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A Hatton-Brown Publication Co-Publisher David H. Ramsey Co-Publisher David (DK) Knight Chief Operating Officer Dianne C. Sullivan PUBLISHING OFFICE Street Address: 225 Hanrick Street Montgomery, AL 36104-3317 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2268 Montgomery, AL 36102-2268 Telephone (334) 834-1170 Fax 334-834-4525

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Executive Editor David (DK) Knight Editor-in-Chief Rich Donnell Managing Editor Dan Shell Senior Associate Editor David Abbott Associate Editor Jessica Johnson Associate Editor Jay Donnell Art Director/Prod. Mgr. Cindy Segrest Ad Production Coord Patti Campbell Circulation Director Rhonda Thomas Marketing/Media Jordan Anderson ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES SOUTHERN USA Randy Reagor (904) 393-7968 • Fax: (334) 834-4525 E-mail: reagor@bellsouth.net

Vol. 66, No. 6: Issue 671

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OurCover Irish state-owned forestry company Coillte administers a timber management program that includes a detailed short-log harvesting process solely using cut-to-length systems. Experienced contractors use optimized equipment to provide the highest value from a given stand. Begin reading on PAGE 14.

(Jessica Johnson photo)

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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

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Kevin Cook (604) 619-1777 E-mail: lordkevincook@gmail.com INTERNATIONAL Murray Brett +34 96 640 4165 • + 34 96 640 4048 E-mail: murray.brett@abasol.net

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ALC Report:

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CTL Technology

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Offers Tour, Interview

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Bridget DeVane 334-699-7837 bdevane7@hotmail.com Timber Harvesting & Wood Fiber Operations (ISSN 21542333) is published 6 times annually (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December issues are combined) by HattonBrown 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-of-way 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.timberharvesting.com and click on the subscribe button to subscribe/renew via the web. All advertisements for Timber Harvesting magazine are accepted and published

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OurDepartments My Take _________________________________________________ 4 News Lines _______________________________________________ 6 Fall Supplier Events _______________________________________ 26 Flumes: Old School Log Delivery ____________________________ 32 Oregon Biomass Projects__________________________________ 37 Equipment World_________________________________________ 38 Innovation Way __________________________________________ 41 Select Cuts _____________________________________________ 42 THExchange _____________________________________________ 44 Events/Ad Index __________________________________________ 46 Other Hatton-Brown Publications: Southern Loggin’ Times • Wood Bioenergy Timber Processing • Panel World • Power Equipment Trade

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MyTake DAN SHELL dan@hattonbrown.com, 334-834-1170

$48 Million Haul: Log A Load Turns 30 Fundraising comes in all shapes and sizes, but there’s no doubt it’s a long, long way from a 1988 conversation around a South Carolina dinner table to almost $50 million in 30 years raised for children’s hospitals across America.

The ultra-successful Log A Load for Kids program, celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2018, now has active programs in more than 30 states and has raised more than $48 million for 70+ member hospitals during the past 30 years. The actual idea is credited to South Carolina businessman Bill Boyce, who was a dedicated telethon volunteer with the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). Boyce, who was named a top 25 industry influencer in Southern Loggin’ Times 25th Anniversary issue, was a friend of Larry and Carol Connelly, owners of Walterboro Forest Products in Walterboro, SC. In 1988, Boyce approached the couple with the idea for loggers to donate the value of a load of logs to local children’s hospitals through the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Telethon. It would raise money for a great cause and also give the logging industry a positive image. The Connellys, of course, thought it was a great idea. Soon, along with local MUSC telethon coordinator Rainey Evans, the group was presenting the idea to the South Carolina Forestry Assn. (SCFA), which agreed and would help back the program.

With only two months to organize, promote and secure pledges, the project, headed up by Boyce, raised $20,000 its first year. The following year, Boyce and Charles Wright of Stone Container co-chaired the program and doubled the funds raised. As word spread, the race was on for other states to join.

One big push was when former SCFA staff member Paul Howe joined the American Pulpwood Assn. and told other state officials about Log A Load.

(Remember, this was way before cell phones and e-mail.) The SCFA also provided critical early support for Log A Load that included promotional materials, banners and pledge cards, plus developing operating rules and procedures.

Ten years later, by 1997, Log A Load for Kids had spread to 24 states and had 4

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raised $2 million in ’97 alone—a hundredfold increase in just a decade.

The basic concept of Log A Load For Kids is for loggers and wood-supplying businesses to donate the value of a load of logs, or any amount, to a nearby Children’s Miracle Network Hospital to be used in treating ill and injured children.

Of course, knowing the generosity of America’s loggers, if donating a load of logs is good, then donating the proceeds raised through sporting clay shoots, golf events, carnivals, association dinners and auctions is better, much better.

Along the way, state logging and forestry associations—and their related suppliers and vendor associate members, who provide key support as well— also found ways to contribute.

Indeed, Log A Load for Kids is a testament to the heart of this industry, and the beautiful thing is everyone from small crew contractors and their families to executives from some of the largest timber and equipment companies in the U.S. have pitched in and lent a hand in time and money. It’s an amazing grassroots fund-raising effort.

John Lauck, President and CEO, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, says the Log A Load program is an inspiration and one of the group’s longest-running and dedicated support partners.

“Your ongoing commitment to helping sick and injured children in the communities you serve is remarkable and the culture you’ve built around inspiring better lives is truly commendable,”

Log A Load Leaders Past National Chairs 1993-1995 - George Ragsdale, Blackstone Timber/Roanoke Lumber, Va. and NC 1996-1997 - Jim & Janet Seaman, Seaman Timber, Ala. 1998-1999 - Jim Mooney, PTH, Inc., Va. 2000-2001 - Betsy Luoto, Cross & Crown Inc., Ore. 2002-2003 - Debby Blomberg, Blomberg Logging, Wis. 2004-2005 - Allen Boatright, Boatright Timber Service, Fla. 2006-2007 - Sam Cook, International Paper, NC and SC 2008-2009 - Robert Williams, Quercus Forest Products, Tenn.

2010-2011 - Lisa Medici, Medici Logging, Calif.

2012-2014 - Rich Palermo, Greif Packaging, Va. 2015-2018 - Sherri Hansen, Hansen Logging, Wash.

Lauck said in a letter promoting Log A Load and its 30th anniversary. “We are honored and fortunate to have a relationship with the logging and forestry assoTH ciations across the United States.”

Another load rolls for local kids: Log A Load is an amazing grassroots fundraising effort.

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NewsLines

No Tree Left Unturned Hurricane Michael’s force felt in Southeast forests.

By Rich Donnell

than pushed over at the roots.

Recovery efforts in stands with lorida, Georgia and Alabroken off trees are severely bama have weighed in hampered. On the positive side, with timberland damage falling temperatures should enassessments of more than $2 bilhance the window for recovery. lion combined following HurriSapp’s Land & Excavating, cane Michael, which made landInc., and Jerry Sapp Timber fall October 10 in the Florida Co., a major logging and chipPanhandle at Mexico Beach, Fla. ping operation that supplies the just southeast of Panama City.

Enviva wood pellet plant in Packing 155 MPH sustained Cottondale, Fla., reports that winds, the Category 4 hurricane Michael caused Enviva Cottonwas the third most intense hurridale to suspend wood receipts cane to make landfall in the confor a week and they resumed tiguous U.S. in terms of pressure. Catastrophic timber damage south of Blountstown, Fla. (Photo courbuying microchips on October tesy of Florida Forest Service) It plowed a 25-50 mile swath 19. A few of Sapp Timber emfrom the coast well into south ployees lost their homes and Georgia. vehicles and the company was able to of pine and 17,178,721 tons of hardFlorida Forest Service, a division of assist them with the recovery efforts. wood being damaged with an estimated the Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Sapp Timber was fully operational value of $762,683,909. Specifically 1.16 Consumer Services, announced that the with all staff present by October 25, million acres of pine were damaged, estimated value of timber damage in even though they had to be extremely 995,000 acres of hardwood and 213,000 Florida is $1.3 billion, impacting 2.8 cautious on the roadways because of acres of pine/hardwood mix. million acres of forestland either catalow wires and utility workers.

Catastrophic damage was docu“The largest challenge that lies in strophically (347,000 acres), severely mented for 79,456 acres of forestland front of us and all of the forest indus(1.04 million acres) or moderately (1.4 from south of Albany to Lake Seminole; try in the Panhandle is how to process million acres). this damage represents a loss of the storm damaged wood,” comments The timber damage percentage in 2,164,507 tons of pine and 1,812,946 Vice President Jeremy Sapp. “Landsevere and catastrophic areas ranges tons of hardwood with a value of owners are desperate for a solution to from 75-95%. $80,487,176. the timber that was pristine and is now “This is a catastrophic loss to the Severe damage was documented for laying on the ground, broken off or forest industry in the Florida Panhan296,112 acres of forestland from south blown over at the stump. We have dle,” said Florida Commissioner of of Albany to near Bainbridge. This Agriculture Adam Putnam. “We are been utilizing a track cutter to aid in damage represents a loss of 6,368,484 committed to helping Florida recover felling the storm damaged wood but it tons of pine and 5,333,844 tons of hardfrom this devastating storm and will is not as effective as we would like so wood with a value of $236,807,442. continue to work closely with the agriwe are waiting on a John Deere 2554 Alabama Forestry Commission officulture industry on hurricane-related (log loader) that is being equipped cials estimate $20 million in timber damage assessments.” with a CSI DFH-3526, which is a dandamage in Houston County in the southgle head capable of cutting parallel to The 11 counties impacted are some of east corner of the state. Surveys conthe ground. The John Deere with the the top timber-producing in the state, ducted by AFC found that 42,357 forCSI head should be able to cut 12-15 including Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, ested acres were destroyed by the loads of damaged wood per day.”

Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Leon, storm—13,396 acres of pine, 2,879 Florida Forestry Assn. has formed a Liberty, Wakulla and Washington. acres of hardwood and 26,082 acres of task force composed of area loggers, Some forest products manufacturing mixed pine and hardwood. consultants, engineers and mill owners facilities also sustained damage. More Alabama Dept. of Transportation has to address the challenges of the local than 1.6 million acres of the damaged issued a supporting memorandum desigmarket and provide suggestions to be timber is in pine, with 667,000 acres in nating the routes that timber haulers submitted to state and federal offimixed upland stands, and 523,000 in should use in moving the storm-damcials. The points of discussion include bottomland. aged wood.

Much of the damage being reported rapid construction of wet decks, adaptaGeorgia Forestry Commission reports across the three-state area is trees brotion of harvesting techniques, and subsi2,368,226 acres of forestland were imken off 10-20 feet off the ground rather dies for landowners who are experiencpacted in Georgia with 20,510,889 tons

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NewsLines ing a drastic loss in timber value. tances before the freight cost becomes sustained significant structural damage.

Sapp notes that the local mills are intolerable,” he says, referring to the fact Stacks on two boilers were reportedly already experiencing a surge in the volthat the market value of tops, limbs, blown over and one source estimated ume of wood because of the storm and branches or crooked pulpwood is so the mill would be down for at least a only have the capacity to process a finite low, and you can only haul 26-27 tons month. amount, but the wood that is on the per load, therefore you can haul it Rex Lumber worked to get its sawground will only be viable for an estimaybe 40-50 miles before the freight mills at Bristol and Graceville going mated five months, so wet decks and cost is too much per load of a low value following power outages. “There are new lay down yards are essential to faproduct. many cosmetic repairs that need to be cilitate temporary storage of the log “Another way to look at it is if there made and we will be working on those products because they can be stored is a bioenergy plant in Waycross, Ga. in the coming weeks and months,” Rex “wet” for an extended period of time and it has plenty of feedstock within a officials said right after the storm. “We without blue-staining.

40 mile radius, why would it pay more are working through many issues since “Although we didn’t lose much of for similar feedstock from 75 miles we do not have internet or phone, again our personal forest to the storm, many away from hurricane salvage? That’s it is back to the old days.” people counted on their timber stands why the location of these plants is really Employees gradually returned to the for retirements and college tuitions. important,” Madden says.

Bristol mill, but many others could not Hopefully some support will come from “The race is on to get the sawlogs due to lack of communication, fuel, state and federal agencies to help keep salvaged to market before next sumpower, home damage or all of the forestry the second largest industry in mer’s heat begins to create blue stain above. The company was working to our state,” Sapp says. see if the bank would open to Enviva reported that its facilcash checks. ities incurred only limited dam“The mills did sustain some age, noting it undertook subdamage, but nothing compared stantial preparation in advance to what the local landowners are of Hurricane Michael’s landfall dealing with down here,” comto keep employees safe and ments co-owner Charles McRae. minimize disruption, including “To me that is the biggest story proactively idling operations at and problem that will come out its wood pellet production plant of this hurricane.” in Cottondale and a third-party The Bristol and Graceville deep-water marine terminal in sawmills are back to full proPanama City. The Cottondale duction and they are working plant did not incur substantial to run up as much storm wood wind or water damage. Enviva as they possibly can, but does not own material infraMcRae says they will be fortustructure assets at the Panama nate “to salvage 30% of the Hurricane Michael blew through Bay County, Fla. (Photo courtesy of City terminal, but a small por- Florida Forest Service) 1.4 million acres on the tion of the roof on its conground between us and the tracted storage warehouse will need to problems and degrades the logs,” Madother mills around.” be replaced and an estimated 5,000 tons den says, adding that some companies McRae says they have concerns of wood pellet inventory stored at the may put the pulpwood and sawlogs about Bristol’s wood basket long-term. terminal appear to have been damaged under water in wet yards and closed “The (Apalachicola) national forest by wind and rain. loop sprinkler systems.

(630,000 acres) is to our south and east The Cottondale plant returned to op“The broken and down material can and we pretty much haven’t received erations once power was restored. Albe used (for wood pellets) and probably anything from it in 30 years,” McRae though the Port of Panama City refor a longer period than pulp. But once says. “It weathered the storm well and we are working very hard to get that mained closed, Enviva was making arit dries out it is very difficult to pelletforest open and productive. Things seem rangements to transport wood pellets ize,” comments Harold Arnold, princito be moving in that direction, but only from the Cottondale plant to other termipal of Fram Renewable Fuels, which time will tell. Having that resource nals. operates four wood pellet plants. available will help bridge the gap of Pete Madden, principal and owner of Another problem, Arnold notes, are what will take 20-30 years to recover to Edgemere Consulting in Atlanta, and the very stringent sustainability rules our west.” former president and CEO of Drax Biothat must be followed for most markets.

Alabama Forestry Commission remass, notes that all the damaged mate“If we cannot trace the fiber back to its leased some general recovery guidelines rial would be useful feedstock for bioenorigin then we cannot use it,” Arnold as drawn up by the North Carolina Forergy and could be used for some time as says. “Storm cleanup would make great estry Assn: the goal is to drive down the moisture raw material for pellets but in many —Any young pines (30 ft. and content of the material anyway. cases cannot be used. Just one of the shorter) leaning 30 degrees or more will “The problem is that it doesn’t many unintended consequences of a likely not produce higher end products ‘weigh-up,’ meaning you can’t economstringent sustainability protocol.” such as poles, sawtimber and veneer. ically transport the feedstock great disThe WestRock mill in Panama City 8

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NewsLines —Trees leaning 15 degrees or less should recover.

—More mature pine (greater than 30 ft. in height) can have more lean and still recover, but most should be 20 degrees or less.

—If the lean and wind throw has caused roots to become exposed or damaged, these trees should be removed.

Breaks of main stems and branches on pines should be assessed.

—Most pine trees will die if their tops are completely broken off.

—Most pines will survive if three or more live limbs remain; however, there will be substantial loss of growth.

—Any breakage in the pine stem or roots and major wounds will become a prime entry point for insects and disease, which ultimately weakens the timber stand, e.g., southern pine beetle and blue stain fungus.

—Large pine trees with stem breakage suffer serious wood structure damage, forcing sawmills to trim back four to six ft. from the breakage point. Hardwoods can keep longer after wind damage as long as the roots are in the soil.

Foremost Authority For Professional Loggers

—Unlike pines, a storm-damaged hardwood with a portion of the root ball attached to the ground may survive an additional 6-12 months.

—Timber sold in post-storm conditions may have higher logging costs factored into the final sale, lowering the return to the landowner.

—The timing of selling storm-damaged timber is important. Generally, after a major storm there is a temporary wood glut on the market, which may lower the price of the timber.

Biomass Bill Wins The Day Inspired by the support of loggers and timberland owners, the New Hampshire Legislature overrode the governor’s veto of SB365, a bill that supports the state’s six independent biomass plants and waste-to-energy facility.

“The legislature made the right call to override the veto of SB365. When you consider the vast impacts this bill has not only on various sectors of NH’s economy, but also on NH’s established

and treasured values, the small cost is vastly outweighed by the benefits,” says Jasen Stock, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Timberland Owners Assn. (NHTOA). “In addition, the override successfully protects NH from the long-term $17 million annual cost our state would have to pay to replace lost generation capacity. Our state’s forestry, recreation, tourism, and agricultural industries were on the line, and we thank the legislature for hearing the facts and fixing the governor’s mistake.”

Earlier, representatives from NHTOA, New Hampshire Sustainable Energy Assn. (NHSEA), and Granite State Hydropower Assn. (GHSA) had presented the N.H. Speaker of the House and N.H. Senate President with hundreds of petitions containing more than 6,500 signatures from more than 200 towns urging the override. The petition drive was one of the largest veto-override petition drives in New Hampshire history.

“I’m feeling relieved for the men and women in the forest industry, and I was proud to stand with the men and ➤ 36

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ALC On The Grow: Annual Meeting Highlights Board action, logging tour awards and more DANShell

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oggers from across the country who are members of the American Loggers Council (ALC) and made the trip West enjoyed the group’s annual meeting in Seaside, Ore., where great weather and compelling events included a logging tour, awards, board meeting and much more.

Those in attendance were treated to a Team Safe Trucking fall meeting the day before the ALC events began, as well as the first public appearance by new Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen. The three-day event was capped off by gorgeous Oregon fall weather.

Members Meet During the official business portion of the meeting, the ALC received a report from Jim Geisinger of Oregon, executive director of Associated Oregon Loggers and head of the ALC Legislative Committee, on the group’s first-ever lobbyist hired to represent loggers interests. l Geisinger noted that Capitol Hill

Consulting Group (CHCG)’s Steve Southerland is ALC’s primary contact.

A former Florida congressman, Southerland was a joint owner of K&B Land and Timber with his brother. Geisinger said that experience gives CHCG the capabilities to understand the world of logging and how Congress can better support logger interests.

The move to hire CHCG will “allow us to be more proactive in advancing our issues in a timelier manner when the political landscape changes,” Geisinger said.

The ALC has identified legislative priorities that the lobbying group will look to support, including defining timber harvesting as more of an agricultural activity; woody biomass should be considered a carbon neutral source of energy; supporting the “Right to Haul Act” and legislation to allow 16-year-old family members to work on mechanized crews; support for new wood markets and products; and supporting responsible and sustained timber management on federal forest lands.

Outgoing ALC President Mark Turner, center, congratulates President’s Award winners Ken Swanstrom, left, of Skookum Logging in Montana and Crad Jaynes, Executive Dir. of the South Carolina Timber Producers Assn., for their support of the ALC and logger professionalism over the years.

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l One major topic of discussion during the membership meeting was the ALC Master Logger Certification (MLC) program promoted by some associations and ALC members across the country. The MLC program includes performance audits that go beyond the continuing education models that many states and associations have developed to maintain trained logger status. However, MLC supporters believe the program is a stronger way to promote logger professionalism and point to reports that MLC loggers are getting additional benefits for having the MLC credentials in some areas.

Florida’s Richard Schwab says he believes MLC provides an opportunity to “bridge the gap between certified timberland and certified wood.” After lively discussion about the Master Logger Certification Program and the ALC’s role in supporting it, the ALC board voted to renew the organization’s support for the program for one year at a slightly reduced budget amount. l The ALC board received a report on the future of the Wood Supply Research Institute, which ALC has supported over the years but lately more members are questioning WSRI’s effectiveness. The 20-year-old WSRI has done some good work, but many claim that currently, fewer top mill executives are working closely with it, and the information WSRI develops isn’t making differences on the ground or to the supply chain due to a lack of implementation of those studies as in the past. “It’s been a good tool, but looking to the future of the group, we need to define a new direction with new administration,” said South Carolina’s Crad Jaynes. (Update: Following a conference call after the ALC meeting, it appears that WSRI is going to become part of the Forest Resources Assn.—details to follow.) l ALC Communications Specialist Nick Smith reported that ALC has

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Loggers from across the U.S. enjoyed the big timber on Mark Turner’s logging job.

New FS Chief Vicki Christiansen makes first public appearance with ALC speech.

70,000 followers on its Facebook page, and added 13,000 new followers in 2018 (through September). He added that the news release announcing the hiring of CHCG was picked up by 202 news outlets.

The ALC exhibited and solicited new members at the Sierra Cascade Logging Conference in California, Mid-South Forestry Equipment Show in Mississippi and the Oregon Logging Conference in 2018. Smith reported 375 newsletter subscribers.

Logging Tour One of the biggest chores the ALC president has each year is arranging the annual meeting’s logging tour to highlight local woods work. Outgoing President Mark Turner of Banks, Ore. treated visitors to a tour of his company’s operations in the Tillamook State Forest east of Seaside.

The tour site was a timber sale purchased by Cascade McFarland that held some truly nice coastal Oregon timber—including more than a few 70-80 ft. pole logs 2+ ft. in diameter.

“That big timber was truly awesome,” said one visitor from southeast Virginia after watching a six-log load leave the landing.

The logging job included tong-throwing action by Turner’s brother Greg from the cab of a Hitachi excavator, plus a swing yarder crew bringing logs to the landing.

Those on the tour were also treated to lunch at the legendary Camp 18 restaurant in Elsie, Ore., built, owned and operated by logger Gordon Smith and his family. The restaurant includes a 25 ton, 85 ft. main room ridge pole containing 5,600 board feet and believed to be the largest such structural member in the U.S. Outside is an old equipment logging museum and logging memorial for the Foremost Authority For Professional Loggers

The ALC board meeting included committee reports, support for Master Logger Certification resolution.

area’s loggers. The museum includes a 161 ft. spar tree and cable supports, plus many pieces of old equipment and logging tools.

New FS Chief Keynote speaker during the awards luncheon was recently-named U.S. Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen. ALC was the first organization that Christiansen addressed after being appointed Chief on October 10.

Speaking to ALC attendees three days later, she discussed her vision for the Forest Service, her efforts to improve management on National Forest Service lands, and the recognition of loggers as the “boots on the ground” to help ensure better outcomes for public lands.

Christiansen cited four major issues facing the FS going forward: providing a safe work environment; delivering excellent customer service for national forest stakeholders across a wide range of interests; promoting shared stewardship with other landowners to improve forest health; and improving recreation access and infrastructure.

However, gaining control of fire issues is a huge priority for the FS, Christiansen said. She noted the last 20 years have seen 180 fires of more than 150,000 acres, and 13 states have set new largest fire records during that time.

Seeking more funding and some bu-

reaucratic changes, including $20 billion over eight years for forest health, Christiansen noted 17 million acres have been identified as able to benefit from mechanical treatments including thinning. She said timber sale volume has doubled since 2001 and will reach 3 billion BF in 2018.

Christiansen also noted FS support of new markets and new technologies for forest products, including cross-laminated timber and other mass timber products and building design.

The agency is also supporting research and incentives to expand wood energy markets to utilize more low-cost wood.

“We’re looking for better ways to accomplish our mission,” Christiansen said, citing a need to be more accountable and flexible. She’d like to improve the FS consultation process with EPA and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and also see some reforms at the environmental analysis level to be “less risk-averse” while producing “quality policies supported by science.”

The president’s dinner and auction raised more than $15,000 including $1,200 for the Log A Load for Kids program, now in its 30th year and pushing $50 million in overall donations. The auction was spurred along by Basco Logging co-owner and auctioneer Jaime Yraguen, who repeatedly coaxed more dollars for kids out of ALC members.

Loggers and activists were honored during the awards luncheon. The ALC NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

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Timber Harvesting Executive Editor DK Knight, left, addresses assembled ALC group during president’s banquet prior to Logging Business of the Year presentation.

Vance Wright of Charles A. Wright logging in Virginia won the National Logger Activist Award.

President’s Award was given to Ken Swanstrom of Skookum Logging in Montana and Crad Jaynes of the South Carolina Timber Producers Assn. for their support and leadership for the council and the logging industry over their careers. The National Logger Activist Award was awarded to Vance Wright, owner of Charles A. Wright Logging Inc. in Virginia for his advocacy on behalf of fellow loggers.

The final evening banquet was marked by the presentation of the Timber Harvesting Logging Business of the Year Award for 2018, which went to Log Creek Timber of Johnston, SC and the Williams family that owns and operates several timber-related ventures, including a timber dealership and trucking company that encompasses more a half-dozen in-house logging crews, more than two dozen subcontractors and 40 trucks. Reg and Martha Williams accepted the award from Managing Editor Dan Shell and Associate Editor Jessica Johnson.

At the end of the night, outgoing ALC President Mark Turner of Oregon passed the gavel to Alabama’s Chris Potts, ALC President for 2018-2019.

ment reports on public roads.

Investing in safe infrastructure and equipment, requiring and incentivizing safe behavior and communication and training workers are key components of improving safety, he added, noting that Hancock contracts for hauling require headlights, speed limits, seatbelts, hardhats-hi vis clothing and being in a safe area during loading. l Mike Macedo of International Paper noted that trucking capacity issues are constraining fiber production, and that lack of qualified drivers is the most significant factor. He noted the efforts IP has made to develop a Log Truck Driver Certification program in Georgia, working with Georgia Technical College, BITCO Insurance, Georgia Forest Products and Interfor.

The goal is to build a program that would safely enhance the driving experience time requirements needed for insurance. Set to kick off in January 2019, the program is administered by the Technical College System of Georgia, and already four in-state insurance providers have recognized the program in lieu of driving experience.

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Logging tour included lunch at legendary Camp 18 restaurant and logging museum.

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Potts gave a short talk, noting that he was looking forward to working with ALC members across the nation on such issues as trucking, labor and more.

Team Safe Meeting Team Safe Trucking (TST) held its fall meeting at Seaside as well, co-locating at the Shiloh Inn hotel also used by the ALC meeting the day before ALC events began.

Miranda Gowell, TST Special Projects Coordinator, reported that the first two TST training modules have been completed, with 26 more expected to be complete by December. l Jeff DeRoss, Northwest Oregon Harvesting Manager for Hancock Forest Management, noted a “troubling trend” in his area, including a number of serious truck accidents in the last five years, including four fatalities.

“We need to understand why accidents happen and control what we can control,” DeRoss said, noting that Hancock investigates the root causes of serious accidents and near misses, including in-house investigations of tree farm incidents and lawn enforce-

ALC auction raised more than $15,000 for the ALC budget and also $1,200 for Log A Load For Kids.

Mark Turner leads visitors on tour of his pole tree timber sale job in Tillamook State Forest.

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The Grass Is Really Green Coillte is the Irish government’s forestry company—owning 70% of the timber.

JESSICAJohnson

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cross the pond, they do things a little differently. Cars have steering wheels on what North American’s would say is the passenger side, and the “right” side of the road to drive on, is by North American standards, the “wrong” side. You don’t call someone in Ireland—you ring them. And if you own and operate a forest machine, there’s a 70% chance you are cutting down pine or Sitka spruce owned by the Irish government’s forestry company, Coillte.

Coillte, pronounced “quill-cha” (a nod to the country’s native tongue, Gaelic), is a semi-state organization.

The Republic of Ireland is the only shareholder, and it follows a strict list of laws and regulations handed down by the government. But also, the company operates a profit-driven business model—all dividends go to the Irish government. “It’s a strange crossover,” Stephen Fletcher, a harvesting technol-

Declan Fitzpatrick

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ogy specialist with Coillte, admits.

In addition to owning 70% of the timberlands in Ireland, the company also owns two board plants—one medium density fiberboard plant in the north and one oriented strandboard plant in the south—as well as one cutto-length forest crew. According to the Irish Times, during the first six months of 2018, Coillte’s turnover was 173.5 million Euro.

The majority of the harvesting in Ireland on Coillte land is performed by individual contractors—just like North Americans cutting for a TIMO operate. The contractors own the equipment and work the land. The contractors for Coillte do not sell the timber.

Instead, Coillte sells straight to the mills via both contracts done in an annual National Football League-style draft system and smaller monthly online auctions run by Coillte foresters.

Timber is either sold standing, where a sawmill will provide the contractors to cut it down. Or roadside, where Coillte will either have its own crew or a contractor fell the timber and prepare it for hauling, where the mill will have its own trucks retrieve it.

In order to maintain some skin in the game of harvesting, Coillte also owns one single cut-to-length forest operation—one “brasher” or saw man, one harvester operator, one forwarder operator and one machine trainee.

Fletcher says the idea behind having a Coillte company crew was simple: Having the network is really valuable to the company, along with being on a level footing with contractors. The feedback the operators can provide is invaluable, he adds.

“We’re able to do our own studies, and when a contractor is complaining about a breakdown or the cost of something, we can look to our own information,” Fletcher details. Three years ago, Coillte upgraded the machines, purchasing a new Komatsu 835 forwarder and John Deere 1170E harvester with H414 John Deere harvesting head.

Coillte offers forest contractors standard long-term contracts of three years, with the option to extend an additional two. But, and this is a rather large but, all machinery must be up-todate. By Coillte standards that means pieces are to be less than five years old. “They are guaranteed work,” Fletcher says, which can be taken to the machinery dealerships and presented to help with financing the larger investments.

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Logs are processed and then sold “roadside” for contract haulers to take to mills.

On Site In Ireland, the tracts of timber, called sites, range in size from 300 square meters to 13,000 square meters (3.2 acres)—tiny compared to most tracts in North America. Roughly 90% of the harvested crop is Sitka spruce or pine. Typically, a given site is thinned twice before a clear fell.

Third and fourth thinnings are unusual but not totally unheard of. “At the end of the day, it makes it worthwhile 20 years later if the thinning helps the crop grow stronger,” Fletcher, a graduate forester, notes.

Coillte’s crew works in the county of Portlaoise (pronounced portleash) as well as the area near Kilkenny, in the southeastern section of Ireland.

Before a given tract of timber can be harvested the property has to be licensed to cut trees. Declan Fitzpatrick, who rotates operating the harvester with John Downey, will sign off on the license and the “harvest pack” must be obtained, approved and signed.

The pack, a standard procedure for all harvest sites, is put together by a Coillte forester and is kept with the crew at all times. It contains a cross section of information—some generic information pertinent to all sites like questions about the area, emergency

service details and operator details, to more site specific information like topographic maps, environmental risk assessments and the Coillte inventory team’s volume estimate. Also in the pack is the Irish standard for log quality, including log specs.

Fletcher notes that while Ireland has the best growing rates in Europe, it can take just 40 seconds to destroy something that took 40 years to grow if the right cutting decisions aren’t made. “Log optimization is a big deal for us,” he emphasizes.

Logs in 3 m segments are for pulpwood, while sawlogs range from 3.7 m to 4.9 m. As is a universal struggle, Coillte strives to make sure high quality timber isn’t put into low quality products. The newer John Deere harvester is supported by John Deere software as well as Irish-based Satmodo software for optimized decisions—though operators have the ability to make a snap decision on the fly.

Brasher Leo Brophy goes in first to the site, removing the bottom meter of branches where the harvesting head meets the tree. According to Fitzpatrick the process improves production by 15% across the site. “By him doing that the tree can be processed straight away.

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moving. We find it pays for itself to have a guy in front of the machine,” he adds.

Logs are processed using a 2015 John Deere 1170E with a four-knife H414 John Deere head.

The 10-ton payload capacity Komatsu 835 forwarder collects logs for roadside pick up. The 835 is outfitted with band From left, John Downey, Stephen Fletcher and Thomas Cowman tracks, which Coillte has found to help avoid rutting as the tershift to a workshop space in Portlaorain is quite sticky with muck nearly ise, such as if the crane had to come year round thanks to the trademark off a machine. Fitzpatrick admits wet weather of the British Isles. they’ve done that kind of work on site Fitzpatrick says the wet weather in the past. “On reflection, it is not the doesn’t necessarily stop operations. best thing to do. It makes a lot more “Choosing the right sites for the right sense to go back and do it thoroughly. time of year is common sense. It’s rare A job not done right is going to come that we’d stop harvesting because of back to bite you,” he emphasizes. rain,” he adds. “Typically, the harDepending on the problem, Fitzpatvester operates all the time. But, we do rick will either use the workshop prohave to monitor the forwarder since it vided by the heavy haul contractor is going in and out, in and out; it is Coillte uses to move machines or have breaking the ground. Muck can get it towed to Wicklow to the John Deere into the streams and that’s an autoForestry Ltd. shop. He would rather matic stop.” To try to stop the spread keep the machine close to home, inof muck the crew will use branches stead of sending it the hour and a half and tops to create a “carpet” for the to John Deere, but believes that someforwarder to use. times the cheapest way isn’t always All trucking is contracted out, the best way. which eliminates a lot of headaches. A Adding to that, Fitzpatrick says that third party contractor manages all the with machines so advanced the biggest tool in the box is a laptop—and he trucking using an app-based system to doesn’t have the software John Deere match standing commitments, what is does to decode blocked filters, emison the roadside and things that need to be moved. “It’s a work in progress,” sions switches and things of the like.

Fletcher admits.

“All the machines are going to new efficiencies with the engines and it’s a thorn in our side,” Downey says.

Maintenance Fitzpatrick says it has been a joy to Fitzpatrick says that the 1170E is not have regular breakdowns with the definitely the favorite machine, and it new pieces. “With previous machines is working really well.

Over the 5,000 hours the crew has put on the machine, Fitzpatrick says they haven’t had any issues.

“It’s still relatively new,” he adds.

“So we might not have those opinions farther down the line when it starts to break down and we’re all lying underneath it in the cold and wet. But we’re also used to that anyhow,” he laughs.

All preventative maintenance that the crew can handle themselves is done The 2015 John Deere 1170E is the “favorite” among the crew. on site. Major problems 16

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we were having regular breakdowns. There are parts of these machines we don’t even know about because we haven’t got acquainted with it because we haven’t had to.”

Looking Ahead As is commonly expressed in North American, Fletcher says the Irish forestry work force is definitely aging, but has improved slightly in the last three years. Overall, however, there is still serious concern that not as many young people want to drive machines.

Thomas Cowman is part of the machine trainee program that started in January 2018. He spent six months learning the forwarder and then six months on the harvester. Cowman is the second to work through the program. Downey says it worked brilliantly last year and the trainee was able to get a job as an operator for a private contractor. Fletcher says the program is a huge win for the industry where the highly skilled workforce was aging rapidly.

As to the emerging technology, Fletcher says the Irish industry has a lot of chatter around winch assist harvesting—but hasn’t fully embraced it.

Right now, access to sites thanks to cables is not a concern, so the gains in productivity and safety are the main drivers for the chatter.

The most innovative use of technology in the woods by Coillte is done with the Satmodo application, where data from the machine (coupled with data from the JD Link application) is transmitted via Bluetooth to the Coillte branch offices. Fitzpatrick says the app gives the foresters a chance to see how far ahead in the site the crew is working and how quickly they might finish.

It gives Fitzpatrick a breadcrumb trail, he says, so he can make sure things are done properly.

Fletcher says in using the Satmodo data and system, the goal is to eventually be able to create a cutting plan and send instructions straight to the TH machine.

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A Ride Back In Time Juha Vidgrén, Ponsse Chairman of the Board, gives a look into life in central Finland.

JESSICAJohnson

Vidgrén: “My work is storytelling.”

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or Juha Vidgrén, one of Ponsse founder Einari Vidgrén’s four sons, and current Ponsse Plc Chairman of the Board, remembering where you came from is crucial. A former elementary school teacher turned marketer turned board chairman, Vidgrén believes that by looking to the past, we can get a fresh perspective on how to live, and work hard, today.

He is, as some might say, a man from a different era. When Timber Harvesting’s Associate Editor Jessica Johnson had the chance to spend some time with Vidgrén in late August in his home of Vieremä, Finland, the music pumping through his car wasn’t the rock music of his generation, but instead soft classical selections. When he talks about his life, he constantly refer18

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ences his father’s work ethic, making ends meet between four little ones, a farm and operating a sizable forest contractor business, and how hard his grandparents worked to keep their farm afloat when conditions after World War II left much of Finland struggling.

He reveres his grandparents so much, that on the land where his family lives, as they have for generations, he completely rebuilt his grandmother’s home. Paying the utmost attention to detail, Vidgrén used old pictures to make sure the house is a nearly exact replica of the place his mother and father lived with his grandparents.

But Vidgrén was thorough when he took over as the unofficial family historian. In addition to the home restoration, he also has ensured that the his-

tory of Ponsse was given ample attention. Sitting proud near the home Vidgrén grew up in, steps from the grandparents’ house and the house he and his wife live in currently, is the “Ponsse Dino” he affectionately calls it: the very first machine made in 1969. The machine has seen continuous renovations throughout the years, Vidgrén says, and while the cabs have changes, the frame and the engine from the “Dino” can be seen in almost every Ponsse every made—including the newest machines Cobra and Fox. Here, Vidgrén gives TH a look at what his daily routine consists of, as well as historical context.

Timber Harvesting: So, you’re not the managing director of the company?

Juha Vidgrén: No. We have Mr. Juho Nummela, he’s outside of the family—that keeps it clear. When you have family owned companies, it’s better that you are not telling your brother how bad we are doing or how bad he is doing. Two of us work for the company; three of us are members of the board of directors. Our other brother takes part in the meetings, but is not on the board.

TH: What’s your day look like?

JV: For me, as Chairman of the Board, I oversee seven people: People from financial industries, people from the sawmills, experience with forestry companies and then the family members. Of course, we have strategy meetings. I keep that as my main part of work. Every day work is more centered on the customers. We have customers coming from all over the world. We take them to the forest, on a factory tour, I make a presentation about the company. We come to the farm, and look at the farm’s program.

That usually happens two or three times per week. We have a lot of global exhibitions, meeting employees and customers—that’s also part of my

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Ponsse Expands Vieremä Factory

Ponsse expanded its factory in Finland to 4,000 square meters, with the investment toppling 40 million Euros.

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ever one to stop moving forward, the team at Ponsse has made a nearly 40 million Euro investment, the largest in the company’s history—expanding production facility from 2,700 square meters to 4,000. Supply Chain Director of Ponsse Plc Tommi Väänänen says the decision to improve was driven by a desire to automate the production lines and keep the main line moving quickly without sacrificing quality.

President and CEO of Ponsse Plc Juho Nummela echoes him, saying, “The new factory facilitates the strong development of quality, flexibility, occupational safety and productivity. We are able to react more flexibly to changes in the market situation and ensure effective customer variation of Ponsse forest machines in serial production conditions.”

Construction of the new factory began in 2016 and has largely been completed by the end of 2018. Väänänen says now his 400-person workforce is focusing on ramping up production, which typically produces 1,000 cut-to-length

machines per year. Each of the 18 assembly stations on the main production line were fine-tuned, as the line was lengthened but the amount of work to be done at each place was lessened, giving the production line speed gains overall.

As part of the expansion and upgrade to the production facility, Ponsse installed two more welding robots, increasing its automatic welding capacity to 40% with the target to increase even more in the coming years. Manual welding of small joints is still done by hand in Finland, but robots handle all large welding projects: one holds the component and one does the welding work.

Additionally, the new factory uses smart storage technology that enables a smooth flow of components to production lines. This has significantly increased productivity of storage logistics and reduced manual handling of components. The storage automation includes 15,500 storage places for small goods and 3,900 pallet places.

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On the main assembly line, 18 stations produce approximately 1,000 CTL machines per year.

As part of the compound in Vieremä, Finland, the original Ponsse factory from the 1970s houses the current R&D department.

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job. The factory employees are very close, so if anything happens in the factory I am still close to that in my work. Sometimes it means we could spend some money for our employees to go skiing or rent a bus and arrange something for the families. We have a lot of different things happening all the time. Every morning, I come to the factory. I spend my time like a normal working day.

TH: What was your first job with the company?

JV: I was working as the communications manager. I had Ponsse News, our magazine, as well as internal communications for our employees to know what’s happening. That was exactly 20 years ago, and we only had three forestry machines 20 years ago.

It was kinda easy!

My work is storytelling. I don’t know about the machines and the forestry side so well. I don’t talk about numbers. Of course we need goals, and to follow a lot of numbers, but for

Vidgren left no detail untouched. A current model television was retrofitted to look like a model from the 1950s, and plays only programming from that era.

Family mementos and photos of what the house looked like when Einari and his wife lived with his parents dot the renovated farmhouse.

me, that’s the easy part. In our company we have clear roles, and we have common goals. The communication is at a good level. That’s what you need to have as a teacher, keep things clear, and understand people.

TH: Why do you think your father got into this?

JV: He was a contractor, had 27 men working, and seven different machines. But the problem was that even with the big companies that built the machines, their main product was a farm tractor. Quality was poor.

They used the same components but the problem was in the hard forest work, the components broke. He lost everything he made working to repairing the machines. The Ponsse Dino was made to go two weeks working in the forest without needing repair. And it did!

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CTLTech Deere Cut-to-Length Systems John Deere offers reliable and durable equipment solutions designed for cut-to-length operations. The Final Tier 4 John Deere G-Series Forwarders (1110G, 1210G, 1510G and 1910G) and Wheeled Harvesters (10170G, 1170G, 1270G and 1470G) were designed to increase productivity. Available on all forwarders as well as the 1170G and 1270G Harvesters, the innovative Intelligent Boom Control (IBC) simplifies boom operation. IBC automatically controls the lift, slew and the extension of the boom based on the location of grapple, increasing accuracy, productivity, and, ultimately, the number of loads per work shift.

All of the G-Series Wheeled Harvesters and the 1110G, 1210G and 1510G Forwarders feature standard adaptive driveline control, a first in the forestry industry. This control system allows the operator to select the desired RPM setting for the operating conditions, and then the system automatically adjusts the engine’s RPMs to correspond with the engine load.

G-Series Forwarders are available with three cab options—fixed, rotating, or rotating and leveling—incorporating features to maximize comfort. The forwarders are equipped with the TimberMatic control system, which includes a configurable user interface, cruise control and inclination display, increasing operation efficiency. MECA control modules, simple CAN busses and a streamlined electrical system improve the efficiency of machine functions.

The powerful G-Series Wheeled Harvesters feature the standard Processing Power Control system, which optimizes fuel efficiency by coordinating the accurate processing level with the current work conditions and tree size. The Twin Pump Hydraulic System on the G-Series Harvesters provides operators with strong and steady control of the boom and harvester head.

Another key feature on the G-Series Harvesters is the cabin, which automatically adjusts to the boom movements while the leveling functions absorb any terrain changes. This feature decreases machine vibration by as much as 50% during operation.

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Olosfors Eco-Tracks Logging territory can be tough. This has taught us to make tracks that carry your machine forward, regardless of the terrain. Over, regardless of obstacles. Upwards, regardless of grade. Where the road ends, Eco-Tracks take over.

Better properties and fewer traces of your work in forests and open land: With Eco-Tracks you can load more and gain better traction while at the same time causing lower impact in forests and open land. The secret behind the benefits is in the design. Our tracks have a highly placed linkage system and a new generation of cross member with extended and curved ends. Regardless of the machine you have, the job you need to do and how rough the terrain is, we have a track for you. A track that gives you: lower energy consumption, lower ground pressure, reduced machine and tire wear, better traction and increased load capacity. The Eco-Track model is a general-purpose track suited to year-round use in most types of terrain. Soft is a model developed on the basis of EcoTrack. Soft cross members achieve superb carrying capacity while maintaining traction. The shaped ends of the cross members facilitate the harvester’s carrying capacity while protecting the track’s side link system line and the sides of the tires. Max tracks have been designed for the most rugged forwarders and jobs. Max tracks are based on the same cross member profile as OF tracks. Its 50 mm wide and 50 mm high cross member profile, tapering towards the tire, makes Max tracks excellent for slopes, rocky terrain, clay soils and snow.

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CTLTech Tigercat Harvesters, Heads Tigercat builds a large range of cut-to-length harvesting solutions including track harvesters, wheel harvesters, harvesting heads and control software. There is a Tigercat solution for most of the world’s at-the-stump harvesting and roadside processing applications.

Tigercat’s new H845E and LH845E, built on the popular 845 platform, feature improvements such as the new ergonomic, high visibility cab common to the 822D 855E and X870D, a new electronic harvester pump, and improved rotary manifold with electrical capabilities. A redesigned boom provides greater reach with a tighter minimum radius.

The H855E and LH855E track harvesters are highly efficient, durable and reliable carriers suited to a wide range of harvesting and processing applications. The H855E is designed for high performance harvesting, at-the-stump processing and roadside processing duties in medium to large tree size operations.

The H822D and LH822D are powerful and capable, yet compact and nimble—with up to 11.2 m (37 ft.) boom reach and very limited tail swing, minimizing ground disturbance and residual stand damage in thinning operations. The hydraulic system is optimized for maximum performance and fuel efficiency in harvesting applications.

Tigercat’s newest wheeled harvester is the powerful 1185 eight-wheel drive harvester. Equipped with Tigercat built bogie axles and a powerful Tigercat ER crane, the premium quality 34-tonne 1185 sets a new standard for durability and productivity in tough terrain.

Tigercat harvesting heads are built to match the high performance capabilities of Tigercat track and wheel carriers. The 570 is a powerful two-wheel drive harvesting head best suited to in-stand harvesting with an optimal range of 150-510 mm in diameter. The 575 is a heavy-duty three-wheel drive head suited to in-stand harvesting in the 175-560 mm diameter range.

Paired with the Tigercat H250D, the 575 is well suited to roadside processing.

Tigercat’s D5 control system comes standard with all Tigercat harvesting heads. The system allows the operator to monitor lengths, diameters and species in real-time to ensure maximum productivity, with a simple and intuitive Tigercat-developed user interface.

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Wallingford’s Chain, Saw Systems As a top CTL logging equipment supplier, Wallingford’s is the North American distributor of GB bars and cutting systems and also a marketing partner with Nordic Traction Group supplying tire and chain systems. GB Titanium harvester bars are extremely durable with high strength titanium alloy steel. The .404 and ¾” harvester bars come with replaceable tips. The .404 Titanium XV replaceable tip features a patented 15-tooth sprocket that reduces RPMs. The ¾” Titanium BC replaceable tips feature a machined edge. GB accessories include sprockets, chain breakers for both .404 and ¾”, chain spinner, and base plate system for storage convenience which suits tight work areas. Wallingford’s also offers Carlton saw chain in both .404 and ¾” options, as well as the Tecomec chain grinder and Chain Shark. The Chain Shark is a semi-automatic sharpening system that is a fraction of the cost of a fully-automatic system and improves consistency and speed of chain sharpening with reduced operator fatigue. Nordic Traction Group produces Clark Tracks, which are suited for use on most cut-to-length machines and come in various sizes and designs. The Terra series of tracks features a double grouzer plate, which gives a good mix of traction and flotation.

Its low-profile design reduces operator fatigue. The CX climbing track is a single grouzer plate with aggressive double paddle strikes for traction in steep terrain. The ATF (All-Terrain Flotation) track offers flotation while the pinched mid-section generates both traction and improved self-cleaning of mud and snow. Clark also offers the Haggis Ultra Link technology, which minimizes contact area and reduces wear. All tracks are available with the Haggis option. BABAC chains are also offered, which are hand assembled and built with 10B21 through hardened boron alloy steel with a full line of patterns for all tire sizes used on forwarders and harvesters. BABAC also specializes in custom tire chain applications and odd tire sizes.

Visit wallingfords.com and nordictractiongroup.com and gbbarsusa.com ➤ 40 Foremost Authority For Professional Loggers

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FallDemoReport

Deere Intros L-Series II Skidder, F-B Lines

The group then traveled to Deere’s Davenport Works plant for a riding tour of a significant portion of the John Deere Vice President of plant. It was noted that the plant has Worldwide Forestry, Tom Budan, received $200 million investment in kicked off the company’s Forestry recent years, includes 2.2 million SF, Media event on September 17 in Mothe likes of 37 football fields under line, Ill. by announcing the launch of one roof, and cuts 500,000 lbs. of plate the L-Series II skidder and wheeled steel each day—the most steel used by feller-buncher line. The first units had any Deere factory. shipped just the previous day.

The press then walked through the Budan, addressing the gathering at assembly line for the L-II series and the John Deere World Headquarters, observed several skidders in various said the new products represent major stages of assembly while Deere asenhancements to the original L-Series sembly engineer Rom Rosario prointroduced in 2015. He said they exemvided great detail on the process. plify Deere’s ongoing and total commitThe press event continued with a ment to the forestry industry, and he presentation from Matt Flood, ForestDeere’s Budan emphasizes forestry commitment. noted substantial investment in the Sight product manager at Deere, on nearby Deere Davenport Works plant in series winch. Other improvements inthe introduction of Deere’s TimberIowa, where the new units are built, asclude the engine air precleaner, reinMatic Maps and TimberManager softsembled and prepared for shipment. forced arch, and pocketed tong teeth ware designed to enhance machine The next day Deere officials hosted design to reduce stress at the weld toe. connectivity and communication for media representatives at its training “Listening to our customers, we loggers, and currently available for JD and equipment operation grounds, disreworked the machines, making signifwheeled cut-to-length equipment. cussing and demonstrating products icant improvements under the hood,” Flood said the next generation techsuch as the CLT eight-wheeled harO’Neal said. nology represents a move into an “easvester and forwarder, Waratah proThe machines carry forward numerier, smarter and precise (ESP) era” cessing head, track feller-buncher and ous features appreciated in the original from a “bigger, stronger, faster (BSF)” knuckleboom loader, but on this day L-Series. The skidder maintains the era. Flood said they’ve found a 40% most of the attention centered on the Continuously Variable Transmission variation in production between expenewest offerings—specifically the (CVT), and the wheeled feller-buncher rienced operators and average opera640, 648, 748, 848 and 948 skidders, offers the Quick Dump feature. tors, and the new technology will help and 643 and 843 feller-bunchers, all Tim Flowers and Travis Woollto close that gap. with an L-II attached to them. brink, product instructional specialists The TimberMatic Maps system utiBrandon O’Neal, product marketing for Deere, provided a show-and-tell at lizes a mobile network to share remanager, John Deere Construction and a new 748L-II skidder and 643L-II al-time production information beForestry, spoke on the development of feller-buncher, respectively. A demontween the harvester and the forwarder, the original L-Series, further refinestration period followed during which as well back to managers in the office. ments to it in the past three years, and many members of the trade press operThe software provides complete visithe introduction of the L-Series II, ated the machines. bility to the operation from land harbuilt on the L-Series platvested to the machines at form and impacting 1,600 work. machine parts.

One of the key benefits He pointed to overall imof TimberMatic Maps and provement in reliability and TimberManager is the abilcustomer experience, more ity to plan ahead. The map specifically to the simplificaprovides the precise location and improvement of the tion, volume and species of electrical and hydraulic systimber with the network of tems through routing imlogging routes. As timber is provements, enhanced and transported, the operator simplified electrical harness can mark the map to indidesign, relocations for easier cate the action has ocservicing, new articulation curred, providing an exact sensors and improved hyvolume count of the timber draulic cooling. He also taken to the storage area. noted the grapple rotate Additionally, the map alvalve is placed in the boom lows all operators to add for up to 10% increase in markings and point out grapple squeeze, and a two- L-Series II skidder adds reliability, simplicity while keeping existing features. challenging terrain condiTH speed motor is on the 4000 tions.

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FallDemoReport

Bandit Demo One Big Celebration

Bandit’s 35th anniversary drew a large crowd to its headquarters.

Bandit Industries held its 35th anniversary celebration and equipment demonstration on September 11-12 at its headquarters in Remus, Mich. Dealers and end-users worldwide observed ongoing modifications to Bandit’s manufacturing facilities and enjoyed a full day of live equipment action. Attendees were treated to a reception at the Sleepy Hollow Hideaway where a casino night and dinner was held to kick things off on day number one.

On day two dealers and customers bussed over to Bandit’s headquarters, where Bandit employees stationed around the plant provided attendees information about recent improvements and new machines in prototype stage.

Bandit is investing considerably in two major building additions to increase production capacity and add a state-ofthe-art parts and service facility. The new parts facility houses a central receiving and distribution area, improving the flow of parts and materials to the six major manufacturing facilities. That project frees up additional space for more production expansion.

Bandit added three-quarters of a mil-

lion dollars of new cutting and steel processing equipment in 2017 in anticipation of the current expansions.

After the factory tour attendees went out to the Bandit demo site and had a chance to see a variety of Bandit machines in action—about 20 in total—on wheel and on track, large and small chippers, big grinders, and even a shredding machine that devoured automobiles.

Bandit has partnered with Germany-based Arjes on a line of slow-speed industrial shredders and crushers. In action was the Arjes VZ 950 Titan shredder, which features a Volvo 750 HP engine.

From the giant crusher to the smaller offerings, Bandit showed its popular 250 brush disc-style chipper and the 200UC which has a large 14 in. by 17 in. chipper throat opening. Bandit also showed its new Intimidator line of handfed drum style chippers, including the 12XPC, which is mainly for professionals focused on trimming, the 15XPC, and the 19XPC which is Bandit’s most powerful feed system in the line and outfitted with a Kelsa loader.

Attendees enjoyed seeing all the chipping and grinding action.

Foremost Authority For Professional Loggers

Bandit’s well known product line of The Beast horizontal grinders were also in action including the 2460, 2680, 3680 and 4680 models. The 3680 model is one of Bandit’s most popular machines. With a 35 in. by 60 in. opening customers can choose between the patented cuttermill with either 60-tooth or 30-tooth configurations, or opt for a chipping drum to produce screened wood chips for biomass markets. One of Bandit’s newest offerings is the 2460XP available as a towable or track machine.

Several whole tree chippers also had the chips flying such as the high yeld, high speed 3090 model. Bandit’s new BTC-300 landclearing track carrier with interchangeable forestry mowers and stump grinding heads contributed to the action and exemplifies Bandit’s move into landclearing markets.

President and co-owner Jerry Morey believes that bringing everybody together is important for a company like Bandit. “This is the first time we’ve combined dealers and end users and we learn so much from them,” Morey says.

“We learn what their needs and concerns are and it’s a great exchange because we’ve got several hundred customers and dealers here. It’s also neat to see the mix between all of our international dealers and domestic dealers.”

The day concluded with a dinner and live music back at Sleepy Hollow Hideaway. New faces were in the crowd compared to previous Bandit events, as the company has added more than two dozen dealers with more than 30 locations in the past two years.

Another development that maintained a buzz in the crowd was the upcoming closing of the 100% sale of Bandit Industries by owners Mike Morey Sr., Dianne Morey and Jerry Morey to their employees in an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP).

“We felt like it was best for our employees to own it,” Morey says. “We looked at trying to sell it to a strategic buyer and we looked at an investment banking company, but we weren’t really happy with either of those scenarios because of the risk that they might move the plant or they might come in and change the culture of Bandit.”

It will be interesting to see how Bandit continues to expand with the new management structure, but it is clear that the founders through the first 35 years have built a giant foundation. TH NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 27

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FallDemoReport

Morbark Demo Days Event Draws Hundreds

Morbark drew visitors from more than 14 countries to fall demo event.

Morbark’s Demo Days event alMorbark has been producing mobile ways brings a great deal of excitement whole tree disc chippers since the to the area and its guests, and this year 1970s, and like the previous Model 23 was no exception. From September Chiparvestors, the 23X uses a 75 in.

26-28, Morbark welcomed more than (190.5 cm) diameter x 5 in. (12.7 cm) 250 guests within the forestry, biothick chipper disc to chip large volmass, recycling, sawmill and tree care umes of wood, while the built-in dirt industries from 14 countries for its separator with deflector keeps the end 12th Demo Days. product clean.

Morbark has a world-class dealer Key improvements of the 23X over network, and the company’s Demo the previous models include: increased Days give their customers, as well as ground clearance with four super sinthe other attendees, the opportunity to not only watch the equipment in action, but also meet the people who build and support the equipment as they see firsthand the manufacturing processes utilized. Events included factory tours, networking opportunities, vendor booths, and a chance to see the equipment up close.

An exciting aspect of this year’s event was the introduction Morbark introduced the 23X Chiparvestor at 2018 Demo Days. of the 23X Chiparvestor.

“In designing the 23X Chiparvestor whole tree disc chipper, Morbark followed the same thought process and ideals as we did in creating the other X-series of next-generation Morbark equipment,” says Michael Stanton, Morbark Director of Industrial Sales. “We took our previous proven design technology and focused on minimizing downtime, increasing production and making improvements that will help contribute to customer Factory tours and plenty of demos kept visitors hopping. success.”

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gle flotation tires for mobilization on uneven logging jobs; simplified feed system that includes a two-wheel hydraulic feed system; independent disc drive tensioning system for ease of adjustment; improved chipper hood design that allows for better access to the disc.

Demo Days events kicked off with a welcome reception at Maple Creek Golf Course. Thursday focused on education, with a panel discussion about growing your business, featuring Jerry Sapp of Sapp’s Land and Excavating, and Bill Gaston of Wood Resource Recovery. Attendees then had the opportunity to learn about Tier 4 Final Engines, Financing and Extended Service Contracts and Warranties, as well as take a tour through the Morbark factory and see firsthand the cutting-edge technologies, materials and processes used to manufacture the company’s industrial and tree care equipment lines.

Since this was the first Morbark Demo Days after the company acquired Rayco in November 2017, participants were able to see a demonstration of Rayco forestry mulchers and aerial trimmer, and try their hand at using the equipment. The event culminated with demonstrations of equipment for the forestry, biomass, recycling and tree care markets, including Morbark’s range of whole tree chippers, horizontal and tub grinders, brush chippers, mulchers and other machinery.

“Morbark continues to listen closely to our customers, providing the features they want and need and delivering on our promise of making heavy-duty equipment that helps enable them to succeed,” Stanton comments.

Equipment models demonstrated included the 223 Flail, 23X Chiparvester, 40/36 NCL track whole tree chipper, 40/36 MicroChipper, 50/48X whole tree drum chipper, 3400XT Wood Hog horizontal grinder, 6400XT Wood Hog horizontal grinders doing both primary grind and regrind, 1300B tub grinder, and a range of Rayco mulchers, brush chippers and the AT75 aerial TH trimmer.

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FallDemoReport

Rotochopper Debuts New Grinder Rotochopper hosted customers and welcomed attendees with remarks foprospects from around the world at its cused on the partnership Rotochopper 8th Annual Demo Day. Approxiforms with its customers saying, “Our mately 200 guests from four countries platform and mission today is, it is attended the event with the theme “Mission Possible.”

The day began with tours of the state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, providing attendees with the opportunity to see Rotochopper grinders in every stage of manufacturing, from cutting to final inspection and testing. The facility tours also provided guests the opportunity to meet the various on-site teams who design, build and support their Rotochop- New B-66 L-Series: larger feedstock, increased production. per equipment.

David Polser from Land Developpossible and your continuous dialogue ment Services in Liberty Hill, Texas will always be our main conduit to comments, “I truly enjoyed seeing the success.” facilities and witnessing the amount of The demonstrations kicked off with pride and workmanship that go into the new B-66 L-Series track and dolly these machines.” grinder unveiled to the Mission ImPresident/CEO Art de St. Aubin possible theme song. The B-66L and

CBI Forum Features 12 Machines Industry professionals from around powers the forged drum rotor through the world gathered in Newton, New the toughest materials. The 6800CTs Hampshire during the week of Octodevoured entire trees and stacked the ber 1 for the 2018 CBI and Ecotec desired end-products in front of the Factory Forum. CBI’s expanded oncrowd. site demo arena included live demos A pair of 5800BT horizontal grindof 12 machines from the CBI and Ecoers processed high-volumes of matetec product lines, including the new rial and demonstrated their powerful 6800CT horizontal grinder and Phoenix 1600 trommel screen.

Ahead of the October 3rd Demo Day, service teams throughout North America were invited to the facility for hands-on technical workshops led by the team members at the factory who design and service the equipment.

The three-day event was headlined by a pair of CBI 6800CT horizontal grinders, which have been en- New products, awards highlighted CBI event. gineered to improve on the 6800BT’s design. A 15% larger and portable designs. The newly availscreening area wraps more than 190° able TSC 80T Stacking Conveyor was around the rotor on the 6800CT, allined up in front of a 5800BT to show lowing production rates to surge behow end-users can optimize their curyond 200 tons an hour. Supported by a rent operations. Entire trees were larger shaft and bearings and an oploaded into the 7544 Flail & Disc tional 1200 HP CAT C32, the engine Chipper combo, and guests watched as Foremost Authority For Professional Loggers

FP-66, both equipped with the Generation II Colorizer, did a head to head grind off showing each of their production capabilities.

The B-66 L-Series horizontal grinder is designed to meet the needs of grinding larger, more abrasive feedstock materials and engineered to increase overall production rates.

The 38 in. throat opening accommodates some of the toughest material including large logs, whole trees and brushy feedstocks.

Also included in the demos was the MP-2, producing colored mulch, the CP-118 chip processor, Erosion Sock attachment for the GB-250, RotoLink monitoring system and preventive maintenance program, Rotochopper’s patented screen installation system and replaceable mount rotor. The EC-266 electric grinder ground pallets and sorted C&D debris directly into the RMT hammermill. The day ended with the B-66 L-series grinder devourTH ing logs and whole trees. the machine perfectly debarked logs and blasted out a pile of premium quality chips. CBI also showcased the 6400 horizontal grinder’s ability to process railroad ties contaminated with metal. Terex Ecotec’s TDS 820 Slow Speed Shredder also processed railroad ties and pallets.

Terex Ecotec’s product lineup featured the TRS 550 Recycling Screen, the TTS 620T Trommel Screen, and the all-new Phoenix 1600 Trommel Screen. The Phoenix 1600 has been designed to provide excellent fuel efficiency and low operating costs.

CBI’s 30th Anniversary Dinner was kicked off in style with the firstever “Golden Grizzly Awards” recognizing excellence in the industry.

Guests enjoyed a New England clam-bake style dinner during the award ceremony. Jasen Stock of the New Hampshire Timberland Owners Assn. was awarded the 2018 Community Impact Award for his work on reversing a biomass bill veto. Paul Campbell of Powerscreen of California and Hawaii was presented with the North American Ecotec Dealer of the Year Award. The team at Powerscreen of Florida accepted CBI’s 2018 Dealer TH of the Year Award.

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South, West Demo Events Draw Th

L

oggers in the Pacific Northwest and Southeast enjoyed the latest in logging technology earlier this fall—live and in person at the 2018 Mid-South Forestry Equipment Show near Starkville, Miss. and the Pacific Logging Congress Live In-Woods Show near Corvallis, Ore.

More Than 7,000 Attend Mid-South In Mississippi, show boss Misty Booth reports a near-record crowd for the two-day event as 7,165 in all categories crowded the Charles E. Burkhardt Pavilion and Site on Mississippi State University’s John W. Starr Memorial Forest to view products from more than 90 exhibitors.

One record was set as the Mid-South show collected its best ever donation to Log A Load for Kids: $26,990.82. Among the top contributors were Stribling Equipment, TraxPlus, FMI and Caterpillar. B&G Equipment auctioned a fire pit and matched donations received at their site during lunch on Saturday. Sales and raffles coordinated by the Mississippi Loggers Assn. also factored into the total, as did a $6,000 contribution made by Mid-South Forestry Equipment Show, Inc. in memory of W. J. Bates, co-founder of B&G Equipment. Bates served on the MSFES, Inc. Board of Directors for eight years. MLA coordi-

nates the Log A Load for Kids program in Mississippi, which benefits the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children in Jackson.

The Log A Load total also included proceeds from entrance fees to the Guess-the-Weight Contest, in which the closest guessers won cash prizes.

A total $1,000 in prizes went to the winners of the show’s skidder contest, in which operators competed a John Deere machine against a Tigercat. B&G Equipment (Tigercat) and Stribling Equipment (John Deere) sponsored the contest. Only the three best times of the 62 contestants won. First place winner Grant Lofton of Perry Lofton Logging, Mt. Vernon, Ala., took home $500 for his time of 1:30.34 on the John Deere skidder.

Trent Magee of Star Timber in Brookhaven, Miss., took second place and $300 with his 1:31.46 time on the using the Tigercat. Rounding out the winners in the third place was Jacob Henderson of Henderson Timber Felling, Inc., Richton, Miss., winning $200 for finishing the course with a time of 1:37.16 on the Tigercat skidder.

Key sponsors for the Mid-South event are Mississippi State University-Forest & Wildlife Research Center, Mississippi Loggers Assn., Mississippi Forestry Assn. and Hatton-Brown Publishers, parent company of Southern Loggin’ Times and Timber Harvesting magazines.

Despite Deep South September heat indexes into the 90s, Mid-South show sets Log A Load fund-raising record, provides more than 4,000 hours of earned professional logger credits while featuring new products, awards and more.

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aw Thousands To Woods PLC Includes Students, Regulators

Winch-assist and drone technology complemented traditional logging systems including towers yards and cut-to-length systems during the 2018 Pacific Logging Congress In-Woods Show

Foremost Authority For Professional Loggers

The 8th PLC Live In-Woods show in Oregon at the Oregon State University research forest outside Corvallis featured more than 40 exhibitors and drew 2,000 visitors, including scores of high school students who were introduced to potential forest-related careers.

Current PLC President Jeff Wimer, an instructor with OSU’s forest engineering program, says, “It was my intent to find a spot that would allow us to showcase all of the latest in logging technology. This was the first show that included tethered assist, drone and cable logging. It was fun to see the expression on the students’ faces when they first walked out and looked over the edge between the yarder and tethered assist.”

Wimer noted that the event also drew members of the OR-OSHA safety regulator team. With technologies such as cable assist and tethered machines gaining more acceptance, it’s important that regulators can see the machines in action to see how they operate. He believes the PLC is one way to start a dialog with regulators that could lead to more workable rules for the industry.

Meanwhile, at an evening auction, the PLC’s Pacific Forest Foundation raised more than $26,000. Top sponsors of the event at the OSU Alumni Center include Caterpillar, Peterson Cat, Sierra Pacific, WCLA Credit Union and Ritchie Bros. TH

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Awesome Devices The era of the flume is bygone, but the marvel of this apparatus lives on.

DKKnight Three men died in the construction of the Kings River Lumber Co. flume in California’s rugged Sierra Nevada Mountains.

T

hey wound through steep, hostile terrain, often clinging to the sheer walls of deep canyons and spanning roaring streams on trestles that at times towered for 100 feet or more. In appearance they ranged from makeshift to magnificent; in length from a few hundred yards to 50 miles plus.

Described as awesome engineering feats of their day, they were built where railroad construction was unfeasible or impossible. They were a challenge to design and erect, required considerable maintenance, and had to be rebuilt periodically, but they served the logging-lumber industry well for parts of two centuries.

Effectively harnessing the power of gravity and water, log/lumber flumes in the late 1800s emerged as an economical method for moving logs, cants, lumber, crossties, fuelwood, shingle bolts, posts and pulpwood from higher to lower elevations and closer to sawmills, finishing operations and/or markets.

The last operating lumber flume, a nine-mile system originating in the 1920s that connected two Broughton Lumber Co. mills and stretched along the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge, was closed in 1986. That was some 23 years after the first amusement park developed a log 32

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flume ride—a softer, safer version of the industrial model. Earlier, the Broughton Flume was featured in two movies. (Google Broughton Lumber Flume to find link to view brief video.)

Parts of the flume, especially those made of steel, remain intact, as do some wooden remnants of others built elsewhere, but most evidence of these man-made streams has disappeared.

It was no coincidence that lumbermen turned to flumes as log and lumber transportation aids. After all, they had used natural streams, splash dams and lakes for more than a century.

Evolution Covering relatively short distances, flumes of the square-sided ‘box’ design had been used with moderate success in eastern and western parts of North America as early as the 1850s, but one major flaw of the design was that if logs or lumber became trapped against the flume’s walls, as they frequently did, the trough could rapidly become clogged. Other trapped material would often build up to form a crude dam, sending water and valuable material over the sides and potentially inflicting major damage to the trough and its substructure.

It was a new V-design, credited to

Nevada lumberman James W. Haines, that accelerated flume use in the 1870s and afterward. The design rapidly caught on in the inland mountainous areas of the West, the Pacific Northwest, and western Canada. V-flumes were also used by a few companies in eastern Canada and the southern Appalachians, but heavy hardwood logs were not suitable for fluming, according to historical documents. Flumes were also employed in mountainous areas elsewhere in the world, as evidenced by videos found on YouTube.

Haines had used the box design in the Lake Tahoe area to help meet the enormous timber appetites of silver mining companies working the Comstock Lode in western Nevada. No doubt familiar with the use of sluices in the mining industry, Haines conceived the new design and in 1868 built a working model, which he reportedly never patented.

Other advantages to the V design were that it required less lumber, construction time and water. Further, it allowed a greater volume of water near the top of the trough, which not only reduced the chances of jams but also helped workmen clear those that inevitably occurred. Moreover, this design allowed lumbermen to build longer flumes that serviced signifi-

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cantly larger areas.

According to published reports, Haines built a 12 to 15-mile long V-flume in the Sierra Nevada, consuming 2MMBF of lumber and 28 tons of nails and spikes in the process, and thereby began sending 500MBF of lumber a day to the mines. The flume trimmed lumber delivery time from seven days to merely a few hours. By 1879, 10 flumes, collectively covering more than 80 miles, were operating in the Lake Tahoe area, and many others had gone up elsewhere in western North America.

Hundreds more, some with ingenious characteristics, would follow in subsequent decades.

Construction Once rights-of-way had been secured for a flume route, a portable steam-powered sawmill, transported in pieces on pack mules or on freight wagons via a crude road, was typically erected near a reliable water source to saw a good portion of the needed materials. Construction began at the water source, where a dam/reservoir was usually created, and continued methodically downslope. Water was shut on and off as needed as construction progressed. A popular practice was to tap additional lower elevation ‘feeder’ streams, using the box flume design, on the way down. Clear, wide planks, usually battened on the outside and sometimes tongued and grooved to help control leakage, were the mainstay for the base and sides.

Potlatch, which in the 1920s began building the first of 20 relatively short flumes the company used in northern Idaho until closing the last one in 1957, took extra steps to curb leakage.

Its workers used two layers of slightly thinner boards and placed tar paper between them. Potlatch and other companies also selectively added iron or steel sheeting for extra strength and to help limit wear and maintenance.

This practice was employed more often in very steep places.

The trough base was typically 6-12 in. wide, the sides three to four feet high—outside walls on curves were often a little higher to help contain water and logs and lumber—the top width four to six ft. Boards were nailed to stringers fastened to 4x4 in. or larger framing set 2-4 ft. apart and at a 45° angle. Where larger logs or timbers were to be transported, flumes someForemost Authority For Professional Loggers

Capilano Lumber Co.’s flume in the treacherous Capilano River canyon in coastal British Columbia had a wide catwalk and railing.

times were made wider and deeper and had a framework of larger, closer-spaced members. Sidewalls were also typically doubled in thickness. In some cases, workmen built 16-ft. trough sections and floated them slowly down grade by controlling the water flow.

Materials for trestles were hauled upslope by mules and wagon when possible or otherwise taken from forests.

The upper substructure consisted of 6x6 in. or larger timbers, with larger members used below, and all bolted together. Where possible, poles and posts were used as ground (or rock) anchors. Iron or steel bolts driven into holes chiseled into solid rock were often used to secure both upper and lower parts of the structure to the sides of cliffs. At some canyon and stream crossings, the structures were 75 to 150 feet high and resembled miniature railroad trestles.

Severe conditions in higher elevations made a constant gradient all but impossible, but builders somehow managed to get it close enough to ensure workable water flow. In higher places flumed material could travel up to 60 MPH in short bursts, briefly outrunning the water; in valleys it travelled much slower.

Operation Material was floated down in various forms and methods, depending on tree species, lumber grade, needs of the flume owner, characteristics of a given waterway, and other criteria. Most high elevation flumes were not operated during the coldest winter months.

Flumes built specifically for log transportation were limited as to the

length and diameter of logs they could accommodate—“seldom over 20 feet and seldom over 40 inches in diameter”—wrote Nelson Brown in his book, Logging (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1947).

However, according to articles appearing in early 20th century issues of The Timberman magazine, engineer W.D. Starbird, a well-known Oregon sawmill and flume designer of the period, proposed that flumes could be built to move much larger diameter logs. One article in 1916 pointed out that Starbird was in British Columbia making preliminary plans for an oversized flume (length unknown) to move cedar logs up to 10 ft. in diameter. His plan called for combining the flume with a system of locks to control water and log flow. It is unclear if his plan was ever activated, and if so, how successful it was.

Whatever that outcome may have been, Starbird’s first flume project, which was five miles long and erected for the Milwaukee Land Co. near St. Joe, Id., successfully moved white pine piling up to 80 ft. long and ‘boom sticks’ 40 ft. long, according to The Timberman. The magazine carried an account of another Idaho flume that also moved 80 ft. piling. Bridal Veil Lumber Co. is said to have moved 40 ft. 12x12s down its famous flume that extended for 1,800 feet down the Oregon bluffs to the Columbia River.

Regardless of size, logs were usually introduced one at a time from a landing located near the flume head.

This was typically done by men using a Peavy, but Potlatch often used a mechanical jammer in the latter years of its flume practice in Idaho. Logs were NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

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delivered to landings by a combination of chutes, horses and/or oxen, and ultimately, with crawler tractors.

The one-at-a-time practice also ruled for cants, timbers and crossties, but in many instances fuelwood, pulpwood and bolts were introduced in small batches. Lumber pieces were commonly released Shaver Lake Lumber Co.’s California flume stretched for 42 miles through challenging terrain. one at a time but some companies bundled it, using clamps to hold several pieces totors lumbermen readily accepted with gether. Less valuable material was typiflumes. Jams and various types of cally placed on the outside. A common system failure incidents sent countpractice was to limit bundle length to less volumes of material over the 28 feet or less for the ride down the sides, much of it never to be recovsteepest parts of a flume to lessen the ered by mill or flume owners. At chances of a jam. At lower elevations, lower elevations, some spilled matewhere water and material flow were rial was often collected by local scavslower and flume widths sometimes engers. Also, lumber was often cut wider, bundles often were diverted to overlength to allow for damage it side flumes, where tenders would stop often sustained on the ends that faced them and form several into a train for downward as it bumped and banged the remainder of the journey. along.

Using a system designed to allow multiple bundles to flex, workmen for Tenders, Danger North Carolina’s Giant Lumber Co. It was the job of flume tenders, also reportedly used nails to hold lumber known as walkers and herders, to pieces together. The nails were remonitor operations on specific moved at the end of the line and sent stretches, to notify their upslope workback upslope to be used over and over. mates of problems, and to help resolve If workers for some reason wanted them. Often working under the superto get lumber out of a flume, they vision of a flume boss, who also dicould have relied on a device patented rected a small maintenance crew, tenby Hubbard Parker in 1875. His inders looked for jams and related damclined, slatted wedge allowed water to age, weak spots, severe leaks, or harm keep flowing as it deflected material caused by toppled trees, storms, rockover the side. slides, floods and the like. Windup In some instances, smaller logs could telephones came to be a key resource overtake larger ones, at times hitting for tenders and flume owners in their them so hard they would skip over the collective goal of keeping material side or cause a jam. The Peavy, pike flowing smoothly. pole and pickaroon were the tools of When interruptions did occur, the choice for helping free jams, and speed cause was quickly found and repairs was essential—the more material that were usually made within hours or a piled up, the harder it was to free it. day or so. Damage caused by heavy Some jams reportedly required several snowfall, high winds, landslides, formen working up to a half day. est fires or floods could take out a Potlatch, and likely other flume channel for weeks. Take the case of owners, used jam prevention devices Mt. June Flume Co., which lumberthat included gates and crude dams, man E.A. Lewis acquired in 1923 in the latter built of logs, lumber and tar Lane County, Ore. According to an paper. Spaced a few miles apart, the article appearing in the Lane County dams saved water and served as a log Historian (Winter, 1976), in late July, collection area. Once jammed logs 1937, 1.5 miles of the 7.5-mile trough were cleared and re-spaced, flume collapsed “like a row of dominoes,” water flow was resumed and logs were beginning near where it crossed the reintroduced.

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Pengra and extending upstream until it halted where the flume met ground level. There was no flood; evidently some bracing on a section near the river crossing gave way, creating the very noisy chain reaction. The flume was restored and operated until its bridge at Pengra was taken out by floodwaters in late 1942-early 1943.

While on the job, tenders took temporary shelter in makeshift huts called ‘dog houses’ and those working in very remote locations typically lived with their families or workmates in cabins located several miles apart. For that reason, flumes served as lifelines for tenders in that supplies were frequently sent to them from higher elevation operations via special boat-like crafts.

These boats also were used to remove injured or dead workers to the valley below, and some flume owners allowed workers—those who dared to do so—to use the boats for a fast and thrilling, albeit dangerous, descent to valley towns and villages. (Some stood or straddled big timbers or logs.)

Others simply did it for excitement, and some didn’t make it. Going too fast, especially in curves, boats were known to leap from the channel, plunging passengers to injury or death.

As well, sharp, jagged, structural projectiles were known to occasionally impale passengers.

(To see people taking a wild flume ride, visit youtube.com and type in Taking Giants For A Ride, 1932. This short item shows film cameramen standing on floating lumber while whisking along in the flume and grinding away.)

If a tender’s life was lonely, his work was even more dangerous.

Flumes featured a narrow catwalk, usually consisting of one or two wide boards, that workmen used during construction. The catwalks were used by tenders or others performing maintenance or dealing with jams. In many cases, there were no hand rails, leaving workers to rely heavily on caution and spike-soled (caulk) boots.

Nonetheless, accidents during construction and operation likely were common, often fatal and, for the most part, unrecorded.

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Ellsworth’s Fate It was not always a laborer who was injured or killed. Take the case of C.F. Ellsworth, who in the 1860s arrived in northern California to continue a lumbering career that had begun in Maine. The story goes that Ellsworth owned Empire Mill in Butte Meadows and wanted to build a flume along Chico and Butte creeks but was told by a surveyor that it could not be done. In 1870 he sold Empire Mill and bought Belle Mill in Tehama County and commenced building a 40-mile flume— during its construction local critics called it “Ellsworth’s Folly”—that would link the sawmill to a valley terminus in Sesma. While supervising the final phases of construction, Ellsworth fell from a 20-ft. high trestle and eventually died from his injuries.

His Empire Flume, completed in 1873 at a reported cost of $200,000, required 5.4MMBF of lumber. Its success put naysayers in their place and led to the construction of additional flumes in the area.

Perhaps the most famous of these was the larger and more complex Blue Ridge Flume, described in the 1880s by one observer as “a colossal work…one of the wonders of the past decade.” Its path included the original route Ellsworth had proposed for his flume. One of its sweeping trestles was 150 feet high; another 112. Its long, high trestle where Ink’s Creek met the Sacramento River featured a crude laminated arch, a feature later incorporated into other flume trestles. Including side branches, the Blue Ridge system was about 42 miles long and served multiple mills, the owners of which paid tolls to use it.

For all its renown, it was short-lived, closing in 1878, according to published documents.

Other Works ■ A channel built originally in 1876

by California Lumber Co. and later acquired, rebuilt and extended by other companies, the last being Madera Sugar Pine Lumber Co., was perhaps the longest in North America. Various accounts place its length from 55 to 65 miles. It operated until 1932.

■ Practically equal to the Madera

Foremost Authority For Professional Loggers

These triple flumes originating at Shaver Lake Lumber Co.’s sawmill at Shaver Lake, California, likely merged into one, which delivered lumber to a railhead at Clovis.

work was that of the Kings River Lumber Co. project that began in 1889 and ultimately stretched for 54 or more miles, descending precipitously in its first 13 miles. A wood/steel suspension bridge, 451 ft. from tower to tower, initially carried it across Kings River Canyon but this was replaced by a more trouble-free trestle.

■ Shaver Lake Lumber Co. built a mill, dam and 42-mile flume at Shaver Lake, sending lumber to a railhead at Clovis. In building it, workmen reportedly were lowered by ropes down a 90 ft. sheer canyon to install footings.

■ One California flume built ‘out of place’ was a work in southern Mendocino County along the coast, where there are hills but no mountains. According to an account found at mendo history.org, two lumberman named Stevens and Whitmore erected a redwood sawmill a few miles inland from Point Arena, thinking they could secure a right-of-way to build a short railroad from the mill to the wharf at the point.

Stymied in that ROW attempt, they tried to move lumber and crossties with wagons, but found the 200 to 300 ft. high coastal bluffs too steep.

Stevens designed a 6-mile long flume to move material to the base of the rolling coastal bluffs. To get material ‘over the hump,’ he designed a system that used flume water to turn a giant wheel that turned a shaft, which powered 150 rollers inclined at a 45° angle. Each roller was fitted with metal studs that snagged material and moved it to the top. There material was stacked to air-dry before being hauled by wagon to an apron chute, which carried it some 900 feet to a loading platform at the wharf. The system was operated for 30 years.

■ William Allen’s 18-mile flume (1906-1917) in southwestern Montana, located in what is now the Mt. Haggin Recreational Area near Anaconda, was

unique in that it took water from the east side of the Continental Divide and deposited it on the west side, according to an article posted at milehighnordic.org.

Longest trestle of Allen’s flume was 775 ft. and it passed through numerous rock cuts and a 685 ft. tunnel. Allen’s flume was the second timber flume built in the area. A.W. McCune’s shorter channel started in 1883. The channels were linked and transported fuelwood and mine timbers used respectively in the smelters and mines of Anaconda Copper Mining Co. ■ Capilano Lumber Co. had a flume built in the treacherous Capilano River canyon in North Vancouver, BC in the early 1900s to float shingle bolts to the sea, a distance of nine miles. It was said to have one trestle 195 ft. high.

Locals reportedly often walked the flume’s catwalk on Sunday afternoons, defying danger to take in dramatic vistas, and otherwise illegally washed laundry in the trough’s rushing water.

■ One of the few flumes built in the southern Appalachians was constructed in Wilkes County, NC by Giant Lumber Co. It reportedly featured the V-design for the first half of its 20-mile length and the box design for the second half, which featured minimal slope. One unusual feature was said to have been a large tricycle apparatus that tenders pedaled along while making inspections. A flood destroyed the flume in 1916 and it was never rebuilt.

■ One of the first flumes for handling crossties was erected in the early 1870s in northeast Utah’s Uinta Mountains and was said to have required 80 tons of square iron spikes.

Built and operated by the Hilliard Flume & Lumber Co., the channel stretched for 30 miles, beginning at Gold Hill and ending at Hilliard.

■ Abandoned in 1942, parts of the five-mile-long Warm Spring Canyon Tie Flume in northwestern Wyoming are still visible. Built partially in the rugged canyon, the flume in places was suspended from steel cables anchored to eyebolts drilled into sheer rock walls. The eastern end of the flume, which could handle 4,000 ties per hour, passed over one natural bridge and through a second.

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11/19/18 10:06 AM

NewsLines 9 ➤ women in forestry and fight this good fight,” says Tom Thomson, an Orford tree farmer and son of the late Gov. Mel Thomson. Thomson helped organize foresters and supporters of the bill, which will require utilities to offer to purchase a portion of their electricity from the state’s wood-burning power plants.

Supporters of the bill, including the state’s six independent chip-burning plants, warned that Governor’s Sununu’s veto would make it difficult to continue operations without the assured income. In the wake of the veto, four out of six biomass companies either closed or partially closed.

Sununu had argued the bill would amount to a subsidy that could cost bill payers $25 million annually over the legislation’s three-year lifespan.

The bill requires electric distribution companies to offer to purchase energy output of eligible biomass power facilities as well as facilities that produce electricity using municipal solid waste as a primary energy source.

The bill had stated: “The continued operation of the state’s six independent biomass-fired electric generating plants and the state’s single renewable wasteto-energy generating plant are at-risk due to (natural gas) energy pricing volatility. These plants are important to the state’s economy and jobs, and, in particular, the six biomass-fired generators are vital to the state’s sawmill and other forest products industries and employment in those industries…and are also important to state policies because they provide generating fuel diversity and environmental benefits, which protect the health and safety of the state’s citizens and the physical environment of the state.”

Governor Sununu had countered that the bill creates “another immense subsidy” for the six biomass plants.

“Senate Bill 365 doesn’t even guarantee solvency of these facilities,” Sununu said. “We need to be taking steps to lower electric rates, not passing legislation that would cause massive increases.”

Westervelt Sells 70% Of Pellet Operation Pinnacle Renewable Holdings Inc. has acquired a 70% interest in Westervelt’s industrial wood pellet production facility in Aliceville, Ala. Wester36

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

velt will retain a 30% interest.

The Aliceville facility has an annual production capacity of 270,000 metric tons, of which 210,000 metric tons is committed under a long-term off-take contract to a major European utility.

The remaining production volume from the Aliceville facility will be sold through Pinnacle’s contracts.

Westervelt is ramping up production at the facility. Pinnacle is partnering with Westervelt to optimize asset configuration, distribution logistics and fiber supply.

“Our acquisition of a majority stake in this facility will increase our production capacity and establishes a platform for Pinnacle’s future growth in the U.S. Southeast, one of North America’s key fiber baskets,” comments Robert McCurdy, CEO of Pinnacle. “Through this transaction, we are also pleased to form a partnership with Westervelt, a leading forestry and land resource company in the region.”

McCurdy says the companies will also explore other growth opportunities in Alabama and Mississippi.

As part of the transaction, and consistent with Pinnacle’s operating strategy, the Aliceville facility has now entered into long-term wood fiber supply contracts for residuals with several large local sawmills. Westervelt’s sawmill, located in Moundville, Ala., will remain an anchor supplier.

Biewer Will Expand Mississippi Sawmill Biewer Sawmill – Newton, LLC is already announcing an expansion to its greenfield southern pine sawmill in Newton, Miss. that started up in December 2016. A $40 million investment will increase sawmill production by more than 100MMBF per year, possibly pushing annual production to more than 300MMBF. “In order to be competitive, you have to keep up with technology and demand. There is no better place than Newton, MS to make this investment,” Tim Biewer, President & CEO of Biewer Lumber, says.

The new capital expenditure includes an expanded wood yard, a third continuous kiln, a stacker and a third strapper, all designed to support the addition of a second primary saw line.

To accommodate the additional production capabilities, Biewer will add

Biewer Lumber intends to increase annual production by more than a third at its sawmill in Newton, Miss.

more than 30 full-time jobs.

The expansion is expected to be completed by the fall of 2019.

Enviva Firms Up Japan Contract The pulpwood and chips will continue to fly at Enviva wood pellet plants as the company announced a 630,000 metric tons per year take-orpay off-take contract to supply Japan’s Aioi Bioenergy Corp., a joint venture between Mitsubishi Corp. Power Ltd. And Kansai Electric Power Co, Inc., which is converting an existing oilfired power plant to biomass.

Deliveries under the contracts are scheduled to commence in late 2022 and continue for at least 15 years.

Enviva has now finalized long-term off-take agreements with parties in Japan that will total 1.5 million MTPY by the end of 2022.

Canfor Puts Hold On BC Sawmills Canfor Corp. is curtailing sawmill operations in British Columbia during the fourth quarter due to log supply constraints, log costs and market conditions. The curtailment is expected to reduce Canfor’s BC production output by 10% throughout the quarter.

“We have made the difficult decision to curtail our BC sawmill operations over the fourth quarter due to log supply challenges following another difficult wildfire season, uncompetitive log costs and declining lumber prices,” says Don Kayne, President and CEO. “We are working to mitigate impacts on our employees as much as possible.”

Canfor has 13 sawmills in Canada with total annual capacity of 3.8 billion BF.

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Projects Boost Biomass Demand R

ecent developments in Oregon offer promise for increased biomass utilization in the region. Two projects—Red Rock Biofuels in Lakeview and Oregon Torrefaction and Restoration Fuels in John Day— are moving ahead with construction at their respective sites, with startup dates scheduled in 2019-20.

The projects are similar in that both seek to utilize fiber produced through thinning and other forest health enhancement programs on public lands (the Fremont-Winema National Forest near Lakeview and the Malheur NF surrounding John Day). Sawmills are also part of the equation for each facility, with Red Rock near the Collins Pine sawmill and Oregon Torrefaction operating inside the Malheur Lumber sawmill facility, which is also a backer of the project.

Products for each venture are quite different, with Red Rock Biofuels planning to convert 136,000 tons of forest biomass and mill residuals into 15 million gallons of jet fuel, diesel fuel and naptha fuel each year.

Though it will be almost 10 years from conception to startup, the plant has high-profile customers like Southwest Airlines and Federal Express already lined up.

The Oregon Torrefaction project is led by Ochoco Lumber, owners of the Malheur Lumber sawmill in John Day, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, which is seeking to develop new markets for torrefied biomass products. A key target is Portland Gas & Electric’s Boardman, Ore. coal-fired generation plant, which is curtailing the use of coal by 2020 and seeking alternate fuel sources. The plant has made several biomass test burns, but officials overseeing the facility have yet to make a decision on its future.

The Northwest has plenty of wood bioenergy potential, but aside from mostly domestic pellet producers on the U.S. side of the Northwest and a small but growing fuel pellet export sector in Canada, there are mostly self-supplied forest products boilers in the region. Outside of several paper Foremost Authority For Professional Loggers

mill procurement areas, there’s not much of a largescale fuel wood market in a timber economy that’s sawTH log-driven.

Yielding biomass: forest health project in south central Oregon

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 37

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11/14/18 12:31 PM

EquipmentWorld

Waratah Celebrates 45th Anniversary Waratah Forestry Equipment is celebrating 45 years of innovation and serving customers in the forestry industry.

Established in Tokoroa, New Zealand in 1973, the company transitioned to meet local loggers’ heavy-duty delimbing needs creating a delimber-feller-buncher featuring a four-roller fixed head. Following that innovation, a red grapple processor for the Canadian markets marked the beginnings of the 600 Series and solidified its place as the original red head in the industry.

Today, Waratah heads are found in all logging applications from felling on steep slopes, to cut-to-length hardwood harvesting at the stump, to processing on a landing or debarking on endless plantations.

“We’re dedicated to serving loggers across the globe,” says Heather Robinson, general manager of worldwide distribution, Waratah. “As an industry leader and the manufacturer of the original red head, we’re in a unique position to offer customers experience, expertise and innovation. We’re excited to celebrate the past 45 years and look forward to the next 45.”

Since its inception, Waratah, which

Waratah HTH622C four-wheel drive head

TimberRite H-16 measuring system

has factories in New Zealand and Finland, has grown to support a global market.

“Waratah is based on quality, innovation and many years of experience,” says John Alemann, general manager, Waratah, New Zealand. “With 45 years under our belts, we are able innovate better and use our expertise to push the envelope.”

Waratah has continued to innovate by finding new ways to increase productivity and provide customer solutions including reliability and durability. For example, the Waratah HTH622C 4x4 and HTH624C 4x4 help minimize waste and maximize profits as powerful four-wheel drive heads that offer multi-stemming, independent log shuffling, 360° rotation and more.

TimberRite H-16, Waratah’s measuring and control system, is another recent innovation. This system provides versatility with configurable settings for improved head performance, productivity and measuring accuracy.

In addition to the TimberRite H-16 system, Waratah also developed WaratahMate—a phone app that works with TimberRite to wirelessly share the machine’s production data in real-time.

Developed exclusively for Waratah customers, the new app makes it faster and more reliable to send measuring system data back to the company.

“We’ve got a huge legacy in this business,” Alemann adds. “We are looking forward to developing and providing opportunities that will keep our customers ahead of the competition.”

Pitts Trailers Forms Lowboy Division Pitts Trailers named Barry Freifeld as Director of Sales for Pitts’ new dedicated lowboy division, Pitts Heavy Haul. Freifeld will oversee growth of the Pitts Heavy Haul product offering and dealer network.

Pitts Heavy Haul manufactures hydraulic removable neck lowboys, fixed neck lowboys, hydraulic folding tail lowboys and construction grade tag-a-long lowboys.

Freifeld served as director of sales for Trail King Industries and worked as a national sales manager for Hermes Abrasives and held sales roles at Henkel AG & Company and at Loctite Corp.

Dickerson Pulls Away In Loader Championship A Mississippi logger won the Loader Championship sponsored

by Caterpillar Forest Products at the Mid-South Forestry Equipment Show 38

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

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EquipmentWorld

Top three winners in the Loader Championship sponsored by Caterpillar Forest Products are shown with, at left, Matt McDonald, product specialist for Caterpillar Forest Products. Next to McDonald, from left to right, are First Place-Jon Dickerson, Second Place-Chris Davis, Third Place-Ryan Taylor.

September 21-22 in Starkville, Miss.

Jon Dickerson of Louisville, Miss. won first place with a winning time of 2 minutes and 30 seconds.

The contest raised $2,300 for Log A Load For Kids through voluntary contestant donations, Caterpillar’s matching

contributions, and merchandise sales.

Chris Davis of Franklin, Ala. took second place with a time of 2 minutes, 51 seconds, and Ryan Taylor of Duck Hill, Miss. captured third place at 3 minutes, 4 seconds.

Jonathan Cutshall of Luka, Miss. came in fourth at 3 minutes, 21 seconds.

First, second and third place winners received cash prizes and trophies. Top winners also received Loader Championship jackets monogrammed with their names.

Everyone who competed in the contest—75 loggers participated—received a cap with the contest logo.

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11/19/18 10:06 AM

CTLTech 23 ➤

Waratah’s TimberRite H-16 Controls

Extensively developed and proven in global cut-tolength or full tree applications, TimberRite H-16 is Waratah’s latest generation control system—integrating more advanced capabilities with precision measuring and cutting of timber, and productive control of the Waratah harvester/processor head.

“TimberRite is part of Waratah’s effort to keep our customers connected and in charge. The system gives them access to the information they need, allowing them to rest assured they’re getting the most productivity for their time,” said Brent Fisher, product marketing manager with Waratah Forestry.

Using the TimberRite H-16 control system, loggers have technology at their fingertips, which in turn improves head performance, productivity and measuring accuracy.

It includes capabilities from work and repair statistics to navigation, email and remote display access. The latest StanForD file structures ensure data can interchange with a variety of professional systems in the forestry business.

Additionally, the system makes diagnostic tests on inputs, outputs or sensors much simpler, or if you have telematics, it can provide remote display access.

Loggers can choose from two systems based on their needs. The preselection prioritization system follows preset logic and prioritizes based on operator selection, length and diameter, while the optional value-based optimization system uses log grade, assortment value, stem prognosis, length and diameters matrices and demand inputs to optimize the value of every log.

Visit waratah.com/timberrite.html

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11/19/18 10:06 AM

InnovationWay Nokian Tractor King Nokian Tractor King is a new tractor tire for the heaviest machinery and the most difficult terrain in forestry, earthmoving and road construction, featuring a design with all-new tread pattern and fortified carcass.

With supreme durability and traction of this tire the horsepower of tractors can be transferred to the ground like never before, pushing the boundaries of what can be done with a tractor. It essentially has the carcass of a heavy-duty earthmoving tire, complete with steel belts, extra cord layers and Aramid-reinforced sidewalls. This combined with strong rubber compound makes it extremely resistant against cuts and punctures. Visit nokiantyres.com/tractorking

Updated JD Knuckleboom Loaders To better meet customer needs, John Deere has updated its E-Series knuckleboom loaders. Already known for superior torque and durability, the updated 2019 337E and 437E mod-

Foremost Authority For Professional Loggers

els feature up to an 8% boost in fuel economy.

Each E-Series machine is equipped with a powerful and proven Final Tier 4 engine. Additionally, the E-Series models offer increased swing torque and boom lift compared to the previous series. Other features improve serviceability, including a ground-level oil drain and filter change, optional electric refill pump and a smaller, 35-gal hydraulic oil reservoir. Visit johndeere.com.

Morbark 23X Chiparvestor Key improvements on the new Morbark 23X Chiparvestor whole tree disc chipper over previous models include: increased ground clearance with four super single flotation tires for mobilization on uneven logging jobs; 8'6" (2.59 m) width for legal transport worldwide; simplified feed system that includes a two-wheel hydraulic feed system consisting of a 35" x 56" (88.9 cm x 142.2 cm) top feed wheel and 13" x 56" (33.2 cm x 142.2 cm) bottom feed wheel; integrated skidder bar as standard to allow for easier staging and repositioning of chipping on the landing. Visit morbark.com.

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11/14/18 12:29 PM

SelectCuts As We (ALC) See It

Legislation, Issues, Important 2019 Events CHRIS POTTS The 24th annual meeting of the ALC held October 11-13 in Seaside, Ore. was a tremendous success thanks to outgoing ALC President Mark Turner and ALC Executive Director Danny Dructor.

I consider it an honor to serve as your new president and invite you to contact me if I can help you in any way. I look forward to continuing work in getting the Future Logging Careers Act and the Right to Haul Act through Congress.

In the spring of 2019 the ALC board will be going to DC for our spring meetPotts ing and visits to Capitol Hill. We’re looking forward to that meeting and the opportunity to speak with our Congressional delegations about these two bills as well as other logging issues.

Safety and trucking issues are impacting all of us. Recruiting qualified drivers is one of the most pressing problems loggers have today. There are only a few insurance companies that will insure log trucks, and some require a

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minimum of three years of log truck driving experience.

With this policy in place, inexperienced drivers will not be able to get the experience they need to be insured. This could eventually cause us to be unable to hire drivers. Then it will become a mill problem as well. I know of one logging company that has hired someone to teach driver training and has an agreement with an insurance company to allow an inexperienced driver to be insured after a six-month training period. This might be one partial, albeit expensive, solution to the problem.

Along with finding and keeping truck drivers, hiring and retaining trained equipment operators is also an issue. Alabama is addressing the latter with the help of the Alabama Forestry Assn. and the Alabama Loggers Council. They have started an ongoing five-week training program for skidder drivers, and two groups have already gone through the course.

As we move into our 25th year, the American Loggers Council will be conducting a five-year strategic planning meeting in Washington, DC next June at the office of Capitol Hill Consultants, the consulting firm that the ALC has retained to assist us with our efforts in Washington. If you would like to share some of your thoughts and ideas, please contact me or other board members.

Please mark your calendar for ALC’s 25th annual meeting next September 26-28 in Orange Beach, Ala. at the beachside Perdido Beach Resort. Check our web site for information about this meeting and other logger events

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11/13/18 12:38 PM

SelectCuts timberharvesting.com

that will be taking place around the country.

The American Loggers Council is the national association of state and regional logging associations. We will continue to bring the logger’s voice to Washington, DC, but we need healthy state and regional logging associations participating with us to make that happen. Please consider supporting your state associations, for it is an investment in your future, and ours. We are “Loggers Working for Loggers.”

Chris Potts is the owner of Potts Logging, Lafayette, Ala. The American Loggers Council is a 501(c)(6) not for profit trade association representing professional timber harvesters throughout the U.S. For more information please contact the American Loggers Council at 409-6250206, email americanlogger@aol.com, web amloggers.com.

that is easy to manufacture and maintain.

South Shop Facility tour to see how metal is cut, formed, and welded into Peterson products.

North Shop facility tour to see how machines are painted, and assembled into complete, working chippers and grinders.

A Peterson machine demo to see how main components of machines work via remote control.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) was required for all attendees, with safety glasses and ear plugs provided by Peterson.

“The students left our facility with knowledge about the manufacturing industry they did not have be- ➤ 46

Mississippi’s Finest

Peterson Hosts Eighth Graders On October 10 Peterson Pacific hosted 75 eighth grade students from Madison Middle School out of the 4J School District in Eugene, Ore. for a two-hour manufacturing day event.

Student groups rotated every 20 minutes to the following featured sessions: Tape measure reading lesson and measuring exercise.

Engineering lesson to learn about the elements of a strong, stout design

Foremost Authority For Professional Loggers

Sam O’Bryant, right, of TDK logging, Columbus, Miss., accepted the Mississippi Loggers Assn. Logger of the Year award from MLA Executive Director David Livingston during the Mid-South Forestry Equipment Show.

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SelectCuts 43 ➤ fore, PPE, goodie bags to include a manufacturing career brochure, Peterson swag, and 10 ft. tape measures,” Peterson states. “This was a great learning experience for students and teachers alike.”

Drax Spearheads Forest Awareness Drax Biomass, Inc. participated in the sixth annual National Bioenergy Day by promoting sustainable forestry practices and lending a helping hand at Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

Led by the Biomass Power Assn. in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, National Bioenergy Day facilitates interaction between bioenergy projects and their local communities, raising awareness of the economic and environmental benefits of bioenergy.

“We’re happy to provide resources to forest landowners to help them reach their land management goals,”

says Richard Peberdy, Drax Biomass vice president of sustainability. “A well-managed forest can produce a significant return on investment for the landowner while also providing recreational, ecological and aesthetic benefits and opportunities.”

In a separate effort, Drax Biomass is partnering with Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge to provide interpretive signage and tree identification along its Edgewater trail.

Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge, located in northern Monroe, La., offers six maintained trails, a conversation learning center, a photo blind, observation tower and numerous educational programs for children and adults.

Tolko Announces Second SYP Sawmill Venture Tolko Industries (U.S.) Ltd. and Southeastern Timber Products (STP) announced a 50-50 joint-venture part-

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

November 7-9—Forestry Associates of South Carolina annual meeting, Westin At Hilton Head Island, Hilton Head, SC. Call 803-798-4170; visit scforestry.org.

January 8-9, 2019—Missouri Forest Products Assn. winter meeting, Capitol Plaza, Jefferson City, Mo. Call 573-6343252; visit moforest.org.

February 20-24, 2019—Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers annual meeting, W Hotel, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Call 336-885-8315; visit appalachianhardwood.org.

February 22-24, 2019—Carolina Loggers Assn. annual meeting, Hotel Ballast, Wilmington, NC. Call 828-4218444; visit ncloggers.com.

March 7-9, 2019—Southeastern Wood Producers Assn. annual meeting, Okefenokee Fairgrounds and Exchange Club, Waycross, Ga. Call 904-845-7133; visit swpa.ag.

March 20-22, 2019— Hardwood Manufacturers Assn.

National Conference & Expo, Hyatt Regency Savannah, Savannah, Ga. Call 412-244-0440; visit hmamembers.org.

April 2-4, 2019—Kentucky Forest Industries Assn. annual meeting, Embassy Suites, Lexington, Ky. Call 502-6953979; visit kfia.org.

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nership in a southern yellow pine lumber mill in Ackerman, Miss. The mill will now be known as Southeastern Timber Products LLC, an STP-Tolko Partnership.

“We couldn’t be more excited to be partnering with Tolko,” adds STP Manager Billy VanDevender. “Tolko has a long family history in the lumber manufacturing business and a proven ability to excel in our industry. We look forward to working with Tolko, the local economic community and the State of Mississippi to support further investment in our facility to expand capacity from our current 100MMBF to 300MMBF.” Earlier this year Tolko Industries announced a partnership with Louisiana-based Hunt Forest Products to build a state-of-the-art sawmill near Urania, La. Wood chips, sawdust, planer shavings and hog fuel by-produced there will be contracted to Drax Biomass, which operates a wood pellet facility adjacent the sawmill.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

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

42

409.625.0206

Chambers Delimbinator

39

800.533.2385

John Deere Forestry

5

800.503.3373

Forest Chain

38

800.288.0887

Harris Real Estate Auctions

43

270.247.3253

Husqvarna Forest & Garden

24-25

800.487.5951

Mid-Atlantic Logging & Biomass

17

919.271.9050

Morbark

7

800.831.0042

Olofsfors

47

519.754.2190

Oregon Logging Conference

21

541.686.9191

Peterson Pacific

13

800.269.6520

Prolenc Manufacturing

9

877.563.8899

Team Safe Trucking

37

910.733.3300

Tigercat Industries

48

519.753.2000

20,39

800.323.3708

2

770.692.0380

Wallingford’s Waratah Forestry Attachments

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