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Vol. 44, No. 6

(Founded in 1972—Our 513th Consecutive Issue)

F E AT U R E S

JUNE 2015 A Hatton-Brown Publication

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

Pearce Timber Young Company Crew

Wall Timber Big Time Family

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

Arkansas Expo June Show Preview

out front: The Jenkins men—Josh, left, and Johnny, right— have learned to keep their eyes open for new opportunities. With 30 years in the business, the company fields multiple crews in Louisiana. Story begins on PAGE 8. (Jessica Johnson photo)

Thompson Hardwoods Georgia Roots In Tennessee

D E PA RT M E N T S Southern Stumpin’..............................6 Bulletin Board ...................................21 Industry News Roundup ..................46 Machines-Supplies-Technology ......58 At The Margins..................................60 IronWorks ..........................................62 Safety Focus ......................................69 Coming Events/Ad Index .................70

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 • Tel 334-699-7837 Email: bdevane7@hotmail.com

Southern Loggin’ Times (ISSN 0744-2106) is published monthly by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc., 225 Hanrick St., Montgomery, AL 36104. Subscription Information—SLT is sent free to logging, pulpwood and chipping contractors and their supervisors; managers and supervisors of corporate-owned harvesting operations; wood suppliers; timber buyers; wood procurement and land management officials; industrial forestry purchasing agents; wholesale and retail forest equipment representatives and forest/logging association personnel in the U.S. South. See form elsewhere in this issue. All 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 Loggin’ Times magazine are accepted and published by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. with the understanding that the advertiser and/or advertising agency are authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The advertiser and/or advertising agency will defend, indemnify and hold Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. harmless from and against any loss, expenses, or other liability resulting from any claims or lawsuits for libel violations or right of privacy or publicity, plagiarism, copyright or trademark infringement and any other claims or lawsuits that may arise out of publication of such advertisement. Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. neither endorses nor makes any representation or guarantee as to the quality of goods and services advertised in Southern Loggin’ Times. Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to reject any advertisement which it deems inappropriate. Copyright ® 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 Loggin’ 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

Get Connected ’m going to assume most if not all of you know about Facebook, and it’s probably a safe bet that quite a few of you are on it…even the older set. If you haven’t already done so, I recommend that you check out the Eastern Loggers page on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/ 579336005465865/). You should be able to find it just by typing “eastern loggers” into the blank line next to the magnifying glass symbol and click on that to search for it. When I was young, I saw how my dad and other loggers would gather around places of common interest, maybe once a week, and “shoot the breeze” as they’d say. Rather like farmers catching up with each other at the feed/supply store, this was the one chance for people working in a relatively isolated profession to essentially network with their peers. It might be while picking up a repair at the Husqvarna saw shop in Wetumpka, looking for parts at the Franklin dealership in Montgomery, or waiting for paychecks at the Sellers, Inc. timber dealer’s office in Prattville, but it offered loggers a great chance to find out what’s going on and maybe pick up a few tips along the way. Obviously that method of networking is still in place, but this Eastern Loggers Facebook page is effectively just the 2015 digital version of that. And unlike the traditional gathering places, the Facebook version allows loggers to reach out beyond their local area. The page’s more than 17,000 members can connect with loggers from all over the country, and from a few other countries to boot. Created and administered by and for loggers and those connected with the logging industry, it appears to me that this web site provides a great forum for loggers to connect with one another, share photos and information, ask questions, and offer advice and encouragement. Though I should stress that it is not in any way connected with our magazine, the Eastern Loggers Facebook is, in many respects, something very much like Southern Loggin’ Times itself—a venue for loggers to tell their stories, and, I think, a useful resource as well. It’s actually similar to something I once envisioned for SLT’s Facebook page: a kind of a central online hub for the logging community.

Inception The idea for the page come from Lynn Sisler— nickname X-Man—a former feller-buncher operator living in western Maryland. Sisler started the page in 2012. He had been a part of a different online loggers’ forum, and was dismayed by what he calls too much drama. “People were arguing, using bad language,” he recalls. He decided to create his own alternative. In the three years since he started it, the page has become so popular that Sisler has enlisted help. Unlike a “traditional” web page, where the content 6

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of the page is supplied and controlled by the company behind it, a Facebook page like this one allows for user-generated content. Any member can post anything, more or less (more on that later). I noticed when I first looked at the page how active it is—there were dozens of posts, and all of them from within the previous few hours. Sisler indicates there are sometimes as many as 2,000 new posts a day—more than he can keep up with on his own. He now has a team of 12 administrators who help him keep up with the tremendous amount of traffic. I noticed that South Carolina’s “lady logger” Heather Gates, whom I covered in an article last August, is one of the administrators. Sisler also says he had to start putting some posts onto separate pages—one for people buying and selling equipment, and one for people seeking employment or looking to hire someone. There have been so many of these posts that some were getting lost in the shuffle, but the sales and job posts are still easy to find from the main page. The content of the page is varied and entertaining. Several post pictures of massive logs they just took down with chain saws—one guy I’m looking at right now is posing next to a log butt that is nearly as tall as he is. Another put up a picture showing graphically what happens when a chain saw hits, and goes through, your boot (hint: if he was trying to shave the hair on his foot, I think he took a little more off then he intended). Along with pictures, there are plenty of questions being asked. “Anyone know the lug nut size on a 640E John Deere?” asks one user. “Anyone in W.N.C. heard of a price drop on red oak here in the last few weeks?” queries another. Other users scrolling the page see these posts and comment with answers. “It tanked in PA,” one logger replies to the red oak question. “Yes. Don’t know how much, but Fullbright Lumber said it has dropped; can barely sell 2 common red or white oak lumber,” other commenters note. Sisler says his goal was to build a community where loggers can learn from each other, while keeping it clean, respectful and family-friendly— since not only loggers but their wives and children frequently browse the page. By all appearances he seems to have been successful. One of his favorite things about the page is learning how differently loggers work in other parts of the country or even other parts of the world. Sisler sees posts from swamp loggers, mountain loggers and everything in between. He’s learned about the mud season in Maine and made friends with loggers in Australia who use helicopters. “That’s pretty cool,” he says.

Rules I first learned of the page through an e-mail from Richard Lewis, former president of the Forest

Resources Assn. Lewis has met Sisler only by phone, but describes him as an obviously savvy, kind and good-willed logger. “The fact that they are family oriented means a lot to me,” Lewis says. “They do a great job of policing the content. If someone makes a post that is against the rules, you will see that it gets deleted pretty quickly.” This was something Sisler brought up to me several times as well: the standards. “We don’t want any porn or any racism. To me it is just about showing respect for others. You might not think anything about cursing, but show respect for people who do. And remember kids look at the page, too.” The terms of use are laid out explicitly for every member to see: “Anyone involved or interested in logging or forest management may join pending approval by an administrator. By joining you agree to be respectful of others’ ideas, opinions, and views. You agree to post only text, photos, and videos related to logging/forestry. You agree to NOT post any text, photo, or video containing pornographic images. You agree to NOT post any text, photo, or video containing explicit language that would be deemed offensive in nature in the company of children and their respective families. You agree to NOT use racial, political, or religious slurs or to discriminate against anyone based on race, religion, creed, or orientation. Defamation, discrimination, profanity, and/or porn will not be tolerated. Commercial advertisements may NOT be posted on this page as it violates the Facebook terms of use agreement. You agree to report any violation of these terms to an administrator to be dealt with on a case-by-case basis in a discrete manner. Any single violation of these terms will result in a onetime warning. Further violation may result in a permanent ban from this group. All disciplinary action will be determined by the administration in a diplomatic fashion.” It all sounds very reasonable to me. I would add my own further word of caution. I know in general a lot of people worry about their privacy on social media, and to that I always answer: there is nothing on there except what YOU put on there. If it’s not something you want made public, don’t post it. Specifically to loggers, I think this means maybe thinking twice before posting any pictures that could get you in trouble if the wrong person saw it—for instance, an OSHA inspector. Just a word to the wise… Obviously online social media isn’t for everyone, but with the mass proliferation of mobile devices and Wi-Fi nearly everywhere, I do think this has the potential to be both a fun and a useful tool for the loggers of today and tomorrow. I’d encourage everyone to check it out and at least see SLT what you think.

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Doing It Right ■ Louisiana family shows that hard work and sound business practices equal success.

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Keto processing head on Doosan (Daewoo) carrier (opposite page) helps merchandise the various sorts for Jenkins Logging.

By Jessica Johnson MANY, La. ohnny Jenkins, ★ 62, is the kind of guy you can feel like you know everything about after five minutes and nothing about at the same time. But one thing really prevails after a discussion with him: he’s just a really good dude. He cares about his family, and his crew, and when you ask him about either, the lines seem a little blurred. “We’re like brothers,” he says, “They don’t have the same name I’ve got but we’re like brothers.” In business for over 30 years, Jenkins Logging has members that have been with the logger from the beginning. Several have been with him over 20 years, and quite a few others have more than 10 years on the job. Unsurprisingly, he cites his crew as his reason for success. The company operates seven crews, and would not be able to do so successfully, Jenkins says, without the foremen. “I’ve known them longer than my sons,” he says earnestly. A fourth generation logger, Jenkins knows that it isn’t just the crew that has kept his operation in the black for all these years. Sound business practices are another important factor. One key element to the success of the company is Jenkins’ willingness to make time for the little details, according to his son Josh, 36. Jenkins always keeps an eye out for opportunity, and taught Josh and his brother Buzz, 39, to do the same. For example, on a clear-cut, Josh explains that his father didn’t want it to look like a typical clear-cut. “He always wanted it to look good and I’m glad he did.”

Josh, left, and Johnny Jenkins

Taking a cue from his father about keeping eyes open for opportunities, Josh found his own idea wheels turning when he heard his brother-in-law, a fellow logger, discussing plans to put in a fuel stop. Fast-forward about 18 months, and Jenkins Logging has its own fuel stop, where off-road and on-road diesel is available for the crews and truckers. “Fuel cost got so high,” Josh explains. “We were trying to find everywhere we could pinch pennies.” From there, he took it and ran with it, and it ended up saving the company a lot more than pennies.

Contract Cutter Jenkins prefers to clear-cut, but does have one dedicated thinning crew. The crews are on contract jobs with either Weyerhaeuser or Walsh Timber Co. “Contracting is

what we’ve always done. We’ve got good relationships,” Jenkins says, regarding why, with so many crews, he doesn’t purchase his own tracts. Citing the old adage, “different strokes for different folks,” Jenkins says there isn’t only one way to do it, but he’s done well with contracting and doesn’t see the need to change. He’s happy with how things are, and when it’s wet in the winter he doesn’t have to stress about where to move or what the crews will be doing. While it might be more profitable for some to purchase their own timber, Jenkins doesn’t think it would be feasible for him, with so many crews, without driving himself crazy. “You can either run your legs off hunting timber or run your legs off looking after crews. I don’t know which is better,” he states frankly. “There’s no way under heaven you can buy enough timber to run

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The seven Jenkins crews average a combined 375 loads weekly.

seven crews,” he continues. The crews average 375 loads a week together, on tract sizes ranging from 18 to 260 acres, with 90% of the wood being southern yellow pine. “A 300 acre clear-cuts is rare now; 200 acres is probably about as big as we cut, and there are very few of those, but it’s not unheard of,” Jenkins says, but he still estimates the average to be less than 100 acres. Josh says that since the cost of business has risen significantly, and continues to do so, Jenkins Logging

went from multiple thinning crews to just one when an opportunity to move onto a Weyerhaeuser clear-cut presented itself. The same goes for chipping. Jenkins Logging used to regularly keep a chipping crew, but thanks to a shortage of truck drivers, the eighth crew, which predominately chipped, was absorbed by one of the clear-cut crews. Jenkins kept the Woodsmen 334 chipper and it is currently sitting on a tract the family purchased. Josh

explains that it isn’t that they aren’t interested in chipping, because they definitely are. Jenkins adds that they chipped fuel wood for five years, and have just slowed down on it. The engine in the chipper had to be overhauled and when it got really wet, the chipping market slowed down. He admits though that they have not pushed it. “It got so hard to get truck drivers, thanks to the oil fields, chicken business and other things in the

Always thinking outside the box, Jenkins installed a fuel station to save costs.

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area, that we had trucks we needed for logs that were hauling on the chipping, so we basically had to scale down one job and that was the one we did,” he explains. Even so, the plan is to get it back up again, and get back into chipping. “It makes money,” he says. “I like it.”

Iron Works Jenkins keeps an expansive iron registry, with 95% of the pieces being Tigercat purchased from Patrick-Miller in Many. “Their service has been good,” Jenkins says about the positive working relationship he has with his hometown dealer. The company does process logs in the woods, electing for a Keto head on a Doosan machine, purchased from a small company in Ruston, La. Josh explains that the crew first started processing after seeing the writing on the wall with the direction of sorts in their area. Hoping to get more whole tree utilization, Keto was the first head they purchased. “We basically bought the head and then got a good deal on the Doosan,” he says. So the Doosan just stayed as they con-

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The vast majority of Jenkins’ equipment is Tigercat, purchased from Patrick Miller in Many.

tinued to purchase more Keto heads. “We haven’t ever had trouble. Every one we’ve bought has the same set up.” He points out that the first head has 16,000 hours and it’s still going strong. Jenkins tries to rotate pieces on a regular basis, but like everyone else, when the economy took a dive, the rotation schedule had to change. Jenkins tried to keep his equipment in mint condition so it would last longer, and it paid off. The registry has some very old equipment still running very well and some very new equipment, with the newer pieces purchased when the compa-

ny can. Josh says that the length of time between purchases isn’t set in stone, but depends on fuel costs and other expenses. With three different shops scattered throughout Sabine Parish, Jenkins says he’s got the best mechanic in the south, Robby Dupree, maintaining his fleet. With the company for over 15 years, Dupree isn’t just the go-to mechanic. Jenkins says he’s a top-notch welder, and the company would be lost without him. “I’ve never seen anyone that can do it better. I’ve seen some good people and he’s the best,” the loggers brags of his long-time employee.

Dupree drives his own service truck, and usually operates out of an L-shaped shop, with each section being 80x40, close to the Jenkins home. Major jobs are brought into the shop for Dupree to repair, and operators are in charge of routine maintenance. Equipment is serviced every 250 hours, with oil and air filters changed more often during the summer. Oil and hydraulic fluid is changed at 500 hours. Josh explains, “We want Robbie to do the stuff that requires a major mechanic, so the guys do their own service.” Operators grease machines every eight hours.

Jenkins says that service is a key to his success, and why he’s able to run equipment longer. Keeping up with service means a machine runs better over time, meaning the end result is more money with that piece, he believes.

Trucking Side Jenkins Logging runs its own trucks, but since the company contracts directly with Weyerhaeuser, it also participates in dispatch trucking. For the Walsh Timber Co. jobs Jenkins is able to control their trucking 100%, while they do put

In recent years, Jenkins has opted to keep older machines in good condition rather than buying new.

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trucks into the pool with Weyerhaeuser. Josh says that in other parts of Louisiana he knows that dispatch trucking isn’t popular, but in their area they really only have the mill in Zwolle, so they don’t have as great of a chance to dispatch. He says that it does have some very good benefits. “If you were logging a tract and you had bad road and a bunch of loads decked, and you could call and say you want X amount of trucks before the rain gets here, and not all the time, but a lot of the time, they will send you X

amount of trucks and catch you up.” He does point out that one big disadvantage: the logger can’t control the trucks. “You can’t say ‘you’re coming back, we need you to come back.’ If he doesn’t want to come back, since he owns that truck, he can go home.” Josh admits, though, that can be a problem with any use of contract trucking, not just dispatch. Jenkins’ main markets are for sawlogs: Weyerhaeuser in Dodson, Temple-Inland and Leesville Lumber Co. Pulpwood goes to Interna-

tional Paper in Mansfield and Campti or PCA in DeRidder.

Back Office With an accounting background, Jenkins is able to do most of the bookwork and taxes himself. But, since he doesn’t particularly love that aspect of the business, he defers a lot of it to his wife, and company secretary, Cindy. He says without her, he would be completely lost. “She keeps us straight; she’s the backbone of our family and a

very large part of the business.” Sidelined somewhat after a recent stroke, Cindy has been training her daughter-in-law, Josh’s wife Amanda, to fill in on the bookkeeping side. For the last 12 years, Jenkins has offered health insurance. When he decided to get coverage for himself, and his family, he made the decision to get coverage for his crew as well. But he didn’t stop at just the guys. Jenkins Logging pays 100% of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana premiums for the employees and for their families. “It’s the right thing to do,” Josh says with a shrug. Cutting on Weyehaeuser land means being acutely aware when it comes to safety. Safety meetings are held every month, and Josh has a calendar reminder that pops up to remind foremen to have the meetings. Each of the Jenkins crews has their safety plan and other safety and emergency paperwork in the crew truck at all times.

Looking Ahead Jenkins is excited for the future, but he knows he’s going to have to slow down a bit. “I love to skid, I love to run a power saw. I like to load, and if I ran a skidder today I wouldn’t be able to walk tomorrow. I’m getting to the age where log truck driving scares me,” he explains. But the outdoorsman isn’t completely sidelined from the labor he loves. Jenkins raises 350 head of cattle, and while he starts stepping back from logging a little, he’s able to step up in that respect. “He thinks it’s a hobby,” Josh says with a big laugh. “I can still drive a tractor and bale hay, I can be involved with the cows and be off the highway and out there by myself. I can’t do what I really like to do with the logging. I don’t like the business end. I like to do it,” the elder Jenkins explains. “And I’m getting to where I can’t do it.” Fortunately, Buzz and Josh are there to fill in where needed, but Jenkins is quick to remind everyone not to count him completely out. “It’s a good honest living. It’s rough sometimes, but it’s a good occupation,” he says. After finishing his accounting degree at nearby Northwestern State, Jenkins first got a job at an office in town and tried to live that life for a while. “I just couldn’t do it. I wanted to be in the woods. It’s probably not the most lucrative business, but money isn’t always everything. You’ve got to love what you do,” he sagely says, before singing, “Mama, don’t let your babies grow up to be logSLT gers.” 12

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Building A Legacy ■ Young timber dealer Pearce opts to start a company logging crew on the Alabama-Mississippi line. By David Abbott TANNER WILLIAMS, Ala. ames Pearce, 38, is the owner of timber dealer Pearce Timber Co. and, more recently, also of Legacy Logging, LLC. Pearce believes in ★ focusing on quality over quantity. In the eight years since starting his company, he’s been bigger and he’s been smaller, and the experiences have persuaded him that bigger is not necessarily better. “My papaw told me years ago when I was milking cows, he wasn’t worried about how fast I did it, as long as I did a good job.” Whether it’s milking cows or har-

vesting timber, Pearce notes, agricultural work is always a feast or famine proposition. “You have good years and bad years, but my grandparents and parents all taught me hard work. I saw it growing up. My dad was never in the agricultural industry, but he knew hard work, and so did my mom, and they instilled that in me.”

Background

Pearce is a Bama fan, despite his wife being an Auburn grad.

With three trucks, Legacy Logging averages nine loads daily—three per truck.

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Pearce grew up on a dairy farm started by his maternal grandfather. He grew interested in the timber business through a friend from church at age 17. After school he split his time between working with that friend in the woods and with

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his uncles on the dairy farm, while studying for his forestry degree at Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Miss. Later, he went fulltime as a timber buyer for a forestry company based in Tanner Williams, staying with that job for three years. In April 2007 he went on his own, starting Pearce Timber Co. Initially he was buying timber for just one logger, but added others quickly. At one point Pearce had as many as 12 contractors under his tent, and ran a small wood yard. “Times change, and things come and go,” he acknowledges. The company has grown every year from the start, but Pearce Timber actually saw some of its best times in 2007-2009, the owner says. The worst time was late 2013 into early 2014, but that was mostly weather related. It was during that time that he decided to form Legacy Logging— a name that came from an inside joke with a close friend. He started the crew in part just to have another producer, but also to allow Pearce more control over the consistency of production during those slower market times. Legacy Logging is a separate entity that contracts under Pearce Timber, just like any of the other logging companies. To start the crew, Pearce first talked to salesman Curtis Bennett at John Deere dealer Beard Equipment in Mobile. He already knew Bennett through his contract logging crews and various continuing education events that Beard Equipment would host. While they started working on getting the right machines lined up, Pearce talked to one his contract loggers whose family had a long history in the timber business. That contractor’s brother, Trent O’Neal, had once owned his own logging company and was looking for an opportunity to get back into the

The company crew uses only John Deere machines in the woods.

Pearce consults with crew foreman Trent O’Neal.

Left to right: Ronzie Thomas, Mitchell Holder, Odell Parimon, James Pearce, Tyler O’Neal, Trent O’Neal

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Beard Equipment salesman Curtis Bennett helped Pearce find the right equipment for his needs.

woods. Pearce hired O’Neal as his crew foreman, and O’Neal set about finding qualified, experienced hands to fill the other positions.

Crew

Pearce says the crew performs mostly clear-cuts.

CTR delimber helps with sorting, something Pearce calls Legacy’s specialty.

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O’Neal runs the feller-buncher and serves as crew boss, while Odell Parimon mans the loader and Ronzie Thomas operates the 648G-III skidder. The three truck drivers are George Smith, Mitchell Holder and Larry Freeman. All of these men have many years of experience—in Parimon’s case, three decades’ worth. The final piece was O’Neal’s son Tyler, who drives the 648H skidder. Unlike the others, he had no formal experience—before his first day, he had never driven a skidder before. It must run in his blood, though, because he turned out to be a fast learner. “He has done a fine job, all of them have,” Pearce says. With his youthful experience working on a logging crew, Pearce can and does sometimes run the skidder or dozer when needed, but he leaves the cutter to O’Neal. The time Pearce spends in the woods can vary—sometimes an hour or two, sometimes much of the day— but he does visit the woods crew daily, to check boundary lines and ensure the terms of the landowner agreement are being met. With an experienced and trustworthy crew, he feels comfortable devoting most of his attention to finding the next tract. “I typically don’t have to spend too much time here,” he says. “As far as logging, I am pretty content with just having the one crew and focusing on letting that crew be as good as it can be,” Pearce says. “When you get too many irons in the fire, like when we had 12 crews, there is not much more money but it is a lot more

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work and a lot more chance for problems and confusion.”

Equipment Woods equipment is all John Deere: a 2011 643K feller-buncher, ’13 648H skidder, ’09 648G-III skidder, and ’10 437C loader. The crew hauls with two 2015 Mack trucks and one 2007 International, pulling three Magnolia four bunk trailers, a Magnolia pole trailer and, for moving equipment, a Pitts lowboy. Crew uses a Chevrolet service

truck on-site. For road building and maintenance, Pearce keeps a Komatsu bulldozer and a Deere 135C track hoe. Dealer is Beard Equipment in Mobile. The crew tracks machine hours in a notebook and performs all routine maintenance on schedule, based on hours for woods equipment and mileage on trucks. Pearce adds that the crew can tackle most of what he terms light maintenance—repairing hoses and leaks, things of that nature. For major jobs or major components, he either turns back to Beard Equip-

ment’s service dept., or in some cases to some local mechanics around Mobile, Ala. or Lucedale, Miss. Pearce estimates replacement value of his equipment at close to $1 million. That includes two brand new trucks and a new skidder in the mix. His philosophy has been that it is best to have a mix of new and used equipment. It’s not generally cost effective to have only new equipment, but he feels it is worthwhile to keep at least one or two relatively newer pieces—especially trucks and skidders.

He says he learned quickly that he could pay a note on new trucks as easily as pay for repairs on older ones, at about the same cost, with less downtime and lost production. He further reasons that when the truck is paid off, it’s still in a better condition than a used one in the same period of time, and he has equity built into it. With equipment, he notes, “Even new stuff takes a beating in the woods and doesn’t stay new long; inevitably there will be breakdowns.” More so than cutters or loaders, he prefers newer skidders, as he believes they are the most worked pieces and take more of a beating, breaking down more frequently. That’s also one reason why he thinks having two skidders is vital.

Locations Currently six logging companies contract under Pearce Timber, in addition to the company crew, Legacy Logging. Three of the contractors work in northern Mississippi, with the other three and the Legacy crew sticking to the southern part of the state and Alabama. Although the operation is based around Pearce’s hometown of Tanner Williams, where he grew up and still lives, most of the Legacy crew actually lives around Lucedale, Miss., where the crew was working on the day Southern Loggin’ Times came to visit. Most hauls are within a 60-mile radius of the job site. Mills change depending on the location of the tract. Frequent destinations include various locations for Hood Industries, Gulf Lumber and International Paper in Alabama, and in Mississippi mostly Georgia-Pacific. Occasionally, IP will send its own trucks to pick up and deliver loads to a distant site, like its mill in Cantonment, Fla. Legacy Logging by itself averages 45 loads a week, while all seven Pearce crews combine for an average 210 loads a week. At times Pearce may hire contract haulers, but it usually isn’t necessary. “For the most part we can haul nine loads a day, with three loads per truck.” Markets are currently tight, Pearce reports, due to dry weather earlier in the year. Hopefully, he says, that will correct itself soon with a little rain eating some of the inventory at mill wood yards. He adds, “It is also because there are so many new producers and the market hasn’t adjusted.”

Land Pearce buys timber primarily from private landowners, though he notes that 70% of the timber in 18

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both Alabama and Mississippi is owned by private interests. He does buy from some larger companies, but mostly from individuals. He also sometimes works for other area timber dealers, and says he has good relationship with a dozen or more different dealers. “We would like to get to the point where we can buy more timber in lump sums,” Pearce admits. “That is easier dealing with lump sums than per unit sales.” Although he’d like to have tracts lined up six months or more in advance, he admits realistically

he typically keeps work about six weeks out for each of the crews. Tract size is less important to Pearce than the number of loads a tract can yield, so he looks at density per acre more so than total acreage. Ideally he looks for tracts that will take the crew at least two weeks to finish. But even if a tract is too small for his Legacy crew, he is sure to have a contract crew the right size. With all those crews, Pearce says the company has the versatility to take on basically any kind of job it

encounters—although he cautions that in his experience, storm-damaged cleanup work is often more trouble than it is worth. The area is heavier to pine, but he says hardwood products bring more money. “We typically do more clear-cuts because we are production oriented,” he says. “We don’t really specialize in anything other than separations; I think we do a really good job of that. On a mixed stand we may have as many as seven sorts.” He notes a lot of that is determined by what’s available on the tract

more than by market demands. The worst thing for the industry, in his estimation, is the spikes and valleys, when prices temporarily go up beyond the market median. People start to expect that higher price as the new norm before the market adjusts and it goes back down. Big price swings, he thinks, hurt the landowner, the logger and the mill. He would prefer to see a consistent price that is fair to all. Pearce is a member of the Alabama Forest Owner’s Assn., as he and his wife own about 750 acres of land. That includes around 100 acres of farm land, and the rest in timber, which Pearce manages and harvests with his crews. Currently, they are replanting an 86-acre site in long leaf pine, as part of a state program.

Family He and his wife Toni have two daughters: Hannah, 8, and Charlotte (they call her Charli), 6. He calls his daughters country girls; they like to ride horses and fish and hunt with their dad. Toni, he says, loves to work hard. She has her own successful business; after earning a degree in horticulture from Auburn University, in 2004 she started a 30-acre plant nursery in Tanner Williams, growing ornamental shrubs. “She runs that side of things,” Pearce says. “I help her with that when I have time, but most of my efforts are concentrated on timber buying and logging production.” Incidentally, even though Toni graduated from Auburn, she and Pearce are both die-hard Alabama fans and season ticket holders. In fact, the Legacy Logging logo features a stylized A that resembles the one used in University of Alabama merchandise. It’s so similar that Pearce was initially concerned it might cause him legal trouble, but the artist who designed it assured him that it was different enough in the details that there would be no copyright infringement. The family is actively involved at Crawford Baptist church in Semmes, Ala. Pearce serves on several committees and is involved with BBQ plate fundraisers three times a year. “We used to do a softball game for a fundraiser. We decided not everyone leaves a softball game happy, but everybody can leave happy with a plate of BBQ,” Pearce smiles. The fundraiser is a ministry to help local families with sick children, especially cancer. Toni is also involved with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. She runs a fundraiser relay marathon from SLT Memphis to Mobile. Contact James Pearce by e-mail at Pearcetimberco@yahoo.com

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Overheard… “You’d better hurry and order them ’cause I’m quickly going from an XXL to an XXXL.” —Former Arkansas logger Allen Bedell to Larry Boccarossa, head of the state’s logging association, after Boccarossa said he needed shirt sizes for those who would be working the upcoming InWoodsExpo in June in Hot Springs. “We covered up a lot of mistakes with sweat.”—Veteran Arkansas sawmiller-logger Frank Wilson in an interview with an SLT editor about his family’s forest industry businesses.

“Turn Off The Radio” A devout Muslim entered a black cab in London. He curtly ordered the cabbie to turn off the radio, because as decreed by his religious teaching, he must not listen to music, and there was nothing like Western music in the time of the Prophet. The cabbie politely switched off the radio, stopped the cab and opened the door. Stunned, the passenger asked, “What are you doing?” The driver answered, “In the time of the Prophet there were no taxis, so piss off and wait for a camel.”

“Yes, losing your vision!” 9. When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them. Sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you. 10. Worrying does not take away tomorrow’s troubles; it takes away today’s peace. Bonus: Try to brighten someone’s day. Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, and leave the rest to God.

Interesting Observation The sport of choice for the urban poor is basketball. The sport of choice for maintenance level employees is bowling. The sport of choice for front-line workers is football. The sport of choice for supervisors is baseball. The sport of choice for middle management is tennis. The sport of choice for corporate executives and officers is golf. The higher you go in the corporate structure, the smaller your balls become. That’s why so many people in Washington play marbles.

Yesterday’s meals on wheels Another load of political promises You dump it, we pump it Thanks for flushing our business down the drain! You think your job sucks? Satisfaction guaranteed or 110% of your product back! A flush beats a full house Back off! We ain’t haulin’ milk! After the first whiff, call Cliff The wizard of ooze Stool Bus We want your stinking business

An Old Geezer Prevails

An old geezer, a retired logger with scars aplenty and a limp, became very bored and decided to open a medical clinic. He put a sign up that proclaimed: Dr. Geezer’s clinic. Get your treatment here for $500. If not cured, get back $1,000. Dr. Young, who was positive the old geezer didn’t know beans about medicine, thought this would be a great opportunity to get $1,000. So he went to Dr. Geezer’s clinic. This is what transpired: Dr. Young: “Dr. Geezer, I have lost all taste in my mouth. Can you please help me?” Dr. Geezer: “Nurse, please bring medicine Some creative “tunes” spotted on those septic from box 22 and put 3 drops in Dr. Young’s 1. Prayer is not a ‘spare wheel’ that you pull system pumper trucks: mouth.” out when in trouble, but a ‘steering wheel’ that Your number 2 is our number 1 Dr. Young: “Aaagh!! This is gasoline!” directs the right path throughout life’s Dr. Geezer: “Congratulations! journey. You’ve got your taste back. That will 2. So why is a car’s windshield so be $500.” large and the rear view mirror so Stewing for a couple of days, Dr. small? Because our past is not as Young goes back, figuring to recover important as our future. So, look his money. ahead and move on. Dr Young: “I have lost my memo3. A friendship is like a book. It ry, I cannot remember anything.” takes only a few minutes to burn, but Dr. Geezer: “Nurse, please bring it takes years to write. medicine from box 22 and put 3 4. All things in life are temporary. drops in the patient’s mouth.” If they’re going well, enjoy them; Dr. Young: “Oh no you don’t. No they will not last forever. If they’re more gasoline!” going wrong, don’t worry; they can’t Dr. Geezer: “Congratulations! last long either. You’ve got your memory back. That 5. Old friends are gold! New will be $500.” friends are diamond! If you get a Dr. Young, after having lost diamond, don’t forget the gold, $1,000, leaves angrily and comes because to hold a diamond, you back after several more days. always need a base of gold! Dr. Young: “My eyesight has 6. Often when we lose hope and become weak. I can hardly see.” think this is the end, God smiles from Dr. Geezer: “Well, I don’t have any above and says, “Relax, friend, it’s medicine for that so here’s your just a bend, not the end!” $1,000 back.” 7. When God solves your probDr. Young: “But this is only $500.” Lightweight compared with today’s products, the 7600 series of knuckleboom loaders created a buzz when John Deere introduced them 40 years ago. The series consisted lems, you have faith in His abilities; Dr. Geezer: “Congratulations! You of four basic models, three of which could be had with either auxiliary or PTO power. when God doesn’t solve your probgot your vision back! That will be Smallest of the group was this 7610 model that featured chain swing, 21-1/2 ft. boom lems, He has faith in your abilities. $500.” and 14,700 lb. lift capacity. Diesel engine options were a 70 HP 4 cylinder for the 8. A blind person asked St. AnthoMoral: Just because you’re smaller models and a 104 HP 6 cylinder for the top of the line model 7640, which feany: “Can there be anything worse “young” doesn’t mean you can outtured turntable swing and an enclosed cab. than losing eye sight?” He replied, smart an old Geezer.

Grand Rules To Live By

Pumping Out The Slogans

JD’s 7600 Loader Series, Circa 1975

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Wall’s Way ■ Bob and Kim Wall have grown their company into a thriving behemoth.

By David Abbott OSYKA, Miss. here are all kinds of logging outfits working the Southern woods, from two★ man operations, fatherson teams and family companies to massive corporationlike entities fielding dozens of crews. The Wall family has built something that incorporates a little of all of that into the mix. The company is officially Robert W. Wall, Inc., but it does business as Wall Timber, and Wall Timber does business big—nine crews, 29 trucks and 70 employees, all using the latest technology and the best administrative practices. But behind all that, Wall Timber is still very much what it’s always been: a tightknit family business. At the core of it all are the owners and founders: Bob Wall, 56, and his wife Kim, married almost 34 years. Obvious from the outset is that they aren’t just partners on paper— they’re a true team in every way. Both are intricately involved in dayto-day management. They bring an energy and passion to the business that permeates every facet of the im-

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pressive enterprise they have built together. From the start, they have strived to institutionalize strong business practices into the company culture as part of the daily routine. Today it is a meticulously organized and well-oiled machine active across Mississippi and Louisiana. Before getting to that level, though, the couple had to shed a lot of blood, sweat and tears on the way. Wall Timber is a far cry now from its humble beginnings some 27 years ago. “We started out with nothing,” Kim recalls.

parents a house. The formula was always a simple one: work…hard. He started at T.L. James Construction. A few years later he got a job on a logging crew, first as a truck driver, then moving to skidder, then loader. Soon he was crew foreman. By the time he turned 30 in 1988, Wall had an opportunity to go into business for himself. He

Hard Start An Osyka native, Wall grew up around the timber industry, but he didn’t inherit the business from family after finishing high school, as many loggers have done. In fact, he didn’t finish high school at all. “In a way I’m not proud of it, but in a way I am,” he admits. When his parents fell on hard times financially, Wall quit school in the 9th grade and went to work. By the time he turned Kim and Bob Wall 18, he was able to buy his

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liked the idea, but when he brought it home to Kim, she was less than enthusiastic about the risky move. Her reluctance was understandable: they had two young daughters to consider—Abigail and Elizabeth. Wall had the vision of what it could be, but at first that vision was obscured by the shadows of reality. He borrowed $100,000 to buy older equipment from his former boss, and lost a lot of his time in those early days just trying to keep that equipment running. For the first few years he could only make enough to pay the interest. The family lived on the income from Kim’s bookkeeping job with a home construction company. “It took a while,” Wall recounts. “We had no credit, but we finally worked up a deal with the local bank to buy a new skidder and a new cutter. Then we took off.” Even then, though, it was not all roses. “We had some bad times, but we had good times, too.” Kim kept her job for the first four years while doing Wall Timber’s books at night on their

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dining room table. Eventually, that night work outgrew both the table and the time she had to do it, so she quit her day job and became Wall Timber’s office manager full-time.

Family Ties The company grew as the family did. Wall worked with his older brother Dennis on that first crew for two and a half years. When his other brother Larry came on board, Wall added a second crew. When Elizabeth’s husband Mark Konzelman joined nine years ago, followed by Abigail’s husband Brandon Liuzza two years later, Wall Timber swelled from two to four crews, then to six, and finally to nine. Both sons-in-law serve as crew foremen, along with Roy Williams and Bob’s brother Dennis Ray Wall. Each foreman oversees more than one crew. Trucking supervisor Ricky Ravencroft is married to Wall’s niece Leslee, daughter of their late sister Mildred.

The Walls have nine skidders on nine crews, including several Cat 525s.

Border Town Although based in Mississippi, Wall was the Louisiana Logging Council’s 2013 Logger of the Year. The company literally straddles the fence between both states. Osyka sits right on the border; the southern city limit line is also the state line. The crews work as much in Louisiana as they do in Mississippi—sometimes more so. In fact, when he started, Wall worked almost exclusively on the Louisiana side. Wall is active in both the Mississippi Loggers Assn. and the Louisiana Logging Council, and the Mississippi Forestry Assn.’s southwest district. He has been a master logger in Mississippi since 1998 and is SmartLogging certified under the Louisiana Logging Council. He was also the 2005 Pike County Logger of the Year. In May, Wall received the 2015 Outstanding Logger Award for the Forest Resources Assn.’s Southcentral Region. Timber dealer Gulf States Forestry in Clinton, Miss., works exclusively with Wall Timber. When Gulf States owner Marshall Varnado left his previous job to go on his own, he and Wall worked out the arrangement. “We are committed to them and they are committed to us,” Wall says. Gulf States buys timber for eight of Wall’s crews; the ninth contracts for International Paper. Varnado has two other foresters in his employ: David Merril and Matt Williamson. Typically the crews work within a 75-mile radius from home and haul to a variety of mills—Georgia Pacific, Weyerhaeuser, International Paper, Kpaq Industries—at locations throughout both states. This year, Wall expects to have a new

From left: Kim Wall, Bob Wall, Dennis Ray Wall, Brandon Liuza, Mark Konzelman, Ricky Ravencroft

The family at home, left to right: Mark, Elizabeth and Manning Konzelman; Bob and Kim Wall; Abigail, Ella and Brandon Liuza

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market with the Drax Biomass pellet mill near Gloster, Miss.

A fleet of 29 trucks—all Western Star and Peterbilt—hauls Wall’s production.

A mixture of Deere and Cat machines fell for the crews in both Mississippi and Louisiana.

Doggett Equipment, Covington, La., and Puckett Machinery, Brookhaven, Miss., are the primary equipment dealers.

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Company headquarters includes adjacent shop/office buildings. Kim’s office staff, Dawn Santalucito and Bonnie Swearingen, keeps up with all the paperwork, with help from a CPA for tax preparation. Dry erase boards are updated daily with maintenance information, color-coded by date to communicate to foremen which machines are due for work. Any and all maintenance and repair work done to any piece of equipment is documented in meticulous detail, recorded in maintenance log sheets and filed in Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, creating a complete maintenance history on every piece of equipment. With this system, Wall Timber can track, for example, how many miles it gets from a particular type of tires. This helps Bob and Kim in deciding whether to purchase something different next time. Kim says the detailed service records help Wall Timber get top dollar on trade-ins. “We have been this organized from the start,” Kim says. “I’ve worked in offices before, and this was personal. It was our living. We had nothing, so every little detail was important.” Drivers use a checklist to inspect trucks daily and note any problems on a post board in the shop for the mechanics to see. “Don’t just tell them verbally, leave a paper trail,” Kim teaches. The shop features a storage room for an inventory of spare truck parts, from tires to flags. Buying in bulk from Kentwood Auto Parts in Kentwood, La., Wall Timber enjoys big discounts. All trucks return to HQ at night— no one drives anything home. They keep it all under video surveillance. “With 29 trucks and trailers, that’s quite an investment sitting out here in the open,” Kim notes. At the strikingly clean two-bay shop, the maintenance team greases trucks and trailers every two weeks and changes oil and filters every 1520,000 miles. In-woods equipment gets the same treatment every 250 hours. A 250-gallon tank on a trailer stores new oil, while used oil goes in a 150-gallon tank with an air compressor pump. Primary oil/grease supplier, Smitty’s in Arkola, La., buys used oil back. Trucks get cleaned thoroughly at a wash rack by the shop twice a month. As an incentive, drivers receive a bonus at the end of every quarter if their truck doesn’t get written up for anything that the driver could control. The three mechanics stay in the shop, while operators handle routine maintenance in the woods. As for repairs, Wall’s crew can handle most jobs, but as much of the equipment

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It’s a good way to go.

Enough said.

stays under warranty, bigger jobs go back to the dealers. Wall also makes use of JD Link and Cat Product Link telematics systems to monitor any problems with the newer machines. Perhaps because of the early years, when he worked on his machines more than his machines worked for him, Wall believes in keeping things fresh. As a rule he trades everything in on a three to four year rotation. That goes for trucks, too.

Machines, Trucks All told the company has nine loaders—Caterpillar 559s, Prentice

2384s and John Deere 437Ds— all paired with CTR 420 delimbers. Nine skidders include Cat 525Cs and Deere 648H, 748 and 848H models. Felling duties fall to Prentice 2470, Deere 643K and 843K and Cat 553C and 563C cutters. Komatsu and Deere dozers handle road building. Dealers include Puckett Machinery of Brookhaven, Miss. for Cat and Doggett Equipment of Covington, La., for John Deere. The Walls estimate their equipment investment in the ballpark of $15 million, including 15 service trucks. Truck fleet includes 19 Western Stars and 10 Peterbilts, all 2012-

2014 models, pulling 31 four- bolster trailers from Magnolia and Pitts, along with four Magnolia lowboys. Recognizing trucking as their biggest liability exposure, the Walls view owning their own trucks as a necessary evil. One logger Wall knew had two contract truckers set up one recent morning, and neither showed up. “We couldn’t have nine logging jobs with contract truckers,” Bob is convinced. Wall reports that most of the bugs have been worked out now with Tier 4f engines on trucks. “We use 300 gallons a week of DEF,” he says. They buy fuel in bulk from Pigott Oil

in Tylertown, Miss. Typically, according to Kim’s records, the crews burn 50,000 gallons a month of highway fuel and 25,000 off-road. With crews and trucks spread out north in Mississippi and south in Louisiana, backhauling opportunities exist, and the company takes advantage of every chance to maximize loaded mileage. That requires planning and coordination to prevent chaos—hence the need for a trucking coordinator to oversee dispatching. A dry erase board in the office each day tracks where each truck is assigned. Because they have to keep up with DOT regulations in two states,

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the Walls stick with the stricter set of rules, in terms of the number of mud flaps or straps required. Weight limit is 84,000 lbs. on Mississippi state roads with harvest permit and 86,600 in Louisiana with harvest permit. Drivers keep a copy of harvest permits inside each truck. All trucks/ trailers use Vulcan onboard scales, and Wall Timber has an employee qualified to calibrate the scales. They just started using the scales in the past year, and it has taken about a year to get them installed on all rigs.

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New Things Always open to pioneering new things, the Walls have recently experimented with automatic transmission log trucks and shorter, lighter-weight slanted hood trucks. They paired lighter-weight Pitts trailers with the shorter trucks to compare against fully-loaded, heavier rigs. Kim reports an average increase of 2-3 tons per load. Last fall, Wall Timber installed GPS and dash cam systems on all its trucks. They chose Top Dawg GPS

1080 dashcam from Custom Audio in McComb, Miss. Top Dawg owner and technical expert Bobby McDaniel has been a great help, Kim reports. The system not only videos the driver’s view but records a wide array of data—GPS location, speed, idle time—all stored on a removable 32 GB card, which records eight hours of information before it starts recording over itself. They bought enough cards to have spares when they need to take a card out. The system immediately proved

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useful by proving that a driver was not at fault in an accident shortly after the installation. The insurance company used it to have the ticket reversed and removed from the driver and company record. The investment was $9,666, installed (installation took about a half hour per truck). “The first week I probably saved that much, or a good percentage of it, on that wreck,” Kim says.

Safety “We have a safety program out of this world,” Kim says. It includes complete company drug and alcohol program and CPR and blood pathogen training for all employees. They certify half the employees every year, rotating on a two-year cycle, because there are too many employees to do them all every year. The company is an OSHA partner, keeping track of near miss incidents in the woods. Monthly safety meetings alternate, with one month for logging and the next for trucking employees. One night each month, Kim will make dinner for 35-40 employees in the safety meeting, and they give out cash prizes. Insurance And Risk Managers carrier FCCI in Brookhaven, Miss., provides some materials for the meetings. Mike Smith is the Walls’ agent. They have brought in a trucking safety officer for meetings, and have conducted defensive driving training for all drivers of any company-owned vehicle, not just log trucks. The company’s workers comp mod last year was .78. Everyone in the woods is required to wear orange hardhats, goggles and steel-toed boots—no tennis shoes in the woods, even for drivers. Wall Timber has a seatbelt policy and allows no cell phone use while driving unless using a Bluetooth one touch system in any company vehicle. They allow no visitors in the woods. They enforce a zero tolerance policy on trash in the woods. Drug testing is mandatory for all truck drivers. Kim and son-in-law Mark have taken reasonable suspicion training to help know what signs to look for in an employee who might be using drugs. All employees, even office workers, are required to sign a drug free policy and are subject to be called in for random for drug testing. All vehicles carry a first aid kit, blood-born pathogen kit, fire extinguisher, spill kit. Every truck has a list with all phone numbers for all health facilities and ambulances, in every parish or county in which the company operates, laminated on one sheet. They also have a MSDS sheet in every crew truck in case there is a chemical or fluid spill. ➤ 30

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Office staff, from left: Kim Wall, Bonnie Swearingen, Dawn Santalucito

Mailboxes are used for drivers to leave and receive important paperwork after hours.

Help

has served as alderman twice and been grand marshal at the town Christmas parade. Bob’s family jokes that his hobby is mowing lawns; besides the 80 acres at his house, he also mows the town park and the post office after it faced budget cuts last year, as a free community service. It is a way of giving back and also an attempt to rehabilitate the public image of loggers, which Bob admits is often less than pristine. “We want loggers to have a better reputation,” Bob says. “We want others to feel the way we do about the industry,” Kim adds. “We love it. It has been good to us. We want to do good for it.” “Hopefully Dennis will stay a few more years,” Wall says—their

Wall Timber offers paid holidays, production bonus incentives and Christmas bonuses. Even before Affordable Care Act requirements, Wall Timber already has full Blue Cross Blue Shield medical insurance in place for all employees. “We want to do it because we want to be able to provide a better employment,” she says. The company pays a set share of the premium cost; payroll deductions cover the rest. “I think what makes us very good at what we do is that we have been on the other side,” Kim says. “We didn’t get grandfathered in. We worked for the other fellow. We have been the working man that has been blessed

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enough to become management.” Although the couple is very pleased with the help they have, they are always looking for more. “I could open up three more jobs tomorrow if I could find the help,” Bob says. Not only the quality or availability, but the advancing age of the logging labor force concerns them. “It is hard to encourage younger people to come to work in this industry, and I don’t know why,” Kim laments.

Dynasty Wall Timber is an active member of its community. It sponsors local ball teams—the Wall Timber Jacks. A local newspaper named Kim activist of the year in 2014, and Bob

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brother Larry has already retired. The Walls think they might start cutting things back gradually in years to come—unless their sonsin- law want to keep things going at this level. If that happens, the Walls may have a growing dynasty on their hands—their two grandchildren. Abigail and Brandon have a girl, Ella, 4, while Elizabeth and Mark have a boy, Manning, 3. “I pray (Ella) will go to accounting school and let me retire, and (Manning) will go to forestry school and let papaw retire,” Kim laughs. “I plan on retiring before he gets old enough to do that,” Bob interSLT jects. Contact Bob and Kim Wall by email at walltimberco@wildblue.net

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Arkansas Action! ■ InWoodsExpo features new technology, extra attractions June 18-20 near Hot Springs. By DK Knight et for June 18-20 near Hot Springs, Ark., the fourth InWoodsExpo (IWE) is shaping up as the year’s largest actionpacked forestry equipment demodisplay west of the Mississippi River. As of mid May more than 50 exhibitors, ranging from big machine heavyweights to attachment providers to tire companies to insurance providers, had signed up to participate. At least 100 manufacturers, dealers, product brands, agencies, associations and other interests will be represented during the 2-½ day event, according to Larry Boccarossa, Executive Director of the Arkansas Timber Producers Assn. (ATPA) and Expo Manager. Noting that interest is high and pre-registration numbers are very encouraging, he expects attendance to be the highest since the expo’s benchmark performance of 2007. The event was last held in 2011. “The forest products industry continues to strengthen and the confidence level of loggers, timber brokers, mills and landowners is much improved,” he says. “In addition, we’ve promoted this year’s expo very vigorously, and in different ways, so we anticipate a strong turnout.” Boccarossa explains the reason for the June show date: “Rain and severe storms were factors in both 2007 (April) and 2011 (May), so our expo committee opted to move the

show to June, believing that rain and storms will be less of a threat. It’ll be a little warmer, yes, but the temperature shouldn’t be an issue, since the average late spring temperature in Hot Springs is just 84 degrees.” He also notes that the site’s walking trail has abundant shade and that shuttles will move attendees from on-site parking areas to the midway, and along the midway itself. A couple of exhibitors will likely have misters at their sites, he adds. Unlike previous IWEs, attendees can park at the site and come and go as they please—a big plus. In keeping with the show’s theme of “Tech Up,” sponsors have promoted it as taking place at the ‘intersection of game-changing technology’ and ‘always room for improvement’—a short distance off I-30 (exit 111) some 16 miles eastnortheast of Hot Springs and about 36 miles southwest of Little Rock. It is a twice-thinned loblolly pine tract owned and sustainably managed by Weyerhaeuser. Examples of products that incorporate advanced technology, and that are scheduled to be at the show, include skidders by Caterpillar, John Deere and Tigercat; loaders by Barko, chippers and grinders by Bandit, Morbark, Rotochopper, Peterson and Vermeer; a compact disc saw for skid steer and tracktype loaders by Dougherty; proces-

sors by Log Max, Quadco and Waratah; and a new wide throat pull-through delimber by CSI. Caterpillar machines will include a wheel-type feller-buncher, Dseries skidder and knuckleboom loader. The display will include information on telematics (Product Link and user interface VisionLink), Cat parts and financing. NASCAR tickets will be given away as well. Its dealer partners include Riggs CAT, Don’s Hydraulic Equipment and Suttle Equipment. Tigercat and its local dealer, MidSouth Equipment, will have at

Late Development SLT has learned that Del Fab, the company that manufactured the Valmet 603 triwheel feller-buncher, is bringing the machine back this summer as the DF703. Visit tent booth E33 at IWE for more info. See news item, page 58.

At 2011 InWoodsExpo, attendees walked the midway for products and services beneficial to their businesses.

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least seven machines on display and/or working. They will include 610E, 620E and 630E skidders, 234B and 250D loaders, and 720G and 724G wheel-type fellerbunchers. IWE will be the first show of its type for John Deere to showcase its new L-Series skidders and feller-bunchers and MSeries track-type machines. JD knucklebooms will be on hand as well. Deere will partner will Arkansas dealer Stribling Equipment.

‘First’s, Continuing Ed ATPA gave birth to the expo in 2004 and this year shares the sponsorship role with Hatton-Brown Publishers, parent company of Southern Loggin’ Times, Timber Harvesting & Wood Fiber Operations, Wood Bioenergy and other publications. This year IWE is incorporating several ‘firsts,’ among them on-site parking for attendees; special activities for children (inflatable offerings, Smokey the Bear, face painting), and worldclass chain saw carving provided by Artistry In Wood. As is customary, Caterpillar, is again sponsoring its popular loader championship, which tests loader operator skills and also serves as a fundraiser for Log A Load for Kids. Through ATPA, the expo is offering on-site continuing education

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classes for loggers and foresters. Six hours of ARKPRO credit are available for those attending the sessions. The schedule: Friday, June 19, 9-10:30 a.m., Outdoor Power Equipment Technology, Robert Smith, Smiths South-Central Sales Co., instructor; 10:45-noon, Office Computer Systems, Vic Hemard, Hemard & Assoc., instructor; 1-2 p.m., Feral Hog Control, Dr. Becky McPeake, U of A Extension Service, instructor; 2:20-4 p.m., New Equipment Technology, Berry Johnson, John Deere Forestry, instructor. Saturday, June 20: 9 a.m.-noon, Simple, Cost-Effective Technology for Loggers: Mapping, GPS Harvesting, Load Ticketing, and Equipment Protection, Johnny Thompson, Landmark Spatial Solutions, instructor.

Pre-registration Urged Attendees are encouraged to preregister. Open until June 3, pre-registration is $15 per business-active adult versus $20 at the gate. Children 17 and under are admitted free. Visit ark loggers.com/expo. Show hours: Thursday, June 18, noon until 4 p.m.; Friday, June 19, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, June 20, 8

a.m.-2 p.m. GPS coordinates to site entrance: 333451.03 North, 924828.13 West. From I-30, exit 111, take U.S. 70 West to Arkansas 128 and turn right. Site is .8 miles on right. Expo sponsors, citing safety and other considerations, have adopted a “no animals allowed” policy for the venue this year, according to Boccarossa. Boccarossa advises that space is still available in several exhibit locations, as are sponsorships for those who don’t wish to exhibit but otherwise want to support the expo as an educational venue. Sponsors to date include BITCO Insurance Companies, Deltic Timber, Green Bay Packaging, TimberSure, Zilkha Biomass, Potlatch, Plum Creek, Tri-W Logging Co., River Ridge Equipment, Crouse Truck Parts & Equipment, Price Services, L.D. Long, Inc., Weyerhaeuser, and Farm Credit. To book exhibit space, contact Kathy Sternenberg: ksternen berg@bellsouth.net, phone 251928-4962. To purchase a sponsorship, contact Larry Boccarossa:

lboccarossa@sbcglobal.net, phone 501-224-2232,

Exhibitor Lineup As of mid May exhibitors included Alliance Tire Americas, Arkansas Insurance Dept., Arkansas Highway Police, Arkansas Timber Producers Assn., Bandit Indstries, BITCO Insurance Companies, Caterpillar Forest Products, Chambers DeLimbinator, Construction Safety Products, Crouse Truck Parts & Equipment, Cutting Systems, DelFab, Don’s Hydraulic Equipment, Dave Felder & Associates, Farm Credit of Western Arkansas, Fecon, GCR Tires & Service, Hatton-Brown Publishers, John Deere Forestry, Landmark

Spatial Solutions, Log Max, Limb Beaver, Lumbermen’s Equipment Digest, Manac, MidSouth Forestry Equipment, Morbark, Pate Industries, Pemberton, Peterbilt Truck Center of Little Rock, Peterson, Quadco, Quality Petroleum, River Ridge Equipment, Riggs CAT, Rotobec, Rotochopper, Smith South-Central Sales Co., Stribling Equipment, Suttle Equipment, Texarkana Truck Center, The Lumberman’s Exchange, Tigercat, Titan Tire, Towmate, TMS Machinery Sales, Tucker’s Truck, Vermeer Mid-South, VPG Onboard Weighing, Windy Ridge Corp., and SLT Waratah.

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Beard Hosts Deere Demo Event By Jay Donnell COTTONDALE, Fla. ohn Deere ★ and Beard Equipment enlightened customers about its new L and M series machines, referred to as “Game Changers,” at a seminar and demo event here April 28. John Deere’s manager of forestry product engineering, Greg Miller, introduced the MSeries tracked feller-bunchers, L-Series wheel-type fellerbuncher and skidders with an extensive presentation of all of the new features, including Tier 4f engines on the skidders and bunchers. Several Deere officials gave product presentations and answered questions from the loggers and machine operators in attendance. About 100 customers attended the event and had the opportunity to test a fellerbuncher and skidder. Tony Gipson of Clay Blizzard Trucking of Freeport, Fla. came to the event to learn about the new machines, especially the feller-buncher. “We’re always looking for something new,” Gipson says. “John Deere has made some really nice improvements on these feller-bunchers.” The event lasted from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. so everyone had ample time to learn about all the new features of the L and M series. The rain held off and customers were able to enjoy a steak lunch and other delicious foods catered by Po’ Folks Bar-B-Que. Garlon Rainey, general sales manager at Beard Equipment, believes it’s important to have these events to show customers their commitment and focus on their business and the forestry industry. “We had a very large turnout and feedback was extremely positive,” Rainey says. “Many customers said it was the best forestry event that they had ever attended.” John Deere also recently conducted similar training and demo events with Warrior Equipment and its customers in Alabama and with Stribling Equipment and its customers SLT in Mississippi.

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A large group of customers showed up to see what new features the L&M 'Game Changers' have to offer.

John Deere's manager of forestry product engineering, Greg Miller.

Customers have a look at the new 643L wheeled feller-buncher.

The L-Series skidders deliver more horsepower, stability and grapple options.

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Southern Loggers Co-Op Marks Milestone By Jessica Johnson he Southern Loggers Cooperative, like many of its members, looks a little different than it did 10 years ago. Back then it was just a group of nine guys with the idea that unifying their buying power of diesel fuel might save them a few dollars a week. Now, the co-op still operates under the same guiding principle—save loggers as much money on diesel fuel as possible—but the office set up has moved from a kitchen table to a six person team in Pineville, La. The membership has grown from those first nine guys to 2,000, and continues to climb every single day. Why? Because of that guiding principle in action. Earlier this year, Executive Director Todd Martin and COO Jason Slatten report their diesel prices were between 50 and 70 cents lower than the average convenience store. Slatten says that it’s not unusual to have a logger or trucker call in asking, “How it all works exactly.” That is usually followed with a variation of, “You’re kidding!” after hearing what the current day’s price is. Retail margins are still catching what they can while they can, even if they are comparably low, Slatten says, but a 50 cents margin is still a 50 cents margin. “Our profit margin stays the same no matter what. We’re not trying to make anything extra, so those guys are seeing that we’re 50 cents lower than everybody else. We’re almost at the point where we can’t keep up the application process right now,” he explains. Martin agrees, saying that at the rate they are currently growing, the office is going to need to expand.

How It Works So how exactly does it all work? Martin explains that it’s a rather simple application process: available by either calling the office or downloading it off the web site. Slatten estimates that it would take a person about 15 minutes to complete the application process, as you are not required to calculate gross incomes or pull financial records. Credit is pulled, but only because the co-op operates one week in the hole and if a member burns 20,000 gallons of fuel and he can’t pay, it can hurt the books of the co-op quickly. From there the one time membership fee is $100. Slatten explains that the co-op is truly designed to save members money, there’s no person behind the curtain turning a profit, or getting 38

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more and more stations, more than other memand when we move into a bers. Everybody’s share new area that creates more of the co-op is $100. But opportunity for memberit wasn’t always that way. ship.” The membership fee In the early days, Todd used to be $1500, Martin would go to ALC meetings explains, but as the memand try to drum up interest bership grew, the need for in the co-op. Now it’s the such a large fee was no opposite. People are calling more. When the board the office every day asking decided to reduce the fee, about the application everyone that paid the process and asking for more higher price got a refund. stations. It’s not just loggers Once the application has been processed, members The Southern Loggers Cooperative staff, front row, from left: Todd and haulers that are calling asking for stations, Martin are assigned cards with Martin, Executive Director/CEO; Lisa Dubois, Executive Assistant; PIN numbers, good at any Shannon Williber, Accounting Clerk; Jason Slatten, COO; back row, says. Mills are quick to call from left: Bill Jones, Asst. Executive Director (Eastern Division), and ask for them as well. of the stations around the Miranda Shumate, Marketing/Member Relations “They want us to put a country. From there, all station by their scales, using that as you have to do is swipe your card and cerned with saving themselves money,” he says, but once the origi- a draw. Like look if you haul here go. Martin says that everything is very nal nine realized that it was about to you can buy fuel so much cheaper become something they never antic- right here at the gate,” he says, streamlined—it has to be to really ipated, they quickly brought on an which is smart on those mills’ save money. Computers help track Executive Director and COO. behalf, and something the co-op the amount of fuel purchased at each Clyde Todd and Mary Todd served encourages. However, unfortunatestation twice a day. “If it wasn’t for ly, Slatten says that sometimes mills the computers we wouldn’t be able to as Executive Director and COO until 2012 when Martin and Slatten were will use the co-op price to calculate save the money that we do because put in those positions upon the rates, which defeats the whole purwe would have to have a full staff at Todds’ retirement. “Everything startpose. every state,” he says. ed at the kitchen table, done by Because of the proximity to the Back in the early days, everyhand,” Martin says with a smile. That mills, the co-op is picking up more thing was done by hand. Now, first year it was just a few thousand members that have been always everything is not only streamlined, driving by stations to get to mills, but also automated, with the excep- gallons of fuel. Last year the co-op sold 29 million gallons of diesel after finding out the co-op is so tion of six co-op employees and a between direct delivery and stations. much lower. “We’re never going to part time custodian at each station. The co-op doesn’t just do diesel be more than the competition,” SlatOver 675,000 gallons of fuel a ten says with conviction. week, plus tens of thousands of dol- fuel, though it is their main focus. lars’ worth of parts and tires a week, Also in place are tire discounts, a nationwide parts program, affordare managed by those six employOutlook able healthcare plans and dental, ees. That’s a massive amount of When asked what the future of vision and life insurance. production from such a small numthe co-op looks like, Slatten and ber of employees. The staff is as Martin agree: they have no idea. dedicated and efficient as you’ll Growth Mode “We’re trying to build a spider web find anywhere. That’s how the SLC Right now the co-op is in a comwhere each station is connected to can do what it does. plete growth mode, setting records one another,” Martin says, so memThe custodian is responsible for nearly every week. Martin says that bership is pulled over to the new stachanging out receipt paper, picking tions, cutting down on recruiting. up trash, changing the nozzles, any- with how much they are able to save people, it’s not surprising. But it’s not just more stations in thing that might need doing. They “We’re generally in the worst of other areas, which will be in the coare the co-op’s eyes at the stations times going to be 15 to 20 cents op’s future. “The sky really is the when a staff member can’t be. under,” he says, “and that doesn’t limit,” Martin says. Anything that initiate that growth the same way they can purchase in bulk to help cut History the 50 cents does. We’re building down on the cost of doing business is It’s not exactly what Travis on the table as something to Taylor and Todd Martin’s look at it: trucks, protective father had in mind when they clothing, parts, insurance, lube first started bouncing the idea and oil. “To quote Miranda back and forth in the late Shumate, Marketing/ Member 1990s and early 2000s. But at Relations, We’re the Sam’s the same time, it’s exactly Wholesale Club for loggers,” what Taylor had in mind. Loghe jokes. gers see real savings each Everything is driven by the week when their fuel bill is guiding principle of lowering automatically drafted out and the cost of doing business. each September when their “Who knows what it might SLT dividend checks are sent. be?” Slatten says. Martin explains that once it (This article previously apstarted, it quickly blew up. peared in Timber Harvesting Fuel pumps are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. “They were primarily conmagazine.)

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Family At Work ■ A familiar name in the southern hardwood lumber industry has built a global operation based in TN. By David Abbott HUNTLAND, Tenn. ordeck Thompson, ★ President, CEO and founder of Thompson Appalachian Hardwoods, Inc. is at his core a family man, and his business reflects that fact. He grew up at his father’s company, Thompson Hardwoods, Inc. in Hazlehurst, Ga. (that mill was purchased by Nordeck’s sister and brother-in-law Phyllis and Steve Johnson and later sold to the Beasley group). “That’s where I was trained and where I toiled and labored through many a long hot summer day in my teenage years, in college and for about 12 years after,” Thompson, now 55, recalls. By his early 30s, Nordeck felt the need to start something of his own. His wife, Mary, had family in Tennessee, so they relocated there. In 1993, Thompson saw an opportunity to acquire the company assets of what is now Thompson Appalachian Hardwoods, Inc. “My father was gracious to help my wife and I put together capital,” Nordeck says. “We could not have accomplished what we have without his help from the start. And not just my father; quite a few people were pivotal for us.” The early days weren’t easy. “Our family had just had our sixth child, at the same time as we were moving to a new place, and starting a new mill, with a house full of little kids.” Today, most of those kids, and some of their spouses, work with their father, running various parts of the

his wife are graduates and fans of the University of Georgia—accounting for the Bulldogs decorations in their Tennessee offices (both schools play in the Southeastern Conference). Four of their kids also went to UGA, but thanks to an influx of new family members these UGA parents now have a family full of Georgia Tech, Clemson and Tennessee grads. “I can almost sing Rocky Top now without getting sick to my stomach, because I’ve been writing those tuition checks,” Thompson says. He’s joking…sort of.

Upgrades The family, left to right: Drew Getty, Claire Thompson Getty, Mary Claire Thompson, Nordeck Thompson, Mary Lee Thompson McConnell, Robert McConnell, Laura Ann Thompson Howell (not pictured: Nick Thompson)

company. “They are making it easier on me as I get a little whiter in the beard,” Thompson smiles. Oldest daughter Claire Getty is the company’s CFO, while her husband Drew works as procurement manager. Thompson’s son Nick is the vice president of operations. Another daughter, Laura Ann Howell, serves as vice president of risk management. A third daughter, Mary Lee McConnell, has just come on board in the last two months as human resources manager, a job for which she trained at UTK—the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Her husband Rob works as lumber yard manager. In addition, Thompson has a brotherin-law, David Pruett, dry kiln operator, and a nephew, William Faircloth, who works in sales and pur-

chasing alongside vice presidentsales, Todd Nelson. Many employees have been there 15+ years and have become like family as well. “With the rapid growth of our company over the past few years, our goal is to not only provide top-quality hardwood lumber products, but to also become one of the best employers in our part of the state,” Laura Ann says. “We love Huntland, Tenn. and want to continue to build a strong and supportive workplace community here.” Following the path of her older sister Mary Lee, youngest daughter Caroline—the one just being born when Thompson was starting the company 22 years ago—is now a junior at UTK. It brings up a mildly sore subject for their father. He and

When Thompson bought the plant in 1993 it had been shut down for more than 10 years. It took no small measure of hard work to get it back into operational condition, and that work has continued ever since. “We have been in a constant state of improvement since the day we bought this place,” he says. Basically the mill has been completely rebuilt over 22 years. The original mill building doesn’t exist anymore. “It took 20 years to get it where we wanted it, and now it is capable of running the production we want,” Thompson says. This year they project 18MMBF of production, including a budget of 12MMBF of kiln-dried product. To date the facility processes no outside lumber. Just three years ago, the company was only operating two electric kilns with 160,000 feet of capacity. Increased drying capacity was The original mill has been almost completely rebuilt over the last 22 years.

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important to Thompson; if they wanted to continue competing for raw material in the area, Thompson knew they had to move away from focusing exclusively on green lumber sales. In 2012, the company purchased a neighboring property, formerly Gilbert Hardwoods. That acquisition included six dry kilns heated by a waste-fired boiler system. In addition, the purchase of Gilbert Hardwoods included a Yates American B24 double surfacer. The Gilbert acquisition meant a continuation of the constant state of improvements. Thompson has recently added three new Nyle dry kilns, bringing total drying capacity to 800MMBF across 11 dry kilns. Additionally, with the expansion of the drying and sawmill divisions, the company’s procurement division has also grown to include a larger standing timber program and treelength log merchandising. Thompson Appalachian contracts with logging crews to harvest its timber tracts and deliver this timber treelength to the mill. “With multiple grades, species and lengths, there is a lot going on in the log yard,” Nordeck says. “With this added capacity coming onto our log yard, we decided to invest in a knuckleboom system, a Tigercat 250D equipped with the AC16 carrier. This equipment allowed us to optimize the space on the log yard – we can go vertical with our log piles now. We unload log trucks with wheeled loaders and organize our yard with the Tigercat equipment.” All of this growth has meant a rapid increase in the number of people involved; the employee roster doubled in three years. “With just under 100 employees now, we have learned a lot about the lumber business and Human Resources compliance as well,” Thompson says. “Our Human Resources department has focused heavily on compliance related issues regarding employee benefits and other employment matters, and they have done an excellent job,” he adds.

West Plains thin-kerf horizontal resaw takes larger cants from Comact headrig.

Nordeck Thompson talks with employees, staying on top of mill operations.

Production The mill was built to cut multiple thicknesses of high grade hardwood. The process begins with a Nicholson A2 ring debarker following a MDI metal detector. A Salem linear positioning carriage features USNR YieldMaster G3 StereoScan optimization. A Comact double cut

Lumber flows from headrig to Schurman (USNR) edger with Nelson Bros. optimization.

7 ft. bandmill headrig makes the initial breakdown. Lumber flows from the headrig to a Schurman (USNR) four-saw board edger, optimized with a Nelson Bros. system, while cants go to either a Schurman thin-kerf top arbor gang saw for smaller logs or a West Plains thinkerf horizontal resaw for larger ones. Thompson recruited some

engineers to help him design the custom-built double end trimmer, through which every piece flows. Filing room is equipped with Armstrong grinder for the headrig band saw, Armstrong bench, Wright face and side grinding machine for circle saws, and an Armstrong grinder for the resaw. Downstream, NHLA-certified inspectors work at a grading station, after which all lumber is sorted by grade, thickness and length. Some of it is packaged green for shipment, while the rest is dipped and staged for the drying process. An Irvington Moore (USNR) blade-arm stacker is the starting point for the dry kiln division— green lumber is put on sticks for the air drying process. After a period of air drying in a covered shed or in the air drying yard, lumber is then transferred to one of 11 dry kilns. Once dried, lumber is re-graded by a team of NHLA-certified inspectors and is finally sorted and packaged for shipment. The existing air drying yard

Tigercat knuckleboom loader with articulating carrier sorts and organizes log yard.

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All saws are maintained in-house with Armstrong and Wright equipment.

With all the expansion of recent years, the mill expects 18MMBF of production this year.

and covered dry sheds combine for a 4.5MMBF capacity. About 50MBF is processed daily through the destick line. The facility is set to dry about 12MMBF this year. Thompson Appalachian utilizes a real-time inventory control system and bar coding for all logs and lumber.

The company has gotten a lot of traction, Laura Ann says, from its online presence. “We have been able to showcase our family’s story, the products and our corporate culture,” she says. “We have experienced growing demand for our products domestically and globally because people can access Thompson Appalachian more easily. Not only that, we have had much success attracting great talent. Once someone hits our website, they can get a good feel for our company culture.” “From my perspective, it is about

Rebranding Alongside the ongoing expansion projects since the Gilbert acquisition in 2012, Thompson Appalachian completed a rebranding for its 20th anniversary in 2013. This

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included a new logo, new web site and corporate identity package as part of an effort to market the company and its products to a global marketplace, especially given the increased drying capacity. “For us it’s about our family brand,” Thompson says. “Who we are and what we believe about the integrity of our product. We are striving every day to put out the kind of product people want. Sometimes it’s not about price, but it’s always about quality. Price may have to be negotiable, but quality is never negotiable.”

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engaging our industry globally,” her dad adds. “If we have a quality product but we don’t embrace the marketing and technology to get the word out there...how can one little family in Huntland have a global presence?” He continues: “The market is 24/7, it never closes, whether it’s in Melbourne, Dubai, Mexico City. We operate in those markets. We get a lot of traction from the online presence.” Laura Ann adds the accessibility online and a quality, recognizable brand has reduced the company’s

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travel demands of not so many years ago. A global marketplace does offer its own challenges. “Global stability has major impacts on all marketplaces, including the hardwood lumber industry,” Laura Ann says. “Varying currency valuations, fuel prices, political unrest and international violence each affects the psychology of a marketplace.” The family owns a separate company, Thompson Transport, LLC, which hauls lumber out and logs in, as well as other goods, nationwide.

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It includes 10 company trucks and also contracts with owner-operators. The over-the-road fleet is predominantly Freightliner Coronados pulling flatbeds equipped with Quick Draw Tarp Systems—seven for lumber and three for logs. “Thompson Transport has given Thompson Appalachian Hardwoods better control of its supply chain and eliminates some of the logistical problems associated with transportation equipment availability for our lumber products,” Laura Ann says. Top species for Thompson

Appalachian are red oak, white oak, poplar and ash, with some walnut and cherry in the mix. The procurement team includes four full-time foresters and one part-time land manager for the company’s timberlands, as well as two full-time log scalers. “They have a substantial number of years of experience, and they are out there every day shaking hands and building relationships, always trying to increase our volume,” Thompson says. The procurement team also uses GIS—geographic information sys-

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tem—mapping. “That’s really been a driver for our procurement team in the last year,” Claire says. “With GIS, they can take spatial analysis to show where we get the best logs—answering questions like, Where do they grow? Where are they in relation to existing infrastructure and roads? How far will it be to the mill? Who are the landowners?—and lay all that information together to pinpoint the best and how to acquire it.” Timber supply comes from within a 150-mile radius, including gatewood and standing timber. “We are always trying to provide the best market for loggers and landowners,” Claire says. “In the last two years we have taken strides to expand our standing timber inventory.” They have five contract logging crews who regularly work the timber the company purchases. “We buy timber tracts with 24-36 month harvest contracts, because we like to get at least two cutting seasons in that contract period,” Claire notes. Depending on species and market demand, a log might be processed almost immediately or it might sit on the log yard for several months. Thompson has a recirculating pond sprinkler system. The plant normally stores about 1.5 million ft. of logs under water at any given time, and another 750,000 ft. not under sprinklers. In 2014, log inventory topped 2.5 million ft. This winter, Thompson reports, log inventory depletion is about 25% less than normal. Over the years Thompson says the company has been very involved in the NHLA (National Hardwood Lumber Assn.) and HMA (Hardwood Manufacturers Assn.). “We have found great value in being involved in those associations because of the relationships we’ve built. There has been a willingness from others to share with us and help us learn great lessons from them,” he says. “There are some wonderful people out there we get to compete with, and we are just privileged to get to operate in this industry.” Thompson has served on the board for both NHLA and HMA, and Claire serves on the HMA Millennial Council, whose purpose is to engage the next generation of leadership in HMA member companies and the industry, and to seek their input as to how the HMA can better serve the professional development of future leaders. “If you give to the industry unselfishly, the industry will give back to you. The benefits greatly outweigh the cost,” the ThompSLT sons state.

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INDUSTRY NEWS ROUNDUP

As We See It—American Loggers Council: Help Wanted By Danny Dructor n March 3 Cong. Raul

OLabrador from Idaho

reintroduced the Future Logging Careers Act, H.R. 1215, which would allow the 16 and 17 year-old sons and daughters of mecha-

Dructor

nized logging business owners to legally work on their parents’ logging operations without worrying about penalties and fines from the Dept. of Labor or OSHA. A few days later, Sen. Jim Risch from Idaho reintro-

duced a companion bill in the Senate, S-694. Members of the American Loggers Council were in Washington, DC attending their spring board meeting and conducted several visits to Capitol Hill on your behalf, requesting support for both of these measures. As is routine in Washington, once

the bills were introduced they were referred to committees, where the majority of bills die. Last year during the 113th Congress, we saw these bills die in committee due to the mid-term election year distractions. This year, with the newly elected 114th Congress, the opportunity again presents itself to get these bills passed. There are statistics out there that claim that the bill only has a 1% chance of making it out of the committee, and that is why we have now posted our ‘help wanted’ sign. Certainly the 60-plus representatives from the American Loggers Council did a great job representing you in Washington this past March, but 60 is a low number in an army of thousands! While we believe that there is strength in numbers, those numbers don’t mean much if they are not heard from. With close to 10,000 professional timber harvesting businesses being represented by the American Loggers Council, when we voice our concerns and carry our issues to the Hill, then we should be making progress. However, without you being a part of that voice, progress can be exceedingly slow in the making. We have heard your concerns about labor, and have taken a step to help alleviate some of those concerns. Now we are asking for your help. Please contact your members of Congress, whether it be your Senator, Congressman or Congresswoman, and ask that they support the Future Logging Careers Act and ask them to sign on as a co-sponsor to the Bill. With more cosponsors, we can raise the level of awareness and importance of the legislation and help bring it out of committee. It is not going to happen unless you act. When you have done that, give us a call or send us an e-mail and let us know how they responded, and let’s all find out how well we are being represented. Let’s see just how serious this Congress is about creating jobs and taking down a few of those help wanted signs. Dructor is the executive vice president of the American Loggers Council, a non-profit 501(c) (6) corporation representing professional timber harvesters in 30 states. For more information, visit www.americanloggers.org or phone, 409-625-0206 or email americanlogger@aol.com.

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B&G Equipment Expands With Alabama Facility Long a fixture in the Mississippi forestry equipment market, Tigercat dealer B&G Equipment has expanded into western Alabama with a new facility in Moundville to serve the northwestern part of the state. Located 10 miles south of Interstate 59/20 at 39500 Alabama highway 69, the 15,000 sq. ft. building features three service bays with five and 10 ton overhead cranes. “Anytime customers see us adding or expanding facilities they are reminded of the dedication we have to servicing them better,” comments B&G President Debbie Webb. “We are committed to delivering the best possible sales, service and parts support, as well as better value, to current and future customers in the region.” Webb continues: “We have been working the western Alabama line for years, so it made sense that if we were going to expand it would be in western Alabama. We look forward to gaining the trust of area loggers by providing strong customer service and parts availability, service response and what we consider the best product on the market—Tigercat.” David Long, who helped establish B&G’s Hattiesburg location, is the store manager; Tony Williams is the parts manager. Service technicians are Henry Hood and Jesse O’Neal, while Kade Webb is the parts, warranty and service administrator. An open house will be held at the Moundville store (Ph. 205-3717011- on Monday, June 22, from 2-8 p.m. Visit bandgequip.com.

Out front for B&G in Moundville, Alabama, from left, Bo Renfroe, service manager/ mechanic; Kade Webb, warranty, safety and parts; Tom Kizziah, salesman; Tony Williams, parts manager; Henry Hood, mechanic

Terex Purchases Continental Biomass Terex Materials Processing, a business segment of Terex Corp., has acquired Continental Biomass Industries, Inc. (CBI), marking a significant expansion of the Terex

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Environmental Equipment (TEE) product line. TEE, part of Terex Materials Processing, has been serving the wood, biomass and recycling industries since 2011. The acquisition of CBI’s business, in operation since 1988 and based in Newton, NH, significantly advances the product line while adding dimensions to the TEE business that would otherwise have taken years to develop, according to Terex. The acquisition also adds customization and specialty product capabilities. CBI has a long history in the wood/bio and recycling markets and brings an experienced team that can continue to drive specialized product and project sales on a global basis. Terex’s established distribution relationships will enable quick development of a worldwide distributor network. Terex Environmental Equipment will serve customers via three distinct but collaborative sales and support channels: l The CBI brand will be maintained as a Terex brand within the portfolio. CBI products will serve high-capacity recycling, wood processing and biomass customers. CBI products will be represented by a direct sales force, which will work in collaboration with TEE

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and other Terex distribution. l The Terex Eco product range will address mid-range recycling and wood processing needs for turnkey mobile solutions. This product line will primarily be sold by a network of specialized distributors. l The Terex Arborist line will include hand-fed chippers and other smaller equipment that is primarily used by tree care specialists, utility line maintenance, and construction/ landscaping contractors. Terex Arborist equipment will be sold direct to large fleet owners and to smaller customers via a network of tree care specific dealers. Anders Ragnarsson, owner and founder of CBI, will continue as the Managing Director of the CBI prod-

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uct line. Anders will support Tony Devlin, TEE Worldwide Business Director.

Wood Resource Recovery Sues GREC A major supplier for Gainesville, Fla.’s biomass power plants has filed a breach of contract lawsuit against Gainesville Renewable Energy Center (GREC), the company operating the plant and selling power to the City of Gainesville, after GREC restricted the types of biomass it would accept. Biomass producer Wood Resource Recovery (WRR) LLC terminated its contract with GREC

and filed suit for more than $5 million in damages after GREC officials said the facility would no longer accept municipal yard waste or any biomass from lands zoned or classified as “agricultural.” According to WRR owner Bill Gaston (WB, August 2013), such restrictions affect more than a third of his raw material supply, and such exemptions were never in the contract. Such actions make it impossible for WRR to continue to do business with GREC under the contract, Gaston says, though the power plant is still able to procure fuel from WRR on a purchaseorder basis. Officials with GREC have said the lawsuit has no basis and WRR’s

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claims are inaccurate and without merit, but have refused to comment further because of the pending litigation. According to a statement released by WRR’s legal team, WRR’s yard waste volume was included as proof of fuel supply when GREC was gaining regulatory approval and financing for the plant that started up in 2013. Under terms of the contract, WRR was supplying 264,000-277,000 dry tons of biomass annually. WRR’s legal team says representatives of the companies tried to work out the disagreement since GREC changes material specs last year, but mounting losses forced Gason and WRR to file the suit.

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Interfor Buys Sawmill From Price Co. Canada’s Interfor purchased a sawmill in Monticello, Ark. from The Price Companies for $29.255 million. The mill produces 75MMBF annually, but has a number of operational and capital investment initiatives in progress, including the construction of a continuous dry kiln that is expected to be completed in the third quarter. These projects should increase the mill’s production to more than 100MMBF per year and provide for drying capacity of 150MMBF annually. Interfor’s total annual lumber capacity will increase to 3.2 billion

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BF, including lumber capacity in the U.S. Southeast of 1.3 billion BF. “This transaction is another illustration of our strategy to grow in regions with strong timber baskets and access to important lumber markets,” says Duncan Davies, Interfor President and CEO. “The Monticello sawmill fits these criteria, as well as having significant upside from initiatives that are under way and on the drawing board.” The mill started up in 2006 to process plantation pine into timbers, dimension and boards in short lengths. J.P. Price purchased much of the machinery from a Canfor sawmill in Hines Creek, BC. The Price Companies continues to oper-

ate multiple chip mills mostly in the Southern U.S.

Dale Greene Named Dean At UGA Warnell W. Dale Greene, a long-time faculty member and administrator in the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Greene Natural Resources, has been named its dean. A professor of forest operations who

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joined the Warnell School in 1986, he previously served as its associate dean for academic affairs and has been interim dean since January. Greene has received all three teaching awards given by the Warnell School and has been honored by the Georgia Forestry Assn. (GFA) for his service. His extensive research has focused on enhancing the productivity and sustainability of the wood supply chain, and he has been active in the GFA, the Georgia Forestry Foundation and the International Council on Forest Engineering. He has served on several committees in the Warnell School and on University Council while engaging in outreach to industry and landowners. He has helped develop some of

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the Warnell School’s most popular courses, including its off-campus forestry field practicum, where undergraduate students gain handson experience with harvesting, pro-

cessing and manufacturing. In addition, he has mentored nearly 45 graduate students who have gone on to successful careers. His teaching awards include the Warnell School’s

Herrick Superior Teaching Award and the Warnell Alumni Assn. Award for Outstanding Teaching. In 2008, he was named a Senior Teaching Fellow by UGA’s Center

for Teaching and Learning. “Dr. Greene’s dedication to the students, faculty and alumni of the Warnell School is undeniable,” said Pamela Whitten, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “His record of excellence in teaching, research and service speaks for itself, and his long-standing collaborations with partners in the private sector, government and other organizations make him ideally suited to lead one of the nation’s most celebrated schools of forestry and natural resources.” “I am delighted and humbled to have the opportunity to serve the Warnell School as dean,” Greene said. “We have a great history and even greater possibilities in the future with the strong faculty, students, staff, and alumni in our programs.” Greene earned his bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University, his master’s degree from Virginia Tech and his doctorate from Auburn University.

Jenkins, Taylor Receive WSRI Awards Jeff Jenkins of Glatfelter and Don Taylor of Sustainable Resource Systems LLC both received WSRI National Membership Awards at the recent WSRI annual meeting in Nashville. In making the Awards WSRI Executive Director Jim Fendig noted, “Both Jeff and Don have excelled in their efforts to recruit new WSRI members over the last year. We are very grateful for their outstanding work.” The Wood Supply Research Institute (WSRI) is a joint project of professional loggers, forest landowners, wood consuming mills, educators, and manufacturers that facilitates and funds research to promote and improve efficiency in the wood supply system.

Portucel Soporcel Pellet Mill Ceremony Portucel Soporcel Group held a golden shovel ground-breaking ceremony March 27 for the construction of its pellet manufacturing plant in Greenwood, SC, according to a report of The Greenwood Partnership Alliance. The facility, which will produce the Colombo Energy brand, should be completed in the third quarter of 2016. It represents a global investment estimated at $110 million and will create 70 jobs. The ceremony was presided over by Group CEO, Diogo da Silveira, and included the presence of a delegation of state authorities, namely the Lt. Governor of South Carolina and Green54

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wood County officials. “Although pellet production is a new venture for us, we believe that we are entering a sector with great potential for growth, one which allows us to move forward with our goal of internationalization and diversification of the Group’s industrial base, and even more so in a country which is so prominent in the field of forestry-based products,” da Silveira comments. Colombo Energy will have a manufacturing capacity of 460 000 tons and will benefit from the favor-

able conditions of Greenwood County’s forestry raw materials. The Portucel Soporcel Group has already secured sales of 70% of its production through the signing of 10-year fixed-priced supply contracts targeted entirely to the European industrial market. Portucel Soporcel Group is the European leader and sixth worldwide in the manufacturing of uncoated woodfree printing and writing paper, and the largest European producer, and fifth worldwide, in terms of Bleached Eucalyptus Kraft Pulp.

Thompson Machinery Hosts Open House On March 25 Thompson Machinery celebrated the grand opening of its new facility in Tupelo, Miss. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by an open house. The event commemorated the official opening of the newly constructed 44,000 sq. ft. facility, situated on 15 acres fronting U.S. 78 at Mississippi 9 South in the Belden/Sherman area of Pontotoc County. The store

consists of 10,000 sq. ft. of office space, 10,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space, and more than 20,000 sq. ft. of shop space. Following the ceremony, guests were treated to tours of the store, special displays spotlighting Thompson’s product support capabilities and technology solutions, and a barbeque dinner catered by local favorite Bishop’s BBQ Grill. This project is part of a five-year facilities improvement plan in place for Thompson Machinery. The company’s next project will add shop bays to the Columbus, Miss. location.

FRA Honors Britt Moulton Veteran Vermont logger Britt Moulton has been honored by the Forest Resources Assn. (FRA) as its 2015 National Outstanding Logger. The recognition took place on April 28 during FRA’s annual meeting in downtown Nashville. Operating as Moulton Logging Inc. since 1976 and based in North Charleston, Vt., Moulton was presented with a plaque from FRA and a check for $1,000 from Stihl Inc. Moulton was singled out for his professionalism, careful harvesting practices, strict adherence to harvest plans, experience, commitment to safety, community involvement and strong efforts to create a positive image for the logging industry. He goes above and beyond in public outreach and community affairs. Last summer he and his crew hosted six-year-old Keegan Brooks, a Make-A-Wish child with muscular dystrophy who dreams of becoming a logger. The company also donated $500 to the charity to help make future wishes come true. Moulton also hosted a Vermont Woodlands Assn. “Walk in the Woods” event to help educate the public about the importance of timber harvesting and how the Moulton team professionally and carefully carries it out. A family company, Moulton Logging also involves Britt’s spouse, Jennifer, who runs the office; Jerry Moulton, Britt’s brother; and Marcel Roy and Justin Houle. Trucking is contracted to Marcel Isabelle. The operation has undergone SFI third party audits twice in the last five years. Other regional finalists in the competition were Bill DeNoon, Jr., DeNoon Lumber Co., Bergholz, Oh.; Brian and David Nelson, Marvin Nelson Forest Products., Cornell, Mich.; Bob Wall, Robert W. Wall, Inc., Osyka, Miss.; and Eddie Moore, Forest Friendly Logging, Willards, Md. 56

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MACHINES-SUPPLIES-TECHNOLOGY Del Fab Announces The DF 703—Return Of The 3-Wheel Feller- Buncher Del Fab Inc. is reintroducing an updated 3-wheel feller-buncher. It’s little known that Del Fab was the factory under contract with Valmet through 2008 for the manufacture of the most popular 3-wheel unit on the market (the Valmet 603). Just prior to the recession, all companies stopped manufacturing the 3-wheel buncher design, yet today the market clearly has a need for such a machine, according to Del Fab, whose team has decided to grab this opportunity to unite with

quality dealers and serve their loyal customers again. The DF703 boasts a 4-cylinder Cummins Tier 3 engine with 130 HP. The first attachment will be the DF718 hot saw with 18" bunching capacity. Other future attachments may include heads for processing, directional felling, shearing and mulching. Operator safety and comfort and easy serviceability are primary features. Contractors that have owned former Del Fab-manufactured mod-

els know the ‘zero-turn’ feature minimizes stand damage and is the ideal tool for low-cost plantation thinning. Cost saving features include fuel consumption below 5 gal/hr, purchase price that is about $50,000 less than the smallest 4-wheel unit, and much lower transport costs. Del Fab has teamed with Tom Hirt, (former Valmet Sales Manager) to re-establish dealers and launch the marketing program. More information will be available at the InWoodsExpo in the E-exhibit area (under the big tent). Contact Hirt at 214-914-0132, or email sales@delfab.com.

CSI New Delimber

CSI became a leader in delimbing technology by having innovative ideas and bringing them to its customers. After many months of engineering and rigorous testing, CSI offers its latest model pull-thru delimber, the 496 Thinning Pro. The PTD-496 was designed and built for contractors that do a lot of first and second thinnings, including a wide loading chute to accommodate big grapples full of first and second thinning stems. It is a 3-knife delimber (2 movable and 1 stationary). The 2 movable knives are big and broad with a cutting edge on both sides. This gives the operator the ability to remove limbs going both directions. The top loading chute is 96" across. This wide opening lets the operator get maximum production with every grapple full. This means more truck loads per day. “The 496 is what you have been asking for and here it is.” Contact your equipment supplier or Cutting System, Inc. Visit cuttingsys.com. How To Submit Products Electronic images and copy (please be brief) are required. Images should be scanned as 300 dpi and saved as either tiff or eps files. E-mail to rich@hattonbrown.com. Ship disks to Rich Donnell, P.O. Box 2268, Montgomery, AL 36102-2268 or to 225 Hanrick St., Montgomery, AL 36104-3317. Ph. 334-834-1170.

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AT THE MARGINS Should Loggers Be On Facebook? By Tom Trone, John Deere Forestry In a previous column, I discussed the benefits of embracing technology in the forestry industry. Technology used in logging and forestry equipment, and the data that comes from it, is power—power to plan, make decisions and solve problems in a more efficient way. Beyond machines, different technologies are reshaping the way just about all businesses operate. Social media has become more than a way to keep in touch with friends and family. Companies have embraced sites like Facebook and Twitter as a powerful means to meet and exceed their business goals. Savvy loggers are turning to social media as a means to find new and innovative ways to conduct everyday business functions and efficiently market their products. The advancement of Internet technology as well as the invention of social media networks have allowed companies around the world to effectively com-

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municate with their customers and market their products in ways that were previously unavailable. The forestry industry is no exception. For some loggers, the current wave of technology may be overwhelming. I see a lot of resistance to the newness or a perceived complexity in applying it to their current business models. Others feel they have made their way just fine without technology, and it should be best left for the next generation to figure out. For loggers who are hesitant to embrace social media, I think they will find that it’s very easy, and rewarding, to begin to embrace small changes. For an example of a logger who is embracing technology, you need look no further than Daniel Turner of Turner Logging LLC in Stockton, Mo. For Turner, logging has always been more than a job; it’s a way of life. A fourth generation logger, Turner puts pride and dedication into every job he completes

with his family owned business, driving innovation along the way. Early in his career he realized “the way we’ve always done it” was not necessarily the best way, and had a clear vision of how the business could run more efficiently. With time and strategic planning, he successfully helped transition the operation to updated equipment, trading operator fatigue and downtime for increased productivity. Turner has also found success through social media, creating a Facebook page for customers and the public to keep up with their daily logging activities. With the page, he strives to help their fans and followers better understand the logging industry through photos, descriptions of the duties they perform and historical content about the land they encounter. “Facebook has been a great way to add credibility to our business,” says Turner. “Our current customers and potential customers can go on our page and see what we’re doing in our operation day-to-day. I think this type of transparency gives us and other loggers a better image.“

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Below are some beginner’s tips to keep in mind when marketing to your audience through social media. Use Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and be sure to cross-promote these channels. Include the “essentials”: address, website and a phone number. On social channels your followers are looking to get quick bits of information. Make sure posts are short. Images help to capture attention and bring personality to your posts. Videos are another great way to engage with your followers online. Videos should be short to keep the viewer’s attention. Once you have you have your channels up, make sure that you have a resource for maintaining or keeping your social channel content up to date. For inspiration, visit the Turner Logging, LLC Facebook SLT page. Trone is Director of John Deere’s North American forestry business and is responsible for all sales and marketing activities as well as product development. Over his career, he has owned and operated several businesses. He is also a lecturer at the University of Illinois.

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HYDRO-AX 321 (7121), 1998, 10000 Hrs, Cab, AC, 24.5-32 w/Chains, 20’’Sawhead ..............................................................$33,500 PRENTICE 2470 (PB19355), 2007, 11275 Hrs., Cab, AC, SH50 Saw...................$110,000 TIGERCAT 726 (7260852), 1997, 10000 Hrs., Cab, AC, 30.5-32, 22’’ Sawhead...........$39,000

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FELLER BUNCHERS

2013 PRENTICE 2670—SH-56B Sawhead, New 28Lx26 tires, 4364 hrs, s/n: CKB3E00171 ...........................$154,900

2012 DEERE 843K—22" Deere Felling Saw, 30.5x32 tires, New Saw Teeth, 5107 hrs., s/n: 1DW843KXJBC641114 ..........$154,900

KNUCKLEBOOM

2010 DEERE 437D—CSI 264 Delimber; Pitts Trailer; New Turn Table—Dealer Installed; 7860 hours ..................$115,000

2004 Tigercat 240B—Track Loader, 4915 Hours, 70% U/C.................$89,500

TRUCKS

2006 KENWORTH W900L—C15 Caterpillar engine 475 hp, 18 spd trans 4.3 ratio, 245 in wheelbase, Henderson walking beam suspension, Double frame, 372,808 miles ........$59,500

1997 Ford F750—Grapple truck, 33000 GVW, Twin cyl dump with knuckleboom loader, Clamshell grapple, 128,309 miles ......................................................$44,900

LOG SKIDDERS

2013 TIGERCAT 620D—Warranty good until July 2016, Dual arch, 30.5x32 tires, Turn Around Seat, 3065 hrs., s/n: 6206016 ......................................................$219,500

2012 JOHN DEERE 748H—Dual Arch, 30.5 x 32 Tires, 4836 Hours.........$149,500

NEW MCLENDON LOG TRAILERS— 4 Bunk - 6 Bunk In Stock ...........................Call for Specs and Prices

3191

2013 TIGERCAT 630D—Warranty good until July 2016, Turn Around Seat, 30.5x32 tires, Winch available, 2768 hrs, s/n: 6303807........................................$219,500

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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

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

2010 Prentice 2864 Mulcher STK# LU119804; 1,542 hrs $190,000

2009 Deere 437C Knuckleboom Loader STK# LU178863; 10,635 hrs $58,000

2011 Prentice 2470 Feller Buncher STK# LUB19985; 6,387 hrs $105,000

2013 Deere 843K Feller Buncher STK# LU655534; 2,188 hrs $225,000

2012 Deere 643K Feller Buncher STK# LU642474; 4,383 hrs $155,000

2013 Deere 648H Skidder STK# LU654195; 2,695 hrs $205,000

2011 Deere 437D Knuckleboom Loader STK# LU208627; 6,074 hrs $148,000

2008 Deere 748H Skidder STK# LU616549; 9,765 hrs $175,000

2012 Cat 573C – 5,200 hours, SC-57 Center post saw head, Cab with air, 28L tires, C7.1 Cat engine, Ready to work! .............................................. $155,000

MULCHERS

2014 Barko 930 Mulcher - 1,048 hours, Powertrain warranty, FAE 300U smooth drum mulching head, 28L tires, Cab with air, Rent to own W.A.C. ..$295,000

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2012 Cat 535C Dual Arch Skidder – 5,800 hours, 3 New, 1 very good - 35.5 x 32 tires, Cab with air, Winch. Ready to work! .......................................$159,500

2013 Deere 643K Feller Buncher STK: LU650889; 3,142 hrs $148,000

Call or email: Charles Woolard

252-946-9264 office 252-945-0942 cell

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

1995 Cat 525 Skidder – 28L tires, Grapple, Winch, This machine has been through our shop and is ready to work . ............................................... $29,500

FELLER BUNCHERS

Washington, NC Email: easterneq@earthlink.net

Go to www.eebinc.com for details and pictures plus other equipment for sale

2014 Tigercat T250D Super Duty, 900 2003 Tigercat 822 Track FB, rebuilt 2007 John Deere 843J w/ FD22D sawhours, 36' boom, Rotobec grapple, Cummins with 1000 hours, 36" tri-rail, head, 30.5's tires ...................$79,500 warranty ..............................$310,000 5701 sawhead .....................$135,000

2011 Prentice 2470 Mulcher – “NEW” FAE smooth drum mulching head, “NEW” high pressure pump / hoses, Cab with air, 28L tires. Rent to own W.A.C. .. $195,000

LOG LOADERS

2005 Kobelco SK290LC with 32" track, 2010 Bandit 2590 Drum chipper w/ 2004 Tigercat T250 Track Loader, Waratah HTH 624 Super processor CAT C13 w/ 440hp; 2590 hours, stright boom w/Rotobec grapple ............................................$130,000 warranty ..............................$139,500 ............................................$137,500

2010 Prentice 2384B – 7,900 hours, Mounted on hydraulic leg trailer with Riley Delimber, Cab with air, Cummins engine, Ready to work! ...........$115,000

2005 Tigercat 250 & 250B loaders with 1995 Morbark 22RXL whole tree chip- 2009 Woodsman 337CF wood chippers, per w/ loader & 75" chipper, Cummins CAT C18 w/700HP, 1554 hours, nice chipCSI delimbers, trailer mounted .................................$Call for details engine..................................$139,500 per.............................................$165,000

2013 Cat 563C – 3,900 hours, SC-57 Center post saw head, Cab with air, 30.5 x 32 tires, C7.1 Cat engine, Ready to work! ...................................$175,000

Visa and Mastercard accepted

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ZAMBESI EQUIPMENT, INC.

1-800-542-3309 WANTED: Bell’s For Salvage ALSO: Bell Ultra, Transmissions and Wheel drives

5195

FAN-TASTIC!

TIGERCAT: BH251 32" Suction Fan (NEW) ........................................$385 J/D: 28" Nylon Blower Fan (LIKE NEW) ...............................$150 TIGERCAT: 3420B A/C CONDENSER ...........................$275

3664

FORESTRYPARTSRESOURCE.COM

4433

249

7393

CONTACT: 478.550.2330 - Keith 478.256.4063 - Gary

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TIDEWATER EQUIPMENT CO. MAC • 910-610-7029

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

INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT

2006 Tigercat 718 .............................. $59,000

2011 CAT 563 ................................... $104,500 2009 Deere 643J ................................ $75,000 2008 Deere 648H................................ $56,000 2010 Deere 648H.............................. $120,625 2005 Deere 748GIII ............................ $46,250 2006 Tigercat 610 .............................. $60,000 2007 Tigercat 610C............................ $65,800 2005 Tigercat 620C............................ $66,000 2013 Tigercat 620D.......................... $195,000 2004 Tigercat 630C.......................... $115,000 2005 Tigercat 630C............................ $65,000 2012 Tigercat 630D.......................... $210,170 2013 Tigercat 630D.......................... $245,000

2009 Tigercat 718E ............................ $90,000

FELLER BUNCHERS

2009 Tigercat 230B .......................... $125,000

2008 Deere 748H................................ $82,500 2007 Prentice 2384 ............................ $75,000 2007 Prentice 2470 ............................ $34,375 2008 Prentice 2570 ............................ $56,000 2002 Tigercat 718 .............................. $36,900

2005 Tigercat 720D............................ $75,000 2005 Tigercat 724D............................ $72,500 2007 Tigercat 724E ............................ $93,000 2013 Tigercat 724E .......................... $180,000 1995 Tigercat 726 .............................. $25,000 2005 Timberking TK340..................... $35,900 2004 Timberking TK360..................... $37,500

LOG LOADERS 2001 Tigercat 230B ............................ $25,000 2002 Tigercat 230B ............................ $50,000

2009 MAXI-LOAD Maxi-Lite .............. $11,000 1997 MORBARK 22............................ $40,000 2009 MORBARK 40/36 NCL DRUM CHIPPER ........................... $219,500 2009 MORBARK 40/36 NCL DRUM CHIPPER ........................... $243,750 2012 MORBARK 40/36 NCL DRUM CHIPPER ........................... $194,000

MISCELLANEOUS

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

2010 Tigercat 234CS ....................... $125,000 2005 Tigercat 240B ............................ $40,000 2006 Tigercat 240B ............................ $52,500 2007 Tigercat 244 .............................. $72,900 2005 Tigercat 250 .............................. $60,000

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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7195

Waverly Wood, LLC of Waverly, TN is looking to employ a full-time Forester; experience preferred. Applicants must be able to cruise and buy timber tracts and will report to the Timber Procurement Manager. Resumes may be faxed to 931-296-7698 or you may contact: Mike Philipi Timber Procurement Manager Office: 931-296-1455 Mobile: 615-418-0276 1501

EQUIPMENT FINANCING • Preferred Good Credit Plans • Rough Credit Plans (turned down, tax liens, bankruptcies)

• Purchases • Refinance • Start-up Business • Loans Against Your Existing Equipment for QUICK CASH!

13121

2-Hour Approvals! Low Monthly Payments Little or No Down Payments

15 Years In Business CALL NOW

985-875-7373 Fax: 985-867-1188

Email: coastalcapital@bellsouth.net Personal Service

Ask For L.T. DEALERS WELCOME

1447

6209

Loader Topples Into Ditch During Moving Process BACKGROUND: On a clear, summer afternoon in the Southeast, a skidder was pulling a knuckleboom loader along a narrow, level woods road, so the loader could be connected to a truck during moving operations. PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: The foreman/loader operator was 37 years old and had been logging for approximately 14 years. The skidder operator was 65 years old and had approximately 40 years of logging experience. Both individuals were considered fully trained and were wearing appropriate personal protective equipment.

UNSAFE ACTS & CONDITIONS: The skidder pulled the loader while the loader’s boom and outriggers were still in the “up” position. (The boom was facing the rear of the loader.) The skidder then began to turn with the loader at a road intersection. The intersection was quite narrow and had a narrow culvert. As the skidder pulled the loader, the loader’s tires got too close to the edge of the narrow road intersection. ACCIDENT: The road bank gave way, and the loader toppled over into a large canal ditch that was full of (still) water. INJURY: No one was injured in

this accident. The loader operator was not in his machine, and the skidder grapple lost hold of the loader, so the skidder did not turn over. The loader’s upright boom made contact with the bank on the off-side of the ditch and prevented the loader from tipping completely upside down in the ditch. The loader did leak out some diesel fuel that was quickly contained, cleaned up, and reported to state authorities. The loader sustained a twisted chassis and three broken bolts that held the loader to the chassis. It took about eight hours of work and cost about $1,000 in parts and labor

to recover and repair the machine. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CORRECTION: When moving a loader, be aware of the high center of gravity of this machine and the impact of keeping outriggers up too high. Always rest the boom on the tongue of the knuckleboom loader before the loader is moved by any means (instead of keeping it up in the air). Evaluate the road conditions before moving a loader. Slow down, and be especially watchful at narrow woods road intersections and road edges. Supplied by Forest Resources Assn

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A D L I N K ●

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ADVERTISER Alliance Tire Americas American Logger’s Council American Truck Parts B & G Equipment Bandit Industries Carter Enterprises Carter Machinery Cat Forestry Cleanfix Reversible Fans Cooper Forestry Equipment Cutting Systems John Deere Forestry Doggett Machinery Service Duratech Industries Eastern Equipment Brokerage Equipment & Parts Firestone Agricultural Tires Flint Equipment Forestry First Forestry Mutual Insurance Hawkins & Rawlinson Husqvarna Forest & Garden Hydraulic & Pneumatic Services InWoodsExpo Ironmart Kaufman Trailers Kentucky Wood Expo Mike Ledkins Insurance Agency LMI-Tennessee Log A Load for Kids The Loggin Outfit by B Authentic Lynn Hendrix Equipment Magnolia Trailers Manac Maxi-Load Scale Systems Mid-Atlantic Logging & Biomass Moore Logging Supply Morbark Nokian Tyres Oakley Equipment Ozark Machinery Pemberton Attachments Peterson Pacific Pitts Trailers Power Equipment Prentice Puckett Machinery Quadco Equipment Quality Equipment & Parts R Squared Solutions River Ridge Equipment S E C O Parts & Equipment Seppi Shur-Co Smiths South-Central Sales Southern Loggers Cooperative Stribling Equipment Terex Environmental Equipment Tidewater Equipment Timbersure Trelan Manufacturing TruckWeight Smartscale Technologies VPG Onboard Weighing Vulcan On-Board Scales W & W Truck & Tractor Wallingford’s

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Easy access to current advertisers! www.southernloggintimes.com/adindex.html Don’t forget to bookmark this link! PG. NO.

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800.777.9926 409.625.0206 888.383.8884 205.331.7858 800.952.0178 205.351.1461 800.868.4228 919.550.1201 855.738.3267 423.338.5470 877.844.1474 800.503.3373 225.368.2224 888.230.5494 252.946.9264 903.238.8700 515.242.2300 404.691.9445 803.708.0624 800.849.7788 888.822.1173 800.487.5951 904.688.2247 501.224.2232 888.561.1115 866.497.7803 502.695.3979 800.766.8349 800.467.0944 801.214.7512 662.263.7450 936.563.4174 800.738.2123 418.228.2018 877.265.1486 919.271.9050 888.754.5613 800.831.0042 800.565.2525 256.766.6491 417.256.8178 800.393.6688 800.269.6520 800.321.8073 865.577.5563 919.550.1201 601.969.6000 800.668.3340 386.754.6186 229.220.1726 855.325.6465 800.733.7326 651.472.5194 877.729.2969 800.551.8259 318.445.0750 800.682.6409 989.588.4295 912.638.7726 800.410.6333 989.561.2280 877.757.7888 800.638.5111 800.237.0022 843.761.8220 800.323.3708

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

COMING EVENTS 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.

25-27—Louisiana Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Golden Nugget Resort and Casino, Lake Charles, La. Call 318-443-2558; visit laforestry.com.

September

10-12—Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Expo, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga. Call 504-443-4464; visit sfpaexpo.com.

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

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

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

July 19-22—Council on Forest Engineering annual meeting, Lexington, Ky. Call 304-206-1884; visit cofe.org. 26-28—Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Summer Conference, Colonial Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Va. Call 336-8858315; visit appalachianwood.org. 31-August 2—Georgia Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Jekyll Island Convention Center, Jekyll Island, Ga. Call 478-992-8110; visit gfagrow.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.

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 409625-0206; visit americanloggers.org.

October 6-8—Arkansas Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Arlington Hotel, Hot Springs, Ark. Call 501-3742441; visit arkforests.org. 7-9—North Carolina Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Marriot Resort Spa at Grande Dunes, Myrtle Beach, SC. Call 800-231-7723; visit ncforestry.org. 7-9—National Hardwood Lumber Assn. Annual Conv. & Exhibit Showcase, Omni Hotel, Nashville, Tenn. Call 901-377-1818; visit nhla.com. 20-22—Mississippi Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Starkville, Miss. Call 601-354-4936; visit msforestry.net.

November 6-7—Sawdust and Splinters, Shirard Gray Estates, Magnolia, Miss. Call 601-876-9635; email contact@sdsfest.com; visit sdsfest.com. 11-13—South Carolina Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Marriot Resort at Grande Dunes, Myrtle Beach, SC. Call 803-798-4170; visit scforestry.org. Listings are submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with contacts prior to making plans to attend.

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