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Vol. 44, No. 1

(Founded in 1972—Our 508th Consecutive Issue)

F E AT U R E S

JANUARY 2015 A Hatton-Brown Publication

Phone: 334-834-1170 Fax: 334-834-4525 www.southernloggintimes.com

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Sapp’s Land & Excavating Big Time Comeback

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Chad Prater Diversified In Tennessee

Co-Publisher Co-Publisher Chief Operating Officer Executive Editor Editor-in-Chief Western Editor Managing Editor Associate Editor Associate Editor Production Manager Ad Production Coordinator Circulation Director

David H. Ramsey David (DK) Knight Dianne C. Sullivan David (DK) Knight Rich Donnell Dan Shell David Abbott Jessica Johnson Jay Donnell Cindy Segrest Patti Campbell Rhonda Thomas

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

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W.T. Smith Historic Look Back

out front:

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Father-son team Don, right, and Andrew Tant, left, get to make a living doing what they love. The dynamic duo behind Don Tant Logging maintains a balanced perspective on work and home life, and finds success in both areas.

Story begins on PAGE 8.

(David Abbott photo)

Battle Lumber Co. International Hardwood Supplier

D E PA RT M E N T S Southern Stumpin’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Industry News Roundup . . . . . . . . . 38 Machines-Supplies-Technology . . . 40 At The Margins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Safety Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Coming Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

John Simmons Tel: 905-666-0258 • Fax: 905-666-0778 32 Foster Cres.

Whitby, Ontario, Canada L1R 1W1 E-mail: jsimmons@idirect.com Western Canada, Western USA Tim Shaddick Tel: 604-910-1826 • Fax: 604-264-1367 4056 West 10th Ave. Vancouver, BC V6L 1Z1 E-mail: tootall1@shaw.ca International Murray Brett Tel: +34 96 640 4165 Fax: +34 96 640 4022 Aldea de las Cuevas 66 Buzon 60 • 03759 Benidoleig (Alicante), Spain E-mail: murray.brett@abasol.net CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING

Bridget DeVane Tel: 1-800-669-5613 • Fax: 334-834-4525

Southern Logginʼ 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 nonqualified 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—TOLLFREE 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 Logginʼ 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 Logginʼ Times. Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to reject any advertisement which it deems inappropriate. Copyright ® 2015. 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 Logginʼ Times, P.O. Box 5613, Montgomery, AL 36103-5613 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

Year In The Rear View I

’m writing this in the middle of December, but at the time you read it—God willing—a new year will have dawned and the Alabama Crimson Tide will have just won the inaugural college football playoff (hopefully). With 2014 now in the history books and 2015 in its infancy, it seemed to me a good opportunity to look back at the year in review, even as we welcome in the new.

First off, I was curious to see how many times we have visited each state in these pages over the past 12 months. We have tried to balance our coverage of the southern logging business geographically—cover the 13 states in our territory more or less evenly. Ideally, we would do three to four stories per year from each state. We do our best, but sometimes it is easier said than done. There are logistical constraints, and we have to strive to be cost effective with our travel. There’s also the simple fact that we get more responses in some states than others when we look for prospects. We tend to get the most leads from North Carolina, Mississippi, and Georgia. Typically, we don’t get that many from Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. The states we have the hardest time with, as I’ve said in the past, are West Virginia and Kentucky. So we have to go where the stories are available to us.

By our count, here are the number of stories we did from each state in 2014: Georgia, 8; Mississippi: 5; North Carolina: 5; Alabama: 4; Arkansas: 4; South Carolina: 4; Florida: 3; Virginia: 3; Louisiana: 2; Tennessee: 2; Texas: 2; West Virginia: 1. The only state in our territory we weren’t able to cover at all in 2014 was Kentucky.

Right now, looking forward into 2015, our editorial staff has a good half dozen or so solid leads from most states, but we currently have none in my file from Texas or Louisiana, and only a couple from Kentucky and West Virginia. So, loggers in those states: let us hear from you.

Second, but much more importantly, I called up as many loggers as I could track down from each state over the last few days, and asked them to share with us some insight into how the last year has gone in their respective areas, and what they foresee going into the new year. I managed to talk to at least one logger in every state except Texas.

Below are some of their responses, state by state.

Alabama Mitchel Presley’s Midstar Timber Harvesting is a rather large operation (about 75 employees) in Toxey, Ala., near the Mississippi line. “A lot of folks like me have made a substantial investment and you’d think we’d have a pretty good insight on where we are and where we’re going,” Presley says. “Where we have been, we can see the numbers, and 2014 has been a really good year. As we look at 2015, I am not as optimistic about the short 6

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term in our region. For the last two or three years, prices have been on the increase. People in our industry have been able to make money. For a business like ours you have to really invest in two things: your people—training, more benefits, higher wages—and equipment. Folks have done that, upgraded trucks and equipment, and were able to move a lot of wood. With weather being somewhat cooperative in our area for the last several months, we have filled all these mills up, so they are carrying huge inventories.

“I am concerned how quotas will look when we get to the spring,” Presley continues. “The Louisiana-Pacific mill started back up, but now they are having problems with a number of things, and they don’t plan to get it back on its feet till February. The rest of the markets have been good, but all that extra supply from LP has to send wood in other directions and it has everything tight. I’m not optimistic that’s going to fix itself right off the bat, even when LP comes back. In the spring the mills will start wanting to take that inventory down during the spring outage and they will give us a reduced quota. Then they cut price. So you get a two- edged sword: limited volume with lower price. It may be through April with that. When we come back on the other side, if LP is running strong and the housing market continues to move forward—and we hear that a few big local sawmills plan to add a second shift in the second quarter, so that will help.”

Arkansas Gregory Givens at Gene Givens Logging, Inc., in Sparkman, Ark., reports that company just ordered a new Barko loader from Crouse Truck Parts, Sheridan Ark. “Things are, in my opinion, looking up,” he says. “From what I can see it is all positive. There is talk—as far as I know it is just talk—but there are rumors of a new paper mill in southern Arkansas, supposedly a company from China. Some people say there is something to that rumor, so that would be a plus for us. In my opinion we could use a little rain to slow some of the pine down. It is too wet to be in hardwood but not too wet to be in pine, and a few of the local pine mills are getting full. Nobody has mentioned quota yet but I could see it coming. The hardwood market is the best market we have right now. It is absolutely booming.”

Florida Jerry Gray of Gray Logging, Madison, Fla., is optimistic, especially about many wood-consuming plants now competing with each other for the limited resource in his area. “The new Klausner mill in Live Oak is taking wood now, and we

have the Gilman Building Products chip-n-saw mills, and several others in competition. I don’t know where all the timber is going to come from.

Madison County has turned into farmland so I don’t know if there is enough timber. The mills will have to take wood from a 150-mile radius to do what they say they are going to do. I think we have enough loggers, I don’t know if we have enough trucks. I own 13 trucks, and I don’t rely on contractors—that’s a nightmare. I have one man in the shop whose full-time job is keeping the trucks going.

“We have had a good year—I wouldn’t say great, but good, a lot better than the two previous years. I am excited going into this year. Prices for diesel are dropping a little, if somebody doesn’t do something stupid in Russia to mess it up.

We are moving right along, and I feel pretty good about the business for a change.” Gray feels confident enough that he just bought a new John Deere skidder.

Georgia Charles Wright is the long-time branch manager for both the Thomasville and Forsyth locations of Tigercat-dealer Tidewater Equipment. “Both areas I work in have had a very good year,” he reports.

“Fuel prices dropping seems to be helping some right now, 2014 saw very few quotas, people have been working steady and the demand has been good for biomass, saw timber…in general the whole wood market has been good.” With loggers staying busy and making a little money, they are also buying more equipment. “In Thomasville, 2014 has been as good a sales year as 2013, and Forsyth has even seen an increase in sales.”

For Fitzgerald-based Mark and Cason Lott Timber Co., Inc., 2014 was marred by tragic loss. Mark Lott passed away in July, leaving his son, 20-yearold Cason, in charge. The young logger has adjusted well. “It has started to pick back up. Mills have had us on quota but the rain has got them coming off of it. We have several mills. If one quits taking we have two or three back ups we can haul to. We plan to update a few pieces of equipment this year—we like to keep a cycle of trading in and keep it under warranty as much as we can. Currently our oldest piece is ’96 track cutter, and newest is a ’13 Tigercat 720.”

Kerry James of Flint Forest Products in Greenville reports that weather has been extremely dry in his part of the state. “We have been under some quotas because of the lack of rain. Prices for timber have been average I’d say, we haven’t seen any increases in the last year. We have noticed a little uptick in the log markets, in hardwood and pine, in the last few months. That looks to hold the same at least, maybe get a little better into next year. ➤ 53

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Double Coverage ■ Father and son partners Don and Andrew Tant are right where they want to be.

Equipment

By David Abbott GEORGETOWN, La. ★ t his kindergarten graduation, Andrew Tant announced to those in attendance his intention to grow up to be a logger, like his dad, Don. He grew up playing logger in the back yard with toy skidders, trucks and sticks, and as he got older, went to the woods to see and later to work with his dad’s crew as often as possible. “He could drive a skidder when he was five years old,” Don recalls.

So when Don Tant Logging Co., Inc. was featured as the cover story of the January 2001 issue of Southern Loggin’ Times, Andrew was disappointed that he couldn’t be there. He was then splitting his time between working in the woods and pursuing his forestry degree at Louisiana Tech University. His mother would not allow him to miss a day of classes to be present for that article. To this day, she admits that she has felt bad about it ever since, because Andrew has been such an integral part of the fam-

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The Tants run five company Peterbilts plus two contract trucks.

ily business. Andrew wasn’t too pleased about it either.

Fortunately for Andrew, the story didn’t end there. After he graduated in 2003, he went to work in the woods full-time, eventually taking over as foreman of one his dad’s crews. Now 33, Andrew more or less runs the show. Don, 61, still

owns the company but decided to take a step back three years ago. “I was ready to quit logging then, and would have sold out, but I kept it for Andrew,” Don says. At that time, 2011, they took the equipment that had been on Don’s crew and merged it with the one Andrew was already running.

The two Tigercats work in tandem at the front of the landing to merchandize, sort and load…

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The now-combined crew sets up three loaders on a single landing.

Two Tigercats—a 2004 220 and a 2012 234 model, the second with CSI delimber and CTR groundsaw—work side-by-side as a team, with the 234 generally sorting and merchandising and the 220 doing most of the truck loading. On the other end of the landing, a ’12 John Deere 437D loader, also with CSI delimber and CTR ground saw, works alone, giving trucks two spots for loading. Three Tigercat 620D skidders, ’10 and ’11 models, drag to the loaders, though the third one is usually kept in reserve as a spare.

“We have a whole other job parked at the shop, but no hands to run it,” Don says with a half-hearted chuckle. A single ’10 Tigercat 724E cutter fells for the operation.

The company keeps two independent haulers to supplement its own five Peterbilt trucks. Tant runs four regularly—again, keeping one as a spare.

The six trucks pull four Magnolia double bunks and two Bear pole trail-

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ers. A local welder, John Smith, does all rigging work on the trailers, trucks and loaders, and built the company’s two lowboys.

The last time the Tant men bought a new piece of equipment was in 2007, from Patrick Miller in Many, La. Likewise, the last new truck was in 2006 from Timmons International.

Those last new purchases came just about the time the recession hit.

Since then they have sought out good used machines with low hours.

All of the machines now in use have under 8,000 hours; the loader has 4,200, and the oldest skidder has 5,600. Most recently, Don bought the cutter and two skidders from B&G Equipment in Magnolia, Miss. this past summer—the two ’10 models—while the ’11 model came from an individual in Texas in late 2013.

The Deere loader came from Doggett Machinery in Alexandria, La., and they bought all their trucks from individuals.

“We got two good skidders cheaper than we could buy one brand new one,” Don points out. Andrew adds another benefit: they can postpone dealing with tier 4 emission standards for a while.

Operators are responsible for tracking hours and changing fluids and filters every 250 hours. They blow air filters out as needed. In 2014, it wasn’t needed too often; it was not a very dry summer. They buy all filters from Winn Truck and Trailer in Winnfield, La. The father/son team look to B&G Equipment and Patrick Miller Equipment for parts, but generally take repairs to their own 40x80 shop in Georgetown. They have a mechanic on staff, Danny LaCaze, a former Patrick Miller service technician, who is qualified to handle engines and hydrostats. “He worked there for 15 years and then went on his own, and he has his own truck,” Don says.

Andrew admits it is difficult to pinpoint an accurate dollar amount spent each year on parts, maintenance and repairs, as it can fluctuate so much from one year to the next. Every time they have to replace a hydrostat, it costs them about $20,000. Early in

…while the John Deere works alone on the opposite end of the deck.

Left to right: Seth Williamson, Chad Nugent, Jeremy Lashley, Ben Russell, Damon Guillotte (kneeling), Don Tant, Andrew Tant

2014 they had to rebuild an engine, at a cost of nearly $14,000.

Don Tant Logging has been buying all its diesel, grease, oil, hydraulic and transmission fluid from McCartney Oil in Jena, La. since 1992. They keep two bulk tanks at the shop for onroad and offroad fuel, and fill up by the tanker load. A tanker costs $25,000 and lasts about three weeks. Andrew figures they burn 300 gallons of offroad diesel every day in the woods.

Tant Logging buys all its tires from Randy Despino at Despino’s Tire Service in Alexandria. They use 44s on all skidders, so they can run all year on the wider tire without having to dual up when it gets wet.

The skidders run on size 44 tires all year, so there is no need to dual up when it gets wet.

History Don grew up around the business.

His father was in stumping, hauling pine stumps to a plant that was then in Hattiesburg, Miss. As a boy, Don drove a prehauler after school—he describes it as a skidder with a loader on the back end, essentially an early forwarder. The family lived where the work took them. At various times as he grew up, Don lived in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi, before the family settled down in Georgetown, La. in 1969 (they briefly lived in nearby Jena for a few years before that).

Don started his own company in July 1979, when he was 26. He had

his own truck and had been working as a contract hauler for other loggers for a year, and decided he wanted to try his hand at logging. “I don’t really remember why, but I figured I wanted to try it,” he says.

When Andrew finished high school in 1999, he had no intention of going to college. He just wanted to go to the woods. He had already been running the loader after school and during summers since he was 15, he had been going to work with his dad on the weekends since he was a child, and he knew this was the career he wanted. His mother encouraged him otherwise, though, and he ended up getting his forestry degree from Louisiana Tech. While he admits the

A single cutter fells for two skidders and three loaders.

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degree is probably helpful in many ways, he smiles, “I ended up right where I was going to be anyway.”

Markets The company sends its pine logs to Hunt Plywood in Pollock, La., and its pine pulpwood to RockTenn in Jonesboro, La. and Graphic Packaging in West Monroe, La. For the last several years the crew has been working primarily for Hunt Forest Products. They send hardwood logs to Hunt’s hardwood sawmill in Olla, La., and hardwood pulp to an International Paper wood yard, also in Olla.

When not on quota, Andrew says the crew can consistently average 110 loads per week; they hauled 112 loads the week before SLT visited in late September.

Back in September, the area was enjoying a good mix for loggers: more competition among mills and less competition among loggers, meaning more demand and less supply. Following a wet summer in 2014, both RockTenn and Graphic Packaging were low on log inventory going into the fall and winter months.

Pulpwood had been in high demand.

When the German Pellets mill in Urania goes online in early 2015, it is expected to take in around two million tons of wood annually, both in

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as many young workers have chips and roundwood, accorddone. “I have a good friend, ing to Andrew. “Now would who logged with his grandpa, be the time for them to start and out here some, who quit taking wood, but it doesn’t and went there (to the oil look like they’re ready yet.” fields) for more time off and When it does start taking more money. I can’t argue wood, that added competition with it.” That’s all the more could further increase dereason why he appreciates the mand. “There’s a shortage of men he has. “Some of these loggers anyway,” the younger guys could go do it, but they Tant adds. Supply and dedon’t want to.” mand and competition should Andrew mans the 220 translate to better rates, but loader. Cutter man Jeremy loggers often seem to find Lashley has only been on the themselves somehow an excurrent crew for three years, ception to those rules, he adbut prior to that he worked mits. “I’m not sure how those economics you learn in school Tant has only bought good used equipment the last few years. for Don for several years back in the ’90s. Chad apply to logging.”

Nugent and Seth Williamson operate Andrew was concerned about this quota much. “Some loggers did go situation back in September, and it out of business, though, so you don’t the skidders, though Williamson is only filling in temporarily—he usuturns out his foresight was accurate. know how much of it is from that.” ally handles maintenance at the

By December, he reports, all the pa- He adds that several new loggers shop. Ben Russell, who mans the per mills, hardwood mills and wood have started up in recent months. “I yards were overflowing with wood. don’t know if they’ll make it through 437 Deere loader, and Damon Guillottee, in the 234 loader, have both There have been good prices for winter.” Time will tell. been on the crew for eight years. hardwood pulpwood, Andrew says, Damon’s father, James Guillottee, noting that in the late summer a logLabor has been driving a truck for the Tants ger could nearly name his price at Loggers in the state have to comfor seven years. Don’s former the IP satellite yard in Olla. “It did pete with the oil companies for their employer back in the ’70s, Billy filter down to me on one instance, when they got such a good price they share of the available labor pool, but May—he was also formerly married to Andrew’s mother’s sister—now gave me a better haul rate.” In gener- all the men on the Tant crew have been with the company for several drives a truck for the Tants. Other al, he and Don agree, the log market years. “They can go 100 miles and company drivers include Leon Farmhas picked up in the last couple of work in an oil field,” Andrew notes, er and 72-year-old Roy Masters. “He years, and they have not been on

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Truck-mounted 220 fills a load; note the Tant logo design on the log truck door.

doesn’t have to work, he just wants to—he gets annoyed when he can’t,” Andrew says. “I wish I had some 30year-olds like that.” Contractors are John McFarland and Don’s brother Royse Tant, who ran his own thinning crew until 2006, when he switched to driving as an independent hauler. Don’s other brother, Charles, also used to drive a truck for him, but has since retired.

“They all do an exemplary job,” according to Andrew’s wife Kelli.

“They go above and beyond what is expected of them, and they have a work ethic that is rare today.”

“I would put them up against any other crew for productivity and quality work,” Andrew adds. “Very seldom do I have to tell them what needs to be done. Most of the time it’s already done before I know about it. And my truck drivers may be worn, but they aren’t worn out. I don’t ask them to do anything I wouldn’t do myself.”

Tant obtains its workers’ comp insurance through the Louisiana Loggers Self Insured Fund in Winnfield—Don serves on that group’s board. (Andrew, meanwhile, serves on the board of the Louisiana Loggers Assn., also in Winnfield). The Self Insured Fund sends a safety expert on site once a quarter to go over any concerns with the crew, and the fund furnishes all hardhats, vests, flags and signs needed. Liability and other coverage come from Regions Insurance in DeRidder.

The agent is Robert Belvin.

Andrew and Kelli welcomed their first child, Caroline, in May of 2014. His brother Luke, who has worked on the logging job in the past, has since graduated from LSU and is now in law school at Tulane.

Both Don and Andrew have made a lifestyle of keeping things in a balanced perspective. Masters, the 72-year-old truck driver, calls Andrew the hardest working man with whom he’s ever worked.

Kelli agrees that her husband is at it from sunup to sundown, but she testifies that he still makes time for his family. He’s active in Georgetown Baptist Church and helps with the Louisiana Forest Festival.

Aside from that, the family’s major hobby is going to concerts—lots of classic country and southern rock. They especially like to make trips for shows at the Wharf Amphitheater in Orange Beach, Ala. Hank Williams, Jr., ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd are among Don and Andrew’s favorites, while mom Sue Ellen likes Willie Nelson a lot. “That’s about all we do for fun,” Andrew says.

SLT “Well, that and log.”

Contact Don Tant Logging at A1tant@bellsouth.net

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Good Alignment ■ Northwest Florida’s Jerry Sapp has made a name for himself in chipping.

CHIPLEY, Fla. ★ s the U.S. economy continues climbing back to respectability, several industries are seeing a corresponding uptick in business. One of those is the biomass market, which in 2013 added more than 230 megawatts of power to the nation’s energy grid. This was more growth than it has seen in four years.

In addition, wood pellet exports from North America to Europe doubled in two years to reach 4.7 million tons in 2013, with U.S. southern states accounting for 63% of the volume, according to the North American Wood Fiber Review.

For Jerry Sapp, who does business as Sapp’s Land & Excavating (SLE) in the Florida Panhandle, the wood pellet market has helped grow his business from seven people to 30-plus. It has also resulted in a gradual buildup of a fleet of forestry equipment capable of meeting this newfound demand. Today the com-

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pany is a top-tier supplier of biomass microchips in the area.

Legacy In Logging First formed in 1978 as a logging company called Jerry Sapp Timber, the company expanded to offer land clearing and excavation services linked to residential and commercial development. But, according to Sapp, logging has always been in his blood.

“My father, Richard, was a logger so I grew up with harvesting as a big part of my life,” he says. “I worked with him for seven years before starting my own business. I operated both of my companies for more than 20 years, but in 2000 we decided to cut back and focus on land clearing rather than logging.”

For several years the company performed subdivision work, cleared building lots, built lakes and fish ponds—all the while operating with just a three or four man crew.

With the 2008 economic downturn,

housing and commercial development fell on horrific times, and Sapp was once again turning to logging to keep the ship afloat.

“We still had an old Tigercat skidder we’d bought in 1996, then picked up a used feller-buncher and loaded trucks with our excavator for some time before we even bought a loader,” he says. “We really got back to our roots.”

Push For Biomass SLE is a family company. Jerry’s wife Sharon has been with him since the company’s inception and son Jeremy is a key part of the team.

Upon re-entering the logging market, Sapp called upon some of his former forestry contacts to re-establish a working relationship and secure some work. Eventually, however, he found that working directly with mills in the area made more sense.

“Soon we were clearing and logging for only a couple of key companies, one of which was Green Circle

Newest skidder in the Sapp fleet is a relatively new 620E, here handling scrubby pine regrowth.

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Bio Energy,” he says. “We didn’t know it at the time, but aligning ourselves with the company would change things dramatically for us.”

Green Circle Bio Energy, Inc., is a major producer of fuel pellets that it exports to the European power generating industry for co-firing in coalbased power plants. Opened in 2008, the Cottondale, Fla.-based company generates upwards of 580,000 tons of fuel pellets per year against a maximum production capacity of 600,000 tons. With that kind of volume, a steady flow of specialty chips to the facility is critical. The company helped secure that flow, and capitalized on an opportunity, with a call to Jerry Sapp.

“In late 2012 Green Circle contacted us asking us to tackle a number of tracts of timber that they needed to get cut by a certain date, apparently to take full advantage of an impending tax situation,” relates Sapp. “By that time, we had grown our business, but were still just doing 40 to 45 loads of roundwood a week.

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Morbark 40/36 whole tree microchipper is a hit with Sapp for making high quality chips.

In early 2013 a new agreement with Green Circle quickly got us into large-scale chipping, doing as many as 150 loads a week. At that point, we had become a totally different company, but we were happy to be growing at a time when a lot of other companies were still struggling to recover from the downturn.”

Married To Morbark Today SLE runs three chipping crews, two producing pellet chips and one making fuel chips. To meet Green Circle’s needs for a specialty chip—one that is generally ½ in. to ¾ in. in length and width and about 1 ⁄8 in. thick—Sapp depends on a pair

The Sapp family: Sharon, Jerry (in hat), and Jeremy

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Several of Sapp’s Tigercat machines are older models but nonetheless reliable.

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of Morbark 40/36 whole tree microchippers.

Recently developed from Morbark’s popular 40/36 drum chipper and designed to meet the needs of the rapidly growing pellet market, the 40/36 incorporates Morbark’s Advantage 3 high-performance chipping drum, designed to improve chip quality and reduce maintenance. This model also includes an enhanced 16knife drum that uses standard hardware, an operator-friendly slide-in forestry grate system to reduce oversized chips, and a mechanically-driven chip accelerator to fully load vans.

“The Model 40/36 does an outstanding job on the microchip,” Sapp reports. “We adjust our anvil every few sets of knives and that keeps performance and production up. We typically get about 110 loads of microchips a week between two crews. When conditions are ideal, I’ve seen a crew get more than 80 loads a week with a single chipper.”

The third machine, a Morbark 40/36 whole tree drum chipper purchased in late 2013, generates about 50 loads a week, and the team is working on getting those numbers up. “Fuel chips are only one-third of our overall volume, but they are an important part, and the Morbark unit is ideally suited to that operation.

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The thing that initially attracted us to Morbark, in addition to its reputation for durability, was its simplicity. We have another brand of chipper in our fleet and sometimes all the bells and whistles on that unit are just more things to go wrong. The 40/36s give us everything we need in terms of productivity, and they are so much simpler to operate.”

Parts compatibility also played a big role in Sapp’s decision to keep the chipper selection uniform across manufacturer and model lines. “Most of the parts on the microchippers and the fuel chipper are interchangeable, which helps us reduce our spare parts inventory,” he says.

“If we had three totally different chippers, we’d need to stock three times as many parts and have three times the knowledge of what to do when we have an issue of any kind.”

Sustainability Sapp sees what SLE does as benefiting the forest industry in both the near and long-term. “A good portion of the acreage we’re cutting is land that people first cut 15 years ago and let sit,” he says. “A lot of people have really good intentions to clean it up and replant, but often end up taking the money they got for the timber and forgetting to get back to the land.

As a result it gets overgrown with junky material up 30 ft. tall that is not

of any interest to a logging company.

In cases in which replanting is the goal, the landowners need to get that product off site just to see which areas are even worth being treated and replanted. They have a couple of ways to do that: they can pay someone to come in take it down with a dozer or have us come in and clean it up for nothing.”

Left alone, says Sapp, most of the land they deal with would look like it does for another 15-20 years until anything of value could be

pulled from it. The alternative they offer is much better.

“Everyone benefits from what we do,” he says. “It gets a lot of acreage that would otherwise just be wasted back into production and eventually ends up yielding a higher-quality product. There’s a lot of land like that within the 40-mile radius we work, so I can see us being busy for quite a while.” SLT

Acknowledgement: Both Tigercat and Morbark contributed information and photos for this article.

Sold On Tigercat As far as felling, skidding and loading machines go, Sapp is sold on Tigercat. He has more than a dozen of the machines, some new and some bordering on vintage.

The list includes five feller-bunchers (four 720Es and one 720D); four skidders (one 620E and three 620Cs); and five loaders (three 240Bs, a 230C and a 244).

“I need my equipment to be productive and durable,” he says.

“That’s why we went with Morbark. Well, over the years, I’ve gotten that same level of confidence in equipment from Tigercat; it’s reliable and outperforms anything else on the market. It didn’t hurt that we were able to work with the folks at Tidewater Equipment for both Tigercat and Morbark equipment. I differ from a lot of other logging firms in that I prefer to purchase used equipment rather than new, and the folks at the Thomasville, Ga. branch have been great in helping me get the equipment, both new and used, that I need.”

He adds that the bottom line for him is a level of confidence in Tigercat equipment that has never been shaken, saying that even though a machine may be three or four years old and out of warranty, he feels he can count on it for years of solid performance.

“That’s made a huge difference for us,” he says.

Indeed, most of Sapp’s fleet is equipment falls in the 2005-2008 range, with a couple of new units in the mix, and that 1996 model is still working today. He mentions that not long ago he bought another brand of skidder—a deal he felt he could not pass up—but sold it after six months and bought a new Tigercat 620E. Southern Loggin’ Times

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Hardworking ■ Tennessee ‘Youngster’ Chad Prater is driven and diversified.

By Jessica Johnson HUNTINGDON, Tenn. had ★ Prater, 28, is a straight shooter, who knows his businesses might not be what you’d expect from a young father of one—and Prater is fine about that.

He owns his logging crew, runs his own trucks and recently purchased a small sawmill. “I wanted to venture into something besides logging,” Prater says of the purchase.

In short, he can do it all.

He started working in the woods

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following high school in 2005 and just never really left. He started his own crew in 2009 with a three wheeled Bell machine and a John Deere 648 GII skidder. He’s come a long way since then, but hasn’t forgotten his roots. “I went in business during a time when people were getting out. I thought if I could go in and make it through the worst then I can make it through any time,” he says with conviction.

Wiser than one might think, Prater says that learning from other loggers is one of his biggest influences. For example, his crew has implemented a method of servicing its machines at

Chad Prater

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certain designations. A fellow logger, Kevin Smith, told Prater about a new, and easier, way to keep up with service. “Just go by the hour meter. If it says 5500 hours, the oil needs to be changed. Instead of writing it down at random 250 hour increments, we do it on the 250 and 1000 increments,” he says, adding that this way is much easier to track.

Prater Logging typically cuts timber Prater has purchased, though it will take a contract job every now and then. He much prefers to cruise and cut himself, citing the potential for more money and being able to

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Prater runs two Deere 648H skidders, a 2013 and 2009 model.

The young logger prefers to keep separations to a minimum.

truly work for himself. The crew typically select-cuts hardwoods.

Depending on the species, Prater says the crew usually has four sorts: grade logs, tie logs, white oak stave and pulpwood. The crew tries to keep separations down as much as possible. “Seems like the more separations you have, the less production you get,” Prater believes, “and nothing is worse than having five loads of nothing sitting at the loader.” Keeping separations down keeps Prater’s crew on a 750-1,000 ton average weekly production, depending on timber quality.

Wood is marketed all over, but

Prater's logging crew, shown here in front of some lumber from his sawmill. From left, Chad Prater, Clint Barnett, David Robertson, Harold Baker and Duane Hodo; not pictured, Jeff Carns

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mainly grade logs go to Middleton Lumber Co. in Puryear, Tenn. or Shomaker Lumber Co. in McKenzie, Tenn.; tie logs go to either Prater’s own mill, Industrial Drive Lumber Co. or Mills Saw Mill in Huntingdon. White oak stave goes to White Oak Stave Co. Pulpwood is Prater’s most diverse market, with most logs going to the NewPage wood yard in Camden, Tenn. Another option for pulpwood is Hood Container in New Johnsonville, Tenn.

“Haven’t had too much trouble getting rid of pulpwood the last couple years,” Prater reports, adding that “since it’s been so wet, it’s been a lot easier.”

Equipment Lineup Prater logging runs a 2007 Timberking 722 track feller-buncher with a Quadco 2800 head, 2009 John Deere 648H and 2013 John Deere 648H, 2009 Barko 495ML knuckleboom loader with a CSI DL4400 buck saw and CSI 264 delimber, and a 1996 John Deere 750C dozer.

A fairly recent purchase for Prater, the Timberking machine has taken the crew some getting used to. “No one else in this area runs a machine like that so there was definitely a learning curve,” Prater explains.

Since he is a certified Master Logger, he is very conscious of keeping best management practices. The crew uses the dozer and skidder to do BMP work while working a job, as well as once a job is completed.

Most maintenance is done by the machine operators on the job, though Prater does have a 38x80, 2,200 sq. ft. shop on his property and will work on equipment. Major work goes to a dealer. Cutter work is handled by Bush Forestry Equipment in Huntingdon and skidder work is handled by Stribling Equipment in Jackson.

Loader work is handled by B&G Equipment in Iuka, Miss.

Oil is changed every 250 hours, with a more complete service, like changing fluids and filters, every 1,000 hours. Prater is very happy with his maintenance schedule now.

Each member of the crew is responsible for maintaining their own machine, but everyone pitches in if something is a little more involved.

Prater’s crew usually works on equipment in the early morning. Machines are greased every other day.

Prater keeps a service truck at the job outfitted with cutting torches, welder, air compressor, oils, fuel and tools. Pretty much everything the crew could need is on the truck.

Prater uses OEM parts, which he admits costs a little more, but since they are more widely available, he feels like there is less downtime. For Prater, the extra cost isn’t a factor when he’s able to be back to work faster. Oil products are supplied by Bush Forestry and Parman Energy; fuel is supplied by Espey Oil Co. Inwoods tires are a mixed bag, though Prater prefers Primex.

Trucking Prater Logging operates two trucks that Prater owns, and uses one contract truck. They also have a 1984 R model S Mack that is street legal, but it only handles moving equipment and spotting trailers. “Seems like old stuff just holds up better,” Prater says with a shrug. The haul trucks are both Macks, a 2006 model and a 2004.

Prater has three trailers, one Pitts and two Savannahs. He says he really has no preference, but does like Pitts, adding that his old Savannah trailers are in pretty decent shape.

With the trucks, Prater has done some experimenting in regards to tires. His drivers prefer Generals.

“They are certainly not the cheapest,” he says with a small laugh, “but we’ve been having pretty good service out of them.”

David Robertson, one of Prater’s drivers, is responsible for all truck maintenance: grease every 5,000 miles and oil changes at every 15,000.

Employee Relations “I couldn’t do any of this without the help I’ve got,” Prater says with conviction. “All of them are good 20

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mechanics and are really good about keeping up their equipment. I couldn’t keep up with it all by myself.”

Prater does not do production bonuses. He says he’s considered it, and even one time paid a man based on production, but found it didn’t work out very well. “He was more worried about getting the extra load out and neglecting to service his equipment. If you pay productionbased they are rushing to get done, beating equipment more. At the end of the week, they moved more loads, maybe, but we’ve had more breakdowns, so we’re not making more money.”

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Instead, Prater offers employees, after one year of service, a week of paid vacation during Christmas.

Prater says it makes more sense to do it this way: “Things get kind of tight around Christmas, plus everyone’s got family functions. So that gives people a week to be off but still have some money.”

After two years of service, employees receive a second week of paid vacation time that they are able to use throughout the year.

Prater says he tries not to simply send his employees home when it’s rains, with an “I’ll call you.”

Instead, he tries to keep them busy.

“Some of my hands like to be off when it rains to go shoot their guns or sleep in. Others have kids and like to make some money, so I always try to have something— even if it’s just odd jobs.”

Front Office Prater’s office work is handled by his mother, Andrea Salazar, and himself. “Mom keeps the bills paid,” he says simply. “It’s a big help. There is so much time involved, it’s time I need to be out looking at timber or sawing logs.”

Mrs. Salazar is responsible for

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keeping all the bills paid, balancing the company checkbook—“all the basics,” he says. Mueller’s Tax Service handles all the official bookkeeping and tax work.

Prater keeps a binder on his service truck with all his maintenance records, BMP guidelines and his emergency plan, though he reports they’ve never had any real problems.

The crew attends monthly safety meeting, and Prater says, “Knock on wood, I haven’t had an accident or workers’ comp claim.” Adding that his mostly veteran crew knows to wear PPE and how to handle themSLT selves on the job.

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Historic Logging/Lumbering Series...

How W.T. Smith Did It ■ Book records logging highlights for Alabama company from 1940s-1960s.

NOTE: The following lightly edited piece is reprinted from the book, The W.T. Smith Lumber Co. Written by John Appleyard, the book details the development and growth of one of Alabama’s largest, best known and successful logging and wood products manufacturing companies, which was based in Chapman, Butler County. It was published in 2000.

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n the course of time, logging and allied woods activities were accomplished through a variety of methods, and step-by-step efficiencies improved, along with employee safety. However, not all of the work was done by men whose careers became part of the W. T. Smith lore. One unique episode occurred during World War II, when German army prisoners were sent to the U.S. and utilized in appropriate work, which was legal under terms of the Geneva Convention. Many years later Floyd McGowin, Jr. reviewed how the Germans worked within the company: “A large contingent of Afrika Korps troops had been shipped to the southeastern U.S. One POW camp was at Aliceville in western Alabama. Julian McGowin (Floyd’s uncle) negotiated with the army to get 200 of these men to work at W.T. Smith.

“The state highway department had a camp for state prisoners located on old U.S. highway 31 just north of Greenville and it housed the German POWs. They arrived in the fall of 1943. Most of them were put with the logging crews to fell trees with “gator tail” saws and to cut them into log lengths. The prisoners were good at this work and seemed to enjoy it.

The Afrika Korps was made up of some of Germany’s best troops.

Guards were armed with MI carbines, but this was mostly symbolic, as the Germans were well behaved and had nowhere to go and hence no reason to escape.

“Julian saw that the prisoners had excellent treatment in their camp and at work. Years later my good friend and logging superintendent Willie Palmer told me about his experiences working with the Germans.

Bill liked them and remembered

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them as good, smart workers.”

The period 1936-66 was one of great change in methods used to log the W. T. Smith mills. Railroad logging had been recently discontinued and selective cutting substituted for clear-cutting. Rail-mounted steam skidders were retired. Felling was still done by two-man teams pulling crosscut saws. The felled trees were cut into log lengths and an effort was made to match these with mill requirements, depending on the size and quality of the raw material. The logs were bunched with Caterpillar crawler tractors and skidded to landings. The Cats could maneuver through the remaining stand with ease, pulling several logs tied with a chain, and did little damage to trees or soil. Skidding distances typically were no greater than 300 feet.

At the landing logs were unhooked for loading onto trailers that were pulled into position by small, gasoline powered Indiana brand trucks. Trailers were short and lightweight, and none of them was equipped with brakes or lights.

The two big company crews supporting the mills in Chapman used Speeder loaders mounted on Cat undercarriages. They had a long boom which supported a cable with steel tongs attached, powered by a powerful winch, to pick up and position the logs, this apparatus being mounted on a turntable.

Smaller company crews and contractors used a Logger’s Dream, a

truck-mounted A frame boom and cable mechanism. Loads ranged from 7 to 10 tons and this put enormous strain on the equipment.

Loaded trucks often had to be pulled to a public road by a Cat (sometimes two) and were occasionally pulled in two by the strain.

Once on an improved road, trucks made their way to a company railroad for trans-shipment to log cars for the rest of the ride to Chapman, or directly to the mill in cases where the haul distance was short.

One big company crew was usually on a long haul and one near the mills to equalize production. Eventually, trucks replaced the company railroad system.

This was a pioneering effort in the beginning and like most, was costly, inefficient and full of frustration. The saving grace was that the new methods, in concert with the carefully marked timber selected for harvest, achieved the desired silvicultural ends very effectively and set the stage for building up the volume and quality of timber on company land.

Drawbacks Still, the drawbacks were many.

Logging was dangerous, injuries were common, and in a few cases deaths occurred. Protective gear such as hard hats, safety-toed shoes, chaps, hearing and eye protection were all far off in the future. Most of the woods workers had a strong internally generated safety ethic because an injury meant loss of employment, temporary or permanent, with atten-

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dant economic hardship for themselves and their families.

Equipment was very primitive.

The Cats had no cabs to protect the operator from limbs or falling trees.

Their diesel engines were started by a small gasoline engine fitted into the side of the host engine. The auxiliary engine was started by pulling a rope similar to that used on an outboard motor. Once the starting engine was running it was engaged to turn over a flywheel on the big diesel by throwing a clutch, and this could be dangerous. The Indiana log trucks were very crude, having no windshields or cabs. The driver sat on a homemade wooden seat with a croaker sack filled with sawdust for a cushion, and he steered with brute strength.

Besides the primitive equipment, the road system was very poor. The annual rainfall was about 59 inches and the red clay roads became largely impassable in inclement weather. Logging was a fair weather proposition, and this had a very detrimental effect on workers’ wages as well as log deliveries.

Mills had to carry enough inventory to afford adequate protection during extended periods of wet weather.

One effect of this, especially in later years when many mills shifted to contract logging, was to acquire excess capacity to protect the mills.

This was fine, but it raised havoc with loggers who were often idled by production quotas just when conditions for their work were most favorable and profitable.

Many changes were introduced in the post war years. Some new Cats were equipped with powerful winches, enabling them to extract trees and logs from places too wet to support the machines. The Speeder loaders were replaced by large, cable-operated, self-propelled loaders made by Link-Belt, Lorain and others.

Surplus military equipment, much of it brand new, was available at prices that seemed very cheap.

W.T. Smith invested in a large quantity of GMC 2 ton 6x6s. It had a fleet of pole trailers which were longer and heavier than the ones previously used. They had tandem

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axles salvaged from junked 6x6s and had eight tires and a retractable undercarriage or “prop” under the front bunk so that they could be “set out” loaded or empty, self-supported, to be picked up by another truck. The theory was that the cheap GIs would go under the loader and then move out on their own, utilizing their all-wheel-drive to travel to a better road to be picked by one of the “road” trucks. In actual practice they often had to be pulled by a Cat unless they were on flat, dry ground.

Road trucks were single axles usually with six cylinder in-line gas engines. By then logs were handled in mostly treelength form and the load size had exceeded 20 tons.

Roads were still mostly dirt but they had improved considerably from the early days of truck logging.

Gl trucks worked fairly well in the beginning and at one point soon after the war the company tried operating them to pull loads all the way to the mills, but this did not work out. They took a massive amount of abuse in their role as setout trucks and even with a great deal of maintenance, were very short-lived. The GIs (later 5 ton 6x6s) were used in the big crews into the ’70s. In retrospect they probably never represented any real economy and the money spent buying and running them might have been better spent on improved road construction and maintenance. At the same time the Cats could not economically skid as far as the rubber-tired skidders that came later, so the GIs were probably the only viable option when treelength logging began.

Post WW II Changes There had been a small amount of pulpwood cut in the area by independent contractors beginning in the late ’30s but it rapidly grew in volume after the war. There was also a need for small loggers who could economically cut lesser volumes of privately owned timber, as these small sales were increasingly common. Many men went into this business when they came home from the war, among them James H. Watson and Alvin (Pete) Goodwin.

Initially almost all of them had a pair of mules, a used ton and a half truck pulling a homemade trailer, and three hired hands. It was hard, tough work and many failed, but some like the two named went on for long, successful careers and made a lot of money. Most had only a high school education or the equivalent, but the better ones were innately very smart business people and good, practical foresters. In those days they kept few formal records but the good ones had a 26

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In the early '50s, W.T. Smith continued to set out loaded trailers but switched to Link-Belt cable loaders and upgraded its trucks and trailers.

Post World War II crawlers had cabs and winches. W.T. Smith and its descendant, Rocky Creek, used crawlers for skidding well into the '70s.

comprehensive, detailed appreciation of their costs, and what did and did not work, in their heads.

Bob Aplin took over the W.T. Smith logging responsibility from Tom Davis around 1950. He was an uneducated but intelligent, practical man. Like most of the supervisors, he was a loyal, hard worker who made the most of what he had to work with. The downside was that he (and they) didn’t “think big” and were reluctant to make changes or “rock the boat.” And bucking “Mr. Julian” to do things that were badly needed was out of the question.

Noted Floyd McGowin, Jr.: “The W. T. Smith culture was to rely

almost 100% on intelligent good old boys who had graduated from the school of hard knocks. Immediately after the war we had several impressive, well-educated graduate foresters from all over the country who came to Chapman to work.

They all left after a year or two for good jobs in industry. The company would have done better if more of this kind of people had been recruited and retained in all its other areas, as well as forestry.”

Chain saws for felling and bucking were first seen in the late ’40s.

They were very heavy and required two men to operate. In just a few years the saws had been drastically

Norman F. McGowin, Jr., left, with logging superintendent Willie Palmer, circa 1966

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reduced in size and weight and entirely replaced crosscuts and “jitty bug” saws (small hand powered bow saws used to cut pulpwood.) These saws were far from perfect, being short-lived and hard to maintain.

After completing college and serving a stint in the Marine Corps, Floyd McGowin, Jr. started working with W.T. Smith’s harvesting phase in 1958 and had responsibility for the contract log and pulpwood production at the company. It had 18 small contract loggers and 30 or more even smaller producers who worked through Branco Wood Products, a wood dealer in Brewton that had a concession to cut pine pulpwood back of the W.T. Smith logging operations for shipment to St. Regis Paper at Cantonment, Fla., McGowin cut the force to the six who had the most potential for development. These were J. H. Watson, J. E. Watson, Pete Goodwin, Austin Lowery and Taft and Bud Skipper, the latter brothers and Hank Williams’ first cousins.

Watson and Lowery bulked up to be good sized loggers in a short while and operated Cats. The other four did some logging on small tracts but were also skilled at cutting salvage timber from bug attacks and storms and road and power line rights-of-way. This worked out well and the six survivors were soon capable of producing more than the 18 had before them in a more dependable fashion.

They were the prototype models for the legion of well-equipped, high production contractors who subsequently operated in this area.

Later Developments McGowin was given responsibility for the company crews in 1959.

The average Cat in the fleet was 11 years old—technically obsolete, mechanically undependable and very expensive to operate. The rest of the equipment was equally old and worn. The supervisors in the woods had grown older too.

McGowin’s plan was to renew the fleet with new equipment to improve productivity, reduce maintenance and trim downtime. “We were not really changing the basic methodology but got rigged up to execute it much more efficiently,” he recalled. “Unlike Julian, my father, Norman Sr., and uncle, Earl McGowin, understood the need to modernize all our operations and were generally supportive of what we were doing.”

He got involved in some of the early design work on rubber-tired skidders with Pettibone. In addition, W.T. Smith replaced all homemade log trailers with units tailored to its operation—high capacity, tandem

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axle pole and frame models with air brakes, bigger tires, turn signals and marker lights. They all had landing gear, as W.T. Smith still used GI set-out trucks. About this time the firm bought its first Mack diesel equipped log truck, and a couple of years later acquired its first tandem axle diesel.

“Some others had been using good equipment for several years before this, but our operation was very novel in this part of Alabama.

It was widely assumed by some of the contractors and other local experts that the changes we were making were ill-advised, expensive mistakes. We never paid attention to this kind of criticism, and over the years watched the whole local industry adopt this type equipment to the point that it became the 100% norm,” McGowin said.

Pulpwood production was slower to change. Producers were less respected than contract loggers and had a poorer class of labor and equipment. There had been a bias against engaging in this type of business directly, and the company had held out for using a middle man, supposedly to protect it from liability. In 1964, after Julian left, W.T. Smith cut a deal with St. Regis management to deal directly with the company and to cut out Branco.

Said McGowin: “We were already in the business of supplying St. Regis chips from the sawmill, and this was used as leverage. We hired Ben Dubberley from Branco to run this, which he did effectively. A deal was negotiated with International Paper to sell them pulpwood, which was previously unsold and wasted.

These arrangements worked well and were quite profitable.”

In 1959 Willie Palmer was logging superintendent over the company crews and the trucking operation. He had previously helped log the Greenville mill and had much practical experience and an encyclopedic knowledge of the timberlands. He had a photographic memory for people, events, and road and drainage sites on most of the timber holdings. He was intelligent, wise and honest and a good judge of people and never forgot anyone.

In 1961 James H. Watson was installed as the sole contractor producing poles and piling for sale from company lands. He was very intelligent and a good operator who knew his business and was absolutely trustworthy These products were the most valuable trees that W.T. Smith had and it was very important that the job be done skillfully and conscientiously. He worked on a percentage of

the sales price and had a powerful incentive to do a good job.

John Wood was hired in 1964 to supervise the contractors and work with the pole and piling sales. John was a local boy from Pigeon Creek who was a Ranger School graduate.

He did very effective work in those early years and ultimately replaced Willie Palmer as logging superintendent when the latter retired at age 70.

The company logging operations were started as a necessary part of the business. They were retained

when contractors became available because they represented absolute log supply security for the mills.

This mill inventory was turned 35 or more times a year. The crews accounted for about 60% of the log production in the early ’60s. All pulpwood was produced by small independent producers using light equipment. The company crews were cost-effective and gave management a dependable means of executing the forestry master plan, which was to make a partial cut in each area of the property every 10

years on a rotating basis. By 1966 they were very productive, safe and efficient for the times, considering the equipment and methods available. They were sensitive to planning, management and maintenance and as such not easy to run.

Concluded McGowin: “They continued to do good profitable work for 25 years following the sale to Union Camp in 1966, operating on company and outside land and affording the same advantages to the mills, which never ran out of SLT logs in my time.”

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Steven Levy’s Timely Commentary The following is credited to American journalist and author Steven Levy and recited by him on CBS Sunday Morning Commentary last December 14: “I don’t like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don’t think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period.

“I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can’t find it in the Constitution and I don’t like it being shoved down my throat. Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren’t allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that’s a sign that I’m getting old, too.

“But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to. In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it’s not funny; it’s intended to get you thinking.

In light of recent events—terrorist attacks, school shootings, etc.—I think it started when Madeleine Murray O’Hare (she was murdered, her body found a few years ago) complained she didn’t want prayer in our schools, and we said okay. Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said okay. Then Dr. Steven Benjamin Spock said we shouldn’t spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock’s son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he’s talking about, and we said okay.

“Now we’re asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don’t know right from wrong, and why it doesn’t bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

“Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with ‘we reap what we sow.’

“Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world’s going to hell.

“Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says.

“Funny how you can send jokes through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing.

“Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

“Are you laughing yet?

“Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you’re not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

“Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.”

Ramblings Of A Retired Mind I was thinking about how a status symbol of today is those cell phones that everyone has clipped onto their belt or purse. I can’t afford one. So, I’m wearing my garage door opener.

I also made a cover for my hearing aid and now I have what they call blue teeth, I think.

You know, I spent a fortune on deodorant before I realized that people didn’t like me anyway.

I was thinking that women should put pictures of missing husbands on beer cans!

I was thinking about old age and decided that old age is when you still have something on the ball, but you are just too tired to bounce it.

I thought about making a fitness movie for folks my age, and call it Pumping Rust.

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All In A Day’s Work

Weird things happen in the woods, and beginning with this issue, SLT wants to acknowledge them. Beginning with this issue, we launch the editorial nugget titled All In A Day’s Work. We hope to carry it on the Bulletin Board page of each issue, and we can if subscribers will send us photos of the unordinary: upended or stuck equipment, unusual stuff found on the job, situations that develop, etc. E-mail photos to dk@ hattonbrown.com. Our intent is not to make light of serious situations but simply to acknowledge that they do occur. Thanks to Ben Twiddy, who works in dealer development and product support for Tigercat, for capturing this scene in North Carolina. Wrote Twiddy: “No one was hurt. Nothing was damaged. They just rolled it back on its wheels, checked the fluids, and went back to work...a little more cautiously.”

I’ve gotten that dreaded furniture disease. That’s when your chest is falling into your drawers!

When people see a cat’s litter box, they always say, ‘oh, have you got a cat?’ Just once I want to say, “no, it’s for company!”

Employment application blanks always ask who is to be notified in case of an emergency. I think you should write, ‘a good doctor!’

I was thinking about how people seem to read the Bible a whole lot more as they get older. Then, it dawned on me. They were cramming for their finals. As for me, I’m just hoping God grades on the curve.

Birds of a feather flock together…and then crap on your car.

A penny saved is a government oversight.

The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight, because by then your body and your fat have gotten to be really good friends.

The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.

He who hesitates is probably right.

Did you ever notice that the roman numerals for forty (40) are XL? If you can smile when things go wrong, you have someone in mind to blame.

The sole purpose of a child’s middle name is so he can tell when he’s really in trouble.

Did you ever notice that when you put the words ‘The’ and ‘IRS’ together it spells ‘Theirs?’

Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it. Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me, I want people to know why I look this way: I’ve traveled a long way and some of the roads weren’t paved.

When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to your youth, think of Algebra.

You know you are getting old when everything Travis Graham is headed for a logging career either dries up or leaks. that eventually may involve his son, Dozier. Last One of the many things no one tells you about aging fall Graham, who lives near Clyo, Ga., acquired part of the operation of his father-in-law, Jerry is that it is such a nice change from being young. Ah, Burns, Jerry L. Burns Logging, Inc., and formed being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortTravis Graham Timber Co. LLC. Says Burns: able.

“Hopefully Dozier will continue in our footsteps Prayer for the day: “Lord, keep your arm around my and one day be a caretaker of our forests.” shoulder and your hand over my mouth.”

Heading For The Future

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New Sawmill ■ Georgia’s Battle Lumber continues impressive growth.

By Jessica Johnson

exploring sharp chain technology as a way to increase throughput. A double length infeed (DLI) system feeding a twin bandmill seemed like a solid choice to achieve the piece count that was required, but Battle Lumber wanted new technology to successfully process the shorter logs that would be used.

Since the log diet was to be a mixture of industrial and smaller logs from the grade mill, the primary breakdown was expected from the beginning to be the biggest challenge in the project. The Battles knew that the new primary line had to be capable of autorotation and skew ability to deliver the highest recovery possible.

Recovery on the secondary side was just as important. Their grade mill has been running curve-saw gangs for years and purchasing equipment with the ability to curve-saw was part of the plan from the beginning.

After thorough study of all the equipment options with assistance from the Tinsley Consulting Group, which did an original layout, and emphasizing the quality and craftsmanship of the equipment in addition to its technical benefits, the principals

at Battle Lumber selected the TruPosition sharp chain line for the primary breakdown and curve canting and gang sawing equipment from Omega Solutions, Inc. Optimization for the primary and secondary systems would be supplied by USNR with controls provided by R&L Engineering on the primary side. The primary line also includes a 6 ft. high strain twin bandmill supplied by Salem Equipment.

For the record, the Battle project was sold in 2012, before the merger of Omega Solutions and Cone Machinery in May 2013. Some parts and pieces were subsequently built in the Cone-Omega shop in Thomasville, Ga. Baxley Equipment was selected to provide the majority of the handling equipment that connects the primary and secondary lines. Baxley also provided controls for the Omega curve canter and curve-sawing gang. A reconditioned Timber Machine Technologies three-saw linear edger includes a Baxley board separation and feed system on the front end, in addition to Baxley controls for the entire edger sys-

WADLEY, Ga. homas Battle, third generation ★ Southern lumberman, doesn’t contain his excitement as he talks about Battle Lumber’s latest project at the operations site in Wadley. Long known as the largest single site hardwood lumber producer in the U.S., in addition to its substantial pallet manufacturing operation, Battle Lumber Co. has now built and started up a new small log timbers mill that features a sharp chain primary breakdown system with an innovative infeed system.

The Battles had talked about an expansion for several years, Battle says, as they explored ways to advance their operations and production. In 2012 they got very serious about it.

“We’ve always tried to focus on investing back into our mills and make them as efficient and productive as possible. If we have the chance to increase yield or get a little more production, we’re willing to make the investment,” Battle says.

The primary objective for the new project was to produce large numbers of railroad ties as well as to expand output of industrial products while using a smaller log than what the Battle Lumber grade mill uses.

Battle says they looked at adding on to what they have, trying to make it work with the existing grade mill and at a lot of different scenarios. Ultimately, they decided the best fit was to build a standalone mill. The equipment was all purchased in late 2012, and by mid February 2013 concrete had been poured for the new facility.

The existing grade mill has long utilized the latest optimization and technologies, including curvesawing. The primary breakdown in the grade mill includes an end dogging carriage as well as conventional headrig systems. The high piece counts that would be required in the new mill would require a faster primary breakdown method.

Battle Lumber is one of the most respected lumber operations.

Battle Lumber had already been

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tem. The trimmer and sorter line for the ties and timbers was also provided by Baxley Equipment.

The Battle Lumber fabrication shop onsite and a talented crew drove the project to fruition. The Battle team and its in-house construction arm, Purvis Construction, built and set all the substeel for the whole facility, in addition to the majority of the decks, chain and belt conveyors throughout the mill.

The Omega Solutions Tru-Position primary line is basically a continuous sharp chain canter twin line much like DLI type systems seen in softwood mills. The Tru-Position line, however, includes a new log turner design. The Linear Motion Log Turner (LMLT) does not use pivoting rolls. The LMLT is a quad roll turner for maximum control and all movement is lineal. The new design is further improved by super high speed and responsive hydraulics to achieve turning speeds that have not been possible before, according to the participants.

“The result is an accurate and smooth log turner that can accurately turn the nastiest logs presented to it,” Battle comments. The performance and repeatability of the LMLT was so good that Battle Lumber decided that a performance test of turning accuracy was not necessary.

The USNR optimization package does include rotation correction, incorporating an additional single scan zone right in front of the log turner that allows for a final quick look to verify that the rotation was done correctly before the turner releases it. If needed the optimizer will tell the turner to make a slight quick adjustment that is usually just several degrees.

A fundamental difference in the Tru-Position system is that the sharp chain extends almost all the way back to the log turner.

With this method, instantly after being turned, the log is skewed by a series of centering rolls as the log enters Tru-Position module and is immediately impaled on the sharp chain and scanned for solution. Thus there is little or no chance of unintentional log movement after the final scan is

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completed and the log enters the chipping and sawing area for processing, according to Battle.

Downstream With the primary breakdown setting the pace of production in the mill, the secondary had to be just as fast. According to Battle, one criteria for the mill design was to eliminate potential bottleneck areas. Additional cants from the grade mill can be reentered into the new mill and processed through the Omega secondary system.

The secondary had to be able to maintain production. A boost is gained due to the fact that the curve canter and curve gang system are not directly in line. If a cant coming from the sharp chain line is a straight timber solution, it can pass through the canter and bypass the gang, relieving pressure at the gang. If a cant is wide and calls for a multiple timbers solution, the gang will straight saw for the solution. Likewise, the curve canter chips around the curve to prepare cants to be sawn into boards, when required.

The sharp chain line produces a tremendous amount of side cants. A double screw roll case allows side boards to come off on the first section and go to the edger and side cants to come off the second section and head to the gang with the center cant.

Both the curve canter and the slant canter on the primary use Iggesund PowerHead chipping heads.

The Omega curve gang is an 8 in. single arbor unit that features three shifting timbers pockets and three banks of saws for boards. The machine can shift as needed and the guides shift as well in the box. The feed table in front includes the patented variable pitch/lead line bar system for accurate sawing around the curve.

The lead is variable by the amount of curve in each cant.

Battle has a variety of products it makes so the gang has to be able to shift and adapt on the fly to accommodate these requirements. Production requirements for the new mill

Primary log breakdown in the new mill

Battle will procure timber from 150-200 miles away.

After looking at several scenarios, Battle opted to build a new mill.

dictate much higher speeds than normal. Gang saws in hardwood mills are generally much slower than a typical pine operation and while curvesawing is nothing new to the hardwood industry, there was a lot to consider in saw design and design of the gang itself.

Saws for the gang were supplied

by Cox Saw, which worked with Omega to achieve the feed speeds and accuracy that was needed.

The new mill began production in early 2014. Annual production is expected at 60MMBF, with hardwood accounting for two-thirds and pine the remainder.

Battle says pallet markets are the driving force behind the infusion of pine into the operation. “Hardwood has gotten in tight supply and prices have gone up,” Battle explains. “This has forced us into producing pine pallet parts to get our pallet and pallet stock customers happy.”

Operations Battle’s main mill, the Grade Mill as it is known, has an annual production of 95-100MMBF, producing red oak, white oak, poplar, ash, hickory and cypress grade lumber.

Battle operates 14 SII package

kilns as well as a million and a half ft. pre-dryer and three Hurst boilers to power them. What dust from the mills isn’t used to fire the boilers is sold to local pellet plants. After drying, everything is re-graded and goes to a 100-bay sorter where it is sorted by length and grade, or whatever specifics a customer has asked for.

A large amount of production is exported to the Far East. China is a very strong market for them. Battle maintains a salesman on the ground in China as well as an office there.

The 100 bay dry sorter helps tremendously with the export market.

The company’s pallet lumber pro-

Some of the latest technologies are involved.

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Known for hardwood, Battle also produces some pine lumber.

Rebecca and Wayne Battle

duction plant consists of several Brewer band and gang saw systems.

These resaw lines process both pine and hardwood lumber for resale, or for Battle’s own pallet assembly plant.

The company’s flooring operation has seen some improvements, including a pre-finish line, allowing Battle to take product from raw lumber and mill it, prefinish and distribute, adding another market for the company.

Battle pulls logs from 150 miles directly out from Wadley, and has log concentration yards about 100 miles from Wadley that pull 100 miles from there. Battle notes that it’s a lot farther than they’d like to pull from, but

and breathe it,” Battle says of the family’s legacy.

Wayne Battle, 80, who founded the company in 1962 as a furniture square mill with eight employees, still makes daily trips to the sawmill and is involved in operations. Thomas, who has been out of Georgia Southern University for nine years, oversees production of the mills and the scheduling of repairs and maintenance, with his primary focus as of late being the new timbers mill. His father and vice president of operations, Tommy Battle, oversees all operations of the mill. Tommy has two brothers-in-law in the family business as well. Craig Miller, vice president of sales, is over all compa-

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if the mills are running full capacity that’s how far they must go.

All band and circle saws are worked on in-house. Battle runs Cut Technologies band saws, with circle saws being a mix of Cut Tech and Cox. Filing room is staffed by six in the band saw room and five in the circle shop.

Battle uses Stellite tipped saws because they feel it gives saws a longer life, up to 12 hours on one saw.

Battle Lumber Co. is a 100% family affair. The fourth generation isn’t far off from participating as well. Ten members of the Battle family are employed out of 320 total employees.

“Sawmilling isn’t just a job, it’s a way of life. You have to eat, sleep

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ny sales; and Bob Swan, GM of the Pallet Div., oversees pallet sales and production. In addition to Thomas there are other third generation sawmillers involved: Drew, Thomas’ younger brother, is an area forester for the company; Johnny Dale is mill manager of Battle’s existing grade mill; and the newest addition to the family team, Rob Swan, is in pallet sales.

Many long-term employees add to the family feel. “We have a lot of guys in all divisions of our operations who have been a part of our team for more than 20 years. Without these guys and all of our employees, we wouldn’t be successSLT ful,” Battle says.

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INDUSTRY NEWS ROUNDUP As We See It—Experience Counts

By Myles Anderson

L

ogging equipment can come in all different sizes, shapes, colors and ages. Equipment can be old, new, dirty or clean. Machines can Anderson cut down trees, skid them, process them and put them on a truck, but one thing they all have in common is that they need a skilled operator to make them productive.

Daily costs may vary across the country, depending on what kind of logging is taking place, but production is what drives costs, and everyone must be concerned with costs of production. Costs can be measured per ton or thousand board feet, but in either case production is the most important factor, and it can be tracked right back to the quality and experience of employees operating the equipment.

Logging has shifted towards mechanization across the country and employing and retaining experienced equipment operators is a necessity. However, they are also a necessity to the construction, oil and gas, and any other industry whose business requires heavy equipment.

Anyone who has operated equipment knows what level of coordination and concentration is required to run an excavator or a bulldozer, but what about a processor that falls, limbs and bucks a tree to very tight tolerances? If such tolerances are not met the result may be penalties and loss of revenue. Are the people oper-

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ating these highly sophisticated and expensive machines compensated more than someone that operates an excavator on a highway project?

Figures compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) paint a pretty clear picture of where we have been.

The data is a little sketchy prior to 1999, so let’s use that as a starting point for comparison. In 1999 the mean annual income for a logging equipment operator was $25,390.

Fast forward to 2013 and the mean annual income for the same operator was $34,700. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also had an inflation calculator and when the 1999 wage of $25,390 was plugged in, out came a 2013 wage of $35,502, showing that we have not even kept up with inflation. According to the BLS, we are paying operators less today then we were in 1999, and the equipment is much more complex to operate.

For comparison, a construction equipment operator in the same tables was making $34,760 in 1999 and $48,605 in 2013. Good, hardworking productive employees are going to go where they are best compensated; this is why we constantly hear about logging companies trying to train new equipment operators in-house. Conversations are abundant about the rising cost of insurance and equipment, but what we should be talking about is how we can pay our employees more so that they will stay in the forest products industry. Dedicated men and women who work hard have a distinct trait that cannot be taught, and if not appreciated and compensated for those traits, they often go

somewhere else.

In a fantasy world we could simply print money, as is the case with our federal government. The change in SIC code 901 for federal employees shows their median annual income in 1999 was $43,600 and in 2013 it rose to $71,700. Inflation during the period would put their 1999 wage at $60,950 in 2013. Next time a federal employee tells you how hard they are working you can remind them that they are getting well compensated for that work.

Loggers are being asked to increase production as our economy slowly improves. As the number of inexperienced people entering the work force grows, so will our exposure to accidents and possibly poor public perception of the industry.

Productivity losses resulting in higher production costs may also be experienced unless we train and retain good employees. Our industry will be much better served by keeping the experienced employees we currently have and augmenting them with new, trained, professional and reliable employees. How this industry deals with employees will, for good or bad, reflect on each of us. If we do not work together to attract and retain employees with pay rates that are comparable to similar trades, we will continue to lose good people to higher paying industries.

Anderson is president of the American Loggers Council (ALC) and he and his father Mike own and operate Anderson Logging, Inc. based out of Fort Bragg, Calif. The ALC is a non-profit 501(c) (6) corporation representing professional timber harvesters in 30 states.

Visit americanloggers.org or phone 409625-0206.

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UK Spokesmen Doubt Wood Pellet Growth Matthew Rivers, a director of fuel at Drax, spoke briefly about the UK electricity generator’s coal-to-biomass conversion projects, and then proceeded to fire off warning shots as to the potential growth of the UK (and European) industrial wood pellet-fed power market to an audience composed of mostly U.S. industrial wood pellet producers at the fourth annual Exporting Pellets Conference hosted and produced by the U.S. Industrial Pellet Assn. October 1-3 at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel.

Rivers said it’s questionable whether there’s available funding for future conversions in the UK. “The prospective scale of the European industrial market continues to be substantially over-stated,” he said, referring to forecasts that call for 50 million tonnes of demand in the 2020s.

Rivers said “there are relatively few attractive sites in the U.S. Southeast left” for industrial pellet infrastructure. “The U.S. industrial pellet sector is important,” Rivers said. “It is not on the stellar growth trajectory assumed by too many in this room.”

Rivers’ comments echoed that of an earlier speaker, Nigel Adams, a member of the British Parliament.

Adams cautioned that in the UK biomass power may be “as large as it will get” once the known conversion projects are completed. Adams, too, disputed demand forecasts. “Are we in danger of getting slightly carried

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away?” he asked, adding, “The rapid growth pace is likely coming to an end for pellets in the UK.”

Portucel To Build Pellet Mill In Greenwood, SC Portucel Group, a leading paper manufacturer based in Portugal, plans to invest $110 million to build a wood pellet manufacturing facility in Greenwood, SC. The plant will produce 460,000 tons annually.

Portucel’s facility will be located in the Emerald Road Industrial Corridor. The company expects to create 70 jobs.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development in South Carolina has approved a $150,000 grant to assist with the costs of road, site and infrastructure improvements as well as job development credits related to the project.

“We are confident that we have found the right partners in South Carolina and that together we can provide a steady source of safe, reliable and renewable energy for the 21st century,” comments Portucel Group CEO Diogo da Silveira.

The company states it has negotiated supply contracts with fixed price and tenure of 10 years, guar-

anteeing the sale of 70% of the new facility’s output.

Portucel has total paper capacity of 1.5 million tons/year and eucalyptus pulp capacity of 1.3 million tons. Its activities are based at three large scale production mills in Portugal. The Group manages woodlands occupying some 296,400 acres in Portugal.

Enviva, Hancock Form Pellet Partnership Enviva Holdings, LP and John Hancock Life Insurance Co. have partnered to develop industrial wood pellet production plants and marine export terminals in the Southeastern U.S. Their initial plans through their affiliates, Enviva Development Holdings, LLC and Hancock Natural Resource Group, Inc., are to invest up to $320 million in Enviva Wilmington Holdings, LLC and a new industrial wood pellet plant in Sampson County, NC, and a marine export terminal at the Port of Wilmington, NC. Enviva will serve as the managing member and operator of the joint venture, which expects to commence construction of the

Sampson plant and Wilmington terminal immediately. Wood pellet production from the Sampson plant will be exported through the Wilmington terminal under long-term contracts with major European power generators.

Enviva’s affiliates currently own and operate five wood pellet production plants throughout the Southeastern U.S. and export its product through terminals in Chesapeake, Va. and Mobile, Ala. Hancock Natural Resource Group is composed of three divisions: Hancock Timber Resource Group, Hancock Agricultural Investment Group and Hancock Renewable Energy Group.

SCTPA Annual Meeting Is February 6-8 On The Rebound! is the program theme for the annual meeting of the South Carolina Timber Producers Assn. (SCTPA), which runs February 6-8 at the Springmaid Beach Resort and Conference Center, Myrtle Beach, SC. Speakers on February 7 include consultant and columnist Wendy Farrand, attorney Rob Moseley, and California logger Myles Anderson.

Based in Limerick, Me., Ferrand knows the logging business and has presented her acclaimed team building workshops to logging groups throughout the nation. Her presentation is titled How to Build A Kick@ #% Logging Team.

Moseley, who practices law in Greenville, SC, is returning to continue his presentation regarding Subcontract Trucker Relationships, which was cut short at SCTPA’s 2014 annual meeting due to time constraints. He will talk about the liabilities of using a subcontract hauler and how general contractors can help protect themselves from potential lawsuits.

Anderson is president of the American Loggers Council and coowns Anderson Logging, Inc. with his father. He will detail what it is like to log in a short season and in a very heavily regulated environment.

SFI training will be offered during the afternoon of February 7.

The meeting will conclude with a February 8 prayer breakfast that will feature The Pine Ridge Boys.

Room reservations should be made directly with the hotel—877283-3284 (reservation code 1081CD). For more information about the meeting contact Crad Jaynes: 800-371-2240.

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New OSB Plant Appears Bound For Corrigan The approval of a 10-year tax abatement plan by Polk County commissioners appears to bring Martco (RoyOMartin) another step closer to building an OSB plant near Corrigan, Tex. The $235 million plant would be designed to produce 800 million sq. ft. of OSB annually, and run around-the-clock.

It would employ 165.

A Martco official said they want the facility to take advantage of the strong Texas economy and its building market.

Martco, which is headquartered in Alexandria, La., has also been considering other locations for the plant. Martco operates an OSB mill in Oakdale, La. and a plywood plant in Chopin, La. The company owns 570,000 acres of timberland in 32 parishes in Louisiana.

Ainsworth Merges Into Norbord OSB Norbord Inc. and Ainsworth Lumber are merging and creating the largest OSB producer in the world with an OSB production capacity of 7.7 billion SF, according to the companies.

Norbord operates seven OSB North American mills (six of them in the U.S. South) with one mill in

Quebec, along with four mills in Europe. Ainsworth operates four Canadian OSB mills.

The combined company will operate under the Norbord name, and Norbord’s CEO Peter Wijnbergen will lead the business following the close of the transaction.

Upon completion of the transaction, Norbord shareholders will own 63% and Ainsworth shareholders will own 37% of the combined company.

MACHINES-SUPPLIES-TECHNOLOGY Horizontal Grinder The new Peterson 6700D is Peterson’s largest horizontal grinder, and is designed for operations that need the most durable, highest output machine. Powered by a 1125 HP Tier II, Caterpillar C32 engine (or an

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optional Tier IVi Caterpillar C32 engine), the 6700D is designed for the toughest jobs. With a feed opening of 66 x 50", the 6700D can process large stumps that used to be reserved for tub grinders. The grinder is particularly suited for land clearing operations or other applications where mobility is desired.

With the R+ package, the 6700D can be configured as a midspeed grinder to handle heavily contaminated piles, or a high speed grinder for typi-

cal land clearing operations. Peterson’s three-stage grinding process with an up turning rotor and large grate area enables the 6700D to produce materials to exact specifications.

Quick-change multiple grate system makes it easy to customize grate configurations to produce a variety of finished materials. Grates are removed through an enlarged access door on the side wall of the 6700D. The 6700D features Peterson’s Adaptive Control System, which controls all components of the feed system to optimize output. This system monitors the grinding load and varies the speed of the feed system

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to keep the engine working at the top of its power curve. It automatically accelerates the feed system when the engine load is light, slows when the load is high, and reverses if the engine speed drops. It monitors the engine temperature and varies the cooling fan speed to minimize power usage and reduce fuel consumption.

A latching Impact Release System minimizes damage from contaminants in the feed material. The anvil and first grate open on a severe impact, allowing the contaminant to be ejected, and then re-latch to permit continuous grinding. Visit petersoncorp.com.

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MACHINES-SUPPLIES-TECHNOLOGY Next-Gen Forwarder Komatsu America’s new 855.1 forwarder provides an 8% payload increase, a 17% larger load space

area, and an 11% increase in tractive effort, compared to the previous Komatsu 855 model. The 855.1 matches the previous model 860.4 in payload and load space, plus has 4.5% greater tractive effort.

The 855.1 also features the Comfort-Ride hydraulically dampened cab suspension system as an option.

The 855.1 is powered by an eco-friendly Agco Power Diesel 6.6 liter 204 hp (150 kW) EPA Tier 4 interim emissions certified engine.

While producing the same horsepower as the 860.4, the

855.1 engine has 13% higher torque and 5% lower fuel consumption.

The cooling system features a larger radiator and variable speed fan to increase cooling capacity by 23%.

Thanks to an improved powertrain, which includes a new lower ratio gearbox, new double bogie bearings, and a new differential housing, the 855.1’s tractive effort has increased by 11%.

The Komatsu Comfort Ride cab suspension system uses four hydraulic cylinders to keep the cab level in relation to the machine frame during operation, improving operator comfort in hilly and difficult terrain.

Comfort Ride also allows the operator to raise the cab to a top fixed position, improving operator visibility when unloading. The function and control of the system is very easy to use, and is controlled by the machine’s MaxiXplorer 3.1 control system which displays the status on the 12" PC color screen.

The new cab design has 21% greater interior volume and provides a quieter and more comfortable work environment. Larger windows have improved upward visibility sight lines by 61% for the rear window and 45% for the side windows. Visit komatsuforest.us.

Saw Teeth

Timberblade’s new X Series of Gator Teeth is the first self-sharpening saw tooth. The patent pending design channels the flow of sand evenly across the middle of the tooth keeping the corners sharp and making both saw teeth and disc last longer.

The new big 21⁄2" self-sharpening Gator Teeth are available in both carbide and steel in both no shank and shank styles. Visit timberblade.com.

Electronic images and copy (please be brief) are required. Images should be scanned as 300 dpi and saved as either jpeg, tiff or eps files. E-mail to rich@hattonbrown.com.

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AT THE MARGINS In Preparing For Tomorrow, Loggers Need To Take An Open Minded Business Approach

By Tom Trone, Director Forestry Sales & Marketing-North America, John Deere When it comes to the forestry business in North America, there is good news and bad news for loggers.

First, let’s examine the good news.

There has never been a more exciting time to be a logger than right now.

There are some important economic trends that point to an increasing demand for North American wood.

Here at home, the housing market, although still slow, is showing signs of strength. Commercial development and road building—leading indicators of housing starts—are increasing.

A recovering housing market is reason enough to be optimistic, but there is more. North American wood is seeing an increased demand abroad. Areas like China and Europe are looking to the U.S. and Canada for timber for construction as well as wood pellets.

A notoriously cyclical industry, the timber business is clearly emerging

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from a long down period, spelling tremendous opportunity.

The bad news is that loggers are facing a huge challenge—not to take advantage of the coming increase, but to survive. Loggers are being squeezed on one side by mills, and on the other by landowners. Rising operating costs and a declining and aging workforce are adding to the problem.

The result will be a consolidation very similar to what farmers faced 30 years ago. Just as the family farm all but disappeared from the landscape, so too will small-scale, family logging operations. Sadly, many logging companies currently operating will not be around five years from now.

But the news is not all doom and gloom. With every challenge there is opportunity, and loggers who choose to embrace the challenge stand an excellent chance of not just surviving the coming industry shift, but build-

ing highly successful, thriving businesses. In order for that to happen, loggers need to do the following: Embrace Technology—Technology is changing the way business gets done. Every year, technology solutions become more affordable and more powerful, streamlining business, adding efficiencies, and reducing costs. Some technologies are built into forestry machines, making them smarter and more productive, while others help with the business side. At John Deere, we have seen farmers and construction contractors embrace technology successfully.

Practice Better Human Resources—People are the lifeblood of almost every industry, and logging faces a human resources crisis. Today’s loggers are getting older, and they are not being replaced in sufficient numbers by a younger generation. Loggers need to work harder at attracting good people, developing them, and retaining them.

Become Savvy Business People—As in many trades, loggers get into forestry because they enjoy working in the woods. They may struggle with the financial side of the

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business and may not have a firm grasp of things like cash flow and profitability, but these things are extremely important. Loggers need to have a good knowledge of financial management to stay in business.

Find New Markets—For too long, loggers have been at the mercy of landowners and mills, and the prices they receive for timber has been squeezed. They don’t realize that it doesn’t have to be this way.

They don’t have to sell their products exclusively to mills, who don’t care about their survival. There are other ways to deliver wood to other customers in other markets. Loggers need to learn how to reach those markets and market their services.

Despite the significant challenges that lie ahead, the opportunity is there for the taking for loggers who take a progressive approach. That will mean thinking differently and seeing the big picture. Loggers who build a strong business acumen and apply it will be poised for long-term growth and success.

Note: In future columns, Trone will elaborate on the points outlined herein.

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IRONWORKS

TOLL FREE: 1-800-669-5613

• 2007 Prentice 2470 Fellerbuncher s/n PB19476 with SD50 High Capacity Saw Head, 28Lx26 Tires @70%, New Engine Installed 200 Hrs Ago, showing 8472 Hrs Enclosed Cab with Air/Heat......................................$52,750

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.

WE ALSO BUY USED DELIMBINATORS

HOSE, FITTINGS IF YOU NEED To buy or sell forestry, construction, & CRIMPERS SERVING THE LOGGING INDUSTRY FOR 20 YEARS. WE CAN SAVE YOU MONEY.

Tim Alligood Days or Nights: 1-252-341-9891 email: tim.cavalierhose@yahoo.com

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

Day 334-312-4136 Night 334-271-1475 or Email: johnwpynes@knology.net

770

FOR SALE • 2008 Tigercat 234 Log Loader s/n 2340310 with CTR 426 Delimber, trailer mounted. Just out of woods. 13000 Hrs. Very well maintained ..........................................................$65,000

RECONDITIONED DELIMBINATORS!!

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IRONWORKS RATES; Space available by column inch only, one inch minimum. Rate is $50 per inch, special typesetting, borders, photo inclusion, blind ads, $10 extra each.

Deadlines: By mail, 15th of month prior to publication.

Place your ad toll-free 24 hours a day from anywhere in the USA (except Alaska and Hawaii) 1-800-669-5613 ask for Classifieds 8:30-5 pm CST. After business hours our automatic ad taker will take your ads.

Call: 662-285-2777 day, 662-285-6832 eves Email: info@chambersdelimbinator.com 1123

6209

2007 John Deere 843J w/225HP— Single post FD22 sawhead; joystick controls, Tires: 30.5x32..........$85,000

1988 Morbark 27RXL—Cummins 1998 Morbark 23NCL—CAT 3412 2004 Prentice 410EX Loader with CSI 650HP totally rebuilt, clutch, hyd. w/800HP; all hyd. motors replaced, 264 delimber; JD 6068T engine, A/C motors, replaced; chipping daily 200 hrs. on clutch ..................$85,000 cab, Evans trailer....................$45,000 ............................................$122,500

2005 Timberjack 850 Feller Buncher 2000 Tigercat 845B w/ Tigercat 5701 2008 Dynamic 585 Cone Head Chipper, w/22" sawhead, JD engine, 6500 sawhead, Cummins 8.3 engine, 16,527 John Deere 500HP, 3200 hours, chiphours, saw disk being repaired, 36" hours, good U/C......................$60,000 ping daily ...............................$78,500 undercarriage ............................$ Call

Call or email: Charles Woolard

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Washington, NC Email: easterneq@earthlink.net Complete listings of equipment at www.eebinc.com

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Watch videos of some of our machines on YouTube

2010 John Deere 643K Feller Buncher— Joystick steering, 22" head, 7100 hrs..$115,000

2010 CAT 563 Feller Buncher—Joystick steering,28L tires, 22" head, 6300 hrs .........$105,000

2007 John Deere 648GIII Log Skidder—Single Arch, Recent Engine, Direct Drive, Very Good 30.5 tires ................................................$69,500

2011 John Deere 748H Log Skidder—SWEDA axles, Dual arch, grapple, winch, cab with air, 35.5 L32 tires, 4632 hrs ..............................P.O.R.

2000 Prentice 280 Log Loader—CTR delimber, Just In.....................................................$39,500

2011 Deere 648H Skidder STK# LU637784; 6,693 hrs $132,000

2013 Deere 753J Track Feller Buncher STK# LU233050; 2,762 hrs $298,000

2010 Deere 843K Feller Buncher STK# LU627355; 5,248 hrs $145,000

2010 Deere 748H Skidder STK# LU632350; 6,757 hrs $144,000

2010 Prentice 2864 Mulcher STK# LU119808; 4,545 hrs $185,000

2010 Deere 643K Feller Buncher STK# LU630321; 6,248 hrs $105,000

2011 Deere 643K Feller Buncher STK# LU635166; 4,718 hrs $145,000

2011 Deere 437D Knuckleboom Loader STK# LU193409; 8,410 hrs $115,000

2012 Deere 750K Dozer STK# LU233053; 1,457 hrs $215,000

43" Flotation Tires—on SWEDA rims .......P.O.R.

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CHIPPER

SKIDDERS

PRENTICE 410E (PR60851), 2005, 4400 Hrs, Cab, Evans Trailer, GrapCat 517 (05WW00419), 2004, PETERSON 5000G (2G-214-661), ple, Delimber, Double V Heel 2001, 12981 Hrs, Cab, AC, Whole ........................................$22,500 7877 Hrs, Cab, AC, Esco Grapple ......................................$167,500 Tree Chipper ..................$139,000 PRENTICE 410EX (PR59586), Cat 525B (03KZ01170), 2003, 2004, 16000 Hrs, Cab, AC, Evans 11253 Hrs, Cab, 30.5-32, Single Trailer, Grapple, Delimber Arch Grapple, Blade, Winch ........................................$25,000 ............................................CALL Cat 559B DS (00PR65341), 2012, Cat 525C (052500251), 2006, 99999 Hrs, Cab, AC, Pitts Trailer, 8860 Hrs, Cab, AC, 30.5-32, Dual CTR Delimber, Grapple DOPPSTADT SM720 (W096212 Arch Grapple, Blade, Winch ............................................CALL 1781D07286), 2009, 2457 Hrs, 7’ ............................................CALL

KNUCKLEBOOM LOADER

SCREENS

Cat 579B (00PR65175), 2011, 20’’ Drum w/ 3/4 ‘’ Punch Plate 3171 Hrs, Cab, AC, Kodiak Trailer, ......................................$250,000 Grapple, Delimber ..........$215,000 DOPPSTADT SM720 (W096211 PRENTICE 384 (PR61207), 2005, 79A1D07448),2010, 248 Hrs, 17544 Hrs, Cab, AC, Evans Trailer, Trommel Screen, 435/50R19 Grapple, Delimber ............$17,000 ......................................$323,000

WHEEL FELLER BUNCHERS Cat 563 (00HA19937), 2011, 2495 Hrs, Cab, AC, 24.5-32, SH50 Saw ......................................$186,000 Cat 573C (0RJT00256), 2012, 2547 Hrs, Cab, AC, 30.5L-32, SH56B Saw ...................$208,500 Cat 553 (00HA19857), 2011, 3767.6 Hrs, Cab, AC, 28L-26, SH50 Sawhead.....................CALL

HYDRO-AX 321 (7121), 1998, Cat 525C (052501555), 2012, 10000 Hrs, Cab, AC, 24.5-32 Tires 5678 Hrs, Cab, AC, 30.5-32, S W/Chains, 20’’Sawhead Blade, Grapple ...............$173,000 ........................................$33,500 FRANKLIN LOGGER 170 (16544), TIGERCAT 726 (7260852), 1997, 1995, 2500 Hrs, Cpy, Single Arch 10000 Hrs, Cab, AC, 30.5-32, 22’’ Grapple............................$15,000 Sawhead .........................$39,000

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FINAN C AVAILA ING BLE

www.equipmentandparts.com

5569

Office : 903-238-8700 • Shane Fuller : 903-235-1147 Jason Bruner: 903-452-5290

SKIDDERS

2011 John Deere 748H – 4,500 hours”NEW” 30.5 x 32 tires, Cab with air, John Deere winch, John Deere grapple, Ready to work!..................$159,500

2009 Cat 525C - 7,000 hours, 30.5 x 32 tires, Cab with air, Winch. Ready to work! ........................................ $89,500

2012 Cat 535C Dual Arch Skidder – 5,500 hours, 2 New , 2 very good - 35.5 x 32 tires, Cab with air, Winch, Ready to work! ........................................$159,500

2012 Cat 535C Dual Arch Skidder – 5,700 hours, 3 New, 1 very good - 35.5 x 32 tires, Cab with air, Winch. Ready to work! ........................................$159,500

MULCHERS & CONSTRUCTION

2011 Cat 553 Mulcher – “NEW” FAE smooth drum mulching head, “NEW” high pressure pump and hoses, Cat C6.6 Acert engine, good 28L tires, Cab with air. 5,300 hours on the carrier, 0 hours since the conversion from a feller buncher. Ready to work!.........$189,500

2008 Barko 930 Mulcher - 3,900 hours, FAE 300U Smooth Drum Mulching Head, 305 hp cummins engine, 28L tires, Cab with air. Ready to work! Rent to own with approved credit....$169,500

2004 Timberking TK350 Mulcher 2,200 on rebuilt Cat engine, Fecon BH120 Mulching Head, New teeth, Rebalanced head, Good 28L tires, Cab with air. ......................................$89,500

2011 Geo Boy Mulcher - 2,400 total machine hours, Less than 300 hours on Recon 220 HP Cummins engine, Fecon Mulching Head, Rear winch, Cab with air. This machine can be trailered and transported without any special permits .................................................$125,000

NOT PICTURED 2012 John Deere 648H Dual Arch Skidder – 5,200 hours, 2 New, 2 very good – 30.5 x tires, Cab with air, Winch, Ready to work!....................................$155,000 2014 Barko 930 Mulcher – 700 hours, still under full factory warranty, 305 HP Cummins engine, FAE 300U Mulching Head, 28L tires. Rent to own WAC .................................................$305,000

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TRUCKS

2007 KENWORTH W900—SX15 Cummins Engine; 565 hp; 8LL; 4.30 Ratio; 24.5 Tires; Aluminum Wheels; Double Frame; Half Fenders; 46K Hendrickson Suspension; Double Locking Rears; Wet Kit; 684,872 mi; VIN: 1XKWD40X07J172217.............$59,500

2004 PETERBILT 378—C15 Caterpillar Engine; 475 hp; 10 Spd; Air Ride Suspension; 11R 22.5 Tires; 40,000 lb Rear Axle Weight; Wet Kit: Yes, Dual Exhaust: Yes, 769,967 mi .........$49,500

FELLER BUNCHERS

2010 PRENTICE 2670—22" Cat Saw Head; 28L x 26 Tires - 70% Front New Rear; Hours: 4,756; S/N: PB19877 ..............................$129,500

KNUCKLEBOOM

2010 Deere 335D—CSI Delimber; Rotobec 4042HD Grapple; Pitts Trailer; 5,285 Hours; S/N XPA0189322 ................................................$114,900

DOZERS

2008 KOMATSU D61EX-15—6 Way Blade; Hours: 4511; S/N: KMTOD 102K51B45215 ....$109,500 $104,500

LOG SKIDDERS

2011 DEERE 648H— Dual Arch Skidder; SWEDA Axle; High Capacity Grapple; Torque Converter; NEW 35.5 x 32 TIRES; NEW JOHN DEERE CRATE ENGINE WITH WARRENTY; Hours: 8,643; S/N: 1DW648HXJAD632837 ............$129,500

2009 PRENTICE 2670—With Quadco CP22 Sawhead; 67 x 34 x 25 Tires; Hours: 8,186; S/N: PB19763 ..$109,500

2005 TIGERCAT 620C—30.5 x 32 Tires; Hours: 9,744; S/N: 6200610 .......$74,500

2005 TIGERCAT 724D—Tigercat 5600 Sawhead; 30.5 x 32 Tires; Hours: 14,858; S/N: 7240772 ..$79,500 $74,500

2006 CAT 525C—Single Arch, with 67 x 34 x 25 Tires; Hours: 9,910; S/N: 00192 .....................................$64,500

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Cat 518 & Cat 518C skidders in TX, LA area Call Kent 936-699-4700 r_kentjones@yahoo.com

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE

USED FORESTRY EQUIPMENT ALL TYPES OF USED FORESTRY EQUIPMENT FOR SALE. PLEASE CALL FOR MORE INFO.

352-239-1549

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MAKE YOUR NEW YEAR HAPPY WITH SOME USED PARTS!

TIGERCAT: 8405B SKYLIGHT ..................................$850

CONTACT: 478.550.2330 - Keith 478.256.4063 - Gary

249

TIGERCAT: 10012C00 LIFT/TILT CYLINDER........................$1,000

FORESTRYPARTSRESOURCE.COM

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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!

4433

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

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TIDEWATER EQUIPMENT CO. MAC • 910-610-7029

Call or visit our website: www.tidewaterequip.com SKIDDERS

2010 CAT 535C....................................$82,900 2001 Deere 648GIII .............................$40,625 2008 Deere 648H.................................$85,500 2008 Deere 748H.................................$82,500 2010 Deere 648H...............................$100,000 2011 Deere 648H...............................$130,000 2005 Deere 748GIII .............................$57,000 2007 Tigercat 610C.............................$68,750 2011 Tigercat 610C...........................$133,500 2004 Tigercat 620C.............................$67,500 2005 Tigercat 620C.............................$66,000 2008 Tigercat 620C...........................$105,000 2008 Tigercat E620C...........................$98,000 2003 Tigercat 630C.............................$40,000 2005 Tigercat 630C.............................$60,000 2005 Timberjack 460D ........................$50,000

FELLER BUNCHERS

1995 Tigercat 726 ...............................$25,000 2011 CAT 563 ....................................$119,900 2009 Deere 643J .................................$85,000 2007 Prentice 2470 .............................$54,000 2008 Prentice 2470 .............................$81,250 2008 Prentice 2570 .............................$95,000

2008 Prentice 2570 .............................$84,300 2006 Tigercat 718 ...............................$65,000 2011 Tigercat 718E ...........................$152,335 1998 Tigercat 720B .............................$30,900 2006 Tigercat 720D.............................$78,500 2005 Tigercat 724D.............................$85,200 2005 Timberking TK340......................$15,000 2004 Timberking TK360......................$58,000

2010 MORBARK 40/36 NCL DRUM CHIPPER ........................................$232,000 2010 MORBARK 4600XL ..................$413,000 2011 MORBARK 40/36 NCL DRUM CHIPPER ........................................$225,000

LOG LOADERS

Assortment of tires and rims for Deere/ ..............................................Tigercat CTR 314 and 400 DelimberS .........................................$1,000 to $18,000 Tigercat Shears and Saws .........................................$2,500 to $20,000

2008 Barko 495ML ..............................$70,000 2005 Deere 335C.................................$27,500 2005 Prentice 280 ...............................$45,000 2003 TIMBERJACK 430B ...................$24,500 2004 Tigercat 240B .............................$45,000 2005 Tigercat 240B .............................$55,000 2007 Tigercat 244 ...............................$79,900 2008 Tigercat 234 ...............................$87,500 2011 Tigercat 234 .............................$132,500

INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT

1997 MORBARK 22.............................$60,000 2009 MORBARK 40/36 NCL DRUM CHIPPER ........................................$212,500

MISCELLANEOUS

Please come see us at our new parts locations: – Waycross, GA (912) 282-9284 – Statesboro, GA (912) 601-9924 – Elizabethtown, NC (910) 876-7058

View our web site for over 200 listings with newly reduced prices and pictures 2687

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FOR SALE EQUIPMENT FINANCING

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Fatality From Failure To Observe Safe Work Zone BACKGROUND: On a sunny summer morning in the Northeast, a feller-buncher operator and a fellow employee prepared to complete a minor repair on the feller-buncher.

The fellow employee was also an equipment operator but was the designated welder for the small mechanical logging company.

To complete a repair on the boom, the service truck was parked in the middle of the remote logging road.

The feller-buncher had been positioned perpendicular to the service truck with the tracks on one side of the truck and the felling head grounded on the other side. This position centered the area of the boom to be welded at the back of the service truck. The service truck was an old moving van that had an aluminum ramp that slid out from beneath the floor. When pulled out two to three feet, this ramp created an elevated work platform to reach the boom.

Once both machines were in position, approximately two feet apart, the ramp was extended about two feet.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: Both men had long histories as mechanical logging operators and were considered competent to complete repairs on their equipment. Nei52

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ther man had completed the state’s logger training program. Both men wore hard hats and safety boots but did not wear high-visibility clothing.

UNSAFE ACT OR CONDITION: After a brief discussion, the two men agreed that the repair would be easier if the opposite side of the boom was toward the service truck.

Thus, the machine would need to be moved forward about one machine length and the boom swung 180 degrees. As the feller-buncher was moved forward, the welder stood at the rear of the service truck on the passenger side. In this location, the welder was clearly in the work zone of the machine. Given a best-case scenario, there would appear to be little hazard to the welder if he remained at this location during this short maneuver.

ACCIDENT: For some reason, as the feller-buncher was in motion, the welder stepped between the track of the machine and the service truck.

Perhaps he saw the extended ramp and thought it would be damaged by the tracks as they continued forward.

While the specifics of this injury may never be known, the welder was somehow pinched between the tracks and some part of the service truck or

the extended ramp.

Please follow equipment manufacturers’ recommendations for safe operation and maintenance procedures.

INJURY: The welder received a deep wound to the inside of his right thigh. The femoral artery was completed severed. When the fellerbuncher was properly positioned, the operator exited the cab and found the welder, now on the ground on the driver’s side of the service truck. The welder said he was seriously injured and would need medical help. First aid for blood loss was immediately applied. The injured employee went unconscious within approximately one minute. The remainder of the crew was notified by radio and arrived within a few minutes. CPR was administered until advanced medical services arrived in 20 to 30 minutes. A doctor arrived with the ambulance and pronounced the welder dead on the scene.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CORRECTION: This incident falls into the category of “Separation-ofOperations”—maintaining safe work zones. This hazard usually involves a man on the ground in the work zone of an operating piece of equipment

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and not being seen. Some guidelines for maintaining “Separation-of-Operations” are outlined in FRA Loss Control Overview LCO-54. Industry guidelines would dictate that a person should be in an operating machine’s work zone only when necessary. When management determines this necessity, some controls to minimize the hazard include: Establishing and communicating a game plan for when the machine or any machine component is moved.

Maintaining communication: carrying a hand-held radio. Improving your visibility: staying where you can be seen by the operator and wearing high visibility clothing.

Unless visible or radio contact is made, no deviation from the game plan should be made.

We usually think of safe work zones around equipment in the production mode but also consider the guidelines for “Separation-of-Operations” when: Machines converge at the fuel trailer at the end of the day. More than one person performs maintenance on a machine during morning start-up when several machines are parked at the same location. In these situations, have all individuals been accounted for before any SLT machine is moved?

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6 ➤ Pulpwood has been a little flat, we don’t expect much change. Fuel wood markets have been good. We have a biomass power plant and it has been a good chip market, steady all year, and looks to be the same going into next year. All in all it has been a fairly good year for us.”

Kentucky David Kissiar, owner of A&D Logging, primarily cuts plantation timber for NewPage in Wickliffe. “It started as a horrible year, with lots of breakdowns and repairs at the mill,” he reports. “But the latter half of the year has really improved and a few new markets are opening for lower grade hardwood timber, which we cut a lot of in the bottoms.” The improving mill markets instilled Kissiar with enough confidence that he made a ¾ million-dollar investment in a new John Deere skidder, cutter and loader all at once from Erb Equipment in Paducah. “I spent so much on repairs in the last few years that it would have paid for new equipment. I feel that with new markets and NewPage spending money to upgrade their mill, I want to be able to work and not work on machines. If you spend all your money on repairs you won’t make any money anyway. My payments are bigger than what they used to be but production is higher than it used to be, too, so it balances out.

Going into 2015, I think there will be a renewed demand for paper and wood. There are not as many loggers as there used to be, so the logger in this part of the country is more in demand.”

Louisiana Andrew Tant of Don Tant Logging, Georgetown, says 2014 was a busy year. “There has not been much quota and it has been a wet year. The spring and early summer were slow, but my crew worked through it all, we didn’t mess many days. It’s been crazy: wet in the summer and dry in the winter this year, and we had some good weeks in the last month. It’s looking good in 2015. If German Pellets in Urania comes online, that will be another outlet for wood that we desperately need closer to where we work instead of having to truck it 75 miles. When it rains a little it will give us a break because all the wood yards are full. They have plenty of wood to carry them through the winter. If the wood yards still have a lot of inventory at the start of the spring, that could hinder us, but it might work out where they can eat up the inventory by summertime.”

Mississippi George Donald, one of the three brothers behind Vicksburg-based tim-

ber dealer Charles Donald Pulpwood Inc., says it was a good year for their 35 or so contract crews. “It’s better than in the past. Loggers are happier and making a little money now. The last part of the year has tightened up because of the weather being too dry.

Mills are slap full with too much inventory. If we have a normal winter I think we will be ok in the spring going forward, but if we don’t get some serious rain it will be tough.

Everybody is working three days a week now, but that has only been for the last few weeks, since around Thanksgiving. Our loggers have been updating equipment this year. The paper mills are giving us better and longer commitments so we feel comfortable helping our loggers and they feel better making investments. Our biggest need is more paper mills north of Jackson and pine sawmills everywhere, but I am not hearing anything beyond rumors of pellet mills here and there.”

Kim Wall said that 2014 was not the best year for Wall Timber, the company she co-owns with her husband Bob in Osyka, right on the Louisiana line. “In January through June, the weather hurt us—we had rain, ice and snow,” she explains.

“Six good months after can’t pull up the six bad months. You need 12-18 good months to make up the difference. And at the end of the year it has been so dry that the mills are getting full and putting everyone on quota.” Still, in late December she received some news that makes her optimistic about 2015. “We just got the notice in the newspaper that Drax Biomass plans to open another pellet plant in Pike County within the year, and it is predicted to be larger than the last one. We are thrilled; it gives us another outlet and more competition.”

North Carolina For Timmy Ellis of TK Timber in Delco, 2014 started rough and ended rough, but he had some fair months sandwiched between those bad bookends. “The first and fourth quarters were both rough due to weather,” he says. “We had a really wet winter and spring last year, and from late October into December we had a lot of rain in Brunswick and Columbus counties, and some bad luck with major equipment breakdowns. It’s tough to make payments and repair bills; you need one or the other, not both.

Looking at 2015, International Paper Riegelwood just completed a new upgraded system, so things should get better, weather permitting. Seems like contract trucking is getting more popular around here, but I still use my own trucks and so does my dad.”

South Carolina Josh Key of Beech Island added a new Cat loader and Tigercat skidder at the very end of 2013 in late 2013 and another new Tigercat loader in 2014. Key’s crew primarily delivers chips to Ameresco’s Savannah River site biomass cogen plant and EDF Renewable Energy in Allendale, as well as to International Paper. “The market has been good for us and I think overall it has been good all the way around the board. They are buying all I can produce—about 100 loads a week. There has been quota near the end of the year due to a winter dry spell, which isn’t really a bad thing. On the chip side we have enough outlets that if one cuts us off we can still haul to another. It’s not really seasonal, because they have to have so many chips to produce steam, and in the winter they might crank the boilers up a little harder because of the cold, so it helps us to stay wide open. Mainly what we cut is on sand hills because of the type of product we produce, so rainy weather on sand tracts is not usually an issue for us. I haven’t seen a big increase on delivery price for pine sawtimber, chip-n-saw or pulpwood, but hardwood sawtimber is paying really well right now though.”

Tennessee Randy Studer says he and his brother Jim have cut back from three crews to one and are ready to get out of the business—not because the business is bad, though.

“We are in a long death spiral,” he laughs. “We are getting older, and we want to retire. But it is getting better: fuel prices are down, timber prices are fair, and weather hasn’t

been bad enough to stop anything. “ Green Logging’s Darrin Green in Tracy City calls 2014 an above average year. “The market was pretty good, the weather wasn’t the best— we had a lot of rain in the south of the state—but the mills stayed steady.

Everything is looking good for 2015, but that might change.”

Virginia Bobby Nichols, Jr., of Nichols Logging, based around Benford County, shares Green’s cautious optimism. “With 2015, who knows? It can be good one minute and not the next. The best thing right now is the fuel coming down. We have these Dominion power plants, in Hurt and Alta Vista, so 2014 has been a real good year, and we hope it will stay like that.”

Neal Allen of Buckingham County’s DNA Logging, LLC, also delivers biomass, but to paper mills, and added a new Bandit chipper this year.

“Right now everything is looking pretty good. With fuel prices down it cuts expenses back and all wood products are moving good. Sawmills are wide open. I tell you, 2014 has been a pretty good year. If things hold up, 2015 ought to be pretty good at the start anyway, but you never know, things can change real quick.”

West Virginia Mark Smith in Augusta thinks 2014 was a fairly decent year, especially near the end. “The sawmills are needing logs. Weather will be bad before long so they will need an abundant supply, none of them have enough and the paper mill is about out of hardwood. Fuel prices dropSLT ping has helped some, too.”

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COMING EVENTS January 13-14—Missouri Forest Products Assn. 2015 winter meeting, Capital Plaza Hotel & Convention Center, Jefferson City, Mo. Call 573-6343252; visit moforest.org.

February 6-8—South Carolina Timber Producers Assn. annual meeting, Springmaid Beach Resort & Conference Center, Myrtle Beach, SC. Call 800-371-2240; visit scloggers.com.

25-March 1—Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Annual Meeting, Hyatt Coconut Point, Bonita Springs, Fla. Call 336-885-8315; visit appalachianwood.org.

March

27-29—Forest Resources Assn. annual meeting, Sheraton Nashville Downtown, Nashville, Tenn. Call 202-296-3937; visit forestresources.org.

June 5-6—Southeastern Wood Producers Assn. annual meeting, Renaissance at the World Golf Village, St. Augustine, Fla. Call 800-468-3571; visit swpa.ag.

18-20—InWoodsExpo 2015, Hot Springs, Ark. Call 501-224-2232; visit arkloggers.com.

July 19-22—Council on Forest Engineering annual meeting, Lexington, Ky. Call 304-206-1884; visit cofe.org.

25-27—Hardwood Manufacturers Assn. National Conference & Expo, The Omni Nashville Hotel, Nashville, Tenn. Call 412-2440440; visit hmamembers.org.

26-28—Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Summer Conference, Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Va. Call 336-885-8315; visit appalachianwood.org.

25-27—Kentucky Forest Industries Assn. annual meeting, Embassy Suites, Lexington, Ky. Call 502695-3979; visit kfia.org.

31-August 2—Georgia Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Jekyll Island Convention Center, Jekyll Island, Ga. Call 478-992-8110; visit gfagrow.org.

April 15-17—Virginia Forestry Assn.

Summit, Boar’s Head Inn, Charlottesville, Va. Call 804-278-8733; visit vaforestry.org.

August 25-27—Florida Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Wyndham Bay Point Golf Resort & Spa, Panama City Beach, Fla. Call 850-2225646; visit floridaforest.org.

September 13-15—Alabama Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Perdido Beach Resort, Orange Beach, Ala. Call 334-265-8733; visit alaforestry.org.

18-19—Kentucky Wood Expo, Masterson Station Park, Lexington, Ky. Call 502-695-3979; visit kfia.org.

18-19—Mid-Atlantic Logging & Biomass Expo, Selma/Smithfield, NC. Call 919-271-9050; visit midatlantic-logging-biomassexpo.com.

24-26—American Loggers Council annual meeting, Red Lion Hotel, Eureka, Calif. Call 409-625-0206; visit americanloggers.org.

Listings are submitted months in advance.

Always verify dates and locations with contacts prior to making plans to attend.

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