optimal tree diameter: 12-18" —Felling diameter max: 33.5" —Feeding speed: 0-18 ft./s —Feeding power: 7.9 lbf —Weight without rotator 6,173 lbs. —Adjustable/floating front knife —JIC hydraulic hoses Visit afm-forest.com
equips the machine for mulching applications, such as landclearing and right-of-way maintenance. The field kit can be used with compatible mulching heads, such as the new Fecon RK8620 mulching head, which was built specifically for use on the John Deere 843L and 843L-II machines. While the base kit allows for a single function and float, those needing
John Deere Launches Mulcher Conversion Kit
John Deere now offers a dealerinstalled Mulcher Hydraulics Conversion Kit for the 843L and 843L-II wheeled feller-bunchers. The base kit, which includes a new hydraulic pump and component updates,
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a second function can upgrade with an add-on kit. Customers can purchase a kit through their local dealer, which can convert their existing 843L or 843L-II into a mulching headready machine. Built with the John Deere 843 models in mind, the Fecon RK8620 mulching head is constructed from a stronger, lighter steel and features an 86" cutting width. The RK8620 is available with an FGT- or DCRstyle rotor to enhance the cutting performance. Visit johndeere.com
Prinoth Gives Mulching Head More Diversity
Prinoth is well known for its crawler carriers but also manufactures a wide range of mulching equipment, including the latest updates of the well-known mulching head M450s. After the successful introduction of the 74.8" wide M450s1900 in the North American market, the head is now available in a smaller working width of 63" (M450s-1600) and a larger one with 86" (M450s-2200) to ensure every customer’s needs are met. Developed for a range of carrier vehicles from 80-150 HP and a hydraulic oil flow between 26.452.8 gpm, the M450s is a compact and powerful head for a variety of mulching applications. With the feature “Plug & Mulch,” the M450s is ready for simple setup on any skid steer loader, make and model. Hydraulic hoses with standard fittings are included in the package as delivered from the factory. The M450s gets its enormous power from a 107cc Rexroth hydraulic motor with high-pressure variable displacement. A new cogged belt drive transfers the power to the rotor. The rotor combines the BCS (Bite Control System) with two types of cutting tools. Whether steel knives or carbide teeth, the BCS-Rotor is perfectly balanced for less wear on bearings and high speed, meaning high productivity and a perfect finish. The operator will not only get professional results, but also a pleasurable working experience. Visibility is excellent from the operators’ seat with a good line of sight to the work area, offering safe and productive mulching. The center of gravity is close to the carrier, therefore it is easier to handle and provides less tipping or risk of roll over. For maximum safety, the M450s is equipped with anti-slip surfaces on the top of the housing and with two steps for a safe access to the carrier. Visit prinoth.com
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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
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FOR SALE
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Call or Text Zane 334-518-9937 Maplesville, AL
3939
2004 Valmet 603 Feller Buncher, 18" saw, Cummins power, 28L's, Job Ready! .....$45,000
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.
FOR SALE
OWNERS HAVE OVER 30 YEARS COMBINED EXPERIENCE!
770
straightening and repairing feller buncher cutter disks.
Contact me for your needs.
252.945.2358
566
Carver Saw Disk Repair 543 Havens Street Washington, NC 27889
1845
N
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!
Day 334-312-4136 Night 334-271-1475 or Email: johnwpynes@knology.net
I’M STILL IN BUSINESS
EUREKA! EUREKA! EUREKA! EUREKA SAW TOOTH CO., INC.
2006 Tigercat 640C, 8000 original hours, boggie and machine in excellent condition
4275 Moores Ferry Rd. • Skippers, Virginia 23879 PH./FAX (day) 1-434-634-9836 or Night/Weekends • 1-434-634-9185
• 2008 Tigercat 630C, recent recon engine .......................................$42,000 • 2003 Tigercat 250 Loader, runs good, recent engine and main swivel replaced .................................................$31,000 • 2006 635C good running machine .................................................$49,000
Located in South Alabama Call 251-513-7001
7180
IF YOU NEED
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.
13289
945
RECONDITIONED DELIMBINATORS!!
April 30-May 1, 2021
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.
Near Laurinburg, NC
WE ALSO BUY USED DELIMBINATORS
Expo Manager 828-421-8444 WWW.MALBEXPO.COM
Call: 662-285-2777 day, 662-285-6832 eves Email: info@chambersdelimbinator.com 1123 562
Contact: Jack Swanner
Go to www.eebinc.com for details and pictures of other equipment for sale
3723
2018 Deere 748L w/ 3300 2005 Tigercat 822 w/5702, 2018 Morbark 40/36 Advanhours, winch, dualing rings recon Cummins, good 36" U/C tage 3, 3750 hours, C18 ...............................$175,000 .................................$85,000 w/765hp....................$329,000
6209
2019 Deere 2156G XD Track 2012 Peterson 4800E, CAT 1993 Giant Tub Grinder, 22' Loader, 1200 hours, warranty 350hp, 4800 hours, 2-flails conveyor, GM 671 diesel .................$315,000 ...............................$198,000 .................................$26,500
Call or email: Charles Woolard
252-946-9264 office 252-945-0942 cell
Washington, NC Email: easterneq@earthlink.net PRICE, CONDITION & AVAILABILITY SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE Visit ForesTreeTrader.com for online listing opportunities.
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A D L I N K ●
ADVERTISER American Logger’s Council American Truck Parts Around The World Salvage B & G Equipment Bandit Industries Barko Hydraulics Big John Trailers BITCO Insurance Carter Enterprises Caterpillar Dealer Promotion Cleanfix North America John Deere Forestry Eastern Equipment Brokerage Eastern Surplus Flint Equipment FMI Trailers Forest Chain Forestry First Forestry Mutual Insurance G & W Equipment G&R Manufactured Solutions Hawkins & Rawlinson Hitachi America Interstate Tire Service Kaufman Trailers Komatsu Forestry Division Mike Ledkins Insurance Agency LMI-Tennessee Magnolia Trailers Maxi-Load Scale Systems Moore Logging Supply Pewag Chain Pitts Trailers Ponsse North America Puckett Machinery Quality Equipment & Parts Ritchie Brothers Auctioneers Southern Insurance Southern Loggers Cooperative Stribling Equipment Tidewater Equipment Tigercat Industries Timberblade Todd Dossett Chipping Tracked Slasher TraxPlus W & W Truck & Tractor Wallingford’s Waratah Forestry Attachments Waters International Trucks J M Wood Auction Yancey Brothers
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409.625.0206 888.383.8884 936.634.7210 601.656.7011 800.952.0178 715.395.6700 800.771.4140 800.475.4477 205.217.1644 919.550.1201 855.738.3267 800.503.3373 252.946.9264 855.332.0500 229.888.1212 601.508.3333 800.288.0887 803.708.0624 800.849.7788 800.284.9032 870.510.6580 888.822.1173 914.332.1031 864.947.9208 336.790.6800 888.285.7478 800.766.8349 800.467.0944 800.738.2123 877.265.1486 888.754.5613 304.641.3132 800.321.8073 715.369.4833 601.969.6000 386.754.6186 778.331.5458 601.932.4541 318.445.0750 855.781.9408 912.638.7726 519.753.2000 519.532.3283 903.824.3540 989.627.6258 601.635.5543 800.845.6648 800.323.3708 770.692.0380 601.693.4807 334.264.3265 800.282.1562
ADLINK is a free service for advertisers and readers. The publisher assumes no liability for errors or omissions.
COMING EVENTS September 13-15—Alabama Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Perdido Beach Resort, Orange Beach, Ala. Call 334-265-8733; visit alaforestry.org. 18-20—Virginia Forest Products Assn. Annual Conference, Virginia Beach Hilton Oceanfront, Virginia Beach, Va. Call 804-7375625; visit vfpa.net. 23—TEAM Safe Trucking Virtual Semi annual meeting. Call 207-8410250; visit teamsafetrucking.com. 29-October 1—Arkansas Forestry Assn. Virtual annual meeting. Call 501-374-2441; visit arkforests.org.
October 9-11—Tennessee Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Westin Hotel, Chattanooga, Tenn. Call 615-883-3832; visit tnforestry.com. 16-18—Texas Forestry Assn. annual meeting, TBD, Texarkana, Tex. Call 936-632-8733; visit texas forestry.org. 31—Alabama Loggers Council annual meeting, TBD. Call 334-2658733; email alc@alaforestry.org.
November 11-13—Forestry Assn. of South Carolina annual meeting, Myrtle Beach Marriott at Grande Dunes,
Myrtle Beach, SC. Call 803-7984170; visit scforestry.org.
April 2021 30-May 1—Mid-Atlantic LoggingBiomass-Landworks Expo, near Laurinburg, NC. Call 919-2719050; visit malbexpo.com.
May 2021 21-22—Expo Richmond 2021, Richmond Raceway Complex, Richmond, Va. Call 804-737-5625; visit exporichmond.com.
August 2021 5-8—Virginia Loggers Assn. annual meeting, Hotel Roanoke, Roanoke, Va. Call 804-677-4290; visit valog gers.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. 24-27—Louisiana Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino Resort, Lake Charles, La. Call 318-443-2558; visit laforestry.com.
September 2021 1-3—Florida Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort, Amelia Island, Fla. Call 850-222-5646; 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.
August 2022 23-26—IWF 2022, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga. Call 404-693-8333; visit iwfatlanta.com. Listings are submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with contacts prior to making plans to attend.
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