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A Hatton-Brown Publication Co-Publisher David H. Ramsey Co-Publisher David (DK) Knight Chief Operating Officer Dianne C. Sullivan PUBLISHING OFFICE Street Address: 225 Hanrick Street Montgomery, AL 36104-3317 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2268 Montgomery, AL 36102-2268 Telephone (334) 834-1170 Fax 334-834-4525
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Executive Editor David (DK) Knight Editor-in-Chief Rich Donnell Western Editor Dan Shell Senior Associate Editor David Abbott Associate Editor Jessica Johnson Associate Editor Jay Donnell Art Director/Prod. Mgr. Cindy Segrest Ad Production Coord Patti Campbell Circulation Director Rhonda Thomas Marketing/Media Jordan Anderson ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES SOUTHERN USA Randy Reagor (904) 393-7968 • Fax: (334) 834-4525 E-mail: reagor@bellsouth.net
Vol. 65, No. 2: Issue 661
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OurCover With a half dozen crews working in two states and 17 trucks on the road, Louisiana’s Trey Maxwell has a full load to tow, but he gets lots of assistance from a group of skilled, dedicated employees who carry out their roles with self-assurance. Although only 45, Maxwell and spouse Melinda already have a succession plan in place. Story begins on PAGE 10. (Jessica Johnson photo)
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MyTake DK KNIGHT dk@hattonbrown.com, 334-834-1170
Pulp-Paper Continues Contraction, But Other Markets More Promising As spring makes its 2017 mark, the state of the logging industry as a whole appears to be a mixture of good, steady, so-so, not so good, and for some, as challenging as shoveling thick fog. Market conditions may be the best in the West, where supply and demand reportedly remain pretty well balanced. In the northern tier, most mills are said to be in decent shape with inventory, but there are some concerns about short-term supply going forward. Stumpage prices, particularly in Wisconsin and Michigan, remain stubbornly high, as I understand it. From those states to Maine, markets for softwood pulpwood generally are tight if not non-existent. Pay rates have also dropped. Conditions are worse in the South, where for months now many loggers continue to struggle with short work weeks triggered by overflowing
community did what the softwood sawmill collective usually does when demand exceeds supply: It invested heavily in machines and expanded capacity to its own detriment. There is simply too much logging capacity in place, and until that capacity is diminished or demand rises, the pain will continue.
Pulp-Paper Backslide
Not to be negative, but out of realism, let’s consider the nation’s consolidation-prone pulp-paper sector, by far the largest consumer of fiber. It continues to gradually contract, having given up 9 million tons across the 2012-2016 period, according to RISI, a reputable global forest industry information provider. RISI estimates 2016 pulp-paper fiber consumption— down roughly 1% from 2015—at 250 million tons, a level not seen since the dreary days of 2009. RISI reports An orderly, efficient balance in the more than 4 million tons of capacity evapwood supply chain is very hard to orated last year alone come by and, when found, doesn’t due to mill closings, seem to last all that long. paper machine shuts, repairs, and so on. Consumption could slip again in 2017 due to various mills. Those delivering to a few mills types of outages and ever-weaker dethat have curtailed or temporarily stopped output due to unexpected remand for printing paper grades and newsprint, not to mention offshore pairs, routine maintenance or marcompetition. ket-related reasons have been hit parInterestingly, the last new pulp-paticularly hard. For the more fortunate per mill to be built in the U.S. (1990) not thus impacted, stress is building from prolonged quotas; long lines; was Willamette’s facility at Bennettsfrequent job relocations; ongoing laville, SC. However, a new one, much larger, may be on the horizon in the bor-equipment-insurance expenses; purchased timber commitments; form of Shandong Sun Paper, a Chiweather interruptions; trucking woes nese firm that says it intends to invest and lower rates. In some locations $1.3 billion in a pulp-paper and factor in excessively long distance bio-products mill in southwestern Arkansas just south of Arkadelphia. At hardwood pulpwood markets, if they full capacity, the facility would require exist at all. almost 4 million tons per year. The If these conditions persist, and site reportedly has been purchased and they probably will, odds are they the project is said to be in the permitcould lead to some logging business ting and engineering phase. Some are casualties in coming months. Two to skeptical that the so-called Gum three years ago the region’s logging 4
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Springs mill will become a reality, but right now it looks promising and certainly would be a positive turn for pulp-paper.
Lumber Looks Good What about other markets, particularly sawmills, panel plants, and pellets? Looking at this group, and considering the remainder of this year and this decade, it appears that related wood fiber demand will increase, depending on where you get your mail. A stronger economy is expected to spur housing starts, prolong remodeling/repair momentum, and fortify retail sales, all of which would require additional building materials and packaging. A new softwood lumber trade deal with Canada is likely forthcoming and would be a sweetener. Also, commercial pellet demand could increase abroad, resulting in a few more new plants. A wild card could be the European Union, which reportedly may start buying more U.S. logs, and possibly lumber, to meet growing housing demand there. Softwood sawmill capacity continues to expand, extending a three-year trend, and with Arkansas in the spotlight. Weyerhaeuser’s gigantic new mill at Dierks should be ready late this year, and Caddo and Conifex are respectively reviving mills at Glenwood and El Dorado. Last year G-P completed a major expansion at Gurdon and earlier Interfor modernized its facility at Monticello. Investments in Mississippi include Biewer’s new sawmill at Newton and Weyerhaeuser’s updated sawmills at Philadelphia and Bruce. In Alabama, Weyerhaeuser is converting its Millport stud mill to a dimension mill and a new company, Two Rivers, is building a new sawmill near Demopolis. In the Carolinas, West Fraser is increasing output at Newberry, SC by 33% and has upgraded its mills in Seaboard and Riegelwood, NC. Klausner’s new sawmill at Enfield, NC awaits startup, but its future is uncertain. Problems persist at the Austrian company’s first U. S. sawmill, a European model that opened in White Oak, Fla. in 2015. A recent setback there
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came at the first of the year when most loggers delivering to the mill balked after the company failed to pay them for several weeks. Operating the mill only part time, Klausner has since chipped away at those debts and says it will make all suppliers whole. Even so, look for the Enfield mill to open later than sooner. Other recent new/expanded sawmill projects include JD Irving, Ashland, Me.; West Fraser, Mansfield, Ark.; Interfor at Meldrim, Ga., Georgetown, SC and Longview, Wash.; Sierra Pacific, Shelton, Wash.; the Jordan family’s mills at Barnesville, Ga. and Mt. Gilead, NC; Fly Tie & Lumber, Granada, Miss., and Red Oak Lumber, Culpepper, Va. On the hardwood lumber side, demand for flooring and upper grades should hold steady or possibly increase, but demand for industrial products nearterm could remain flat. If infrastructure projects take off, hardwood industrial products would benefit. One potential downside to all this sawmill investment is that sawmills produce chips, sawdust and bark, and in some locations an increase in these byproducts could impact the pulp-paper sector’s appetite for roundwood, not to mention chips and boiler fuel coming out of the woods.
Panels A Plus On the panel side, OSB output should advance again this year and next, with the big news coming out of Texas in RoyOMartin’s big new mill at Corrigan. Huber has announced it will restart its facility in Spring City, Tenn., and LP may restart the former Ainsworth plant it now owns in Cook, Minn. There could be another plant restart or two in the mix. According to RISI, U.S. OSB plants took in just over 24 million tons of pulpwood fiber last year and this is expected to increase by about 5% in 2017 and advance again next year. Other panel projects recently completed or in the works include Swanson’s rebuilt plywood plant in Springfield, Ore., Arauco’s massive particleboard plant in Grayling, Mich.; Kronospan’s multifaceted expansion near Oxford, Ala.; and Swiss Krono’s fiberboard and laminate flooring’s investment in Barnwell County, SC.
Pellets Too On the pellet front, three new plants—Colombo Energy, Greenwood, SC; Highland Pellet; Pine Bluff, Ark.; and Enviva, Sampson, NC—have come on line in recent months and are gradually increasing
production. Collectively, they will require perhaps 1.5 million tons of fiber annually at full capacity. On the downside, production problems persist for two plants in Alabama; Enviva has shut its small plant in Wiggins, Miss., and the large German Pellets facility in Urania, La. remains idle. However, brighter days may be ahead for the pellet sector. That’s the outlook of Enviva’s top executive, John Keppler, who visualizes a global pellet demand/supply imbalance of perhaps 6 million tons by 2020. The company is currently building another large plant at Hamlet, NC. Anticipating new demand from Asia beginning in the next year or two, Enviva, along with Drax, another major pellet producer, and at least one other party, is interested in that German Pellets plant in Louisiana, and another German Pellets facility in east Texas. As well, Enviva may be favoring Abbeville, Ala. for a new greenfield plant. U.S. pellet plants could consume roughly 10 million tons or more of pulpwood fiber in 2018. An orderly, efficient balance in the wood supply chain is very hard to come by and, when found, doesn’t seem to last all that long. Perhaps it has always been this way, and it is not TH likely to change going forward.
Sawmill capacity expansions are continuing at a brisk pace. Foremost Authority For Professional Loggers
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NewsLines Oregon County Timber Lawsuit Moving Ahead A class-action lawsuit filed in March 2016 on behalf of 15 Oregon counties and more than 150 local taxing districts is moving toward trial to address the state’s alleged failure to maximize revenues to counties reliant on Oregon Forest Trust lands that generate funds through timber sales. This money is passed along to local governments to fund education, public safety and other services. The lawsuit seeks $1.4 billion in damages to the counties alleging the state has breached a state law contractual obligation to manage Oregon Forest Trust lands for the “greatest permanent value.” The counties claim Oregon has failed to manage for the greatest permanent value by emphasizing other values than timber production, causing a loss of revenues to the counties of at least $35 million annually since 1998 when the Oregon Dept. of Forestry (ODF) changed priorities in a management plan that was adopted in 2001. Background on the case dates to the 1930s and ’40s, when counties conveyed ownership of cut-over and abandoned tax debt land back to the state with an agreement to share in the timber harvest revenues. A 1941 law directs the Board of Forestry to manage state forests for the “greatest permanent value.” In 1998, the ODF sought to define the term and added other values in addition to timber production with an administrative rule and adopted a new management plan three years later that reflected the change in priorities. But the counties say that administrative move can’t cancel out the 1941 law. A deadline for counties to opt out of the class-action suit passed in mid January, with one county dropping out. “The fact that more than 95 percent of counties and taxing districts stayed in the class is a major testament to the seriousness of this issue for rural counties,” says Roger Nyquist, Chair of the Linn County Board of Commissioners that initiated the suit. “We all feel the strain on our budgets and can no longer allow our citizens to bear the burden of the state’s breach of contract.” Counsel for the counties John DiLorenzo believes the case will go to trial in early 2018 barring a settlement or other delay. DiLorenzo says the 6
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case is a straightforward breach of contract, and he’s encouraged that the judge seems to be taking the same view. The state is sure to argue that conservation-related values must be taken into consideration when determining the “greatest permanent value,” and that times have changed, DiLorenzo says. But he intends to prove the ODF can still meet all federal and state environmental protection requirements at a higher level of timber harvest—but it’s choosing not to in order to emphasize other values in violation of the 1941 directive. According to a release from the Oregon Forest Industries Council, in previous cases Oregon courts have ruled that the state is contractually bound to manage Forest Trust Lands for the benefit of the 15 counties it acquired land from in western Oregon more than 70 years ago. The release says administrative rules adopted in 2001 “resulted in a significant difference between what rural communities are receiving versus what they could receive under best forest management practices that balance harvest with environmental protection. At a time when rural government budgets are being squeezed, the state’s action has created more stress on public safety, education and other basic services rural citizens need.” DiLorenzo says the case also reflects Oregon’s demographic makeup, in which a big majority of voters live in urban areas like Portland, Salem, Eugene and Bend. The state has every right to enact policies that reflect the conservation values of those urban populations, he adds, but the state shouldn’t expect rural counties and their residents to be the ones who are shouldering the costs of such policies to the detriment of rural schools, sheriff departments, day care centers, libraries and other services. In a local news article, Nyquist said the counties aren’t “chasing a pot of gold,” and that what they’d really like is for the state to manage its timberlands properly and uphold its end of the agreement made with the counties a long time ago.
Rentech Considers Options, Including Sale Rentech, Inc. is exploring strategic alternatives for the company, including its sale, which could include 32
chips mills under its Fulghum Fibers business. The announcement coincides with Rentech’s decision to idle its Wawa, Ontario wood pellet facility due to operational issues that would require additional unbudgeted capital investment. The decision also results from continued uncertainty around profitability on pellets produced at the facility, making additional investment in the facility uneconomic for Rentech at this time, the company said. “If an appropriate strategic alternative is not achieved on a timely basis, and if the company were otherwise unable to secure additional sources of funds to address potential future liquidity needs, there could be a material adverse effect on the company’s business, results of operations, and financial condition,” the company stated.
Florida Sawmill Falls Behind, Closes Gap The Klausner Lumber One sawmill at Live Oak, Fla. in late January temporarily laid off its second shift employees and scaled back production on its first shift, according to reports. The slowdown could last due to a shortage of logs, which loggers/suppliers contend was the underlying reason for the shutdown. The mill’s primary suppliers stopped delivering logs to the mill in late January, citing non-payment for logs they had previously delivered. Loggers contacted by TH claimed the collective supply group was owed upwards of $2 million at one point— some larger suppliers reportedly were short $300,000 or more—but pointed out that Klausner was whittling away at the amount. “We need that log market and hope that Klausner succeeds, but we cannot operate without being paid,” said the owner of one affected logging company.
Proposal Made For Gainesville Plant Gainesville Regional Utilities has proposed to buy the Gainesville Renewable Energy Center biomass power plant in Gainesville, Fla. for $750 million, according to gainesville. com of the Gainesville Sun. GRU, a municipally owned utility,
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NewsLines and the biomass plant are just three years into a 30-year contract that calls for GRU to pay the biomass plant about $70 million annually, even if its services aren’t used. GRU officials maintain they’ve saved money by purchasing cheaper power elsewhere, while leaving the biomass plant on standby. GRU General Manager Ed Bielarski says the deal could save the city between $600 and $700 million. “This is an exit strategy for GREC and an entrance strategy for GRU,” he says. GREC completed construction of the 100 MW facility at a cost of $500 million in October 2013 and it became available for commercial operation in late 2013. The plant was owned by Energy Management, Inc., BayCorp Holdings and Starwood Energy, as well as by principals of Fagen, Inc., which was the contractor. The city offered to purchase the plant for $400 million in late 2013, but was turned down. The plant was expected to utilize 1 million tons of woody biomass annu-
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ally. Last summer. a wood chip supplier won a $5 million award in a lawsuit it filed against GREC for altering its procurement program.
Enviva Launches Wood Accountability Program Enviva Holdings, LP, the world’s largest producer of wood pellets, has released the first data from its Track & Trace (T&T) program. T&T enables Enviva to track every truckload of wood the company procures from the forest back to its source, providing a detailed understanding of the characteristics of the wood the company uses. One aspect of the T&T program is the Enviva Wood Supply Map, which provides detailed information on actual timber harvests around each of Enviva’s facilities during the first half of 2016. Enviva’s first T&T released to the public shows data on wood purchases from January through June 2016. Some of the findings include: l Since Enviva opened its first U.S.
mill in 2011, the total amount of forested land in its primary supply area has increased by more than 320,000 acres, with the volume of forest inventory on that land growing by 10%. l During the first half of 2016, Enviva procured wood from more than 750 individual tracts in 98 counties in seven Southern states. l During the first half of 2016, Enviva’s wood came from these sources: —About 72% came from mixed pine and hardwood forests (43%), southern yellow pine forests (25%) and upland hardwood forests (4%). —On average, the forests on these tracts were 37 years old at the time of final harvest. Enviva plans to update the online T&T data a few times a year going forward.
Hampton Starts Up Banks Sawmill Hampton Lumber officially launched operations at the former Banks Lumber sawmill in Banks, Ore.
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NewsLines it purchased last August. Hampton spent six months making upgrades to improve safety, efficiency and optimization. Once fully operational, the mill will employ 60 and produce green Douglas fir lumber. “With all the challenges, one might wonder why a company would continue to invest in sawmills,” say CEO Steve Zika. “But we have over 70 years of experience in the sawmill business and people still need and want renewable wood products.”
Logger John Bunn, II Dies In Truck Mishap A memorial service for John Bunn, II, co-owner of Bunn Logging, Inc., Forsyth, Ga., was held February 12 at Forsyth United Methodist Church. Bunn, 54, died February 9 when the loaded log truck he was driving and a smaller flatbed truck collided near Gray, Ga. The driver of the smaller truck, Raymond Macon, 33, of Eatonton, Ga., pulled out in front of the log
truck, which had the right-of-way, according to a report in The Jones County News. Macon also died in the mishap. There were no passengers in either vehicle. John Bunn, II Bunn was an equal partner with his older brother, Leslie (Nipper), in Bunn Logging, a second generation business started by their father, Frank, and an uncle in 1948. He was also a minority partner in Quality Forest Products LLC, Forsyth. Bunn Logging was honored as the Georgia Forestry Assn.’s Logger of the Year and the Forest Resources Assn.’s (FRA) Southeastern National Outstanding Logger in 2003 and in 2004 was named FRA’s National Outstanding Logger. Survivors include his widow, a son, a brother, and two sisters.
Memorials may be made to Monroe County Adult & Community Education (checks to MCACE), P. O. Box 712; or to Monroe Reads with Ferst (checks to FFCL), P. O. Box 812, both in Forsyth, GA 31029.
Carolina Chips Mill Is Gearing Up Carolina Chips, Inc., a subsidiary of The Price Companies, Inc., expects to start up a chip mill in Holly Hill, Orangeburg County, SC this year. The $32 million investment, which is creating 15 jobs, will produce chips and processed bark for the KapStone paper mill in North Charleston, SC. The facility is scheduled for completion and operation in the first half of 2017. “We are very proud and excited to be developing a long-term relationship with a solid, progressive and customer-driven company like KapStone,” comments The Price Companies, Inc. President and CEO Dick Carmical.
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Paving A Way For The Kids At 45, Louisiana’s Trey Maxwell is already looking toward a succession plan.
F
JESSICAJohnson
or a man from rural Louisiana who likes hunting, fishing and otherwise relishes the outdoors, there’s really not much more he could want from a job in the woods. “There’s cool air and country music in these machines,” logger Trey Maxwell says with a grin. “What more could you want?” So when Maxwell, 45, who hails from Sarepta, located in the state’s far northwestern corner, finished his four years on the Louisiana Tech baseball team and came out with a forestry degree, it was very easy to see where he wanted his path to go. Long a fan of “new toys,” as he
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calls them, Maxwell says he started from nothing. His maternal uncle made sure the logging bug firmly bit him when Maxwell climbed in a skidder for the first time one summer, simply looking for some extra money. How he got his company started and grew it to what it is today speaks volumes about why he is the kind of logger he is. At first, Maxwell worked summers and other times on his uncle’s crew. He also saw how successful his cousin was at log trucking, so when he graduated from La Tech, he purchased a truck and started hauling. One truck quickly led to two, and then to five.
Maxwell was fascinated by the work his uncle and cousin were doing and once he started hauling, he knew the wood business for him, that he’d never do anything else. Today Trey Maxwell Logging owns and operates six fiveman crews and 17 trucks. Maxwell also has two crews cutting by contract. He talks about Maxwell Logging’s progression, “Naturally, I started out with one crew and worked several years with one. Then, like everyone else, I started thinking I had to have the next thing. Opportunities started coming around, and I took them. There have been lots of times I’d go to bed at night
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wondering ‘what in the world have I done this for?’ It’s not all gravy. I was pretty headstrong; I wasn’t going to give up—hell-bent to make it.” The crews contract cut for WestRock and Harmon Wood Co., as well as harvest tracts Maxwell purchases. After decades in the logging business, he’s learned the hard way that market diversification is crucial. “I have always been one of the guys that doesn’t want all their eggs in one basket,” he explains. “Quotas haven’t been too big an ordeal for us; we’re still able to move enough to do pretty well, but it’s not what we’re accustomed to.”
Planning Ahead Maxwell says the big reason he drives so hard has nothing to do with the new toys or pushing out as much production as possible—it’s for his kids. Maxwell has a clear succession plan that heavily involves his teenage son, whom he says is “just like me; he’s not going to want to sit at a desk,” and his daughter, whom currently works in the office alongside her mother. When he first saw his son Gunner demonstrate the traits he
deemed “like me,” he told his wife Melinda the future plan needed to include paving a way for the kids. Running six crews is stressful, certainly, but Maxwell says in the competitive area he works he doesn’t want to lose a foothold with any market. “I had to make my road for me; I would like to have his (Gunner) already paved and lines painted. Naturally, I’m not retiring anytime soon but I do want to back off and let him take the reins. That’s my plan as I get older. I want to try to scale down. I don’t want to keep the wide open mentally because it doesn’t leave any time to do anything but log. I love it, but I don’t like it that much,” he states. Maxwell’s 21-year-old daughter Maci doesn’t show an interest in logging per se but her husband runs a loader/delimber on a crew. “He’s a real good kid,” Maxwell says about the young man, Brock, who like the two Maxwell men is an outdoors guy who can’t imagine working behind a desk. Once the Maxwells realized the two were going to get married—they’ve been “dating” since they were 14—it became clear that this was how the Maxwells could help them get started.
“I told my wife I need these multiple jobs because I can help Gunner, since he’s a boy. I can’t help my daughter when it comes to a logging job, but the next best thing is to help her husband. I need to keep several of these jobs doing well, because they are going to need one,” he says. Brock and Maci were married the first weekend in March, 2017. A true family man, Maxwell says his future is not for him; it’s for them. When Trey Maxwell Logging first started the Maxwells lived on a tight budget and put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into the operation. “We got down to $700 once many, many years ago,” he remembers. “It went from that to a multi-million dollar operation and I’ve seen everything in-between.” He doesn’t want his children to have to struggle as he and Melinda did. “I really don’t want them to go into this because I know the mop can
Each crew uses two loaders, one for delimbing/topping and one for sorting and loading.
Trey Maxwell is a hands-on hustler.
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The crews know Maxwell’s systems and work like a well-oiled machine. Some of the crews have been together for as many as seven years, if not more. Because of that longevity, the crew often moves as one unit. Employees are paid by the day and can earn a weekly production bonus. Tailgate safety meetings are held monthly, with a given crew’s safety leader going over a specific topic, and all workers, including truck drivers, are required to attend. Three of Maxwell’s skidders are new model JD648Ls, which require DEF in their engines.
On The Road
flop either way. When I started this, luckily, I wound up being successful. I am grounded enough to know it could’ve gone the other way. Just because I do my part and hand them this doesn’t mean it is an automatic success,” he warns.
Maxwell coordinates all trucking himself. He says it’s manageable because he has a good group of drivers who, for the most part, handle their own trucks well enough that he doesn’t have to be extremely hands on. Loader operators act as ‘go-to’ guys in helping oversee crews and trucks, which helps Maxwell be in “six to eight places at once” on a given day. Each crew is assigned four to five trucks, with the majority owned by Maxwell. A few contract truckers take up the slack. The fleet includes three 2014 Western Stars and 14 Peterbilts. Trailers are a mix of pole and frame units, the latter by Pitts. Logs typically go to mills in Louisiana, and the distance can be as long as 140 miles one way. Trucks are not equipped with GPS, but Maxwell does use Vulcan on-board scales. In a similar vein to his rotation practice with John Deere, Maxwell has a similar rotation schedule with Rush Truck Center (RTC) in Texarkana, Tex. He uses RTC for all warranty related repairs. Otherwise, three local mechanics stationed out of different areas handle routine maintenance. Maxwell says he is fortunate enough that for the most part, drivers bypass him and directly call the mechanic located in their area, thus taking one management piece off his plate. The biggest headache with trucking for Maxwell is the fundamental “neediness” of trucks versus harvesting equipment. He comments, “I can put a woods crew on 100 acres and for two or three weeks I don’t have to worry about them. A truck is different. It’s all day every day. I have good drivers, but the trucks can be real needy.” Most all of Maxwell’s drivers are
In-Woods Lineup
changing in the future, noting the peace of mind aspect makes up for any additional headaches the financial aspect may cause. Equipped with Tier 4f engines, Maxwell’s newest equipment runs hotter and requires DEF. “They are doing better than I actually anticipated,” he says of the machines, “but DEF is another added cost. When you have as many trucks and as many machines as I’ve got, we use a lot of DEF.” Crew members service machines at 500 hours. The logger maintains a scarcely used 40x60 ft. shop in Sarepta.
Given the scope of the business, and his addiction to the smell of new paint, it’s easy to see why Maxwell says his finance company frequently reminds him he’s “maxed out.” Including all harvesting equipment and trucking gear, Trey Maxwell Logging has roughly a $6 million investment. Each crew is set-up exactly the same: five-piece jobs moving 65-70 loads per week on an average tract size of 80 acres. Maxwell says his one cutter/two skidder/two loader setup is quite efficient. In his area of Louisiana and southern Arkansas, 75% of the time the crews are on pine plantation regeneration harvests. Maxwell is wedded to John Deere equipment—12 skidders (three 748Hs, three 648Ls and six 648Hs), 12 loaders (six 335s and six 437Ds) and five cutters (two 843Ks and three 843Ls). Each landing has two loaders—one that delimbs/tops with a CSI 4400 slasher and CSI 264 topping saw, and another that sorts and loads. Dealing with Deere dealer Stribling Equipment in Texarkana, Ark., Maxwell purchases an extended warranty on each new machine and holds to a rapid rotation schedule, often looking to trade every 2500-3000 hours. While this practice may be considered expensive, Maxwell insists it is worth it in terms of stress reduction and peace of mind. It’s something he’s always done and he doesn’t see himself Maxwell’s Deere dealer is Stribling Equipment. 12
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experienced log haulers, but he will occasionally hire an inexperienced log truck driver if he believes he is responsible and has good potential with some training. Some of Maxwell’s haulers have been with him for as long as 18 years. Such loyalty stems in part from how he pays drivers—a percentage of their truck’s gross income. Veteran drivers help keep incidents to a minimum, which helps control insurance costs, but like many Maxwell is frustrated with the rising cost of trucking. In addition to performing well in terms of production and togetherness, the logger credits crew members with helping keep equipment in tip-top shape. They begin work at 7 a.m. stop at 4 p.m., with very few Saturdays worked. “If they move 65-70 loads per week (per job), I’m fine with that. That’s one reason why I buy my own timber; it gives me an added edge. It works out moving the volume. All together we usually do 400 to 500 loads per week. Logging, in my opinion has gotten down to volume,” Maxwell says. Emerson Oil Co., Homer, La. deliv-
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ers many support products for harvesting equipment, and Smith’s South Central, Springhill, La. provides most off-road diesel. With trucks going in all directions in two states, drivers use Fuelman cards to get diesel at the most convenient locations.
Do-It-All Nature Melinda Maxwell and two others staff the office, which Trey Maxwell aptly calls “a rat race.” There is a mailbox at the office for truck drivers to come by during the weekend and put their folders (tickets, pre-trip inspections and other paperwork). The staff tackles these folders on Monday, which Maxwell refers to as a “train wreck.” Most companies the crews work for need tickets by Tuesday, giving the office just one day to process paperwork. “We like the volume and the stuff going on, but the flip side is those women have to work hard,” Maxwell admits. Employees are paid weekly, and prefer to get their checks mailed on Wednesdays, which means the office must also run payroll on Mondays. Maxwell says it’s not uncommon to
see lights on at the office as late at 10 p.m. on Mondays. Maxwell builds all landings and roads himself, pointing out it helps crews maintain control of tracts, and stressing that over the years he’s learned to be 100% self-reliant. Moreover, he doesn’t have a forester, a dedicated truck mechanic working just for him, or a man who does odd jobs. All those men together are him. He says people often tell him they don’t understand how he does it all himself with so many pieces of equipment and multiple crews. He says it’s a point of pride to be able to keep the company running at such a consistent level. Thanks to planning and hard work, Maxwell says his crews can withstand anything the weather might throw at them, and otherwise endure temporary production halts. He says he has never missed an equipment note or fallen behind with the banks. Confident that he’s put the right people in the right places, Maxwell comments, “The guys in the woods play a very important part and that’s what I am most proud of. It comes with a lot of TH worrying. It took a long time.”
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Winch-Assist Systems Pick Up Momentum Summit Attachments & Machinery on leading edge of intriguing technology.
L
DANShell
oggers across the Northwest need to brace themselves for the steep slope winch-assist revolution, says Bruce Skurdahl, longtime winch and attachments specialist and a partner in Summit Attachments & Machinery along with logger Eric Krume, who operates Krume Logging & Excavation out of Castle Rock, Wash. During the past decade, safety concerns drove the inception of winch-assist technology, primarily in New Zealand. But the productivity gains possible are also attracting forward-thinking loggers who work in steep and rugged conditions to closely evaluate what the technology can do for their operations, Skurdahl asserts.
Efficiency, Output Gains
Winch-assist boosts skidding-yarding efficiency as well as felling. 18
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He believes that while early attention to the technology has been on safely accessing steeper slopes for mechanical felling with reduced liability and insurance costs, the production increases possible using the technology for skidding and yarding are equally as impressive. “A lot of guys haven’t realized what it’s going to mean for them,” he believes. “More forest managers are going to require its use, and loggers will have to re-evaluate once they put these systems on the ground.” When people say logging is one of the most dangerous jobs, steep slope cable logging is what they have in mind: Timber must be felled by hand in rugged conditions, then is “snared” by hand via choker setters and yarded to the landing where choker cables must be unhooked by hand. Winch-assist technology makes the felling, choking, yarding, skidding and unhooking segments of cable logging safer and more productive. A winch-assisted felling machine can drop stems in bundles and also orient them for more efficient choker setting. Choker setters are working bundles that are larger, with butts facing the right direction instead of working stem-by-stem, and landing chasers are less stressed since each turn has a bigger payload. Skurdahl describes a recent demo just TIMBER HARVESTING & WOOD FIBER OPERATIONS
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before the 2017 Oregon Logging Conference, with 40+ people in attendance, including Tigercat customers and some land managers. After watching a Tigercat LS855C with Tigercat 519 directional felling head in action with winch-assist system, he says, the group was blown away when the system switched over to a Tigercat 635D 6 wheel drive tracked grapple skidder that went downslope and came back on each turn with roughly half a truckload of logs—again with no spinning or churning. Skurdahl adds that as winch-assist systems become more widespread, loggers themselves will come up with more ways to apply the technology to become more productive and efficient. For example, one Summit customer has used the 855/519 directional head package for shovel logging. On a recent job, he had one operator felling and moving nine loads a day to roadside ready for processing and loading. Summit is also working with a U.S. contractor who wants to operate a 100 ft. tower running a hydraulic shotgun grapple carriage on a live skyline— while using a Tigercat 635D grapple with up to 25 sq. ft. capacity. Such a system is made possible by winch-assist technology (and other technologies) that enables felled bundles to be placed accurately under the skyline. And each turn brings in a third to half a truckload of logs.
Background Summit Attachments & Machinery dates to 2004, when it was founded by Krume and Skurdahl. A longtime logging winch and attachments specialist, Skurdahl had helped build Allied Power Products, working there 15 years. He had also worked for Jewell Mfg. for almost a decade as sales manager. Krume has been working in logging since he was 17. In 1995, he started Krume Logging & Excavation. The company operates two cable logging crews and makes extensive use of steep slope winch-assist systems. The crews also serve as a testing ground and R&D group for Summit’s logging systems. The two met when Skurdahl was at Jewell and Krume was a Jewell customer. “He started buying Jewell-converted products way back in the old days when Jewell did a lot of custom work and special add-ons,” Skurdahl remembers, adding that Krume was al-
Feller-buncher is attached to excavator and winch-assist system, then moves down steep slope adjacent road and reaches bench of more level ground 100 feet or so below the road, opposite page. Excavator is recently converted Cat 330D.
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One of Krume’s two cable-logging crews on site during Timber Harvesting visit; Waratah processing head handles bucking duties at landing.
Winch-assist innovator Eric Krume
ways interested in what Jewell was doing and liked to look around the shop and see the latest conversions. One day Krume came in with an idea for a different tong-throwing design than what Jewell had been offering. The design looked neat and would work, but the owner didn’t want to do it and the idea was shelved. A couple years later, after Skurdahl had left Jewell and was back at the family hazelnut farm during a non-compete period, he kept getting phone calls from people about winches and loaders, looking for parts or other information. One of the callers was Krume, who still wanted to try his new tongthrower design. “So we built one and discovered it worked better than the 20
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Benefiting from winch-assist systems, cable logging crew was pushing 20 loads a day.
original design,” Skurdahl says, noting that the Summit tong thrower is a part of the heel rack, which makes it a true attachment instead of an integrated part of the machine. Soon after the thrower was put in action, people started calling, wanting throwers and yarder winch and boom products and conversions. Working out of Krume’s logging shop, the fledgling company did a few conversions and built dozens of tong throwers, and with the demand was able to move into an industrial shop building in Kelso. “We started off just doing projects, but now we have a building and employees and inventory because if you’re going to be in the business you’ve got to be in business,” Skurdahl says. He notes the company has grown,
doubling sales each year the past seven years after starting from scratch. In 2013, Krume and Skurdahl watched a video of a steep slope winch-assist system at work in New Zealand. They were extremely interested, and of course thought they could build a better system than the one they saw. At the time, Krume was operating a self-levelling Tigercat LS855C f-b he thought would work well in a winch-assist application. In fact, one day he hooked the f-b to an excavator winch and headed downhill, talking to the excavator operator as he moved up and down, just to get the feel for the technology. In minutes he was convinced Summit needed to build one. The prototype system was set up as
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a swing yarder attachment. “Within the first hour of testing, it was like ‘This is great!’” Skurdahl says, noting the prototype was a simple system with manual winch control and no radio connection. “It worked really, really well,” he remembers. “On the hillside the machine just moved, never churned or spun out and was very stable. It just worked.”
On Site When Timber Harvesting visited Krume Logging & Excavation, plus Summit Attachments & Machinery, the logging company was working a job in southwest Washington, just across the Columba River from Astoria, Ore. On site was a tower crew operating a TY 80 Thunderbird yarder, Cat 330C with Waratah processing head and a Doosan 225 log loader. On another part of the tract, a Tigercat LS855C shovel-logging machine moved logs to roadside. The crew was working timber felled by a Tigercat LS855 feller-buncher with 519 directional felling head, using winch-assist technology on slopes up to 100%. Production was pushing 20 loads a day. On the job, Krume was testing a recent Cat 330D winch-assist conversion, a machine that was going to a contractor from Washington state. The machine is as “basic” of a package that Summit offers: A winch mounted where the counterweight would be, and at the end of the loader stick is a stub boom that sticks up. The winch cable goes over the top of the machine, over the sheave at the top of the stub boom, then straight down to a swivel fairlead mounted to the bottom of the stub boom. “You want the line down near the ground because it tends to pull the machine down onto the hill,” Skurdahl says. “A steep slope winch-assist system pulls the machine down where track pads are in better contact with the hillside, and it feels and is much more stable.” Grouser extensions on f-b tracks also boost traction. The winch is operated via a radio-control system with 2,000 ft. range, using sensors in the travel pedals on the cutting machine. “As you step on the pedals to move up and down the hill, you’re also powering line on and off the drum,” Skurdahl says. The sheave on the stub boom has an electronic load cell in it that measures line pull and feeds it back to the hy-
Bunched logs all oriented the correct way make for more efficient and productive choker setting and yarding.
draulic system operating the winch. System safeguards include pre-programmed pull limits nowhere near cable capacity (40,000 lbs. limit on an 160,000 lb. cable, for example). Sensors detect any overspeed condition and immediately shut everything down and set the brake. Summit recently added a secondary drum brake and also offers a two-winch system for those who want extra protection. (Some winch-assist system suppliers tout two-winch systems for extra safety.) “Safety is paramount, and we have safety factor on top of safety factor,” Skurdahl says, adding that a data recorder logs all operating information such as pull tension, distance travelled, cab level, production data and more. The system is also being used in Oregon State University’s longterm study on winch-assist technology and logger safety. The operator in a Summit winch-assisted machine can view monitor readouts of both the data recorder and a video monitor of the winch in operation. Another level of technology is putting a live GPS harvest map on the monitor that corresponds to the tract’s corridor layout. Operators can then see where to pile bundles in the corridors under where the skyline will run— making choker setting much more safer and quicker.
Future Skurdahl believes winch-assist technology will continue to gather steam and spread as more loggers learn of the benefits (not to mention workers’ comp insurance; a hand-
faller can cost 600%-700% more to insure than an operator in a protective cab) in productivity and safety and replacing labor in areas where employees are hard to find. He also mentions that more timberland owners are already requiring the system. However, that brings on more concerns, such as how much timber owners are willing to support winch-assist systems. Timberland owners who are seeing reduced liability and increased productivity from winch-assist technology are going to have to find ways to encourage implementation by doing more than just making contract demands, Skurdahl believes. As for Summit Attachments & Machinery, Skurdahl says the market right now is “pedal to the metal.” The company’s winch-assist systems are currently installed in more than two dozen machines, with another dozen on order and potential customers calling. Krume continues to talk with other loggers and look for more ways to apply winch-assist operations. There’s a History Channel feature in the works on the technology, and the companies are involved with that. Skurdahl remains involved with Oregon-OSHA’s winch-assist safety committee and is constantly spreading the logging gospel at Council of Forest Engineering (COFE) meetings, logging association meetings and other venues. “For years salesmen would talk about the latest loader or skidder with x more horsepower, more reach or increased swing torque, but those aren’t game changers,” Skurdahl says. “Winch-assist technology truly is.” TH
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A Contrast Of Two Worlds Similarities exist, but logging in Russia is much different than logging in the U.S.
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TOMTrone & KENMunson
t was an unlikely location for two senior American corporate executives to meet: 13 time zones to the east of Atlanta, a five-hour flight east of Moscow, in the middle of Siberia, as the deep chill of winter was settling in. That was where the authors met for the first time in November 2009. Trone, representing a major international supplier of harvesting equipment, and Munsun, representing the largest forestry and pulp operation in Russia. Here, in the white, wintery landscape of the Irkutsk Region, began a productive business relationship which grew into a personal friendship and basis for a lifelong collaboration. In the many miles and meals since
then, our talk often turned to the differences and similarities between U.S. and Russian forestry and logging conditions. Not just the operating conditions, but more so in the social, economic and human side of both regions. Here we share a few ob- Tom Trone servations about logging in two parts of the world that are alike in some ways and worlds apart in others.
Ken Munson
General Conditions Of course, there are obvious geographical and climatic conditions that are different. In many ways, it is a fair comparison to consider forest conditions in the Northeast or Lake States regions of the U.S. and Canada’s southern interior to the forested regions of Siberian Russia. The common thread here is that the best harvest conditions are in winter when the ground is frozen and covered with snow. A normal winter period can stretch from November to March or April, when about 70% of the annual harvest volume is cut and either delivered to a mill or held in intermediate storages until spring and summer. Trucking pauses for up to six weeks during the spring thaw to reduce road damage. Construction of winter roads involves clearing surface vegetation and grading the surface smooth. Frozen sub-surfaces and long periods with temperatures below freezing make for stable, low cost roads with very little soil disturbance.
The Forest Cut-to-length systems are used for about two-thirds of the annual Russian harvest. 22
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Russia’s forests are the ecological frameworks of the biosphere not only for this country, but also for the whole TIMBER HARVESTING & WOOD FIBER OPERATIONS
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northern hemisphere of the planet. Twenty two percent of all forestland and 25% of the world’s timber reserves are found in Russia. Forests take up 69% of all its land. Primary softwood species are pine, spruce and larch; hardwoods are mainly birch and aspen. While modern forest management has been the standard in the U.S. for decades, yielding growth rates in the range of four cubic meters per hectare (2.47 acres) per year (roughly 1700 bd. ft.) in the north, Russian forests remain under an extensive—some could argue depletive—management regime controlled by government regulations. Stands are usually overstocked and have lacked active thinning at early ages. Growth rates consequently are in the range of two cubic meters (roughly 850 bd. ft.) per hectare per year. Rotation ages vary between 85 and 110 years. In contrast, rotation ages in the Northeast U.S. are in the 55-year range, and 25-35 years in the southern U.S. The operational impact of this difference is that in Russia a much larger forest area is required to support a certain volume of mill consumption, resulting in longer haul distances and higher transport costs. To amplify the situation, the practice for decades has been to harvest the closest stands first, resulting in a year-by-year expansion in the wood supply circle of a mill and of course increasing logistics costs.
Investment, Inflation If a logger in the U.S. wants to purchase a new machine or log truck, he or she can either pay cash, get financing from the manufacturer, or go to a bank for a loan. In the latter case, the interest rate on the loan today would be in the mid-single digits, depending on circumstances. In Russia a logger pays an interest rate of 14% to 17%. Inflation is another major difference between Russia and the U.S. Inflation in the U.S. in 2015 was less than 1%; in Russia it was about 12%. In the second half of 2016 inflation was about 7% in Russia, and remains a significant challenge for timber producers. Fuel costs run about (U.S.) $4 gallon.
It is hard enough to make a profit anywhere in the logging business, let alone when facing the double headwinds of high interest rates and high inflation. Consequently, many machine-based operators in Russia run machines for longer periods, even as downtime and machine fatigue reduce productivity. Logging operators must either save money and pay cash for equipment or keep fixing older machines. Not to be overlooked are the current geopolitical issues and economic sanctions that pile on the economic challenges.
Harvesting Equipment The shift from mainly manual chain saw felling and machine skidding to mechanized operations continues to
evolve in Russia. The rate of change to more modern processes is driven by safety objectives and the need for greater levels of efficiency. Like in the U.S., fewer workers are choosing logging as a career, so machines help offset the shortage of labor in some areas. The high cost of capital works against contractors who want to modernize but cannot afford to borrow money. Most modern harvesting machines are produced outside Russia, which means the purchase currency is not the Russian ruble. With a currently weak ruble—a ruble is worth about 50% of what it was three years ago—machines are purchased at high ruble costs, and spare parts, also sold in non-ruble currencies, are also expensive. All this translates to higher costs
A full tree operation on a cold, snowy day in Siberian Russia
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Log loading methods—one modern, one out of date—contrast in Russia.
as a result of a weak ruble, high inflation and high cost of capital. Russian logging is accomplished by a combination of big companies and independent owners, both of which can lease harvest rights from the government for decades at a time, typically at (U.S) $2 or less per cubic meter. Companies with forest leases usually have their own equipment and harvest some of the volume, but they also hire contractors. Cut-to-length systems dominate at about 65%. The remainder is done with full tree systems—about 20% involving chain saws for felling-delimbing-topping, along with skidders, and about 15% involving fully mechanized jobs. Machine production levels can be high in Russia. In recent years, one large forest company achieved cut-tolength volumes of 75-100,000 cubic meters per year with only one harvester. The same company had a crew 24
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of two feller-bunchers that harvested over a million cubic meters in one year. This was a case of good machines being operated by seasoned crews in favorable operating conditions. Clearly, this was a case of exceptional performance and shows what can be done with the right crews and machines in good conditions.
Typical Work Week Once the season begins the operations normally run 24/7, with two-three days off for the New Year. The work routine is 7 days on and 7 days off. After a week of rest, workers are up at 4 a.m. to get ready for the long bumpy bus ride (up to four hours) to the job site. They arrive at camp just as another crew is wrapping up its work week. It is 9:30 a.m. and still dark for the most part. The crew coming offshift is quiet and has that worn-out
look. They are very glad to be heading home after 7 days of camp life. Workers are assigned a living wagon, or a glorified heavy-duty camp trailer, with four single bunk beds. Eight people are assigned to each camp wagon. While one crew of four is working, the others are sleeping or eating. After 12 hours, they all switch places. Food is served four or five times a day in a special cook wagon equipped with a wood burning stove. The menu is whatever the cook decides to prepare. The authors can attest that camp wagon food is some of the best they have ever eaten. Sitting down for a bowl of hearty Russian soup and fresh bread after a morning on the job site at -13°F is the best comfort food in the world. For personal hygiene, there is a special wagon set up as a sauna and fitted with a wood burning heater. No showers or baths here. Hot water for washing hands and face is available. For toilets… well, follow the frozen trail out behind the camp wagons to the little house with a half-moon on the door. That is, if your camp facility has the luxury of a door or even an outhouse, but you get the general idea of the process. This is quite an experience at 15° or so below zero. If there is a good point to mention, it’s that everything is frozen solid. So, for seven days and seven nights, a logger’s daily routine consists of 12 hours of harvesting, forwarding, skidding, machine maintenance, multiple meals, rest, getting ready, then starting the work process over again. Unlike the U.S. logging experience, there are no 7-Elevens, no McDonalds, no hot biscuit and gravy spots along the way or on the nearest corner. No cheeseburgers and fries. No getting home in time to catch the kid’s ball game after school or to catch a movie at a local theater. The comforts of home are a long way away in time and distance.
People As is often said, it’s the people that make the difference in any operation. You can have the best machines and procedures in the world, but if people do not execute work safely and efficiently, the operation falls short. Far more attention is given to safety in Russia today than a few years ago. Closer examination by government authorities, coupled with more responsible leadership, especially by Russian
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Camp facilities accommodate shifts of forest workers.
companies owned by western interests, have added a lot of urgent pressure across all phases of the forest industry to improve worker safety. The tenor of safety accident reviews now is shifting away from “let’s find out who is to blame and fire him” to “what could we have done differently to prevent an accident.” This will be a long journey in Russia, but the journey has begun. Russian forest workers, especially machine operators, are generally trained in basic skills and know-how of forest work. However, getting employees to rise to the next level of performance (safety, efficiency, attitude, and so on) requires steady dedication to training and feedback. We also do not see the same level of employer loyalty by Russian workers as exists in the U.S. This leads to higher than expected (compared to the U.S.) levels of turnover and loss of good employees when they get a little better offer from a competitor. This, in our view, is the cumulative effect over many decades and generations of employers and authorities who did little to encourage employee loyalty. Depending on skills, forest workers make from (U.S.) $1,200 to $1,800 per month, and typically are paid on a formula based on production. A highly skilled and highly productive machine operator can make perhaps $2,500 per month.
This commonly means that if something like a machine or a process is working, don’t spend time trying to improve it or fix a problem that may not exist. In Russia one will often find this phrase taken more to the literal sense: that is, don’t fix something until it breaks. The authors frequently saw this application to preventive maintenance. This may result in low costs for preventive maintenance, but high costs for making repairs, not to mention lost production. We suppose the phrase “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” has been slow to catch on. It would be unfair to generalize about this across Russian loggers, but the authors have seen a distinctive difference between the Russian and U.S. approach to equipment upkeep. One interesting example of this notion, as applied to forest bridge inspection and maintenance, was when a crew decided it was time to move a track harvester to a different location. The move involved crossing a small river over an old wooden bridge. So off they went. Much to everyone’s surprise the bridge surface collapsed (no injuries thankfully). After the fact, as the men stood inspecting the situation, they concluded the bridge was not strong enough to support the machine.
Maintenance Habits Given the remote nature of logging camps, most logging efforts find it necessary to develop close relationships with machine suppliers for preventive maintenance, parts and service. In addition, operators inspect machines daily and service wagons and some spare parts are kept on hand for making repairs on demand. While we are on the subject of harvest machines, let’s consider the phrase “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” 26
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When asked why they did not inspect the bridge before moving the machine they said because it was not their bridge. Well, try wrapping your mind around that logic as you consider extracting the harvester from the river and now having some repair obligations of a bridge that is not yours. We wish this was the only example we could offer of this type of thinking, but it’s not. If there is a good side of the story, there was a forwarder following the harvester, and the quick-thinking forwarder operator stopped when the harvester dropped through the bridge.
Illegal logging Here we consider illegal logging to include theft of standing timber, theft from wood inventory piles, playing games with delivery systems and wood scaling, and those practices that are used by folks who apparently just can’t make it by following the rules. Yes, it happens in Russia, just as it happens in the U.S. What we have seen in Russia from the forest to the mill includes some of the same techniques seen in the good old USA, but in Russia the practices can be a bit more obvious, and the participating partners can sometimes be the same folks whose responsibility it is to protect against such practices. Estimates of annual volume harvested illegally vary widely. The Federal Forest Agency has estimated that less than 1% is illegally harvested, while a major NGO has estimated that over 20% is taken illegally. Having personally witnessed old, recent and active illegal harvesting operations, it leaves no doubt that it is an issue to be addressed. If there is good news in all this, it is a topic of frequent conversation in all quarters of the Russian forest products communities. Western companies operating in Russia are bringing high ethical standards and world class procurement processes that are making a significant difference. Much more needs to be done across the country, but as our Russian colleagues like to say, step-by-step, they are making progress.
Motivation Costly dilemma: harvester breaks bridge
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mism among employees. In Russia, it could be described as “today is better than tomorrow will be” while in the U.S. the tendency is to believe that “tomorrow will be better than today.” If one’s outlook is positive, it tends to drive a set of beliefs that hard work and sacrifice today will lead to benefits in the future. Benefits such as better compensation, job satisfaction, and employment security come from investing time and effort. If one’s outlook is negative, one tends to jump from one opportunity to another just to “get what you can today” and not worry about tomorrow until tomorrow is here. As an employer, it is challenging to sponsor a training and development program for employees who may not be around long enough to give back the return on investment.
Perspectives Learned It is probably human nature to think you have it pretty bad from time to time. If it is not one thing it’s another. Bad weather, high interest rates, high fuel costs, machine break-
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downs, labor problems, high operating costs, and taxes, etc. can spoil a good day. But also like human nature, seeing the world from another person’s perspective can tell you as much about your own world as it can about theirs. If we were asked to offer a perspective on what a U.S. logging crew and a Russian logging crew could learn from each other, we would probably zero in on “motivation” and “perspective.” We think Russian loggers would benefit from their U.S. counterpart’s approach to motivation. In our country we wake up thinking this is going to be a good day, and tomorrow will be even better. That is how we think. Our positive attitude carries over into most of what we do and why we tend to be good achievers. A little of this attitude taken daily by a Russian crew would work wonders. To our U.S. logging colleagues, we might suggest viewing your trials and tribulations in context to the Russian perspective to give you a reference point. Imagine harvesting 70% of your annual volume at temperatures between freezing and -40°F, living most
of your work week away from home and family, making a salary that’s about 30% of what you enjoy today, with little probability of breaking into another career path. We recently took part in a discussion about the impact economic sanctions are having on the average Russians citizen. He likened the sanctions to a cold winter that weeds out the weak, leaving the strong to emerge in the spring in good shape. He commented that residents in the Russian city of St. Petersburg, for example, define a tough time to be when your city is blockaded by German tanks and artillery for some 900 days, as it was during World War II. In contrast, he said we in U.S. panic when our favorite store runs out of Doritos. American and Russian loggers are both resilient and adaptable. Each region has its own unique set of environmental, social, political and economic conditions that impact the success or failure of logging operations. We believe strongly that in the U.S. our freedoms and positive, can-do attitudes are TH an unbeatable combination.
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Merchandising Sorting, Lo Manufacturers present snapshots of loaders, grapples, slashers, and delimbers.
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g, Loading
Barko Hydraulics, LLC 1 Banks Ave. Superior WI 54880 Phone 715-395-6700 Web: barko.com
RTC Loader Package
Founded in 1963, Barko has consistently provided innovative loader solutions to the forestry market. The company currently offers 21 loader models across five different product lines. The Rough Terrain Carrier (RTC) loader package is the most maneuverable and powerful log loading machine in the Barko lineup. Providing increased productivity through a sharp turning radius and impressive pulling capacity, the RTC is ideal for safely and efficiently navigating log yards, sawmills and other jobsites. Featuring 4-wheel-drive, the unit features an exceptionally stable rigid frame that provides 2-wheel, 4-wheel and crab steering. When 4-wheel steer is engaged, the RTC offers an 18-ft. turning radius, sharper than many half-ton pickup trucks. All four wheels constantly maintain ground contact to provide proper support. It can travel up to 12 MPH and is equipped with a powershift transmission that allows operators to shift on the fly. Also, the RTC delivers approximately 21,000 lbs. of drawbar pull, enough to pull a small log trailer, move through muddy conditions, and climb grades up to 45%. The 495B RTC model is powered by a 173 HP Cummins Tier 4f engine and has a maximum lift capacity of 28,720 lbs.
Caterpillar Forest Products 100 S.L White Blvd. LaGrange, GA 30241 Phone 706 880-4300 Web: cat.com
C Series Knucklebooms Caterpillar’s 559C and 579C trailer-mount knucklebooms help loggers boost production while saving on fuel. They feature fuel-efficient engines and powerful hydraulics that provide significantly more lift at full reach, resulting in greater production at lower cost per ton. Powered by the Cat C6.6 ACERT 174 HP engine, the C Series loaders feature high swing torque, swing speed, and Photo credit: John Deere
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Leading seat comfort, amenities like satellite radio, improved user interface and keypad, and safe, ground level access to supplies keep operators working comfortably and productively.
Chambers Delimbinator PO Box 777 Ackerman, MS 39735 Phone 662-285-2777 Web: chambersdelimbinator.com
‘Go To’ Delimbing Tool lift capacity that reduce cycle times. They are fast, smooth, and designed and built for high production while being economical on fuel. They have excellent lift capacity throughout the full range of motion of the boom and at full reach. Three operating modes let loggers manage machine hydraulics and fuel consumption, depending on the application. Lift and swing torque are the same in all modes. Heavy-duty design and construction make them the right choice for high production, high cycle operations, tough pull-through delimbing, and handling big hardwoods. Caterpillar offers a wide selection of grapples and a complete factory-installed merchandising system that includes a CTR delimber with hydraulic connections to operate a slasher.
538 LL Forest Machine
The Cat 538 Forest Machine, available in two live heel configurations and a processor configuration, delivers maximum profit potential. Introduced in late 2016 as one of the first models in the 500 series to meet U.S. EPA Tier 4f emission standards, the 538 LL delivers more profit by maximizing efficiency and reducing costs. Increased lift capacity (26%) and swing torque (18%) drive stronger performance and more production. Operators can lift more and swing or process from a pile more efficiently. Reducing total fuel costs up to 23% from the previous model and low maintenance and repair costs result in lower operating costs. Proven Cat components, purpose-built design, fabrication, and long service intervals provide strong uptime and long life. Eight percent wider track gauge and heavy-duty counterweight maximize stability for processing and loading applications. 32
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The Chambers Delimbinator is a chain flail delimber designed and patented from the beginning to increase productivity for loggers who handle pulpwood. The Delimbinator achieves this by allowing the logger to pull multiple stems through the delimber in one quick pull. This greatly increases the efficiency of delimbing any soft pulpwood species. Loggers who use the Delimbinator not only achieve higher production rates, but experience less maintenance and fewer breakdowns in skidders and loaders. In northern pulpwood species such as spruce, tamarack, balsam, and aspen the Delimbinator is proven to significantly increase production over other delimbing methods. The machine was designed by a logger for loggers. It has no hydraulics, is easy to maintain, and built to last. It costs around $5/load in fuel and chains to operate. The Delimbinator is the ‘go to’ delimbing tool for the pulpwood logger. Chambers Delimbinator began production in 1997 and in that time has shipped over 400 units. There are two models of Delimbinator differentiated by the chassis they are mounted on. One model is on a smaller chassis and pulled by a pintle hitch. The other is mounted on a larger, longer chassis and is towed by a fifth wheel kingpin hitch.
Cutting Systems, Inc. 774 Zeb Rd. Union Grove, NC 28689 Phone: 704-592-2451 Email: email@cuttingsys.com Web: cuttingsys.com
Ground Saws, Pull-Through Delimbers CSI (Cutting Systems, Inc.) began manufacturing ground saws and pull-through delimber attachments in 2000. Over the years CSI has manufactured and delivered thousands of attachments through our network of loader dealers all over the globe. TIMBER HARVESTING & WOOD FIBER OPERATIONS
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block heater or diesel-powered coolant heater for improved cold-weather starts; sideview camera available for viewing on the LCD screen; and LED lights for enhanced visibility.
Grapples
One of our latest attachments is the DL-4400-R, a revolving saw box that can be rotated from the loader cab, making it a left hand or right hand unit. The loader operator uses the loader grapple to lift the locking bracket, rotate the saw box and drop the locking bracket back in place. This takes only a couple of minutes. It’s quick, easy and involves no expensive downtime or extra time trying to get a two-piece reversible in place. The DL-4400-R is a one-piece redesigned chassis that keeps logs flat for a smooth, clean cut. It is expertly built from high-alloy tubing and steel plate, ensuring many years of quality service.
Doosan Construction Equipment 250 East Beaton Dr. West Fargo, ND 58078 Phone 701-241-8700 Web: doosanequipment.com
3 Loader Models
Doosan offers two durable grapples—the LG52 and LG58— with 52- and 58-in. arm openings, respectively. Each is manufactured with highstrength steel for extreme durability in harsh operating environments. Features include: 1) large diameter induction-hardened pins to increase wear life with a large surface area; 2) induction-hardened steel bushings provide long service life; 3) high-pressure bolted heavy hydraulic cylinders are built to withstand severe column and lateral loading; 4) load holding valves feature a counter-balance style to automatically hold payload securely; 5) bolt-on component guards protect key components; 6) slewing ring has robust guarding for excellent life and serviceability; and 7) lugged arms add versatility for optional bolt-on brush rakes.
Hitachi Const. Machinery-Americas 1515 5th Ave. Moline, IL 61266 Phone 866-973-0394 Web: hitachiconstruction.com
ZX310F-6: Comfort, Productivity Doosan has manufactured loaders since 1999 and today offers three models in the DX225LL-5, DX300LL-5, and DX380LL-5, the latter introduced in fall 2016. It is designed to serve forestry professionals in shovel-logging tasks. The DX380LL-5 has high-swing torque and approximately 44 ft. of reach. Doosan loaders are manufactured with heavy-duty components and application-specific guarding to keep them running strong and to help minimize downtime. They are built with a high, wide undercarriage for excellent ground clearance. They have thick steel doors and panels to help protect internal components. Equipped with a live heel, durable boom and arm, and when configured with a log grapple, Doosan loaders are ideally suited to stabilize logs and efficiently sort, stack and load. Options include a forestry cab for states and provinces with additional requirements; a straight travel pedal that enables operators to travel in a straight line more easily; a
The new ZX310F-6 from Hitachi builds on the manufacturer’s reputation of reliability and durability, and includes multiple new customer-driven features that improve productivity, comfort and safety. 34
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It utilizes a fuel-efficient Tier 4f (FT4)/EU Stage IV Isuzu engine that does not need a diesel particulate filter (DPF). It also features a quieter cab with three inches of additional legroom, and the side entry cab is 25% larger than the previous model. Hitachi’s line of purpose-built foresters was first introduced in 1999. Unlike retrofitted excavators modified for logging use, Hitachi foresters are built from the ground up in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility specifically for forestry work. This ensures quality, and means owners and operators get the efficiency, reliability and durability Hitachi machines are known for.
Hultdins Inc.
22 Morton Ave. East Brantford, ON N3R 7J7 Canada Phone 519-754-2190 Email: info@olofsfors.com Web: hultdins.com
Grapple Leader
Hultdins has long been the world leader in by-pass type grapples for cut-to-length forestry markets and are standard equipment on most forwarders and log truck self-loaders. Hultdins grapples offer exceptional engineering design features, including a patented tapered sleeve pin design, sealed bushings with 1,000 hour greasing interval, cushioned cylinders, high strength robotic welded construction throughout, and excellent arm geometry with wide tip-to-tip opening and minimum closing dimensions.
John Deere Construction & Forestry P.O. Box 8806 Moline, IL 61266-8806 Phone 844-809-1508 Web: deere.com
John Deere offers four crawler loader models and two knuckleboom models, all offering productivity and reliability for a variety of loading applications. The recently launched G-Series crawlers offer increased productivity, durability and reliability over previous models. The standard elevated rear-entry cab, with optional cab-forward design, allows for easier entry and exit and increases leg room for maximum operator comfort and improved visibility. MARCH/APRIL 2017
Komatsu America Corp. Forest Machine Business Div. P.O. Box 168 Chattanooga, TN 37401-0168 Phone 423-668-3235 Web: komatsuforest.us
Purpose-Built Loaders
6 Loader Models
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The 3156G models are now equipped with the same large hydraulic pump, cooling package and 9 liter engine as the 3756G, improving durability and performance. Across all models, additional improvements include a simplified electrical system for easier trouble-shooting, larger hydraulic cooling capacity for increased reliability, and more robust structures, particularly in the undercarriage, providing better long-term durability. John Deere also introduced updated knuckleboom models with the 337E and 437E. Both deliver a 5% increase in swing torque and boom lift over previous models for more productive delimbing and loading times. These models feature improved cooling and ventilation for increased operator comfort. Additionally, the E-Series models are equipped with John Deere manufactured grapples, which feature a more durable cast design and robust rotator for increased performance and reliability.
Komatsu has been producing a full line of track loaders since 2001. The Komatsu PC210LL-10, PC240LL-10 and PC390LL-10 models all feature: Komatsu 48� hydraulic tilt riser with a forestry cab that meets all required certifications; rugged high and wide forestry undercarriage; powerful final drive and swing systems using components from the next larger-size excavators; heavy duty forestry guarding; full length grip strut walkways; and powerful, fuel-efficient Komatsu Tier 4 interim engines. Model specifics include: PC390LL-10: 106,920 lbs. (48,500 kg) operating weight, TIMBER HARVESTING & WOOD FIBER OPERATIONS
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to skidders, harvesters, forwarders, loading grapples and most free-swinging attachments. A controlled attachment results in faster cycle times, less operator fatigue, prolonged component lifetime and better return value on machine investment.
R Squared Solutions, Inc. 205 Commodore St. Bainbridge, GA 39817 Phone 229-220-1726 Web: r-squaredsolutions.com
GS500 Grapple Saw 257 net HP (192 kW), and Komatsu 42’ reach live heel forestry front. PC240LL-10: 83,985 lbs. (38,095 kg) operating weight, 177 net HP (132 kW) and Komatsu 38’ reach live heel forestry front. PC210LL-10: 68,577 lbs. (31,106 kg) operating weight, 158 net HP (118 kW) and an allied 36’ reach live heel forestry front. All models have Komatsu’s Equipment Management Monitoring System (EMMS). an advanced diagnostic system that continuously monitors the machine’s vital systems to track maintenance items, provide troubleshooting tools, reduce diagnostic times, and display error codes to enhance machine availability. The KOMTRAX® remote equipment monitoring and management system continuously monitors and records machine health and operational data. Komatsu loaders include 3 years or 2,000 hours (whichever occurs first) of preventative maintenance.
Prolenc Manufacturing Inc. 951 Great St. Prince George, BC V2N 5R7 Canada Phone 877-563-8899 Web: prolenc.com
Swing Brake
In the summer of 2008, R Squared Solutions began offering its first grapple saw. The GS470 was the result of months of field research and customer input. It could be attached to various grapples, easily serviceable, and robust enough for today’s demanding logging environment. As we put more units in the field and received more feedback from our customers and dealer principles, we realized we had room to make our grapple saw even better. In May of 2013 we introduced the GS500. This saw is a culmination of tried and true experience and commonality with our pullthrough delimber. The GS500 utilizes a high pressure gear motor, cushioned saw bar cylinder, automatic oiler, and a more robust frame than the GS470. This grapple saw can be mounted to various grapples and is currently operating in environments from the hardest swamp logging to first-time thinning. It is an excellent choice for those looking for a grapple saw that can stand up to the most demanding applications while offering unparalleled serviceability and durability.
5628 Delimber
Prolenc’s Heavy Duty Swing Brake is based on its unique tapered friction sleeve wear part design with mechanically applied pressure to the wear part. First introduced in 1991 as a replacement to the conventional flat disc snubber link design for wheel and track skidders, the family is now 18 designs of links and individual braking units that are adaptable 36
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The 5628 pull-through delimber is a direct result of the demands of our logging community. Loggers wanted a wide throat delimber and we delivered in 2013. The 5628 was designed using the latest 3D solid modeling techniques along with good ole fashioned logger input. The 5628 offers the widest throat and bed dimensions of any delimber. It can handle wood from some of the largest grapples on the market. The cushioned knife arm cylinders ensure that the massive hardened knife arms are controlled and do not destroy the main housing. A high-pressure gear motor coupled to a 50” saw bar allows the operator to effortlessly cut through the largest bundles of wood. And the TIMBER HARVESTING & WOOD FIBER OPERATIONS
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Tajfun USA
960 Harris Ave., Ste 201 Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone: 360 594 8877 Email: tajfunusa@tajfun.com Web: tajfunusa.com
DOT 50K Loader
cushioned saw bar cylinder ensures that the saw bar can get out of the operator’s way as quickly as possible without damaging anything. In an industry first, our delimber is attached to the slewing bearing with 40 high-strength bolts and nuts. This means no more drilling out broke off-bolts in the bearing. The 5628 is the highest producing delimber on the market today. Its serviceability and durability are unparalleled.
Pierce Pacific Mfg. Inc. P.O. Box 30509 Portland, OR 97294-3509 Phone 800-760-3270 Email: info@piercepacific.com Web: piercepacific.com
Grapples
Tajfun is a family owned and operated equipment manufacturer for 50 years. Main lines consist of firewood processors and winches, to which loaders were added in 2012. A “small giant” for safe, efficient log handling, the DOT 50K tractor crane has its own hydraulic system. It is your best value for the money. It has the possibility of fixed mounting to a forestry trailer and two grapple size options (4-¼ ft/ or 5 ft.). You can choose among 6 control options depending on your needs, from basic mechanical to joystick or radio remote controls. Some of the most valued features include: 1) robust stabilizer legs ensure a stable setting even on and uneven work terrain but fold up easily for transport; 2) 9920 lbs. rotator with endless rotation that provides high capability; 3) fourjoint “K” mechanism on the restraint between the lifting and the swinging arm provides excellent work characteristics; 4) closed system keeps operating pressure optimal and oil clean; and 5) 23 ft. reach with 1,200 lbs. lift capacity at full extension and 3,500 lbs. at 9 ft.
Tigercat Industries Inc. 54 Morton Ave. East Brantford, ON N3J 7J7 Canada Phone 519-753-1539 Web: tigercat.com
3 Knuckleboom Models For more than 40 years, Pierce Pacific has been manufacturing hydraulic forestry grapples, using input from professional loggers. As machinery and loggers get stronger, so do our grapples. The result is a product that does all the things you need it to do, easily and efficiently. Pierce twin cylinder grapples feature powerful 360˚ continuous rotation and are multi-purposed for excellent versatility. They feature an optimum arm shape for big logs, tight grapple closure for superior small log control, load check safety valves and heavy-duty legs that possess the optimum shape for shovel logging, loading , unloading and sorting.
Since 1997 Tigercat has produced over 3,800 knucklebooms and is recognized as one of the industry’s leading manufacturers. With solid construction and carefully engineered hydraulics, Tigercat loaders are matched to many jobs from the landing to the mill yard. Tigercat produces three different dedicated loader models: 220D, T/234B and T/250D. The 220D is a simple, compact, productive machine sold to non-North American markets. It is an excellent solution for contractors requiring a truck-mounted loader for shortwood or biomass loading applications. 38
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The 234B and 250D are powerful machines that are widely used in North America—primarily the southern U.S.—for pull-through delimbing, merchandizing and loading. The T234B and T250D mate the productivity of the loaders to a forestry-duty F8 track undercarriage for excellent mobility on or between decks or in the mill yard. Another choice for mobility is the AC16 articulating carrier built for mill yard duties. The AC16 uses the same powerful WideRange drive featured on Tigercat drive-to-tree feller bunchers and its 1085 forwarder. Tigercat loader cabs offer the best operator ergonomics in the industry. They are a quiet and comfortable workspace, ensuring the highest productivity from operators. The cab features excellent climate control, a heated and cooled seat, window blinds and ergonomic controls. The efficient, load-sensing hydraulic system with energy recovery, along with Tigercat FPT engines, deliver best-inclass fuel efficiency for reduced cost per ton.
Two Harbors Machine Shop, Inc. 511 25th Ave. Two Harbors, MN 55616 Phone 218-834-5118 Web: sercoloaders.com
Two Harbors Machine Shop manufactures the SERCO brand of knuckleboom loaders, slashers and grapples. SERCO loaders have been manufactured since 1977. Currently there are 13 different models available with mounting configurations that include truck, trailer, self-propelled carrier and stationary electric units that range in lift capacities
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from 4,500 lbs. to over 34,000 lbs. SERCO also produces circle slashers that are available in both 60” and 72” diameter for high production slashing applications. Various logging attachments are also manufactured under the SERCO brand name that include butt-type grapples, bypass, combination and log grapples with continuous and non-continuous rotations available. SERCO 7000, 7500, 75XR, 8500 and 1050XR series loaders are manufactured in both truck and trailer mounts, and are very popular for loading and unloading short pulpwood and sawlogs, making these models well known for their smoothness of operation, dependability and high quality of manufacture. For loading larger sawlogs, treelength and utility pole applications, the SERCO 160 is a popular choice. For high production loading and slashing applications, whether on landings or wood yards, SERCO 200-K and 300 series loaders perform and are manufactured to the standards not only expected but also are required by the logging TH industry.
Other manufacturers: Crane Equipment, Hood, Link-Belt, Madill, Precision Husky, Sennebogen, 6K Products, Pemberton, Rotobec, Ryan’s Equipment, Prentice, Stripper, Hanfab and Riley.
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InnovationWay Peterson Small Drum Chipper Peterson Pacific Corp. now offers a 3310 drum chipper with a 540 HP Caterpillar engine and power to handle up to 24” diameter logs. The fully enclosed engine compartment keeps things clean, but is easily serviced by large access doors on both sides of the machine. The 3310 is the third and smallest model in Peterson’s lineup of drum chippers. Like other larger Peterson drum chippers, the 3310 is equipped with sizing screens and an intelligent control system. The 3310 is a high capacity small chipper designed for biomass energy producer who will benefit from the efficient feeding and flexible van loading options. At just under 24’ long, the 3310 utilizes a transverse-feed design allowing for a much smaller operations deck than typical drum chippers. The rotatable end load or optional top load spout design allows for trailers to be loaded in a variety of positions, depending on the demands of the job site. The compact size allows for easy maneuverability, and the unit can be transported in a 40’ high cube container for overseas shipment. Visit petersoncorp.com.
John Deere Intelligent Boom Control John Deere offers an Intelligent Boom Control (IBC) as an option on all 1910E forwarders in North America. Now available on the biggest forwarder in the John Deere lineup, IBC technology increases machine productivity and efficiency while providing the best possible fuel economy and boom life. With intuitive IBC technology, the powerful CF8 boom is accurate, fast and easy to operate, as the operator now controls the boom tip directly instead of controlling each of the independent boom joint movements manually. Additionally, by eliminating unnecessary extra movements, the IBC system extends the boom component wear life and allows for faster cycle times. “IBC is an option that operators have been quick to adopt in Northern European countries, with 80% of machines being delivered with the technology,” says Niko Solopuro, product marketing manager. “With the new configurable joysticks, we anticipate similar popularity for IBC in North America.” The 1910E machines also feature new configurable joystick controls. The integration of the new joystick controls allows the dealer to quickly reconfigure the machine to meet the preference of the operator. Visit johndeere.com.
Komatsu Tier 4f Forwarders
Komatsu America Corp. announces a new line of EPA Tier 4f certified forwarders. The 845, 855, 875 and 895 lineup provides increased performance, productivity, operator comfort and convenience, and serviceability compared to the prior 855.1, 865 and 895 Tier 4f interim models. The 845 is an additional model which competes in the 12 metric ton payload class. Rated payload capacities for the 845, 855, 875 and 895 are 12, 14, 16 and 20 metric tons, respectively, and provide broad market coverage. These EPA Tier 4f certified engines provide 9% to 15% more horsepower and lower fuel consumption compared to the prior models. In addition, they also produce 9% more engine torque on the 875 and 895 models. Rough terrain capability has been significantly improved with larger hydrostatic transmission (HST) pumps and/or motors. The intelligent HST control unit continually responds to changes in terrain, load, engine power output and crane usage. Visit komatsuamerica.com.
Eco Log Forwarder Series Eco Log launches two forwarder models, the 574E and 594E. The new forwarder has been developed with the driver in mind, and so a lot of thought has gone into designing a completely new cab that affords greater comfort and a better view. The forwarder has also been given a new diesel engine from Volvo Penta, resulting in a fuel-efficient machine offering a quick response on loading and high reliability. The new cab comes with large-framed windows and low side windows to the front wheels to provide a better view. The cab is more spacious, affording greater comfort, with better lighting and many new refinements. The Volvo Penta D8 engine is known for its high performance, reliability, fuel efficiency and low emissions levels. The overall result is a machine with minimum downtimes and high capacity utilization. The 574E and 594E are easy to service. Major components have been grouped on the same side of the machine to make access easier. Cab, hoods and tank can all be tilted, and the frame is fitted with a skid plate that is easily removed. The IQAN control system has been improved with the addition of more integrated functions. The unit now also has a bigger screen with touch functionality. Visit eco-log.se.
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2017 OLC Reflects Positive NW More than 6,000 logging industry told a capacity crowd that collaboratogether,” George said. “We can do professionals from across the Northtion is a key to moving forward. “If I anything when people decide to come west and 37 U.S. states plus countries have a gift, it’s getting people to work together.” He urged more focus on acas far-flung as Austrative management on lia, Estonia, Russia, federal land, because Japan and Sweden without it he predicted and others made the more large wildfires. 2017 Oregon Logging “The amount of Conference in Eumoney being spent on gene, Ore. in late Febfire suppression is ruary a well-attended staggering,” he said. event, according to And he suggested the show officials and atmoney being used for tendees. fire suppression be put According to OLC towards timber sales Conference Manager instead. Rikki Wellman, the l Education Im79th OLC featured pact—The OLC Founmore than 250 exhibidation Live Auction tors displaying in over held during the open90,000 sq ft. of inside ing breakfasts brought in more than $24,000 exhibit space, and for college scholarships millions of dollars of Hitachi, Deere, Caterpillar, Doosan, Tigercat, Komatsu, Ponsse, and others… for the 2017-2018 logging, trucking, school year. On Educaconstruction and tion Day, 800 elemenheavy equipment distary school students played on over 14 from nine schools had acres of outside exan up close and perhibit area. sonal opportunity to Jeff Wimer, 79th learn about logging and Annual OLC Presirelated industries as dent and a Senior Inthey were guided structor II and Manthrough the show by ager of Student LogOLC board members ging Program at Oreand forestry profesgon State University, sionals. Another 28 said the success of students from Philothe conference remath, Sweet Home and flected an upbeat outTillamook competed in look in logging and the high school skills related industries. dominated the 14-acre outdoor display area. competition. “Quality speakers l Loader operators across the Northspoke to packed rooms during the keywest are redoubling their training efforts note address, panel sessions and semias three past winners—and the same nars, and presented timely information three finalists from last year, just in difon hot topics in the industry today,” he ferent order, continued their dominance added. Seminar topics included steep of the loader competition as less than slope logging, state-of-the-art technolnine seconds separated the top three. ogy, and how to attract a new generaThis year, the 8th Annual Log Loader tion of professionals into the industry. Competition featured 25 loader opera“Equipment exhibitors were happy tors. The 2017 winners: first place with the interactions they had with (3:14.75), Bryan Chipps, Green Diathose attending the conference, and the mond Resource Co., Korbel, Calif.; secoverall attitude was positive,” Wimer ond place (3:20.25), Ross Cribbs, Van continued. “Even the weather cooperWell Timber Co., Dallas, Ore.; and ated, at least for the most part, during third place (3:23.31), Zane Bryant, Brythe conference.” ant Logging Co., Beaver Creek, Ore. Keynote speaker Merv George Jr., The loader competition was sponsored Forest Supervisor of the Six Rivers Good weather prevailed for the most part. by Triad Machinery and Link-Belt. TH National Forest in northern California, 40
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RiskWatch
A Road Departure Can Kill You JJ LEMIRE One item released from the Federal Highway Safety Administration each year tells a chilling story about driver safety: Every 21 minutes a road departure fatality occurs. Each day across America millions of truck drivers haul products to support our economy. Trucking plays a huge role in the forest products industry. Once a truck leaves a logging job, warehouse, plant or mill, drivers are on their own and away from direct supervision. There is a tremendous amount of responsibility and liability based upon drivers’ decisions and actions. Truck wrecks seem to be increasing, and all too many times a fatality occurs as a result. Each driver killed was a family member who did not go home at the end of the workday. The most common causes of accidents involve driver distractions such as talking on a
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cell phone or CB radio, boredom, or falling to sleep. In order to reduce the number of road departure fatalities, we recommend that you hold regularly scheduled safety meetings to help keep safety awareness at a high level. Some things to do and topics to discuss include: —Make sure all medical requirements are met for drivers with commercial licenses. —Do a thorough pre-trip inspection of the truck and trailer.
—Make sure scheduled maintenance has been completed. —Are brakes and tires serviceable? —Check the load often. Tighten binders and chains frequently. —Know your load. A double bunk load of cut logs pulls and handles differently than a load of treelengths. —Use your seat belt. —Be alert and avoid distractions. Do not use cell phones while driving. —Constantly scan your mirrors. Be aware of blind spots. —Adjust your speed for the driving conditions you encounter. —Do not do anything that can impair judgment before or during your trips. —Be aware of following distances. Your truck doesn’t stop on a dime. Accidents can be prevented. Lowering risk through safety awareness reduces the chances of an accident. Taking the time to hold safety briefings with your drivers will demonstrate your concern for them. Let’s get everyone home TH safe each day. Lemire is Director, Loss Control, for Forestry Mutual Ins. Co., Raleigh, NC.
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EquipmentWorld Ponsse Delivers 12,000th Machine Ponsse of Vieriema, Finland has delivered its 12,000th forest machine to long-time customer NC Bois in Tremilly, France. “We have cooperated with NC Bois for a decade and I am very glad to be celebrating this milestone with our French customer,” says Jarmo Vidgren, Ponsse sales and marketing director. “Last year was our best year in France of all time.” The company is at work on a new service center in Labouheyre southern France. It will open this spring. New service centers and production facilities are also being developed in England and Uruguay.
Barko Hydraulics Names Larsen As President Barko Hydraulics, LLC named Joel Larsen as president, overseeing all company activities from operations to strategic planning to commercial sales.
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Prior to joining Barko, Larsen held various senior leadership roles in the industrial and manufacturing sector with Ford Motor Co., BP and most recently with Navistar International. Larsen holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan. “It’s a very exciting time in the forestry market, and I’m proud to be joining Barko, a proven industry innovator,” Larsen says. “Our team is committed to producing the highest performing and most durable machines for loggers and land clearing professionals.”
charge of supply chain and site operational requirements. His new post includes managing local, U.S. and overseas vendors and suppliers, all warehouse and distribution activities, quality initiatives and liaising with business unit engineering support. Niziolek has previous senior leadership roles in manufacturing with companies such as CPG Building Products and Pride Mobility Products, where he specialized in deploying standardized work and other lean initiatives to improve safety, quality, delivery, supply chain management and cost.
Niziolek Joins Morbark As VP Of Operations
Peterson Pacific, a Eugene, Ore.based manufacturer of horizontal grinders, drum and disc chippers, blower trucks and screens, named Goodfellow Corp. as its new distributor in Utah, Nevada and southern Idaho. Goodfellow was established in 1960 and has seen steady growth in the aggregate crushing business. Adding en-
Morbark has added Walt Niziolek to its senior management team as the company’s vice president of operations and supply chain. Niziolek joins Morbark at a time of continued business growth to take
Peterson Pacific Adds Goodfellow, Border
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EquipmentWorld vironmental equipment such as the products that Peterson offers is a natural progression for the company for future growth. Peterson Pacific also announced Border Equipment as its new distributor in the state of Georgia. Border Equipment is also the local Case construction equipment dealer in Atlanta, Augusta and Savannah. “We are very excited to bring on the Peterson line and are immediately stocking new grinders, chippers and screens to satisfy demand for these products in Georgia,” says Brett Arrowood, Operations Manager for Border Equipment.
G&W Equipment Has New Ownership JEK, LLC has acquired G&W Equipment in Hazlehurst, Ga. JEK President Jimmy Kitchens invites everyone to call on Dub Gardner and his staff for new and used forestry equipment parts. The company will operate under the G&W Equipment name. Changes are being made in the inventory system that will enable customers to view the complete inventory, pictures and prices under the search tab of www.loggingparts.com Call G&W at 1-800-284-9032 or contact dubg@loggingparts.com
Logset Oy Pinpoints Russia For Growth Finnish forest machine manufacturer Logset Oy is significantly expanding its dealer network and operations in Russia. “Through this reform we wish to have a faster and more genuine communication with our end customers,” says Juha Kirvesniemi, area sales manager for Russia. Logset manufactures CTL equipment and exports to 25 countries. E-mail juha.kirvesniemi@logset.com.
Caterpillar Won’t Build Headquarters In Peoria Caterpillar Inc. is locating a group of senior executives and support functions to the Chicago area later this year while reaffirming the ongoing importance of its presence in Peoria and central Illinois. Caterpillar will not build a previously announced headquarters complex in Peoria. The current headquarters building will continue to be used for Caterpillar offices. A number of senior executives are moving into leased office space in Chicago. Once the new location is fully operational, Caterpillar expects about 300 employees to be based there, which includes some positions relocated from the Peoria area. 46
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EquipmentWorld Western Star Begins Anniversary Celebration Western Star Trucks kicked off its year-long 50th anniversary celebration at its annual dealer meeting. The first Western Star trucks were made in 1967 in Kelowna, British Columbia to serve the mining, lumber and oil industries. The company is now owned by Daimler Trucks North America and manufactures trucks in Portland, Ore., and Cleveland, NC. Visit westernstar.com/50.
Precision Husky Adds Rob’s Hydraulics Precision Husky Corp. has added Rob’s Hydraulics to its dealer network. Rob’s Hydraulics has been serving eastern North Carolina since 1997 with a variety of services both in shop and on site for heavy equipment. The RHI sales staff will be promoting and selling Precision Husky’s line of ProGrind horizontal and tub brind-
Seppi M. Announces Warehouse Shipping Mulching equipment manufacturer Seppi M. USA, based in West Chester, Ohio, is now shipping parts and mulching equipment out of a central warehouse located in Ohio. This will allow SEPPI M. to provide better support to its customers and dealers. Ben Carlson out of Minnesota and Craig Miracle out of Ohio are the new factory representatives for U.S. Contact Carlson at ben@seppi.com and Miracle and craig@seppi.com. ers, Precision Husky whole tree chippers, Husky knuckleboom loaders and the entire line of Precision sawmill equipment in the entire state of North Carolina.
Rob’s Hydraulics Inc. has two locations: 7765 Pitt Street, Grimesland, NC 27837, 252-752-1500; and 7868 US Hwy. 70, Clayton, NC 27520, 919243-0631.
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SelectCuts As We (ALC) See It
Teamwork Keeps Us Moving Forward DANNY DRUCTOR I recently wrote an article for the New Hampshire Timberland Owners and the New Hampshire Timber Harvesting Council entitled “Teamwork Matters.” Before I finished writing the article, I had already decided that the topic was important enough that I should try and Dructor convey the message to all who are on the front lines of the timber harvesting industry and who take the time and opportunity to come out of the woods and be proactive on issues impacting the industry. At ALC board meetings, we have managed to cuss and discuss many issues over the past 23 years, including master logger certification, H2b visas, woody biomass, Canadian softwood
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lumber tariffs, truck weights, the U.S. Forest Service timber sale program, trucking regulations, safety regulations, IRS rules for heavy-use vehicles, and a whole host of things that are of importance to the well-being of the timber harvesting industry. We are currently taking an active role in the TEAM Safe Trucking coalition, hoping we can assist in improving driver safety and assuring there are enough qualified, insurable drivers to go around. Because of the ability for the board members to sit down and work out policy and position statements that are beneficial to all is indicative of the teamwork that takes place in order for us to maintain our status as “The National Voice for Loggers.” We have all managed to educate ourselves and each other on issues that are seemingly regional in character but actually national in scope, and we all
speak with one voice on issues that we are concerned with. Our dialects vary from region to region, but the hearts and minds of those participating in the discussions are one and the same. We try and monitor legislation at the federal level that would have an impact on logging businesses, and more often than not now, have members of Congress reaching out to us asking, “What do loggers think?” We also monitor some state level legislation when it becomes apparent there might be a trend from state-to-state, making something more of a national issue. This would not be possible without the dedication of the volunteers who make the yearly trek to Washington, DC and have formed relationships with members and staff on the Hill and who often look forward to their visits. Members of the American Loggers Council continue to make that spring trip, and represent the industry very well. Late in March, those men and women from the logging profession
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SelectCuts once again traveled to Washington, representing you and your profession. Be sure and thank them for their dedication and time promoting this industry that we all have in common. You might even ask them how their trip went and what discussions did they have with members of Congress. While there are other organizations that do a great job at representing other sectors of the forest products industry at the local, state and federal level, the fact remains that many of the issues that are important to the logging industry are not on the radar of the other associations. Our focus is and will remain representing professional timber harvesters at the national level. The American Loggers Council and state and regional logging associations represent loggers working for loggers. That’s what we do—Teamwork! Dructor is Executive Vice President of the American Loggers Council, with headquarters in Hemphill, Texas. Visit amloggers.com.
TEAM Safe Trucking Effort Driving Ahead TEAM Safe Trucking, a volunteer alliance committed to elevating the safety, performance and professional level of the forest industry’s transportation sector, is moving forward with its ambitious program. The group consists of key integral facets of the forest products industry: production (logging), consumption, insurance, associations and other advocates. TST’s revamped web site—teamsafetrucking.com—was launched in early March. Ultimately, it will be loaded with tools to help advance the strength and standing of log/chip trucking. Resources include tips for recruiting and retaining drivers; items to help owners move from reactive to proactive fleet man54
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ENERGY PERFORMANCE SYSTEMS, INC. Patented Technologies for Sale Energy Performance Systems (EPS) seeks to sell three patented technologies to a firm that can commercialize them. It has invested over $6 million in working with the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Forest Service, and Electric Power Research Institute to develop them. Whole Tree Harvester™ The EPS Whole Tree Harvester (WTH) can cut 60 row trees a minute planted at 8-foot intervals and drop them on a trailer behind it. Can be seen in operation at www.energyperformancesystems.com. GPS-Guided Injection Planter The EPS GPS-guided injection planter simultaneously plants 4 to 6 rows of deciduous tree cuttings. Configured using 4 injectors, it can plant 160 tree cuttings a minute. Advanced 90 Degree Steering System The EPS advanced 90 degree steering system enables its WTH or any construction, mining, or agriculture machine to move laterally at up to 90 degrees from its direction of travel. CONTACT T.D. Spaeth at tdspaet@aol.com or 612-802-2586 13390
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SelectCuts 51 agement; suggestions for improving trucking efficiency; and ideas for enhancing the sector’s public image. The final draft of TST’s comprehensive driver training module is nearing completion and soon will be available on the web site. According to TST officials, the intent is for this module to be used at the state level, as it can easily be modified to incorporate state-specific criteria. The group now has restructured and refocused key committees, has new leadership, and its 501(c)3 non-profit status has been approved by the IRS, meaning that financial donations are tax deductible. “More and more organizations are participating in TST and are ‘buying in’ to what TST is committed to achieve,” says Jeremiah O’Donovan, the group’s new president. “We’re on track to make important strides this year and invite additional participation.” Donations to TEAM Safe Trucking,
Inc. are welcomed and should be mailed to TST treasurer Joanne Reese at P.O. Box 785, Henderson, NC 27536.
John Kimbel, Jr. Died February 7 John C. Kimbel, Jr., well-known sawmill and logging equipment auctioneer and businessman of Kingston, Tenn., died February 7 in a Knoxville hospital after a brief illness. He was 63. He was a principal in his family’s business, Tri-State Auction & Realty Co., where he worked as senior auctioneer and appraiser. His career spanned more than 30 years. Survivors include his widow, three children, four grandchildren, mother, and one sister.
Listings are submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with contacts prior to making plans to attend.
March 24-25—Washington Contract Loggers Assn. annual meeting, Tulalip Resort & Casino, Tualip, Wash. Visit loggers.com. April 4-6—Kentucky Forest Industries Association annual meeting, Embassy Suites, Lexington, Ky. Call 502-6953979; visit kfia.org. April 5-7—Intermountain Logging Assn. Equipment Show & Conf., Mirabeau Park Convention Center, Spokane Valley, Wash. Call 208-245-3425; visit intermountainlogging.org. April 9-11—American Wood Protection Assn. annual meeting, Encore at Wynn, Las Vegas, Nev. Call 205-733-4077. visit awpa.com. April 10—Great Lakes Timber Professionals Assn. Spring Celebration, Radisson Hotel & Conference Center, Green Bay, Wis. Call 715-282-7986; visit timberpa.com. April 21-22—Loggers Plus Expo, Bloomsburg Fairgrounds, Bloomsburg, Penn. call 315-369-3078; visit northernlogger. com/loggers-expo. May 2-4—Forest Resources Assn. annual meeting, Francis Marion Hotel, Charleston, SC. Call 202-296-3937; visit forestresources.org. MARCH/APRIL 2017
Terry Conley, owner of TC Company, Hernandez, NM, was recently honored as the Forestry Resources Assn.’s Western Region Outstanding Logger for 2016. Conley, in business since 1988, is a resilient businessman who relocated his company in the 1990s and diversified, helping TC Company survive in a dwindling industry in New Mexico. His family operates a small logging company and sawmill.
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Easy Access to current advertisers! http://www.timberharvesting.com/advertiser-index/ This issue of Timber Harvesting is brought to you in part by the following companies, which will gladly supply additional information about their products. American Logger’s Council Barko Hydraulics BITCO Insurance Cannon Bar Works Chambers Delimbinator Continental Biomass Industries John Deere Forestry Elmia Forest Chain Hendrickson Manufacturing Hultdins Husqvarna Forest & Garden Intermountain Logging Conference Log Max Mid-Atlantic Logging & Biomass Northeastern Loggers Association Olofsfors Peterson Pacific Ponsse North America R Squared Solutions Southstar Equipment Southwest Forest Products Expo Summit Attachments & Machinery Team Safe Trucking Tigercat Industries Timber 2017 TraxPlus Waratah Forestry Attachments Woltz & Associates
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