NZ Logger August 2018

August 2018 | $7.20

E 5 2 6 r Tige t

ISSN 1176-0397

o p s t e e w s e h hits t Top foresters celebrated

The 2-staging revolution one year on

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LG23583

Excavator Mounted Yarding System

contents AUGUST 2018

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FOREST TALK New slash rules follow Gisborne mess; alternative route from Gisborne forests sought; fourth death impacts forestry; Minister warns forestry of ‘dirty dairy’ scenario; national forest policy unveiled; celebrating exceptional primary industry employers; first Eltec harvester arrives in New Zealand; mega forest planned for Whanganui; SouthStar releases grapple processor; first new Madill yarder for Rosewarne; spraying research wins award for Scion team; forestry to benefit from Overseas Investment Act changes; Sinton takes first Cat 548 GF; WoodTECH focus on dry-mill innovations; SATCO upgrades processing head; Dave tops Northland awards.

WOODFLOW 2018 Getting wood onto the landing

expanded its range with the new 625E – the first having gone into the Bluewood Logging crew in Southland/Otago. It’s just what owner, Clint McIvor, wanted

or skid site is just half the battle – transporting logs to the mill or port in a timely manner is equally important. This year’s Woodflow conference saw various ideas and new technologies sounded out.

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NZIF 2018 The annual get together of the New Zealand Institute of Foresters moved to Nelson this year and saw a number of issues discussed at its conference, along with awards presented to leading lights of the industry and its younger members.

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SHAW’S WIRE ROPES IRON TEST When a skidder is working flat out it’s hard to beat in the wood hauling role. But wet winter conditions often see 4-wheelers parked up or severely restricted.

That’s when 6-wheelers come into their own and Tigercat has

BREAKING OUT Last year, NZ Logger outlined a 2-staging experiment in Whanganui using an 8x8 truck-based ‘super forwarder’. With the landing, skid site and roading created especially for it, this machine has been showing what the new system is capable of achieving. Time for an update.

DEPARTMENTS 2 editorial 53 fica 56 top spot 57 new iron 62 classifieds

August 2018 | NZ LOGGER 1

from the editor

25E Tiger 6 t

po sweet s hits the ISSN 1176-0397

PHOTO: JOHN ELLEGARD

August 2018 | $7.20

The 2-staging revolution one year on

Top foresters celebrated

Bluewood Logging’s new Tigercat 625E hard at work in the Blue Mountains.

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A National Forest Policy at last…….. what now?

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FTER FOUR YEARS OF DISCUSSIONS – LENGTHY ONES, I’M TOLD – NEW Zealand now has its own National Forest Policy.

It’s not a long document. Just seven pages, in fact. But don’t let that compact size fool you because the importance of having such a policy is profound.

While it’s stating the obvious to say that forestry plays an important role in our economy, it has tended to be treated like a political football at times.

According to the team that put together the forestry policy, under the umbrella of the NZIF, this sort of treatment means decisions made at a political level can sometimes affect forestry significantly. This can range from climate change and water quality to overseas investment, taxation and land use, with little regard for the overall value that healthy, well-managed forests operating under a comprehensive forest policy could deliver to our nation.

Why is that important?

Unlike most other industries, forestry operates on much longer business cycles, aligned to harvests that take place every 25-to-35 years for Radiata and much longer for species like Douglas-fir and Redwood.

So a forest owner who plants under one set of rules could be seriously disadvantaged by decisions made after those trees have gone into the ground. And yes they can also gain an advantage with some changes, but that doesn’t seem to happen very often.

Foresters in other countries face the same challenges, but the smart nations have recognised this and created their own national forest policies in order to protect them over their long lifespans, which can range up to 120 years between harvests in places like Finland.

Hence, the reason why concerned senior foresters in New Zealand got together to draw up their own national policy to protect the integrity of our forests – both plantation estates and natives – that they hope will be a guiding document for future governments to work with.

They took that decision because the previous National administration didn’t think it was necessary for a government to create such a policy. The current Labour/NZ First + Green coalition is more sympathetic and Forestry Minister Shane Jones has now been presented with the final document to consider.

Let’s hope he decides it’s good enough to present to his cabinet colleagues as a document to be adopted by a more enlightened administration.

Here at NZ Logger, we think it’s important enough for everyone to have the opportunity to read the National Forest Policy document too, and it’s now posted on our www.nzlogger.co.nz website. NZL

forest talk

New slash rules follow Gisborne mess LOGGING CREWS ON THE EAST COAST ARE GETTING A REVISED SET of rules to ensure they are managing slash left on the hillsides in the wake of the Gisborne floods that left an estimated one million tonnes of wood debris on farms, around homes and roads at Tolaga Bay in June.

Forest Owners are focusing on measures to make sure there isn’t a repeat of the floods in 25 years’ time…..but they cannot guarantee there won’t be more scenes like that in the shorter term from land where trees have already been planted.

NZ Forest Owners President, Peter Weir, says different silvicultural planning and improved forest engineering and harvest management in sensitive landscapes will reduce the risk considerably.

“It’s a priority for our forest engineers, planners and managers to work with scientists, as well as local and central government, to make sure we reduce the risk of similar debris floods,” says Mr Weir, although he points out that research highlights how there are no easy solutions.

Debris from heavy rain sits at the Mangatokerau Bridge, near Tolaga Bay.

“In the immediate term, we are printing a revised set of harvest slash management guidelines and making them widely available. We want to make best forest practise a universal practise.

“The industry will be putting more resources NZ Forest Owners Association into understanding the President, Peter Weir. mechanisms of hillside failures and what can be done to stop wood being entrained by them or reducing the impact if they do occur.

“We’ve already invested in research on how effective riparian strips of trees are in blocking debris carried by floods. The results showed they work well on a broad flood plain, but riparian strips aren’t as effective in steep incised headwater streams.”

Mr Weir has visited the region himself to get an understanding of what’s happening on the ground and says forest managers and their crews in the area have done a good job in cleaning up the beach and doing what they can to clean up the mess on neighbouring farms, including repairing fences and repairing some council roads. But it could be several months until it is dry enough for all areas to be cleared.

Meanwhile, the NZFOA is leaving it up to the three forestry companies operating in the area – Ernslaw One, PF Olsen and Hikurangi Forest Farms – to conduct their own individual investigations into how so much slash and other debris was washed downstream.

Gisborne City Council is also conducting its own inquiry to discover if forest companies breached their resource consent conditions when harvesting. NZL

Alternative route from Gisborne forests sought FOREST COMPANIES SAY AN ALTERNATIVE route for log trucks north of Gisborne could take the pressure off the coastal road and improve safety.

They would like to see an upgrade of key inland roads to provide improved access to forests at the back of Tauwhareparae, behind Tolaga Bay and Tokomaru Bay. Representatives from PF Olsen and Hikurangi Forest Farms recently addressed the Gisborne City Council’s Assets and Infrastructure Committee to lobby for

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upgrading an alternative route from the forests to the port, via Hokoroa, Waimata Valley, SH2 and Awapuni Roads. This would allow them to truck six million tonnes of logs envisaged over ten years from Tolaga Bay forests through Waimata Valley.

Because it follows a ridge, they say it would provide a more resilient route to the town and port for all road users, as well as log trucks. It would also be much safer, as there are fewer bridges and there would be less interaction with traffic compared to the

busy coastal route to the north of Gisborne.

The city council has already requested $100 million from the government’s regional development fund to help upgrade and maintain roads in the region which, PF Olsen’s Peter Clark suggested, would be the ideal source of money for the project.

But he also says that rural roads as a whole in New Zealand need to be given higher priority because the current funding system is putting them at a disadvantage to higher profile state highways.

forest talk

National Forest Policy unveiled IT’S BEEN A 4-YEAR SLOG, BUT NEW Zealand’s first National Forest Policy has now been unveiled and presented to the government.

A team of industry professionals led by Garth Cumberland and working under the umbrella of the New Zealand Institute of Forestry has created a document that provides the government with a platform to help “develop sound long-term strategies for forestry development”.

The policy document was handed to Forestry Minister, Shane Jones, at the NZIF’s annual conference in Nelson and he has promised to consider the proposals made by the team.

NZIF President, David Evison, says: “Unlike many countries, New Zealand has no national forest policy. Government decisions on matters

as diverse as climate change, water quality, taxation, overseas investment and land use have too often adversely affected our forests.

“As trees live longer than most plants, a stable policy environment is critical for good forest management.”

The document outlines five long-term policies to recognise, protect and enhance the many benefits that trees and forests deliver to the environment, economy, society and culture. The policies cover all forests (from conservation to production), management objectives, tenure types and all species (indigenous and introduced).

“A good policy provides important principles to guide decisions on legislation and regulation and helps achieve better outcomes,” says Dr Evison.

Minister warns forestry of ‘dirty dairy’ fate FORESTRY MINISTER, SHANE JONES, SAYS the industry needs to work hard to avoid the fate of the dairy industry, which lost public sympathy through the ‘dirty dairying’ saga.

He told members of the NZ Institute of Foresters at their Nelson annual conference their image is being similarly tainted by environmental disasters such as the Tolaga

Forestry Minister, Shane Jones.

Bay inundation.

The minister says there is a possibility forestry could suffer the fate of the dairy industry and be seen as harmful to the environment instead of being a positive contributor.

Mr Jones believes the industry needs to take every opportunity to promote the sector’s importance to the broader economy and as the “heavy-lifter” in the country’s climate change strategies.

And it needs to connect with the metropolitan centres in particular, as they lack a good understanding of forestry and other provincial-based industries.

He told delegates: “There’s a lot of misinformation in the cities about what we are doing and about our industries that are rooted in the countryside.

“Things can change overnight – if you have any doubts about that look what’s happening to the dairy industry.”

Mr Jones says that while the flooding and deluge of forestry waste at Tolaga Bay may have been a localised event, it served as an “example of how a single egregious case could taint the image of an entire industry”.

He adds: “Once a perception takes root and you get an outbreak of moral panic its bloody hard for an industry to come back from that.” NZL * See more from the NZIF annual conference on page 20.

“If the policy is well implemented, it will result in healthier, better managed forests, which provide much greater value to New Zealand and New Zealanders.”

Even though it is now in its final format, feedback on the National Forest Policy is still welcomed by the team that developed it. NZL * The full National Forest Policy can be viewed on our website, www.nzlogger.co.nz.

Fourth death impacts forestry

A FOURTH DEATH IN JUST THREE MONTHS has forestry officials concerned as the industry prepares to gather in Rotorua for a major safety summit.

The latest victim, Shannon Omlo, 31, was critically injured in an incident off Trass Valley Road, near Nelson last month. He was flown to hospital by helicopter but died shortly after. No other details were available as NZ Logger went to print WorkSafe is investigating and had only just opened an inquiry into the death of another man near Bulls in the lower North Island a week earlier.

Severe weather is thought to have played a major part in the Bulls incident, where a crew was preparing to leave the forest for safety reasons as conditions deteriorated. A sudden squall blew a tree onto a ute, killing the man and seriously injuring another.

These two July deaths followed hard on the heels of two in May. The first involved a 43-year-old who sub-contracted to his brother’s business, specialising in logging/sawmill and tree removal. He was falling a shelter belt in the Awatere Valley, in Marlborough and as he cut one felled tree, he was struck from behind by a falling dead spar from an adjacent tree and died at the scene. His body was discovered hours later by a log truck driver.

Meanwhile, a 66-year-old working in the Opouteke Forest, near Dargaville, was hit by a reversing ute on the side of a forestry road next to a container used as an office and store. He was airlifted to hospital but later died.

These deaths will be on delegates’ minds when the 2018 Forestry Safety Conference opens in Rotorua on August 8. NZL

August 2018 | NZ LOGGER 5

forest talk

First Eltec harvester arrives in New Zealand THE FIRST NEW CANADIAN-BUILT ELTEC harvester has arrived in New Zealand just as the original importer of the machines inks a joint-partnership deal to handle the distribution.

Whangarei logging contractor, Steven Stokes, set the ball rolling by grabbing the rights for Eltec in this market at the beginning of the year, but has now brought in Cambridgebased Shaw’s Wire Ropes as a 50:50 partner to distribute Eltec nationally.

The deal has also enabled him to widen the range of models offered in New Zealand to include loaders, as well as harvesters.

“The first machine has just gone into our crew in Woodhill Forest and it’s going great, but I realised that I needed a partner to help with distribution and Shaw’s have come on board to handle that side of the business,” says Steven.

Shaw’s Wire Ropes has an established distribution network and customer base throughout New Zealand and will build on this to provide full back-up and support for Eltec.

It has also appointed Jonny Edwards to be the dedicated manager of the Eltec brand.

Steven says: “Part of the deal with Shaw’s coming on board was that Jonny should visit to look over the machine and operate it, as Shaw’s had made it very clear it only wanted to endorse a high quality product.

“So, with Jonny super-impressed with the smoothness, quality of build and performance of the machine, all the boxes were very quickly ticked.”

The Eltec brand comes out of the FrenchCanadian province of Quebec, being designed and built by a family-owned logging business.

Steven came across Eltec when researching equipment to replace machines in his crews that were getting up in hours and was impressed after he and his uncle, Murray, met the family during a trip to Quebec and experienced the Eltec machines first-hand.

Eltec produces a purpose built 40-tonne log loader/harvester, three sizes of feller buncher/ harvester ranging from the 27-tonne 220 (zeroswing) and more powerful 33-tonne 270 model, through to the 36-plus tonne 310 and a 40-tonne model called the 417 that was created on a 317 base with the New Zealand market in mind. It has a heavier high and wide undercarriage and other heavy-duty components, plus a purposebuilt cab, and is powered by a 330hp version of the Cummins QSL9 engine.

Eltec has also developed its own levelling system to enable harvesters to work on steeper slopes in greater comfort, which is available as an option on all models.

The first New Zealand Eltec 417 harvester at work with Stokes Logging in Woodhill Forest.

Following the arrival of the first machine, Steven says seven others are due to arrive over the coming months and will include a large loader, along with a 277 model felling machine on a fixed base and another built onto the new levelling base, plus a 317 feller-buncher and several 417 harvesters (with a couple featuring SouthStar harvester heads factory-fitted by Eltec).

Steven ran his own engineering business before getting into logging nine years ago and has an insight into what is required to make the Eltec brand succeed here in New Zealand.

Having experienced the first 417 in his own working environment, Steven says he’s even more enthusiastic about its potential here. NZL

Celebrating exceptional primary industry employers THE MINISTRY OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES IS OUT TO CELEBRATE businesses that are great employers with the launch of a new award.

The Good Employer Awards are a recognition of outstanding primary industry employers and those that provide services to the primary industries, including forestry.

With a fast-approaching closing date of August 10, the new awards are sponsored by Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and the Agricultural and Marketing Research Development Trust.

“New Zealand needs to attract, develop and keep people in our primary industries,” says Associate Forestry Minister Meka Whaitiri.

“The primary industries employs about one in seven New Zealanders and as many as one in three in some regions. That’s a lot of people and it’s time we start celebrating those employers who are doing an outstanding job.

“An important part of this is providing great work environments

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where employees feel supported, safe and have the opportunity to develop and grow.

“In our forestry workforce, we need both employees and employers to develop new skills that focus on sustainability, resilience and accountability.

The awards recognise good employers in the following categories: • innovative employment practices • employee development • safe and healthy work environments • Maori agribusiness • Minister’s Award.

Individuals or businesses must be nominated by an industry body or a peer, with forms available on www.mpi.govt.nz/goodemployerawards.

Winners will be announced in November. NZL

forest talk

SouthStar releases grapple processor A NEW PROCESSING HEAD THAT IS equally adept at being used as a grapple has been released into the New Zealand market by SouthStar……with two already working here.

The versatile SouthStar Grapple Processor is designed to be able to sort, shovel and load like a grapple, and also process, measure and cut-to-length with all the advantages of a traditional processor.

“The Grapple Processor model has taken off in the North American market where we have sold over 80 units over the past 18 months and New Zealand contractors are now starting to see its

value,” says SouthStar Equipment’s Jeremy Disher.

“It’s a very cost-effective solution and well suited to low production crews operating in steep country under a tower, where skid sites are tight. It would be ideal on the smaller landings proposed in the two-stage extraction model that is being championed by FOMS in Whanganui (see Breaking Out, page 43).”

A good feature of the new Grapple Processor is the powerful tilt lock system, which is activated with twin cylinders that allows the processor to operate with or without a heel attached. It combines with innovative tilt levelling software to

control logs when loading from the back of a trailer or handling wood off centre.

The head is fitted with a powerful dual rotate motor drive that enables the operator to rotate logs up steep slopes when shovelling or loading trucks on uneven ground.

It has large capacity grapple de-limb arms to maximize capacity, without compromising de-limbing performance, and the unique drive arm design allows the drive arms to fold out of the way when grappling or loading.

SouthStar’s powerful 4x4 drive system is used for providing amplified torque in large wood, while at the same time increasing productivity and it has the ability to multi-stem small wood, which makes it even more versatile.

The proven DASA 5 computer system forms the basis of the controls and it can send production and service information via SouthStar’s unique Startrax Satellite Communication System.

The first two New Zealand SouthStar Grapple Processors are now working with Dean James’ Down & Out Logging operation near Gisborne, mounted onto a Sumitomo SH350 and on a Caterpillar 336 working with Nigel Kelly’s Nelson-based Kelly Logging. NZL

A Cat fitted with the new SouthStar Grapple Processor loads logs onto a truck.

Mega forest planned for Whanganui IN THE WAKE OF THE GOVERNMENT’S PLANS TO PLANT ONE Billion Trees over the next decade comes a proposal for a ‘mega forest’ to be established in the Whanganui region.

Horizons Regional Council has put forward an idea to plant 30 million trees in the region over the next 10 years as part of its Sustainable Land Use Initiative (SLUI).

The SLUI programme has already seen 13.9 million trees planted on erodible land in the region since 2006 and the new proposal will see a significant expansion, aimed at cutting erosion by almost a third by 2043.

To help with the programme, the Regional Council is asking the Government to contribute $12 million, on top of $7 million for the SLUI. Under the plan, landowners in erosion-prone areas would be

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asked to volunteer to change their pastoral land to forest, which could either be pruned and harvested in the future, if feasible, or left to grow and store carbon. The initiative will not only prevent erosion, it will also improve water quality and could store as much as 2.7 million tonnes of carbon.

The proposal sees ownership of the trees coming under a partnership between the land owner and central government, with profits shared between them on trees that are harvested.

There would also be an opportunity for early returns on trees before they are cut through the Emissions Trading Scheme.

Horizons Regional Council hopes to plant one million trees in this winter, then have more than half of the planned 30 million in the ground within six years. NZL

forest talk

Spraying research wins award for Scion team A RESEARCH PAPER CO-AUTHORED BY A TEAM FROM SCION ON the influence of a young Pinus Radiata canopy on aerial spray drift has won an international award.

The paper, co-authored by Brian Richardson, Tara Strand, Harold Thistle (US Forest Service), April Hiscox (University of South Carolina), Mark Kimberley and Wayne Schou, has won an award from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE).

The recognition has pleased Brian Richardson, who described it as “a massive piece of work”.

The aim of the research, he told Scion’s Connections newsletter, was to see if AGDISP, a model that simulates the landing position of aerial spray droplets, held under the turbulent conditions over a rough Radiata Pine canopy.

“We measured spray drift, the prevailing meteorological conditions and turbulence using sonic anemometers,” says Dr Richardson.

“We had challenges with the data but when it was averaged across replications we found AGDISP significantly overpredicted the quantity of airborne spray.

“We also used backscatter LiDAR to quantify the height and density of the spray cloud at a central point. The LiDAR data suggested the spray cloud profile that was more complex than the AGDISP model prediction.

“This is good motivation to continue with this work and have

another go at this experiment.”

The authors were honoured at the General Session Recognition Program held during the ASABE Annual International Meeting in Detroit, Michigan on July 30.

ASABE members work in the fields of the production, transport, storage and use of renewable resources, with the goal of meeting humanity’s most fundamental needs from bio-based materials.

See our NZIF coverage, starting on page 20, on another part of the research on spraying with drones. NZL

Scion-led research on how a pine forest canopy affects spray drift has won a top award.

First new Madill yarder for Rosewarne NORTHL AND-BA SED ROSEWARNE Contractors has had a few Madill yarders over the years, but it has only now taken delivered of the company’s first brand new one.

The new Madill 124 has gone to work with a Rosewarne crew in the Glenbervie Forest, pulling large Radiata Pine stems off steep country north of Whangarei.

Recently delivered by New Zealand

distributor, Porter Equipment, the new yarder doesn’t actually replace any of the company’s old Madills, which are still working with other crews, although company owner, Lars Rosewarne, says it is working in place of an old Thunderbird TY155 swinger.

The decision to go for a new yarder was not taken lightly but Lars goes on to say that “it is one of our better decision, it’s working bloody well – from the time we got it delivered into the forest it hasn’t missed a beat”.

The Canadian-built 124 is still produced to the original design, using proven components and technology and that’s what attracted the Rosewarne team, “plus, Porters is a big outfit and we know them well, so we didn’t have any worries

Operator, Ben, puts the new Rosewarne Madill 124 through its paces in the Glenbervie Forest.

on that score,” adds Lars.

There is, however, one improvement that has impressed him; the fitment of a larger cooling system, which will be very welcome when the hot Northland summer arrives.

“The new cooling package is part of the move to a Tier 4 engine,” says Lars. “This one still has a Tier 3, but we got all the upgraded cooling system ahead of the switch.”

A very noticeable part of the package that was added after the 124 arrived in New Zealand was the impressive artwork on the body, which depicts a Beaver and Kiwi watched over by an American Eagle, against a background of the three national flags.

It differs from the comic hero artwork on other Rosewarne machines and Lars says: “It was something we wanted to do to show the heritage of the 124 and its new Kiwi home.” NZL

August 2018 | NZ LOGGER 9

forest talk

Forestry to benefit from Overseas Investment Act changes FOREST OWNERS SAY THE GOVERNMENT’S announcement that the Overseas Investment Act would be amended to cut out red tape is a very positive signal to potential investors.

NZFOA President Peter Weir says he still can’t see the point of including cutting rights, instead of land ownership, in the scope of the Overseas Investment Office, but the deepest objections have been removed.

He says: “We’ve had companies who have invested here for decades having to go back to the OIO with another application, as though they were fresh arrivals.

“Same company, same proposal, but an application that took hundreds of thousands of dollars of paperwork and many months to get an outcome. We welcome a more efficient OIO processing system.

“Forest Owners said when the Billion Trees in Ten Years target was formulated that it would be very difficult to achieve that many trees planted if there were onerous obstacles to overseas investment imposed at the same time.

“Our industry as it is, will be planting half of the total, but to get to the billion trees New Zealand will need a lot of additional

WoodTECH focus on dry-mill innovations

WHEN WOODTECH 2018 OPENS ITS DOORS TO SAWMILLERS and wood processors next month, the focus will be on innovations and new technologies around dry-mill and wood manufacturing operations.

The two conferences – one in Rotorua and the other in Melbourne – are expected to draw big crowds following a record turn-out at last year’s events.

Previous WoodTECH events have concentrated on sawmill scanning, sawing and green-mill optimisation technologies, but for 2018 attention will be turning to other areas of the operation, says organiser and FIEA Director, Brent Apthorp.

These will include robotics/automation and changes being seen in wood manufacturing, advances in wood scanning and board optimisation, finger-jointing, cross cutting and ripping, timber gluing and laminating, timber machining, kiln drying, timber finishing, material handling operations, mill maintenance, changes to timber standards, H&S, and training and skills development.

“Advanced technologies like robotics and industrial exoskeletons, are used increasingly to reduce worker fatigue, along with wearable technologies to harness the power of mobile connected employees on-site and laser cutting of wood,” says Mr Apthorp.

Experts will fly in from Sweden, Germany, Italy, Slovakia, the USA and Canada to impart their knowledge.

The first conference is in Melbourne on September 11-12 and moves to Rotorua on September 18-19.

Details on www.woodtech.events. NZL

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land, labour and investment. Investors are very sensitive to market signals, and quite frankly the government signals have been mixed over the past few months.

“We accept that overseas investment is a privilege and not a right. We know there are rules to be followed. But rules for the sake of rules get in the way of achieving the government’s laudable goals of providing economic boosts to regional industry and more trees are what the experts agree are the only viable way for our country to achieve its greenhouse gas emission targets. NZL

Sinton takes first Cat 548 GF TOKOROA-BASED SINTON LOGGING HAS BECOME THE FIRST in New Zealand to put a new General Forestry version of Cat 548FM to work, joining his large fleet of Caterpillar equipment.

The purpose-built Cat 548FM GF version has a smaller riser under the forestry cab, along with a full guarding package and forestry boom and arm set.

The new 548FM GF also features the new Cat C7.1 ACERT Tier 4 Final engine that delivers increased horsepower and with its 989litre fuel tank the machine is able to work for extended periods of time. Another plus is the uprated swing torque of 19 %.

Alan Sinton’s long-term operator, Junior, is the operator of the new Cat grapple machine, busying himself with load-outs and fleeting off the processor most of the time, occasionally jumping into the cut-over to do some shovelling.

Junior says he is very impressed with the new 548FM GF, saying: “It’s mean-as, tones of power everywhere and it’s not even run in yet.” NZL

Sinton Logging operator, Junior, stands by the new Cat 548FM GF.

forest talk

SATCO upgrades processing head AN UPGRADED VERSION OF THE POPULAR SAT325T processing head has been introduced by Tokoroa-based SATCO – the first of a new series developed as a result of customer feedback.

“The 325T has a good following among contractors and they’ve been telling us what we could do to make it even better, so we’ve incorporated those ideas into the 3L2T,” says SATCO’s Warren Nolan Among the changes are an increase in the main saw cutting diameter by 5cm, with auto tensioning now standard.

Tilt-down has increased by 17 degrees, which is more useful for felling downhill, as the hanger bracket isn’t hard up against the stops.

A tilt lock is also added, which means the head can stand up at any point, enabling the saw to be used without the head falling over.

That’s good for cutting high stumps or cutting stumps on the same angle as the ground.

The top de-limb hoses now run from the de-limb ram to a bulk head and from there to the valve, so if it ruptures, it is only necessary to change hoses from the ram to bulk head.

And drive arm hoses now run from the drive ram to a manifold and from there to the valve, so all that is required to be changed are the hoses from manifold to ram. Additionally, drive motor hoses are all the same length, meaning only one spare hose is needed.

With the fall and trim heads, SATCO now provides an option of a 404 top saw, which sees the double knife replaced with a single one to provide the extra room for the top saw.

The top saw will cut up to 40cm diameter logs, which is a great option for contractors with a small base machine that still requires a large cutting capability and processing with

VEHICLE’S, MACHINERY AND ATTACHMENTS

Smarter, Stronger, Longer....

The newly developed SATCO 3L2T, seen here on a Tigercat 855E working with Waipine Holdings, near Bulls, that owner, Aaron, says is felling and processing, with little idle time. the same weight as the standard fall and trim head.

The first of these new heads is working with Russel Sinclair’s crew in Geraldine in a fall and trim set-up with a top saw, designated the SAT3L2SC – the SC standing for Super Cut 100 top saw. NZL

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August 2018 | NZ LOGGER 11

forest talk

Northland’s top logger, Dave Wilson of Rosewarne Cable Loggers, receives his two awards from Meka Whaitiri, Associate Minister for Forestry.

Dave tops Northland awards DAVE WILSON SCOOPED THE TOP PRIZE AT THE NORTHLAND Forestry Awards in a record year of entries, celebrated in front of 540 guests in Whangarei last month.

As well as being awarded the Northland Forestry Skilled Professional of the Year, he also won the Harvesting Excellence Award.

Known as one of the most professional crew managers in the region, Dave has worked for Rosewarne Cable Loggers since 2013 and thrives on the challenge of running an efficient harvesting crew in often challenging terrain using a 90-foot tower.

While Dave has high expectations, he leads from the front. He has 11 national certificates, a testament to his quest to be the very best he can and with a keen eye to health and safety. He is a meticulous planner who is always looking to do a job better.

Growing up in Tokoroa, Dave always wanted to follow his father into the industry and worked for 13 years in the Waikato, starting as a breaker-out and rising to crew foreman, before shifting to Northland.

Since starting with Rosewarne Cable Loggers, he has been based in the Karaka Forest – an area with huge hills, long pulls, blind spots and open to the elements. Forestry companies he has worked for say he is the best around and the longevity of his own crew supports that.

Judge, Jacqui Apiata-Coyne, says Dave’s passion and expertise helped him develop into a highly skilled professional and an authentic leader, adding: “He is a man whose reputation precedes him – he leads a team who work in a demanding and complex environment.”

There was strong competition across the awards, now in their third year, including the newly Introduced Newey Transport Emerging Talent Award, which was won by Channing Green in a tightly-fought section.

Ms Apiata-Coyne says the calibre of entries was particularly high, adding: “The competition within the Emerging Talent Award, Harvesting Excellence and Roading Excellence was incredibly strong this year.

“The awards are becoming very difficult to judge, there is a high

12 NZ LOGGER | August 2018

calibre among professionals within the industry and many of those recognised in our awards would be equally recognised on a national platform.”

2018 NORTHLAND FORESTRY AWARDS – WINNERS Northland Skilled Forestry Professional of the Year 2018: Dave Wilson, Rosewarne Cable Loggers Training Excellence • Trainee of the Year: Brendon Sander, Douglas Logging • Training Company/Contractor: Grimmer Contracting Skilled Professionals • Forestry Excellence: Hoani Te Taaki Poinga, Silviculture Contractors • Roading Excellence: Tom Ringrose, Rosewarne Cable Loggers • Harvesting Excellence: Dave Wilson, Rosewarne Cable Loggers • Distribution Excellence: Daron Turner, Kaitaia Transport • Wood Processing Excellence: Shane Mansell, Northpine • Breaker Out Excellence: Jack Bryant, Rosewarne Cable Loggers • Faller Excellence: Pepe Paniora, Douglas Logging Special Award • Emerging Talent: Channing Green, Lloyd Logging Industry Development Awards • Forestry Family of the Year: Subritzky Clarke Logging • Contractor of the Year: Forest Protection Services, Kevin Ihaka • Outstanding H&S Management: Forest Protection Services, Kevin Ihaka • Outstanding Environmental: Wise on Wood, Michelle & Nigel Harrison NZL

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woodflow 2018

Automation is coming to forestry, get used to it WHETHER WE LIKE IT OR NOT, FORESTRY is heading for some big changes in the future as many of today’s processes become automated.

It’s something we cannot avoid, but we do need to endorse and plan for the disruption that automation is likely to bring, says Graeme Muller, Chief Executive of technology planning organisation, NZ Tech.

At last month’s Woodflow 2018 conference in Rotorua, Mr Muller highlighted the pace that new technology has already followed in recent years, citing the oft-quoted Moore’s Law about the doubling in power and halving in price of computer chips every couple of years.

For example, an ordinary smart phone today has more computing power than NASA at the time of the moon landing in 1969.

Mr Muller says all businesses, including those in forestry, will need to be aware of three major advancements that are already making their presence felt today; Artificial Intelligence,

Blockchain and Virtual Reality.

Machines fitted with Artificial Intelligence will have the ability to learn and adapt to their use and environment, becoming better at the work intended for them.

Blockchain is a set of protocols or rules that enable people to do new things, taking the middle-man out of the equation and it’s predicted to have as much influence on our lives in the future as the internet does now.

Virtual Reality is also touted as a gamechanger for businesses, enabling training and planning to be undertaken without the person needing to actually be there.

How industries like forestry react to these new advancements will also be crucial, says Mr Muller, adding that certain jobs will be replaced, but it will be important for employers to retain those people and train them to do other tasks and provide them with new skills to help them flourish in an automated world.

Another speaker at the conference, Internet

NZ’s Chief Executive, Andrew Cushen, says it will also be vital for businesses to learn how to cope with and make good use of the ‘explosion’ of information that is becoming available from the equipment and systems we use in the forest.

Everything will be fitted with sensors, from the trees themselves, to the harvesting and loading equipment, to trucks carrying the logs to market and we’ll be able to track, plan and manage the flow of wood much better because “everything will talk to everything else – there’ll be no more guesswork”.

And, he adds: “There’s money on the table to be had from getting on board and knowing how to use it to your advantage.” * If you are concerned that connectivity in the forest will be held back by lack of signal communication, Mr Cushen says Rocket Lab’s ability to put satellites into orbit cheaply will cover that. NZL

Scion working towards fully automated forest IMAGINE A HARVESTING OPERATION WHERE ALL THE TREES are cut by robots swinging from tree-to-tree and the stems are automatically passed along a line of similar robots to a machine that cuts them into logs, which are then loaded onto a truck without a single human present.

It’s a future that Scion is working towards and the Rotorua-based research organisation has produced an animated video that it hopes will encourage partners to join and help fund and developed the project.

The fully autonomous harvesting system is based on the ‘swinging skeleton’ devised for the former Future Forest Research Steepland harvesting programme.

When FFR became the Forest Growers Research (FGR) organisation the ‘swinging skeleton’ was set aside because it was considered too futuristic and unlikely to be perfected any time soon, and it would also require considerable investment.

But scientists at Scion believe it still has merit and have been quietly working behind the scenes to keep the project alive, which led to the production of the video (which can be viewed by going to the www. nzlogger.co.nz website for a link to the Youtube footage).

The video, called Tree-to-Tree Locomotion, had its first public viewing at the Woodflow 2018 forestry logistics conference in Rotorua last month and caused quite a stir.

The two-and-half-minute animated clip shows a number of robotic machines swinging on trees, much like the original ‘swinging’ skeleton’ until one stops to cut down a tree and then passes it to a ‘skeleton’

14 NZ LOGGER | August 2018

behind, which passes it back another ‘skeleton’ and so on, until the logs are finally loaded onto a driverless log truck.

The video also shows similar machines under-taking thinning and pruning operations in young forests and various other tasks.

Dr Richard Parker, from Scion, says it can be hard to explain how they envisage a fully automated harvesting operation and the video enables them to do just that and his team is delighted with the response. NZL

The first ‘swinging skeleton’ has felled a tree and will delimb it before passing it back to another one behind it.

Tech plan saving lives in Hawkes Bay WHEN PAN PAC ASKED CCS LOGISTICS to coordinate and consolidate the work of its various transport contractors in the Hawkes Bay, no one thought at the time it would save lives.

But that’s just one impressive result from the project.

Corinne Watson, General Manager of CCS Logistics, told the Woodflow 2018 conference in Rotorua last month an estimated four fatalities have been avoided in third-party/ not-at-fault crashes.

Yes, it’s a statistical calculation, but it is based on improvements seen among the 135 drivers, especially in lowering their speeds, since the project began in 2015.

Prior to the project, the 35 companies contracting transport to Pan Pac used four different GPS systems and the aim was to get all the information on tracking each of their trucks to be brought into a single system. That way, the movement of log trucks between the forest, Pan Pac’s log yard north of Napier and the local port could be better managed to make it more efficient.

Also, Health & Safety could be proactively managed.

The driver for the project was a prediction that wood flows out of the forests in the Hawkes Bay will increase 50% by 2025.

“Pan Pac wanted the 50% increase in volumes but without a 50% increase in headaches,” says Ms Watson.

Pan Pac was hoping that the project would allow that extra volume to be carted without a linear increase in the size of the fleet, which stood at 79 trucks in 2015.

Ms Watson says the key was getting buy-in from all the drivers, as well as the transport contractors, ie they had to see benefits themselves for it work.

Fleet scores were kept, up to 10-out-10 across a range of metrics, from keeping within speed limits to ensuring proper driver behaviour that is monitored via cab cams by the transport contractors, managing fatigue and wearing seatbelts. When the project began, the average score was 4-out-of-10 but this has now risen to 7-out-of-10.

Other results are a significant reduction in ‘at-fault’ crashes, drivers volunteering video of their mistakes to help others, lasting changes in driver habits, a 33% reduction in insurance claims, plus that all-important

Competition among loggers in Nelson WHEN NELSON FORESTS DECIDED to upgrade its supply chain planning system it led to a mini-competition among harvesting contractors that is benefitting everyone.

Nigel Brabyn, Business Performance Analyst for Nelson Forests, was given the task of overseeing the upgrade so that the company could obtain real-time information about what is coming out of its forests.

He told the Woodflow 2018 conference in Rotorua last month that prior to the upgrade, the information took a long time to assimilate and it could be anywhere up to six months after the trees were cut down until Nelson Forests knew if it was making any money on them.

The new system delivers that information on a daily basis, so that Nelson Forests can track trends as they happen and make adjustments if required. In addition to getting on top of issues quickly, it’s helped to cut down on wasted activities and made the whole operation much leaner.

It’s also improved harvest planning and can even tell Nelson Forests how to harvest, which crews suit a particular block and what machines would work best on that block.

To make it work, harvesting contractors report their numbers every day to be logged into the system and Nelson Forests has been able to put that information into a performance table for them all to see.

That table is sent to contractors each morning and they can identify how they measure up against fellow contractors working for Nelson Forests.

Mr Brabyn says contractors have responded by using the data to work out how they can improve their own performances, which is proving to be a big benefit – nothing like a bit of friendly rivalry.

More work is planned to fine tune the system, including better management of stock piles in the forest and improving transport to customers and the local port. NZL

estimated saving of four lives on the road.

Thanks to video footage of incidents that do occur, thousands of hours of management time is saved investigating them.

Productivity has increased per truck and waiting times at various pinch-points are being addressed, but Ms Watson says further work is needed to lift this side of the ledger. NZL

Robots to ease labour shortages INTRODUCING MORE ROBOTICS INTO harvesting operations will ease labour shortages, the Woodflow 2018 conference was told last month.

Keith Raymond, Harvesting Programme Leader with Forest Growers Research (FGR), says the lack of young people coming into the industry is already limiting wood flow from our forests.

And the situation will continue to worsen, with another thousand young loggers required by 2025 as the wood harvest in New Zealand increases to 35 million cubic metres.

But it could be alleviated by introducing more automated equipment and systems more quickly.

“I don’t know where we’re going to get the hundreds of youngsters for our crews, so if we can have more automated machines it will keep a lid on the numbers we’ll need over the coming years,” says Mr Raymond.

FGR is close to receiving the green light for an ambitious research programme that will speed up the introduction of automation by 2025.

It has applied to the Ministry of Primary Industries for funding under the Primary Growth Partnership programme and Mr Raymond says it could be signed off within a matter of weeks.

The new programme could see up to $30 million pumped into research on a range of new machines and new ideas, with the aim of commercialising them by the middle of the next decade. FGR has already brought a number of industry players on board in readiness to kick-start the programme, including seven manufacturing partners, nine technology development support participants, nine forestry company consortiums and five harvesting and log transport companies. NZL

August 2018 | NZ LOGGER 15

woodflow 2018

EV log trucks coming....and they may not need drivers ELECTRIC-POWERED LOG TRUCKS ARE JUST AROUND THE CORNER and they’ll help your business become cleaner and reduce costs.

And, more surprisingly, they may be among the first vehicles to successfully utilise Autonomous Driving technology, ie these trucks will drive themselves.

Andrew Rushworth, CEO of Zero Emissions Vehicles NZ which designs and makes heavy electric vehicles, told the Woodflow 2018 conference in Rotorua last month that electrifying trucks would make a huge contribution to reducing this country’s emissions – although trucks make up just 3.75% of the national vehicle fleet, they are responsible for 21.5% of all transport emissions.

There are challenges, he says.

“The weight of the batteries buggers tare weights and there needs to be a 40-fold increase in battery energy density,” Mr Rushworth concedes, adding: “And drag is a killer.”

But on the positive side, harsh operating conditions, such as forestry, suits electric vehicles and the electric motor will cost much less to maintain and will be cheaper to run than a diesel engine.

On that last point, Mr Rushworth quoted performance figures for the recently unveiled Tesla semi truck, which will have a range of 480 kilometres and consumes around 1.25kWh per kilometres of electricity at highway speeds pulling 36 tonnes. The cost of purchasing that truck when it goes into production is quoted at around NZ$215,000.

In the real world, Mr Rushworth says the costs can swing wildly, depending on driving conditions. In The Tesla figures are based on ideal driving conditions, but in adverse conditions the kWh could increase three or four times.

But he expects many of the current challenges to be overcome as

Log trucks powered by electric motors are coming to the forest – this is Tesla’s take on the EV semi. technology improves the power and lowers the weight of batteries, with EV logging trucks on the road some time over the next five-to-ten years.

He envisages an EV log truck could deliver 780kW through six driving axles, with 8-tonne axle loads and running on super singles. The trailer would also have ‘powered’ axles.

Mr Rushworth says that with the advent of Autonomous technology, there is no reason why trailers could not drive themselves out of the forest when loaded and meet up with trucks at a central hitch-up point. He says private forest roads are ideal for using Autonomous vehicles because of the lack of other users.

Meanwhile, Swedish truck manufacturer, Scania, is looking to employ ‘platooning’ as one way of introducing Autonomous driving technology even sooner. ‘Platooning’ is where several trucks drive very close together in convoy, originally proposed as a way to conserve fuel by cutting down drag.

But Scania has been experimenting with the technology to see if the following trucks can do without their drivers and has carried out successful trials on its private test track. Video of the experiment was shown to the Woodflow 2018 audience by visiting Scania executives, who said the technology is not far away from being introduced. NZL

Plan to deliver better rural roads WITH AN EXTRA HALF-MILLION LOG TRUCK journeys taking place on rural roads over the past 15 years it’s little wonder that many of them are suffering under the increased usage, especially as maintenance hasn’t always kept pace.

The solution being applied by some local authorities who are under-resourced is to slug forest owners with extra charges to help pay for road maintenance and upgrading when harvesting begins.

Inevitably, that approach leads to conflict, forestry consultant Brett Gilmore told the Woodflow 2018 conference in Rotorua last month.

16 NZ LOGGER | August 2018

The response from forest owners has been ‘hey, we’ve been paying rates for 28 years when no trucks were using these roads, these extra charges are unfair’.

With entrenched positions on both sides, little gets done and the roads continue to deteriorate.

But, everyone agrees that something needs to be done to ensure rural roads are fit for purpose and the NZ Forest Owners Association has charged its Transport and Logistics Committee to work more closely with local authorities to arrive at a solution.

The aim is to provide a consistent national approach to paying for roads and ensure

there is a fair and equitable charge for all users, as well as providing local authorities with better information on when and were harvesting is going to take place.

The committee has funded three projects over the past year. The first being to develop equitable funding guidelines; the second to use GIS transport spatial modelling of woodflow to show where the log trucks are driving; and the third is for a survey of rural roads.

Those three projects will be drawn together later this year and presented to the Road Controlling Authorities Forum for discussion about improving on the current unsatisfactory system. NZL

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woodflow 2018

The road to instant volume scaling WHILE NEW ZEALAND FORESTERS HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT moving to volumetric wood measurement for ages, various systems are already being introduced overseas.

What’s preventing us following suit?

Talk to anyone in the industry and they would love to have instant electronic scaling, based on measuring volume, not weight, as soon as possible. That would allow accurate payments to be made on how much wood is on the back of a truck.

Sounds fair enough, but until a system that measures wood volumes accurately becomes widely used elsewhere, it seems that New Zealand wood buyers are unlikely to make the switch, even though loads vary in weight because of moisture content.

But we are getting closer. And two overseas systems showcased at the Woodflow 2018 conference in Rotorua last month certainly drew considerable interest.

The Woodtech Logmeter, made in Chile, has recently been successfully trialled in Tasmania, where its laser-scanning technology is proving to be highly accurate for measuring Eucalyptus logs grown for either chip or whole log export.

The trial began in 2014 and involved installation of 3D laser measuring structures at key locations where trucks would drive though at a set pace and the wood volumes measured, providing an instant readout on the volume and biometric characteristics of the load. The results have encouraged Tasmanian forest company, Forica, to continue to pursue volume measurement, as there are potential savings to be made in transport costs by not having to rely on weighing. Woodtech is looking to interest New Zealand forest companies and log transporters.

Meanwhile, Estonian company, Timbeter, has developed a system that allows foresters to capture logs in roadside wood stacks or

on trucks on their smart phone / tablet, which then uses special photographic recognition technology to measure each log and calculate its volume.

It provides quick reporting on harvested wood volumes and can even be used to identify defects in logs.

Potential New Zealand customers can download a free trial on line and then pay a yearly licence fee if they want to continue using it. NZL

A log truck passes through the Woodtech Logmeter scanner to record the volume of its load.

Getting good sleep matters THE IMPORTANCE OF LOGGERS AND LOG truck drivers getting a good night’s sleep has been highlighted by research carried out in Australia and the lessons apply to New Zealand, too.

The University of Tasmania’s Dr Luke Mirowski took attendees at last month’s Woodflow 2018 conference through some of his findings and the tools used to assist with fatigue management in forestry jobs.

Operators arriving at work with high levels of fatigue due to lack of sleep are a major issue.

He says that managing fatigue is now a requirement under new health & safety

18 NZ LOGGER | August 2018

rules, but it’s more than that, because a fatigued operator can cost a business hundreds of thousands of dollars in Lost Time Injuries (LTIs) and fines when things go wrong.

Managing fatigue properly can also assist the productivity of a business. Research shows that a worker’s productivity tails off in late morning after four hours of solid work, then rises after smoko but tails off again later in the day.

For instance, the research highlighted that it was taking an operator 40-to-80 seconds longer to process a stem at the end of a day, compared to the start. Add that up over a number of shifts

and the losses can be significant.

Dr Mirowski showed how transport and harvesting operators in Australia are managing risk by ensuring workers are sleeping well and monitoring their performance to identify those who aren’t, as well as ensuring workers take breaks when feeling fatigued. They are also creating improved shifts and schedules, including swapping people around on jobs to keep them fresh.

Tools to help monitor fatigue include workers wearing Fitbit wristbands, using GPS positioning data, machinery operation data etc. NZL

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NZIF 2018

New Nelson Forests owner goes public THE NEW OWNER OF NELSON FORESTS broke cover at the NZIF annual conference last month.

It’s been unusual for foreign buyers of local forestry businesses to make public appearances in the past, but Australian-based OneFortyOne Plantations cast that tradition aside to tell its story to members of the Institute when they convened in Nelson…….. especially as formal approval has yet to be given by the Overseas Investment Office for the purchase.

The good news is that the head of OneFortyOne Plantations is a New Zealander and the company has plans to grow the newly acquired Nelson Forest business, not bleed it or break it up.

Auckland University-educated Linda Sewell is a former CHH executive who also worked for HVP Plantations (Hancock) in Australia before being shoulder-tapped five years ago to become CEO of a Forest investment company without any forests.

In a presentation to the NZIF, she says the business has gone from just having one employee (herself) to now employing more than 600, with major forest and mill investments on both sides of the Tasman.

OneFortyOne’s backer, US-owned Campbell Global, was the successful bidder for the Forestry South Australia 100-year harvesting rights over 80,000ha that were sold by the state government in 2012, which led to a huge outcry from both the public and many of those who worked in the Golden Triangle, centred at Mt Gambier.

The outcry died down when the company focused on supplying the domestic market, rather than exports, and won over the locals.

This was further cemented when it also ended up purchasing the largest mill in the region from CHH, the Jubilee Mill in Mt Gambier, even though it meant shelving plans to build a particle board mill to use the mounting waste and pulp logs (that’s still an issue to be solved).

Within a year, Nelson Forests was put on the market, which includes the Kaituna sawmill in addition to its 78,000 hectare estate, and OneFortyOne was the successful purchaser again.

“It was an extraordinary year,” says Ms Sewell. “We ended up with a mirror image of what we had in Mt Gambier and becoming one of the largest integrated forestry businesses in Australasia, producing one

million tonnes a year.”

While it is still early days, Ms Sewell says the owners of OneFortyOne intend to grow the business, plugging any gaps and integrating the assets to make them work more efficiently.

But that’s a story for another day.

Where did the OneFortyOne name come from? It’s the longitude of Mt Gambier. NZL

OneFortyOne CEO, Linda Sewell

Contractors need longer contracts – Aussie logger

Learning from mistakes in the forest

AN AUSTRALIAN LOGGER BELIEVES THE INDUSTRY IN HIS COUNTRY IS SUFFERING through a lack of long-term contracts being offered to harvesting businesses and it could be the same on this side of the ditch.

Speaking to the NZIF annual conference in Nelson last month, Gippsland-based contractor, Ian Reid, says the lack of long-term harvesting contracts is restricting innovation because it doesn’t encourage loggers to invest in new ideas and better equipment if they are unsure of work tenure.

And he goes on to add that the use of tenders to keep contractors on their toes and put a lid on harvesting rates is counter-productive.

“The cheapest rate is not necessarily the most cost-effective,” says Mr Reid, who is Harvesting Performance Manager for Austimber Harvesting, situated in Latrobe Valley, east of Melbourne.

He says it leads to a period of disruption and costs both the grower and the contractor, it creates uncertainty and contractors are less inclined to update equipment and following the award of a contract there may be delays before new equipment arrives, which stifles production.

Mr Reid advocates a negotiated approach, which would provide confidence on both sides and under-pin invest in new equipment and innovation. It would help to stem worker churn in the crew if employees have a more certain future of work.

But he warns that the introduction of new technology should not be seen as a way to reduce rates, saying that a sharing of the gains made would be a ‘win-win’ for both parties.

He also believes that any machinery performance data now becoming available through smart technology in equipment has to belong to the contractor and should not be shared with the forest owner without mutual agreement. NZL

LOGGERS NEED TO DO MORE SHARING

20 NZ LOGGER | August 2018

of information about incidents in their harvesting operations so that we can learn from their mistakes.

That’s the message Les Bak, Health & Safety Facilitator for Nelson Forests, took to the NZIF annual conference in his home town last month.

Rather than looking for someone to blame, which prevents people from speaking out of fear, we should treat all near misses and incidents as an opportunity to learn and improve health and safety, he says.

Safety achievements should be recognised and the actions of staff dealt with fairly and consistently, which would encourage crew members to intervene if they spot an unsafe situation or witness a colleague putting themselves in danger.

Mr Bak outlined how crews need to take a proactive approach to understanding the reasons behind incidents and why people acted the way they did in order to make progress.

“Smart people learn from their own mistakes, wise people learn from other’s mistakes,” he says. NZL

Hicks Bay wharf to relieve East Coast log route A PLAN TO RELIEVE THE CHALLENGING coastal drive for log truck drivers on the East Coast by building a wharf at Hicks Bay has got the thumbs up from Forestry Minister, Shane Jones.

He told the New Zealand Institute of Forestry annual meeting in Nelson last month that one of his responsibilities under his other hat, as Minister for Regional Development, is to ensure there is good infrastructure for commerce to thrive in the provinces.

Mr Jones pointed to the main highway that hugs the coast north of Gisborne as being “treacherous” for those who used it on a regular basis, such as log truck drivers, which is a hindrance.

“The roads are treacherous, they’re difficult to maintain and if people want to plant pine trees and then be able to harvest them in the future they will need infrastructure,” he says.

“That is why we are keen to help your industry in that part of the country and establish a wharfage facility at Hicks Bay, to

take logs off the roads. This is a project that I have encouraged people to back.”

It’s not a new idea – there have been suggestions in the past for a wharf to be established at Hicks Bay where logs trucked from forests in the north of the region can be barged to a larger port and off-loaded onto ships. Eastland Port and officials from Te Uru Rakau (the newly created Forestry New Zealand) are looking at the feasibility.

Eastland is also working on plans to redevelop the main port at Gisborne to allow two logs ships to berth at the same time, instead of one.

But in the wake of the Tolaga Bay floods, Mr Jones has also warned that plantation pines are unlikely to be planted on Crown land on the East Coast.

“Natives, yes, but not pines for harvesting, it’s too risky on those hills,” he says, adding that he couldn’t direct private owners not to plant pines on their own land, which they are free to do, as long as they meet rules and regulations.

The Minister also had some advice to

the industry about the rising number of logs being exported from New Zealand, while mills continue to complain of wood shortages.

“I don’t want to see logs going overseas when sawmillers and wood processors are telling us that they don’t have enough confidence to invest and expand here in New Zealand, because they can’t get adequate contracts that give them confidence of supply,” says Mr Jones.

“Yes, I did talk about a tax on export logs on the campaign trail, but that is probably not doable and extra taxes are not a good thing for businesses and I can see it is going to be difficult.

“I say to you as professionals, that exporting logs without reference to your neighbours or your neighbours’ children is a very big political challenge for me. We do have solutions, but they will come at the level of regulation. I have asked that we look at whether it is a good idea for log exporters to be registered, as we do for real estate agents.” NZL

Falcon Felling Carriage working soon THE FIRST FULLY OPERATIONAL FALCON FELLING CARRIAGE COULD be operating in the forest within the next two months.

Dale Ewers, founder of Falcon Forestry Equipment (FFE), says the second prototype is currently being completed in the workshop and he is talking to a crew that wants to use it in a real harvesting environment.

“We could see it working in a full production crew at the end of September,” Dale told the NZIF during a presentation to the annual conference in Nelson last month, giving little other information away, except to confirm that it would be working in the South Island.

It’s been almost three years since the first prototype – developed from FFE’s successful grapple carriage – was tested in the forest in one of Dale’s own crews and the concept has been redesigned and refined since then.

Progress has also been slowed as FFE ramped up production of its Falcon Winch-Assist units, with 55 now working in crews both here in New Zealand and overseas to date, collectively amassing an impressive 260,000+ operational hours. There are now 42 Falcon Claw grapple carriages working, too, collectively with 200,000+ operational hours behind them.

The first operational Falcon Felling Carriage is expected to go to work in New Zealand by the end of September.

Dale reiterated his goal of introducing a fully automated harvesting system in the next decade where the operators would be working far away from the machines in the comfort of an office or even their home.

“It’s already happening in mining and that’s one of our goals,” says Dale. NZL

August 2018 | NZ LOGGER 21

NZIF 2018

Spot spraying by drone has issues YOU’D THINK THAT USING A LARGE DRONE TO HIT PROBLEM weeds in a forest with a targeted spray would be an ideal and costeffective solution but it’s not that simple, according to Scion.

Whilst trials using a real-life helicopter holding a spray unit on a long tether have proved successful, the same could not be said for modelling applied to drones, Scion scientist Tara Strand told the NZIF annual conference in Nelson last month.

It seems that when a spray unit is slung right underneath the drone, the wash from its multiple rotors does not act in the same way as the bigger helicopter.

The single large rotor on the helicopter drives the spray down onto the targeted weed or tree and covers both sides of the leaves with droplets, but the numerous rotors on the drone produce confused vortices that blow the spray away from its intended target.

Even though drones are already being manufactured with payloads up to 20kg to carry small spraying units to be deployed for such tasks, the Scion team says they “lack a robust design that considers wakespray interactions”.

The scientists say more work is needed to develop technology that overcomes this drawback.

In other research, Dr Strand and her colleagues are also working on the development of models to predict how forest fires react in extreme conditions, as reported by NZ Logger last year.

The work is considered vital because New Zealand is likely to experience the sort of extreme wildfires being witnessed in the

A fire experiment in a South Island corn field proves fire spreads by convection, not radiation.

US, Canada and Australia.

Working with researchers from those countries, Dr Strand and her team are working on a new fire spread model based on a groundbreaking theory that these conflagrations move via convection that pulses the flames forward rather than raising the heat of vegetation through radiation to a point where it combusts. That makes extreme fire events more deadly.

Last year, they carried out a live experiment by setting fire to a field of corn stubble in the South Island, using sensors and video to test the theory, which it seemed to prove. Dr Strand told the conference that two further live fire trials are planned, one using gorse in the Rakaia Gorge this coming summer and a year later in wilding pines on the Pukaki Downs Station. NZL

New airport makes loggers feel at home

Wood is a key feature of the new Nelson Airport terminal.

22 NZ LOGGER | August 2018

NELSON LOGGERS USING THE NEW PASSENGER TERMINAL AT their local airport, due to open next year, will feel right at home because all the wood used in the construction has come from forests in their region.

The $32 million building not only has a frame made with wood, it’s been designed to show off timber harvested from the hills surrounding the city and many of its components were fabricated in a building just off the main runway.

Simon Hardy, of Studio Pacific Architects, told the NZIF conference in Nelson last month that some of the large structures for the new terminal were made a few hundred metres away for ease of transport.

The new terminal, which will be twice the size of the existing one, features timber prominently throughout and a unique roof structure has been designed to mimic the western ranges, which can be viewed through the ‘floor to ceiling’ windows.

Among interesting facts on the new building are: 610m of LVL is being used (the equivalent of two rugby pitches worth); the wood is estimated to have taken around 3 hours of growth in the Nelson/Marlborough region; while the LVL components took only 2.5 days to produce they required 62 days of CNC machining into the finished articles. And the whole building sits on Resilient Slip Friction Joints to soak up the shocks in earthquakes so that it remains totally undamaged. NZL

Two top foresters honoured by NZIF THE NZ INSTITUTE OF FORESTRY recognised the contribution of two of its outstanding leaders at its annual awards dinner in Nelson last month.

PF Olsen CEO, Peter Clark, was named the 2018 NZIF Forester of the Year in recognition of his “outstanding contribution” to the profession and the forestry sector.

The award recognises leadership, excellence and personal integrity, particularly where this demonstrates the character and strength of the forestry profession, and it is one of the highest accolades the Institute can bestow.

“The Forester of the Year award is a fitting recognition of the contribution that Peter Clark has made to the sector over a large number of years,” says NZIF President, David Evison.

Mr Clark has played a key advocacy role for forestry, both with his own company and also as a senior member of the institute, particularly in advancing the cause of a wellthought out and executed Emissions Trading Scheme.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Forest Growers Research programme, Russell Dale has been awarded the Kirk Horn and medal.

Presented every two years, the Kirk Horn Flask is the most historically valuable award in all New Zealand science, recognising outstanding contributions in the field of forestry in this country.

“Russell has proved himself to be an outstanding leader in forest management and in the management of major industryfunded forestry research programmes, over a long and distinguished career,”

says Dr Evison.

“The NZ Institute of Forestry is delighted to celebrate the achievements and contributions to New Zealand forestry of Peter Clark and Russell Dale.” . NZL

Russell Dale, who heads the Forest Growers Research organisation, holds up the Kirk Horn Flask.

PF Olsen CEO, Peter Clark, with the handcarved NZ Forester of the Year award.

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NZIF 2018

Record $41,000 handed out by NZIF Foundation NOW INTO IT’S SEVENTH YEAR, THE charitable Foundation set up by the NZIF to promote the advancement of education in relation to forestry in New Zealand, has been able to provide a record sum in scholarships and awards for 2018.

A total of $41,000 was presented at the NZIF awards dinner to ten people – mostly young students – drawn from 43 applicants.

“We are delighted with the number of applications and also with the range of institutions that applicants have come from, demonstrating the increasing recognition of the Foundation’s work,” says organiser Andrew McEwen.

Three student scholarships, each of $1,000 and open to forestry students at tertiary institutions in New Zealand were presented: • Mary Sutherland Scholarship 2018 went to Georgia Paulson who is enrolled in the second year of the Level 6 Diploma in Forest Management at Toi-Ohomai, in Rotorua • University Undergraduate Scholarship for 2018 went to Phoebe Milne, a first year Bachelor of Forestry Science student at the University of Canterbury • Frank Hutchinson Scholarship for 2018 went to Yannina Whiteley, a Master of Forestry Science student at the University of Canterbury, who is developing spatially explicit empirical models for tree-top faults and single tree wind throws in Pinus radiata at Geraldine Forest.

The Otago/Southland Award 2018, made possible through donations from the NZ Institute of Forestry Otago-Southland section to assist or enable a project of relevance to forestry in that region, saw $3,000 go to: • Rhys Black, a Bachelor, a Forest Science Honours student at the University of Canterbury, whose research project is an analysis of the availability of bulk vessels for log exports using data from South Port and Port Otago.

The Jon Dey Award, established in memory of the respected Wellingtonbased forester and now in its third year, recognises contributions to NZ forestry. The 2018 award of $3,500 to assist research projects in the areas of work study or new technology aimed at improving forest engineering and harvest

24 NZ LOGGER | August 2018

productivity was made to: • Cameron Leslie, who will be undertaking a Masters’ project on the productivity of winch-assisted machines and the factors that affect them, using operations in New Zealand and Canada.

The Invercargill City Forests Award is a new one for the Foundation, with the company donating $5,000/year for three years to allow one or more awards to be made in each year to assist residents of Invercargill in studies, research or travel in an area which benefits forestry. The first recipient is: • Logan Robertson, who was born and raised in Invercargill, and is currently in his third year of a Bachelor of Forestry Science degree at the University of Canterbury School of Forestry.

The NZ Redwood Company Scholarship is another new award, with the company donating $5,000/year for five years to enable the Foundation to grant a $5,000 scholarship to a student enrolled in the Bachelor of Forestry Science course at the University of Canterbury School of Forestry.

The first recipient is: • Mat Curry, who is in his fourth year of a

Cameron Leslie (left) and Rhys Black with their respective awards.

BForSc (Hons) degree at the School of Forestry.

Finally, two Future Forest Scholarships offer up to $10,000/year each for post graduate research at any recognised NZ tertiary institution into NZ plantation forestry, with preference given to projects in environmental markets, wood fibre markets, forest logistics, productivity and genetics. The 2018 recipients are: • Trevor Best, a PhD student at the University of Canterbury School of Forestry, whose research topic is ‘to examine the way machine operators in the logging industry construct and act on stress within their work-life, with an emphasis on the implications for their health and safety’ • Leo Mercer, a PhD student in environmental studies at Victoria University of Wellington whose research topic explores a carbon farming partnership between Nuhiti Q (a Maori landowning incorporation on the East Coast of New Zealand’s North Island) and Gull New Zealand. It is investigating the genesis of this partnership and the wider risks, barriers and opportunities for Maori landowners entering the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and engaging in carbon farming as a land use. NZL

Mat Curry, with his NZ Redwood Company Scholarship Award.

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sweet spot!

The first six-wheeled Tigercat 625E starts its working life with Bluewood Logging in Otago.

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M

AYBE WE SHOULD REALLY BE CALLING THE NEW six-wheeled Tigercat 625E the ‘Goldilocks’ skidder.

That’s because it sits right in the sweet spot for harvesting operations like Southland’s Bluewood Logging; it’s not too small that it struggles to pull wood effectively and it’s not too big that it might be regarded as overkill.

It’s just right.

Well, that’s how Bluewood Logging’s owner, Clint McIvor, sees it.

And, having completed our Iron Test of his new 625E, the first to arrive in New Zealand, we think that he may just be right, too.

The 625E bridges the gap between the existing six-wheeled models in the Tigercat stable, the 615E and the big, range-topping 635G. Both of those models have been out for a while – more than a decade for the 635 and five years for the 615 – though they’ve gone through a series of updates over the years. In that time, Tigercat has reigned supreme in the six-wheel-drive skidder market, with no challenges as yet from their green and yellow rivals.

So Tigercat could be forgiven for making hay while the sun shines and adding another arrow to the skidder quiver.

And it could just be that the Canadian manufacturer has saved its best for last.

Indications are that the new 625E will become the most popular of the six-wheeled Tigercat skidders because of its broad appeal. It already seems to be working out that way judging by the interest and orders for the New Zealand market. That’s the ‘Goldilocks’ effect in action.

AB Equipment’s Mark Hill says the 625E has struck a chord with

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Above: Picking up stems with a grapple is so much easier than Bluewood Logging’s previous rope skidder.

Below: Chains fitted to the front tyres help the Tigercat 625E negotiate this steep track from the cut-over to the skid site

many logging contractors here, being relatively compact and light, but still built from heavier-duty components and featuring sufficient power to be well suited to high volumes, challenging terrain, demanding duty cycles and long-distance skidding. The sort of conditions found in a number of forests throughout New Zealand.

The sort of conditions that Bluewood Logging regularly encounters around its forestry stomping ground in Southland and Otago.

For owner, Clint McIvor, the arrival of the 625E was perfectly timed, making up for missing out on his ideal skidder when he

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first purchased a Tigercat in 2010, which was also the first Tigercat machine of any sort to be sold in New Zealand by AB Equipment.

Back then, he wanted a grapple skidder that was also equipped with a large and powerful winch, so he could rope stems from difficult pockets which couldn’t be reached with the tongs.

The right grapple model was not available and he ended up purchasing a 604C dedicated rope skidder, the first ever made by Tigercat, which he’s been working right up to the arrival of the 625E. Turns out that if Clint had waited another six months he could have ordered a 620 grapple model that also incorporated the full-size Allied winch fitted to his 604.

“It was a shame we missed out, but at the time we needed the rope skidder for the work we were doing and it served us pretty well,” he says.

Clint has got what he wants this time round, with a 196kN (44,000lb) line pull Carco winch sitting just behind the voluminous 1.95m (21ft ) grapple on his new 625E. That’s more line pull than the Allied winch on the old 604C and a larger size grapple than is available on the current 615E. Sweet.

The comparison with the 615E is relevant, because prospective buyers could be interested in either machine and the new 625E shares quite a lot of the componentry with its stablemate, including transmission choices, axles, hydraulic system, wheel/tyre combinations, blade and even cab. For markets like New Zealand, which take Tier 2 engines, there’s no difference in the power output

Above: The extra axle and wheels in the rear bogie provide improved stability on uneven ground.

Below: The trees in this block are a mixture of Douglas-fir and self-seeded pines.

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between the 615E and 625E, as there is between Tier 4 motors. Both are powered by Tigercat FPT N67 engine, delivering 172kW (231hp) of peak power at 1,900rpm. The main difference between the two models is size; the 625E measures 8,740mm in overall length and has a 4,445mm wheelbase, against the 615E’s 8,460mm and 4,320mm respectively. Both are 3,350mm in width and 3,150mm in height. Weight-wise, the 625E tips the scales at 21,860kg, a full tonne heavier than the smaller model.

There’s a much larger gap between the 625E and the 635G in size, performance wood hauling ability and, of course, price. But get the 625E out into the forest and the difference is not as marked as you might think. It’s right in the Goldilocks zone.

When the NZ Logger Iron Test team turned up to the Bluewood Logging site on the western flanks of the Blue Mountains, in Otago, the 625E had only recently replaced the old rope skidder, which was already on its way to a keen buyer in South Africa.

We’d arrived at the tail-end of the summer harvesting location, prior to their shift over to Conical Hill (where it’s still working well), and it was easy to see why this block is not used in the winter – the long winding track from the skid site out to the cut-over has to traverse a very steep incline, which would be very difficult to climb in wet weather, even with the extra traction provide by six driving wheels, instead of four, plus the bands.

This forest has got an interesting assortment of Douglas-fir and self-seeded pines, so the drags can consist of skinny stems and some heavier wood. Not the easiest mix of trees to pick up and then

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Above: Bluewood Logging specified the largest grapple options for its 625E and Iron Tester, Stephen ‘Pud’ Unahi, is making full use of the capacity.

retain in the grapple for the drag down to the skid.

The other challenge is distance. The current drag is around 800 metres, which is long by most standards, but the previous distance was over a kilometre, which could take around 45 minutes to cover on a round trip. So when the skidder driver also has to jump out and chain up logs and then unchain them at the other end, it eats into productivity.

“You learn to live with it, but it is frustrating when you can’t get the wood to the skid quickly enough,” says Clint.

“So we bided our time until the cable machine had done its job.

Now we’ve got what we wanted the first time around, but with another axle. The reason we went with the six-wheeler is that you keep hearing how good they are but a 615 would have been too small and a 635 would have been too big.

“Back in October Mark Hill and Dean Cousins came and saw me and said they are doing this model and showed me the specs on it and I said yeah, put me down for one.

“Even though it’s early days and it hasn’t really done many hours it’s been going really well. We’ve noticed a big difference in the wood flow, especially with the distance we are pulling. We’ve got a pinch

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point at the skid now. We’ll have to see what happens there.”

That’s understandable, with the new 625E pulling eight loads to every five dragged in by the 604C, we’re talking a 60% increase.

Might be time to think about moving from manual log making to mechanical processing, Clint!

On arrival at the site, regular operator Craig Stiven had already parked the 625E for Iron Tester Stephen ‘Pud’ Unahi and myself to inspect. These six-wheelers are always impressive when you first encounter them. It’s amazing how that bogie gives the machine so much more presence. And it’s not just an illusion.

Effectively, this model is a 620 with another set of wheels bolted onto the back, which adds 1,375mm to the overall length and 125mm to the wheelbase. Inevitably that extra length will have an effect on manoeuvrability in tight spaces, but we’ll get to that in a minute.

First up, the cab, which has evolved into a nice workspace over the years – made even nicer with the advent of the TurnAround seat.

Clint’s old machine had a fixed seat and steering wheel, so the driver was constantly craning his neck when backing up to rope stems and avoiding the need to reverse long distances to the cut-over.

Craig is almost pinching himself that he now has the luxury of (mostly) facing in the direction in which the machine is being driven

now, after eight years of looking over his shoulder. The seat doesn’t fully face the direction the machine is heading, swivelling through 100-degrees so that the operator is still at an angle to the front and rear screens, but it’s certainly preferable to a fixed position. It also means the grapple, arch and steer functions are all controlled through armrest mounted joysticks – no more steering wheel.

“The TurnAround seat is great, especially when you are backing up to a drag and you don’t have to look over your shoulder,” he says.

“Just got to get used to clicking it and then watch that it doesn’t catch your legs as you swivel round in a hurry. Done that a few times.”

Surprisingly it didn’t take Craig too long to get used to steering

Above: The high-lifting arch raises a good proportion of the stems off the ground and makes drags easier.

Below: The extra set of wheels and longer length restricts manoeuvring on a cramped skid site, but the Tigercat 625E can still squeeze into relatively tight spaces.

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Above: Bluewood Logging owner, Clint McIvor (left), with skidder operator, Craig Stiven, who is now training to be a policeman. the Tigercat with joystick controls, instead of a steering wheel.

“The switch wasn’t too bad,” he says.

“The joystick controls are nice compared to the steering wheel. I thought it might take me a while to get used to it, particularly from a stability viewpoint, but because you are harnessed in it feels quite natural now not holding onto a wheel. With the joysticks it doesn’t matter which way you are facing because the steering is still there in front of you.”

Tigercat has also placed dashboards at both ends of the cab so the driver always has operating information right in front.

This cab is larger than on Craig’s previous steed and while it feels like there is more space to store a bag with lunch and other necessities on the floor, the limiting factor is being able to keep it out of the way of the swivelling seat.

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‘Pud’ will cover the cab, controls and operation of the 625E in greater detail in his Iron Test column on page 42.

When we tested the smaller 615C a while back I recall the vision through the arch being somewhat restricted and the Tigercat design team has worked hard to remedy that by making the grille on the arch wider and deeper to improve the driver’s view when backing up to grab stems. Craig says it didn’t take him too long to adjust to having the arch and grapple between him and the wood and he’s able to see the stems quite well through the larger grille.

Stepping outside to take a closer look at the business end of the 625E, the arch and grapple dominates the conversation and you can’t resist patting the imposing hunks of metal.

The additional weight of the 625E allows contractors to opt for a larger 1.95m (21ft), in place of either the standard 1.58m (17ft) version or slightly bigger 1.76m (19ft) grapple. Clint naturally went with the 1.95m option. Why wouldn’t you? He also specified plates, not box construction for the tongs.

The grapple opens out to 3,810mm and can swallow a fair amount of wood – as many as eight good-size stems. There’s lots of grunt in the arch pistons to effortlessly lift all that weight.

Continuous rotation means the operator can approach from any angle and easily grapple the stems. Dropping them on the skid site is less of a hassle, too.

When Craig is unable to reach the stems with the grapple, he can fall back on the ropes. As mentioned earlier, the standard Germanengineered Carco winch delivers more line pull than the winch on his previous skidder and it’s been fitted with the old rope and six chains from the Allied. A fairlead has been built into the top of the arch grille that not only eases the progress of the rope, but also allows the stems to be lifted higher off the ground. There’s almost 40 metres wound onto the drum, enabling stems to be dragged some distance from the skidder.

To pull the sort of weights this machine is designed to handle requires a lot of grunt.

Since we tested the 615, Tigercat has moved away from Cummins engines to a line of Fiat-designed units it calls the FPT range.

As the 625E is derived from the Tigercat 620E, both models share the FPT N67 Tier 2 engine that puts out 172kW (231hp) @ 1,900 rpm of peak power at 1,900rpm (now also fitted to the 615E) and it’s very torquey, too.

Craig confirms it has more than enough power to cope with the dense Douglas-firs being dragged out of this forest, while Clint adds that he’s been impressed with fuel use.

“Even though it’s early days it’s very economical, especially for the haul distances we are doing compared to our old skidder,” says Clint.

“It’s that new motor. Because it has more power you don’t need to rev it too hard to get the job done.”

Better fuel economy meant Clint didn’t need to worry about not being able to upgrade the standard 305-litre fuel tank to the optional 430-litre size, as that option is only available if you don’t spec the machine with a winch.

One option he did tick, in place of the standard variable speed hydrostatic transmission, was the EHS (Extra High Speed), which optimises performance through clever use of a pair of

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The TurnAround seat allows the operator to partly face the direction the skidder is being driven. variable displacement motors.

We first encountered EHS when testing the 615C nearly five years ago and it’s now available to all skidders in the Tigercat range.

This patented system retains the two hydrostatic drive motors but senses the load hydraulically and drops one of the drive motors out to put all the oil through the other drive motor to give a higher top speed when it’s heading back out to collect more wood. When ground conditions suit, the new 625E can scoot along at a top speed of 23km/h with EHS assistance (faster than the larger 635G).

Access to the rear of the transmission and hydraulics is made easy by tilting the cab over to one side. Meanwhile, hinged panels on either side of the bonnet open up to the FPT engine for daily checks and filter replacements, but if more work needs to be done, the bolted static panels will need to be removed.

Throughout the whole chassis, the heavy-duty construction is evident in the size of the metal plates and components, including the central pivot, which takes a lot of punishment.

And while the standard axles are considered tough, Tigercat offers heavy-duty outboard planetary, barrel differentials as options to the inboard ones on the front, and a choice of 14-hole pattern or 18-hole pattern outboard planetary, barrel differential axles on the

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Joystick controls replace the steering wheel Tigercat RIB17 bogie. Guess what Clint went with? The beefier ones, of course.

Independent differential locks are fitted front and rear.

A drawback with six-wheeled skidders is that you have two different sizes of wheels and tyres and if you want to keep a spare back in the yard, you’ll need two, not one. Also, you don’t get a choice of upping to a larger balloon size, like you do with a fourwheeler. The front tyres on the 625E are 30.5Lx32,20 in size, while the smaller quartet on the bogie are 780/50x28.5.

Rounding off our close inspection of this machine is the 2,920mm wide blade at the front, listed in the brochure as an option over the standard 2,285mm size, but since most Kiwi loggers seem to like the larger version it has become the default fitment on Tigercat skidders built for New Zealand.

It’s a hollow blade and can be filled with 60 litres of water in case of fire and there’s an additive to stop it from freezing. The blade also has a pressurised hose that can run the length of the machine to put out fires but the additive in the water means it shouldn’t be used for cleaning the 625E. Tigercat has even built storage spaces into the chassis, between the two steps up to the cab.

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Top left and clockwise: The 6-cylinder Tigercat FPT N67 engine tucked inside the bonnet is proving to be a fuel saver for Bluewood Logging.

The business end of the Tigercat 625E – a 1.95m² grapple suspended from the meaty arch on full rotation.

Extra storage is built into the chassis above the lower step The Carco winch has a greater line pull than the Allied on Bluewood Logging’s previous dedicated rope skidder.

The full width blade is a popular option for New Zealand contractors.

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Lighting has been given an overhaul, with LEDs replacing the halogens around the perimeter of the cab roof, including a very powerful light bar that illuminates the working area behind the 625E. “The light bar over the boom and grapple is great in the dark, you definitely see a lot more,” says Craig.

No need to use the lights for our Iron Test as it’s a sunny and warm afternoon, and the track is dry and firm. In spite of the pleasant operating conditions, the chains are still necessary on the two front tyres for providing additional traction on the steep track up to the cut-over. Clint has a set of band tracks to be fitted to the rear tyres when wet conditions set in.

The big question now is ‘what’s it like to drive?’

Clint says: “I had a go on it the first day it arrived and I loved it, very nice to operate. That TurnAround seat makes it an enjoyable machine to run.”

For now, the regular operator is Craig, but he informs us that this is his last week with Bluewood Logging, because he is off to police training college to become a bobby on the beat. His ten-plus years of experience behind the controls will be hard to replace, as illustrated by the ease with which he has adapted to grapple skidding in such a short time and upped his game.

Amusingly, Craig told us that it was a rope job that was causing him the biggest headaches just before ‘Pud’ and I arrived that day.

“I’d just been trying to drag a tree out with the rope that was in a tricky spot,” he says. “I got it out but I couldn’t get myself out so had

to let it go. I’ll have another try later. There are always going to be corner bits that you can’t get to and steep bits that you can still reach with the rope, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be easy.”

Craig says the Carco winch feels different to use than the old one, adding: “It seems fast and pretty grunty. Got to be careful that you don’t over do it and break the rope.”

And, as for using the grapple, Craig says he was still getting used to it, but with only one week left at the controls, he was running out of time to get really comfortable.

He is, however, feeling much more at ease with the extra length of the machine and the six driving wheels.

“Having the extra set of wheels seems to make it very stable,” he says. “When you back up and it cocks a leg it just rides over whatever is there.

“It pulls a fair bit of wood. Mind you, the old one could drag some heavy trees, but you had the hassle of getting out to rope them and that take times. I’ve been able to pull from further away and still make the numbers using the grapple.”

Now it’s the turn of our Iron Tester Stephen ‘Pud’ Unahi to see if he can match Craig’s numbers. ‘Pud’ was also the tester when NZ Logger came down south to sample the 604C not long after it joined the Bluewood Logging fleet in 2011. Craig was on medical leave back then, with an injured knee, so didn’t get to witness that first Iron Test and he’s now an interested observer on what will be the last one he witnesses first hand.

Slotting in between the Tigercat 615C and the grunty Tigercat 635G, the new 625E is right-sized for many logging operations in New Zealand.

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‘Pud’ wants to make sure he can keep them all in the jaws for the 800-metre pull back to the skid. There’s a button on one of the hand controls that delivers extra pressure to firmly hold the stems.

With the stems locked into the jaws, ‘Pud’ can raise them nice and high to reduce the amount of wood dragging on the ground and he’s off again.

After watching a few more drags it’s time to see how the 625E handles the tight confines of the skid site.

It is very tight down here, especially with other machines working in close proximity, but ‘Pud’ manages to squeeze the skidder’s long frame into a suitable position so he can reverse the stems into the stack. But there’s not enough room to allow him to spin the 625E around to doze the end of the stems into place, so he deftly picks them up in the grapple and shifts them back. Job done.

Clint McIvor had to wait more than seven years to get his ideal skidder and it’s proved to be just right for his operation. Now he has to think about adjusting his operation to suit the productivity of the Tigercat 625E. NZL

IFICATION

‘Pud’ has experience operating a big Tigercat 635, so doesn’t need much introduction to six-wheeled skidding and without bothering to turn the skidder around to face the steep hill, he swivels the seat and reverses up the incline.

Although the surface is dry today, it is crumbly and can still be a challenge to climb, so the traction provided by the chain-clad front wheels and four driving wheels on the rear bogie is welcome. I can only imagine how much more of a challenge it becomes in the wet as I walk up behind the skidder to see how ‘Pud’ tackles the bunched stems.

By the time I’ve reach the top of the hill he’s already grabbed a large bundle of wood and passes me on the way down to the skid.

When ‘Pud’ returns it is obvious his previous experience on sixwheelers has provided him with sufficient knowledge to manoeuvre early so he can get the machine into the right position to grapple the next stems – it’s harder to turn on a sixpence like you can with a four-wheeled skidder. Still pretty impressive, though. So is that enormous grapple. It could easily accommodate more stems, but

SPECIFICATIONS - TIGERCAT 625E GRAPPLE LOG SKIDDER ENGINE

GRAPPLE

6-cylinder, 6.7-litre, Tigercat FPT N67, Tier 2 Bore / stroke Net power

104mm / 132mm 172kW (231hp) @ 1,900rpm

Type

(1.58m² & 1.76m² also available)

TRANSMISSION

Max opening

Type Drive

WINCH

Hydrostatic, variable speeds, with Efficient High Speed system To all six wheels (diff locks front & rear)

BRAKES Hydrostatic Oil cooled in front brakes Wet disc

STEERING Joystick, with orbital valve HYDRAULICS

Arch cylinder Steer cylinder Blade cylinder

3.81m

Type

Dynamic Secondary Parking

Pump type

Tigercat 1.95m² (21ft²) 2-cylinder plate tongs

Dedicated piston pump for all machine functions with gear pump for cooling 90mm 85mm 75mm

COOLING Side-by-side aluminium radiator, oil cooler, charge air cooler and A/C condenser

Max line pull

Carco 196kN (44,000lb) bare drum

REFILL CAPACITIES (LITRES) Fuel tank

305

Hydraulics

105

DIMENSIONS (MM) Length

8,740

Width

3,350

Height

3,150

Wheelbase

4,445

Ground clearance Blade width

ARCH Type

Dual function, continuous rotation

Operating weight

635 2,920 (with extensions) 21,860kg

ANNER ANNER ANNER 111111

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iron test: Stephen Unahi

Six of the best IT CAN GET MIGHTILY WET DOWN HERE IN THE DEEP SOUTH, SO anything that can aid traction when you’re trying to pull wood from the cut-over is very welcome.

That was obviously part of Clint McIvor’s thinking when he swapped from his four-wheeled rope skidder to this new six-wheeled Tigercat 625E. The last skidder I drove was a 635 and you do notice the difference that extra set of wheels provides when the Heavens open. We often have to park up 4-wheelers, but the 6-wheeled machines can keep going without doing as much damage, especially when fitted with band tracks.

So I was interested to see how Clint’s new 625E matched up to my expectations, even though ground conditions were dry for this particular test. Traction can still be difficult to come by on a steep crumbling track and the trail leading up to the cut-over at this site is in that category. But I had no trouble putting power down to the surface through the six wheels on the 625E. Probably didn’t need those chains on the front, although it felt nice to have the extra bite once I had a full load in the grapple, to steady progress on the way down. I didn’t even need to think about putting in the diff locks and if you do need them you’ve got a choice of having them all engaged, just the front or just the axles on the bogie.

This one is pretty good compared to the big machine. Very responsive. Does it very easily. Doesn’t seem to over rev and you toggle it off with your throttle anyway.

Didn’t notice I had all that weight on the back, especially going downhill, and you only felt it If you went over a stump. It would have been interesting trying it uphill with a load.

The old 635 I drove had 15,000 hours on it and no TurnAround seat. The new seat makes it so much easier and you’d definitely feel

ANNER ANNER ANNER 111212

Iron tester, Stephen ‘Pud’ Unahi. fresher at the end of a day.

Steering through joysticks is better, too.

The steering controls are on the left-hand side. On the other side are controls for the arch and then you have buttons for open and shut and for constant pressure – when you’ve got the grapple up with a bunch of logs it will keep the constant pressure on them so it doesn’t let go. Then your rotate is the next two buttons, but left doesn’t make it turn left, because it turns right, so maybe they want to change that.

If you want extra throttle it’s got a trigger, like the new 635, so instead of using your foot you put it into neutral, like when you put weight down to make the logs crunch, and you flick it to power on and it makes it squeeze.

With the hydrostatic drive you don’t have high or low range – just feed more juice to go faster and back off to slow down. I liked the way I could place it just off low all the way down the hill and it held it going down.

Good vision all round, bloody good, in fact. Even with the arch and grapple hanging out there when reversing up to the cut-over. Just look to either side to judge the track. As you approach the stems the visibility through the arch improves as you begin to lower it.

Lots of grunt in the hydraulics as you grab stems in the grapple, which can hold quite a bit of wood. Full rotation means you don’t have to worry where you approach the stems from and I like how much it lifts the wood off the ground to create less drag.

I didn’t get a chance to use the winch, but Craig seemed happy with it and he’d know, having used one continuously for the past few years.

All up, the Tigercat 625E is a big improvement on what Clint had before. NZL

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breaking out

The two-staging experiment

– one year on Story: John Ellegard

T

Photos: FOMS

HE WINDS OF CHANGE DON’T ALWAYS BLOW SMOOTHLY in forestry, but down in the lower half of the North Island, one change seems to have breezed in without leaving chaos in its wake.

On the contrary, it’s had a remarkably positive effect, which could become far-reaching for the industry as a whole.

Last year, NZ Logger visited Whanganui to look at some new ideas being trialled by Forest Growers Research (FGR) to make harvesting operations more efficient, safer and kinder to the environment.

One of those ideas was a ‘re-invention’ of two-staging extraction that was about to be put into operation on a 420-hectare privatelyowned forest managed by FOMS Ltd. The idea was based around using an 8x8 truck to run loads from small landings over simplified tracks to a super-skid near the public road for sorting.

It’s now been more than 12 months since the trial began. Has it worked?

We caught up with FOMS Director, Marcus Musson, at the recent Woodflow 2018 conference in Rotorua to hear the results. But first, a recap on what prompted the project in the first place.

Like many in the industry, FOMS has become increasingly concerned about the environmental effects of harvesting steep

Above: The Tatra 8x8 truck, ready to start work at the Kenderdine Forest, near Whanganui, last winter. blocks, where a large amount of land is disturbed in the creation of big landings to process, stack and load wood, as well as expensive roading that results in tracks pushed through erosion-prone hills, leaving large side-casts that are vulnerable to slipping in bad weather.

These have been common practices in much of New Zealand’s steep country forests for years, but it comes at a cost, says Marcus.

In the broken and steep topography that is typically found in the southern North Island, especially around Whanganui, creating roads and landings is very challenging and has become even more so following the introduction of HPMV log trucks – their extra length and weight demands even more expensive earthworks to provide roads capable of taking these larger rigs.

It is exacting a heavy cost on the environment and it’s hitting forest owners and their harvesting and transport contractors in the pocket, too. It takes more time to create infrastructure in the traditional manner and then maintain it, there’s more money tied up in machinery, value recovery is hampered by restrictions on how many log sorts can be done on the landing, and just trying to work

August 2018 | NZ LOGGER 43

breaking out

on and drive in and out of these challenging locations becomes a safety issue. For transport operators it also means they have to invest extra cash in building trucks and trailers that can stand up to the punishment dealt out by forestry roads.

Such challenges are hard enough for well-resourced corporate foresters to overcome but they can be a serious impediment for woodlot owners and their suppliers.

Marcus says the futility of continuing to harvest the same old way was brought home when the subject was raised with Spencer Hill, of Forest Growers Research, who suggested a complete re-think of harvesting practices, otherwise recovering wood from smaller hill country forests may not be economically or environmentally feasible in future.

It was proposed that all the sorting and loading out should take place away from the landing, as close to the public road as possible, with cut logs transported between them on an all-wheeldrive ‘super-forwarder’ across ridgeline tracks.

This would have a number of benefits: • There would be fewer log stacks on the landing – just longs, short and ultra-shorts – and they’d only spend a short time there before being carted to the super-skid • Landings would be much smaller, reducing the amount of earthworks • Only one machine would work next to the yarder to process the stems and then change to a grapple for loading logs, using a newly developed Quick Hitch mechanism • Reducing the number of moving machines on the landing and

Top: Even with well-worn tyres, the 8x8 all-wheel-drive system enables the Tatra to get up slippery steep slopes.

Left: The hydraulically-adjustable tailgate is the key to fast loading, removing the need for chains.

Below: A massive test load – although the Tatra is plated to carry 30 tonnes, it was tested with much larger loads, including this one at more than 40 tonnes.

44 NZ LOGGER | August 2018

Logger A4 1805 Tuesday, 17 April 2018 12:50:42 PM

Logger A4 1805

Logger A4 1805

breaking out

Performance improved significantly once the double tyres were swapped over for super singles.

taking log sorts away would improve safety as there is less man/ machine interaction • With roads mostly keeping to ridgelines instead of curving around the hills, routes would be shorter and the amount of earthwork disturbance would be reduced, practically eliminating side-casts • A truck with 8, 10 or even 12 driving wheels would be kinder to the road surface, so less in-forest roading maintenance would be required • Using a larger super-skid in an easily managed location would allow more log sorts to be made, thus increasing value recovery • Positioning the super-skid near the forest entrance would allow lighter, road-only and less costly log trucks to be used.

The key to making this system work was finding a fast, reliable, low-cost and effective ‘super-forwarder’ that could traverse the

The Tatra is loaded up with two bundles of logs.

46 NZ LOGGER | August 2018

steep ridgeline tracks in all weathers, get around any tight corners and carry as much as a traditional log truck and trailer, but just on a single machine without a trailer.

Traditional forwarders were deemed to be too slow and unable to carry the loads envisaged – up to 30 tonnes and sometimes more!

So it had to be a non-articulated truck.

Spencer Hill suggested a Tatra all-wheel-drive truck after doing some research on various options.

Tatra is a truck manufacturer based in the Czech Republic and has a long history of vehicle manufacturing – it’s actually the third oldest vehicle maker in the world, having built its first car in 1897, before deciding to concentrate on trucks. Today, Tatra is best known for producing specialist go-anywhere trucks for use in construction, mining, military, fire service and even forestry.

They range from 6x6 up to 12x12 configurations and are uniquely

powered by air-cooled 8-cylinder engines. Ideal for carting logs in extreme conditions.

However, there is no importer here and they are not readily available in New Zealand, though Tatra does have a distributor in Australia, where most of its trucks are utilised in the mining industry.

Another concern; even if a suitable truck could be sourced, who would fund it and which forest owners would be willing to take part in an experiment that was still only a theory?

Fortunately, the owner of the soon-to-be-harvested Kenderdine Forest, near Whanganui, was a FOMS client and when he heard about the idea he was so keen he decided to look at purchasing the trucks himself and ended up buying a pair of ex-drill rig 8x8 Tatras from Australia and shipping them back home.

On arrival, the best of the Tatra trucks was refurbished and fitted with a custom-made set of log bolsters that are designed to forgo the use of chains, while the second truck is being held as a spare. Between the FOMS team, the forest/truck owner and Daniel Matthews of JDT Engineering in Whanganui, they devised a sliding bolster system that can accommodate various log sizes.

In addition to the gate just behind the cab, the rear sliding section has a tailboard built into it, so when the logs are loaded into the bunk, they are neatly sandwiched between the two gates.

“The tailboard closes up to accommodate the differing log lengths and we don’t need to chain them because they’re not going to slide around and fall out – it means the driver can sit in the

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This blurry shot is taken from a video showing the Tatra climbing a steep track – much steeper than it looks, says FOMS’ Marcus Musson. Watch video on the NZ Logger Facebook page. safety of the cab and move off as soon as the bunk is full, which saves time, and he can remain in the cab at the other end because he doesn’t have to unchain them,” says Marcus.

More time is saved because the Tatra doesn’t need to have a trailer lifted off by a loader – it just drives into the site and in nextto-no time it’s loaded up and off to the super-skid. Marcus reckons each loading/unloading sequence can be completed in under five minutes.

When NZ Logger last saw the Tatra in the Autumn of 2017, it was still in the engineering shop and was yet to make its first paying trip.

breaking out

By the middle of last year, it was ready to go to work under an arrangement between the forest/truck owner and FOMS, whereby the Tatra is leased to the harvesting contractor on his behalf to operate as envisaged by Marcus and Spencer.

But before it could start work, the forest infrastructure had to be suitably prepared in order to meet the requirements of the proposed two-staging plan.

The Kenderdine Forest operation is run with two crews; one to oversee the roading and a separate crew to concentrate on harvesting. Ideally, says Marcus, it would work better with one crew handling everything, which would create an improved overall understanding of the logistics of the operation.

Even though the roads were designed to take a more straightforward route, they still needed the pavement to be constructed to the same standard as for conventional log trucks, so the costs per linear metre are no different. However, the real savings are made in reducing the length of roads by using ridgelines where practicable. This was made possible by creating road grades as steep as 1-in-3, which is about the same as Dunedin’s famed Baldwin Street!

And yes, the Tatra has no trouble tackling that sort of slope with a 30-tonne-plus load of logs in the bunk, using its 8 driving wheels and independent suspension to great effect. Through two winters, it’s never needed a push to get up a slope. And going down, the driver can call on a retarder to help with braking on steep, slippery surfaces.

“We ended up replacing the double wheels and tyres with super

singles and that makes a real difference – even using old tyres with little tread costing around $100 each it will climb like you wouldn’t believe,” says Marcus. The super singles also provide a higher load rating.

As well as a reduction in roading, landing platforms were shrunk down in size to accommodate less wood, but there’s scope to go smaller, because the Quick Hitch has not yet gone into operation, meaning a separate loader was still required in addition to the processor. It is hoped the Quick Hitch will be deployed in the coming weeks.

An alternative option that may be considered in the future, adds Marcus, is to fit a loading crane onto the truck, which could potentially see it replace two loaders in a small woodlot job.

To ensure the Tatra operates as safely as possible on these steep and unforgiving forestry roads, its track was widened 500mm to give it more stability. This was deemed necessary after the bolsters had been moved out to provide a bunk width of 3.05 metres – the maximum allowable width without a pilot when it’s being transported on the road.

And no, it’s not legally allowed to drive on the road. For practical reasons, it’s classed as a forwarder not an off-highway truck under the LTSC code.

The bunk has been designed to take a variety of log lengths, from two packets of 4-metre logs, or a combo of 3s and 5s, up to 8-metre single lengths.

Marcus says the original intention was to cut all grades into four stacks on the landing, consisting of domestic pruned, domestic

A view directly above the landing, showing the yarder to the left, a processor in the centre and to the right is the Tatra being loaded by an excavator – once the Quick Hitch arrives, the processor will be able to handle both jobs.

48 NZ LOGGER | August 2018

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breaking out

The Kenderdine Forest, from above, with the yellow lines indicating traditional routes that would have been required before the arrival of the Tatra and the red lines showing shorter, more direct routes now taken that require less earthworks.

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50 NZ LOGGER | August 2018

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breaking out

saw logs, export longs and export shorts. These would be taken down to the super-skid by the Tatra to re-sort, QC and load out.

QC-ing was trialled at the super-skid with varying results and it was later decided to revert to doing QC and branding back on the landing. It’s not ideal, especially from a safety viewpoint on confined sites, but it is still early days and the original idea could be made to work in future with more fine tuning.

But the rest of the experiment appears to be going according to plan.

In this forest, the Tatra has been doing a round trip approximately every 25 minutes, with the longest trans-ship distance being 3.5 kilometres and the shortest 1.8 kilometres and it’s proved to be about three-to-four times quicker than a traditional forwarder.

With maximum loads carried each time, it could hit 400 tonnes per day, but the average production level in this operation has varied between 300 and 350 tonnes per day. Not bad for a yarderbased operation, although these totals do include wood from the ground-based roadlining crew.

At a fraction of the price of a brand new truck, the Tatra is pretty cost-effective, too.

And the numbers look pretty good when you break them down even further, says Marcus.

Compared with similar forests in the region, logging costs have reduced by around 7%; cartage costs on long leads have reduced by 15%; skid costs have come down an impressive 30%; road distance has also reduced by 30%; there are good savings on road maintenance, because the Tatra leaves almost no corrugations on the surface, the increase use of ridgelines has reduced slips and one operator now looks after the road, instead of two or three.

The harvesting contractor and transport provider are happy.

With regular uplift of logs from the landing it has taken the pressure off the crew as there is always space for cut logs. Plus,

the guys up there don’t have to worry about dockets or assisting the driver with a trailer. It’s safer without the driver needing to get out. And the super-skid enables the operations to work more efficiently and productively.

For the transport provider, the biggest bonus is much reduced damage and maintenance through trucks not having to traverse forestry roads. In the long term it will allow them to use dedicated road trucks, which means they may also have the opportunity to use seasonal drivers and even bed in learner drivers. Having the super-skid much closer to the public road has improved load-out and turn-around times. And there are numerous safety benefits, such as less exposure to roll-over dangers on steep slopes, more space for setting up the trailer, chaining up and keeping away from other machines.

Marcus says the benefits that have accrued from the project have proven that it was the right decision. All the KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) identified at the outset have been met and he can definitely see this two-staging experiment being extended to other operations under the FOMS umbrella.

“Potentially the system would work on most of our sites, anywhere that you have environmental issues, or you’ve got some difficult roading, and around Whanganui 80% of the blocks are difficult,” he says.

The idea still requires some tweaks. So what would they do differently?

Use one contractor for all functions for ease of management, says Marcus, adding that it would ideally suit a two- or three-crew operation with a quick-coupler for the processor to be able to switch to a grapple when needed.

While the 8x8 Tatra has worked well, he thinks a 10x10 or a 10x8 would be an even better configuration, allowing for a self-loading crane to be fitted.

We’d like to see that one. NZL

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SPECIFICATIONS - TATRA 8X8 WEIGHTS Unladen / kerb mass (ISO) + 5% Front Rear Payload (plated) GVM/GVW GCM/GCW (on-road/off-road) Max. permissible load, front rear

13,000kg 8,300kg 4,700kg 30,000kg 43,000kg 81,000kg / 63,000kg 2x 9,000kg 2x 13,000kg

PERFORMANCE Climbing capacity at GVM Climbing capacity at GCM Max. speed (speed limited) Turning circle (outside diameter)

52 NZ LOGGER | August 2018

58% (@ 63,000kg) 36% (small / large tyres) 85 / 100 km/h 23 + 1.0 m

To To T

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www.fica.org.nz www.fica.org.nz www.fica.org.nz www.fica.org.nz

Tigercat Tigercat Hosts Hosts Tigercat Tigercat Hosts Hosts New New Zealand Zealand Loggers Loggers New New Zealand Zealand Loggers Loggers Sam Sam Johnstone Johnstone tries tries Sam Sam Johnstone tries tries out out aJohnstone new a new 635G 635G at at out out a new a new 635G 635G atat Tigercat Tigercat factory factory Tigercat Tigercat factory factory

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A A GROUP GROUP OFOF NEW NEW AA GROUP GROUP OF OF NEW NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND LOGGERS LOGGERS ZEALAND ZEALAND LOGGERS LOGGERS recently recentlyreturned returned from from recently recently returned returned from from a avery veryinformative informative trip trip atoato very very informative informative trip trip Canada Canada where wherethey they to to Canada Canada where where they they were were hosted hosted by by Tigercat Tigercat were were hosted hosted by by Tigercat Tigercat at attheir theirfactories factories based based at their factories factories based based in at intheir Brantford, Brantford, Ontario.

Ontario. in in Brantford, Brantford, Ontario.

Ontario.

These These visits visitsare are held held These These visits visits are are held held annually annually and and have have Enjoying Tigercat Tigercat hospitality hospitality annually annually and and have have Enjoying Enjoying Enjoying Tigercat Tigercat hospitality hospitality

bebceocmoemseosmoemwehwaht aotfoaftaratdraitdioitniobnebtw eteweeneTnigTeigrcearct,at, bebNZ ceo cm odistributor m e seosm om eweAB hwaAB htEquipment aotEquipment foaftaratrdaitdio itand nioand bneban tewan tew eeninvited eTnigTeiggroup recargroup cta, t, NZ distributor invited NZ NZ distributor distributor AB AB Equipment Equipment and and an an invited invited group group from from the the local local logging logging industry. industry.

The The trip, trip, which which also also from from the the logging logging industry. industry.

The The trip, trip, which which also also includes includes alocal look alocal look around around the the 8 Tigercat 8 Tigercat manufacturing manufacturing includes includes aprovided look a look around the the 8of Tigercat 8of Tigercat manufacturing manufacturing plants plants provided aaround number a number opportunities opportunities toto mix mix plants plants provided provided a number a number of of opportunities opportunities toto mix mix formally formally and and socially socially with with Tigercat Tigercat executives executives and and formally formally and and socially sociallywith with Tigercat Tigercat executives executives and and staff. staff.With With Tigercat’s Tigercat’s head head engineers engineers and andowner owner staff. staff.

With With Tigercat’s Tigercat’s head head engineers engineers and and owner owner Ken KenMacDonald MacDonaldheavily heavilyinvolved, involved,the theannual annualtrip trip Ken Ken MacDonald MacDonald heavily heavily involved, involved, the the annual annual trip trip provides provides anan ideal ideal forum forum to to personally personally discuss discuss and and provides provides anan ideal ideal forum forum to to personally personally discuss discuss and and share share information information with with key key people. people. share share information information with with key key people. people.

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NZNZ Loggers Loggers Tour Tour group group poses poses in in front front ofof NZ NZ Loggers Loggers Tour Tour group group poses poses inin front front ofof monster monster machine machine monster monster machine machine

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Sponsor SponsorProfile Profile Sponsor SponsorProfile Profile

Thank Thankyou youtotoallallofofthe theorganisations organisationswho whosupport supportFICA, FICA,which whichininturn turnworks workstotopromote promotebusiness business Thank Thank you you toimproved toall allofofthe the organisations organisations who whosupport support FICA, FICA, which which incontractors inturn turnworks works tothe topromote promote business business growth growth and and improved safety safety and andefficiency efficiency amongst amongst forestry forestry contractors for for the benefit benefit of ofNew New growth growth and and improved improved safety safetyand andefficiency efficiencyamongst amongstforestry forestrycontractors contractorsfor forthe thebenefit benefitofofNew New Zealand’s Zealand’s Forestry Forestry Industry.

Industry.

Zealand’s Zealand’sForestry ForestryIndustry.

Industry.

Strategic Strategic Strategic Strategic Partners Partners Partners Partners Business Business Business Business Partners Partners Partners Partners Gold Gold Gold Gold Partners Partners Partners Partners Silver Silver Silver Silver Partners Partners Partners Partners

To Tojoin, join,call: call:0800 0800342 342269 269 To Tojoin, join,call: call:0800 0800342 342269 269

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Prue Prue Younger, Younger, CEO CEO Message Message Prue Younger, CEO Message Prue PrueYounger, Younger,CEO CEOMessage Message

Midwinter Midwinter and and the the weather weather has has been been pretty pretty unpredictable unpredictable – ––high high temperatures temperatures Midwinter and the weather has been pretty unpredictable high temperatures Midwinter and theweather weather hasbeen been prettyunpredictable unpredictable high temperatures Midwinter and the has pretty – –high temperatures around around the the country country and and midscale midscale civil civil emergencies emergencies happening happening on on the the East East Coast Coast around the country and midscale civil emergencies happening on the East Coast around around the the country country and and midscale midscale civil civil emergencies emergencies happening happening on on the the East EastCoast Coast which which have have p p t o t o r fe r fe ow ow contractors contractors witho witho t wor t wor and and set set them them bac bac financia financia yy which have p t o r fe ow contractors witho t wor and set them bac financia y which which have have p p t o t o r fe r fe ow ow contractors contractors witho witho t wor t wor and and set set them them bac bac financia financia yan y We We as as an an organisation organisation loyally loyally support support and and sympathise sympathise with with them them but but we, we, as as an We as an organisation loyally support and sympathise with them but we, as an We as an organisation loyally support and sympathise with them but we, as an We as anmust organisation loyally support and sympathise with themand butthat we, as an industry industry must ensure ensure we we gain gain our our credibility credibility back back with with the the public public and that means means industry must ensure we gain our credibility back with the public and that means industry industry must must ensure ensure we we gain gain our our credibility credibility back back with with the the public public and and that that means means some some serio serio s disc ss disc ssions ssions with with forest forest owners owners and and oca oca aa thorities thorities nn the the front front ofof some serio ssions with forest owners and oca thorities n the front some some serio serio s disc s disc discssions ssions with withforest forest owners owners and and oca oca aa athorities thorities na nthe thefront front ofof of serious serious discussions discussions the the Silviculture Silviculture Action Action Group Group is is about about to to release release a report report comcomserious discussions the Silviculture Action Group is about to release a report comserious discussions the Silviculture Action Group is about to release a report comserious discussions the Silviculture Action GroupLandscape is about toRelated release atothe report commissioned missioned around around the the evaluation evaluation ofof the the current current Landscape Related to the NZ NZ SilviSilvimissioned around the evaluation of the current Landscape Related to the NZ Silvimissioned missioned around around the the evaluation evaluation of of the the current current Landscape Landscape Related Related to to the the NZ NZ SilviSilviculture culture Industry Industry but but I thought I thought it it was was good good to to get get it it from from the the foresters’ foresters’ aka aka the the culture Industry but I thought it was good to get it from the foresters’ aka the culture culture Industry Industry but but I thought I thought it it was was good good to to get get it it from from the the foresters’ foresters’ aka aka the the horse’s horse’s mouth mouth this this month month and and ask ask our our fellow fellow contractors contractors their their views views on on challenges challenges horse’s mouth this month and ask our fellow contractors their views on challenges horse’s mouth this month and ask our fellow contractors their views on challenges horse’s mouth this month and ask our fellow contractors their views on challenges within within their their own own sector sector within their own sector within within their their own own sector sector r rr rr

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Regional Regional Voice Regional Voice RegionalVoice Voice Regional Voice

Graham Graham Staples, Staples, Crew Crew Member Member – Action –– Action Forest Forest Graham Staples, Crew Member Forest Graham Staples, Crew Member – Action Action Forest Graham Staples, Crew Member – Action Forest Services Services Ltd, Ltd, Nelson Nelson Services Ltd, Nelson Services Ltd, Ltd, Nelson Nelson oServices o get get good good sta sta yoyo need need toto pay pay we we and and fair fair yy o get good sta yo need to pay we and fair o o get get good good sta sta yo yo need need to to pay pay we we and and fair fair yy y asas there there are are too too many many other other industries industries within within our our as there are too many other industries within our as there are too many other industries within our asregion thereoare too many other industries within our region o ering ering easier easier wor wor for for same same oror better better region o ering easier wor for same or better region region o o ering ering easier easier wor wor for for same same or or better better pay) pay) and and that that needs needs totocome come from from the the forest forest pay) and that needs come from the forest pay)and andthat thatneeds needstoto tocome comefrom fromthe theforest forest pay) owners owners to to the the contractors contractors to to the the crews crews inding inding owners to the contractors to the crews inding owners owners towi towi the the contractors contractors top to the thecrews crews inding inding sta sta who who rere iab iab y ty ttrnrn p every every day day and and pay pay sta who wi re iab y rn p every day and pay sta sta who who wi wi re re iab iab y t y t rn rn p p every every day day and and pay pay them them for for what what they they are are worth worth is is very very diffic diffic t t them for what they are worth is very diffic t them for what they are worth is very diffic t them for whatthat they are worth is very diffic t the don’t don’t believe believe that the the companies companies understand understand the don’t believe that the companies understand the don’t don’t believe believe that that the the companies companies understand understand the the importance importance of of training training and and the the need need to to upskill upskill the the importance of training and the need to upskill the importance importance of of training training and and the the need need to to upskill upskill the the ind ind stry stry and and ma ma e e it it more more credib credib e e here here is is aa ind stry and ma e it more credib e here is a ind stry and ma e it more credib e here is ind stry and ma e it more credib e here is aa financia financia cost cost toto that that contractor contractor toto train train someone someone financia cost to that contractor to train someone financia cost cost toto that that contractor contractor toto train train someone someone onfinancia on site site and and then then there there is is a risk a risk that that they they leave leave with with on site and then there is a risk that they leave with on site and then there is a risk that they leave with on site and then there is a risk that they leave with aa drawcard drawcard of of higher higher wages wages raining raining needs needs to to bebe a drawcard of higher wages raining needs to be a drawcard drawcard ofof higher higher wages wages raining raining needs needs tosto be be ba b i t i into t into the the contract contract to to be be b b siness siness as as s a a b i t into the contract to be b siness as s a b b i t i into t into the the contract contract to to be be b b siness siness as as s s a a Daily Daily silviculture production rates must be set, Dailysilviculture silvicultureproduction productionrates ratesmust mustbe beset, set, Daily silviculture production rates must be set, Daily silviculture production rates must be set, whereby whereby aa trained trained worker worker onon aa wage wage and and under under whereby a trained worker on a wage and under whereby a atrained trained worker worker onona awage wage and under under s whereby sspervision pervision can can achieve achieve them them his his isand is nown nown asas pervision can achieve them his is nown as sthe sthe pervision pervision can can achieve achieve them them his his is is nown nown as as or or er er eve eve whereas whereas the the same same fit fit and and the or er eve whereas the same fit and the or er eve whereas the same fit and the orwith er whereas the same fit and agi agi ee person person with aeve a financia financia incentive incentive motivation motivation agi e person with a financia incentive motivation agi agi e e person person with with a a financia financia incentive incentive motivation motivation can can achieve achieve a atarget target ofof100% 100% (known (known asasthe the ConConcan achieve target 100% (known the Concanachieve achievea a atarget targetofof of100% 100%(known (knownasas asthe theConConcan tract tract target target o o wor wor in in r r gged gged terrain terrain compencompentract target o wor in r gged terrain compentract tracttarget target oto owor wor inwith inr rgged gged terrain terrain compencompensation sation needs needs to start start with good good pay, pay, and and maybe maybe sation needs to start with good pay, and maybe sation sation needs needs to to start start with with good good pay, pay, and and maybe maybe instigation instigation of of a a bonus bonus system system and and a a percentage percentage ofof instigation of a bonus system and a percentage of instigation of a bonus system and a percentage of instigation of a bonus system and a percentage of financia financia savings savings provided provided bac bac to to the the wor wor ers ers financia savings provided bac to the wor ers financia financia savings savings provided bac bac totothe the wor wor ers ers Most Most ofof the the issues issues Iprovided see II see can can be be solved solved byby providprovidMost the issues can solved providMost Most ofof of the the issues issues I see I see see can can bebe be solved solved byby by providprovid-

ing ing more more dodo ars ars oooo ing ing after after sta sta and and oooo ing ing ing more do ars oo ing after sta and oo ing ing ing more more do do ars ars will oo ooing ing after after sta sta and andoo oo ing ing after after the the culture, culture, will result result in in the the issues issues being being after the culture, will result in the issues being after after the the culture, culture, will will result result in in the the issues issues being being reduced reduced and the bottom line more sustainable for reducedand andthe thebottom bottomline linemore moresustainable sustainablefor for reduced and the bottom line more sustainable for reduced and the bottom line more sustainable for aa parties parties invo invo ved ved a parties invo ved a aparties parties invo invo ved ved Barry Barry Waitai, Waitai, Foreman Foreman - Silviculture -- Silviculture Contractors, Contractors, Barry Waitai, Foreman Silviculture Contractors, Barry Waitai, Foreman Silviculture Contractors, Barry Waitai, Foreman Silviculture Contractors, Whangarei Whangarei Whangarei Whangarei A Whangarei A lotlot ofof the the issues issues with with employment employment is is today’s today’s gengenA the issues with employment today’s genA A lotlot lot ofof of the the issues issues with with employment employment is is is today’s today’s gengeneration eration and and their their abuse abuse of of drugs drugs and and alcohol alcohol and and eration and their abuse of drugs and alcohol and eration and their abuse of drugs and alcohol and eration and their abuse of drugs and alcohol and their their poor poor wor wor ethic ethic i vic i vic t t re re is is ite ite a a hard hard their poor wor ethic i vic t re is ite a hard their their poor poor wor worphysical ethic ethic i and vic i and vic twhat tre reis is iteiteato ahard hard job job and and really really physical what seems seems to bebe job and really physical and what seems to job job and and really really physical physical and and what what seems seems to to bebe be making making it it harder harder to to get get into into forestry forestry is is a a lot lot more more making it harder to get into forestry is a lot more making it harder to get into forestry is a lot more making it harder tocomp getiances into forestry is athese lot more reg reg ations ations and and comp iances ome ome ofof these are are reg ations and comp iances ome of these are reg reg ations ations and and comp comp iances iances ome ome of of these these are are pretty pretty ight ight and and yo yo estion estion how how m m ch ch is is re re ired ired pretty ight and yo estion how m ch is re ired pretty pretty ight ight and and yo yo estion estion how how m m ch ch is is re re ired ired bb t tte e aa yy we we recognise recognise it it s ssa a part part ofof hea hea thth b a y we recognise a part of hea th b b t te e e anfort aynfort ywe we recognise recognise it it it ssi ssi avic avic part part of ofhea hea th th t t safety safety nate nate y y with with t t re re yo yo won won safety nfort nate y with si vic t re yo won safety nfort nate y with si vic t re yo won safety nfort to nate y with sitrees vicinin tthe re yo won t tt get get aa machine machine to plant plant the the trees the immediate immediate get a machine to plant the trees in the immediate machine to to plant plant the the trees trees inect inthe the immediate immediate fget ffget t ttareamachine re and and the the pay pay does does not not rere ect the the hard hard wor wor re and the pay does not re ect the hard wor fthat fthat t tre re and and the the pay pay does does not not re re ect ect the the hard hard wor wor it it ta ta es es to to start start the the forests forests e e have have st st abo abo t tt that it ta es to start the forests e have st abo that it ta es to start the forests e have st abo that it ta es to start the forests e have st abo t t come come through through our our biggest biggest season season inin the the last last 1313 come through our biggest season in the last 13 come come through our our biggest biggest season season inin the the last last 13 13 wee wee s through ssof of pp anting anting and and witho witho t tteno eno gh gh sta sta the the wee of p anting and witho eno gh sta the wee wee s s of of p p anting anting and and witho witho t t eno eno gh gh sta sta the the only only choice choice would would bebe toto prolong prolong the the planting planting only choice would be to prolong the planting only choice would be to prolong the planting only choice would be to prolong the planting season season b b t that t that is is not not possib possib e e beyond beyond eptember eptember season b t that is not possib e beyond eptember season season bforward bforward t that t that isthe is not not possib possib eneeds e beyond beyond eptember eptember Moving Moving the industry industry needs toto change change the the Moving forward the industry needs to change the Moving Moving forward forward the the industry industry needs needs to to change change the the reward reward system system in in this this sector sector and and we we need need to to find find reward system in this sector and we need to find reward system in this sector and we need to find reward system in this sector and we need toworkfind ways ways toto hold hold onto onto the the young young people people inin the the workways to hold onto the young people in the workways ways to to hold hold onto onto the the young young people people in in the the workworkforce, force, asas I am II am sure sure if if many many ofof them them had had aa job job they they force, as sure if many them had a job they force, force, as asImore am I am am sure sureif if many many ofof of them them had had a habits ajob jobthey they may may be be more likely likely to to get get out out of of their their bad bad habits may be more likely to get out of their bad habits may may bebe more more likely likely toto get get out out ofof their their bad bad habits habits

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To To To

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Dean Dean Witehira, Witehira, Manager, Manager, Genetics Genetics and and Tree Tree Crop Crop - Dean Witehira, Manager, Genetics and Tree Crop Dean Dean Witehira, Witehira, Manager, Manager, Genetics Genetics and and Tree Tree Crop Crop -- Timberlands Timberlands Ltd, Ltd, Rotorua Rotorua Timberlands Ltd, Rotorua Timberlands Ltd, Ltd, Rotorua Rotorua II believe ITimberlands believe the the biggest biggest issues issues we have have are are around around the the believe the biggest issues wewe have are around the Irecruitment, Irecruitment, believe believe thethe biggest biggest issues issues we we have have are are around around the the retention retentionand andtraining trainingof oflabour, labour, recruitment, retention and training of labour, recruitment, recruitment, retention retention and and training trainingofincluding oflabour, labour, travel travel and and the the increase increase in compliance compliance including travel and the increase in in compliance including travel travel and and the the increase increase in in compliance compliance including including H&S H&S and and Drug Drug & & Alcohol.

Alcohol.

There There has has to be a closer a closer H&S and Drug & Alcohol.

Alcohol.

There has to to bebe a closer closer H&S H&S and and Drug Drug & &pay, Alcohol.

There There has has to to be be a a closer look look at at rates rates of of pay, the the ability ability of of a contractor a contractor to to look at rates of pay, the ability of a contractor to look at rates of pay, the ability of a contractor to look at rates of pay, the ability of a contractor to run run crews crews and and meet meet targets targets and and the the recognition recognition of run crews and meet targets and the recognition of of run run crews crews and and meet meet targets targets and and the the recognition recognition of of unpaid unpaid travel travel time. time.

Training Training resources resources have have been been unpaid travel time.

Training resources have been unpaid unpaid travel travel time. time.

Training Training resources resources have have been been eroded eroded over over the the last last few few years years and and at Timberlands Timberlands eroded over the last few years and at at Timberlands eroded eroded over over the the last last few few years years and and at at Timberlands Timberlands we we are are resourcing resourcing in-house in-house trainers trainers to togive give we are resourcing in-house trainers to give we are resourcing in-house trainers to give we are resourcing in-house trainers to give focused focused support support to to our our contractors contractors at at our our cost. cost. focused support to our contractors at our cost. focused support to our contractors at our cost. focused support to our contractors at our cost.

Around AroundH&S H&Swe have haveour ourauditors auditorsassess assessthe the Around H&S wewe have our auditors assess the Around Around H&S H&S we wehave have our ourauditors auditors assess assess the the crews crews and and reports reports are are circulated circulated to to support support action action crews and reports areare circulated to to support action crews crews and and reports reports are circulated circulated to support support action action plans. plans.

It is It is paramount paramount that that forest forest owners owners provide provide plans.

It is is paramount that forest owners provide plans. plans.

It It is paramount paramount that that forest forest owners owners provide provide support support and and guidance guidance as as it’s it’s an an easy easy equation, equation, if if support and guidance as it’s an easy equation, if support and guidance as it’s an easy equation, ifwe support and guidance as it’s ancontractors, easy equation, if you you don’t don’t have have viable viable and and capable capable contractors, we you don’t have viable and capable contractors, wewe you you don’t don’t have have viable viable and and capable capable contractors, contractors, we won’t won’t have have forests. forests.

I also I also believe believe leadership leadership is is key key won’t have forests. also believe leadership is key key won’t won’t have have forests. forests.

II also Iable also believe believe leadership leadership is is and key to to a quality a quality job, job, being being able to to manage manage a crew, a crew, and to to a quality quality job, being able to to manage a crew, crew, and to a a quality job, job, being being able able to manage manage a a crew, and and a business a business that that is is able able to to deliver deliver a quality a quality silviculsilvicula business that is able to deliver a quality silvicula business that is able to deliver a quality silvicula business that is able to deliver a quality silviculture ture service service is important. is important.

There There is a is changing a changing face face ture service is important. important.

There is a a changing face ture ture service service is is important.

There There is is changing a changing face face to to our our workforce workforce with with more more immigrants immigrants taking taking up to to our workforce with more immigrants taking upup to our our workforce workforce with with more more immigrants immigrants taking taking up up positions positions that that we can can tt fi with with o rr own r ownnmotivatnmotivatpositions that wewe can fitt fi with o o own nmotivatpositions positions that that we we can can t fi fi with with o o r own r own nmotivatnmotivated edyouth, youth,but butwouldn’t wouldn’tit itbe begood goodif ifwe wecould could ed youth, but wouldn’t it be good if we could ed youth, but wouldn’t it be good if we could ed youth, but wouldn’t it be good if we could change change that! that!

Working Working collaboratively collaboratively with with our our conconchange that!

Working collaboratively with our conchange change that! that!

Working Working collaboratively collaboratively with with our our concontractors tractors and and other other stakeholders, stakeholders, including including Iwi, Iwi, tractors and other stakeholders, including Iwi, tractors tractors and and other other stakeholders, stakeholders, including including Iwi, Iwi, Government Government and and training training agencies, agencies, is key is key to to yieldyieldGovernment and training agencies, is key key to to yieldGovernment Government and and training training agencies, agencies, is is key to yieldyielding ingmore morepositive positiveoutcomes outcomesfor forour oursilviculture silviculture ing more positive outcomes for our silviculture ing more positive outcomes for our silviculture ing more positive outcomes for our silviculture workforce. workforce. workforce. workforce. workforce.

Raumati Raumati Morgan, Morgan, Operations Operations Manager Manager – – Raumati Morgan, Operations Manager Raumati Raumati Morgan, Morgan, Operations Operations Manager Manager –– – Int Int -wood -wood Forestry, Forestry, Te Te Puke Puke IntInt-wood -wood Forestry, TeTe Puke Int -wood Forestry, Forestry, Te Puke Puke II have I have been been in in this this part part of of industry industry over over 20 20 years years have been in this part of industry over 20 years Iand have been in this part of industry over 20 years Iand have been in this part of industry over 20 years the the most most common common challenge challenge is the the ability ability to and the most common challenge is is the ability to to and and the the most most common common challenge challenge is is the the ability ability to to attract attract and and then then retain retain sta sta and and be be ieve ieve the the monmonattract and then retain stastaand and bebe ieve thethe monattract attract and and then then retain retain sta and be ieve ieve the monmonetary etary reward reward compared compared to other other industries industries makes makes etary reward compared to to other industries makes etary etary reward reward compared compared to to other other industries industries makes makes the the industry industry less less desirable desirable to to work work in. in.

Forest Forest the industry less desirable to work in.

Forest the industry less desirable to work in.

Forest the industry less desirable to work in.

Forest owners ownersand andsome somecontractors contractorslook lookat forests forests owners and some contractors look at at forests owners owners and and some some contractors contractors look look at at forests forests mere mere y for y for the the financia financiao tcome tcome and and do not not conconmere for the financia o o tcome and dodo not conmere mere yy for ydrive for the the financia financia o otcome tcome and and do do not not conconsider sider the the drive to to high high quality quality product product and and the the way way sider thethe drive to to high quality product and thethe way sider sider the drive drive to high high quality quality product product and and the way way the the p anting p anting is done is done which which can can ead ead to to significant significant the p anting is done which can ead to significant the p anting is done which can ead to significant the p anting is years done which can ead tocorrect significant ramifications ramifications years ater ater if not if not done done correct y y ramifications years ater if not not done correct ramifications ramifications years years ater ater if if not done done correct correct yyasyas Harvesting Harvesting has has it over it over silviculture silviculture as as it is it is seen seen Harvesting has it over over silviculture asas it is is seen asas Harvesting Harvesting has has it it over silviculture silviculture as it it is seen seen as the the priority priority being being the the monetary monetary end end of ofthe the the priority being the monetary end of the the thepriority priority being being the the monetary monetary end end of of the the process. process.

Even Even though though we we “create “create the the forests” forests” that that process.

Even though we “create the forests” that process.

Even though we “create the forests” that process.

Even though wehighly “create the forests” that respect respect of the the role role to make make highly skilled skilled decisions decisions respect of of the role to to make highly skilled decisions respect respect of of the the role role to to make make highly highly skilled skilled decisions decisions on p anting p anting does does not not fi ter fi ter down downthere there are are di eronon p anting anting does not fi ter ter down there are di di er-eron on p pstandards anting does does not not fi fi ter down down there there are are di di ererent ent standards between between the the contractors contractors with with manmanentent standards between thethe contractors with manent standards standards between between the contractors contractors with with manman-

To To join, join, call: call: 0800 0800 342 342 269 269 To join, call: 0800 342 269 To join, call: 0800 342 269 To join, call: 0800 342 269

agement agement of their their people people and and if a young a young person person has has agement of of their people and if a aif young person has agement agement of of their their people people and and if ifon young a young person person has has a bad a bad brief brief experience experience based based on how how they’re they’re treattreata bad bad brief experience based onon how they’re treata a bad brief brief experience experience based based on how how they’re they’re treattreated ed they they will will never never come come back back to to silviculture silviculture and and ed they will never come back to silviculture and eded they will never come back to to silviculture and they will never come back silviculture and they they will will feed feed that that out out as a negative, a negative, which which sticks sticks to they will feed that out asas a negative, negative, which sticks to to they they will will feed feed that that out out as as a a negative, which which sticks sticks to to public public stigma stigma of our our sector. sector.

The The last last thing thing II want I want to public stigma of of our sector.

The last thing want to to public public stigma stigma of of our our sector. sector.

The The last last thing thing I want I want to to do do is set is set anyone anyone up up to to fail fail so so we we aim aim to to get get the the right right do is anyone up to fail so we aim to get the right dodo is set set anyone upup to to failfail soso wewe aim to to getget thethe right is set anyone aim right people people in there there from from the the start start and and hire hire on the the charcharpeople in in there from the start and hire onon the charpeople people in in there there from from the the start start and and hire hire on on the the charcharacteristics acteristics of that that person. person.

The The industry industry needs needs to acteristics of of that person.

The industry needs to to acteristics acteristics of of that that person. person.

The The industry industry needs needs to to look look at at itself itself and and ask ask if it if is it comfortable is comfortable with with how how it look at at itself and ask if it itif is is comfortable with how it it look look at itself itself and and ask ask if it comfortable is comfortable with with how how it is is treating treating its its workforce. workforce.

It’s It’s a circular a circular reference reference -- itis treating its workforce.

It’s a circular reference is is treating its workforce.

It’s a circular reference treating itsculture workforce.

It’s aworkplace circularand reference lower lower pay, pay, bad bad culture in in the the workplace and neganega-lower pay, bad culture in the workplace and negalower lower pay, pay, bad bad culture culture in in the the workplace workplace and and neganegative tive feedback feedback in a sector a sector that that has has a pretty a pretty imbalimbaltive feedback in in a sector sector that has a pretty pretty imbaltive tive feedback feedback in in a a sector that that has has a a pretty imbalimbalanced anced lifestyle lifestyle from from a moral a moral perspective perspective because because anced lifestyle from a perspective because anced lifestyle from a moral moral perspective because anced lifestyle from a moral perspective because time time to earn earn a manageable a manageable wage wage is is taking taking most most of time to to earn a manageable manageable wage is taking taking most of of time time to to earn earn a a manageable wage wage is is taking most most of of the the day day away away from from family family time. time. thethe day away from family time. the day day away away from from family family time. time.

Waiherepe Waiherepe Koia, Koia, Forest Forest Operations Operations Manager Manager – – Waiherepe Koia, Forest Operations Manager Waiherepe Waiherepe Koia, Koia, Forest Forest Operations Operations Manager Manager –– – Hikurangi Hikurangi Forest Forest Farms Farms Ltd. Ltd. Hikurangi Forest Farms Ltd. Hikurangi Forest Forest Farms Farms Ltd. Ltd. Industry II have IHikurangi have worked worked in in the the Forest Forest Industry working working in in have worked in the Forest Industry working in I have worked in the Forest Industry working in in I have worked in the Forest Industry working Silviculture Silviculture since since I left I left school school in 1974 1974 starting starting out out as Silviculture since left school in in 1974 starting out asas Silviculture Silviculture since since II left I left school school in in 1974 1974 starting starting out out as as a a junior junior labourer labourer with with the the Forest Forest Service Service to to my a a junior labourer with thethe Forest Service to to mymy a junior junior labourer labourer with with the Forest Forest Service Service to my my current currentposition. position.Since Since1974 1974nothing nothingmuch muchhas has current position.

Since 1974 nothing much has current position.

Since 1974 nothing much has current position.

Since 1974 nothing much has changed changed in the the way way we perform perform silviculture silviculture operaoperachanged in in the way wewe perform silviculture operachanged changed in in the the way way we we perform perform silviculture silviculture operaoperationstions-still stillplanting plantingwith withspades, spades,pruning pruningwith with tionsstill planting with spades, pruning with tionstions-still still planting planting with with spades, spades, pruning pruning with with loppers loppers etc… etc…

For For several several years, years, I have I have always always had had loppers etc…

ForFor several years, I have have always had loppers loppers etc… etc…

For several several years, years, I I have always always had had concerns concerns about about the the silviculture silviculture contractor’s contractor’s busibusiconcerns about the silviculture contractor’s busiconcerns about the silviculture contractor’s busiconcerns about the silviculture contractor’s business ness skill skill level, level, the the areas areas they they lacked lacked the the most most was was ness skill level, the areas they lacked the most was ness ness skill skill level, level, the the areas areas they they lacked lacked the the most most was was calculating calculating man man day day rates, rates, targets, targets, people people managemanagecalculating man day rates, targets, people managecalculating calculating man man day day rates, rates, targets, targets, people people managemanagement mentand andunderstanding understandingthe thestatutory statutorylegal legal ment and understanding the statutory legal ment the legal mentand andunderstanding understanding thestatutory statutory legal requirements requirements to to run run their their business business and and the the probprobrequirements to to run their business and thethe probrequirements requirements to run run their their business business and and the probproblem lem is still still there there today. today.

If If the the contractor contractor had had the the lem is is still there today.

If the the contractor had the lem lem is is still still there there today. today.

If If the contractor contractor had had the the above above skills, skills, their their bargaining bargaining power power would would be be a lot a lot above skills, their bargaining power would be a lot above skills, their bargaining power would be a lot above skills, their bargaining power would be a lot greater greater and and this this wo d then d thenow down down to the the crew crew greater and this wowo d then then owow down to to the crew greater greater and and this this wo wo d d then ow ow down down to to the the crew crew members. members.II have I havealways alwaysbelieved believedin Contractor Contractor members. have always believed in in Contractor members. members.I bhave I bthave always always believed believed in in Contractor Contractor certification certification for t for it to it to wor wor a a forest forest companies companies certification b t for it to wor a forest companies certification b t for it to wor a forest companies certification b t for to wor ais is forest companies must must be on board. board.

II believe Iitbelieve this this the the key key compocompomust bebe onon board. believe this is the the key compomust must be be on on board. board.

I believe I believe this this is is the key key compocomponent nent as as there there wi wi be be benefits benefits to to the the who who e ind e ind stry stry nent asas there wiwibe bebe benefits to to thethe who e ind ind stry nent nent as there there wi benefits benefits to the who who e e ind stry stry he he on on y significant y significant change change over over the the ast ast co co p e p of e of he on y change over the ast co p e of hehe onon y significant significant change over the ast co p e of y significant change over the ast co p e of years years are are the the personnel personnel that that do the the hard hard physical physical years are the personnel that dodo the hard physical years years are are the the personnel personnel that that do do the the hard hard physical physical mahi. mahi.

Most Most Silviculture Silviculture crews crews on the the East East Coast Coast are are mahi.

Most Silviculture crews onon the East Coast are mahi. mahi.

Most Most Silviculture Silviculture crews crews on on the the East East Coast Coast are are made made up up of of islanders islanders as as the the unemployed unemployed have have no made upup of of islanders asas thethe unemployed have nono made made up of islanders islanders as the unemployed unemployed have have no no desire desire to to do do hard hard work work and and the the work work ethics ethics do do not not desire to do hard work and the work ethics do not desire desire toNot to do do hard hard work work and and the the work work ethics ethics do do not not exist. exist.

Not sure sure what what the the answer answer is maybe maybe there there exist.

Not sure what the answer is is maybe there exist. exist.

Not Not sure sure what what the the answer answer is is maybe maybe there there should should be a school a school for forestry forestry to give give the the younger younger should bebe a school school forfor forestry to to give the younger should should be be a a school for for forestry forestry to to give give the the younger younger generation generation a chance a chance to to gain gain the the skills skills required required to generation a chance to gain the skills required to to generation a chance to gain the skills required to generation awork. chance to gain the skills required to do do silviculture silviculture work. dodo silviculture work. do silviculture silviculture work. work.

www.fica.org.nz www.fica.org.nz www.fica.org.nz www.fica.org.nz www.fica.org.nz

top spot

Hot competition among silvi crews WE TALKED ABOUT HOW CLOSE THE competition was among harvesting crews in the last issue and now Thin-to-Waste teams have followed with their own tight tussle.

Only these results highlighted that it can be a matter of millimetres rather than centimetres between results.

It also puts to rest the thoery that we can’t have more than one participant scoring a perfect 100% result – we’ve always said that we score it as we see it.

Congratulations to our top performers across the first round of assessments in the Thin-to-Waste competition. As the results chart shows, you cannot afford to be complacent because there are a bunch of people right on your shoulders in the run-through to the end of the year.

And it’s not just those right behind – the tail-enders have closed right up on the top performers and that has to be great for our industry. The trick, however, is to maintain that level of performance day-in, day-out over the whole year.

Celebrate the achievement, but don’t take your eye off the ball and allow standards to drop.

Sponsors – They don’t have to do this but they choose to!

Awesome companies, awesome people and awesome support!

They back you and your workmates to succeed as professionals, so why wouldn’t you support them.

They believe in what we do and what you do.

So a big ongoing thank you to our Strategic Partners – STIHL and NZ Logger and sponsor SWAZI. The best way to keep our industry working is to get out and support those businesses that support New Zealand.

The Inta-Wood Forestry crew provided three top performers in the latest Waste-to-Thin results, with Aaron Motutere (far left) and Paetoko Tawa (far right) equal first and Dion Kahi (second from right) second-equal. Here they are with colleagues, from left, Adrian Watson, and Nathan Fogden (boss).

Participating Companies This competition wouldn’t be what it is without our participating companies.

We understand the commitment it takes from them to be part of Top Spot and value their ongoing support and feedback.

Our ongoing thanks to Rayonier/Matariki Forests, Nelson Forests, Wenita Forest Products, Port Blakely, Crown Forestry, Brand Logging, CMH Logging, Phillips Logging, Hauraki and Moehau Logging, Thomassen Logging, Te Waa Logging, Lakeland Cable Logging, Logged on Logging, Pakiri Logging, Rosewarne Cable Loggers, Inta-Wood Forestry, Otautau Contractors, SAW Contracting, Heslip Forest Contractingd, Waikato Forestry Services, Hodgson Silviculture, SFNL, Makerikeri Silviculture, NJ Simns Forestry Services, SAS Forestry, X-Men Forestry, Central Forestry Services, Mangoihe Logging, Kohurau Contracting, Tohaia Forestry Harvesting, Kuru Contracting, Dennis E Hayes Logging, Swain Logging, Lumberjack Logging, Ernslaw One, Bluewood Logging, Forestry Contracting, Dewes Contractors, Eastside Logging, Storm Logging, X-Men Logging, Forest View Harvesting, Mike Hurring Logging, Penetito Forestry, Pro Forest

Top Spot Thin to Waste Results 100.00%

Services, Johnson Forestry Services, McHaull Contracting, Kaha Logging, JBD Logging, Veal Contractors, Lahar Loging, AR Dempsey, Hautapu Logging, Whisker Logging, Moutere Logging and Norwest Logging.

Into safety?

Into performance?

Into quality?

Contact Shane Perrett on 0274 781 908, 07 3483037 or at primefm@xtra.co.nz. NZL

Ross Marshall, of Otautau Contractors, was second-equal in the latest Waste-toThin results.

Waste-to-thin results, 1st period 2018

90.00% 80.00% 70.00% 60.00% 50.00% 40.00% 30.00% 20.00% 10.00% 0.00%

56 NZ LOGGER | August 2018

CREW

PARTICIPANT

PLACING

Inta-Wood Forestry

Paetoko Tawa

1=

Inta-Wood Forestry

Aaron Motutere

1=

Otautau Contractors

Ross Marshall

2nd=

Inta-Wood Forestry

Dion Kahi

2nd=

new iron

BLACKSTUMP MADILL

CAT FOR MANMAC

Wayne and Ange McEwan, from Gisborne-based Blackstump Logging, have added a new Madill 2250C feller buncher to their expanding operation. The machine has been set up with a new Waratah HTH624C processing head, which allows it to function in a felling role in the mornings and process the logs in the afternoon. Operator, Tony Hill, is rapt with the new machine, which he cannot fault, and the addition of this combination to the Blackstump operation takes them another step closer to having a fully mechanised harvesting crew. Porter Equipment Hawkes Bay/ Gisborne/Taupo Territory Manager, Roger Pedersen, made the sale.

Rotorua-based Kevin and Wendy Mickleson, of Manmac Logging, have again chosen Cat, this time selecting a 538 log loader to assist fleeting, loading and shovelling after their 336 served its time. The reach of this purpose-built forest machine, along with its stability and awesome visibility, sets this Cat amongst the pigeons, along with an ultra-low fuel burn and low ownership costs. Sold by Shayne Kennedy from Gough Cat.

NEW DOUGLAS LS855E

SHERWOOD KOMATSU

Peter and Brad Douglas, of Douglas Logging, have taken delivery of a new E-series Tigercat LS855 feller-buncher for tethering in their hauler and steep slope crews in and around Northland. The new E-series base offers many new features including a redesigned operator’s cab, MD4 control system that includes auto level function, upgraded hydraulic package, lengthened undercarriage and the Tigercat Tier 2 engine, making the new LS855E an even more lethal feller-buncher than its predecessors. Pictured with the new addition is operator, Daniel Boyd, who is relishing all the improvements in the new model. Marcus Bourke, of AB Equipment, made the sale.

John and Ellen Sherwood, of Sherwood Logging, have taken delivery of a new Komatsu PC 300LC-8 to work in their Kaingaroa Forest operation. The new Komatsu has a full Active heavyduty forestry guarding package and is fitted with a Woodsman Pro750 processing head. Alex Reedy, operator, is very impressed, saying the new PC 300LC-8 has “loads of lift, slew and track power”. Pictured, from left, are Tinus Barnard (Komatsu Forest NZ), Mike Lepper (Active Engineering), John Sherwood and John Kosar (Komatsu Forest NZ). Photo: Mark Amos (Komatsu Forest NZ).

August 2018 | NZ LOGGER 57

new iron JOHN DEERE FOR KEA Greymouth’s Kea Logging has taken delivery of a new John Deere 1910E forwarder. The new 1910E replaces a grapple skidder and is operating in the Nemona Forest near Greymouth.

THREE BROWN TIGERCATS Ian Harvey and Tania Brown have added three more machines to their Rotorua-based crews. Wilson 37 has taken on a new Tigercat 632E Skidder and a Sumitomo SH350-5TLFS with QS630 Southstar, while FPNZ 11 has taken delivery of another SH240-5TLFS, operated by Dave Jackson. Pictured with the 632E, from left, are Leroy Moore, Tania Brown, Ian Harvey, Laura Mita, Tihi Mita and Mack TeKiri. Pictured with the SH350-5TLFS, from left, Brendon Billet, Paul Fleming, Blair Adamson, Ben Addenbrooke, Ian Harvey, Laura Mita and Tania Brown. All machines are performing well above expectations.

58 NZ LOGGER | August 2018

new iron

SOUTHSTAR FOR MJ

ISO SENNEBOGEN

Matthew Jordan, owner of MJ Logging, has taken delivery of a SouthStar FD750 directional felling head, mounted onto the latest Cat 558. It comes with a complete valve-in-head package and dual high-pressure harvesting cylinders, with harvest-down activation for optimum control and increased safety when falling. This machine is now working in South Canterbury. Pictured, from left, are Matt Holloway, Dan Adams (operator), Matthew Jordan and Ben Addenbrooke (SouthStar).

Mt Maunganui’s ISO port logistics operation has added to its log handling fleet with the introduction of a Sennebogen 830M-HDS E-series equipped with a K15M boom and the large single tyres. The Sennebogen has the new generation maxi cab with more visibility and SenCon management system. The new 830E is performing high staking duties at the port, using an Ensign grapple. The sale was made by Ewen Satherley of TransDiesel.

HYUNDAI FOR SSA NZ

MCCALLUM TIGERCAT

SSA New Zealand, formerly known as Southern Cross Stevedores, has purchased a number of Hyundai R140LC-9 packages with purpose-built guarding from Waimea Engineering and fitted with Remquip grapples for log loading at ports. Dennis Direen, South Island Machinery Supervisor for SSA New Zealand, is very impressed with the overall performance of these machines in challenging conditions. The sale was made by Porter Equipment Otago / Southland Territory Manager, Wayne Cunningham.

McCallum Harvesting owner, Dave McCallum, has taken delivery of the latest Tigercat 635 G-series 6-wheeler to replace his older 635C, which had completed over 16,000 faithful hours. The new G-series machine boasts the new Tigercat FPT Tier 2 engine, EHS (Efficient High Speed) transmission, 25’ grapple, long range fuel tank and Tigercat’s new Telematics GPS system to keep Dave and AB informed on all systems information. His Sumitomo 300TLFS feller buncher and 300TLFS harvester are both being put to the test by the 635G’s hunger for wood. AB Equipment’s Dean Cousins made the sale.

August 2018 | NZ LOGGER 59

new iron

VOLVO FOR ATS

HARMER KOBELCO & SATCO

Toby and Amy Satherley have taken delivery of a new Volvo EC250DL forestry carrier. The decision was made easy because the ATS crew is already familiar with the Volvo attributes, having one of Toby’s earlier FC2924CL machines on site. The new EC250DL has a factory forestry package, including the newly designed forestry cab, which has proven to have superior visibility and comfort, plus very low sound levels. The sale was made by Ewen Satherley of TransDiesel.

This new Kobelco SK300LC-10 High and Wide specification excavator was recently delivered to the team at Harmer Logging in Methven, Canterbury. The machine is fitted with an Active guarding package and SATCO 325T processing head. Kobelco High and Wide specifications provide the generous ground clearance needed to penetrate sites littered with stumps or rocks. The extra crawler width ensures excellent stability, contributing to uninterrupted working and greater lifting capacity. The crew has moved to a new location, near Mt Cook, where they’ll definitely need their winter woollies.

SOUTHSTAR FOR DEWES

MAGNUM HYUNDAI

Steve Dewes, owner of Dewes Contractors, has taken delivery of a SouthStar QS600 harvesting head mounted onto a TimberPro TL765C. Specified with the large wood de-limb arms, 4X4 locking kit and optimisation software, this machine has gone to work on the East Coast, near Gisborne.

Pictured with his new Hyundai R290LC-9 HC is Bradley Diack, owner of Magnum Logging, Southland. This new Hyundai is optioned with a PFS guarding package, which includes a PFS purpose-built cab and it’s working with a SATCO 630 felling head. The sale was made

by Porter Equipment Otago/Southland Territory Manager, Wayne Cunningham.

60 NZ LOGGER | August 2018

new iron

H & R CAT

C3 VOLVO AT THE MOUNT

Rotorua’s Rod and Ngahuia Hubbard, of H & R Harvesting, have replaced their Cat 336DL with a new Cat 336FL machine running a Woodsman 750 head in the Mamaku Forest. Low noise signature, durability and stability are key factors in this application and the 336FL meets all these. The operator reports more comfort and less refuelling stops, which are a huge bonus in this job. Backed by the Gough Rotorua branch, the choice was easy. Shayne Kennedy from Gough Cat sold the machine.

C3 has put this new Volvo L260H wheel loader into their Mount Maunganui port operation, making it their third of this model.

Fitted with an Ensign log head, the new machine is seen here getting its final inspection by the C3 mechanical team at the Mount workshop before going to work and they were impressed with some of the new Volvo’s servicing friendly features. The new L260H is now hard at work unloading trucks and trains at the port. The sale was made by Ewen Satherley of TransDiesel.

HANSEN KOMATSU

SATCO FOR ELLIOTT

Philip and Lynne Hansen, of EF Hansen from Matakana, have taken delivery of a new Komatsu PC 300LC-8, which has a full EMS heavyduty forestry guarding package and is fitted with a Woodsman Pro 750. Operator, Ricky Britton, is very impressed with the Komatsu PC 300LC-8, commenting that it has “loads of lift, slew and track power”. Pictured, from left, are Ricky Britton, Simon Fenwick (foreman), Antz Sowry, Philip Hansen, John Kosar (Komatsu Forest NZ), Shane Cobb and Chris (Rat) Fletcher. Photo: Paul Osborne.

Grant Elliot, of Elliot Logging in Hawkes Bay, has purchased his first harvester for his crew’s stems operation in the Pan Pac system. Grant and his operator, Danny, have been enjoying how the SAT325M and CAT 552 combo are getting into the meaty trees in the Bay.

August 2018 | NZ LOGGER 61

NZ LOGGER classified

NEED HAULER PARTS? Valuation Services Include:

Forestry Civil construction and contracting Transport Mining Quarrying and extractive industries Any heavy plant & machinery Valuations for financing Valuation for financial reporting Valuations for insurance purposes Sale and purchase advice of assets Asset management Company acquisitions Lease provision Equity position Market Values Liquidation Transfer of assets into company or trust

Contact: James Peacocke 0274 222 476 Email: james@mountmachinery.nz Mail: PO Box 4254, Mt Maunganui, 3149 www.mountmachinery.nz

HAULER PARTS. Join our mailing list at www.drdiesel.nz to receive valuable limited time offers, special deals, and updates on the latest equipment, parts, hydraulic / engine oils, and other industial lubricants we have on offer.

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62 NZ LOGGER | August 2018

NZ LOGGER classified

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John Deere 909KH Level Swing Feller Buncher: Only 6,800hrs, harvester boom and arm, Satco 424T Processing head with measuring. $515,000 plus GST

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Caterpillar 325DFM Waratah 624 Processor: 7,360 hrs, FM Purpose built Forestry machine, 624 Processor with Logrite Cat 345DL Processor: Heavy duty harvester fitted with measuring system.

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John Deere 2154D Log Loader: Komatsu PC220LC-8 Log Loader: 11,000 hrs, full guarding Volvo L90F Wheel Loader: L5 tyres, radiator guard, Purpose built LL, high-wide, Ensign grapple, only 8,500hrs. full mudguards, Ensign Log Forks, auto-grease. package, Ensign grapple, good undercarriage. $P.O.A $125,000 plus GST $85,000 plus GST

Hyundai 250LC-9 Processor: John Deere 648GIII Grapple Skidder: 8,400 hrs. Logmax 7000XT processor. Ideal weight class 30.5’s, dual function, winch. for woodlot harvesting. $220,000 plus GST

John Deere 548GIII Grapple Skidder: 5,700 hrs. NZ new, genuine low hour machine presented in excellent condition. $85,000 plus GST Popular size for woodlot harvesting. $175,000 plus GST

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Contact: Peter Wilson Mobile: 0274 948 742 or 07 378 6844 Email: cplnz@xtra.co.nz Contact: Phil Todd Mobile: 0275 950 019 or 07 345 4343 Email: philt@heavymachineryservices.co.nz August 2018 | NZ LOGGER 63

NZ LOGGER classified

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64 NZ LOGGER | August 2018

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Second Used 626 Bigwood

TimberRite Head Only Approx. 5000 hours.

Location Rotorua New Zealand.

Being rebuilt.

Get in early to determine your rebuild price.

As is price NZD $103,190 + GST

Comes complete with H16 automation.

Ideal post yard or thinning application.

Location Rotorua New Zealand.

NZD $140,000 + GST

WA622BX000763 Approx. 16000 Hrs. TimberRite Head only Location Australia As is Price AUD $25,350.00 + GST

1WA622BXTE0002106

1WA622CXCG0000198

Approx. 6330 Hrs. TimberRite Head only.

Location Australia

Approx. 2349Hrs. TimberRite Head only.

Location Australia.

As is price AUD $40,000.00 + GST

As is price AUD $120,000.00 + GST

Waratah Forestry Services Limited Parts/service 0800 492 728

H415 Demo harvester

Product support helpdesk 0800 492 728

1WA622CXKG00000165 Approx. 2850Hrs. TimberRite Head only.

Location Australia As is price AUD $114,000.00 + GST

NZ LOGGER classified

Forestry Insurance Solutions LG23616

0800 55 54 53 info@stal.co.nz

www.sweeneytownsend.co.nz

68 NZ LOGGER | August 2018

LG23949

Forestry Insurance Solutions

MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.

COMPLETE UNDERCARRIAGE SOLUTIONS FOR ALL APPLICATIONS. SPECIALISING IN FORESTRY & CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY: • SUPPLY OF NEW UNDERCARRIAGE FROM STEEL TRACKS TO RUBBER TRACKS • FULL TRACK SHOP FACILITIES FOR PIN & BUSH TURNS AND FITTING NEW PINS AND BUSHES • SUB ARC WELDING FOR RELUGGING AND IDLER REBUILDS • FULL WORKSHOP ENGINEERING AND ONSITE • SUPPLYING AND FITTING OF TRACK GUARDS • REMOVAL AND REFITTING OF DRILL AND EXCAVATOR SHOES • 100T PRESS AVAILABLE FOR FIELD REPAIRS AND JOINING OF CHAIN

FOR A LG23949

QUOTE

07 849 3811 MOB: 0274 727 741 PH:

jim.keaney@trackweld.co.nz

www.trackweld.co.nz

9,500 hours on base, 7,000 hours on the head, Satco 424 fall & delimb head & additional forestry guarding.

2010 Volvo FC3329C Processor

Volvo ECR325CL Log Loader

10,500 hours aprox. Blade, 1500 series Ensign grapple.

Ex Palmerston North

9,000 hours, winch, front band tracks, new rear rubber, 19ft grapple.

Caterpillar 525C

6,500 hours, band tracks, new front tyres to be fitted, grapple, no winch.

Log Skidder

6,200 hours, ROPS cabin, fairlead & winch, front Eco chains.

WHANGAREI Marcus Bourke 027 241 6126 NORTH HARBOUR Charles Dryden 021 751 158 James Maunsell 021 937 304 AUCKLAND Colin Saunders 027 593 2661 Byren Ware 027 287 8902

HAMILTON Tony Hennessy 027 839 8153 TAUPO Steve Mellar 027 565 3956 MT MAUNGANUI Andre Muller 027 550 1729 HASTINGS Ben Kendrick 021 658 554 Richard Walker 027 553 9216

Caterpillar 545

Log Skidder

5,500 hours, NZ new one owner, 19ft grapple, Allied winch, new rear t yr es, fr ont t yr es 3 0 % r emaining, good mechanical history.

$135, 000 + GST

2013 Tigercat 630D

1997 Madill 3200B

Log Skidder

Processor

Ex Gisborne

$320,000 + GST

WELLINGTON/PALMERSTON NORTH Mardi Pritchard 021 335 873 NELSON Chris Jones 027 574 1712 CHRISTCHURCH Nic McLennan 027 275 6252 Steven Varcoe 021 969 323 DUNEDIN Cory Hellyer 027 288 1952

INVERCARGILL Dean Cousins 021 932 246

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA! AB EQUIPMENT

13,000 hours (approx), 30.5 tyres in good condition, grapple & PTO winch.

Ex Taupo

$195,000 + GST

Ex Invercargill

$120,000 + GST

$280,000 + GST

Ex Taupo

$180,000 + GST Cable Log Skidder

Ex Dunedin

$100,000 + GST

Ex Dunedin

2010 CAT 525C

4,200 hours, Satco 223T processor, grapple, high & wide, full guarding package including hydraulic bonet.

Ex Taupo

$205,000 + GST 2010 Tigercat 630D Log Skidder

2015 Hyundai R290LC-9 Processor

with 424c Waratah, base has 22,500 hours, head has an estimated 15,000 hours. Good service history.

Ex Taupo

$150,000 + GST

CAT USED EQUIPMENT ®

CAT 330DL | 2007 | 14,474 HRS |$312,900+GST

CAT 541 2 | 2013 | 6,471 HRS |$487,000+GST

Boom Ram Guards, Catwalks with Underbody Protection, Double Grouser Shoes, Ensign Guarding Package, Full Length Track Guards, Full ROPS Cab, Hilift Boom.

Location: Palmerston North Ref: EQ033927

Lighting, ROPS / FOPS, Single Grouser Tracks, Woodsman Pro FH 1350.

CAT 545C | 2009 | 14,190 HRS |$146,000+GST

CAT 320DL | 2015 | 3,487 HRS |$238,100+GST

16.6 SQ FT CR Bunch Grapple, 35.5L-32 Tyres, Dual Function Arch with Winch, EROPS, Turbine, Precleaner, Worklights Location: Christchurch Ref: EQ035063

Air Conditioner, Cat Walks, CDL Grapple, Corner Post Guarding, Forestry Guarding Package, Full Length Track Guiding Guards, High & Wide Undercarriage, High Lift.

Location: Christchurch Ref: EQ039092

CAT 336DL | 2009 | 12,800 HRS |$413,200+GST

CAT 336DL | 2009 | 15,076 HRS |$357,200+GST

Forestry Guarded, High Lift, ROPS / OPS, Woodsman 800.

Double Grouser Shoes, Electric Grease Drum, EMS Guarding Package with Steel Bonnet, Fire Suppression, High & Wide Undercarriage, Logging Boom and Stick, Purpose-built Cab, Woodsman 800.

Location: Invercargill Ref: EQ039381

Location: Rotorua Ref: EQ038842

Location: Napier Ref: EQ035622 CAT 325D FMLL | 2014 | 3,554 HRS |$497,900

CAT 545C | 2009 | 12,500 HRS |$174,700 +GST

Cat Radio, Double Grouser Shoes, Ensign 1730 Grapple, Product Link, Straight Boom with Understlung Stick Cylinder and High Lift Bracket.

Arch, Dual Function, Blade, Grapple 16.6 SQ FT CR Bunch, Logging winch, Worklights.

Location: Napier Ref: EQ039477

Location: Rotorua Ref: EQ039643

+GST

CAT 336 DL | 2011 | 10,565 HRS |$432,900+GST

CAT 325D FMGF | 2013 | 6,500 HRS |$418,200+GST

Big Wood Harvester Head, Full Measuring System, High Lift, Product Link, ROPS Cab

Double Grouser Shoes, Full Length Track Guide Guards, High Lift, Suspension Seat, Waratah 624C Processing Head, Worklights

Location: Napier Ref: EQ039109

Location: Rotorua Ref: EQ039734

Branches Nationwide | Phone 0800 93 39 39 | GoughCat.co.nz |

NZ LOGGER classified

Tyres that mean business.

Nokian understands the cost of downtime for a busy contractor. That’s why the entire Nokian foresty tyre range is built to stand up to the harshest of conditions and heaviest of applications. To get the best from your gear, choose Nokian.

STAYS ON THE JOB. Call us on 0800 NOKIAN (0800 665 426) or email info@nokian.nz to find a dealer.

of the

Equipment MONTH

Finance rates available 0800 346 275

S5

ve sa 00! ,0

TIGERCAT 630D

VOLVO EC360CL

CATERPILLAR 535C

2014. Excellent example of a late model 630D Tigercat Skidder.

Winch & grapple. 3,900 hrs.

Log Processor with Waratah HTH626 Big Wood head. Devine Engineering ROPS, FOPS, OPS and forestry guarding. Estimated 11,000 hrs.

2012. Tidy low hour grapple skidder, near new Firestone Forester special tyres. 4,027 hrs.

Hastings #E1217095

Christchurch #E0618059

Hastings #E0917063

$380,000.00

$250,000.00

$230,000.00

CATERPILLAR 330L

KOMATSU PC300-7

JOHN DEERE 903KH

Has good track gear, full length track guards, Waratah boom and Waratah 234 Big Wood. 27,640 hrs.

2002. High and wide undercarriage. Double bar grousers. Gull wing bonnet. Poly carb cab guarding. Waratah HTH626 Big Wood and purpose built boom and arm. 24,000 hrs.

2011. Tracked Harvester fitted with Southstar TS610 Processing head. 330hp Tier II engine, 24" Single Grouser. 9,600 hrs.

Hastings #E0318025

Hastings #E0218021

Invercargill #E0318024

$80,000.00

$140,000.00

$380,000.00

Contact your local CablePrice sales representative for all enquiries

72 NZ LOGGER | August 2018

LG25750

Northland: Phil McKenzie 0276 202 505 | North Shore: Luke Larsen 0275 884 064 | Auckland: Simon Birchall 027 809 6211 Hamilton / Taranaki: Angelo Capon 027 603 7517 | Central North Island: Terry Duncan 0275 943 550 | Hawke’s Bay / Gisborne: Paul Laird 0272 047 289 Lower North Island: Cameron Wait 0275 427 250 | Nelson / Marlborough: Todd Blackwood 0275 223 445 West Coast / Canterbury: Andrew McCoy 0275 320 238 | Otago / Southland: Daryl Highsted 0275 771 264

FOR SALE: Clark F665, 666, F667, Cat 525B Grapple Skidder, JD648G, TJACK 460, 560.

DOZERS: Caterpillar, D4H, D6C, D6H, Komatsu D65 + D85, tie back dozers, D85/21.

Excavators: Caterpillar 320, 322, 325, 330, B,C & D. Hyundai 250/9 Volvo 240C log rigged.

Teebar manufactured and sold. Wheeled loader WA470/3.

Lakeland Heavy Machinery Ltd

Branches now in the NZ LARGEST RANGE OF SKIDDER FOR SALE: Clark 664, 666C, 666B, F67 Grapple Skidders No rth & South Island HEA AND BETTER CHAINS, HEAVIER Komatsu D65/6 and D85/21 log rigged, CAT 936, 950B and Komatsu WA470/ wheeled loaders, buckets or forks.

Forestry Tyre Chains NZ LARGEST RANGE OF SKIDDER

Branches noNZ w in LARGEST the North & South IslSTOCKS and

Super Heavy DutyHEAVIER AND BETTER CHAINS, 35.5x32 - Weight 10000kg 30.5x32 - Weight 950kg 29.5x32 28L Super Heavy Duty 23.5x26 30.5x32 - Weight 950kg

Forestry Tyre Chains

OF DOZER

NZ LARGEST + DIGGER STOCKS CHAINS, OFROLLERS DOZER + DIGGER IDLERS, CHAINS, SPROCKETS ROLLER available Roller rebuilding/reshells Track press service IDLERS, Mini Excavator tracks SPROCKETS

35.5x32

Heavy 29.5x32 Duty

30.5x32 -23.5x26 Weight 650kg Heavy Duty Machines

30.5x32 - Weight 650kg

Zaxis 270Standard with teebar. Teebars in stock.

D7H with30.5x32 winch - Weight 365kg Machines

Roller rebuilding/reshells available Track press service available Mini excavator tracks also available

PC350/6 with teebar or grapple DYH with winch

Cat and Komatsu Pumps Komatsu Pumps

WE QUOTE HEAVY TRACK CHAINS WE DUTY QUOTE HEAVY DUTY TRACK CHAINS BONING OUT DISMANTLING 525 CAT 518,CAT 525A B & C, Clark, WRECKING, SKIDDERS, John Deere TJack.

BULLDOZERS, LOADERS, Excavators all makes, CAT EXCAVATORS All Models, 3x 33OD Cat, FOR SALE: Dozer parts

NYLON / FIBRE DRIVE GEARS NYLON / FIBRE DRIVE GEARS

CAT D5B, D6D, D7H D65 & D85 KOMATSU POA TRY US WE ARE FOR WORTH IT! SALE: More Machines On Our Website NEWParts PARTS, CAT, KOMATSU, New Clark off the shelf MACHINES $2476-$6884 + gst.

Grouser Bar From $36 per 3 EXCAVATORS metres HITACHI & SUMI ADJUSTERS DOZERS + DIGGERS Scrap Handling units also 32.5x32 FIRESTONE available Used Tyres RECOIL SPRINGS AVAILABLE 126-136 View Road, PO Box 1976, Rotorua Email: info@heavy-machinery.co.nz • Phone: 07 347 0765 • Fax: 07 349 2325 • Mob 0274 945 886 ROTATING GRAPPLES TO FIT 1 TO 40 TONNES ROTATING GRAPPLES MACHINES $2476 to 30K + gst.

TO FIT 1 TONNE TO 15 TONNE Shears, dredge buckets

126-136 View Road, PO Box 1976, Rotorua Email: info@heavy-machinery.co.nz

• Phone: 07 347 0765 • Fax: 07 349 2325 • Mob 0274 945 886 Check our website for more info www.heavy-machinery.co.nz

Check our website for more info www.heavy-machinery.co.nz

EXCAVATOR WORLD

Hokitika South Island BULLDOZERS EXCAVATORS SKIDDERS

ALL NEW STOCK

ORS EXCAVAT FOR SALE

er in 0/3 30 tonn Hitachi EX30 et or grapple. ck bu r de or nice + GST $39,000

LG25750

• • • •

Buckets Cabins Final Drive Parts Grapples

• • • •

Pump Parts Ram Seal Kits ROPS Slew Drives

ALL MAKES, NEW WINDOWS, NEW DOORS + PANELS, NEW RADIATORS AND COOLERS, ENGINE KITS + GASKETS, COMPUTERS, FINAL DRIVES AND PUMPS

Swage 6x31 PROVEN PERFORMANCE Our Our Swaged Swaged 6x31 6x31 high high performance performance rope rope provides provides improved e ibi ity and increased bend cyc improved e ibi ity and increased bend cyc es es that that wi wi boost boost yo yo rr prod prod ctivity ctivity and and efficiency efficiency Call Call us us now now on on 027 027 474 474 6032 6032 to to disc disc ss ss how how o o rr cc stomers stomers are are e e perincing perincing a a mar mar ed ed improvment improvment in the ife of their ropes in the ife of their ropes

SPEAK SPEAK TO TO THE THE TEAM TEAM THAT THAT KNOWS KNOWS PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE ROPES ROPES Northland Northland Lana Power Lana Power 029 773 0744 029 773 0744

Tauranga Tauranga Lance Godfrey Lance Godfrey 027 480 9589 027 480 9589

Upper South Island Upper South Island Mike Beleski Mike Beleski 027 479 6806 027 479 6806

Auckland/Waikato Auckland/Waikato Andy Palmer Andy Palmer 027 474 6032 027 474 6032

Rotorua/Lower North Island Rotorua/Lower North Island Dave Caulfield Dave Caulfield 027 474 2809 027 474 2809

Canterbury/Lower Sth Island Canterbury/Lower Sth Island Steve Marshall Steve Marshall 027 434 7148 027 434 7148

www.cookes.co.nz www.cookes.co.nz