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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

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Editor-in-Chief Rich Donnell Managing Editor Dan Shell Senior Associate Editor David Abbott Senior Associate Editor Jessica Johnson Associate Editor Patrick Dunning

Vol. 68, No. 4: Issue 681

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OurFeatures

Loggers across the country continue to grapple with impacts from the coronavirus slowdown, which is affecting contractors’ business decisions and operations in a variety of ways. Read all about it beginning on PAGE 8. (Jessica Johnson and David Abbott photos)

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

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Kevin Cook (604) 619-1777 E-mail: lordkevincook@gmail.com

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Starting And Ending Bookending Bertiaume’s Career

INTERNATIONAL Murray Brett +34 96 640 4165 • + 34 96 640 4048 E-mail: murray.brett@abasol.net

Slash Management Mulching Means Less Burning

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 ® 2020. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

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Stump Drill Boosts Efficiency Jordan Expands Forestry Service

2020 Logging Systems New Technology Highlights

OurDepartments My Take _________________________________________________ 4 NewsLines _______________________________________________ 6 Equipment World_________________________________________ 20 ALC Annual Meeting ______________________________________ 22 THExchange _____________________________________________ 27 Select Cuts _____________________________________________ 30 Events/Ad Index __________________________________________ 30 Other Hatton-Brown Publications: Southern Loggin’ Times • Wood Bioenergy Timber Processing • Panel World • Power Equipment Trade

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MyTake DAVID ABBOTT

Loggers Asking Congress For $2.5 Billion Loan Fund On behalf of its members throughout the country, the American Loggers Council (ALC) is requesting $2.5 billion from Congress to directly support American loggers whose businesses have been negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. ALC Executive Director Danny Dructor was working with a lobbying/PR firm in early June to introduce a “COVID 19 Economic Damage Relief Package for Logging and Trucking Companies in the Forest Products Industry” bill, or “Logger Relief Fund” for short.

Joining the ALC in this effort are associations representing Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Washington and the Northeastern Loggers Assn.

Congress has already granted financial aid to assist farmers, fishermen and other producers of agricultural commodities through this crisis. America needs loggers, too, and as providers of another essential commodity, loggers also need America’s help.

As wood fiber consumption has been reduced due to the market impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the nation’s small, family-owned logging and log trucking businesses have not escaped the fallout. Matthew Pellki, Professor at the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, says that housing starts have fallen 22% with the COVID-19 pandemic, the fastest one-month fall since March 1984. Pellki adds, “The Assn. of General Contractors (AGC) has reported that 40% of the construction workforce in the United States has been laid off due to project delays and cancellations. No construction means orders for lumber fall, mills saw fewer logs, and less standing timber is 4

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bought and harvested.” Pellki predicts that, even if the reopening of the economy is successful this summer, followed by a consistent relatively normal economy, it will still be two years before pine timber markets strengthen.

It would be a significant challenge for logging and log trucking businesses to survive such a long recovery, and the nation’s essential wood fiber supply chain could be severely disrupted. In order to sustain the supply chain, the proposed Logger Relief Package would provide a loan program for contractors through the U.S. Department of Agriculture to assist them in keeping business operational for the next 12 months while their

volume delivered were down 10% or more from 2019, the funds will be treated as a grant and will be forgiven.

If, however, the company revenues are down less than 10%, the funds will become a low interest loan not to exceed 5% and will need to be repaid.

In its announcement, the ALC states, “This is not a state or regional issue, but a national issue that needs to be addressed to sustain the essential service providers of the timber harvesting and hauling industry. Members of the American Loggers Council stand ready and able to assist members of Congress and the Department of Agriculture as they consider all available options in helping to assist the small family-owned businesses that consist of timber harvesters and haulers that are critical to timber dependent rural economies across the United States and provide the fiber that has proven to be a critical resource for all U.S. citizens during the current pandemic.”

Carolina Loggers Assn. Executive

Loggers need to flood their elected officials’ inboxes with ALC’s letter asking for relief for loggers. Here’s the link: https://www.amloggers.com/news/ support-the-logger-relief-package markets attempt to recover.

Loan funds could be used for business operating expenses such as equipment loan payments, maintenance costs, fuel and oil expenses, insurance payments and other fixed and variable costs not already covered in existing federal payment programs (the Payroll Protection Program and other Pandemic Unemployment Assistance).

To receive the loan, a contracting company would have to provide evidence of gross revenue and/or volume produced in 2019, through payment statements or a copy of 2019 business tax return forms that have been submitted to the Internal Revenue Service. A company can receive up to 10% of its gross revenue for operations in 2019 in the form of a loan.

Over the next year, as long as the company can prove that revenues or

Director Ewell Smith says, “Extended economic harm due to COVID-19 will be exponentially compounded as North Carolina loses loggers due to financial detriment, ultimately disrupting the supply chain of wood fiber to the mills and the country’s economic recovery. These essential workers harvest the wood fiber needed to make critical medical supplies, sanitized wipes, shipping boxes, paper, toilet paper, and more that Americans need. The investment in our loggers is critical to keeping America’s $300 billion wood economy going.”

Timber Harvesting encourages readers to log on to the ALC web site (amloggers.com/news/support-the-logger-relief-package) and fill out the form that will automatically generate an email to your three Congressional representatives for your state and disTH trict in support of such a bill.

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NewsLines Idaho Veneer Is Closing Its Doors Longtime independent veneer producer Idaho Veneer Co. in Post Falls, Id. is closing its doors in July, as the family ownership has decided to sell the mill property, which has slowly “moved” from outside of town to the middle of town as the area has grown.

The company dates to 1953 with “a slicer in the middle of a field in northern Idaho,” according to a company statement.

An auction of the veneer mill, sawmill, rolling stock and buildings was scheduled to begin in June.

The mill is located along I-90 in Post Falls, which has grown dramatically as part of the commercial corridor between Spokane and Couer d’Alene, and family members decided to sell the property for conversion to a higher value use.

The late April release said the company was planning to run out its log yard and veneer inventory and liquidate as much of the facility as possible by the end of July. “We value the friendship and camaraderie we share with so many of you…The decades we’ve spent in the business make for a treasure trove of memories,” said the statement, signed by Malloy family members and company executives.

Klausner Sawmills In Deep Trouble Following several years of below capacity operation and much controversy, Klausner Lumber One LLC, including its southern yellow pine sawmill in Live, Oak. Fla., has filed for Chapter 11 protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware. According to the petition, liabilities are expected to range from $100 million to $500 million.

The Live Oak sawmill and a newer Klausner sawmill in Enfield, NC both shut down operations in March, prompting a class action lawsuit against Klausner in a United States District Court, accusing the company of failing to comply with the 60-day notice period and for outstanding wage and social security payments.

Employees said Austria-based employees and executives were “evacuated” to Europe in mid March with no notice to U.S. employees.

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Once considered major investments courted by communities across the Southeast as the economy improved following the 2008-2009 Great Recession, the Klausner mills never got up to their respective 350MMBF production capacities.

The Florida plant, which started out under a cloud of foundation problems and labor issues, began operating in 2015. The North Carolina sawmill was never able to move into full operation.

Klausner had even considered building an identical third sawmill in South Carolina.

The Live Oak sawmill is reportedly taking bids for the sale of the facility and one report expects this to occur in August.

Klausner Lumber One, LLC, is reportedly owned by Klausner Holding USA, Inc., which is owned by KNB GmbH of Austria, which is owned by Alpha Privatstiftung of Austria.

FS Names Eastern Regional Forester USDA Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen appointed of Gina Owens as Regional Forester for the Forest Service’s Eastern Region. Owens will oversee management of more than 12 million acres of the National Forest System spread across 17 national forests and one national tallgrass prairie in the Northeast and Midwest.

Owens has been serving as the Deputy Regional Forester for the Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Region.

Previously, she was the Forest Supervisor on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Beginning her career as a Forest Service volunteer in the Alaska Region, Owens has dedicated more than 30 years to the agency.

She has held a variety of leadership and staff positions across the agency including in the agency national headquarters in Washington, DC, Oregon, Washington, Montana and in the Eastern Region, where she served as a District Ranger on the Green Mountain and Finger Lakes national forests in Vermont. She has a degree in wildland recreation management from Washington State University.

Owens is taking over the position left vacant in April 2019 when Kathleen Atkinson retired after serving six years as the Regional Forester for the Eastern Region.

Drax Donates $30,000 Toward Relief Efforts Drax Biomass is donating $30,000 to help families and businesses in northeastern Louisiana and southwestern Mississippi who have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis and the tornadoes that struck the Monroe area in mid April.

The funds donated include $20,000 from Drax Biomass to COVID-related relief efforts in Ouachita, Morehouse and LaSalle parishes in Louisiana and Amite County in Mississippi. Focus areas include Food Banks, United Way, Salvation Army, Rays of Sonshine, The Wellspring, Ouachita Council on Aging, West Ouachita Senior Center, Ronald McDonald House, The Children’s Coalition, Liberty Community Living Center, Wilkinson County Nursing Center, Field Health System, St. Francis Medical Center, Hardtner Medical Center, Morehouse General Hospital, Care and Hope Ministry and the Morehouse United Fund.

Drax is also contributing $10,000 to help communities hit by the tornadoes in the Monroe and West Monroe area.

Headquartered in Monroe, La., with operations in the Southeastern U.S., Drax Biomass is committed to supporting the communities in which it operates by promoting sustainable forestry and investing in local economic development.

Forest Service May Extend Sales Contracts U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service is offering to extend contract deadlines on certain timber sales, sale of property stewardship contracts and forest product permits awarded or issued before April 1, 2020. Extending these deadlines supports the long-term viability of the timber industry in markets where conditions have been significantly disrupted, especially in rural, forest-dependent communities.

This decision is based on a combination of factors that have affected the national economy and the timber market, including the global COVID-19 pandemic. Individual purchasers of the timber sales contracts may request extensions—up to two years in the lower 48 states and up to three years in Alaska.

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NewsLines

First Day, Last Day On Same Tract EDITOR’S NOTE: This article from the Minnesota Timber Producers Assn. (MTPA) details how logger Dave Berthiaume, who retired this spring, worked the same tract of timber on both his first day and his last day in logging 51 years later.

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he road into Dave Berthiaume’s logging site is a familiar one, on St. Louis County forest land, north of Sawyer, Minn.

The road should be familiar. It’s where he joined his father Richard and brothers Don and Duane in harvesting timber for the first time, when he was 14 years old. Sure, Dave had been helping in the woods since he was 6, picking rocks off the roads his father had just built. But this is the site where he felled trees with a chain saw for the first time after officially joining his dad’s Berthiaume Logging.

“We got here in 1969, to this landing right here,” Berthiaume recalls.

“It was a lot smaller then, and we started cutting this chunk a little at a time. It goes a half a mile to the north.

It probably took us five years to cut it by hand in those days.”And now, 51 years later, the first harvest was his last: Berthiaume turned 65 in May, which makes it a good time to retire.

Berthiaume: half a century in the same woods.

And there’s no better place, no more important piece of ground to him on which to complete his career in logging, than right here. “I started here,” he says. “I might as well end here.”

As special as it is to harvest the same site twice, and start and end a career in logging in the exact same spot, this part of the world means more to the entire Berthiaume family.“This is our deer hunting country,” Berthiaume says.

“It’s been 50 years right here with the deer shacks, right here on this landing.

We used to have a couple of old buses that we used as shacks, then we built a

One of the last loads from the tract that held 3,000+ cords rolls to mill.

little shack on wheels. We’d have that for us kids when we were up here.

We’d haul it in and out every year. Finally, three years ago I built a shack on a goose-neck trailer. It hooks up to my pick-up and away I go.”

The site is so ingrained in the Berthiaume family that the road into it—the road Dave’s dad built in the first place—is known as Berthiaume Road.

“Dad built this road with a D2 Cat, just a little one,” Dave recalls. “This time, we fixed it up with a D6. It would have been a lot straighter if we’d had that D6 in those days. With the little cat you went where you could.”

How well does Berthiaume know this part of the world? Over the years he’s walked the roughly 16 miles between the site and his house several times. “In the old days,” he chuckles, “when things broke down, there was only one way to get home.”

After graduating from Carlton High School in 1973, he joined the family business full-time, working on the same tract as this past spring. “I was cutting trees and limbing them with a chain saw,” he says. “Me and my brothers and cousins and dad. We cut rough on these hills here because it was good summer ground. We had the two shacks here and we stayed all week long and we’d go home on the weekends.”

That started a lifetime in the woods with Berthiaume Logging. Once Richard retired, Dave co-owned the business with Don and Duane, but his brothers eventually left the business around 10 years ago.

It’s been a good career for Dave: He has served on the MTPA board, a stint as MTPA president, and was named National Logger of the Year by the Forest Resources Assn. in 2010.

As retirement neared, Berthiaume knew St. Louis County would eventually be offering this tract for sale.

Because of its history in the family, his father had always wanted to be there to see it harvested again. But he died in 2011, one month shy of his 89th birthday.

“This was his dream, to cut it again, to see us cut it, but he never made it,” Dave says. “I was going to retire last year, and then this sale came up. I spent darn near every day of my life with my dad, so it’s special to do it.”

When the site appeared on the St. Louis County auction, Berthiaume approached Sappi forester ➤ 29

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Business Outlook & Viral Impact Loggers grapple with economic downturn and coronavirus impact on their industry.

DANShell

Markets - Investment - Diversification Productivity - Efficiency - Financial Aid 8

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Thanks to the 311 loggers who participated in the Timber Harvesting 2020 Business Outlook & Viral Impact Survey, conducted from mid April through the end of May 2020. Initially, the survey was to be more equipment- and investment-focused, then the coronavirus came along and took over.

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cross the nation loggers are coming to grips with the economic downturn caused and made worse by reduced economic activity thanks to the coronavirus pandemic that ground much of the country to a halt in March, April and May. For loggers, the biggest impact by far has been reduced mill operations in all segments of the industry, including hardwood and softwood lumber, panels and some pulp-paper. Almost twothirds of all loggers have been hit with mill downtime that’s led to mill quotas and lost revenues, and a third of contractors have seen logging rates reduced by mills.

“We have too many operators in our region that are ramped up to be such large volume producers,” says a Washington logger. “They get in a rut of ‘got to go, got to have more,’ and then the pandemic hits. It will be interesting how many can weather this unforeseen storm.

An Arkansas contractor notes greatly reduced pulp-paper markets, a pine mill closure and operating mills going to one shift in late April, and large landowners in the region have reduced hauling rates.

“The problem is all this has happened

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to these mills, and yet we have the same number of loggers trying to log. The math just does not work,” he says.

To The Survey. . .

Asked to rate their top three business concerns, loggers overwhelmingly said maintaining markets and uncertain mill operations topped the list, cited by 82%. Next biggest concern—and related to markets—are logging rates and cut and haul contracts, cited by 48% of loggers. The third biggest concern is a virtual dead heat between two issues: 41% of loggers said insurance costs—particularly for trucking—is their third biggest concern, followed closely by weather conditions that were cited by 40% of loggers.

One area the survey explored is the outlook for trucking. Currently the most common arrangement, 41% of loggers run a mix of their own log trucks, plus they use contract haulers and landowner-arranged trucking regularly and when needed. Meanwhile, 32% of loggers—a third—run their own trucks only. The remainder of loggers, 27%, rely completely on contract-outside haulers. The first com10

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ment on the question is what TH editors hear all the time in the woods: “I want that truck here when I need it.”

Another logger commented that he tried to use contract haulers “but couldn’t afford it.” Other comments noted difficulty finding contract haulers in their area.

Looking at issues surrounding trucking, 34% of loggers say driver availability is their biggest concern, followed by 28% who cite insurance costs. The third-biggest trucking concern? Driver quality, noted by 18% of loggers. Regulations were noted as a top concern by 16% of drivers. Perhaps the one silver lining for loggers in the pandemic slowdown has been fuel costs.

Though they’ve risen recently as economic activity has picked up, fuel costs were mentioned as a top trucking concern by only 3% of loggers.

“It’s really hard to find qualified drivers. About the time you get one trained, they buy their own truck and become your competition,” commented one logger. Another logger noted the inability to attract good drivers due to low logging rates: “Market compensation for drivers still lags levels where it is competitive with similar local options (paving, construction,

etc.)—$18-22/hour is the level where a significant step up in driver quality/ availability would be seen. However, those rates add more cost to an already unprofitable trucking business given current (logging) rates.”

Even with the sentiment noted above, almost two-thirds (64%) of loggers say they are happy with their current trucking setup. Of the remainder, 19% of loggers say they are looking at adding more of their own log trucks, while 11% are looking to add more contract hauling capacity to their trucking mix. Another 5% of loggers say they are looking to get out of hauling and go to all contract and outside hauling in the near future.

The emphasis on trucking continues with the next question, asking loggers to pick which operational component needs more capacity to be more successful. The top answer? Trucking, cited by 30% of loggers. Labor (related to driver issues) is the second area needing more capacity, say 18% of loggers. The remaining areas loggers cite as needing more capacity for success are: falling (14%), bucking-processing (13%), skidding (9%) and loading-handling (8%).

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were asked to look at each phase of operations and the costs associated with it and report the most productive and efficient part of their operation.

Felling was cited by 37% of loggers as most productive and efficient.

Interestingly, the next three phases were closely aligned, as 19% of loggers picked sorting-loading as their most productive and efficient, 18% said skidding, and 16% said delimbing-bucking-processing was their most productive and efficient activity.

Trucking takes the brunt again, with only 7% of loggers citing it as most efficient phase of operations.

Looking at loggers’ overall capital investment needs in five equipment categories, 32% report skidders are the equipment aging and needing to be replaced the soonest. That’s followed by loaders (30%), feller-bunchers (14%) and processors (11%) and delimbers (7%).

One logger noted that “Everything we are running is 2017 or newer, stabilizing our production during all the quotas we face, it’s almost necessary to run new equipment. You can’t afford to miss a load.” Multiple loggers commented that they were trending toward rebuilding equipment, citing new equipment costs. One logger said, “We try to rotate equipment every three to four years in the woods and every four to five years with trucks.”

operations, three big issues have affected more than half of all loggers and their operations: 71% cited mill quotas, followed by lost revenues (61%) and mill downtime (59%).

More than a third (34%) of loggers have seen lowered logging rates, and 27% have delayed equipment purchases as a result.

Additional impacts include employee layoffs (11%) and downsizing one or more crews (7%). Longer hauls are in the mix for 13% of loggers, and more than one out of every five (22%) have had logger certification or safety training sessions delayed.

“Mills taking advantage of the pandemic and decreasing prices is killing

us,” said one logger. “We’re having to cut way cheaper at a loss just to keep employees, wheels rolling and make payments. It’s disgraceful!”

To adapt, loggers are working their networks to find alternative wood markets (38%), and a third of loggers say they are leaving at least one truck fully loaded each night for an early haul the next day to beat quotas at the mill.

A significant number of loggers (45%) say they are actively searching for other, unrelated lines of work to leverage their equipment and employees. Land clearing was the top option that 23% of loggers are considering, followed by firewood (14%), roadbuilding (13%), excava➤ 24

Viral Times: Impact Gauging the impact of the coronavirus slowdown on loggers can be depressing: The hits just keep on coming. Asked to list all the ways the viral economy has affected their Foremost Authority For Professional Loggers

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Mulching Innovator Invests In Soil-Boosting Technology Advanced Land Management does its part for slash management, soil productivity.

DANShell SWEET HOME, Ore. ringing together facets of his previous line of work with the knowledge he continues to build on as he operates his 12-year-old company Advanced Land Management, former logger Matt Bostrom is managing a growing business and is gaining ground on his goal of finding new and better ways of managing slash and land conversion material to maximize soil productivity while minimizing wasteful burning.

The company has grown from humble beginnings in the aftermath of the 2008 economic downturn into a diverse company with multiple crews running skid steers, tractors and purpose built mulcher-grinders with a variety of drum heads, mulching discs and attachments. “We do everything from one-acre backyards to mulching several thousand acres on a 9,000 acre tree farm,” Bostrom says of the operation that works with a wide variety of landowners with different goals and management objectives.

Born into a logging family in Sweet Home, Bostrom, 32, grew up in the woods, working with his family’s company. He was operating a CTL machine for a local contractor and laid off in 2008 as markets turned sour.

He took a job with an uncle, Don Arndt of D & S Logging Contractors, who needed someone to pile slash. He remembers sitting there in the machine making pile after pile when he became interested in finding a better way to manage the material. Selling it was tough because of limited markets and transportation costs.

“But it always drove me nuts when we just burned it, not putting it back into the soil or for another use, just burning it,” Bostrom remembers.

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Bostrom, left, is looking for ways to reduce waste while building soil.

630 HP linear muncher took company to next level seven years ago.

Bostrom started ALM in late 2008, operating close to the bone for a few years as he built the company, first renting a skid steer and brush mowing for local farmers doing riparian recovery projects and invasive species removal. That included a period of basically living out of his truck while he worked a series of remote wildlife meadow mowing contracts on Forest Service land in the Coast Range.

He bought his first skid steer machine in 2009, then made a big jump in 2013 when he added a Raptor 800 purpose built linear mulcher from Prinoth,

a 630 HP machine that’s much more productive and heavy duty and can take on a wider variety of jobs.

Operations The company is currently running the Prinoth Raptor 800, three Caterpillar 299D2 rubber-tracked skid steers that operate with brush mowers and drum mulchers from Cat and Diamond Mowers. A Takeuchi TB 260 skid steer operates with Ellis and Rockhound mulching heads, and a Hitachi 210 excavator also operates with stump splitTIMBER HARVESTING & FOREST OPERATIONS

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ters, buckets and brush rake. Two Fendt 724 240 HP tractors run with pull-behind mulchers and rotators. A Risley 300 HP dedicated mulcher rounds out the lineup.

Bostrom says he’s trying to focus on growing with newer equipment that’s under warranty: Mulching, grinding and mowing are extremely tough on any machine, and bargain shopping used equipment can lead to headaches, although sometimes the right deal, like the Risley, comes along, he adds.

As the company has grown he’s also sought to add bigger and more productive equipment instead of running more—-and more employees—of the same machines.

The company is also in a bit of a transition, Bostrom says. “We’ve had some success, but we’re trying to grow smart,” he says. “When I started any job would do, and learning when to say no to a job can be really hard.”

Bostrom says he rarely has multiple machines on a job unless they are actively working, and jobs tend to work in phases as material is broken down and mulched back into the soil.

“We’re always trying to optimize the amount of time the equipment is working,” he says. “We never want to have a piece of equipment sitting and waiting on another machine to finish.”

Bostrom emphasizes that “the name of the game is efficiency” when land clearing. “It’s all about how fast and how small can you reduce the material? It’s about getting those things as optimized as you can.”

Safety is a big concern when run-

ning the drums and discs that can generate large amounts of energy and throw debris long distances, and some heads can turn over 2,000 RPM. The Raptor has a 630HP motor yet is smaller than most skidders.

Maintaining safe working radius is important, and safety and PPE requirements are similar to logging.

“With a feller-buncher you’re just dealing with one stem, and you’re sort of above it,” Bostrom says.

“These machines are on the Skid steers do lots of brush mowing work. ground, making contact with material in the top 10-20 inches the surface and all the material has to below the surface. cycle under them.” Mulching can also “It leaves a beautiful finished be a big fire risk, generating lots of ground,” he says. heat and sparks.

The site was logged in summer Related to heat, Bostrom chose a 2019, and ALM pulled the stumps last cooler mechanical drum drive instead September. Wet weather had halted of hydraulic that he believes leads to operations until early spring this year. longer machine life and better ability He adds that weather plays a big to run in hot weather. role in operations and keeping soil disturbance to a minimum is crucial and On Site one of the aspects they excel at. Much of the active farm land clearing and Earlier this year Timber Harvesting conversion is best handled during found ALM working on a tract of dryer, warmer weather, while forest farmland north of Salem in Yamhill work and brush mowing can be perCounty, where the landowner logged formed closer to year-round. a 20 acre patch of timber and is converting it to hazelnut orchards and blueberry fields. Bostrom noted the Loggers Help Farmers landowner doesn’t want any burning.

Instead, the stumps had been pulled, On stand conversions from forest to and ALM was going to mulch the farm, how the tract is logged makes a slash and stumps above ground, then big difference in how ALM might apbring in the rotovator to blend the proach it—if at all, Bostrom says.

“The distribution of material is a big thing; instead of having it piled, we wanted it as widely and evenly distributed as possible,” he adds, noting that it’s opposite of most logging jobs, where slash is piled and consolidated as much as possible in the process.

Loggers can do a few little things that can really help if a harvest is executed with the conversion in mind.

Bostrom adds that he’s looking to directly subcontract more logging in the future to try and better manage project timelines and results.

“We’re always looking at soil and soil structure on this farm land, and we try to keep a super light footprint,” Bostrom says. “Farmers know their soil like nobody else. Our only goal is to help them achieve healthier soil, it always comes down to what do they Raptor 800 does the bulk of heavy-duty mulching and slash reduction. want and need, not what we want or Foremost Authority For Professional Loggers

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think they need.”

On some jobs, he’s bridging the gap between logger and farmer. “Loggers know what they are doing with timber, but they might not understand a farmer’s soil structure issues, and what size material they want to work into the soil,” Bostrom says. “You’re just going for a different end result than a tree farm job.”

One process he’s been working on is mulching down whole orchards instead of cutting, piling and burning.

He sends the Raptor in to take the trees down and mulch them up, then the rotovator for more reduction and integration back into the soil.

“Instead of taking the orchard out of commission for the better part of a year, we can flip the orchard in days with no burning, and put the organic matter back in the ground,” Bostrom explains, noting that in good conditions he can do 10 acres a day.

On the forestry side, Bostrom says ALM has found a niche doing linear ALM works for a variety of landowners.

rock crushing on roads built out of oversize pit run rock. As a road goes from single job to high-use, ALM will bring in a grinder and reduce the top 8 inches or so into smaller material that can be graded and worked easier.

“Instead of hauling in new rock, we’re able to convert the rock that’s already there,” he says, adding it’s proved to be a big money-saver for timberland owners. The company has also done grinding on older paved woods roads that are deteriorating.

He adds that he’s been doing more ag-related jobs the past five years or so. A lot of the business is word-ofmouth, as farmers are a tight-knit and well-networked bunch. ALM also exhibits at local farm shows and fairs to get the word out about its services, and Bostrom notes the company has done well drumming up small landowner brush mowing business with GoogleAds. Growing up in the Willamette Valley, Bostrom is well aware of the region’s farming reputation, and he likes to believe ALM is doing a small part to help manage land clearing and conversion efficiently and responsibly.

“I just love seeing that material go back into the ground instead of burnTH ing up,” he exclaims.

Update

Since TH visited in early spring, ALM is in the process of adding a new Fendt 1050 tractor with Prinoth RF1000 rotovator, awaiting delivery. Bostrom calls it a “515 HP beast of a rotovator” that will increase ALM’s capacity to clear land and grind out roots, stumps, and other material subsurface. The business hasn’t been drastically affected by the coronavirus, and he’s thankful to have steady work coming in.

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Stump System Boosts Jordan Forestry Services

and Chad. In their hands the business shifted more towards forestry. Tree planting, pond building, site prep and understory burning and invasive plant spraying prompted the Jordans to rebrand their business into Jordan ForBy Madisen DeMent estry Services.

Jordan Forestry Services, he doesn’t Now 50 years after its inception the forget the need for innovation in his oosting productivity and ofheart of Jordan Contractors still beats line of work. As such, Jordan also fering more for landowners, in the bones of Jordan Forestry Sercalls the excavator a multi-purpose Jordan Forestry Services of vices. More recently, as Jordan Fortool that can be utilized in a number Monroeville, Ala., has added a new estry Services phased out tree planting of different ways. He has used it while stump drilling system that makes land they turned towards site prep, land building ponds, installing roads, and clearing more productive and efficient. clearing and bridge installation. clearing land.

In previous years the crew cleared Like Jordan’s Swiss army knife of land by pulling stumps, but begina stump drilling machine, the Jordan Background ning in 2020 the crew started to drill family continues to expand their comstumps instead after purchasing a Jordan Forestry Services’ backmercial horizons. Along with owning Deere 330LLC with stump drilling ground dates to the early 1970s and Jordan Forestry Services, Chad coattachment. Drilling eliminates the Jordan Contractors, built from the owns Jordan Farms and Frisco City strain that pulling puts on the machine ground up by Bennie Ray Jordan Stockyard with his other brother, and also reduces the amount of debris (Chad’s father) and a handful of emMichael. In their newest and largest that must be cleared away afterwards. ployees. The majority of their business business venture yet, J&L Industrial On a recent project in southwest was site prep work: shearing, raking, Services, the Jordan brothers have partnered with cousin Clint Jordan, Alabama, the company converted burning and ROW cleaning. Upon and the fa150 acres of a 250-acre pine plantaBennie’s retirement ther and son tion to pasture. The site had already in 1997, the business duo J.D. and been logged, and Jordan’s crew came was handed down to Tyler Long, through and drilled the stumps, and two of his sons, Kyle to bring the rock-raked it. Any stumps business of that needed more work industrial were flagged and rework to drilled, then the site was Monroeville. disc-harrowed and raked Each busiagain, then pushed into ness venture windrows before burning. helps support The burned slash piles are the others in one way or then level-disced, leaving another. J&L keeps Jora pasture ready to plant. dan Forestry running by Company operator fabricating new parts for Chad Jordan notes that the machines, and Jordan drilling is quicker and Farms keeps Frisco City more effective than Stockyard running by pulling stumps, and buying and selling cattle drilling also works with every week. In each of large, small, pine, and the four businesses most hardwood timber. Jorof the employees are famdan hopes his message spreads that there is an ily, brothers and sisters, easier way to clear timnieces and nephews—the Jordan businesses are bered land. truly family owned and As Jordan works to TH operated. expand the scope of Jordan: drilling attachment is more efficient and easier on equipment than pulling.

B

Jordan Forestry Services: Before and after on recent job in southwest Alabama converting 150 acres to pasture.

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LoggingSystems Deere TimberMatic Map Systems

TimberMatic Maps and TimberManager are the streamlined John Deere software solutions for loggers designed to enhance machine connectivity and communication. The TimberMatic Maps solution includes mapping software for use in the field, which utilizes a mobile network to share real-time production information between operators, as well as back to the office. Data is collected by the sensors on the equipment, while the production location is gathered through the GPS technology. Information is then transmitted to the TimberMatic Maps and TimberManager systems.

Managers can access the data using TimberManager, a webbased solution for PC, tablet or mobile phone, allowing loggers to follow progress of the work site remotely.

Additionally, the map allows all operators to add markings, pointing out challenging terrain factors, such as an area with soft ground, a land boundary, or an overhead hazard.

The real-time updates provide on-demand visibility to the entire crew. This software is particularly beneficial to loggers working close to government and privately held land, as boundaries can quickly and easily be set-up digitally to alert loggers to boundary lines while they are working.

One of the key benefits of the software solutions package is the ability to efficiently plan the work that needs to get done on the jobsite. The map provides the precise location, volume and species of timber within the network of logging routes. As timber is transported, the operator can mark the map to indicate it has occurred, providing an exact volume count of the timber taken to the landing. This ultimately assists in simplifying planning for trailer transports and the onward movement of timber. Visit deere.com

Wallingford: GB Bars, Orbitz Chain

Orbit saw chain is manufactured with high quality alloy steel and offers professionals the best balance of quality and value in the industry. The Orbit ¾" pitch saw chain has micro radius semi-chisel cutters and increase kerf width similar to Orbit .404 pitch chain. All Orbit saw chain is manufactured with enhanced multi-layered chrome plating providing excel18

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lent durability and wear resistance. It is notable that this will complement well our line-up of Titanium Tough GB harvester bars. Don’t be deceived by other “Orange Bars.”

Since 1959 GB has built a solid reputation by manufacturing products that set new industry standards, playing an active role in the development in the forestry equipment industry. Now with a modern state of the art production line, utilizing laser cutting technology, CNC machines and computer-controlled processors, GB manufactures a product that excels, quite literally, at the cutting edge of timber harvesting. A unique blend of titanium and alloy steel yields the ultra-high strength material with uniform metal hardness throughout the bar and because the rail is non-tempered this reduces rail flexing and cracking. This alloy steel is extremely durable, resulting in fewer bends and better “memory” allowing it to return to original shape which increases run time for operators. GB Professional Harvester Bars are available in both .404" and ¾" pitch and are designed with mounting configurations to fit most mechanical harvesting equipment. The .404" XV line has a patented 15 tooth sprocket which reduces RPM resulting in less friction and wear. This, combined with the patented “Lube Direct” channels to directly feed bearing lubrication, improves overall performance and life. The new ¾" BC tip has the “Lube Direct” system and a machined edge to control chipping.

Visit wallingfords.com, call 1-800-323-3708.

Olofsfors Bogie, Wheel Tracks Olofsfors Inc. specializes in attachments and accessories for the cut-to-length machinery. The two main product lines are ECOTracks and Iggesund Forest. Olofsfors is the market leader in bogie tracks for CTL machinery and wheel tracks for skidders and wheeled feller bunchers. Under ECOTracks, Olofsfors offers a wide range of track models and linkage systems for various machine configurations and ground conditions. Most track models are now available in the next generation of curved cross members for increased flotation, less ground disturbance and easier machine turning.

The track assortment ranges from traction only, flotation only and all around. Along with 5 different link systems, Olofsfors has the most track options available on the market today. The link systems range from 22 mm (⅞") to 30 mm (13⁄16") with the 26 mm (1") being the most popular. New for 2020 is a larger 29 mm (1⅛") link system. It features a 29 mm (1⅛") link and wider and thicker link hook for increased lifetime.

Olofsfors has 9 families of track models. The All Around tracks are ECO-Track and KovaX. Both of these models TIMBER HARVESTING & FOREST OPERATIONS

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LoggingSystems provide good traction along with good flotation. The Traction tracks include EX, OF and EVO with EX providing the most traction. The Flotation tracks consist of Baltic, U and CoverX. CoverX is the newest addition, featuring exceptional flotation along with good traction. The cross member sits higher on the tire and has raised ridges on the leading edges to increase traction. Visit www.olofsfors.com

Tigercat H-series Skidders tions and extreme conditions. Projects are spread mainly throughout North America but also Central and South America, Asia and Africa Quality and years of experience along with our dedication to customer service make Rapid-Span the perfect choice for your next challenging project.

Visit www.rapidspan.com

ProLenc Brake Link

The Tigercat H-series skidders introduce a new larger cab onto the successful E-series platform, while also improving serviceability, reliability and efficiency. The new skidder line will see the release of the 620H, 630H, and 632H 4-wheel skidders, as well as the 625H and 635H 6-wheel skidders.

The newly designed cab on the H-series skidders provides 30% more interior volume than the E-series design. Window area has been increased to provide unmatched visibility. The new Tigercat designed seat rotator allows the operator’s seat to rotate from facing the rear of the machine to facing the left side cab door, allowing the operator to exit on either side of the machine. An innovative rotator design uses a spring applied, hydraulic release brake to lock the seat in any position Operators controls are located on armrests and include many new features. Differential lock buttons are on the joystick and can engage front and rear separately. LED lights above the buttons illuminate when they are active.

All H-series skidders feature load sensing hydraulics with larger, more efficient valves. Hydraulic tank capacity has increased 20%, and includes improved level detection and more robust mounting. Increased horsepower and larger cylinders on some models provide ample power and strength for any job.

Engine enclosure doors have been reinforced and use “T” style compression latches to keep them securely closed. Belly doors now use pivot bolts to swing open and a new smaller door gives access to fluid drain plugs. When tilting the cab is necessary, quarter turn pins, adjustable sweep brackets and a larger tilt cylinder make to the job much easier.

Visit tigercat.com

Prolenc Manufacturing Inc. introduces its new, patent pending 250 series Brake Link. Designed to integrate with 5 to 8 ton class rotators offered by Finnrotor, Baltrotor and others in this weight class it features Prolenc’s unique, simple, tapered friction sleeve design. Externally mounted and integrated on the link, it offers easy access for periodic tension adjustments and serviceability.

The link is single or double dampening and also available as individual units to adapt to the wide variety of linkages and crane tips available worldwide. Ideal for smaller thinning harvesters and free swinging biomass heads as well as loading grapples the 250 series allows Prolenc to now offer a full complement of brake links and dampeners for all attachments up to 2,000 kgs or 4,400 lbs. Visit www.prolenc.com

TriLink Harvester Saw Chain

Rapid Span Road Solutions Rapid-Span manufactures steel, precast and timber components for the transportation industry, particularly bridges, supplying bridge systems and components since 1983. Rapid-Span excels on design-build projects, tackling complex work, and providing products into increasingly remote loca-

The saw chain specialists at TriLink Saw Chain have introduced a new ¾ harvester chain. Complementing TriLink’s line of .404 machine harvester chain and guide bars, the new ¾ harvester chain is manufactured from high quality alloy steel. The CAD designed semi-chisel cutters have ➤ 26

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EquipmentWorld Ponsse Webinar Debuts New Bison Forwarder

During a North America webinar June 12, Ponsse officially launched its new Bison forwarder, which the company claims is the “fastest forwarder in the world.”

According to Ponsse officials, the Bison offers unprecedented new technology, from the front to the rear. The fuel economy and emissions of its Mercedes-Benz/MTU engine have been optimized to meet the strictest requirements. At the same time, it consumes very low amounts of fuel. In place of a conventional hydrostatic transmission, Bison’s engine is extended by the CVT transmission. Just hit the throttle and the stepless transmission selects the most ideal gear ratio. As a result, high speeds do not increase fuel consumption at the same ratio as in hydrostatic systems.

CVT includes the stepless changing of gear ratios, and thus the conventional switching between the slow and fast gear is no longer necessary. In a machine equipped with CVT, the conventional hydrostatic transmission has been replaced with a separate CVT gear system. This enables a higher fuel economy and tractive force. The advantages of a high tractive force materialize, in particular, when driving on steep slopes, in soft terrain and in deep snow.

When it is no longer necessary to stop when switching to the fast range from the slow range, working in all types of terrain is much faster.

Making the Bison much smoother to operate at any speed is Ponsse’s innovative Active Frame System, which also helps the driver stay alert and more productive.

The Ponsse Bison Active Frame features robust frame structures. Easy maintenance has been taken into account in the positioning of the components and maintenance targets.

In addition to this, the machine’s extremely long maintenance intervals increase effective operating hours and reduce maintenance costs. Even at increased speeds, excellent driver comfort and machine handling are maintained.

Wallingford’s Brings On Europe’s Veriga Wallingford’s Inc. announced a partnership with Veriga, a large global manufacturers of tire chains and forestry tracks.

Established in 1922, Veriga, based in Slovenia, has an

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EquipmentWorld expansive production program and is a prominent European presence in the forestry industry. Wallingford’s is looking forward to marketing Veriga’s broad range of products across North America, and adding new products with European design and quality. New products include: a full line of bogie and wheel tracks; forestry chains for skidders and CTL machinery;snow/traction tire chains for trucks, tractors and heavy machinery; tire protection chains for heavy machinery.

Mitja Peterlin, CEO of Veriga, states “We have been trying for quite some time to find the right partner to introduce our products to the North American market. We have enormous trust in Wallingford’s, which has tradition and is a true specialist in the required field.”

Wallingford’s Inc., with its head office in Oakland, Maine, has distribution facilities in New Hampshire and Edmonton, Alberta. Founded in 1975, Wallingford’s is the largest wholesale distributor of logging supplies in North America serving nearly 3000 OEM, distributors, and dealers.

John Wallingford, President of Wallingford’s Inc., states, “We are very excited with this new relationship with Veriga and look forward to bringing this great brand across the Atlantic. Together we will make sure that we will give customers the best possible service, that they deserve.”

Visit wallingfords.com, veriga-lesce.com or call 1-800-3233708.

Equipment (Guelph, Ontario, Can.); Coastal Machinery (Pensacola, FL); Eastrock Inc. (Ottawa, Ontario, Can.); Equipment East, LLC (Dracut, MA); Equipment Rentals, Inc. (Watertown, NY); Wilson BC Companies, LLC (Central Point, OR) “Our top Doosan dealers set the bar for the entire dealer organization,” says Todd Roecker, Doosan Director of Dealer Management and Marketing.

“To achieve this recognition, these top-performing Doosan dealers performed at high levels in terms of sales, parts and service capabilities, in their respective markets.”

Top-performing Doosan dealers are offered a selection of several incentives that they may choose from which will improve their profitability and focus.

Visit doosan.com

Doosan Announces Top Dealers For 2019 Doosan Infracore North America, LLC revealed its top- performing dealers of 2019. Doosan annually recognizes its dealers that have demonstrated high quality customer service by providing exceptional sales, parts and service to their customers. Annual dealer performance reviews are also a factor in the dealer’s score.

The top 2019 Doosan dealers include the following enterprises (headquarters in parentheses): Barry Equipment Co. (Webster, MA); Best Line Leasing, Inc. (Allentown, PA); Bobcat of Hamilton Ltd (Hamilton, Ontario, Can.); Bobcat of Mandan Inc. (Mandan, ND); CG Foremost Authority For Professional Loggers

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AMERICAN LOGGERS COUNCIL 26th Annual Meeting • September 24-26, 2020 Branson Hilton Hotel and Branson Convention Center Branson, Missouri

“The Show Me State”

O

n behalf of the American Loggers Council, the Missouri Loggers Council and the Missouri Forest Products Association, we invite you to the American Loggers Council 26th Annual Meeting in Branson, Missouri, the "Show Me State" where the ALC was organized in 1994. Shawnee and I are excited that you will be visiting our part of the country in the Midwest and believe that your travels to Branson will create memories that will last a lifetime.

Getting to Branson is a scenic and easy drive from either the Springfield, Missouri or Little Rock, Arkansas airports.

If time permits, be certain and visit

the Wonders of Wildlife Aquarium and Museum located in Springfield, Missouri, truly a one of a kind exhibit envisioned

by Bass Pro Shop's founder Johnny Morris.

Branson offers many opportunities for you to make this a family affair from theme parks, outdoor activities and nightly entertainment at many of the restaurants and dinner events in and around the city. Table Rock and Lake Taneycomo offer quality fishing and sightseeing for all.

26th Annual Meeting Agenda THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 7 am–5 pm: Registration at hotel (exhibits open) 9 am-Noon: Missouri Virtual Logging Tour 6 pm–8 pm: Cocktail Welcome Reception at Convention Center (light hors d’oeuvres). Explore Branson for dinner 8 pm–9 pm: Executive Committee meeting, hotel

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 6 am–12 pm: Registration at hotel 6:15 am–7:45 am: Breakfast buffet, hotel 8 am–3 pm: ALC Business Seminars 9:00 am–4 pm: Ladies Tour Site TBD 6 pm-7 pm: President’s Reception-Convention Center 7 pm–10 pm: President’s Dinner & ALC Auction

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 7 am-8 am: Registration at hotel 7 am–8 am: Breakfast buffet, Convention Center 8 am–9 am: Board of Directors meeting, Convention Center 9:15 am–11:30 am: Full membership meeting 12 pm–1:30 pm: Full membership Awards Luncheon 8 am–3:30 pm: Ladies—on your own in Branson

Shannon Jarvis President

6 pm–7 pm: President’s Farewell Reception, Convention Center 7 pm–10 pm: President’s Farewell Banquet, Convention Center

ALC’s Live Auction – Friday, September 25, 2020 Item Name: ________________________________________________________________ Description of Item: __________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ Estimated Value: _______________ Donor: _______________________________________ Contact person: ____________________________________________________________ The American Loggers Council is a nonprofit 501(c)(6)organization. Donations given to the ALC for auction items may not be written off as a charitable contribution. Please have all donated auction items turned in at the registration desk by noon Friday, September 25 to facilitate setting up the event in the Convention Center. Thank you!

If you need to ship your auction item to the meeting, please send to: Branson Convention Center, c/o Ginger Watson, Event Coordinator, 200 E. Main Street, Branson, MO 65616, Attn: American Loggers Council–Danny Dructor All auction items being shipped need to arrive at the BransonConvention Center by no later than Thursday, September 24 and not before September 17.

Association Supporters

The American Loggers Council would like to thank these businesses for their year-round support and sponsorship of our organization: Bitco Insurance Companies, Forestry Mutual Insurance, Hatton-Brown Publishers, Hawkins & Rawlinson, Hiab, John Deere, Komatsu America Corp.,Loggers World Magazine, The Lyme Timber Company, Maxam Tire, Morbark, North American Timber Program, Peterbilt, Ponsse, Southern Loggers Cooperative,Tigercat, Titan International, Wallingford's, Inc. and Western Star.

Booking Your Hotel We have made contracts with the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel in Branson. Reservations can be made by calling the hotel directly at 1-417336-5400 or their national reservation line at 1-866442-0959. Be certain and request the ALC room rate using group code AL2.

Room Rates Single/Double Run of House $154.00/night 2 Queen Beds Deluxe Room $154.00/night Cutoff date for ALC room block is August 21, 2020.

Above rates do not include tax or parking fees and are good for +/- 3 days before or after the meeting dates based on availability.

All rates do not include the state and local taxes (subject to change) When reserving your room, please identify yourself with the American Loggers Council in order to receive the group rate. Group Code: AL2.

The cut-off date is August 21, 2020, and it will be here before you know it!

Getting There The closest major airports are the Springfield, Mo., and Little Rock, AR airports, with car rentals available.

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AMERICAN LOGGERS COUNCIL 26TH ANNUAL MEETING SEPTEMBER 24-26, 2020 • REGISTRATION FORM Please submit one form for each attendee. Make copies if needed.

(CIRCLE ONE)

Mr. Ms. Mrs.

Name:________________________________________________ Nickname for badge: ________________________________ Company: _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Logging Association: _____________________________________________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________________ City:_______________________________________ State:________________ ZIP: __________________________________ Phone:_____________________ Fax:_____________________ E-mail: ____________________________________________

FULL MEETING REGISTRATION INCLUDES: Thursday Welcome Reception ● Thursday Virtual Logging Tour ● Friday ALC Ladies Tour ● Friday Seminars ● Friday President’s Reception and Dinner & Auction ● Saturday Awards Luncheon ● President’s Farewell Reception & Banquet ● Friday and Saturday Breakfasts ●

REGISTRATION FEES PLEASE CHECK ONLY THE EVENTS YOU PLAN TO ATTEND. WE NEED AN ACCURATE COUNT.

ALC Member Registration Fee: √ ■ Early Bird Registration (postmarked by 8/21/2020) ■ On-Site Registration (after 8/21/2020)

$350.00 $375.00

ALC Member Spouse Registration Fee: √

■ Early Bird Registration (postmarked by 8/21/2020)

$300.00

■ On-Site Registration (after 8/21/2020)

$325.00

Non-Member Registration Fee: √ ■ Early Bird Registration (postmarked by 8/21/2020)

■ On-Site Registration (after 8/21/2020)

Included Events √ ■ Thursday’s Virtual Logging Tour ■ Thursday’s Welcome Reception

■ ■ ■ ■

■ ■ $400.00 ■ ■ ■ $375.00

Friday—Logger Breakfast Friday—ALC Ladies Tour, includes lunch Friday—Seminars & Lunch Friday—President’s Reception, Banquet & Auction

Saturday—Logger Breakfast Saturday—Full Membership Meeting Saturday—“On Your Own” in Branson Saturday—Full Membership Awards Luncheon Saturday—Farewell Reception/Banquet

I have enclosed full payment for the events indicated for the total amount of $ _____________ Please make check payable to: American Loggers Council For best rates, please complete and mail or fax by August 21 to: American Loggers Council • c/o Doris Dructor PO Box 966, Hemphill, TX 75948 • Fax: (409) 625-0207 Questions? Email americanlogger@aol.com; phone 409-625-0206 CANCELLATION POLICY: Registration cancellation by August 10=full refund; cancellation by August 21=50% refund; cancellation after August 21=no refund. NO SHOW POLICY: Early bird registered attendees that do not cancel by August 21 will be billed.

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11 ➤ tion-site prep (11%), non-forest trucking (10%) and farming (8%).

The question included a large “Other” response, and some of the business activities loggers are pursuing in the viral downturn include maple syrup production, lawn care, real estate sales, cattle and “sub-merchantable” thinning.

More than half of loggers (51%) report they have had discussions with vendors, suppliers and creditors concerning payment delays or other arrangements to work though the downturn. Comments here range from such actions being a “waste of time” to one logger who said he had arranged two months of payment forbearance that had really helped.

Another 54% of loggers surveyed said they had applied for one of the economic assistance programs available through federal recovery legislation. (Comments are a bit skewed since some responses came before a second round of funding was released.)

The good news at a time like this— such as it is—is that 75% of loggers are simply looking to maintain their current operations. It’s a solid enough answer for the industry, but not exactly a ringing endorsement: Only 7% of loggers say they are looking to invest and expand right now.

Meanwhile just under 10% of loggers (9.52%) say they are looking to exit the industry, and another 9% say they are looking to downsize their operations. Added together, that’s almost 20% of loggers planning to reduce or eliminate logging capacity.

Logger Comments Logger thoughts on the industry’s outlook and coronavirus impact, in their own words: “Where I am we have four local mills that are still going strong and two mills within 125 miles one-way if we need them. I sell to local so my company is doing ok. We are on quotes but I own 95 percent of my equipment and fuel prices are down so it could be worse.—NC logger “I’m not too optimistic about the future of logging. For one thing logging rates have not increased very much in the last few years but equipment cost 24

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54% of loggers surveyed said they had applied for one of the economic assistance programs available through federal recovery legislation. and operating costs have gone through the roof. It just doesn’t look very promising for future loggers like my son getting ready to take the reins.”— Wisconsin contractor “We are very concerned about the coronavirus effects coming on top of the previous two years of China trade war and very wet weather. It has also been frustrating to watch how our industry has been affected but never receives national recognition or thanks from the public even though we provide a lot of essential products that people rely upon. We are small enough that we think we can sustain, but it is hard to struggle for consecutive years in a row, and now it is unknown what we will be looking at going forward.”—Arkansas logger “I am hoping that the downturn in production will remove the ‘five-crew super loggers’ from production. Those who are over-leveraged and have to work ‘no matter what’ will go into receivership. This would allow those business owners whom have been responsible to continue as normal in the future.”—Oregon logger “Over-production is killing the logging, forestry, sawmill business. We

are dealing with hardwood lumber prices the same as we had in the late 90s. The cost of everything has gone up but what we make. Many operators go to work for mills who expect them to work cheap and make up for it with production. Huge equipment payments and repair bills cause many to fail when there is a downturn.

“I own excavation equipment and there is no way we can make as much with our logging equipment which is

75% of loggers are simply looking to maintain their current operations, not exactly a ringing endorsement.

more expensive to buy and run.

Stumpage prices in our area have not risen but declined over the last 20 years. Doing business with the Chinese has helped markets but I believe it will be slow suicide for American mills. I have told long time customers we are on our way out, and many are asking us to cut for them one more time.”—NC logger “In my area rates have not gone up at all in the last 15 years. It absolutely will not work, I don’t care how you configure it. The only saving grace that I have had is that had another source of income and that is buying wood. I track every penny and the last three years I have lost money by owning equipment.

Logging is a dead end if rates do not go TH up.”—Missouri logger TIMBER HARVESTING & FOREST OPERATIONS

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LoggingSystems 19 ➤ excellent cutting speed for increased board feet production. The chrome-plated aggressive cutting edge is designed for extreme cutting conditions from the coldest winters in Sweden to the hottest summers in the western U.S. TriLink’s harvester line provides a superior and more durable alternative over the competition.

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low gear operation. Combined with the modern, high torque Mercedes-Benz/ MTU engines, this powerhouse offers unprecedented productivity. The load-bearing capacity of the Bison Active Frame is 16 tons. The Ponsse Bison Active Frame forwarder offers excellent operator comfort and machine handling despite the increased driving speed. Ponsse Active Frame is a new type of cabin suspension system for forest machines. The structurally simple yet effective system ensures that lateral swings affecting the operator are eliminated in an efficient and unnoticeable manner.

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NewsLines 7 ➤ Ross Korpela. “I didn’t far from the business. He’d like sleep for two or three nights,” to buy firewood from other logBerthiaume says. “I talked to gers and haul it to customers.

Ross to see if they could get it. If There’s also the matter of his fathey could, then I’d do it.” ther’s old D2 Cat, which still sits “We targeted that sale for Dave,” in the yard by his home. “That’s Korpela says. “He and his family my retirement project, to reshowed a commitment to our mill build it.” for decades. He requested that timAfter logging his last tract, ber sale be purchased so he could Berthiaume plans to follow in his cut it, and we made sure we got it father’s footsteps—literally.

What took years by hand in 1969 now takes months by machine. for him. We can’t do it on all occa“Dad always hunted right here,” sions obviously, but we were able two weeks when we didn’t work at all.

Berthiaume says. “I’d move the to get this one done for Dave.”

It was too wet.” buses in a week before deer hunting It’s special for Berthiaume, not only He finally finished the tract in Deand he’d move in and he’d stay up here because he got to end his career where cember 2019. The guys on Berthiaufor three weeks. That’s what I want to he started, but also because it’s the me’s crew—Bob Berthiaume (Dave’s do. I’ll still hunt here for as long as I only site he’s ever had the chance to son), Andrew Berthiaume (Dave’s can. Come up here for a week in the harvest twice. Berthiaume started the nephew) and Nels Kimball III—are all fall and grouse hunt, work on deer harvest on this 3,000+ cord sale late looking ahead to their next jobs, but stands, and just walk. That’s what my winter 2019. Unable to complete it Dave has no doubt they’ll be just fine. dad always did. He’d get up here and then, he and the crew moved back in “They have jobs they’ve been he’d just be gone. He’d see what he’d to finish the job in August.“I thought, talking about,” he said. “They should cut, what it looked like. That’s my TH ‘it’s nice and dry so we’ll finish this be able to get jobs easily, because they dream to be doing.” up,’ and then the rains came,” he said. can run all the equipment, and they This article first appeared in the Tim“I should’ve been done October 1, but can all drive truck. People need good ber Bulletin, published by the Minnesota we could only work one or two days a workers, and these guys are all good.”

Timber Producers Assn. It is re-printed here with permission. week, sometimes three. There were As for Berthiaume, he won’t be too Foremost Authority For Professional Loggers

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SelectCuts As We (ALC) See It

Time To Get Involved DANIEL DRUCTOR As more financial impacts are being felt around the country as both a direct and indirect result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the members of the American Loggers Council have coalesced around a proposal to present to members of Congress that would provide financial assistance Dructor directly to both professional timber harvesting and log trucking businesses.

While the U.S. House of Representatives has already passed its version of the next round of stimulus funding, the U.S. Senate has put a hold on future funding until it has the opportunity to see some of the results of those appropriations that have already gone out.

Many logging and trucking businesses have been able to apply and receive Payroll Protection Program funding as well as bridge loans that

are being made available through the Small Business Administration. Another program being offered is the Business and Industry Cares Act program being administered through USDA Rural Development, which allows rural businesses to receive working capital loans from lenders at negotiated rates with financial institutions.

What the leadership of the ALC is proposing is a low interest loan to both logging and log hauling businesses for operating expenses that is based on lost production or revenue due to lost markets, curtailed production and other events related to the COVID-19 pandemic that would not duplicate those benefits received through the Payroll Protection Program.

We have a very short time timeframe in which to try and push this program into the next stimulus package, and with your help, we believe that we can make this happen. If we are successful, this will be the first time that both logging businesses and log hauling businesses have become available for low interest and perhaps forgivable loans that would ensure contractors can have the opportunity to remain in business over the next 12

months and to adjust their operations as markets begin to stabilize.

This effort is a great example of what we can accomplish when we are all working together toward a common goal, but we still need your help. We need to contact as many members of Congress as possible and we have simplified that process for you by providing a link that will only require that you enter your name and mailing address and hitting the “send” button to get our request to your U.S Congressman or Congresswoman as well as the two U.S. Senators who are representing your State in Washington, DC. Here is the link: https://www.amloggers.com/news/support-the-logger-relief-package Please take the five minutes required to have your voice heard in Washington. This is truly a joint effort between the 34 States that the ALC represents.

The American Loggers Council is a 501(c)(6) not for profit trade association representing professional timber harvesters and log haulers across the United States. For more information visit www. amloggers.com. Daniel Dructor is the executive vice president.

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Listings are submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with contacts prior to making plans to attend.

July 17-18—West Virginia Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Cannan Valley Resort & Conference Center, Davis, W.Va. Call 681-265-5019; visit wvfa.org.

July 27-30—American Forestry Conference Virtual Event.

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