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A Hatton-Brown Publication HATTON-BROWN PUBLISHERS, INC. 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 Publisher David H. Ramsey Chief Operating Officer Dianne C. Sullivan
Foremost Authority For Professional Loggers Browse, subscribe or renew: www.timberharvesting.com
Editor-in-Chief Rich Donnell Managing Editor Dan Shell Senior Associate Editor David Abbott Associate Editor Jessica Johnson Associate Editor Patrick Dunning Publisher/Editor Emeritus David (DK) Knight Art Director/Prod. Mgr. Cindy Segrest Ad Production Coord Patti Campbell Circulation Director Rhonda Thomas Online Content/Marketing Jacqlyn Kirkland ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES SOUTHERN USA Randy Reagor (904) 393-7968 • Fax: (334) 834-4525 E-mail: reagor@bellsouth.net
Vol. 67, No. 4: Issue 675
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OurCover Timber Harvesting’s Logger Survey provides key data on what loggers across the nation are thinking, their business challenges and more. Profit-loss, expansions, compensation, outlook, it’s all here. Begin reading on PAGE 14. (Photo by Dan Shell)
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MIDWEST USA, EASTERN CANADA John Simmons (905) 666-0258 • Fax: (905) 666-0778 E-mail: jsimmons@idirect.com WESTERN USA, WESTERN CANADA Tim Shaddick (604) 910-1826 • Fax: (604) 264-1367 E-mail: tootall1@shaw.ca Kevin Cook (604) 619-1777 E-mail: lordkevincook@gmail.com
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Professionalism Adds Value
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CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Bridget DeVane 334-699-7837 bdevane7@hotmail.com Timber Harvesting & Forest Operations (ISSN 2154-2333) is published 6 times annually (January/February, March/ April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December issues are combined) by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc., 225 Hanrick St., Montgomery, AL 36104. Subscriptions are free to U.S. logging, pulpwood and chipping contractors and their supervisors; managers and supervisors of corporate-owned harvesting operations; wood suppliers; timber buyers; businesses involved in land grooming and/or land clearing, wood refuse grinding and right-ofway maintenance; wood procurement and land management officials; industrial forestry purchasing agents; wholesale and retail forest equipment representatives and forest/logging association personnel. All non-qualified U.S. subscriptions are $50 annually; $60 in Canada; $95 (airmail) in all other countries (U.S. funds). Single copies, $5 each; special issues, $20 (U.S. funds). Subscription Inquiries—TOLL-FREE 800-669-5613; Fax 888-611-4525. Go to www.timber harvesting.com and click on the subscribe button to subscribe/renew via the web. All advertisements for Timber Harvesting & Forest Operations are accepted and published by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. with the understanding that the advertiser and/or advertising agency are authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The advertiser and/or advertising agency will defend, indemnify and hold Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. harmless from and against any loss, expenses, or other liability resulting from any claims or lawsuits for libel violations or right of privacy or publicity, plagiarism, copyright or trademark infringement and any other claims or lawsuits that may arise out of publication of such advertisement. HattonBrown Publishers, Inc. neither endorses nor makes any representation or guarantee as to the quality of goods and services advertised in Timber Harvesting & Forest Operations. Copyright ® 2019. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Ala. and at additional mailing offices. Printed in USA.
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MyTake DAN SHELL
Can Unprofitable Be Sustainable?
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fter poring over responses ucts markets in years. The first seven from 500 loggers on a months of 2018 saw product category 31-question survey, I’m seeing after product category, especially in percent signs on the back of my eyelumber, setting pricing records. lids. Yet I’m happy to do it, considerThere’s no doubt that mill interests ing the outstanding 536-logger rehave fully recovered from the Great sponse to the 2019 Timber Harvesting Recession a decade ago, but what Logger Survey. The true credit goes to those 536 who took the time to answer the questions and provide the data to build a picture of the U.S. logging contractor. The efforts of all involved in the survey aim to show the economic health of the U.S. logging base, and to reveal the issues contractors are facing in an effort to remain viable and profitable while maintaining the capability to expand or otherwise take advantage of business-growing opportunities as they arise. As the survey shows, it’s a tall order for many loggers. Results from many questions can be traced back to inadequate cut and haul logging rates and payment for logging services: For many contractors, there’s simply not enough revenue to offer the kind of pay scales and benefit packages that are For many loggers, profitability is a tall order. competitive to have and attract the employees needed to operate about the loggers? A healthy industry a thriving, growing business. simply doesn’t have a third of its raw Sometimes, comparing results of two material supplier businesses operating questions bring up even more quesunprofitably in such an environment. tions: For example, 77% of loggers beA great example is health insurance, lieve 11% or more is a “reasonable rate which is simply a must-offer benefit in of return” on their logging investment. Yet when asked their rate of return for 2018, only 22% of loggers reached A healthy industry simtheir self-described reasonable level. ply doesn’t have a third That same question about 2018 rate of its raw material supof return also shows that 33%—one third—of U.S. loggers either broke plier businesses opereven or lost money last year. One out ating unprofitably. of every three logging contractors couldn’t make money last year, and that’s up from 25% in 2016. modern America if a business owner What makes the results especially plans to operate and grow long-term. galling is that the past three years have Yet 90% of loggers aren’t able to offer seen some of the strongest forest prodemployee health plans, which is a 4
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major black eye for the forest products industry. I’ve talked to many loggers who can’t offer insurance, and seen the pain in their eyes when they say they’d love to but can’t afford it. I’ve talked to loggers who do offer health benefits, and they all say it’s a gamechanger in being able to attract and keep the kind of stable, family-oriented employees that business owners are looking for. By not offering health insurance, loggers are in effect subsidizing the mills’ procurement costs. And in an industry where employees are performing some of the most dangerous jobs in America— uninsured—well, it’s simply galling. You hear a lot of talk about about sustainability these days, but is a supply chain with a third of its businesses unprofitable sustainable? As part of the survey, we also asked loggers to “Raise Your Voice” and give us their comments and thoughts about their businesses and the industry. It’s one of our favorite parts of all the surveys we do, and the 2019 TH Logger Survey drew dozens of logger insights. Our biggest regret is we can’t include them all. In addition to those included in the article on page 14, here are some that stood out: ● “In the past five years fuel cost, equipment cost, insurance on equipment and workers’ comp have all gone up 15%-20%. Logging rates have not gone up at all. I believe that is why we’re seeing more and more contractors getting out, I think this will continue to be the case until things change. Loggers have enough things working against them like weather, mill quotas, high truck insurance, lack of good help, and the list goes on and on.”—Greg Malone, Benton, La. ● “Here in Tennessee things are improving,” says logger Trevor Haywood in Huntingdon. “The paper mill in ➤ 20 Wickliffe (Kentucky) has re-
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NewsLines Logging BMPs Are Strong In Texas A 28-year program to moniscored 95.3% overall, and tor logging Best Management family forest owners scored Practices (BMPs) implementa91.1%. tion on east Texas timber harAs the program has consisvest sites shows overall 93.8% tently shown since its incepBMP implementation in 2018 tion, the sites with the highest across all land ownerships. rates of BMP implementation That’s a solid improvement were those where a forester was in the last 20 years—the iminvolved; the contractor had atplementation rate was 87% in tended BMP training; and the 1998—and remains at a high landowner was already familiar rate since the last survey in with BMPs. Other factors that 2015 when overall BMP imboost BMP implementation are plementation was 94%. having BMPs in the sale conEvery three years, the Texas tract, the timber purchased by A&M Forest Service conducts an SFI mill, and a landowner BMP implementation monitorforest management plan. ing on 150 randomly selected Overall BMP implementaforested tracts across east tion has remained steady the Texas where silvicultural aclast several years, the report tivities occurred. The program Texas loggers continue to improve BMP implementation. says. The last time overall is funded by Clean Water Act Texas BMP implementation Section 319(h) grants from the Environmental Protection fell below 90% was in 2000, at just under 89%. The highAgency (EPA) through the Texas State Soil and Water est recorded implementation rate so far in the program was Conservation Board and seeks to measure the degree of 94.1% in 2011. BMP implementation by forest landowners, silvicultural According to the report, most impressive is the considcontractors, forest industry and government agencies. erable progress demonstrated by family forest owners The recently completed round of monitoring covered since monitoring began in the early 1990s. This year, the sites in 33 counties between March 2017 and December 91.1% BMP implementation rate on family forest owner 2018. Averaging all 150 scores, overall BMP implemensites represents a 31% increase since 1992. This imtation on the sites was 93.8%. In general, implementation provement demonstrates that ongoing education and was highest on sites under public ownership, with an training strategies geared toward loggers, landowners overall implementation of 99%. Corporate lands (comand foresters were the driving force behind the increases mercial landowners without wood processing facilities) in BMP implementation.
GP Shutting Down Crossett Wood Yard Georgia-Pacific is shutting down the equipment and processes supporting the bleached board operations at its Crossett, Ark. as of October. The company will permanently shut down the bleached board machines, as well as the extrusion plant, wood yard, pulp mill and a significant portion of the energy complex. The company also in July will shut down one of the mill’s older tissue machines that doesn’t support the long-term competitiveness of the tissue business. Approximately 530 jobs at the facility will be impacted by these closures. Georgia-Pacific will continue to operate and invest in the Crossett mill to support its consumer tissue and towel business. Until the assets are shut down in October, Georgia-Pacific em6
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ployees will continue to operate the mill in its current manufacturing configuration. During the next month, Georgia-Pacific will begin discussions with union leadership and the hourly and salaried workforce on how the process will work for employees affected by the job reductions, including the potential to transfer to other Georgia-Pacific locations.
Keppler Says Wood Biomass Is The Key John Keppler, chairman and CEO of the world’s largest producer of industrial wood pellets, Enviva, says Americans are tired of half measures on climate change, that seven in 10 Americans want utility companies to overhaul their operations and generate 100% of the nation’s electricity from renewables in the near future.
Keppler in a guest column in the Richmond (Va.) County Daily Journal said renewable energy accounts for just 17% of electricity generation today. “Utility companies often claim an all-renewable future is impossible, since wind and solar only generate power when the wind is blowing and the sun is shining,” Keppler says. “Fortunately, there’s an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels that utilities can use around the clock. Wood biomass, trees and the parts of trees that the timber industry can’t use, is plentiful and reliable. And it helps utilities dramatically reduce their carbon footprint on a lifecycle basis. Replacing fossil fuels with wood biomass should be part of our approach to preventing catastrophic climate change.” Keppler said The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate TIMBER HARVESTING & FOREST OPERATIONS
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NewsLines Change recently released a report detailing the potential consequences of global temperatures rising 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. It warned of more extreme weather events, rising seas, and risks to water supplies. “That level keeps rising as we burn more fossil fuels,” Keppler says. “We don’t have much time left to prevent further temperature increases. That’s why Americans are embracing renewable energy.” Keppler says it would be relatively inexpensive to incorporate wood biomass into the existing energy infrastructure. Many coal plants would only need a few upgrades to use this cleaner form of energy. For more proof of biomass’ potential, according to Keppler, look to the United Kingdom. The UK cut its carbon emissions 38% between 1990 and 2017. Biomass was responsible for about a third of those reductions. “Money may not grow on trees, but the solution to climate change does. It’s time for Americans to embrace clean, sustainable biomass,” Keppler concluded.
Florida Tallies Damages After Hurricane Michael Jim Karels, state forester with the Florida State Forest Service, reports a new data collection system to assess timber damage following Hurricane Michael in 2018. Working in coalition with the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station, the FFS has proposed a modified data collection protocol, one that gathers downed and standing tree data faster than the traditional ground survey. The existing Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) data provides a 743point composite map for initial feedback. However, it’s important to collect additional post-storm data for the benefit of forest resource managers trying to determine damage sustained and make decisions accordingly. The process is expected to take several months to complete, yet is still less time-consuming than a full FIA plot data collection. After the data has been collected, the Southern Research Station will conduct analysis and provide a report for the state of Florida. This data is integral to helping forests in the Florida Panhandle recover.
Austin Purchases Biomass Plant Austin Energy, a publicly owned utility and a department of the city of Austin, Texas, reached an agreement with Southern Power, a wholesale energy operation and subsidiary of Southern Company, to acquire the Nacogdoches Generating Facility, a wood biomass-fueled power plant at Sacul in east Texas, for $460 million. The 115 MW plant, which commenced commercial operation in 2012, was established with the capability to provide 100 MW of renewable power to Austin Energy under a 20-year power purchase agreement. The transaction will allow Austin Energy to avoid approximately $275 million in additional
costs it would have incurred over the remaining term of the power purchase agreement (PPA) through 2032. While Austin Energy will take ownership of the plant, no immediate changes to the operation of the facility are expected, and its long-term status will be addressed in Austin Energy’s future resource planning efforts. Austin Energy will transfer all the acquired plant assets to the city of Austin and will likely contract operation of the plant to a firm that specializes in this type of work. In 2008, the Austin City Council approved a 20-year PPA to buy 100 MW of renewable energy from a 115 MW biomass power plant to be constructed near Nacogdoches. At the time, the price of natural gas was at an all-time
Fisher Memorialized In Duluth, Minnesota Retired Minnesota forest products businessman Harry Fisher, 82, was memorialized In Duluth, Minn. on May 20. He died May 11 at a Duluth hospital after a brief illness. Although he officially retired in 2004 after selling North Shore Forest Products and spending decades in multiple segments of the timber industry, Fisher remained involved in state industry events right up to the end. Along with his wife, Pat, he attended the 2019 annual banquet of the Associated Contract Loggers & Truckers on April 26. Last June he was the featured guest on Minnesota logger Peter Word’s talk radio program, Let The Sawdust Fly, hosted monthly on WDSM by Duluth broadcast personality Brad Bennet. After earning a forestry degree from the University of Minnesota in 1960, Fisher worked for the Minnesota Forest Resource Center and the Minnesota and Ontario Paper Co. In 1964 he joined Northern Wood Preservers in Grand Marais, where he supervised a 100,000-cord federal timber sale, one of the last harvests conducted in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. He subsequently founded North Shore Forest Products, a highly mechanized, successful logging and chipping entity with related trucking operations. His business was the cover story in Timber Harvesting’s December 1976 issue. Fisher joined Potlatch Corp. in 1978, serving in a senior procurement capacity, until he was “fired” in 1982. Known for his blunt style, and as a result of his concern and understanding of both sides of the wood procurement process, he challenged the status quo by stating: “We negotiate labor with the unions, we negotiate power with the power companies, we negotiate chemicals with the chemical companies; we dictate price to loggers. Really, what we pay is not the cost of wood, it’s just what we pay.” Scott Dane, who heads the Associated Contract Loggers & Truckers of Minnesota, recently noted that Fisher’s position and comments made him unpopular with some of the Potlatch people above him, so they parted company. Wrote Dane on Facebook: “But Harry had a rule that you never burn a bridge, because you may have to back over it. Potlatch later became one of North Shore Forest Products biggest customers. The company grew to become the third largest owner of stumpage at the time behind Potlatch and Boise.” In 1982 Fisher revived his former timber business, growing it substantially until he sold it and retired. Survivors include his widow, one daughter, one sister and one grandson.
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NewsLines high and projected to go higher due to supply concerns and the possibility of a cap on carbon emissions. Since then, according to Austin Energy, several factors have changed, dramatically lowering energy prices. The widespread adoption of hydraulic fracturing technology increased natural gas supplies, which, in turn, drove prices down. Also, the cost of other forms of renewable energy like wind and solar saw significant reductions. The effect of lower prices for natural gas and renewables has been that energy prices have fallen from their 2008 highs to much lower levels.
Estonia Firm Buys Texas Pellets Mill Graanul Invest affiliate Woodville Pellets, LLC submitted the winning bid in an auction conducted on May 9 for the assets of Texas Pellets, Inc. and German Pellets Texas, LLC (Texas Pellets). The assets include Texas Pellets’ Woodville, Texas pellet manufacturing plant and its Port Arthur, Texas
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port terminal. The transaction was approved by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Texas after a hearing held on May 15. In connection with the acquisition, Graanul Invest received financing from funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, LLC. The estimated manufacturing capacity of the wood biomass pellet plant in Woodville is 450,000 MT of pellets per year. The Port Arthur terminal has a total storage capacity of 68,000 MT, and is capable of loading vessels up to approximately 60,000 MT. Acquisition of Texas Pellets’ assets enables Graanul Invest group to expand its business to the United States to ensure greater security of supply to its customers. It also provides better logistical solutions for entering the Asian market, in particular the fast-growing markets in Korea and Japan. With 11 pellet plants located in the Baltics, the Estonia-based Graanul Invest group’s annual production volume is 2.2 million tons of pellets, making it
the biggest pellet producer in Europe. Acquisition of the Texas Pellets pellet manufacturing plant offers a possibility to increase the group’s production capacity up to 25%. “We have been looking for a suitable opportunity to start pellet production in the United States for over 10 years,” comments Raul Kirjanen, CEO of Graanul Invest. Graanul Invest operates in the field of bioenergy and renewable energy production, forestry and biomaterials development. The group employs more than 500.
LLA Seeks Better Log Hauling Conditions Louisiana Loggers Assn. is anticipating a historical event in the upcoming election with new term limits set in place for the legislature. “It’s going to be an insane election this year. We’re really pushing for this governor’s election and a change in this atmosphere,” LLA Executive Director Toni McAllister says. ➤ 32
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Master Logger Officials Detail Audit Process Field verification makes ML program true third-party certified.
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ffering a true alternative to other programs, the American Loggers Council endorsed Master Logger Certification Program (ALC/MLC) is a true third-party certification for logging contractors. It involves on-the-ground assessment of a logging contractor’s activities. This assessment is performed by independent and unbiased verifiers evaluating whether and how the logger meets the standard in their own way. We all know that the steps to achieve objectives can vary from one woodlot to another. This is also true for the loggers themselves: One logger may take a completely different path to achieve the Master Logger certification standard, but the important part is that whatever they do is done to a high standard that benefits everyone. The ALC/MLC standard gives each state the right to adopt its own pro-
gram, under the “Seven Areas of Responsibility” that ALC adopted for all member organizations to follow, specific to each particular state. Each state submits a template to the MLC committee for approval. This template then becomes the basis for the program and how it is implemented. One thing that is a requirement of the ALC/MLC program is a mandate that there is an independent field audit for each logging company that becomes Master Logger Certified both initially and on an ongoing basis. These can come in different forms and can come from different parties. In Missouri, Michigan, Wisconsin and the states in the Northeast, the field verifiers are typically foresters or loggers who have a deep understanding of logging operations. There is a checklist that each auditor must review in the field to show compliance with the
“Seven Areas of Responsibility.” They report on what they observe in the field and how it relates to the standard. The reports are required to be professionally written, of high quality and are to be produced in a timely manner. The field verification report is crucial for the certification board to understand the logger’s practices. After the application and interview process is complete, the Master Logger applicant will receive a call from a field verifier, who will ask for five harvest sites and their locations, with one of the harvest sites being active. The field verifier will schedule a time to meet and begin the audit and three sites will be chosen at random to visit. The field verifier will communicate with the logger to go over what to expect and what to have on hand at the time of inspection. Warren Suchovsky has been a logger member of verifier teams in Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin since ML certification began in each of these states. He currently is a member of the Wisconsin Certification Board and still does field audits for new applicants in Michigan. “I think that an important distinction between ML Certification and Logger Education Programs is that logger certification measures how well the loggers actually apply what they have been taught,” Warren said. “It sets a higher standard for quality workmanship than does merely meeting a set number of hours of training. “It is important to recognize that a Master Logger is responsible for the quality of workmanship of the company’s employees and subcontractors,” Warren adds. “They also need to challenge foresters and landowners when they feel an aspect of a harvest plan will probably have a negative impact on the sustainability of forest resources.” An opening statement once on the site of the first visit may be, “Tell me what you did here and how are you meeting the landowner’s objectives?”
Master Logger Certification Program auditors ask for five harvest site locations, one active.
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This opening statement allows the applicant to talk about the site prep, the harvest, the goals, the landowner objectives, and outcomes. This could lead to a discussion of the harvest plan and how that process was achieved. Next, soil and water protection is examined. The verifier will inspect a water crossing, if one exists, and water bars or other water controlling methods. They will consider things including: How has soil been protected? Is there brush in the trails? Are there swamp mats at the landing? Flotation tires or tracks? This is an opportunity for the logging contractor to discuss their methods and how they achieve this standard. Other questions a verifier considers include: How are aesthetics being managed, historical features and biodiversity maintained? This is an opportunity for the contractor to discuss how they interpret and meet the landowner’s aesthetic objectives. Do they want the landing seeded? Slash management near roads and buildings? Have they minimized skid trails to the yard or contoured the trails with the road? Are there any historical features such as old homesteads? Rock walls? Cemeteries? If, so how did they address them? Were there any sensitive areas of biodiversity? Did the landowner have specific management goals for wildlife? Safety of the employees and operational function is paramount for meeting the high bar set by Master Logger. A logger should expect to have their safety plan available. This is not for a simple tick of the box, but a logger must be ready to answer when the last time was that they used the safety plan and did it work correctly? Do they have first-aid kits available in each machine? Are people CPR-first aid trained? Does everyone know the emergency action plan? These questions are pretty standard during an audit. The auditor may also ask to look at a machine to determine things like: Are the seat belts functioning? ROPS? Does the operator operate in a safe manner? Is PPE being worn and hi-vis clothing? All of these questions and fact finding are part of the auditing of field performance in Master Logger. For many candidates, they know they are meeting or exceeding the standard, now they just need an independent verifier to prove it. Not everyone will meet this stan-
Areas examined include site prep, harvest, water control, wildlife, soil compaction and more.
Australian ML auditor David Bennett, left, and longtime Lake States ML auditor Warren Suchovsky, right
dard, but those who are and are willing to prove it will drive higher level expectations and improve the reputation of all loggers. Matt Jensen, a longtime Master Logger and owner of Whitetail Logging, Inc. in Wisconsin, says, ”I use the field audit as a way to keep me and my business sharp. Having a thirdparty look at my job reaffirms that I am doing a good job. The fact that the third-party auditing was built by loggers for loggers and endorsed by the American Loggers Council means it fits well and means a lot to me. I can tell people that I do a good job, but who says so but myself? Master Logger provides that extra set of eyes.” Jensen adds: “If you are someone who feels that it is someone just look-
ing over your shoulder then you probably are in it for the wrong reason.” In summary, the certification process to achieve Master Logger status is thorough and professional, but a logger doing quality work in the woods will often find they are already meeting its standard and certification is simply a matter of documenting this. The time commitment to become certified is not overwhelming, and because Master Logger is a standard created by loggers for loggers, it is a certification any professional logger can understand, appreciate, and realistiTH cally achieve and maintain. Article submitted by Ted Wright with help from field auditors and officials with the Master Logger Program and American Loggers Council.
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CPTC Program Preps Future Logging Corps Woods-based class goes international. PatrickDunning
T
he wood basket of the world suffering a shortage in experienced loggers has resulted in Coastal Pines Technical College in Waycross, Ga., creating a curriculum designed to teach high schoolers the basics of forestry and timber harvesting. CPTC forestry instructor Tommy Peagler, working with the Georgia Forestry Commission and multiple sponsors, orchestrated the program that is now in its fourth year. According to Peagler, with the Southeast accounting for more timber production than anywhere else in the world, it is an opportunity to fill seats in logging equipment with quality employees. The two-phased class offers 12 hours of course work in the fundamentals of forestry that bestows a technical certificate of credit that makes the student eligible to participate in the operations portion of the class.
“The whole idea was that a lot of people that are getting into the logging business really don’t understand it as a whole,” Peagler says. “They don’t understand hydraulics, safety issues, heat, land lines or even identifying a line tree.” The first year consists of dual-enrolled students learning about timber markets, sustainable forestry and safety in the classroom. “A lot of them see it as a career,” Peagler says. “The fact that they spend a year learning about SMZs, BMPs and timber harvesting has them like a horse wearing a bridle,” he says. When they get to the woodsbased part, “they’re ready to run.” During the hands-on second phase, for three weeks students log a tract of timber: cut it down, skid it, load it and put load tickets on it. Participating companies interview the students and observe them in the woods and on equipment. The three-week summer logging course hosts 16 students and runs May 27 through June 14. The
class spends half-hour time slots on each piece of machinery throughout the day, while asking Peagler and employees of Pierce Timber out of nearby Blackshear, Ga., who are working with this year’s class, questions pertaining to forestry and logging. The program is also gaining international recognition. Four United Kingdom students plus two instructors are in attendance. “I have been here just over a week,” George Fenton, a first-year forestry student at Newton Rigg Agricultural College in the UK, says. “All the different tree species, the machinery, the harvesting, it’s all different than the UK. It’s currently 55 degrees in the UK right now so the temperature difference is huge, but I like the warm weather.” “I think this program is absolutely fantastic,” instructor from UK Martin Davies says. “It’s one of the best examples I’ve seen from the U.S., UK and Europe. We try to spend as much time as possible in the woods. It’s great the way they run the updated equipment and we spend a good amount of time on each machine.” One difference between the two countries Martin picked up on quickly: the scale of the land and the size of the trucks. “They have trucks in the UK but not like you guys do,” he says. Two students are headed to London to get their paperwork done so they can come back and work for Pierce
Swamp logger Wayne Smith discusses the challenges and opportunities with his style of logging with UK visitors. 12
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Discussing safety on the job.
Timber Co. on a 12-month visa. The students wanted to do more in a cyclical rotation and not just come over for a week or two to learn about harvesting but come work an entire year. “The wood is a lot of times processed overseas, so people are coming into contact with this skill and trade,” CPTC marketing coordinator Lauralee Beauregard said. “The training is specific enough to where it can be completed quickly. As soon as they are done with the class most of them already have a job because they are so highly qualified by the time they finish the program,” she adds. CPTC is teaching this year’s class at Dixon Memorial State Forest in
Brantley County on a 38-acre tract, featuring some 38-year-old pines that have been thinned only twice and are overdue for harvesting, Peagler says. Tidewater Equipment donated a Tigercat knuckleboom loader for the duration of the course, and Flint Equipment donated a John Deere feller-buncher and skidder. Pierce Timber donated the time of two professional loggers to help with instruction, three trailers and a set-out truck. Beasley Forest Products supplied safety vests and Coca-Cola provided a banner and drinks for the second year in a row. “Labor is challenging, trying to find someone new,” says Van McLoon, a Tidewater sales rep who’s worked some with this year’s class and fed the group a Deep South barbecue lunch one day the first week. Tidewater has been sponsoring the program since its beginning. “There’s no one knocking on the door trying to get into it,” McLoon says about the logging industry. “We want to see more personnel, the logging force is getting older,” he adds. Trey Thompson of Pierce Timber
has seen the residual effects of the curriculum, having employed qualified crew members coming out of the program. “All we want at the end of the day is good loggers and our guys to be safe,” Thompson says. “The introductory position is typically a setout man, and we wanted to add that leg to the program so if one does walk out of this logging program straight to a crew they are more than likely going to be a set-out man and be able to do so efficiently.” All of these community partners are thrilled to help out because they know we need these workers. They get a unique perspective to come out and see first-hand how these students are performing, Beauregard says. “Our communities came to us and said we had a shortage of technical workers, “she adds. “As it stands right now, we are still building the program but we always have good enrollment in this program because there is a ton of people that need jobs and the work is there.” TPTC’s initiative remains the same, providing work force development and filling the gap. TH
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Logging Survey Reveals Challenges, Business Issues Insurance, trucking and labor are major concerns.
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espite some stereotypes, loggers can be insightful, resilient and even optimistic, and the 2019 Timber Harvesting Logger Survey reflects those traits. Like the logger from Oregon put it: Logging has a future, but only if things change. Before getting to the survey results, a few notes are in order: The survey is a sample of 536 loggers nationwide. Very special thanks goes out to those 536 who took the time to wade through the 31 questions about everything from their age to how they’re getting out of the business. 14
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Timber Harvesting took those 536 responses, added them and did the percentages for answers in various categories. There’s been no peer review, no statistical doctorate treatise or regional weighting. But if you want to know the economic profile of U.S. logging contractors, and what they think about their businesses and the industry they work in, there’s no better place to find out than in this Timber Harvesting, right here and right now: As cited by the major report released by Maine late last year and a
recent Alabama survey showing loggers getting older, survey results show an aging force of logging contractors, as almost 30% of loggers (29.42%) are over age 60. Combined with the 26% of loggers aged 51-60, that means 56% of U.S. logging contractors are older than age 50. It’s an ongoing aging of the work force: In 2006, only 44% of loggers were older than 50; by 2016 that had risen to 50%. On the flip side, the new blood entering the industry is decreasing, as the number of loggers under age 40 conTIMBER HARVESTING & FOREST OPERATIONS
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tinues to drop. Currently 18% of logging contractors are under age 40. That’s down from 26% of loggers in 2006 and 22% in 2016. Looking at The ’06, ’16 and 2019 Timber Harvesting Logger Surveys, the number of loggers aged 41-50 has stayed stable (28%, 26% and 27%, respectively), while the under-40s have dropped and the over-50s keep on rising. On relative size of company, 54% of loggers report operating one crew and employing less than 5 people. Another 23% run two crews and employ 6-15, and 23% report 3 or more crews with 16+ employees. The largest category—5 or more crews, 35+ employees—accounts for 4% of loggers. In the past five years, 26% of loggers report they have expanded their operations, while 20% say they downsized, and 51% say they’ve stayed the same. When it comes to profit and loss, the good news is two-thirds of loggers (67%) were profitable in 2018. The not so good is 16% of loggers only broke even last year, and 17% of loggers lost money. Looking at pre-tax profit percentage for 2018, of the loggers who were profitable, 41% had pre-tax profit of 6% or less; another 27% had a pre-tax profit of 7-10%; some 18% of loggers had a pre-tax profit of 11-15%; and 14% of loggers had a pre-tax profit of more than 15%. Asked about rate of return, twothirds of loggers (67%) say a reasonable rate of return should be more than 11%. “I believe the return on investment is very far from being fair to loggers,” says Will Chapman of Newberry, SC. “The mills are very inconsistent. Cut and haul rates are definitely not responding to other costs. The resource we harvest is renewable, but the people doing the work aren’t.” Loggers were asked to rate their company’s financial health, and 50% said good (38%) to very good (12%). That’s down from 55% in 2016. The number of loggers describing their financial health as “poor” to “very poor” went from 13% in 2016 to 15% today.
Insurance and trucking issues are the top two challenges currently impacting loggers’ bottom lines.
Challenges Loggers were given a list of a dozen issues and business challenges and asked to rate how much each impacted their business (heavy, moderate, or little). ➤ 16 Foremost Authority For Professional Loggers
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Going Digital? On the use of computer technology and social media, 21% of loggers report their company has a web site. Asked how their company uses the Internet and social media, 35% of loggers use it to buy-sell used equipment, and 17% use it to talk with other loggers-truckers about mechanical issues. Other uses include showing examples of your work-demonstrating professionalism (13%), finding timber to harvest (9%), and educating the public (5%). Interestingly, the third-highest response was 12% who selected “other” uses for social media. One of the biggest themes of responses for “other” were the multiple loggers who cautioned against mixing personal and business social media accounts. While we at TH can only imagine some of the back-stories involved in such advice, we’re happy to pass along the word of caution.
15 ➤ As the accompanying chart (and many of the comments included) shows, the top heavy impact issues currently facing loggers across the country are insurance (cited by 70%) and trucking-related issues (57%). Rounding out the top five are weather (50%), labor (44%) and compensation (41%). Three years ago, the top five were insurance, weather, trucking-DOT regulations, limited markets and load quo16
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tas. And way back in 2006, weather was the big impact issue cited by twothirds of loggers, insurance was second—and trucking-DOT regs didn’t even make the top five (it was 8th). The question’s results led to some interesting conclusions—and levels of urgency—depending on the top five issues cited and a logger’s location. For example, Western U.S. loggers cited limited markets and labor as hav-
ing the biggest impact on their operations, both mentioned by 54%. Insurance is noted as having the third-largest impact for Western loggers—46% say so. And DOT-trucking reg issues are cited by only 38% of Western loggers as having heavy impact. Meanwhile, down South, 82% of loggers say insurance issues are having the biggest impact on their operations, followed by DOT-trucking reg challenges that 66% say have the most impact on their company. Weather is the TIMBER HARVESTING & FOREST OPERATIONS
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Inadequate logging rates are making it difficult to hire, expand or offer competitive employee benefit packages.
third-most impactful issue for Southern loggers, say 48%, followed by labor (45%) and compensation (44%). In the Northeast, insurance is having the biggest impact on logging operations right now, say 63% of loggers in that region. That’s followed by weather (57%), trucking DOT-regs (51%). Compensation (38%) and labor (37%) round out the top five impact issues for Northeast loggers. For Lake States loggers, compensation and timber availability-cost are the top two big impact issues, cited by 50% and 48% of loggers there. Insurance and trucking-DOT regs are third and fourth for 45% and 44% of Lake States loggers, with limited markets cited by 38%. Thanks to issues such as these, 82% of loggers nationwide agreed that it’s more challenging to operate a profitable logging business today than five years ago—compared to 15% who said it was the same, and 3% who said it was less challenging now than five years ago.
Equipment Asked to rate today’s logging equipment and certain characteristics as “poor, fair, good or very good,” 39% loggers cited operator comfort as the leading feature where manufacturers have earned a “very good” rating. Durability was the second-leading “very good” feature, cited by 26% of loggers, followed by overall machine performance (25% said very good). The highest “poor” scores, where loggers have rated equipment as lacking, were poor ease of maintenance
noted by 12% of loggers, and poor after-sale support, cited by 7% of loggers. After-sale support was noted as “very good” by only 13% of loggers, and only 6% said ease of maintenance was very good. Compared to the 2006 TH Logging Business Survey, there have been some strong improvements. For example, more than a dozen years ago 46% of loggers cited “fuel economy” as a good to very good feature of their equipment. Today, that number has increased to 60% of loggers saying their
fuel economy is good to very good. Of the features that saw a drop in desirability since 2016, “ease of maintenance” is cited by 12% of loggers as a poor feature this year, compared to 9% who saw “ease of maintenance” as a poor equipment feature just two years ago. Some manufacturers have begun offering machine maintenance, production and performance reports through on-line interfaces, some in real-time. The technology is spreading, as 42% of loggers report they operate equip-
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were looking to buy a skidder, 16% were looking for a feller-buncher or harvester, 13% are in the market for a knuckleboom loader, another 6% are looking for an excavator-shovel machine. Of the many comments received under “Other,” the leaders were processing heads, rubber-tired harvesters and chippers. Overall, 35% of loggers have $500,000 or less in total logging business investment. Some 24% have $500,000-$1 million invested. Another 35% of loggers have between $1 million and $5 million invested; and 6% of loggers have more than $5 million invested in their companies.
Operations
The number of loggers who maintain a shop is falling.
ment that has those features. Of those dealers running equipment offering on-line reports, only 13% take advantage of all reports and data generated. Another 46% of those loggers take advantage of certain performance reports, but not all. Then there’s the 41% of loggers running such equipment that don’t use the reports at all. Concerning service and repair, one trend line apparent back to 2006 and through the downturn and now recovery is that fewer loggers are maintaining shops: In 2006, 41% of loggers maintained a shop; by 2016 that number had been more than cut in half, to 17%. Today, 13% of loggers maintain a shop. “We do preventive maintenance ourselves, and anything else that doesn’t require a laptop,” says logger John Key of Jackson, SC. 18
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Looking at service capacity, 52% of loggers say they do routine work from within the company, while 13% pay a dealership or independent mechanic for routine work. Only 9% of loggers keep at least one service truck-trailer, 4% of loggers employ at least one fulltime mechanic, and 3% of loggers buy extended warranties. It’s amazing considering the overall capital investments loggers have—or maybe it’s a testament to today’s equipment—but two-thirds of loggers (67%) spend less than $100,000 annually for maintenance/repairs, tires-tube repairs and parts and supplies. Another 18% spend between $100,000$200,000; 10% spend between $200,000-$400,000; and 5% spend more than $400,000 annually. This year, 24% of loggers said they
Comment after comment and result after result shows that loggers believe they are not being paid enough for their services to operate fully viable, ongoing and growing businesses able to retain employees and take advantage of opportunities as they arise. One question asked for the most likely way for loggers to see an increase in cut and haul rates. Better negotiation, says 58% of loggers. That’s followed by 16% who believe it’s going to take a major contractor shake-out and consolidation into fewer, larger logging contractors before they’ll see an increase in rates. It’s interesting that only 5% of logging contractors see third-party certification, such as SFI or Master Logger, having any positive impact on increasing cut and haul rates. Even lower was the option for state certification or licensing, similar to plumbers or building contractors, which only 3% of loggers believe would help. “Until all the loggers stand together—loggers will almost have a union before anything will change,” says one contractor. One contractor says he and others should realize that loggers “are in control. Don’t cut a job if you can’t profit from it. If someone wants to work cheap, we should let them. They won’t be competition for long. When the only loggers left are those in good financial standing, we will get what we deserve. The big mills won’t start their own company crews. They’ve tried it and it’s too expensive.” Another logger says, “The mills shouldn’t control the market. We are the suppliers, we should control the market but no one will stick together TIMBER HARVESTING & FOREST OPERATIONS
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and let the mills run out of wood and let them either buy their own logging equipment or raise log prices.” It’s a simple matter of supply and demand, one logger says: “The money is going to have to come from the mills and the only way they will ever do that is for them not be able to get the wood—supply and demand.” The need to be paid more is reflected in the results to another question: Just over a quarter (26%) or loggers report that in the past two years they’ve been approached by a mill or procurement rep and asked to add another crew. Yet only 11% say they were able to take advantage of the opportunity. The reason? Not being paid enough, according to the comments. That, and the lack of qualified labor—which is directly tied to the inability to pay enough to find and keep the labor needed to expand—because logging rates are too low. In order to keep the employees they have and add or replace new ones when needed, 45% of loggers say they
ensure competitive pay rates, and 18% of loggers add to that with production bonuses. Nine percent of loggers offer health insurance, 6% offer paid vacations, and another 6% say they bolster pay rates with regular raises.
The question also reveals key regional differences in a benefit as important as health insurance: While 14% of Western loggers offer a plan, 9% of Southern loggers offer health insurance and only 6% Northeast loggers do so. “To get top notch workers, the pay scale must rise dramatically, especially for the employees that work on the ground,” says Bruce Zuber of Gold Beach, Ore. Noting that cable logging requires highly qualified employees, “Our biggest issue in the West is finding qualified help,” he adds. Asked about things they have done in the recent past to reduce costs, 25% of loggers report they have diversified, 23% of loggers have sought better terms with their suppliers, and 17% of loggers have taken the tried-and-true “owner’s pay cut.” Another 12% of loggers recently sold equipment to reduce costs. Meanwhile, 7% laid off some employees, 5% eliminated one full crew and 2% eliminated two or more crews. Of the move toward more diversifi-
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sawlog-fiber log markets will either slightly (25%) or significantly (5%). Some 13% of loggers believe overall markets the next two years will diminish somewhat, while 54% say they should remain the same.
Concerning loggers’ overall outlook for the next five years, 41% say they will stay in the business at least that long while looking for opportunities to expand and diversify. Another 38% say they plan to stay in the business at least five years but not seek to expand or diversify. Alarmingly, 21% of loggers, onefifth of the nation’s logging corps, say they are likely to get out of the business completely in the next five years. Loggers looking to get out of the industry either soon or much later primarily plan on transferring their company to a son or daughter (35%) or other family member (10%), while 31% are going the auction route, and 16% hope to sell to another logger. Meanwhile, 9% of loggers say they have no exit plans, as the “other” category for this question generated lots of “I-don’t-know” and “not sure” and “depends.” One logger from Georgia says, “Who knows? I have two daughters and maybe one day they’ll have husband’s who will be interested in it. I’m a third generation logger so maybe I’ll have someone to turn it over to. Wow, I never thought of this part, LOL, it’s got me teary-eyed.” TH
ment, it will get you more work.’ But what they get is more debt, then have to (accept) working cheaper to keep the bills paid.”—Tim Christopherson, Kamiah, Id. ● “The closure of more mills around the state of Oregon is hurting the logging industry. Why is it that they can log back East and it is a booming economy, yet the Northwest is challenged at every turn? This needs to stop. We need to properly manage our forests and stop the large fires that are burning up our natural resources!”— Katharine Jones, Roseburg, Ore. As with any survey where you offer open-ended responses, you get a good bit of anonymous yet insightful comments, such as: “Its a bipolar profession: The highs are great, the lows are horrible and humbling.” “The only way loggers will see an increase in rates is when enough of us go broke. The mills will then and only then increase the rates to keep their mills supplied. The ones left in business will then expand their opera-
tions to satisfy the mills and the cycle will begin again.” “One word: Unions” “Run a good honest business so you are worth more to the mill.” “Be recognized as a viable part of the wood flow system and not just a cost to the mills!” “(We need) loggers to come together and keep out the middle men who cheat the timber prices, and for loggers to stop “cut throating” each other. I have receipts where 15 years ago sawtimber prices were higher and equipment and repairs and fuel were cheaper. Lumber prices tripled and they drop the log price. A logger should be able to profit 5% to 10% of his money. And those are low ball numbers.” Going forward, the plan is to conduct the Timber Harvesting Logger Survey with its profile questions every other year, and to delve into specific issues with surveys on the off years. Again, special thanks goes out to the 500-plus TH readers who took the effort to respond. We couldn’t do it TH without you.
Oldest Loggers? Which region has the oldest loggers? Looking at age by region, the area with the oldest loggers (age 60+) is the Lake States, with 47% age 60 or older, followed by the West at 43%, the South at 26% and the Northeast at only 23% of loggers age 60 or more. cation, 60% of loggers say their companies are more diversified now than five years ago. The top five non-logging businesses that logging contractors operate include farming (25%), land clearing-mulching (20%), firewood (18%), roadbuilding (16%) and forest management (15%). Other businesses are portable sawmilling (10%), wood-storage yard (9%) and equipment repair (7%).
Outlook, End Game In the last three years, 20% of loggers say their sawlog markets have improved, compared to 21% who say they’ve seen sawlog markets diminish, and 57% say it remains the same. In pulpwood-biomass markets, 17% of loggers have seen improvements the past three years, while 29% have seen diminished markets, and 50% have
seen little change. Looking ahead, the optimists outnumber the pessimists more than 2:1, as 30% of loggers believe their overall
82% of loggers nationwide agreed that it’s more challenging to operate a profitable logging business today than five years ago.
MyTake 4 ➤ opened which has given us a better market. Stumpage prices are still elevated, which keeps profit margins lower than deserved, but overall conditions are good. There have been some loggers leave the business, which is good for the ones who are still here. As is the case everywhere, labor and truck drivers are a problem, along with insurance premiums.” ● “My concerns are the wood market as it continues to drop. I have had to let go of a few good men. I also have a hard time hiring truck drivers. Nobody seems to want to fill this position. I think me not having health insurance for my employees is a big issue but I cannot afford the prices and if I could afford the prices the deductible is so large that employees back away from it.”—Dean Young, Franklin, Me. ● “Line skidding is a niche that takes a certain number of people on the ground to get the job done. You have the newer contractors who will work longer days for less with the mills baiting these young guys along, telling them ‘If you buy this equip20
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Bama’s R.C. Logging: Tradition Taken Further Recent expansion requires investment in cutting capacity. PATRICKDunning
JASPER, Ala. wner of R.C. Logging in Berry, Ala., Ray Clark upholds the historical background of the Clarks in Fayette County. Clark has had the entrepreneurial spirit ingrained in his work ethic since he started working for his dad as a young man in the 1980s. His father, Roy, and uncle, Ray Clark, exemplified logging in northwest Alabama as joint-owners of Clark Bros. Logging in Berry before retiring in the mid-1990s. After several years with his father, Clark wanted to get out on his own, as young men do. An opportunity presented itself in July 1993. He worked
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with a partner for three years before Clark bought him out in 1996. Now, Clark carries the family name into its third generation of logging but under his own company. For more than 25 years Clark has operated in the rugged coal country terrain of northwest Alabama. Two of the most significant changes happened recently: In June 2018, Clark began working with subcontractor Jim Williams who has two loaders and a dozer. Earlier this year Clark added a new Del-Fab ’19 DF703 Phoenix tri-wheel feller-buncher to generate more felling capacity for what is now a larger operation with the new subcontractor. Clark and Williams have known
each other since they were about 15. Before moving to Pell City about 15 years ago, Williams was a timber buyer and Clark cut wood for him. They worked for the same company, worked together in the woods and even went to church together as young boys. In 2018, Williams was looking for an angle back into the woods and Clark was looking to increase his production without having to purchase more machinery. The two like-minded loggers returned to working together with a common goal. “He’s always loved the logging business; he and I worked it out because I was wanting to up my production and he was wanting to get back
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Ray Clark
Jim Williams
Ronald Hammock
Tim Wade
working in the woods,” Clark says about Williams. “He helped knock some of the pressure off me to have somebody there to help.”
On Site Timber Harvesting found R.C. Logging working a 200-acre tract of private land just on the outskirts of Jasper. The timber was acquired by Cleveland Timber Co. for Clark. The mixed timber tract includes two parallel ridges that run across it. Clark has his loader and Williams’ loader on the separate ridges, having the skidders pull logs uphill to the respective landings. The timber is mostly pine, including some Virginia pine along the higher ground, and lots of white oak pulpwood and sawlogs on the hillsides and along SMZs in the bottoms. Clark and Tim Wade, feller-buncher operator, do most of the layout of the tract together. Both can swap around and run any machinery effectively. On site is Clark’s newest piece of machinery, the ’19 Phoenix 703 triwheel cutter with Eco-Tracks capable of managing almost any ground conditions. Additional equipment includes a ’07 Cat 525C skidder; ’14 Cat 525C skidder; ’15 John Deere 843L feller-buncher; ’15 John Deere 437D loader; and a ’98 Cat dozer D5M. Williams supplies an ’05 Cat D5N dozer and fairly new ’18 Cat 559D loader with approximately 120 hours. Both loaders run with Central City Scale platform scales. Haul distances range from 40-70 miles for most of Clark’s output. A great bulk of the hardwood logs and pulpwood ends at Blue Ox wood yard in Berry. Pine pulp goes to Hanceville, a 40-mile haul from the tract. The chip-n-saw and sawlog material travel to GP mills, and some pine logs go to
’19 Phoenix tri-wheel cutter provides extra capacity and is helpful with addition of larger crew.
Cat skidders are running harder to stay with increased production.
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Weyerhaeuser in Millport. The longest haul is 70 miles to McShan Lumber, which handles large diameter logs.
Operation Seeking to maximize production and stay ahead, Clark had to make a few investments to increase output once he began working with Williams. The two-loader operation put too much pressure on the cutter, which could not get enough wood on the ground for both loaders. “When we were operating with just Tim in the 843L John Deere cutter, he had to start cutting for two loaders, we would get through with one landing
and have to shut down the loader so me and Jim could start building the roads,” Clark says, who splits time between operating his loader and new cutter. Adding a second feller-buncher enabled the crew to stay ahead and helps Clark keep all the roads built so the crew can quickly break down and move to the next set. “We cut down on our loss of production,” Clark adds. Having previously owned a threewheel cutter, Clark speaks highly of the machine’s speed and maneuverability. On his previously owned three-wheeler, he had chains on the tires. On the new one, Clark went with Eco-Tracks and is thoroughly impressed. It makes a huge difference
Clark and Wade handle majority of in-woods machinery maintenance.
Adding Stability
Clark bought the Del-Fab machine with Eco-Tracks tire system, then added a counterweight himself after he had run it some. Both features help in the rough coal country terrain where he works. 24
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when working on the side of a hill cutting sideways, he says. Clark also added a counterweight onto the back of the tri-wheeler to add stability on bigger trees and steeper hills. The counterweight also helps protect the debris screen on the back of the machine. “I have been very impressed so far with how the machine performs,” Clark says. One issue, Clark adds, is that newer machines are not as dependable as some older equipment, and computer systems can be glitchy and sometimes find problems that aren’t really there. “You never know when something is going to go haywire with a new system,” Clark says. “Nothing is wrong with the machine but the computer will indicate a problem because the machine may be putting out a little too much soot. That is one of the biggest challenges and problems we are facing right now.” Back between 2000-2001 Williams was running a loader and skidder for Clark when they came across Central City Scale’s platform ag scale. Williams says they were the ticket. Relatively inexpensive, he adds, the scale offers a quick return on investment. “They pay for themselves just on what they save you guessing,” Williams says. Over time the process of weighing the trucks has become second nature to Williams. “Split-weighing” the truck provides the most specific measurement, he believes. Split-weighing involves weighing the pull-tire axles on the scale, then taking a weight measurement of the trailer axles and adding them together. To set up, he does a little prep work to the landing then places a steel plate beneath the scale to provide a proper platform to level the scale. “Every truck is a little different. Air-ride trucks, spring suspension, so you learn the characteristics of the truck and you get relatively close,” Williams adds. The pull wheels sit on the scale as he’s loading. “After the truck is loaded, the driver pulls the trailer axles onto the scale. I get those weighed and add them together,” Williams says. One of the biggest things Williams learned early was that when the truck brakes aren’t released when on the scale it affects accuracy. Trucks can’t run overweight because of insurance and liability costs. TIMBER HARVESTING & FOREST OPERATIONS
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At the same time, each haul requires a maximum load because of the price of fuel and operating expenses. “A light load will kill you,” Williams says. In Alabama, the legal limit is 80,000 lbs., plus a 10% tolerance, bringing the maximum to 88,000 lbs. According to Clark, this particular scale has had only one load turned away at the mill in the past 12 years. R.C. Logging normally runs four trucks with one regular contract hauler as well. Truck inventory includes a ’96 Western Star, ’98 Peterbilt, ’05 Western Star and a ’06 International. “When we’re hauling that’s a pretty good mix,” Williams adds. Expect for one Pitts trailer, the rest are hand-built in the shop. McComb Diesel in Mississippi helps Clark with his array of Western Star trucks, along with Oakley Equipment Sales in Florence, Ala. for the Peterbilt, and the Southland Transportation Group of Tuscaloosa supplying parts for his International truck. He’s particular about putting Firestone tires on all his woods equipment but scopes the right brand at the right price regarding his hauling trucks—Bridgestone and Aeolus primarily. Truck tractor oil is changed every 10,000 miles and woods equipment is changed at 300 hours. Both are changed using Clark’s beloved Rotella oil and greased once to twice a week. “That’s all I’ve ever used,” he says. “Never lost an engine with any of them.” Clark deals with Thompson Tractor, Warrior Tractor and Equipment Link for all his timber machinery. Clark and Wade handle most service and minor mechanical work, either on weekends or rainy days. Hawkins and Rawlinson insurance company has overseen Clark’s operation since he first began in the logging business. “Any issue with a piece of equipment or a claim,” Clark says they have always been there to assist, “without an inconvenience.” His safety consultant, Tom Reed, frequently comes out to the logging operation to make sure they’re doing things compliantly. He’ll hold safety meetings on the back of a tailgate at the jobsite to discuss safety issues specifically dealing with the loading, cutting and shipment of timber. Reed also manages the drivers’ paperwork, road programs and compliance issues. Most of all, Clark considers his crew as his biggest blessing. The ros-
ter includes truck drivers Ronald Hammack, James Jerry, James Hill and Elizabeth Miles; skidder operators Dennis Trawick and J.C. Finch; loader operators Jim Williams and Darrell Gray; and cutter operators Wade and Clark. Miles has hauled for 20 plus years, contrary to the norm surrounding truck drivers. She’s considered one of the guys, according to Clark. She’s really laid-back and isn’t any different, he says.
“The people are what makes you; you do not really make it yourself. If you do not have good employees, you’re fighting a losing battle,” Clark adds. The Clark family considers their faith in God paramount. Those morals were instilled in Clark at a young age. “Those values and faith are what get you through hard times in logging and life itself,” he says. As the timber market fluctuates, Ray TH Clark will keep bending with it.
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M-A Expo Finishes With Strong Day 2 Action
East Coast loggers enjoyed the latest in equipment plus new show features.
DKKnight LAURINBURG, NC endors and visitors from at least 24 states and two foreign countries turned out in good numbers to take in the fourth Mid-Atlantic Logging & Biomass Expo May 3-4 in Scotland County, North Carolina. The event was staged outside the town of Laurinburg near the South Carolina state line. A strong surge on the second day made the first day’s light turnout a faded memory and put smiles on the faces of vendor personnel, several of whom reported making deals and/or establishing strong sales leads. Dominating the attractions were logging and chipping equipment— manufacturers displayed more than 50 pieces in the park-like setting—but trucks, trailers, attachments, tires and other goods and services were also well represented. Another attraction new to the expo was a Lumberjack Sports competition
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put on by the South Atlantic Woodmen’s Assn. and sponsored by Canal Wood, LLC. Loader contests conducted by John Woodie Enterprises (JWE) and Caterpillar provided additional interest and excitement. JWE’s event, won by Daniel Cox of Galax, Va., generated funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Shriners Hospital for Children. The Caterpillar loader event (see sidebar) raised $1,660 for Log-ALoad for Kids. The site was provided by Z.V. Pate, Inc. and its affiliated forestry arm, Shoeheel Land Management, both of which supported the expo with outstanding generosity and cooperation, according to Jack Swanner, Expo Manager. “I want to thank Z.V. Pate, Shoeheel, Canal Wood, the Lumberjack Sports team, all the vendors, attendees and support personnel for their participation, cooperation and hard work,” he said. Sponsors were the NC Forestry Assn., Carolina Loggers Assn., and TH Hatton-Brown Publishers. TIMBER HARVESTING & FOREST OPERATIONS
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Cat Sponsors 2 Loader Contests Caterpillar recently sponsored loading contests at the Mid-Atlantic Expo in North Carolina and the Northeastern Expo in Maine. Logger Roy Reinford of Pink Hill, NC won first place with a time of 2 minutes and 22.59 seconds at the Loader Championship sponsored by Caterpillar Forest Products at the Mid-Atlantic Logging & Biomass Expo in Laurel Hill, NC. The Mid-Atlantic contest winners contest raised $1,660 for Log A Load For Kids through voluntary contestant donations Corey Elden of Cullen, Va., won second place with a time of 2 minutes and 24.31 seconds, and Paul Weaver of Amelia, Va., won third place with a time of 2 minutes and 29.50 seconds. Rounding out the top five were Harland Wall of Silver City, NC, who won fourth place, and Wesley Weaver of Amelia, Va., who won fifth place. The top five winners received Loader Championship jackets monogrammed with their names. In addition to the jackets, first, second and third place winners received cash prizes and trophies. Everyone who competed in the contest—66 loggers participated—received a cap with the contest logo. The Loader Championship sponsored by Caterpillar Forest Products was first introduced as the Prentice Loader Championship at the Richmond show in 1972. At the Northeastern Expo, Shaun McLucas of Rangeley, Me., won first place with a time of 2 minutes and 29 seconds. (It is the third year in a row he has won the event at the Northeastern Expo. He won first place when it was held in Essex Junction, Vt., in 2018 and won first place when it was held in Bangor in 2017.) The contest raised $1,916 for Log A Load For Kids through voluntary contestant donations, Caterpillar’s matching contributions, and merchandise sales. Log A Load For Kids is an organization sponsored by loggers and others in the forest products industry to raise funds for hospitals associated with the Children’s Miracle Network. Derrick Berry of West Burke, Vt., won second place with a time of 2 minutes and 36 seconds. Marc Riendeau of Danville, Vt., won third place with a time of 2 minutes and 50 seconds. (Riendeau was last year’s second place winner.) Rounding out the top five were Gerard Riendeau of Lyndonville, Vt., who won fourth place (he also won fourth place last year), and Heath Taylor of Porter, Me., who won fifth place.
Northeastern FP Equipment Expo More than 200 exhibitors and several thousand people attended the 2019 Northeastern Forest Products Equipment Expo at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Me., this spring. Live demonstrations and static displays were featured May 17-18, 2019, with both inside and outside equipment and services booths.
Upcoming Fall Logging Events
Great Lakes action, 2018
Two big logging events coming up this fall are the Great Lakes show in Michigan and the Southwest show in Arkansas, as loggers and suppliers gear up to see and display the latest in logging technology.
Southwest Expo The Arkansas Timber Producers Assn. sponsors the Southwest Forest Products Expo in downtown Hot Springs this August 23-24 at the Hot Springs Civic and Convention Center. For nearly two decades, ATPA has showcased the latest in large-scale equipment, attachments, products, services and technologies as part of this equipment expo, which has recently moved from a live logging demo format to indoor static display format. As of late May, more than 60 major exhibitors had signed up. Visit arkloggers.com or call 510224-2232 or 888-403-2232.
Great Lakes Expo The Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association will be hosting the Great Lakes Logging and Heavy Equipment Expo from September 5-7, 2019 at the UPState Fairgrounds in Escanaba, Mich. As the top event in the Lake States region of the U.S., the show features more than 200 indoor and outdoor exhibitors and several thousand attendees. In addition to displaying the latest in large timber harvesting and handling equipment, the expo also showcases the best of the best when it comes to log splitters, portable sawmills, compact tractors, logging equipment, chain saw carving, wood/pellet stoves and much more. Visit gltpa.org or call (715) 282-7979.
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EquipmentWorld Rotochopper Hosts Operators School Rotochopper owners and operators gathered at Rotochopper’s manufacturing facility in St. Martin, Minn. for training the last two weeks of February. The two-day class included a manufacturing facility tour, equipment operation best practice training, a hands-on demonstration and plenty of networking opportunities allowing machine owners to learn from each other. This year the education focused on “how to properly feed your grinder,” “how to perform preventative maintenance” and “how to troubleshoot.” The hands-on demonstration showed attendees how to install the main rotor bearings on a Rotochopper grinder. Rotochopper offered two session options, with more than 50 students from 32 companies across the U.S and Canada attending. “Being at Rotochopper University this year has been really interesting,” comments Jason Fenley, AKA Tree Removal, Buford, Ga. “I really enjoyed
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being able to come to the Rotochopper factory to see and meet the people that are behind the machines that we are operating on a regular basis. Anyone that operates a Rotochopper would benefit from coming here to see exactly how much care and time are put into building these machines.” ● Meanwhile Rotochopper, Inc. appointed Tosh Brinkerhoff as CEO. Brinkerhoff has more than 20 years of industry leadership experience with an impressive track record in heavy equipment manufacturing. He was hired into a leadership program at John Deere, where he gained experience in operations, business development, public affairs, and marketing. His experience widened when he joined Geringhoff North America as president and CEO in 2015.
New Swedish Forestry Expo Gains Interest Swedish Forestry Expo reports 70% of the total area is already booked for the fair, which will be held June 3-5,
2021 in Solvalla, Stockholm. It’s organized by the Swedish Trade Assn., MaskinLeverantörerna. Gabriel Börjesson, exhibition manager for the new fair, is not surprised by the great interest that has met them from day one after the launch. “We know that both visitors and exhibitors have requested this particular type of niche meeting place,” he says. The visitors often have limited time; therefore they prefer a more efficient fair where all exhibitors have relevant products.” According to Björn Bäckström, CEO of MaskinLeverantörerna, the choice of Solvalla as the location of the fair, has also contributed to the great interest. See the booked exhibitors at: www.forestryexpo.se.
Underwriters Firm Offers Coverage Forest Specialty Underwriters announces a new occurrence Commercial General Liability and E&O facility for forestry and land management professionals in all states except Cali-
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EquipmentWorld fornia, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii. Classes of business include foresters, timber buyers, loggers, environmental consultants, land management professionals and contractors who perform prescribed burning. Chris Rigdon, President of Forest Specialty, states, “This new facility gives us a tremendous opportunity to expand our coverage reach that was begun in 2008. Many companies only have limited coverage for forestry operations particularly prescribed burning.” Licensed brokers are invited to call at 331-249-0001 or access the web site at www.forestspecialty.com
center opened in the Atlanta area in late 2018. The Seattle-area facility located in Lacey is dedicated for genuine Doosan parts distribution and shipping. It is managed by DHL Supply Chain. The center currently stocks 9,000 stock keeping units (SKUs) that can be shipped to service Doosan equipment throughout the Western U.S. and Canada.
Hitachi Names Nortrax As Forestry Dealer Nortrax, Inc. is now an Hitachi dealer. Hitachi’s purpose-built forestry products will complement Nortrax’s John Deere offering, as both product lines are designed and manufactured through a joint venture—Deere-Hitachi Specialty Products (DHSP)—in Langley, BC.
Morbark Expands Dealer Network Morbark recently added five companies to its worldwide dealer network for tree care products, including Morbark brush chippers and Rayco stump cutters: BrenCo Equipment Supply & Technology, LLC, with four locations in Utah and Wyoming; Edge Equipment, Ltd., in Edmonton, Alberta, Can.; L.F. George, Inc., with three locations in Wisconsin; RPM Machinery, LLC, with four locations in Indiana; and Saw House, Inc., in Houston, Texas
Pitts Adds STS To Dealer Network Pitts Heavy Haul has added STS Trailer and Truck Equipment to its network of dealers. STS has been doing business since 1949 and serves the state of New York through facilities in four locations. “We’re pleased to add STS to our list of trusted dealers,” says Pitts President JP Pierson. “Like Pitts, they are family owned and operated and place a strong emphasis on customer service.” Pitts construction and logging trailers are available through more than 80 successful dealers covering the Northeast, Southeast and Midwest.
Doosan Opens Western Parts Distribution Doosan Infracore North America, LLC, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its new parts distribution center in Lacey, Wash. in late May. The event included a guided tour of the new 57,000 sq. ft. parts distribution center. A new Doosan parts distribution Foremost Authority For Professional Loggers
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NewsLines
visit timberharvesting.com
8 ➤ A political action committee was set in place January 29, 2019, to represent and redirect the purpose of the LLA, a 25-year-old organization representing loggers and log haulers who have long-suffered due to insurance and strict regulations. Four bills have passed through the House of Representatives and now sit on the governor’s desk with hopes of improving conditions surrounding logging and hauling. HB 106: The Right to Farm and Forest Law; to include timberland and forest and timber operations in the legislative declaration that agricultural land and operations must be protected. “Under this new law we’re going to be looked at as farmers and also get the federal aid that would be available to all farmers,” McAllister says. HB 217: Increase certain special permit fees and dedicates the proceeds of the fee increase into the Construction Subfund of the Transportation Trust Fund. Senator Jim Fannin brought an amendment to add an optional forest and timber harvest season permit that will allow a 10% variance (90,860 lbs.) for log hauling trucks equipped with onboard scales. This permit will be a $100 option to the regular harvest season that only allows up to 86,600 lbs. HB 364: To provide a time frame for harvesters to remit payments to landowners.
Lumbermen Aren’t Quite As Upbeat For the first time in 10 years, U.S. softwood lumbermen aren’t as optimistic as they were the previous year. In the Timber Processing Sawmill Operations and Capital Expenditure Survey, 69% forecast their lumber business situation for 2019 and moving in 2020 as excellent or good, down from 89% at this time last year. Of that 69%, 54% said their situation is good and 15% said excellent, while 30% said fair and 1% said poor. Still, the 69% optimism of this year is a strong number, especially when compared to the 25% at post-recession. Some of the current optimism may be lingering because of substantial gains made in recent years and still felt housing shows the signs of surging that everyone has been expecting for several years. 32
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InnovationWay John Deere Felling Heads
pump and Quadco 24CP felling head, the 830B gets the job done faster. Simple ergonomic controls, a large touchscreen display, polycarbonate windows, A/C and a comfortable seat with ample legroom and storage space make it easy to tackle tough jobs. Rearview and skylight cameras with in-cab display come standard to enhance visibility while operating the machine. Visit barko.com.
Indexator Harvest Rotators
John Deere is rolling out upgrades to its felling heads. Compatible with select M-Series tracked feller-bunchers, the updated FR22B and FR24B models have been redesigned to increase durability and extend the life of the wrist and head. “The forestry industry is challenging and pushes equipment to the limit to get the job done, making it important for manufacturers to provide reliable solutions designed for logging applications,” says Jim O’Halloran, product marketing manager, John Deere Construction & Forestry. “Our new FR22B and FR24B felling heads provide just that—a reliable felling solution designed with the operator’s needs in mind.” The new felling heads feature improved flow capability, increased hydraulic hose size and routing, and updated ring gear and frame welds, all resulting in increased durability. Visit johndeere.com.
Barko Feller-Buncher
Barko Hydraulics now offers the 830B wheeled feller-buncher. Equipped with smooth, responsive controls, Barko wheeled feller-bunchers operate with exceptional performance and feature optimized weight distribution which ensures maximum stability when handling large loads. The machine is powered by 300 HP Cummins QSL9 Tier 4 Final engine, delivering the highest-rated horsepower of any wheeled feller-buncher. With a dedicated attachment
Indexator new generation HX harvest rotators are designed for applications in tough environments and demanding jobs. They use a patented torque transfer solution, meaning that external forces acting on the bearings do not affect the motor inside the HX rotator. This extends the rotator’s service life significantly. Visit indexator.se
Vermeer Damage Defense
To help reduce the likelihood of major machine damage caused by certain metal contaminants entering the hammermill, Vermeer has introduced Damage Defense system—an option now available for tub and horizontal grinders. If the mill comes in contact with metal while grinding, Damage Defense system will alert the grinder control and automatically initiate the shutdown process. The system idles the engine down, reverses the infeed or tub and disengages the clutch. Once the contaminant is cleared, normal operation can resume. “The optional Damage Defense system is ideal for any tub or horizontal grinder operation that may encounter metal mixed in their incoming material,” says Jeff Bradley, Vermeer product manager for Recycling and Forestry. “The system can be factory-installed on new Vermeer grinders, and is available as a refitted option for many older Vermeer grinder models.” Vermeer Damage Defense uses exclusive technology to reduce the possibility of severe damage when large metal objects enter the hammermill, and operators can easily adjust the sensitivity settings for jobsite conditions to help reduce nuisance shutdowns. It is integrated into the grinder’s controls system, and features robust components and a weather-resistant box. Visit Vermeer.com.
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SelectCuts As We (ALC) See It
Logging’s Getting Things Done DANNY DRUCTOR In today’s political environment, getting things done in Washington, DC is difficult, if not impossible. Yet the American Loggers Council is making progress in this divided 116th U.S. Congress. Why? Loggers understand the importance of building relationships. When Dructor it seems every idea these days is framed in partisan terms, our ability to build relationships explains why both the Future Logging Careers Act and the Safe Routes Act have now been introduced with bipartisan support. Relationships are key, both in our personal lives and our professional lives. Loggers are drawn to the ALC because they see the value of building and maintaining relationships with other loggers across our nation. Loggers also see the value of having good relationships with the equipment manufacturers and others that help make our industry possible. We take the same approach to Capitol Hill, as evidenced by another year of record at-
tendance at our 2019 D.C. Fly-in. The ALC has long-valued our relationship with Congressman Bruce Westerman of Arkansas, the only forester in the United States Congress and past recipient of the ALC President’s Award. Bruce is not just another politician seeking our votes or campaign donations, he is a true friend and advocate of our industry because he understands what we do and why we do it. Recently we were pleased to endorse his introduction of the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2019. We also provided a statement of support that was included in his office’s press materials. Congressman Westerman has introduced past versions of the Resilient Federal Forests Act in previous years, and was instrumental in passing this legislation through the U.S. House of Representatives multiple times. Though it has previously stalled in the U.S. Senate, some minor components of this comprehensive legislation has been adopted through federal spending measures. Yet there are still areas that are in need of attention in order to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and help prevent the loss of lives and property as witnessed last year in and around Paradise, California and other
Western states. The Resilient Federal Forest Act continues to build on the bipartisan support that Congress has agreed to in the past that would allow expedited environmental reviews on areas of the forest where there is degradation of wildlife habitat, wildland urban interface exposure to life threatening wildfires, and overall improving the health of our nation’s federal timberlands. The Resilient Federal Forest Act also proposes an alternative to litigation in the form of arbitration where litigants bring alternative management options to the table rather than just offering up “no” as a solution. Our national forests are one of this country’s greatest assets. We believe that members of Congress should be concerned about the overall health of those forests and the need to restore and improve those forests as quickly as possible by giving the US Forest Service and other agencies all of the tools that they need to accomplish that task. ➤ 38 Congressman Westerman
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SelectCuts 35 ➤ could easily spend his time focusing on other issues that are important to his district, such as health care. Yet he continues to introduce comprehensive forest management reforms because he believes in our ability to restore these federal lands back to health. This is one benefit of our relationship with Congressman Westerman, and we must reciprocate. Even if you don’t have a federal forest within your working circle, please tell your own federal representatives that you support the Resilient Federal Forests Act. Because relationships matter.
The American Loggers Council is an 501(c)(6) not for profit trade association representing professional timber harvesters throughout the U.S. Dructor is executive vice president of the ALC. For more information, phone 409-625-0206, email americanlogger@aol.com or visit amloggers.com.
Longtime ALC-Idaho Member Howerton Dies
Associated Logging Contractors of Idaho is mourning the loss of longtime member and Board of Directors member Frank Howerton, who unexpectedly passed away in May after complications following surgery. Howerton
was a logger for 50 years. “Frank gave time and expertise to guiding our organization and to our related workman’s comp insurance company Associated Loggers Exchange,” says ALC Executive Director Shawn Keough. She remembers Howerton being at practically every meeting since she was hired 19 years ago. For the last eight years, Howerton partnered with his brother Stan, and nephew, Jason Stone, operating Howerton Brothers Logging of Blanchard, Idaho. Howerton also served on the Associated Loggers Exchange Board of Governors as vice-chairman in 2005 and chairman in 2006.
Attis Industries, a diversified innovation and technology holding company, recently finalized a deal with motor fuels distributor Sunoco to purchase an ethanol plant for $20 million in Volney, NY. The former Miller brewing site was closed in 1994 before reopening in 2008 as an ethanol plant. One project Attis has planned is producing cellulosic ethanol.
Two invasive insects, the hemlock wooly adelgid (HWA) and elongate hemlock scale (EHS), pose serious threats to Wisconsin’s hemlock trees. Although neither insect is established in Wisconsin, both insects have been found in recent years in infested nursery stock of live tree material that was shipped into the state. Fortu-
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Listings are submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with contacts prior to making plans to attend.
July 10-13—West Virginia Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Canaan Resort Conf. Center, Davis, W.Va. Call 681-2655019; visit wvfa.org. July 26-28—Georgia Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Westin Jekyll Island, Jekyll Island, Ga. Call 478-992-8110; visit gfagrow.org. July—Missouri Forest Products Assn./Missouri Loggers Council annual meeting, Old Kinderhook, Camdenton, Mo. Call 573-634-3252; visit moforest.org. August 15-17—International Forstmesse, Allmend Exhibition Center, Luzern, Switzerland. Visit tofairs.com. August 20-22—Florida Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Sheraton Bay Point Resort, Panama City Beach, Fla. Call 850-222-5646; visit floridaforest.org. August 20-26—Southwest Forest Products Expo, Hot Springs Convention Center, Hot Springs, Ark. Call 501224-2232; visit arkloggers.com. JULY/AUGUST 2019
Attis Completes Deal For Biofuels Plant
Insects Threaten Wisconsin Hemlock
EventsMemo
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nately, these introductions were detected and the plant material destroyed. But with HWA established in hemlock stands of several Michigan counties along Lake Michigan, natural spread to Wisconsin is anticipated. Because of the risk, forest health staff from the Dept. of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Dept. of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) are conducting surveys for early detection of these pests. Both pests could appear in many settings including urban and rural forests, yard trees and holiday tree plantations so everyone has a role to play in looking for these pests and reporting what they see.
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
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