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South Carolina’s Coleman Brothers Logging runs impressive production with late model trucking fleet, operates “super-size” logging crew. Article begins on PAGE 10. (May Donnell photo, design by Shelley Smith)

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Loggers Gather For OLC Events

EUGENE, Ore.

Loggers across the Pacific Northwest and plenty of points farther away made the trip to Eugene the last weekend of February for the 85th Oregon Logging Conference. The event included everything every logger needs (outside of a better cut-and-haul rate!) when it comes to equipment and tools for getting the job done, including not only the very latest in high performance timber harvesting equip-

ment and machinery, but also the leading edge technology behind it driving production and efficiency gains.

Visitors to the show also attended multiple seminars and presentations on technology and business management to make more informed decisions about their businesses and their role in the industry. And along with official activities there’s always plenty of time for networking and fellowship with fellow loggers. Here are some of the scenes and events from this year’s Oregon Logging Conference.

Look for a photo essay on the latest new products on pages 18-20 and additional Timber Harvesting OLC coverage online.

The Oregon Logging Conference scholarship auction raised thousands this year for deserving students who are vital to industry’s future. Held over two days during breakfast, the auction featured more than two dozen items including Stihl and Husqvarna chain saws, wood carvings, a $1,000 tire gift certificate, an AR-15 rifle and much more. The OLC has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships since 1968.

De-throning a three-time champion, Bryan Chipps of Green Diamond Resources won the 2023 OLC Log Loader Competition with a time of 4:05. That was almost 10 seconds better than second-place finisher Zane Bryant of Bryant Logging (4:15:37), who had won the competition three years in a row. Ross Cribbs of Black Rock Timber finished third with a time of 4:48:15. The two-day event is sponsored by LinkBelt and Triad Machinery.

Looking back at the OLC’s past stretching more than 80 years, an antique saw collection from retired forester Don Wagner of HullOakes Lumber drew lots of onlookers.

James Seward of the Columbia River Log Scaling & Grading Bureau shows loggers how fire damaged salvage logs are graded for bug damage and char defects during a loggers “Hands-On Seminar” at the 2023 Oregon Logging Conference. The information is especially helpful: Extended wildfire seasons mean more loggers are handling more salvage logs these days.

Several chain saw carvers in the outdoor demo area drew consistent crowds.

A presentation on Ponsse’s firefighting system during an “Exhibitor Hands-On Seminar” also included information on Ponsse’s satellite program.

Hilltop Aerial was one of several drone vendors at the OLC.

Mild Winter Hits Northern Logging Contractors

Log Yard Upgrade Should Be Helpful

According to a reportin Louisiana Logger newsletter, WestRockis investing $97 million to upgrade its mill in Hodge, La., which includes log yard upgrades that should reduce log truck turnaround time.

Loggers will be especially interested in the two new radial cranes that will replace a single linear crane that will essentially double the rate that log trucks can be unloaded.

The upgrade will increase the capacity of chips made at the mill site, and new equipment will allow logs to be chipped more efficiently as WestRock replaces an outdated slasher process with a state-of-the-art long log system.

Texas Convicts Second Suspect For Timber Theft

Loggers across the northern U.S. are taking a hit from a mild winter that hasn’t frozen the ground in many areas, reducing access to cold weather sites and cutting into production due to lost time. The impacts of warming winters are affecting all segments of the northern economy, from ski slopes to loggers to even maple syrup producers who rely on cool weather. Some loggers are simply parked till it freezes; some are still working in tough conditions that will likely require expensive post-harvest cleanup.

These reports are coming through the first half of February, and this winter no region of the Northern U.S. has seen extended frozen “normal” logging conditions. Even the Bangor Daily News took note of the weather conditions in an editorial titled “Mud season should not be happening in January.”

Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Executive Director Dana Doran said 2022-23 is “One of the worst winters in modern history for loggers here in Maine.” Record rainfall in October and November led to freezing temperatures never showing up and the ground hasn’t frozen, he says.

To make matters worse, a solid three feet of snow in January has acted as an insulating blanket on the ground, pretty much eliminating this year’s winter freeze-up. Into mid February, with roller-coaster temps in the 40s and 50s, road postings are starting to begin and log hauling will be restricted on all but main state roads.

Doran says that from an operational perspective, “This has shut down crews for days and weeks at a time, during what is supposed to be the most profitable and most operable time of year. Mud season has landed early and there’s no telling what might happen from here until April 1. Mills are empty across the state and contractor bank accounts are low.”

Chris Brochu with AA Brochu Logging says the unseasonably warm weather is having a major impact on operations. “We have 16 crews operating and we estimate we are down 20-30%,” he says, noting he’s hearing much the same from other loggers and landowners that output is down around 30%.

He adds that the lack of frozen ground has forced companies to change their cut plans, and mills are running on reduced hours or taking downtime.

The second of three log truck drivers indicted in a timber theft investigation in Liberty County, Tex. was convicted in January, following a guilty plea in May 2022 by the first suspect. Convictions so far have led to more than $15,000 in fines and orders of more than $100,000 in restitution. The case against the third suspect is still pending.

The thefts occurred in 2019. According to Texas A&M Forest Service law enforcement investigators, the three drivers were linked to illegal timber sales through a third-party contract. The drivers obtained a fraudulent bill of sale to present to the sawmill and falsified entries in their delivery logbooks. Their employer became suspicious of their activities and called investigators.

Vaagen Closes Midway But Maintains Hope

Vaagen Fibre Canada (an affiliate of Vaagen Brothers Lumber) announced it is shutting down its Midway, BC sawmill indefinitely, while indicating it is looking for solutions to keep the operation going, and encouraging those impacted throughout the Boundary, West Kootenay, and Okanagan regions to appeal to the Ministry of Forests.

The company said that on January 5 it informed the dedicated mill staff of 85 employees, as well as nearly 100 contractors, vendors, and/or suppliers know that it will be shutting down the Midway mill. “Although the news we

Brochu: Many Maine contractors are seeing a 20%-30% decrease in production.

Mud season should not be happening in January.

are sharing is not good news, we are steadfastly committed to continue to look for solutions for every possible way forward,” the company states.

Vaagen Fibre Canada is a non-tenured mill and has been operating in Midway without forest tenure for the past 10 years. As a non-tenured mill, it does not have forest licenses to manage Crown forests, which means it must purchase all logs on the open market including the procurement of logs from local private landowners and woodlot owners.

“Although our team has been creative for years in finding logs to run our mill, there are a few challenges that have compounded for us, and without resolution, the future of our operation is uncertain. This is an access to wood fiber at market price issue,” the company states. “We have put forward several solutions to the Ministry of Forests to help us reopen Vaagen Fibre Canada.”

The company noted that in 2008, Pope & Talbot, the previous owner of the mill, closed the mill, but the com-

munity rallied to save the mill, which Vaagen purchased.

“We encourage you to respectfully email MLA (Member Legislative Assembly) Roly Russell, who is also the Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Development. Let him know how important the mill is to our communities and ask him to bring the voice of the people forward to the Minister of Forests to find solutions to help Vaagen Fibre Canada reopen.”

Study Confirms Forest Carbon Neutrality

Enviva Inc. and U.S. Industrial Pellet Assn. (USIPA) praised a recent study, “Impacts of the U.S. Southeast Wood Pellet Industry on Local Forest Carbon Stocks, published in the scientific journal, Nature, and confirming that the wood pellet industry has met the overall condition of forest carbon neutrality in the U.S. Southeast between 2000 and 2019.

According to theInternational Energy Agency (IEA), if harvest volumes (for

wood products and energy) and losses related to mortality and disturbances do not exceed the growth across the whole forest, there is no net reduction in forest carbon stock. The 2022 study in Nature additionally confirms, by data, that carbon neutrality guidelines have been met by biomass producers in the U.S. Southeast, which is the world’s leading region for wood pellet production and export.

Between 2000 and 2019, data and observations were collected from more than 19,000 forest inventory tracts maintained by the U.S. Forest Service. At the completion of the study, researchers concluded that, “Our estimates offer robust evidence that the wood pellet industry has met the overall condition of forest carbon neutrality.”

In addition, The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s “Special Report on Climate Change and Land” stated, “In the long term, a sustainable forest management strategy aimed at maintaining or increasing forest carbon stocks, while producing an annual sustained yield of

timber, fiber, or energy from the forest, will generate the largest sustained mitigation benefit.”

“These studies build on the scientific literature that consistently shows existing regulations are working as intended to ensure biomass is responsibly sourced in the U.S. Southeast to provide a positive impact on the climate and the environment,” says Amandine Muskus, Executive Director at USIPA. “Woody biomass critics often argue that wood pellet production in the U.S. Southeast reduces carbon stocks and creates a carbon debt that accelerates climate change. However, there is no published research that has been subjected to the rigors of independent peer review that supports these claims. Indeed, they are directly refuted by the weight of empirical scientific evidence.”

OFIC: Oregon Must Overhaul Timber Plan

Oregon’s proposed Forest Habitat Conservation Plan by the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) for manag-

ing 600,000 acres of state forests needs to be overhauled due to inaccurate data and the plan’s impact on communities and forest health, according to the Oregon Forest Industries Council, a trade group representing forestland owners and forest products manufacturers.

The biggest concern is an almost 30% reduction in state timber harvests scheduled for the next two years that’s part of the proposed habitat conservation plan that will manage the state’s forests for the next 70 years.

Despite state officials saying harvests would average close to 250MMBF annually over time, county officials are worried the reduction would stay in place, drastically reducing the contribution state timber revenues make to local governments. Ironically, such a reduced harvest will also hit the ODF with big budget reductions.

Their main concern was that ODF originally said its plan would allow the harvest of 250 million board feet of timber annually but has revised it to 173.5 million board feet for the next two years. Counties are worried that amount

would stay in place over seven decades, reducing by $30 million revenue per biennium for ODF’s budget and more for counties that depend on it.

County officials say they want the Oregon Board of Forestry to reject the plan and return to the drawing board. They said the decline in revenue would lead to the need for the Legislature to fund ODF’s critical duties, including firefighting.

Red Rock Biofuels Is Up For Auction

The Red Rock Biofuels sustainable aviation fuel facility (with woody biomass as its feedstock) under construction in Lakeview, Ore. is for sale, following the recording of a notice of default and foreclosure as placed by the lender and trustee.

ODF budgets take hit.

The default for which the foreclosure was made was due to the failure to pay when due the principal-of and interest-on certain Economic Development Revenue Bonds issued by the state of Oregon, acting through its State Treasurer, its Oregon Business Development Commission and its Oregon Business Development Dept. The principal is nearly $299 million and the interest is nearly $56,000 for a total default amount of nearly $355 million.

Consequently, notice was also given that on the morning of February 9 at the Lake County Courthouse the property would be offered for sale at public auction to the highest bidder for cash. That date was then moved to early March.

The sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) operation, founded in 2011, was designed to produce drop-in fuels from woody biomass and manufacture approximately 20 million (US) gallons (≈ 75.7 million liters) per year of low-carbon intensity renewable biofuels. The facility finally broke ground in summer 2018 but remains incomplete and construction has been halted at times, though it appeared to be nearing completion.

Its development was supported taxexempt economic development bonds issued in 2018 through the state of Oregon, and from a funding grant from the Dept. of Defense and other sources.

As recently as last August, Red Rock Biofuels and Frontline BioEnergy LLC, a provider of waste and biomass gasification solutions, announced they had successfully tested their innovative technology that gasifies Red Rock’s residual woody biomass feedstock into a highquality syngas for the production of SAF and renewable diesel.

Previously Red Rock reported that it and Shell had entered into a cellulosic fuel purchase and sale agreement in which Shell would purchase SAF and cellulosic renewable diesel fuel from Red Rock’s biorefinery for distribution and marketing.

Oregon FS Officials Withdraw Project

Citing new information, Forest Service (FS) officials in Oregon say they are re-working a proposed forest health project in eastern Lane County in the Willamette National Forest. The FS withdrew project authorization several months ago, and is planning to introduce

a revised proposal this spring, after looking at potential environmental impacts.

Changing wildfire conditions in Oregon and new federal guidelines prompted the re-assessment, FS officials say.

The Flat Country Project proposed tree thinning, logging, and wildfire fuel reduction across 4,000 acres of the Willamette NF in support of forest health and community protection. Conservation groups had raised concerns over the inclusion of old growth trees in the plan.

Court Halts Idaho Forest Health Project

Ruling that the Forest Service is violating environmental laws, a federal court in Boise, Id. has halted the Hanna Flats Logging Project in the Idaho Panhandle National Forest, citing potential harm to grizzly bear habitat.

FS officials relied on Bonner County’s wildfire protection plan that designates the area as a wildland urban interface in claiming the logging project qualified for a categorical exclusion under the Healthy Forest Restoration Act since it’s in an area where homes and structures are vulnerable to wildfire.

The court disagreed and halted the project until it can hear the case on its merits. The 2,500 acre project has roughly 1,100 acres of mechanical treatments that include clear-cutting and thinning and other work.

Minnesota Loggers Lose Potential Market

sixth OSB plant.

HEW had announced in June 2021 its plan to build the plant on nearly 200 acres adjacent Minnesota Power’s Boswell Energy Center and create 150 direct jobs with significant job and growth opportunities for area logging and trucking operations to supply the large plant.

The court of appeals said the Cohasset city planners’ earlier decision to only require an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) of the project, and not require a more detailed Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) needed to be re-addressed by the city because of issues involving a few acres of two “public waters wetlands” that the court said state law would require an EIS for.

The appeal from Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy also asked the court to weigh the environmental effects potentially caused by air emissions from the new OSB plant and from the volume of timber harvesting that the plant would require. The appeals court ruled in favor of the city as to “no significant environmental effects” but the court took to task the city’s determination that an EAW was enough for the project with regard to public wetlands. Huber initially submitted an EAW and then—at the city’s request—re-submitted a more detailed EAW, which the city accepted while deciding an EIS wasn’t necessary.

The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe appealed, and the appeals court agreed, that the facility “falls into categories” for which an EIS is mandatory under Minnesota law, specifically as to the elimination of public waters wetland.

The city had determined that the project would not eliminate public water wetlands. But the court focused on two small public waters wetlands, which the court said are “accorded greater protection under state law.”

The court said the city should reconsider given these stipulations and then issue a revised decision on the need for an EIS. Huber’s withdrawal from the project apparently now renders such an exercise as unnecessary.

Loggers in Minnesota have lost out on a major new market after a Minnesota Court of Appeals decision in early February that would have caused further delay in the construction of a $440 million OSB plant by Huber Engineered Woods in Cohasset caused Huber to pull out of the project and begin looking to another state for the development of its

The project would have replaced lost jobs and tax base as the adjacent Boswell coal-fired energy plant shuts down its coal burning units and possibly reconfigures to renewable energy sources. The Cohasset OSB mill would have been Huber’s sixth, following facilities in Maine, Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee and Oklahoma.

Huber wood yard at OSB mill

RICHBURG, SC

Operating one large “super crew” in northern South Carolina, brothers Will and Wesley Coleman and Coleman Brothers Logging are putting up impressive production numbers, routinely hitting 160-190 loads a week and not infrequently hauling more than 200.

Thanks to a timber company relationship that allows the company to run wide open, and three primary markets in relatively close proximity, Coleman Brothers Logging is able to get some serious output from its two-loader, four-skidder, two-cutter configuration.

At age 34, Will Coleman is definitely a member of the younger generation of loggers in an industry where the contractor base is aging—and he’s already been running his own company for a decade.

Will began his career at 18 when he went to work for a logger in the area. His ambition to run his own company eventually kicked in and in 2013 he decided to strike out on his own.

Will and his wife, Katherine, and his brother, Wesley, founded the company and started it up. Together they gradually pieced together two loaders, four skidders and three cutters, all

very well used—some might say used up. Will’s father, Tim, joined in to help with maintenance and Will’s uncle, Don “Uncle Stump” Dickson, signed on to drive a truck. “I really rely on my brother, Wes,” Coleman says. “If I’m at work, he’s at work, no matter what. If I’m in the shop, he’s in the shop. And he really takes charge with the skidders. I couldn’t ask for a better partner.”

Working with the Tigercat dealership in Newberry, SC, Coleman replaced his older equipment, and thanks to a new timber company arrangement that expanded production he’s been

Running

newer woods equipment and trucks makes it easier to find, keep employees.

A need to reduce expenses on older trucks while at the same time expanding production led Coleman Brothers Logging to extensively upgrade its hauling capacity during the past three years.

able to also upgrade his trucking fleet significantly in the past three years.

Trucking Lineup

Moving all that production is a fleet of 11 trucks, mostly latemodel, that Coleman keeps humming all day, striving to get each driver four loads if at all possible.

The trucking side of the company includes a 2023 Mack Granite, four ’22 Mack Pinnacles, a ’21 Mack Pinnacle, a ’19 Mack Pinnacle, ’22 Western Star, ’17 Mack Granite, ’15 Mack Pinnacle and a 2012 Mack. All the Macks were purchased from Shealy Truck Center in Columbia and by and large all are maintained at McMahon Commercial Truck Service in Rock Hill. The Macks pull two 2023 Pitts trailers, a ’22 Big John trailer, four ’22 Pitts trailers, two ’20 Pitts trailers, ’10 Big John trailer, two ’02 Evans trailers, and two lowboys—a 2000 Evans and ’00 Pitts. All are plantation style.

When it comes to spec’ing out tractors, Coleman says he likes a stick shift transmission, and some of his drivers do as well: The rigs are roughly split between manual and M-drive transmissions, though he believes over time the manuals will be phased out. Tractors are spec’ed with 505 HP MP8 Mack engines. There are a few air-ride suspensions in the fleet, but Coleman specs most with camelback suspensions. “They tend to hold up better and have less rear end trouble,” he says. Rear ends are all Mack, mostly Mack 379s.

Trucks roll on Falcon tires, mostly, along with some Hankook and Hercules. Coleman says he tries to get 80,000 miles out of tractor tires before recapping and running them on trailers.

Coleman Brothers Logging is currently testing out a Mack maintenance program on some of the rigs. Things are still sorting out, Coleman says, but it’s apparent he’ll need an extra truck for those days one of the program rigs is in for maintenance.

All 11 of Coleman Brothers Logging’s trucks run with Samsara dash cam systems. “I really like them,” Coleman says, especially that he can see what each truck is doing all from his phone. “I tell the drivers that the

camera is your best friend on the road” as far as recording what really happened, he adds. He notes that he cameras have recorded several close calls in the three years since he’s been running them.

Looking at the number of newer rigs bought in the last three years reflects an upgrade and expansion: “We were spending too much on repair bills with older model trucks,” Coleman says, noting the enormous expenses associated with running that many trucks. Also, Coleman Brothers Logging’s production was rising, thanks to a good relationship with Myers Timber Co.

The combination of newer equipment and trucks and steady work makes a difference when looking for employees, Coleman says: “Before, when we had our bare bones forestry equipment, it was harder to attract and keep good help. Now we’re able to recruit and maintain a good quality crew. They want to work on the newer

equipment models and I can sure understand that.”

Coleman says he has a great group of drivers who drive safe, take care of their trucks and know what they’re doing.

Drivers like running the newer rigs, Coleman says, adding that he’s always working to ensure each gets four loads a day. Current primary markets are the New-Indy Containerboard plant in Catawba and the Canfor Southern sawmill in Camden, plus International Paper mills in Eastover and Santuck.

Depending on the crew’s location, Coleman works to keep drivers on the road, alternating long routes and building efficiency whenever possible.

Logging Crew

Coleman Brothers Logging operates with four skidders: a 2021 Tigercat 620H, ’16 and ’18 620E’s and a ’13 620D. The company also has three Tigercat 720G feller-bunchers: 2023, ’22 and ’16 models.

At the loading deck, the Coleman brothers use a 2023 Tigercat 250D and a ’23 234B knuckleboom loaders. The crew also uses a ’14 John Deere 700K bulldozer for road and deck clearance.

Coleman is a big fan of the Tigercat dealership in Newberry. “You can’t ask for anything better when it comes to our dealer,” he says. “They take very good care of us. I love the Tigercat brand but it also comes down to

Wesley, left, and Will Coleman

Mack-heavy trucking lineup has added seven rigs since 2020. New equipment helps attract and keep good operators and drivers, Coleman says.

service. Tidewater provides us with excellent service time after time.”

Tim Coleman, a seasoned mechanic who has worked as head mechanic for the long-time popular amusement park Carowinds in Charlotte, helps keep tabs on all the moving parts and equipment at Coleman Brothers. “I don’t know where we’d be without dad’s help,” Will says. “He’s one of the best mechanics in this part of the world.” According to Will, if you made a list of all the things Tim Coleman can’t fix, you’d have a very short list.

Will’s wife, Katherine, manages the Coleman Brothers Logging office. Her duties include insurance, payroll, and keeping up with taxes and benefits. She and her dog Sugar also make runs to Newberry, Chester, Rock Hill or Charlotte for parts or whatever else needs doing. “It’s a ton of hard work and it doesn’t ever slow down but we’ve gotten used to it and so now it just seems normal,” she says.

Keeping so many parts moving efficiently means hard work. Coleman explains that his crew generally works a 12-hour day—5:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.—and occasional Saturdays.

“We don’t take many rain days either,” he adds. “I don’t see how we could make it without producing at least 150 loads a week. It takes that to keep up with the rising price of parts, fuel, insurance and everything else.”

The price of gasoline, motor oil, hydraulic oil and diesel is a killer these days, he adds, knowing he is saying the obvious. “But you can’t do much about fuel, and you don’t get to pick the mileage that you run,” Coleman says.

While loggers and executives in the timber industry have long held concern about the lack of young people going into the business, Coleman Brothers Logging is proof that the youth of America has not yet deserted the forest in favor of less vigorous occupations—and that the younger generation has a lot to offer.

“There is a place in the industry for young loggers like Will,” says Kevin Wright of Tigercat dealer Tidewater Equipment in Newberry. Over time his work ethic has proved sound and he was able to replace the old equipment with new. That makes such a big difference in productivity.” TH

May Donnell and Dan Shell contributed to this article. Photos by May Donnell.

Production routinely hits 160-190 loads a week and occasionally goes over 200 in the right location and conditions.

Tracked Access

Skidmore brothers mechanize tough terrain.

FREEBURG, Mo.

Don’t let the name fool you: Skidmore Lumber Co. centers on a mill now, but the family-owned business has its roots in the woods, and today fields a top-notch logging crew, one that’s ahead of the curve in its area. Owners Doug Skidmore, 60, and his brother Howard, 62, have been running the show here together since they took over from their dad Oreal and other brother Odis in the early ’90s, about 30 years ago. Some families have trouble working

together, but that’s not the case here, the Skidmores agree. “We get along great,” according to Howard, who performs a mechanical engineering role and focuses on day-to-day production at the mill. Doug, who oversees operations in the woods and manages business in the mill, says he couldn’t ask for a better partner.

Their father started out in the woods, but after getting into the sawmill business in the late ’70s, the Skidmore family had left logging in their rear view mirror, or so they thought.

DAVIDAbbott

“We got plum out of logging,” Doug says. But, about seven years ago, the brothers set out to grow the mill’s business without increased log purchasing. That led them back to logging. “If we were going to do that, we decided we were going to do it safe,” Doug adds.

To that end, they invested in machines, even though mechanized felling still isn’t terribly common in their part of Missouri. “We are not against the idea of cutting trees the old fashioned way,” Howard stresses. “That just isn’t what we wanted to do. Around here it is still mostly a man on the ground felling with a chain saw. That is still very common here, the most common by far. There are getting to be more machines in the woods though; 10 years ago there weren’t very many.”

Instead of chain saws, the Skidmore brothers opted to start out with a used Bell feller-buncher. “We had an employee who knew how to run one,” Doug says. The machine worked well, but had limitations; for example, he adds, “You go down a hill in the Bell and the only way to come out is backwards, and you can’t see. You really had to watch what you were doing. They didn’t have cameras on them back then, but they cut a lot of timber.”

Since then, they’ve replaced it with other, larger tracked feller-bunchers: The current machine is a Timber Pro TL745D with Quadco 2900 intermittent sawhead. Brad Arlen Jr. runs the machine (his father, Brad Arlen, Sr., is crew foreman).

Working with the two Brads, another Arlen fills out the woods crew: Rusty, brother to Brad, Sr., and uncle to Junior.

Tracked Productivity

The Timber Pro isn’t the only machine on tracks out here. A Tigercat 610E skidder rides on a set of tracks from G&R Manufactured Solutions. Howard and Doug learned about G&R Tracks from a video on the internet.

The logging crew supplies family sawmill and other regional markets.

Bought for wet work, G&R tracked system has proved itself in hilly terrain as well.

Impressed, they quickly got in touch with G&R sales manager Robert Reeves and bought a set. “They have been great to work with,” Doug says. “Any issues we have had, they have supported us very well.”

G&R tracks have enabled the skidder to pull wood out in both wet and steep terrain where tires would bog down or lose traction. “They have so much flotation,” Doug points out. “You don’t realize how low the ground pressure is because you have eight feet tracks that are two feet wide to spread all that weight out.” About two years ago the crew was working on some extremely wet ground, and yet the skid trail looked as smooth as a road, Doug says. “When we ran a wheeled skidder for a day, just one day, it had ruts everywhere. We went right back to the track machine, and after a day or two it looked like a road again; it just leveled it right back out, even though it was still wet. That’s dozer work I don’t have to do later.”

Howard adds, “We got those tracks to use in wet weather, but we’ve ended up using them 12 months out of the year because it can go in the slopes.” Anywhere the Timber Pro can go to cut trees, the tracked skidder can now follow and drag the logs out. “If we are not running tracks, sometimes the TimberPro has to take it somewhere where the rubber tire skidders can get to it,” Doug adds. “It is unbelievable where it will go.”

The Skidmores credit the G&R tracks for allowing the crew to keep working when conditions would likely have otherwise halted production, especially since many of the hardwood tracts this crew tackles are in areas that are difficult to access. In fact, Doug estimates that those tracks on that skidder have probably pulled about 75% of the wood that has gone into the family’s sawmill in the last two years.

Of course there are some places too steep for even the tracked machines to access. Last fall they cut on a church property that was almost a vertical incline at points; that required cable skidding and chain saw felling in some places. And one down side of having extreme condition machines, Doug mentions, is that if they break down on a hillside it can be hard to get to them with repair trucks.

The Skidmores are planning to purchase a second set of G&R tracks for one of their Deere skidders, a 748L-II with low hours on it.

Operations

Besides the tracked machines, the Skidmore crew uses a pair of John Deere 748L-II rubber tired skidders. A Barko 595B knuckleboom loader, paired with CSI pull-through delimber and ground saw, handles sorting and merchandizing. Several compa-

taking off if the ground is soft.” Howard adds, “It’s not so hard on drive lines, there’s less to repair, and it’s so easy to move around back and forth and to get situated. And it is quiet.”

The crew averages about three to six loads daily in hardwood; it varies depending on timber quality and skid distance. With pup trailers, that’s about 5,000 board feet. The crew mostly cuts white and red oak, sycamore, soft maple and cottonwood for the Skidmore Lumber mill, selling walnut and the occasional veneer log elsewhere. They also sell some white oak to McGinnis Wood Products, a stave mill in Cuba, Missouri.

ny-owned Western Star and International log trucks also have Rotobec and Barko self-loaders mounted on the back. They pull shop-built pup trailers, customized to the Skidmores’ specifications.

One company truck has an automatic transmission, and Doug says it pulls just fine coming out of woods. “We don’t have but about 8,000 miles on it so we are still learning,” he allows. “It will downshift on a corner if you don’t watch it. If you go into a corner too fast, it will let you know; it will shut you down. But it is a nice truck. It is more expensive and you have less power but it is so easy. If you stop on a hill, you don’t worry about a clutch, or

The Skidmores aim to do more than just profit from their operations in the woods. They strive to act as responsible stewards of the timberland they harvest. “We focus on land management as well as logging,” Doug says. “When we are done in the woods, we have a John Deere dozer with a six-way blade and a skid steer that we use to put in water breaks on all our skid trails, because we are on hilly ground. We try to take care of the land.”

The brothers use Polaris Ranger and General side-by-side UTVs (utility task vehicles) to get around on job sites in the woods.

The Skidmores are members of Missouri Forest Products Assn., where Doug served on the board for 10 years or so. He is a current board member of the Missouri Wood Industry Trust, through which Skidmore Lumber obtains workers’ comp insurance. “It has been a good thing for us, especially in the woods,” Doug says. “Workers’ comp would eat a man alive almost.” TH

With current setup, anywhere the cutter can go the skidder can also get there to move the wood.

From left, brothers Howard and Doug Skidmore

Safety Roundup 2023: Road, Woods, Service

EDITOR’S NOTE: Here’s a quick roundup of safety news, ideas and food for thought, from loggers’ associations across the nation. Special thanks goes to the groups below as Timber Harvesting highlights the best of recent logging and trucking safety news.

Inspection Blitz

Reveals Violations

During the three-day Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) International Roadcheck inspection blitz held in May 2022, CVSA-certified inspectors conducted 59,026 inspections and placed 12,456 commercial motor vehicles and 3,714 commercial motor vehicle drivers out of service.

Of the 48,966 level I and II inspections conducted in Canada and the U.S., 11,181 vehicles were placed out of service, which is a 22.8% rate, and 3,118 drivers were placed out of service, a 6.4% rate.

During Roadcheck, inspectors in the U.S. and Canada primarily conduct the level I inspection, which is a comprehensive 37-step inspection process that involves thorough inspection of the vehicle (including underneath the vehicle) and the driver’s operating credentials.

Each year, CVSA highlights a certain aspect of the roadside inspection, and 2022 was wheels-tires. Of the top 10 out-of-service violations, tires ranked second and wheels came in seventh. Of the 18,213 total vehicle out-of-service violations, there were 3,374 tire out-of-service violations, and there were 784 wheel out-of-service violations. Combined, tire and wheel violations accounted for 22.8% of all out-of-service vehicle violations for North America.

In the U.S., of the 33,196 level I inspections that were conducted, 7,912 commercial motor vehicles (23.8%) and 2,051 drivers (6.2%) were placed

Disconnect Power To Keep Equipment Safe

Writing last fall in the Timber Bulletin magazine for the Minnesota Timber Producers Assn., John Saccoman, a loss control consultant for Choice Insurance, speaks with the company’s Jay Eystad, who has sold logging equipment and now helps insure it.

In the case of a fire, knowing how to shut off power to the machine can mean the difference between a close call and total loss. While owners usually know where a machine’s electrical disconnects are, it’s critical that operators know as well. A disconnect takes all the electrical power away from a machine, Eystad says. In the event of a fire, removing power gives the operator a better chance to extinguish it without electricity continuing to feed the fire.

Note: People safety is much more important than machine safety, so the operator’s safety comes first. But safely disconnect power if possible, even after a fire has been apparently put out, Eystad adds, since power going through a machine can potentially reignite a fire: He’s heard of apparently “saved” machines burn up after a fire reignites and the operator watches helplessly with an empty fire extinguisher.

Eystad says disconnecting every evening when quitting work is a good idea as well, eliminating the possibility of an electrical fire and also acting as a deterrent to thieves or vandals who are looking to do damage or worse. Disconnecting power during maintenance and repairs is also a good idea, he says.

out of service. In Canada, of the 3,359 Level I inspections were conducted, 760 commercial motor vehicles (22.6%) and 191 (5.7%) drivers were placed out of service.

Top five vehicle out-of-service violations were:

Brake systems—25%

Tires—19%

Defective Service Brakes—13% Lights—12%

Cargo Securement—11%

Top out-of-service violations for drivers:

False Log: 1,921 Violations (42.6%)

Wrong Class License: 1,066 (23.6%)

Hours of Service: 367 (8.1%)

Suspended License: 260 (5.8%)

No Medical Card: 222 (4.9%)

Loggers On Safety: Sharing What Works

In the winter issue of Northern Logger magazine, Forest Resources Assn. Appalachian Region Consultant Jeff Jenkins shares some of the safety practices that loggers have mentioned to him on recent visits to the field:

Such simple precautions can save loggers lots of time and hassle and the business impact of being without a machine for months, Eystad says. Losing a machine “shakes (loggers) up,” he says. “They’ll say, ‘I can’t believe it happened.’ Well…it does.”

Disconnecting power during maintenance is a good idea.

Hiring A New Driver? Due Diligence Is A Must

Loggers could be at risk of “negligent entrustment” if they knowingly hire employees with poor safety records or are incompetent or otherwise unfit for the job if those employees cause accidents, says a report in The Idaho Logger by Bryan Graham of Associated Insurance Services.

In the case of entrusting an employee to operate a company truck, an employer can be at risk of negligent entrustment if it can be shown the employer knows or should know the employee is likely to operate it unsafely. An example is hiring a driver despite a record of accidents or alcohol and drug abuse—or failing to take the commonsense due diligence steps of pre-employment screening.

Such actions could open loggers up to potential catastrophic lawsuits if poorly screened employees cause an accident, Graham writes. “It wouldn’t matter if you had no idea about the driver’s prior issues…because if you had gone through the proper hiring steps, you would have known about their incompetence to operate a commercial vehicle,” he says.

To protect their companies, loggers need a documented set of procedures that are followed when hiring every new employee. “This should include an employee application, MVR check, Clearinghouse check, pre-employment drug test and reference checks,” Graham writes.

If a logger decides to give a chance to a new employee that may fall a bit outside requirements, Graham adds, he or she also needs a documented training plan to show how the company is working with that employee to make them a better, more competent driver.

Communication is key, and providing job site GPS coordinates or a map for local emergency service responders is critical.

Related to communication, phone technology allows sole proprietors or solo operators to stay in constant touch with coworkers and family.

Know your limitations and adapt to them. One veteran logger told Jenkins that when he gets tired he gets careless, so he makes an extra effort to be safe during those times. Instead of trying to “power through” such situations, loggers should recognize them, slow down and be more cautious.

Always back your truck into a parking spot in the woods, which can save critical moments of turnaround time during an emergency.

Always leave truck keys in the crew truck in clear view on the dash or console. In an emergency, no one needs to waste valuable time tracking down who has the truck keys.

New Mississippi Law Simplifies Light Safety

A new Mississippi law that went into effect in 2022 has simplified low visibility light requirements for log hauling,

according to Mississippi Loggers Assn. Executive Director David Livingston.

A similar law passed in 2011 to allow log hauling in low-visibility conditions with an amber light at the rear of the load ended up with a permit requirement, load length limits and time constraints once it was implemented by the Mississippi Dept. of Transportation, resulting in loggers not applying for the permit.

During last year’s legislative session, Livingston says, MLA sought to get ironclad legislation allowing hauling during low-visibility times like neighboring states. The new law, SB 2519, accomplished that without any length limitations or specific time frames. “It simply says that any time visibility is less than 500 feet or headlights are needed for visibility the light will be required to be affixed to the rear of the load,” Livingston says.

Don’t Think, Just Do It: Seatbelts Save Lives

In a fall 2022 issue of Montana Logger magazine, MLA Northwestern Rep Justin Doble tells of two recent logging accidents: One a tragedy in his area where a young logger rolled a skidder,

was thrown from the machine and died on the scene; the other, in northeast Oregon on a salvage job, saw an operator walk away from a machine that rolled multiple times after fire-damaged soils gave way on a slope.

The big difference in the two accidents? The Oregon operator was wearing a 4-point safety harness seatbelt; the Montana operator wasn’t wearing a seatbelt at all.

Wearing a seatbelt is the simplest, most effective way to stay safe when operating equipment, and it takes less than three seconds, Doble says. He adds that wearing a seatbelt or harness can also help the operator maintain control during a sudden stop or loss of stability.

“You haven’t lived until you’ve hit a high stump with your blade while running a skidder in second gear,” he writes. “There’s no way you’re staying in your seat without a seatbelt.”

Doble adds that the good news is machines are now safer than ever, with better seating and safety belts and harnesses—but it’s still up to the operator to use them. Seatbelt wearing needs to become part of loggers’ muscle memory, Doble says: “We don’t think about it. We just do it.” TH

When hiring drivers, loggers must always be diligent and consistent.

OLC 2023 Products

EUGENE, Ore.

Nothing draws a crowd of loggers like lots of shiny new equipment and the latest in timber harvesting technology and innovations. Here’s a quick look at just some of the many products on display at this year’s Oregon Logging Conference at the Lane Events Center in Eugene, Ore. on February 23-25.

Falcon Claw grapple, tandem carriage system

Ponsse H8 harvester head Quadco 32 drum mulcher

Oregon Enduramax guide bar

TCi 920 dozer

Doosan DX300LL

John Deere FR27 sawhead

KMC F-45 firefighting package

Tigercat 6900 grinder

Vermeer HG4000

Waratah HTH 623C processing head

Rotochopper B66L

TIMBER HARVESTING & FOREST OPERATIONS

Budco custom Kenworth W900B

Acme G10 hydraulic grapple

Link Belt 3440B with Waratah HTH 622B head

Komatsu PC 290 LC Falcon winch assist base unit

Associated Oregon Loggers Raise Funds, Awareness

While enjoying their annual meeting, celebrating contributions and raising money for local children’s hospitals, Oregon loggers learned about the challenges contractors face going forward at the Associated Oregon Loggers’ 53rd annual convention in January.

According to AOL Executive Vice President Rex Storm, the 2023 AOL Convention, held at Spirit Mountain Lodge and Event Center in Grand Ronde, was a solid success, as more than 300 AOL members and industry friends attended.

The theme, “Sustainable Contracting in a New Economy,” was common throughout a day and a half of programming, and was highlighted by the keynote presentation of professional negotiator Ed Brodow. Ed gave attending contractors the most straight-forward, real world and useful advice on negotiating for business success in this new economy. Brodow’s negotiation bootcamp talk helped build confidence to “make win-win deals,” using tools that every logger needs in their toolbox.

“The event combined education, awards and celebration, interesting speakers, useful business topics, time to

connect with fellow members, fun entertainment and dining,” Storm said. Session topics included negotiation in business, forest rescue, H-2B Visa program, election recap and lobby outlook, building a future workforce, workers’ comp insurance outlook, trucking updates and forest practices rule changes. Many sessions allowed attendees to earn Oregon Professional Logger Continuing Education credits—a total of 9 CE credits were offered throughout the Convention.

Storm added that the grand finale, a Roaring ’20s themed evening, focused on raising funds for the three Children’s Miracle Network hospitals in Oregon.

Recognition, Fund-Raising

During the annual convention, leadership and dedication awards were given out to Greg Schmitz, Schmitz Timber Management, for 2011-22 Executive Committee Service, and to Rick Kriege, Kriege Logging, for his 2021-22 AOL President Service.

AOL staff members Roger Lulay and Shanna Kinzer received 30 years of service and 10 years of service awards, respectively.

2022 Awards included Safety Professional, Larry Kirkpatrick, Kirkpatrick Logging; Women of the Year, Cari & Ciara Freeman, Alpha Omega Trucking; and Logger of the Year, Bruce Zuber, Zuber & Sons Logging. The event’s festivities included a full slate of auctions—silent, live, and dessert—and you’ve never actually attended an auction until you’ve been to one headed by Master of Ceremonies and Auctioneer Jaime Yraguen of Basco Logging. The fun incuded a parade of costumes costume contest and the ever-popular Heads or Tails competition. This year, checks were presented to hospital representatives for a total of $103,367. Storm gave special thanks to the event’s donors, bidders, AOL’s Log A Load Committee, staff and Jaime Yraguen for the combined effort. TH

2022 AOL Logger of the Year: Jean and Bruce Zuber, Zuber & Sons Logging, Gold Beach, Ore.

2022 AOL Women of the Year: Cari and Ciara Freeman, Alpha Omega Trucking, Brookings, Ore.

Doosan Changes Name To DEVELON

Doosan will now be called DEVELON throughout the world and will continue providing innovative products and solutions in construction and other heavy equipment equipment industries.

Work began to identify a new brand name to replace Doosan following the August 2021 sale of Doosan Infracore to HD Hyundai (formerly Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings Co. The name DEVELON was chosen to convey the company’s drive to develop onward to bring innovative solutions through technological transformation and the development of exceptional equipment and services.

“We believe the new DEVELON brand will help us build on the success we’ve had in North America over the past 30 years and throughout

the world for more than 80 years,” says Todd Roecker, vice president of growth initiatives.

DEVELON products and services will help customers and partners become industry leaders in construction, logging, recycling, mining, rental and agriculture. Efforts will also be placed on advancing sustainable development through alternative energy sources of power for construction equipment.

In North America, DEVELON will continue supporting its more than 180 dealer locations while DEVELON North American operations will remain headquartered near Atlanta, in Suwanee, Ga., where the company continues to offer a training center for dealership service technicians.The company will maintain parts availability through its two regional parts distribution centers: one in Atlanta and a second in the Pacific Northwest. A customization plant in Savannah, Ga. will still play a key role in supplying machines to DEVELON dealers and customers.

DEVELON will continue as a subsidiary in the Hyundai Genuine group

alongside Hyundai Construction Equipment (HCE). These two subsidiaries will remain independent construction equipment companies under HD Hyundai.

Ponsse Appoints Vidgren To Oversee U.S. Dealers

Samuel Vidgren has become the Area Manager responsible for Ponsse’s dealer network in the U.S. The development of the dealer network in the U.S. is carried out in close cooperation with Ponsse North America.Samuli Heikola, who was previously responsible for the dealer network, will continue working for Ponsse North America as a Business Development Manager.

Vidgren has worked at Ponsse in various capacities including sales and marketing. In December 2022, he received his Master of Business Administration (MBA), specializing in international business and management, from the University of Tampa in the U.S.

EquipmentWorld

Stihl Plans Expansion At Virginia Beach

Stihl is investing $49 million to expand its chain saw guide bar manufacturing facility in Virginia Beach, Va. The expansion will add 26,000 sq. ft. of space to an existing building, totaling 86,000 sq. ft. upon completion. The project is also expected to create 15 jobs with an average annual wage of $60,000 to $100,000.

In addition to increasing its footprint in Virginia Beach, Stihl plans to invest in state-of-the-art equipment and add highly skilled positions to its team, including maintenance mechatronic technicians, process engineers, tool and die makers, project coordinators, and machine operators.

The expansion lays the groundwork for additional manufacturing activity to be moved to the company’s Virginia Beach location.

Morbark Selects Brandt As Dealer

Morbark, LLC, and its affiliated brands Rayco and Denis Cimaf have selected Brandt Tractor Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Brandt Group of Companies, as the authorized dealer for their tree care (brush chippers, stump cutters, articulated wheel loaders), forestry/biomass (whole tree drum chippers, Chiparvestors, flails), recycling (horizontal and tub grinders), and Rayco Forestry/Denis Cimaf (forestry mulchers and mulching attachments) equipment lines in Canada.

“For Morbark, it was an easy choice to sign Brandt as our exclusive dealer in Canada,” comments Michael Stanton, vice president of sales and marketing.

Brandt was founded in 1932 as a small electrical contractor in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. After nine decades of impressive growth, the company has become the world’s largest John Deere dealer, owning and operating 120 full-service equipment dealerships in Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Husqvarna 2-Year Pro Saw Warranty

The Husqvarna Group recently launched a comprehensive two-year warranty program designed to provide extended protection for equipment used by commercial green space and tree care professionals. The two-year warranty is a significant benefit for professional chain saw customers, as the coverage is the longest commercial warranty in the market. Additionally for commercial zero-turn mowers and stand-on mowers, the first two years of ownership will be covered under warranty with no hour limitations on usage. Customers can immediately take advantage of this program and benefit from two full years of warranty coverage for Husqvarna 300 and 500 series professional handheld and wheeled products.

Husqvarna’s warranty services cover defects in machinery or workmanship that may occur under normal use during the Warranty Period. During this Warranty Period, Husqvarna will repair or replace any defective product or part because of a defect in material or workmanship, under normal use and maintenance, at no cost to the owner.

“Husqvarna’s revamped warranty program is another demonstration of our commitment to our commercial customers,” says Carlos Haddad, Vice President of North America, Professional Products at Husqvarna Group, adding that pro saw users “can continue to count on an exceptional level of coverage for tools being used as designed and can rest assured that their vital equipment is protected.”

Cat 558 Forest Machine

(-32˚ C) and high ambient temperatures reaching 126˚ F (52˚ C), the machine can work year-round.

The new Certified Forestry cab with its reinforced structure and thick polycarbonate windshield enhances operator safety. Available in a choice of rear or side entry, the cab’s interior space is 25% larger, allowing most operators to stand without hitting their head.

Falcon Slash Rake

The new Cat 558 next generation forest machine features several design upgrades for boosting production. Available in Log Loader and General Forest configurations, the new 558 is powered by a Cat 7.1 engine that generates 25% more power than the previous series. Add in the machine’s new electrohydraulic control system that produces 30% more swing torque and 15% more travel power and tough, and hilly work becomes easier to accomplish.

Smart mode automatically matches engine and hydraulic power to working conditions to help do that work with maximum fuel efficiency. Also, with cold-start capability of -25˚ F

Operators have multiple options for starting the 558’s engine, including an easy-to-reach push button, Bluetooth key fob, or unique Operator ID function.

Compared to the previous model, the 558 next generation will consume 50 fewer filters over the course of 12,000 hours, which contributes to lowering maintenance costs by up to 15%.

Fuel filters feature a synchronized 1,000-hour change interval – double the service life of the previous model. A new hydraulic oil return filter improves filtration and delivers a 3,000-hour service life, which is 50% longer than previous designs. Visit cat.com.

A new take on an old method of handling slash allows logging crews to more effectively manage skid sites and landings with the potential to increase productivity. The Falcon Slash Grapple Rake brings fresh thinking to slash control.

The rake fits around two of the most common sizes of Ensign grapple and can reduce the laborious task by as much as one hour a day.

DC Equipment has designed two versions in conjunction with a local engineering company—one to fit the Ensign 1530 and a larger model to fit the Ensign 1730. Fitting or removing from the host grapple takes around 3 minutes. E-mail: sales@dce.co.nz.

SelectCuts

Florida’s Byrd Rose To Top Of Logging Ranks, Leaves Legacy Of ‘Faith, Family, Forestry’

Twead “Jack” Byrd, longtime CEO of highly respected logging and trucking businesses operating as T.W. Byrd’s based in Branford, Fla., died January 18. He was 80.

Byrd, a lifelong resident of nearby Mayo, owned and operated the business along with his brothers, JW, Earl and Paul, with numerous other family members working in the trade. The business was honored multiple times by state and national organizations, including being named National Outstanding Logger twice by the Forest Resources Assn.

The sons worked for their father, T.W., in logging and farming, and when he died in the mid 1970s the operation had one logging crew. The sons decided to expand the logging side, and became a massive producer, growing it to as many as 12 crews, while running a large fleet of trucks.

Byrd was passionate not only for the logging industry but also agriculture. He believed that hard work would get you anywhere.He lived by three simple words, “Faith, Family, and Forestry.”

Byrd was a member of Hatchbend Apostolic Church. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Patricia Byrd; sons: Jack Everette Byrd (Jerri) and Jerry Brian Byrd (Shanna); sisters Ethel Jackson, Joyce Byrd, Joann Bass (Craig), Susan Warren

(Rudy) and Benita Byrd (Daryl Sandlin); brothers J.W. Byrd (Delania), Earl Byrd (Karen) and Paul Byrd (Sandy Touchton); eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his sons Jason Byrd and Patrick Byrd.

Services were held at First Baptist Church in Branford. Private family burial was planned in Hatchbend Apostolic Church Cemetery.

“Jack Byrd will be deeply missed but we are so fortunate for the legacy in logging and agriculture he has left,” the family said in a statement.

RoyOMartin Goes Back 100 Years, Celebrates Century Of Successes

RoyOMartin is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of Roy O. Martin Lumber Co., which was legally organized and incorporated in Alexandria, La. in 1923. Led by Indiana native Roy O. Martin, Sr., the company was born after the entrepreneur’s purchase of an older sawmill and began without a single acre of land. Today, the trade name

Jack Byrd

Jack Byrd, left, built up the family wood operations with brothers J.W., Paul and Earl.

SelectCuts

RoyOMartin represents a group of vertically integrated companies owned by the Martin family, focused on sustainable land and timber management and wood-product manufacturing.

In addition to being a leader in responsible forest-management practices and overseeing 550,000 acres of highly-productive timberland, RoyOMartin and its subsidiaries operate three manufacturing facilities supported by nearly 1,300 employees: an oriented strandboard plant in Oakdale, La.; plywood and solid wood products plant in Chopin, La.; and an oriented strandboard plant in Corrigan, Texas, which is currently expanding by constructing a second mill at the site.

In 1923, after working in the lumber industry in Indiana, Illinois and Tennessee for 11 years, 33-year-old Roy Otis Martin Sr. wanted to go into business for himself and wanted to buy a sawmill in an area where lumber was reasonably inexpensive. His search took him to Alexandria, where he and his wife, Mildred Brown Martin, purchased the nearly dilapidated Creston Sawmill for $32,000. On November 10, 1923, the Roy O. Martin Lumber Co. was officially organized

EventsMemo

and incorporated, with Roy O. Martin as its president.

The company has thrived through a variety of changes and challenges in its 100 years—from sawmills and lumberyards to retail outlets, creosote treating, real estate, and wood product manufacturing—to become a timber-and-manufacturing industry leader.

In 1929 Martin Sr. made his first land purchase when he bought 6,500 acres in the Black Lake swamp area in northwest Louisiana. Since then, timberland holdings have grown exponentially to become one of the largest private landowners in the state.

Throughout three generations, the Martin family has remained in man-

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agement roles. In 1962, company leadership passed to the second generation, with Roy O. Martin Jr. serving as president, followed by his brother Ellis Martin in 1978. The third generation took the helm in 1994 when Jonathan Martin (Ellis’ son) and, later, Roy O. Martin III assumed the top positions of president and CEO.

“We will continue to demonstrate respect for each person uniquely created by God; integrity in what we do; commitment to our business, shareholders and stakeholders; honesty in our interactions with others; excellence in our processes, including worldclass safety, product quality, employee benefits, training and manufacturing; and stewardship and generosity of our assets,” says Roy O. Martin III, grandson of Martin Sr. and Chairman, CEO and CFO.

March 28-30, 2023—Kentucky Forest Industries Assn. annual meeting, Embassy Suites, Lexington, Ky. Call 502695-3979; visit kfia.org.

March 30-April 1, 2023—Southeastern Wood Producers Assn. annual meeting, The Okefenokee Fairgrounds, Waycross, Ga. Call 904-845-7133; visit swpa.ag.

March 31-April 4—Forst Live, Exhibition Center, Offenburg, Germany. Visit forst-live.de.

April 11-13—American Forest Resource Council annual meeting, Skamania Lodge, Stevenson, Wash. Call 503-2229505; visit amforest.org.

April 12-13—Intermountain Logging Conference, Mirabeau Park Hotel & Convention Center, Spokane Valley, Wash. Call 208-245-3425; visit intermountainlogging.org.

May 19-20—Northeastern Forest Products Equipment Expo (Loggers’ Expo), Cross Insurance Center, Bangor, Maine. Call 315-369-3078; visit northernlogger.com.

This issue of TIMBER HARVESTING is brought to you in part by the following companies, which will gladly supply additional information about their products.

ROM is building a new OSB plant in Corrigan, Texas that will procure pulpwood size logs.