NZ Logger August 2019

August 2019 | $7.20

THE

ISSN 1176-0397

CAT AND THE STAG New ideas unveiled at HarvestTECH 2019

Big loader makes a difference at Red Stag Native log truck dirver’s tale

DX 380 LL / LB Log Loader / Processor base Units currently EX STOCK. Subject to prior sale.

LG29342

• Engine Scania DC09 318 HP • Swing Torque, Twin Slew 129.876 Ibf • Traction Force 101.673 Ibf • Split cooling system with variable speed hydraulic oil cooler fan

contents AUGUST 2019

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FOREST TALK Some crews laid off but forest owners back others; contractors encouraged to access support; FICA seeks meeting with Ministers over downturn; what (if anything) went wrong in China; worldfirst robotic log truck scaling starts in Tauranga; scholarships for forestry women; US fixed head felling shears launched in NZ; Welier forestry brand to arrive in NZ early in 2020; female forestry training programme receives PGF boost; Fogmaker is a machine saver.

HARVESTTECH 2019 From Augmented Reality glasses to forestry machines without cabs, there were plenty of high-tech ideas up for discussion at the biennial HarvestTECH conference in Rotorua that drew more

12 than 400 participants. Not all of the ideas were revolutionary, some were just about making small advances, but they still got people thinking.

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SHAW’S WIRE ROPES IRON TEST The largest sawmill in the Southern Hemisphere has a huge appetite for wood, requiring a squadron of nimble loaders to keep the log line fed. The new flagship of the RFH-operated fleet at the Red Stag log yard, the Cat 980M, is just the machine to match the 24-hour flow of trucks.

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TALL TIMBER Neville Wiseman spent much of his early working life at the wheel of ex-army trucks, carting native logs to mills in the North Island before graduating onto newer, civilian

38 models. Now well into retirement, he still retains his licence‌just in case.

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HORSE LOGGING In the pioneering days of logging in New Zealand it was horses and bullocks that helped to get our precious wood out of the forest. Bush historian, Paul Mahoney, unearthed a photo of a team of horses from the 19th century that were working near Dannevirke and takes readers back to the early days.

DEPARTMENTS 2 editorial 51 fica 54 top spot 56 new iron 60 classifieds August 2019 | NZ LOGGER 1

from the editor

Collapse or correction?

THE

CAT AND THE STAG ISSN 1176-0397

PHOTO: JOHN ELLEGARD

August 2019 | $7.20

Big loader makes a difference at Red Stag

New ideas unveiled at HarvestTECH 2019

Native log truck dirver’s tale

The latest Cat 980M operated by RFH in the Red Stag sawmill log yard in Rotorua.

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2 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

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T’S VERY TEMPTING TO DESCRIBE THE SUDDEN DROP IN EXPORT LOG prices as a collapse and to start battening down the hatches in anticipation of a long, drawn-out depression hitting the harvesting sector in New Zealand.

It certainly feels like that if you are one of the scores of loggers who have been laid off or put on short hours over the past few weeks as forest owners react to the over supply in China that caused prices to tumble.

But are we over-reacting?

Thing is, we’ve been here before. We had similar sharp price drops in 2011, 2013 and 2015 at exactly the same time of year.

The reason was a big build up in log stocks at Chinese ports that coincided with the mid-summer slow-down in that country’s construction activity when it becomes too hot to work. With logs coming out of their ears, mills were spoiled for choice and importers found themselves with surplus shipments on top of bloated inventories.

Prices dropped as they tried to quit their logs. Fresh orders shrank until inventories came back into balance. And, in turn, our harvesting activities took a dip as some woodlot crews were laid off.

In all three of those years, the situation righted itself by late Spring, harvesting resumed and continued to build to even higher levels.

Effectively, those three events were corrections.

Is the latest situation any different? That’s hard to say.

The main contributors – a big inventory build-up and the seasonal slowdown in construction activity – are the same, but there’s a disturbing factor that is complicating things.

Buyers in China now have a new source from which to draw wood; via rail the Belt & Road initiative. The new rail connections from China through to Europe see manufactured goods flowing west and then wood and other commodities filling the empty wagons on the way back. That wood is coming in way cheaper than timber being produced from logs being shipped from New Zealand and faster, too.

And there’s lot of it due to ramped up harvesting of trees killed by beetles in a plague that is sweeping across some European forests.

We’ve been shipping ever-increasing amounts of logs to China for so long – to date this year we’ve sent 19% more logs than the same time last year – we were lulled into thinking it was a bottomless pit. But it isn’t. Saturation point has been reached and it will take a while for the market to reset.

We just don’t know what level it will reset to.

The good news is that the beetle-damaged wood from Europe is a finite supply. It will run down at some point, just like it has in Canada. Hopefully it won’t have caused too much damage to our log trade in the meantime.

In any case, the Belt & Road link has changed the equation in the China log trade, regardless of the current surge in beetle damaged wood, and we’ll have to learn how to compete with future rail shipments. As well as competition from other sources.

What hasn’t changed is the fact that worldwide demand for wood is going to increase in the future and we still have lots of fast-maturing trees to meet it.

Optimistically, I’ll predict that the oversupply – and with it, our export log trade – will have picked up again by mid-to-late Spring. NZL

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forest talk

Some crews laid off, but forest owners back others IT’S GETTING TOUGH FOR LOGGING CREWS operating in woodlots across New Zealand with many finding themselves out of work because landowners have halted harvesting.

But forest owners and managers are desperately trying to keep as many crews as they can in work for fear of losing them altogether should the sudden downturn become a protracted slump. Meanwhile, most of the larger, corporate forest owners are maintaining existing harvesting levels to keep crews active.

It’s been a tough month across the industry.

The sudden price drop at the end of June shocked some buyers of our export logs to put their purchases on hold while they figured out where the price would end up. When the dust did settle, buyers who came back into the market were offering considerably less than at the price peak – down from a high of around US$140 to as low as US$100-$105.

Effectively, those lower price levels put many marginal woodlots into the red or severely curtailed income and many owners elected to stop harvesting altogether or put plans on hold.

PF Olsen, which runs a mix of woodlot and corporate forests in its portfolio, says it is working with contractors to try and manage the situation to avoid laying off crews unless it is totally unavoidable.

“We are doing our absolute best to minimise the effect on the wider industry,” says Te Kapunga Dewes, CEO of PF Olsen.

“Through leveraging the corporate forest component of our business, we have been looking to support some of the affected woodlot crews and ensure they have some work. It is very important for us to try and maintain that continuity.”

For some woodlot crews, such a lifeline has not been possible to provide, adds Mr Dewes and “regrettably there have been some terminations and they understand the situation”.

They could be joined by more crews soon, as a number of current harvesting jobs come to an end and new blocks that were to have been started are likely to be put on hold.

“We have some of those coming up for completion by the end of August,” says Mr

4 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

Dewes.

To help absorb some of the effects of the decline, PF Olsen has also begun a “robust conversation” with all of its contractors still working about cost controls, in preparation for a prolonged period of low log prices and uncertainty in the marketplace.

However, Mr Dewes says the situation is “not as bad as it’s been painted” and prices appear to have bottomed out and even risen slightly. But he still believes harvesting volumes will dip 10-15% as the industry adjusts to the new pattern.

Manawatu-based forest manager, Forest360, deals with a number of private woodlot owners and some have also curtailed harvesting operations following the price slump.

“We are probably down about 30% across our supply base – we’ve had to lay some crews off,” says CEO, Dan Gaddum.

“Anyone supplying into the domestic market, those owners and those crews are in a lot better position than those who are export focused. The domestic market guys have been very good in not taking advantage of the situation.”

Mr Gaddum says remaining crews have been put on quotas and there is a major focus on savings costs, adding: “We’ve asked all our suppliers to come back to us on various things around roading and other areas – that’s over and above what we do as part of our everyday business.”

He’s not sure when the market will return to normal: “I suppose the question is ‘what is normal’? You could argue that the last couple of years haven’t been particularly normal.

“If you look at the last two years versus the last five on an average price basis, I think we have overshot the equilibrium point. Barring some unforeseen uptake in demand there is nothing to show we are going to get back to $140 again. That’s a forgotten era now.”

Rayonier Matariki Forests has a small number of crews working in woodlots that it manages on behalf of owners who have asked for harvesting to stop.

“It is very challenging in what we do with those crews and how we manage that – we are dealing with it on a case-by-case basis,” says

Brendan Slui, Managing Director of Rayonier New Zealand.

“For the crews harvesting in Matariki’s forests we have agreed that there will be no over-cutting. We have set production rates and we need the crews to keep to those levels.”

As with most large forest owners, Rayonier Matariki Forests has supply agreements with many local mills and Mr Slui says those volumes are constant, which “allows us to continue through these difficult periods” while trying to manage the volatile export business. Rayonier Matariki Forests exports its own logs and its marketing team recently returned from a trip to China to report on the situation.

“It’s still difficult up there, the demand is slow and we are unlikely to see any movement in demand until late August at the earliest,” says Mr Slui.

“However, we are more confident now than we were a couple of weeks ago that things have bottomed out and steadied.”

For Hancock Forest Management, the largest forest owner and manager in New Zealand, there has been no change in the way it is harvesting at present.

“We are continuing to operate to our plan at this point in time and have given no additional instructions to our contractors or transport suppliers that anything will change until further notice,” says HFM’s Bill McCallum.

“We will continue to assess the situation.

One of the options we have is to bring our contractors back to their target and to prevent any over-production, which might inevitably lead to having to stand crews down.

“We haven’t put that in place now but it would be a possible and probably likely next step but we won’t be making that decision yet.

“Our plan is to maintain a competent and capable employee and contractor workforce and for what we see as a typical commoditytype cyclical situation – we are playing a longer game. We are not going to do anything rash.”

Mr McCallum says the new, lower prices “aren’t that bad” and he believes we could see them at this level for some time before

forest talk

there is a recovery.

Timberlands also says it has no plans to reduce harvesting in Kaingaroa Forest at this stage, unless the downturn is prolonged.

Forest owners in the lower South Island are keeping a close eye on developments in China to gauge how to react over coming months.

Southern Wood Council Chairman, Grant Dodson, says the ‘estate’ forest owners have been less affected than small woodlot owners.

Dunedin’s City Forests, which he manages was not considering laying off any staff yet, because it has the ability to ‘moderate and adjust production to suit on different blocks for what customers want, which may mean [cutting] Douglas fir instead of Radiata’’.

Wenita Forest Products CEO, Dave Cormack, is expecting ‘’a couple of difficult months

ahead’’ but says Wenita is ahead of budget so would cut back on buying at the wharf gate and ‘’pull back’’ its production levels for the next two months, but there are no plans to lay off staff.

Around 20 crews have been stood down in woodlots in Northland, while several larger forest companies have instituted 10% quotas.

This has led to shortages of some structural logs for local mills.

Log transporters are not expecting major cutback to their operations, given the shortage of drivers they have been experiencing recently.

SteveMcDougall, CEO of Manawatu-based McCarthy Transport, says: “We’ve had very little disruption and only with the woodlot operations which is about 30% of our work,

however they’ve put crews on restrictions, not laid any off yet.

“We’ve reduced our sub-contractor use and haven’t – nor do we want to – lay any truck operators off. It’s taking us almost six months to get our infrastructure in place to service the growth in our region the last thing we want to do is start again.”

Meanwhile, Williams & Wilshier says it’s Bay of Plenty operations are still busy, but Gisborne continues to be affected more by shipping issues that saw a run of port closures since May that prevented ships loading.

“We are having to cart to Napier or park trucks up for a day or so,” says Warwick Wilshier, CEO of Williams & Wilshier.

“We won’t be laying people off and are still looking to recruit more.” NZL

Contractors encouraged to access support THE FOREST INDUSTRY CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION (FICA) and Forest Owners Association (FOA) are encouraging New Zealand contractors to access support early during the current logging downturn.

FOA President, Peter Weir, says: “Woodlot owners and managers are highly likely to reduce or cease log harvesting in the short term in response to price pressure in export markets. Larger owners will have a focus on the longer term and will be keen to make sure they maintain their labour force, for when the market picks up again.”

FICA President, Ross Davis, says a key concern for contractors is retaining their skilled, reliable staff, who will be instrumental

in maximising production once the market picks up again.

He encourages struggling contractors to access support early, including seeking advice from their accountants and advisors.

“Keeping your crew/s operational in the short term while the market corrects itself is the key focus,” he says.

“We encourage contractors to keep up communication with your accountants and advisers, who can give you advice whether it’s to reduce your operational overheads or volumes or a shortterm rate reduction for example.

“We encourage contractors in need of support to get in contact.

We may be able to connect you with appropriate agencies or provide guidance to help you get through.” NZL

FICA seeks help from Minister over downturn THE FOREST INDUSTRY CONTRACTORS Association (FICA) is to meet Forestry Minister, Shane Jones, to discuss government support for logging contractors and their staff thrown out of work due to the sudden downturn.

Scores of workers are reported to have been laid off around the country as woodlot owners halt harvesting operations and others have hours reduced.

FICA President, Ross Davis, believes there are about 200 small contractors, with an average of four-to-six people in each crew, plus contractors to fix their machinery and provide spare parts, who will be most in need of urgent help.

Prue Younger, CEO of FICA, says Shane Jones indicated to contractors during a meeting in Gisborne last month that he would look at options the government can

take to assist those facing hardship but they had yet to hear back from him at the time NZ Logger was going to print.

“It does sound like the government is looking to do something through MSD (Ministry of Social Development) to help those who are affected, but we haven’t heard what shape that will take,” says Ms Younger.

“That’s the conversation we want to have with the Minister. We have called a meeting with Shane Jones and we are hoping to have that soon.”

She adds that the industry is still trying to quantify the effects of the downturn and one of the stumbling blocks is the lack of information about just how many contractors have been forced to abandon harvesting work.

“A lot of the woodlot contractors haven’t

had much to do with our organisation, so they are hard to track down,” says Ms Younger.

“And they are not really receiving much communication and they’re the people who really need to be kept abreast of things.

It is important for them to be part of an organisation like ours.”

In the meantime, she is warning contractors not to expect any silver bullets that will solve the issue, adding: “We are talking with our contractors to ensure that forest owners are doing everything possible to mitigate the effects of what is going on.

“We are conscious of the situation and we’re informing our members of what is going on as much as possible and we are trying to tee up the support to help those people who are stood down.” NZL

August 2019 | NZ LOGGER 5

forest talk

A fully-laden log truck passes through the automatic scaling system at Mt Maunganui.

World-first robotic log truck scaling starts in Tauranga THE WORLD’S FIRST TWO AUTOMATED LOGGING TRUCK SCALERS have been put to work at the Port of Tauranga and it will help turn around trucks quicker on the wharf.

Developed by agritech company, Robotics Plus, for log yard manager ISO, the Robotic Scaling Machines (RSM) provide a faster, safer and more accurate measure of logs carried on trucks and trailers than the manual system.

The RSM system has taken two years to develop from the original concept and the trial at Mt Maunganui has gone so well it is now being rolled out at other ports, including Napier, Gisborne and Northport.

ISO Chief Executive, Paul Cameron, says the technology offers significant health and safety benefits by removing the need for people to climb between trucks and trailers to hand scan the logs.

Instead, the new system’s robotic arm passes over the truck and can complete a full scan of the logs on board within three-to-five minutes, compared to 40 minutes by hand.

Mr Cameron says the automated process improves productivity for the entire supply chain through to the port. With more than 200 trucks processed through the site each day, RSM is expected to deliver huge cost and productivity savings, in addition to being safer for staff. NZL

What (if anything) went wrong?

SOME ARE CALLING IT A PERFECT STORM, but the ill winds buffeting our forestry industry in the shape of this latest downturn began blowing some time ago.

As far back as last year, warnings were being issued by experts that the trade war between the US and China would rebound on vulnerable economies, such as New Zealand.

We’re a supplier of commodities, such as logs, meat, dairy and wool, and we are very aware that prices of those items rise and fall in line with confidence and uncertainties surrounding world politics and the vagaries of international trade.

However, New Zealand’s situation is compounded by having almost all our forestry eggs in one basket – shipping 80% of our log exports to a single market (China), and one that has been showing signs of slowing down before President Trump unleashed his tariff strategy.

But who could blame us? The Chinese were still buying logs in ever-increasing quantities and paying top dollar for them, too. In fact, prices rose to US$140 a tonne at their peak a few months back. If we didn’t sell them logs, someone else would have.

Trouble is, stocks were starting to creep up

6 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

on Chinese wharves by late last year and were already at uncomfortable levels by the time the Chinese New Year holidays came around in February.

What’s a comfortable level? Some say it needs to get down to around 2 million tonnes. Others believe China can live with 3 million tonnes. But the stocks have been close to 4 million tonnes for much of the year. Fortunately, the uptake from the ports has been quite strong.

The spike that drove them above 4 million tonnes was partly driven by the great autumn weather in New Zealand that allowed us to harvest ever-increasing numbers of logs, leading to a 19% boost in our log exports for the year ending in May, compared to the previous period.

Ironically, the value of our log exports to China rose by 16% in June, right at the time prices were taking a sharp dip.

On top of that, suppliers from South America have been ramping up shipments to China.

The final straw seemed to be the train loads of timber pouring into China on trains from Europe as part of the ‘Belt & Road’ initiative.

Around 30 huge trains leave China each week with manufactured goods for various European destinations as part of this initiative and their

partly empty wagons have been returning with lots of timber. Much more than we realised, according to one NZ log exporter.

Timber production in Europe has been increasing recently, as a result of windstorms and drought stress across Germany, Finland, the Czech Republic, Italy and France, along with an infestation of beetles in some major forests.

Those trees are being cut down to avoid more damage, sawn and then shipped off to China at prices that are undercutting Chinese mills sawing New Zealand Radiata Pine.

The arrival of much of that timber in China also coincided with the traditional summer slowdown in construction.

When all those things converged, the price of logs imported to China dropped. Dramatically.

ASB senior rural economist Nathan Penny was recently quoted as saying the market had been defying gravity for some time.

The market will pick up again but few industry observers believe it will hit the same pricing peak reached in the just-finished cycle for some time to come.

The focus at the moment is to see that huge backlog on Chinese ports reduce to ‘comfortable’ levels. NZL

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forest talk

US fixed head felling shears launched in NZ Boss Attachments’ Paul Herbison with a Dymax fixed felling head designed for thinning applications in the forest.

ANOTHER FIXED FELLING HEAD HAS become available in New Zealand, this time from an American manufacturer.

The Dymax brand, which hails from Kansas in the mid-West, is now being sold in New Zealand through Auckland-based Boss Attachments.

Former forester, Paul Herbison, heads up Boss Attachments in this country and says the new Dymax fixed felling heads are ideal for large-scale thinning operations. They utilise shears, rather than a chainsaw blade, and come in two classes; the Contractor Series mainly targeted at rural contractors for general land clearing and the more heavy-duty Forestry Series that is suited to thinning small-to-medium trees.

The first Forestry Series Dymax felling

head is already working in the South Island for a contractor based out of Oamaru, who originally purchased it to clear willows on riverbanks and has now put it into a small woodlot job harvesting 18-year-old trees.

Paul says the Forestry Series is produced in sizes ranging from a 200mm cut up to a 600mm cut, from 362kg up to 2,800kg in weight, and they are capable of producing 160-to-170 stems an hour in small woodlots.

“They are built very strong and will withstand a lot of hard work,” says Paul, adding that Dymax is a family-owned business that’s been in existence for 110 years “so they should know what they’re doing”.

Among the features on the heads are bolt-on cutting knives that are built to give

at least 1,000 hours of service and are easily sharpened. Bolt-on guards also protect hydraulic hoses from damage.

Although the head is fixed vertically it does have a 60-degree left and right tilt for easier access to trees on either side. A bunching arm attachment for multi-stem cutting is available as an option, as is a knife attachment on the top.

Dymax says its felling heads have the most powerful closing pressures and quickest operating shear on the market.

The Dymax heads were displayed on the Boss Attachments stand at the recent HarvestTECH 2019 conference in Rotorua and Paul says he spoke to thinning contractors who showed “good interest” in them. NZL

TWO PROMINENT WOMEN IN THE FORESTRY INDUSTRY HAVE received scholarships towards a prestigious leadership programme at Melbourne’s Monash University in Australia.

Prue Younger, CEO of the Forest Industry Contractors Association and Debbie Smith, from Northern Forest Products, have both won $10,000 scholarship towards a Women in Leadership 12-month course.

The university says the Advanced Leadership Program is a highimpact and challenging developmental experience for elite female leaders. Over a career-defining, twelve-month journey, participants

8 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

engage in a deep exploration of their own strengths and weaknesses as they relate to building and leading highly effective organisational communities.

Purpose-designed to stretch experienced leaders beyond their comfort zone, the ALP challenges participants to develop their critical thinking abilities and begin to unlock their full leadership potential.

Prue Younger and Debbie Smith say the programme will be highly useful in adding to their leadership skills that will ultimately benefit the forestry industry. NZL

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forest talk

Weiler forestry brand to arrive in NZ early in 2020 Weiler’s International Sales Manager, John Ferraris, at the HarvestTECH 2019 event in Rotorua.

EXPECT TO SEE THE FIRST EX-CATERPILLAR forestry machines carrying the Weiler brand to arrive in New Zealand early in 2020.

A representative of the Weiler factory was in New Zealand recently to meet Gough Cat to discuss latest details of the product rollout and he also took time out to chat with NZ Logger.

It’s nearly a year since the decision by Caterpillar to sell its Cat purpose-built forestry business to Weiler Inc, except for forestry excavators. Negotiations of the final agreement, plus due diligence wasn’t concluded until quite recently, but production under the new owner is now set to start at the beginning of September.

“We are very anxious to start production because the purchase was announced last August and it has been a slow, but necessary process,” says John Ferraris, International Sales Manager for Weiler Inc. Production was also affected because of changing from one company’s system to another.

“We already have lots of orders coming from many markets, including here and you’ll see them come into New Zealand at the beginning of next year.”

As part of the change-over, Gough Cat will take on the distribution of Weiler-made forestry products alongside its Caterpillar line-up, saying it remains strongly committed to supporting its forestry customers and the forestry industry.

Caterpillar will continue to provide purpose-built forestry excavators designed for log loading, processing and other forestry

10 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

applications, in addition to supplying core Caterpillar equipment to the forestry industry.

Meanwhile, Weiler will design and manufacture purpose-built track fellerbunchers and skidders, which will be sold under its own name.

The sale to Weiler included the purposebuilt forestry product line consisting of wheel skidders, track feller bunchers, wheel feller bunchers, knuckleboom loaders and related operational facilities, along with the manufacturing plant and warehouse in LaGrange, Georgia, the demonstration and training centre in Auburn, Alabama and the legacy Prentice parts distribution centre in Smithfield, North Carolina.

Founded in 2000, Weiler has a long-standing history of successfully manufacturing purpose-built equipment distributed through the Cat dealer network and currently produces an extensive portfolio of products, such as paving machines.

Mr Ferraris is no stranger to the Gough Group, because Weiler already supplies equipment from its other lines of construction and mining products for sale in New Zealand, and he visits the country on average two or three times a year. This latest trip, which coincided with the HarvestTECH 2019 event in Rotorua, concentrated on smoothing out the transition and preparing for the introduction of Weiler forestry equipment to this market.

Don’t expect any changes to equipment when the first Weiler machines arrive early in the New Year, says Mr Ferrarris.

“To start with we will be taking exactly the

same product as it was,” he adds. But things will change in the future.

“Over the last few months we have met a lot of dealers and clients and asked them what they like and what they don’t like and we have a ‘to do’ list and our aim is to continue improving the product because that is most important.

“First thing is to look at the manufacturing process and to increase the product volume to ensure we can meet demand. We will be looking to expand the range of product available, so different sizes of existing machines. Maybe some bigger machines and some maybe a bit smaller. Depends on the market.”

Mr Ferraris says customers can also expect to see Weiler personnel attend machine deliveries to build relationships that will help with development of future products.

“We want to get ongoing feedback from the client,” he says. “When you are developing new machines, the feedback from the field is very important and that can take time to get back to the engineers in the factory unless you have that direct contact.”

Weiler has taken on all the 200 employees who worked for Caterpillar building those machines at the LaGrange factory and the Aubrun demonstration and training centre.

Separately, Weiler employs 500 at its Knoxville, Iowa-based corporate office and manufacturing facility.

Mr Ferraris says the aim for Weiler is not to build the cheapest equipment but look to be the best. NZL

forest talk

Fogmaker is a machine saver A Fogmaker fire protection system installed on a forest machine.

A FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM, KNOWN AS FOGMAKER, IS being targeted at forestry equipment in New Zealand to keep them safe in the event of a fire.

The Swedish-made system differs from others in using mainly water mist, rather than chemical suppressant to douse a machinery fire.

The company says that water mist under high pressure is a “much superior extinguishing technique” in engine compartments.

It goes on to say that the high pressure, in combination with special nozzles, creates micro-drops with an average size of 50 micron – 8,000 of these droplets are equal to a drop of water with a diameter of 1mm.

Effectively, 1 litre of water forms 1,700 litres of water vapour when it evaporates. In the evaporation process, the water mist cools the burnt gases and hot components to rapidly extinguish the fire and reduce the risk of reignition because of the increased amount of vapour in the air.

The Fogmaker system includes a low concentration of environmentally friendly Aqueous Film Forming Foam to coat the fuel

and prevent contact with oxygen to further suppress combustion.

The company says the evaporation process reduces engine compartment temperatures from 870°C to 136°C in just 10 seconds.

An alarm on the dash panel will alert the operator if a fire is detected in the engine compartment.

The Fogmaker system is widely fitted in across numerous industries and in Europe it has also been specified as standard OEM fitment on some makes of forestry machines. Now it is being targeted at the forestry industry here as a retro-fitment for machines that don’t already come with it.

Firestorm Fire Protection Pty Ltd has an extensive distribution and partner network here, based in Tauranga, and says forestry is one of its key targets in New Zealand.

“There is huge potential for Fogmaker to be adopted by forestry in New Zealand,” says Firestorm NZ’s Joshua Boswell, which displayed the system at the recent HarvestTECH 2019 conference in Rotorua.

He says the Fogmaker system takes up very little room on a logging machine, consisting largely of two 6.5-litre tanks, pipework, nozzles and sensor. NZL

Female forestry training programme receives PGF boost A TRAINING PROGRAMME IN NORTHLAND targeting females that will help address labour shortages in the male-dominated forestry industry has been unveiled.

The Provincial Growth Fund (PGF), through the He Poutama Rangatahi (HPR) programme, will invest $421,050 in Wahine Toa, a five-month intensive pilot initiative to prepare mostly young women for training and employment in the forestry sector.

“Investing in skills and training is a clear priority for this Government and I’m pleased to see both HPR and the PGF’s other employment scheme, Te Ara Mahi, already

making a difference to people’s lives up and down the country,” says Forestry Minister, Shane Jones.

“As Forestry Minister, I know labour shortages are a significant concern for the sector so initiatives like Wahine Toa are a great investment. The industry is also trying to encourage more women into forestry so this programme ticks both boxes.”

The programme will be predominantly women but has a small cohort of men who will be in a separate crew.

Employment Minister, Willie Jackson, says: “It’s great to see programmes aimed

at encouraging more women into the maledominated forestry industry and I wish the participants every success.”

Wahine Toa is modelled on the Eco Toa (Ecological Warrior) initiative, another HPR programme funded through the PGF that was announced in March this year.

The initiatives focus on rangatahi aged between 16 and 24 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). Through training, individualised pastoral care and financial support, both programmes help young women get onto a path to sustained employment. NZL

August 2019 | NZ LOGGER 11

HarvestTECH 2019

Ten new research projects announced A TOTAL OF TEN NEW PROJECTS ARE already under way as part of the Te Mahi Ngahere I te Ao Hurihuri, or Forestry Work in the Modern Age research programme announced earlier this year.

The $29.3 million, 7-year collaboration between Forest Growers Research Ltd (FGR), forestry machinery manufacturers and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) follows on from the highly successful Steep Slope Harvesting programme that spawned a number of new ideas, including worldleading winch-assist technology.

The latest programme aims to develop a new in-forest harvesting and log sorting system specific to New Zealand’s forests, using automation and robotics.

Keith Raymond, Harvesting Programme Leader for Forest Growers Research, announced ten new projects currently under way to the HarvestTECH 2019 conference in Rotorua. They include: • Smart yarder grapple and shovel yarder control system in conjunction with Alpine Logging Equipment that will automate tree recovery on steep slopes

• Semi-automated processor/de-barker that is being developed by Waratah that could be used to de-bark logs in the forest to meet phytosanitary standards for export • Automatic log tagging system being developed with Pocket Solutions for attaching individual log IDs to eliminate manual scaling and weighing • Automated log residue management system being developed with Mural Town Engineering to build chippers to provide clean chip in the forest or grinders/mulchers for supplying road and mulch aggregate • Large capacity log loading grapple being developed by Engineering Services Rotorua for large scale loading of trucks in the forest • Automatic quick coupler being developed with Doherty Engineering Attachments, to finally commercialise this technology to allow a swing machine to swap from a processor to a grapple in seconds • Robotic log sorter being developed with Skookum Technology for a super skid site on the outskirts of a forest to read tags, scan, sort and load to a stack or gantry

Eltec to expand production GROWING DEMAND FOR NEW Eltec tracked forestry equipment has prompted the Canadian factory to start planning for a major expansion of its production facility.

Karl Element, Director of Business Development for Quebec-based Group Element (the company behind the Eltec brand) revealed the plans to the HarvestTECH 2019 conference in Rotorua.

“We’re a small manufacturer but people are starting to talk more and more about us so that’s great, but we have ambitions to grow,” he says.

Currently Eltec builds just 40 tracked harvesters a year and exports to six markets around the world, including New Zealand, which is taking one machine per month.

“Due to the increase in orders and demand, and the expansion of our distribution network, we have

12 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

an ambition to expand tracked harvester production significantly and to build over 100 products a year to the same high standard we are building today.”

Mr Element told the conference that existing production plans for 2019 and 2020 are already set in place, but those numbers are expected to grow beyond next year.

He says Eltec, which takes its name from a combination of the family surname and the word ‘technology’, is concentrating only on producing tracked harvesters and feller-bunchers.

Eltec was introduced to New Zealand last year, starting with the top-of-the range 417 processor model, with Cambridge-based Shaw’s Wire Ropes handling the distribution and service-back-up.

More recently it has introduced its first levelling model and also a log loader. NZL

• Automated truck loading gantry being developed with Patchell Industries to preload logs onto a gantry for loading a trailer in one movement • Automated load securing system also being developed with Patchell Industries for remotely controlled load securing of logs on a truck to replace chains • Automated tag readers being developed with Pocket Solutions for automatically reading log tags for real-time inventory control.

Mr Raymond went on to explain that these automated technologies will help the industry to overcome labour shortages that are already hampering productivity in a number of areas and are forecast to become more of a problem in the future.

“If we can automate these tasks it will help address some of the labour shortages that are limiting industry growth,” he says.

Other outcomes from these projects will be a further reduction in serious harm incidents and improved environmental performance, along with lowering harvesting costs and raising labour productivity. NZL

John Deere widens intelligent boom control use JOHN DEERE IS TO FIT ITS ACCLAIMED INTELLIGENT BOOM Control (IBC) system to more forestry machines in the future.

The US company introduced IBC to its forwarder range back in 2013 to provide more precise, faster and easier boom control to allow operators to focus on controlling the grapple rather than the boom movements. And it has been fitting IBC to some of its wheeled harvesters since 2017 to enable the operator to concentrate on the harvesting head.

John Deere’s Director of Sales & Marketing, Jari Mennala, told the HarvestTECH 2019 conference in Rotorua that, due to its success, IBC will now be introduced to other machines, including tracked harvesters and feller-bunchers “so stay tuned”.

More than 12 million hours of IBC operation have now been logged on machines around the world and Mr Mennala says studies have shown that contractors are able to add one more forwarder load per day, and as many as 220 loads per year, thanks to the benefits of IBC. When IBC was introduced to harvesters technicians had to make sure the trajectory and functioning of the boom adjusted automatically to the harvester’s work phases. IBC provides operators with increased accuracy and productivity on harvesters, and because it is easier to use, it reduces fatigue for the operator.

Also, Mr Mennala says the latest TimberMatic and TimberManager software that was first introduced on John Deere wheeled machines is now being expanded to other forestry products to help with harvest planning and recovery. NZL

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HarvestTECH 2019

The Hololens could become an everyday tool in forestry applications in the future.

Harvesting ‘games’ come to life ARE THE NEXT GENERATION OF HARVESTER operators going to be in the cabs or will they be sitting in a shed or container off site playing remote-controlled harvesting games?

Either way, they could be using a special augmented reality headset that not only gives them a view of what they are harvesting, but it will also integrate information on the terrain and other useful data fed from the forest manager.

Scion’s Melissa Evans told the HarvestTECH 2019 conference in Rotorua that the augmented reality Hololens future harvest planning project she is working on in a case study with Matariki Forests will see a much more integrated approach.

The holographic headset uses sensors to interact with reality, combining holograms with the real world – essentially creating a mixed reality, which can be used for planning efficiencies, risk mitigation, enhanced communication and better decision making, according to Ms Evans.

“It’s like having a laptop on your head,” she says.

Scion began the project 18 months ago, using the Hololens to dynamically load 3D maps and models and apply data overlays.

“In this way the user can incorporate compartments, skid sites and the like in a user-friendly manner,” she says.

For planning, “the holographic image projects onto a table. Not everybody can

read a flat map but in 3D they can. Added to that, you can integrate from headset to tablet to mobile phone”.

This allows for better communication with stakeholders and other crews as well as training, health and safety and maintenance benefits.

“This is a tool for us to utilise the existing data we have and integrate it and see how the whole pipeline works from collection through to decision making,” says Ms Evans.

Hands-free, it allows for data visualisation, spatial mapping and planning, remote collaboration and assistance, 3D modelling and product design and simulation training – all invaluable assets for harvest management. NZL

Harvester info highlights value recovery CLEAR STEM GRADING AND VOLUMETRICS, BETTER CUTS, minimised mechanical damages and reduced injuries are all benefits of the move to mechanisation, says Hancock Forest Management’s Leisa Small.

But without collected harvester information in the form of the STICKS tool, this would be difficult to gauge. Collected harvester information is a crucial part of judging the move to mechanisation and as a business driver, she told delegates at the HarvestTECH 2019 conference in Rotorua.

Using high tech machines in challenging environments pushes the need for continued production and increased value recovery.

“We had to change the mindset of contractors and staff to get value out of every stem that we cut,” says Ms Small. Training of competent machine operators is a major hurdle but one of many benefits is that there is “no soft person trying to work alongside metal anymore.”

“This increased our productivity tremendously,” she says. “For a while we struggled with productivity and we had to come to terms with how we were going to build our skid. Along the way we’ve worked out that we’ve actually improved our value.”

Using the STICKS system allows them to see all the metrics coming

14 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

out of the harvesting machines: “From every stem we can work out the volume that comes out, every grade, every length that comes out of that run out of the processor.

“One of the key things is that we’re able to do this not just at harvester level, not just at regional level, but also at national level. Also, we’ve now got the opportunity to do it at an international level and integrate all of this together. This gives us great scope for making decisions, not just at crew level, but right at the top.

“Daily knowledge of what’s out there gives us negotiating power and instead of trying to promise something we can’t deliver, we can actually be upfront and say ‘this is what we’ve got, is this going to suffice?

“Using this tool, harvesting foresters are able to look at different areas within the crew workplace, managing crew performance using machine data, so they know volume, where the crew is tracking based on what the weekly targets are and can look at manual versus automatic cuts and the full operational process.”

This bird’s eye view opens opportunities too: “The closer we can marry harvester parts with what goes out on the truck, the less recuts and batch pay. Plus there’s less damage to the forwarder and the possibility of adding centimetres to each log for adjusted value recovery.” NZL

HarvestTECH 2019

Go big or go home NEW ZEALAND LOGGERS COULD SEE A NEW RANGE OF BIG TOWER haulers and other interesting technology to harvest wood from steep hills arrive from an American manufacturer.

Summit Attachments & Machinery is currently scouting for a distributor to on-sell its products in New Zealand.

Bruce Skurdahl, partner in Summit, told NZ Logger at HarvestTECH 2019 there’s a lot of overlap between the terrain in NZ and that in Oregon and Washington, being the same distance from the equator: “The 45th parallel goes right through the middle in both areas. So it’s very similar, just without the desert areas.

“While I’m here I’m meeting with people who are interested in representing our products. Our grapple carriages definitely have a market here and on some level, our yarding systems. In terms of winchassist, the end result is about the same for any winch-assist but we think our system has some advantages over others. Is it a practical tool for us to try and sell down here against the local companies with the exchange rate the way it is now? Maybe not. We’ll see how the dust settles.”

He says the Summit winch-assist is ‘extremely rugged’: “We have, by far, the best radio system for controlling things. It burns very little fuel, is very efficient and in skidder operations where you’re tethering a skidder it’s got the speed and power to do a really good job.”

As to the company’s impressive 100 foot tower, he says a version of the technology used in it will come to New Zealand, perhaps the drum system: “There’s big towers being used down here. That machine could come here and go to work tomorrow and be very productive. In fact, we’re talking to a customer about it right now. But in another way, a swing machine probably has more potential here than a tower.

“There’s more swing yarders here in NZ than there are towers and the way they’re using them works well with the hydraulic grapple carriage and steep slope winch-assist – when you can put it all together it works really well.”

Mr Skurdahl told the conference the new systems grew out of labour shortages, disorganised felling, the need for increased efficiency and safety concerns. Summit has 45 systems out working, including some that are a combination of winch-assist and yarder in one, three sizes of grapple carriages (the largest using the grapple of a Tigercat 635 skidder) and the big tower.

The developments began with steep slope cutting, then directional heads, then moving into winch-assist.

“Yarding methods are the next big thing to change,” he says. “Radio and video advances, grapple carriages and new types of yarding systems will emerge. The basics of the system is proven throughout the world. The whole focus on winch-assist is related to safety. Safety is

The 100ft tower built by Summit. paramount. It’s one of the main things that’s driving what we’re doing.”

And cutting is only part of the challenge, adds Mr Shudahl: “Once you get it cut and piled and ready to go, then what? In some cases we’re doing tethered skidding, tying a winch-assist system to a skidder. You can skid a half a truckload of logs in one drag up a 60% slope with no wheel spin. That’s a very productive, very safe way to move a log.”

Another system that’s working well for them is a yoader with a small grapple carriage. It can do 8-to-10 loads a day.

“As we go forward we find there’s limitations in traditional logging systems and one of the main ones is that a mechanical yarder was really never engineered to operate the skyline and the skidline at the same time,” he says. “So it’s created a challenge. Some of our machines have the ability to run the skyline and skidline at the same time. They also have a live boom for good positioning.”

Then there’s the 100 foot tower: “Building on this, the theory is go big or go home, so we decided to go big, to build a big tower to prove our concept.”

Developments in the pipeline include putting blades on yoaders, which allows for an extra log every turn. NZL

More uses for drones in future DRONES HAVE GONE FROM BEING A TOY to a functional work tool in a very short space of time and they are set to become an even more valuable tool in the forest.

David Herries, General Manager of Interpine, which has been driving drone use in the industry in recent years says we are about to take another leap forward with drone use.

He told the HarvestTECH 2019 conference in Rotorua over half the foresters in New Zealand either have a drone of their own or have a colleague that uses one and that number is only going to grow.

“Drones are incredibly functional and we’ll see them used in a wider variety of roles to help us manage our work and be safer,” says Mr Herries.

Among the new developments he foresees are drones being able to fly beyond line of sight, which will increase their usefulness and his company is planning for when that is allowed by the authorities.

Future drones will also come with transponders that will “talk” to manned aircraft, which will make the skies safer, too. NZL

August 2019 | NZ LOGGER 15

HarvestTECH 2019

Next generation winch-assist harvesting

D

A new development of the winch-assist system will introduce tree recovery, in addition to felling.

THE NEXT DEVELOPMENT OF THE STEEP SLOPE WINCH-ASSIST harvesting system championed by Kiwi contractors was unveiled at the HarvestTECH 2019 conference in Rotorua…and it’s not a New Zealand idea.

An Austrian forestry equipment company has come up with a method that inserts a tree-carrying tracked carriage onto the cable between the winching machine at the top of the slope and the harvester down the bottom of the slope on the end of the tether.

Ecoforst, which produces the cab-free T-WINCH machine to tether harvesters, says the new tracked carriage is a logical extension of the current winch-assist system.

Ian Wilton, a director of FORCO, the New Zealand distributor of the T-WINCH, told the conference that the development of the unmanned tree-carrying carriage, dubbed the A.2, is already under way. The radiocontrolled unit, which is best described as a cab-free skidder, will pull up to 12 tonnes of payload in its clambunk along the winch cable.

“We have already accessed the (steep) terrain with ground-based machines for felling and bunching, why stop there,” says Mr Wilton.

“Why not extract the timber with ground-based extraction methods using winch-assist?”

He goes on to say that the first T-WINCH brought to New Zealand and now working on the East Coast, north of Gisborne, is already being used to assist a skidder to drag trees up a slope, adding: “People have been doing this with forwarders for a long time, so we are already seeing further developments of the winch-assist system.”

Mr Wilton says the radio-controlled A.2 carriage is an extension of the use of skidders or forwarders to extract trees on slopes. The T-WINCH 20.2 at the top of the slope will power two winches; one being the normal 20.2 tether to the harvester at the bottom of the hill and the second being a separate, newly developed, T-WINCH X.2 winch, which is mounted onto the 20.2 blade to assist the A.2 carriage up and down the hill.

The T-WINCH X.2 was designed as an attachment for excavators and

mounts to a quick-change system at the end of the dipper arm. It is a lowcost winch-assist option for loggers who would prefer to use a multipurpose excavator, which may have multiple attachments, such as a grapple, bucket and the X.2 winch. The X.2 provides 10 tonnes of pulling force at 8km/h rope speed and has 500m of 20mm cable rope. It attaches to the 20.2 blade with a quick-change system, which makes it interchangeable with an excavator.

“Essentially when we are tethering a machine at the moment, we have a guide cable we are doing nothing with,” says Mr Wilton.

“Picture it like a skyline with a traditional aerial-based carriage but in this case, it is a ground line. The A.2 is a ground carriage and runs along the ground line with its direction dictated by that guide rope. This enables the de-phasing of the operation.

“What we can do is fell the trees and load them directly onto the autonomous carriage, which drives itself automatically up to the top.

It means we can take a standing tree to a processed log with just two operators.”

Mr Wilton says Ecoforst is currently developing the A.2 autonomous carriage and it expects the first one to be available in 2020. The A.2 itself weighs 15 tonnes and is powered by a 210kW (282hp) engine, which can drive the carriage and its 12-tonne payload in the 2 cubic metre clambunk at 8km/h. The drive is taken down to the ground via flexible metal tracks.

He reckons this system could be capable of producing 50 tonnes of wood per hour.

Mr Wilton also confirmed that a larger T-WINCH than the one currently operating in New Zealand has gone into production and the first one is expected to arrive here by the end of this year. The 20.2 model weighs in at 30 tonnes and is powered by 305kW (414hp) engine, delivering 20 tonnes of pulling force at up to 8 km/h.

He believes the 20.2 will be well suited to New Zealand harvesting and tethering large felling machines, while the smaller 10-tonne model currently working on the East Coast is a great option for skidders and forwarders. NZL

Two-staging experiment – the next chapter THE EXPERIMENT BY FOREST OWNER, Forest360, with two-staging stems from smaller landings to larger processing sites nearer to public roads near Whanganui using a fast, high capacity, multi-drive truck has met with qualified success and now the focus is on how to improve it.

Forest360 Director, Marcus Musson, told the HarvestTECH 2019 conference in Rotorua that almost three years of two-

16 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

staging with an 8-wheel-drive Tatra truck hauling up to 40 tonnes of logs in a single load had provided savings in building smaller landings, reducing forest road lengths/costs and improving log value recovery through increased sorts and lifting production.

But there are ways to improve on the plan. Among those being considered are the introduction of a 10-wheel-drive truck

that would be more stable and much better suited to the steep tracks in the forest. It might even be possible to install a crane on the truck to reduce the need for a separate loader at either end.

He also says the introduction of a quick coupler to switch between processing and loading is still in the plans and would reduce the need for two machines on the landing next to the yarder. NZL

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HarvestTECH 2019

Figures show worth of fixed felling heads WE NEVER GOT TO SEE ANY FIGURES WHEN NZ LOGGER VISITED the CMH crew in Nelson to observe how the introduction of fixed felling heads was reducing stem breakages and delivering a wider range of cuts.

But at the HarvestTECH 2019 conference in Rotorua, CMH co-owner, Nathan Taylor finally unveiled some of the numbers to prove the value of swapping from a dangle head to a fixed one.

Information derived from the STICKS software system that has been measuring the performance of the Timberpro 765D and its KF800 felling head since they were introduced last year clearly shows the crew has increased the number of posts it is able to cut from 25cm diameter wood compared to when they were using a dangle head.

What that means is the crew is now recovering full length stems with few, if any, breakages from the steep slopes in the Golden Downs and capturing the prized smaller diameters that can be sold to post

mills. With the fixed felling head lowering trees to the ground more gently, the tree tops remain intact and provide the processor on the landing with a full range of cut options compared to broken stems that occurred more often with the dangle head.

One slide showed the number of 28m length arriving on the landing was more than double those with a dangle head and the number of 32m lengths available to process was around four times greater.

“We’re definitely getting more of the smaller SEDs than we were before,” says Nathan.

The move to a fixed felling head was prompted after Nathan and co-owner, Hamish Matthews, flew to Australia to see how Gippsland contractor, Andrew Mahnken, was using fixed heads to reduce stem breakages and also bunch better for the yarder.

Andrew Mahnken was at HarvestTECH 2019 to illustrate the benefits, showing photos of neatly bunched wood that make it easier and faster for the yarder to grapple off the slopes. NZL

Lessons learned from Tolaga Bay THE LESSON FROM TOLAGA BAY IS THAT we may end up with smaller clear-cut areas that are more spread out, Forest Enterprises CEO, Bert Hughes, told the HarvestTECH 2019 conference in Rotorua.

The sheer weight of the rain, plus all the clear cuts, was a bad combination and though they’ll always be there “because that’s how Radiata works”, we can do better with clear cuts, says Mr Hughes, making them smaller and more spread apart.

There are factors out of our control, particularly frustrating for a director in terms of risk, he says, adding: “The East Coast is essentially the floor of the ocean that got inconveniently pushed up.

“It grows really good trees right, but it’s essentially just silt that went hard. When the loggers and loading guys are doing the job, they do it out there. So all of the good intentions in the office are essentially worthless. You’ve got to try and control the site as much as you can but with a quarter of a metre of rain I’m not sure you can do enough.”

Nonetheless there are some things you can do. Do it right the first time and get in the proper expertise: “One of the things

18 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

we ought to do as an industry is have more civil engineers, because with the best will in the world sometimes foresters are not engineers, so don’t kid yourselves, get experts when it comes to roading.”

His company is in the process of getting LiDAR plots of its forestry “because we would not have put those roads there had we known what’s underneath”.

With the customer at the core of everything, sometimes going a little slower and more carefully will be “a better return for the people whose money and assets we’re looking after”, he adds.

Another issue is leaving waste upstream.

Though it’s hard to get hazards out of streams, Mr Hughes says contractors should not “walk past the problem”.

“There’s general agreement that very little bad practise happened around those areas that were damaged,” he says. “It’s largely a rainfall event and timing. It seems to have been mid-slope failure. Whole trees seem to have migrated off the middle slopes, got heavy and gone down. So try not to leave hazards upstream. Try and get them out the stream. That’s easier said than done.”

Dead trees, weak ground, wind and rain

are not a good combination, but short of manually felling the obvious ones, what else can forestry workers do? Mechanise the harvesting as much as you can do, says Mr Hughes, reduce clear cuts and in those gulley areas where you planted 20 poplars, next time plant 500: “They’re not going to be worth anything, but they’re a risk reduction. They’ll mean taking less chances that something really bad happens.”

Ultimately, foresters need to find ways to carry on with the business, he adds: “We’ve got to deal with rain and we’ve got to deal with dirt. There isn’t an average forest. It’s excellent or it’s rubbish or it’s dangerous or it’s easy you know. It goes up and down. You don’t want to get confused with averages.”

Mr Hughes believes foresters can probably make just as much money or more from their investments safely by staying on the best of the land and not taking risks “on the tough stuff ”. That would mean retiring the most sensitive sites and unsuitable land from production forestry.

“Cut your losses, focus on the best of the land,” he says. “We have to be more careful. We have to look out for the whole of everything, not just a piece of it.” NZL

HarvestTECH 2019

Forest training steps up MONEY FROM SHANE JONES’ PROVINCIAL GROWTH FUND MAY soon be helping train more newcomers around New Zealand to make a career in forestry.

Two of the country’s larger training providers have applied for PGF funding, joining those on the East Coast, like the Generation Programme, which has already received financial support to help put new people into harvesting and silviculture crews.

The latest to apply for PGF assistance are the Toi Ohomai Forestry School at Rotorua and Mike Hurring Logging Training School in Balclutha.

Richard Stringfellow, Toi Ohomai’s Programme Manager for Forest Operations, told the HarvestTECH 2019 conference in Rotorua that his organisation is currently in the throws of applying for PGF support to help take its machine simulators on the road.

Toi Ohomai has a number of simulators to train students how to operate a variety of forestry machines, from wheeled forwarders to tracked harvesters. Recently it has taken portable versions of the simulators to Fieldays and an agricultural show near Wellington to widen interest in its courses.

“There was a lot of interest but as soon I say we’re based in Rotorua, the interest drops away,” says Mr Stringfellow.

“So, what we would like to do is get another set of simulators and place them in a container or something similar and work alongside the companies and the contractors so we can get these courses on the road.”

He says Toi Ohomai is currently working out the logistics of such a programme and hopes to have the simulators on the road in 2020.

Harvesting contractor, Mike Hurring, runs a training course established at his company’s headquarters on the outskirts of Otago town, Balclutha, where he has simulators and a variety of machines used for training apprentices from his own crews and other contractors around the region.

His training school has already held three courses and he has applied for PGF funding to extend those into the future.

Mr Hurring told the conference he had visited Finland to see the national training school established to train that country’s young foresters and was very impressed with the scale and professionalism.

“I’d love to mirror it here,” he says. NZL

Steep slopes challenge harvester reliability GROUND-BASED TRACKED HARVESTERS WEREN’T ORIGINALLY designed to be working on angles of 35 degrees and more, so Tigercat is researching what effect this has and how they need to overcome issues.

Tigercat International Sales Manager, Gary Olsen, described the challenges of testing and reliability for steep slope work at the HarvestTECH 2019 conference in Rotorua.

Mr Olsen says traditional cable yarding has seen a transformation in the past four years, with the technology being driven by the user.

The focus on steep slopes needs to be on felling, extraction and processing but within the context of safety. The aim is for more productive systems to drive down harvesting costs compared to past methods. This provides challenges for harvesting contractors and equipment manufacturers alike.

“As a manufacturer we were ready to put our heads in the sand four years ago because of all the liability and safety aspects – what happens if a rope breaks, do you use one rope, two ropes, how good must the winch be?” says Mr Olsen. “But we find ourselves in a very different space right now.”

Extensive testing became essential; engine angularity testing, transmission lubrication testing, differential lubrication testing, bogie lubrication testing and pump drive gearbox lubrication testing.

The machines need to function as if working on flat terrain with reliability and longevity.

The common factor in all this was moving from splash to forced lubrication to ensure longevity and proper functioning. Tigercat had to be sure there was no starvation of oil.

“We were using our machines in applications that we didn’t perceive possible in the past,” says Mr Olsen, “so we had to do testing in all directions and at all angles to make sure when we sell that piece of machinery, the user has peace of mind.

“Axles, transmissions, gearboxes – users are pushing the limits in terms of where they apply our machines so we did testing with

An engine is tested on acute angles to discover how the lubrication system is working for steep slope use. cutaways and looking at different angles where the splash lubrication goes. Is it cooling everything down? Is it lubricating all the bearings?

“We asked a lot of questions.

“It’s a real challenge for us as a manufacturer to make sure you don’t get into a position where the life you expected out of a component is suddenly reduced dramatically because of the application you’re pushing yourself into. You need to be happy with the life expectancy and the reliability of these components. Our goal is to maintain or even improve machine reliability and performance.” NZL

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HarvestTECH 2015

Felling carriage testing delayed by forest fires The felling carriage developed

by DC Equipment is being further developed to fell larger diameter trees before it returns to testing.

THE TESTING OF DC EQUIPMENT’S MUCH-VAUNTED FELLING carriage has gone on the backburner in recent months while Moutere Logging crews dealt with the aftermath of the Nelson forest fires.

DC Equipment owner, Dale Ewers, who also heads Moutere Logging, told the HarvestTECH 2019 conference in Rotorua that progress in bringing the felling carriage to market has been affected by the fires.

“We had to pull the pin on our testing and put the crew into recovering wood from the fire-damaged forests,” he told the audience.

Mr Ewers says the felling carriage had only just started work in a block of large piece-size trees when the fire broke out in February and it was returned to the workshop and hasn’t been back out since then.

But the DC Equipment team has taken the opportunity to do some more development work while it’s been idled. Currently, it is able to fell trees with 85cm diameter trunks and it was struggling with some of the large piece sizes but the engineers are working on updating it

to cope with larger trees to make it more effective.

With much of the fire-ravaged wood now harvested, contractors in Nelson are getting back into normal logging operations and testing of the felling carriage is expected to get back on track within a few months.

Dale Ewers also updated the conference on progress with DC Equipment’s plan to fully automate harvesting operations and begin logging from afar by 2025. He says data from the Falcon 171 tower hauler working near Dannevirke is providing technicians with plenty of information to write new software that will enable the machine to retrieve a tree and return it to the landing with the push of a button sometime during 2020.

And by 2022, the system will be able to utilise the felling carriage to automatically harvest a tree and return it to the landing with the push of a button. NZL

Optilog making progress THE ADDITION OF AN OPTIMISER TO the Optilog plant in Gisborne is helping Hikurangi Forest Farms to increase its value recovery.

Speaking at the HarvestTECH 2019 conference in Rotorua, Hikurangi Forest Farms General Manager, Ian Brown, says that adding the new optimiser earlier this year has made a difference, which is evident in the company’s value recovery trials.

“The more products you give an optimiser, the better job it can do. Value wise, a 12% gain is achievable,” he says.

The Optilog operation was established at the beginning of 2017 to replace in-forest log making and transport stems to the mechanised sawing line just south of Gisborne for processing.

As profiled in NZ Logger last year, the commissioning of the plant – acquired second-hand from Otago – has taken much longer to bed in and continues to be plagued

20 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

by teething problems, which are slowly being whittled down through a rigorous preventative maintenance programme.

Stem breakage in the forest is still a big issue, resulting in a larger number of shorts than originally envisaged. This led to the employment of a tracked processor at the Optilog site to produce logs from those short pieces, rather than putting them through the plant. Although the company is trying to minimise shorts coming out of the forest, Mr Brown doesn’t think they can be totally eliminated.

Getting crews in the forest to make better decisions when dealing with breakages will help, he says, adding: “Making that preemptive cut is a value decision – you can land up with a lot of waste or a lot of shorts if you make the wrong decision.”

Also, training staff within the plant has been key to increasing value recovery, as it was recognised the operators needed to be

log makers and not just machine runners.

Improvements continue to be seen, says Mr Brown, albeit in smaller than expected increments, with safety on landings and slash management improving, along with a small reduction in harvesting costs and a small improvement in value recovery. Port storage costs are moderately reduced.

But he says that full optimisation is a myth and second-hand plants can be more costly than new ones. While there are many benefits, some are more easily monetised than others. Complications and risks are high, particularly putting everything through one plant. Yet, there are potential opportunities to come, like x-ray scanning, a de-barker and autoscaling, which will add further value.

With a new owner of Hikurangi Forests Farms now in the mix, Mr Brown says there is likely another six months to go before he can report on the end of this journey. NZL

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iron test

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CAT AND THE STAG Story & photos: John Ellegard

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The new Cat 980M wheel loader lifting a packet of logs from an RFH truck in the RFH-run yard at Red Stag.

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The new Cat 980M can lift 17 tonnes of logs with ease.

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HE ARRIVAL OF THIS NEW CAT 980M IN THE LOG YARD at Red Stag’s giant sawmill outside Rotorua came just in the nick of time.

The loading team – operated by Rotorua Forest Haulage – out in the yard were struggling to keep up with the increasing number of logs arriving at the upgraded mill and the big new Cat has helped to increase the tempo with its extra-large capacity. They could even do with another one.

Such is life at what is now the largest sawmill operating in the Southern Hemisphere.

With more than 150 log trucks streaming into the yard from local forests every weekday and a little less on weekends to match the appetite of the mill’s new double quad-gang saw line, the three Cat wheel loaders need to work 24 hours a day and seven days a week to keep pace.

The 980M that joined the RFH operation at Red Stag at the start of the year is the first to go into service in New Zealand and is the tenth generation of this model.

While it doesn’t look much different to the previous model Cat 980K still beavering alongside the new 980M in the log yard, it has a new cab layout and there have been a lot of changes under the skin, with many detailed refinements that constitute a completely different machine in the way it operates.

Chief among them is the new powertrain. The latest version of the Cat C13 ACERT engine offers increased power delivery but with 10% better

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fuel efficiency than its predecessor, the 980K. And if any of you out there are still operating an older 980H model, then you can look forward to a 25% fuel efficiency gain when you swap into the new M. Not bad, eh?

The regular operator of the new 980M at the Red Stag log yard, Steve Malaquin, believes his machine is supping even less than the Caterpillar factory estimates, adding: “The fuel consumption is really good, heaps better than the K and I reckon the M will even beat the 966 for fuel.”

That’ll make RFH boss, Tony ‘Sarge’ Sargeson, really happy.

This 980M has replaced one of the two Cat 966 models that was operating with the Cat 980K until the start of this year. Being able to grab a complete packet of logs that weigh up to 17 tonnes in one go makes the 980M a very useful addition to the fleet at the mill, compared to a maximum lift of 12 tonnes for the 966. And it means there are now two high capacity loaders on hand when things get super busy.

To illustrate just how hard these machines work for their living, Steve mentions that the new 980M has already clocked up 6,500 hours since it arrived in January. Then adding in the same breath “but it’s been very reliable, no problems at all”.

Steve is largely a spectator today because he’s been off work for the past six weeks after undergoing surgery to replace a worn-out hip. But he’s itching to get back behind the controls and is keeping his fingers crossed that a doctor’s assessment the following week will give him the all-clear.

“I’m feeling good now and ready to rock,” he says. “I’ve been bored.

Sitting around at home has been driving me mad. Can’t wait to get

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The Z-linkage on the new Cat 980M works well with the forks to raise this full load without damaging the bolsters on the back of the truck. back.”

One of the night-shift drivers is filling in on the 980M for the moment and Steve is here today to help liaise between our NZ Logger Iron Test team and his colleagues at the yard as well as the log truck drivers, using his two-way radio to make sure that the myriad of machines and trucks know exactly where we are. There’s normally no one on the ground during unloading and stacking operations, so it’s good to have that extra pair of eyes and radio communication.

It might be something of a shock for Steve when he does get back on the 980M again because he’ll go straight into 12-hour shifts, starting at 5 in the morning and finishing at 5 in the afternoon. That’s the norm for these guys, with the second shift taking over at 5pm and running until 5am to keep the yard humming.

Steve isn’t complaining. He reckons he has a great life and says the new 980M has made things even better for him since it joined the fleet.

“I was on the 980K before this one arrived and I really enjoyed that, but this new M is just that bit better again,” he says. But he wasn’t so sure when it first arrived.

“Compared to the K, the M has a different engine – supposed to be better. I thought it was a little bit less in power when it arrived but now I think it is just as good as the K. It’s got better as it’s clocked up the hours. It took me a while to get used to it, but I wouldn’t swap it now.”

These big Cat wheel loaders used to have traditional steering wheels in the cab, and it’s still an option, but joysticks are the way to go and the system in the M is slightly different again to the old K. “The K has the three levers and a joystick, but this one has two joysticks,” says Steve, noting that the levers on the right-hand side have now given way to a single stick.

“When it turned up, I thought ‘Holy Hell what’s going on here’ but it’s just natural, you get in behind the controls and away you go.”

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Those words are reassuring to our Iron Tester, Stan Barlow, who professes to be an old-school operator who grew up with a steering wheel on loaders. The last wheel loader he drove was the Hitachi 220-5 working with the Stokes Logging crew that we tested in Woodhill Forest late last year. That machine had both the steering wheel and joysticks.

Stan started with the wheel and ended the test on the sticks and admitted they were much better.

“You’ll enjoy this,” says Steve, “those joysticks are real nice to use.”

During a quiet moment between truck arrivals, the Cat 980M gets parked up to allow us to climb over it and check out some of the new improvements, starting with the powertrain.

After the rear safety guard is unlocked and swung out of the way, the big bonnet is electrically opened to show us the new C13 ACERT engine. It’s easy to reach from the catwalk and there’s plenty of room for a technician to get around it. The updated 12.5-litre engine (with Tier 3 emission controls for our market) now delivers a peak net power output of 278kW (373hp) at 1,800rpm and a solid 2,040Nm at just 1,300rpm – that’s 1,505 foot pounds of torque on the old scale. So power and torque are both up by around 5% over the old K model. In practice, it means you don’t have to push on the gas pedal quite as much to get the big Cat bounding around the log yard. That helps a lot with reducing fuel consumption.

The M-Series planetary powershift transmission has a new split-flow oil system and uses multi-viscosity oil, also aimed at fuel economy.

It’s an upgrade of the previous lock-up clutch torque converter that utilises lock-to-lock shifting to help deliver smoother shifts, faster acceleration and speed around the yard without penalising on fuel. All built with heavy-duty components to last longer, says Caterpillar.

As before, it has four forward gears and four reverse gears, but the cogs have been altered, resulting in slightly higher top speeds in second

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and third gears, but a lower flat-out speed in fourth. It still hits a peak of 39.5km/h, which is well above the 25km/h safety limit imposed at this yard – the machine can be speed reduced through the monitor to ensure operators keep within the limit around the Red Stag yard.

Changes to the axles also contribute to lower fuel consumption due to lower oil levels and bevel gear shrouds, which reduce churning losses from rotating components. There are also new external calliper disc parking brakes mounted to the input shaft of the front axle.

Calliper parking brakes have higher capacity than the drum brakes used on the 980K. Since they are external, they do not have the inefficiencies of enclosed wet parking brakes due to brake discs running in oil, nor is there any oil to change. The results are reduced fuel and maintenance costs.

One significant difference between the old K and the new M is that the fuel tank is slightly smaller – 426 litres versus 447 litres – and it’s been moved further back and under the engine to help balance the machine.

As a result, Steve says his 980M has less counterweight than the old 980K, but he doesn’t really notice any difference until the fuel tank gets down to near empty. Through a variety of changes, Caterpillar has been able to shave 1,154kg from the overall weight of the 980M, compared to its predecessor. The 980M now tips the scales at 30,090kg.

The hydraulic system has also been upgraded with new pumps that operate with higher pressure – up by 10% – which helps to deliver faster cycle times over the previous model. It also includes a full flow filtration system with additional loop filtration that

Before going into the mill, the logs are first taken to a holding stack. improves system robustness and component life, according to Caterpillar.

A filter in the hydraulic tank return line filters all of the oil returning to the tank. There is also a case drain screen for additional protection and finally, a separate kidney-loop filter with a finer micron rating continuously filters smaller particles out of the system. This multilevel design ensures the hydraulic oil is clean and thoroughly protects the rest of the hydraulic system from contamination. A new thermal bypass valve has been added to improve hydraulic system warm-up, too.

The main hydraulic valve is now a monoblock with an integrated ride control section.

The mono-block design reduces weight and has 40% fewer leak points.

Before the bonnet is closed, we make a note of the good ground level access to reach the daily maintenance points. If you want to make things even easier, a fully integrated autolube system is optional, but not fitted to

this particular machine.

Apart from those daily checks, the need to open the bonnet for other maintenance duties has been reduced, thanks to hydraulic filter change intervals being extended to 1,000 hours and transmission oil change intervals going out to 2,000 hours.

Moving to the cab, the lower glass panel has been extended to improve visibility to the left side of the machine and the floor-to-roof glass either side of the dashboard enables the operator to see more of the front wheels – the view around the yard in any direction is pretty impressive.

Larger convex mirrors improve rear visibility and there is also a rear-view camera that automatically comes on when the transmission is put into reverse, but its effectiveness is nullified by the presence of the rear safety guard, which restricts the camera angle. Steve says he doesn’t use the rear-view camera anyway because he can see over and around

Above left: The large, hinged guarding gate on the rear of the 980M does well in protecting the machine, but gets in the way of the reversing camera view.

Above centre: For such a big machine, the new Cat 980M is very nimble and manoeuvrable around the yard.

Above right: The driver has a great view of the logs, whether loading or unloading. the bonnet, so that isn’t an issue for him. An option for those who want to further protect the machine is a Rear Object Detection system that is available as an option, which works just like the reversing sensors on modern cars.

Steve likes the new multi-purpose colour touch screen display by the right-hand front pillar that dramatically simplifies information displayed to the operator. There’s also a small instrument pod right in front of the operator displaying basic read-outs on things like engine temperature, fuel level etc.

Steve gives the air-suspended seat full marks for support and comfort, which is also heated – great for cold Rotorua winter morning starts – and he’s equally happy with the open storage box behind the seat for his lunch and other items, while coats are hung on a hook by the left-hand rear pillar.

Getting in and out of the 980M is much easier than before, too, as the angle of the steps up to the cab has been increased to 15 degrees, giving a more stair-like quality to cab entry.

Operators can remotely unlatch the door while on the ground, by activating a gas strut to swing open the door, so you don’t have to lean

out of the way at the top of the steps.

The Cat 980M comes with a good lighting package, but RFH has supplemented it with an LED lightbar on top of the cab, just above the front windscreen and Steve says that on these dark and damp winter mornings that extra light is much needed.

As another group of log trucks roll into the yard and their loads are unchained, the 980M is pressed back into action.

Discussing the merits of the big machine while it lifts a full packet from the rear trailer, you can tell Steve would much prefer to be up in the cab than down here on the ground.

He’s been working in the log yard for almost 20 years, before Marty Verry and his father took over the mill.

“This place has gone ahead in leaps and bounds since they arrived and there’s still something new happening every day,” he says.

Today is a bit slower than normal, but the yard fairly hums when trucks arrive at the rate of one every few minutes at peak times.

“You need a loader like this to keep up,” adds Steve. “The 980M is now the top gun machine in the yard.

“It does the unloading of trucks, feeding the de-barker mill and

A full beak of logs being loaded onto the de-barking deck.

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sorting the rejects out down the back and when it’s needed it can go over and help the other two loaders working on the de-barked side, feeding and sorting from the chain.

“I was in the K when it arrived here three years ago, before swapping into the M. We used to have two 966s working with the K and we couldn’t keep up with the mill with those two smaller machines. This one leaves them in the dust. But even so we’ll still be pushed to keep up when they want to crank up the mill. Keeps you on your toes.”

For all its size, Steve says the Cat 980M feels like a much smaller machine to operate when you get behind the controls.

He tells our Iron Tester, Stan Barlow, that he’ll notice the controls will answer very quickly “almost too quick” at first, which will cause the

operator to back off and try to slow it right down. But that will only make it feel jerky when there’s a full load in the beak, he explains.

The best way to overcome that is to be more positive with the controls, says Steve, adding: “It is quite touchy, so you need to keep your revs up a bit and then it smooths out.”

Stan’s heard that sort of advice before and replies that it’s not easy for someone who hasn’t experienced a new machine to be quicker with the joysticks from the get-go.

The RFH 980K has the EH joystick steering system and it incorporates a force feedback motor that automatically adjusts the effort needed to tilt the ergonomic joystick based on ground speed which, Caterpillar says, results in superior control in all applications and climates. While

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1: More powerful and smoother hydraulics make a big difference to the lifting abilities of the Cat 980M. 2: Iron Tester, Stan Barlow, has to take care when clearing the bolsters on the trucks and trailers because the controls are very “touchy” until you get used to them.

3: The big Ensign TR2C logs forks can swallow 4.2 cubic metres of logs in one go.

it does adjust to the operator’s input, it takes a little getting used to.

But it helps that the transmission is fully automatic and you just stick it into gear and concentrate on steering and lining up the logs on the truck and trailer and then ensure you lift without hitting the bolsters.

Cat’s well-proven Z-bar linkage is purposely built with a larger volume tilt cylinder, shorter dog bone and more durable loader arms that help the operator precisely load and unload trucks without causing damage.

It’s backed up by load-sensing hydraulics for smoother simultaneous lift and tilt.

Here in this part of the Red Stag log yard the surface has been sealed and the ride is as smooth as a baby’s bum. On lumpier surfaces, the new ride control system now has two accumulators that improve ride quality

and comfort, which helps to speed up the operation. The rear axle also oscillates to ±13 degrees, helping to ensure all four wheels stay on the ground to provide greater stability and traction – ideal for working out in the forest, as well as bumpy log yards.

On this surface, the new 980M is super-stable and the operator can keep the pace up without being reckless, says Steve.

And being articulated, it’s extremely manoeuvrable in tight spaces, boasting a turning circle of just over seven metres, allowing the operator to make significant adjustments when positioning the machine. The articulated joint has also been upgraded to deal with extra heavy-duty work.

Every load is just about at the maximum 17 tonnes and Steve

The log yard at Red Stag has been sealed to make it easier for loading and delivery around the site.

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mentions that the back of the machine can become a little light when the forks are fully loaded. As he mentioned earlier, it’s not a problem when the fuel tank is full but more care is required as the needle moves towards empty. Ideally, it could do with another half-tonne of counterweight, or even water in the rear tyres. Or, just keep the fuel tank topped up, he adds.

It’s still very smooth, he says, and there is the option of being able to select economy mode instead of full power, which automatically controls engine torque and speed based on the machine’s power train load, placing them in the most efficient operating range for fuel and performance. That would work okay on a flat, hard log yard but on soft surfaces it would probably require full noise.

It’s now smoko time for the loader operators and with the 980M parked up, Stan hops aboard and is given a run-down of the controls, then he’s off to practice loading onto the de-barking deck before his first truck arrives. The logs on this deck go through a de-barker before progressing into the mill, with all the bark fed into the mill’s

boilers to produce power and steam.

Although Stan has driven many wheel loaders in his forestry career, he’s taking his time to get the feel of the controls and is understandably going slower than Steve recommended. The result is that when he’s got a full beak of logs, the loader does a little shimmy and wobbles from side-to-side as he reverses from the stack and moves towards the deck.

But within half-an-hour of loading and unloading duties he gets more confident and the shimmy is gone. You can read Stan’s impressions in his Iron Test column on page 34.

As the afternoon progresses, more trucks roll in and Stan gets some good practice putting that Z-linkage to full use to clear the bolsters and crowd the forks back to help balance the load. And each time he gets a little quicker as his confidence in the 980M grows.

The new Cat 980M has certainly made life easier for the RFH log loading crew and as it racks up the hours around the clock, it’s most definitely earning its keep. NZL

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THE LEGEND BEGAN ON THE SLOPE

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iron test: Stan Barlow

LOOKS BIG, ACTS SMALL ON THE FACE OF IT, THE CAT 980M IS A big machine. But it takes the merest hint of a finger-tip movement to set it in motion.

Such is the new technology that takes all of the effort from operating a 30-tonne wheel loader that can grab 17 tonnes of logs in its beak.

When I first took over the controls I actually found it too touchy. You move it a millimetre and it will start turning. With this machine you are driving it with your thumb and your finger. Not like the old machines where you need a full hand stroke to make it do something – now all that’s required is very subtle finger-tip movement.

All these new systems are becoming much more sensitive and once you get used to them it’s a good thing because the less effort needed, the less tired you’ll feel at the end of a shift.

But it did take me a while to get the hang of this one. It is supposed to adapt to the way the operator works – I guess I was just being a little too cautious. And in the meantime, it was wobbling about on the tyres as I tried to come to terms with the touchiness.

Steve did tell me to use more power but it’s a mind-over-matter thing and your head is not listening to that because you don’t want to break anything.

I did feel more confident at the end as I adjusted to how it works and the system adjusted to my inputs, and was able to increase the power and stop that jerkiness.

It’s often the way with these Iron Tests – just as I’m getting used to the feel of a machine it’s time to come off.

The controls are well placed, the layout is good and it feels nice once you are comfortable. You’re not reaching, because everything falls nicely to hand.

The steering is on the left arm joystick along with the forward and reverse gears button. And you’ve also got a kickdown on either side that drops it down a gear, although I never got to use them. I just left it in automatic to do its thing. Real simple. I don’t think it ever got up beyond third gear as I was driving around the yard.

The controls on the right for the boom weren’t as touchy as the steering, but still very responsive. I did have a little trouble

Iron Tester, Stan Barlow. with the beak to start with because that was on a separate dial, though still on the joystick.

Looking out from that beautifully comfy seat, you get a great view of the forks when you approach a truck.

I tend to look at the tips of the forks as I ease up to the logs, whereas Steve says he looks at a crossbar to line it up. The Z-linkage works well and it’s easy to fine tune your movements and crowd back when you have all the logs inside the beak. Although there was one load Steve told me about over the radio, saying give it a bit more gas, crowd it back and come forward. That was on the borderline of dropping, he said, but it didn’t feel any different to me at the controls. It was lifting alright.

Below left: Great access to the Cat C13 ACERT engine and daily checks when the bonnet is lifted.

Below centre: The factory lighting package was augmented with an LED light bar above the front screen when the machine arrived at RFH. Below right: Regular Cat 980M operator, Steve Malaquin, is looking forward to getting back behind the wheel after an operation on his hip.

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6-cylinder, 12.5-litres, Caterpillar C13 ACERT, Tier 3 Bore / stroke 130mm x 157mm Power (SAE net) 278kW (373hp) @ 1,800rpm Max torque 2,040Nm @ 1,300rpm Max travel speed 39.5km/h

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1: Two of the upgrades on this machine are the big sturdy pivot and the less-steep steps up to the cab.

2: Great office space for the operator, which even includes a heated seat.

3: The large storage box behind the seat holds plenty of gear.

None of the loads ever felt too heavy, unless I was being too touchy on the steering.

It’s got plenty of hydraulics for lifting and power, and everything matches up very well.

I didn’t really get to look at the monitors

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much. Too busy keeping an eye on the logs and where I was going. But I did notice that the reverse camera wasn’t showing much, so I relied on the mirrors instead when reversing and that was just as effective.

The 980M is a very operator friendly machine, nice and quiet – I couldn’t really hear the engine much, even though the radio was on low. No wonder Steve is happy to spend 12 hours at a time in here. NZL

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Tall Timber

A NATIVE LOG TRUCK DRIVER’S STORY

By Trevor Coker

N

EVILLE WISEMAN WAS BORN IN Frankton Junction in 1931 and is a slightly built 87-year-old today, but his memory is still as sharp as a tack.

In spite of his stature, Neville had a very interesting career driving log trucks in the North Island…which stretched back to the native logging days.

His first involvement with the timber industry began at Mamaku in the post-war years. His sister, Pearl, and her husband, Alf, lived there and Alf was the head yardman at

38 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

Steele’s mill. Neville and his wife, Aileen, had been in the habit of making frequent trips to Mamaku to visit them.

During these trips, Neville got to know many of the mill workers and the manager, and when he was offered a job in the mill and a house, they decided to move to Mamaku.

The job Neville started on was as a “Goosie” on the Goose saw, which was also known as a docking saw. The job entailed cutting sawn timber from the breast bench to the lengths required and classing it. This

was his introduction to handling timber and eventually bush work and logging.

Then came the offer of a mill job and house at Minginui for Minginui Sawmills, which entailed another move.

The house supplied was a great improvement on the previous one and the job was on the breaking down saw in a much more modern mill than Steele’s.

Neville got friendly with the truck driver who had the contract to cart sawn timber, using a new Commer truck. This cartage was

Neville Wiseman gets re-acquainted with a restored GMC logger on a recent visit to the Putaruru Timber Museum.

from the mill at Minginui to the railhead at Rotorua.

It was not long before Neville was offered some driving work in his spare time.

Sometimes this was a trip carting sawn timber to the Penrose Timber Company in Auckland, a twelve-hour return journey.

Life in Minginui was great and the mill work and part-time driving most enjoyable.

At this stage the person for whom he was driving wanted to enlarge his business and asked Neville to come in with him, form a

partnership and purchase two more trucks.

After considerable thought, a new company was formed and Neville took over the operation of the two new trucks. The new contract they got was to cart sawn timber from Wilsons Mill at Te-Whaiti to the Rotorua railhead.

The Wisemans shifted to Te-Whaiti to be closer to the sawmill and Aileen got a job as the Post Mistress in the local store.

This new contact worked out well but was hard work as all the sawn timber had to be

Top: The International bulldozer dragging out native logs in the Mokai Forest.

Below: The International bulldozer used in Mokai had a blade raised and lowered by cables.

August 2019 | NZ LOGGER 39

Tall Timber

loaded and unloaded by hand. Sometimes Neville and Aileen would go to the mill on the Sunday afternoon and load the truck ready for an early start on Monday. By doing this, two trips could be managed on the Monday to Rotorua.

The hard, manual loading situation was to improve later when the railway obtained its first forklift but in the meantime, all loading and unloading was done by the couple.

Shortly after, Ray Carter got in touch with Neville, as he had just won the contract to cart two loads a day from Kinleith to Kawerau and Neville was asked to drive a new International truck for him. This International proved to be a real workhorse and was a really reliable truck. Ray’s purchase of a Gerlinger forklift was a great help with loading and unloading, making the job too tempting to resist.

Life took another turn when Neville’s mother asked if they would be interested in helping with a bush contract she and his father had taken over with their partner Ron that hadn’t been going well. With no previous experience in bush work they were in serious trouble, finding it difficult to get enough logs out of the bush for the local mill. They managed to get through this period only because of a large stockpile of logs at the mill. When this began to dwindle away, the

40 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

mill was unable to cut the daily amount it was capable of.

The advice of their bushmen, with their lifetime experience of working in the forest, was overlooked. And their limited mechanical experience also meant that a mechanic needed to be called out every time there was a breakdown, which happened far too often, adding to costs.

When Ron and his wife threw in the towel to return to Hamilton, Neville and Aileen decided to move from Te-Whaiti to Mokai to help his parents get the bush contract back on track.

Neville took over an ex-army GMC logging truck. This was originally fitted with a canvas cab roof, which was replaced with a wooden cab, sporting a flat windscreen and no side windows. But it was very reliable mechanically.

Like all GMC trucks it was almost unstoppable in the mud and rough going with its six-wheel-drive. It was the perfect truck for the bush terrain. The ground around Western Bay, Tihoi and Mokai is mainly Tarawera ash, but conditions quickly turned to heavy mud once the surface was disturbed by machinery.

An International 18 bulldozer working in the bush was used to help load the GMC, with its blade pushing the logs off the raised

skids. Together, they improved turn-around times immensely.

Neville also discovered another reason why so few truck loads were coming out of the bush. Ron, who drove the previous truck, would leave home between 8.00-8.30 each morning, arrive at the skids and wait until the bulldozer had pulled the first load of logs out and could then load the truck. This could be mid-morning or even later, followed by a leisurely drive back to the mill and home for lunch at 12 to 12-30pm each day. After a leisurely lunch he would repeat the process, arriving at the bush about 2pm and load for the return trip around 4.30 or 5pm. As the cartage distance was only a mere 7km this was a pathetic effort and it was little wonder the mill had soon used up the large stockpile it had at the start of the contract and was running out of logs.

To make the situation worse, Bob, the bulldozer operator was inexperienced and hardly a day went by without either the tracks

A one-log load was common with large Rimu or Matai being plentiful in the bush around Mokai.

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Tall Timber

slipping off, wire strops breaking or cables having the eyes pulled out.

This all meant downtime for the bushmen, who had to stop felling when the ground became littered with wood waiting to be pulled to the skids.

Some immediate changes were made. Bob was taken off the bulldozer and replaced by one 0f the bushmen, another experienced bushman was given the job of breaker-out and Neville took over the truck driving.

A suitable winch came up for sale and was installed by the skids and used to load the truck, thus freeing up the bulldozer from this job. A later model GMC truck was purchased and a safety frame fitted behind the cab, allowing the trailer to be piggy-backed instead of having to drag it behind the truck.

It was a simple task to unload the trailer at the skids, using the bulldozer winch in conjunction with a block suspended from a handy tree.

The trailer poles were wooden, made from nice straight Rewarewa or Honeysuckle and they always kept a spare one back at the mill. Very occasionally one would be broken when the bulldozer was pushing on the back of the pole to get the truck away from the skids, especially if the mud was halfway up the wheels.

Some contractors had changed over to steel poles, which had just become available.

These steel poles had advantages but if they

42 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

got bent it was a major job to straighten them and they were quite expensive. At least Neville could fit a new goose neck to a wooden pole in about an hour and that’s why he stuck with them.

After some major work on the rollers and grousers of the bulldozer, production began to increase. Neville was carting four or five loads a day and two on Saturdays and they

started to build up a good stock-pile at the mill.

With the later model truck, he could also cart logs to other mills in Taupo, Cambridge, Taumarunui, Te Poi and also cart peeler logs to Auckland.

Another logging contractor at Mokai was Sam Andrews. Sam carted logs to several central North Island mills and had a licence to

Above: Some of these old natives were “very ugly”, like this one heading out of the Te Tomo block in Mokai.

Below: Another peeler log bound for Auckland – note the lack of a safety barrier behind the truck cab.

cart peeler logs to Auckland. Every now and then, when Neville had caught up with the bushmen’s work and the mill had sufficient logs to carry on with, he would cart a load of peeler logs to Auckland for Sam. These peeler logs were taken to Henderson and Pollard’s mill where they were made into first-grade native plywood for interior building projects and furniture. These were long, slow trips, leaving Mokai at about 1.30am to arrive in Auckland about 6.30am to unload and then return to Mokai and take on another load of logs.

Back then, there was no such thing as a driver’s log book or restrictions on driving hours, and the trucks used were very slow when loaded and had limited horsepower – a GMC, for example, barely produced 100 horsepower and had a five-speed gearbox.

Today’s trucks can have 650 horsepower-plus and 18 gears.

Around this time, Sam purchased a nearnew Mercedes truck, which was used on the Auckland run, as it was faster and more economical. Peeler logs were in great demand as the native timber industry started to wind

This shot from the late 1950’s shows two peeler logs and a ‘jockey’ heading for Auckland.

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Tall Timber

44 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

the water table. The truck slid about twelve feet before coming to a sudden halt. The violent stop, plus a liberal coating of mud on the log caused the load to keep coming and squash the back of the cab.

Luckily Neville wasn’t hurt and after the bulldozer had pulled the log off, Taupo and the panel beaters was the next stop. Once repaired, a safety frame was fitted behind the cab.

The Forest Service used to go through the bush marking all the peeler logs that were destined for Auckland. When working in the Rimu Block at Mokai there was a gully full of the ugliest Rimu trees Neville had ever come across. Many of them had large limbs growing off each side. Others had split many years ago and were just large deformed trees.

Felling these trees was not the easiest of jobs, as they were not only enormous but access to them was difficult, owing to the steep gully and heavy undergrowth. After these trees were felled, winched out to the road and dragged to the skids and crosscut into log lengths, they still had large enormous limbs attached. These limbs were often cut off six feet from the trunk leaving large fins sticking out which made loading them onto the truck difficult.

On one occasion, says Neville, “we were loading a particularly enormous ugly Rimu and we had it right on the point of balance on the top of the skids. I signalled the bulldozer

The GMC logger parked outside the cookhouse at the Mokai mill.

to slowly slide the log on. There was so much weight in this one log that although the bulldozer had ample power, it was hard to regulate as it only needed to be moved a couple of inches at a time to keep it straight”.

The bulldozer driver tried a couple of times without success, so increased power slightly and gave it a nudge. The huge Rimu seemed to sit on the point of balance for some time before it slowly rolled off the skids onto the truck and trailer. As the enormous weight hit the logging truck, the unit lurched downwards causing the log with its large ugly limb to carry on with its rolling action right over the chocks onto the ground. The chocks were about twelve inches high but did little to slow down the log which ended up hitting the ground and rolling back against the truck and trailer unit.

On another occasion, when Neville was carting out of the Te-Tomo block, a single drive logging truck arrived from Taupo to pick up a load of Matai. The truck owners had arranged to cart five loads of Matai a day to fill a special order.

“They had apparently not heard about this hill of ours or I think they would have

040719_JD_Austimber

down and the pine forests came on line.

At this time, there was a restriction on how far a truck could carry a load to protect the railway’s monopoly on distance. A licence, however, was granted to cart a limited number of peeler logs to Auckland, because the railways had only a few spare wagons for this type of load, most being reserved for the log shuttle between Murupara, Kawerau and the Mount.

One of the forestry blocks Neville carted from, not far from the Mokai village, was the Te-Tomo block. About half-way up to the skids was an extremely steep winding hill, which was very narrow and pure clay. Neville recalls that “you always had to stop the loaded truck right on the brow, engage low gear, and slowly ease over the top using the trailer brakes and engine to hold the truck as you crept down”. Even while doing this, a loaded truck could still slide several feet before regaining traction.

One particular morning after loading a large Matai of a long length, which was to be carted to Henderson and Pollard, Neville got to the top of the hill and slowly started the descent and all was going well until a sharp right-hand corner about half-way down. After swinging wide to allow for the long log, things went badly wrong. A combination of the enormous weight, the steepness of the hill and the sharp bend caused the laden truck to begin to slide forward off the road and into

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Tall Timber

stayed in Taupo,” says Neville.

“I was negotiating this hill four or five times a day and always treated it with the utmost respect. It was a case of stopping at the top, engaging low gear, then slowly winding your way down using motor and trailer brakes, which were used separately by a lever on the dash and only dabbing lightly on the truck brakes.”

This particular block was extremely wet and muddy and surrounded by mist and fog most days, making working conditions uncomfortable and cold.

Neville continues: “One morning I had completed an early trip to Taupo sawmills with logs I had loaded the night before and was now headed up to the skids for a load for the local Mokai mill. When I reached the notorious hill I found the Taupo truck parked up. The driver had tried several times to climb the hill but only having a single drive truck had little or no chance. I had always thought that these single drive trucks quite inadequate for anywhere but on tar sealed roads. Even piggy backing his tandem axle trailer on the truck he was always going to struggle.

“With the GMC having ten-wheel-drive it was quite easy for me to hook him on and drag him to the top. When we reached the skids, we lifted his trailer off with the bulldozer and once again he had no traction

and we had to drag him to the skids with the bulldozer.

“We had two Matai logs sitting on the skids for him and he was soon loaded and on his way. When I was loaded and on the way out, upon reaching the top of the hill I could see him about half-way down with his trailer at almost right angles to his truck.

“He had got too far over with his truck’s front wheels on the sharp right-hand bend and ended up in the water table with little chance of recovery, as every time he tried he slid a little further off the track.

“By the time I had parked my truck and walked down, he had undone his chains, removed the chocks and using a timber jack, sent one of the logs crashing onto the roadside. He then used the timber jack to centre the remaining log on his unit. With much less weight he was able to re-position the truck and drive out. I often wondered what happened when he arrived back at Taupo with half his load but the remainder of the contract was cancelled.

“As the local mill was well stocked with logs, I took on a contract to cart some logs for Taupo Sawmills from Hatepe about thirty miles south from Taupo. I left Taupo about 5am so I could be at the skids about 6.30 and ready to load when the bushmen arrived.

“I saw logs sitting on the skids and was preparing to load but was told that the permanent driver always insisted on having the first load. I was still waiting at 8.00am for him to arrive. This situation went on for the next three days and when I arrived at the mill just after lunch and informed the mill manager what was going on he assured me that things would change tomorrow and they did. I got out to the bush skids to find a threelog load waiting for me.”

Road trips could be just as challenging as driving bush roads and Neville recalls a trip to the Waikato that nearly ended in disaster.

“I was cruising down a long winding hill and eased the brakes on and noticed a wheel go rolling past me on the left-hand driver’s side,” he says.

“I quickly reached for the trailer brake lever when a second wheel also went sailing past. I pulled up as quickly as I could, and upon inspection found the wheel nuts on the tandem trailer axle had sheared off and allowed the axle to drop down releasing the two wheels.”

Several hours delay and a new hub later and Neville was on his way again. In those days GMC parts were very easy to get and as the trailer axles were GMC there was never any holdup for repairs.

Neville Wiseman, seen here inspecting some of the relics from the native logging days at age 80.

46 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

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How did they get this giant log on the back! Logs this size were hauled from the Rimu Block to mills in Taupo, Cambridge, Taumarunui and Te-Poi. Neville also recalls when he was carting to the Rotorua rail head there was an agreement with NZR that if they couldn’t supply the truck driver with a wagon “they would sign your docket, which meant you were authorised to drive straight though to Auckland.

This gave us a big lift to our income.”

During this one period, there were no wagons for a few days and Neville says: “I was trying to do as many trips as I could. The return trip to Auckland and back was about ten hours or so without much sleep and two or three trips to Auckland in a row was very tiring.”

The trucks during this period were notorious for being hot as hell in summer and freezing cold in winter. None were fitted with heaters for winter, and motor heat added to the summer temperatures.

Many of the Auckland trips from both Te-Whaiti and Mokai through heavy frosts and sometimes snow were extremely cold trips.

“I remember one trip from Minginui as I headed across the Kaingaroa plains it began to snow quite steadily and both sides of the road were white with frost,” says Neville, adding that on reaching Huntly about 3.30 in the morning, he pulled over to grab a couple of hours sleep on the side of the road in near freezing temperatures. Very different from today’s luxurious cabs.

As the milling of native timber was rapidly being phased out Neville travelled extensively to cart the remaining supplies, hauling logs from many different areas as all the timber mills were calling out for logs from anywhere they could get them. By contrast, carting pine was a less adventurous undertaking.

Neville eventually called a halt to his log transporting days in the early 1980s, although he did the odd native logging job after that. He then hauled frozen goods between Hamilton, Dargaville, Whangarei and Moerewa, before switching to deliver aggregate and sand around the eastern Bay of Plenty.

Times have most definitely changed, but Neville says: “I still have a certain amount of pride in the fact that I still hold my class five licence and still love to hear the sound of a fully laden truck as it climbs a hill, or the sound of a truck as it winds its way down the other side, holding its position with air brakes or its retarder. I know there is a driver there fully concentrating on his or her driving.”

Information for this article was extracted from an unpublished manuscript titled “CHANGING GEARS” the life story of an ordinary truck driver spent behind the wheel 1950 to until today,

by Neville Wiseman. NZL

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Horse Logging

HIGH HORSE The more horsepower the better – that’s always seemed to matter in New Zealand logging.

By Paul Mahoney

A

ND NOTHING ILLUSTRATES IT MORE than this 1894 photo, which was posed to highlight the impressive size of the Hawkes Bay Timber Company’s horse teams at Rakaiatai near Dannevirke.

On show, at their sawmill site, 34 horses were harnessed into six teams. These teams worked on the company’s bush tramway network, in the era before the

48 NZ LOGGER | August March 2019 2019

timber industry used roads. The horses were harnessed to work in single file because they followed a metre-wide path between the tramway rails.

Three of the teams likely worked to haul logs from loading sites in the bush.

Some big Totara logs on the sawmill skids can be glimpsed between the first and second huts on the left. The other teams

hauled sawn timber on the tramway to the railway siding where it was dispatched to markets. A load of sawn timber is seen on the far left, loaded on typical bush tramway bogies.

To get the elevation for this photo the cameraman and his tripod were perched on top of another load of sawn timber on the tram track in the bottom left corner.

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Camera speeds were slow in those days, so the cameraman had some luck to get that number of horses and men to stand still for a few precious seconds.

Out in the bush, this company might also have employed horse teams on skidding logs from where they were felled to loading points on the tram. Given the scale of the operation, there might be 18 more horses

engaged on skidding harnessed in teams of three. So overall there could be 52 horses working at Rakaiatai.

Around 1900 there were 230 sawmills in New Zealand and if on average each mill employed 20 horses, on skidding, log hauling and sawn timber hauling, then the timber industry at that time may have employed 4,600 horses along with 1000 men to work them.

This is the most dramatic timber industry horse team photo I have ever seen in 50 years of research.

We are even able to estimate the date from genealogical research of Robyn Spurdle. The year 1894 is proposed because it is known that James Smith, on the left, died in January 1895.

I got lucky when my 13-year-old daughter Marie-Claire, keen on horses, volunteered to count the horses and identify the teams linked by harness. The men who controlled the teams were often called trolleymen.

Starting in the foreground, and going from left to right, her assessment is: Team 1: five horses with trolleyman James Smith, then an extra man Jim Smith Trolleyman and team 2: six horses, then another extra man Team 3: six horses with trolleyman Team 4: five horses with trolleyman Trolleyman and team 5: six horses facing the opposite direction, and in the background Trolleyman and team 6: six horses also facing in the opposite direction These horses would be well cared for, along with all the costly harness gear. A blacksmith might work daily on shoes and a boy would be employed to clean the horses down and care for them overnight. They would all be ‘hard fed’ on oats and chaff to maintain their physical condition. The wooden fenced yards between huts two and three would be used to rest horses. The blacksmith and boy may even be the ‘extra men’ in the photo.

The four huts visible likely accommodated some of the men who worked in the sawmill and on the tramways. It’s likely two men shared a hut and the married men went home on the weekends. The rooves of the four huts are interesting, showing an era of transition in roofing materials. From the left they are: corrugated iron; weatherboard;

corrugated iron; split shingles. Each of the huts has a big wooden chimney; ideally these are built from Kaikawaka which is fire-resistant. There would be soaked clothes to dry out after wet days. There may be more huts than these four.

In the left foreground are the wooden rails of the bush tramway built with 150x150 timbers usually made from a hard-wearing wood like Maire. The surrounding area is a sea of mud. The sawn timber load is chained down to the bolster on a tram bogie. Loaded on top are some heavy Totara slabs that may be sold to split into products, such as house piles or fence battens.

These 34 working horses would all be kept overnight in stables, heated in winter, and the building above the tram bogie may be the stables. Beyond that, out of sight on the left, probably stands the sawmill building and log skids, which can be glimpsed between the buildings.

On the left, a wooden flume from the mill can be seen running above the roof of the first hut. This is a wooden channel, raised several metres on trestle legs, and carrying a flow of water. This flow carries sawdust out to a large ever-increasing sawdust heap visible in the background between the second and third huts. The Hawkes Bay Timber Company was prosecuted for disposing of sawdust into a nearby stream and forced to build this facility.

The sawdust heap may have remained a feature of this site for 50 years after the sawmill closed.

On the skyline, beyond the flume and sawdust heap, stands the remnant loggedover forest, which contains tree species that did not have a market. My judgement is that most of these trees are Rata.

A big firewood trade was conducted in Hawkes Bay at that time. Wood was the principal fuel, as Hawkes Bay had no local coal source. Wood powered industries like the Tomoana Freezing Works and was used for home heating, bath water and cooking.

It is likely that once sawmilling ceased, firewood contractors would have used the tramway for several years to extract much-prized Rata firewood, which was also dispatched by rail. The land would then be cleared for farming.

Thanks to: Robyn Spurdle, Rotorua: Henry Smith family history Photo: shared by Lester Oliver on Facebook Gordon Menzies deceased: locating historic timber industry sites at Rakaiatai. NZL

August 2019 | NZ LOGGER 49

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Prue Younger, CEO Message Our industry always has a lot going on. We face plenty of challenges on a daily basis and it doesn’t take m ch for a domino e ect hen something has a hicc his month, del ed into those challenges that are creating a ‘choke’ on forestry infrastructure – it’s what we are seeing now in some regions more than others. o ro ide an nderstanding of the im lications across all facets of forestry, ha e so ght the ie of se eral sectors in ol ed etting that balanced ie on here e eryone sits along the s ly chain highlights that it is not st one sector creating or being a ected by these challenges e no there are ress res from labo r shortages, lo ering log rices and from tensions in har esting lans here there is that r sh to get the logs o the slo es and to the ort for export. he o -on e ect has been seen recently in isborne here se eral shi s in orts ere held ith abnormal eather conditions and the chain of e ents that too e ect all the ay bac the s ly chain he contrib tors ho ef lly ro ide o r members ith the o ort nity to ma e better and ell-informed decisions aro nd hat is a ordable and ractical in this com etiti e orld e are c rrently o erating in tr ly belie e it is itally im ortant that e o en the disc ssion bet een sectors and try and nderstand e eryone s position with consideration to how one’s actions impact on others.

Regional Voice Warwick Wilshier – Log Transport Safety, Council Chairman enty- e to thirty years ago, se eral forest ind stry people with foresight decided to plant thousands of hectares of trees in a short s ace of time, ho ing that the s ly chain o ld de elo and get the ood to mar et Fast forward and the road transport industry has predicted and communicated widely that there could be a shortage of to , dri ers as the trans ort demand out-grew the economy.

Consider the days where there was a mill or dairy factory in e ery to n, and no , d e to economics e ha e large plants in centralised hubs and often transport from a processing plant to a reprocessing plant and then on to a nal destination e all no that the shortage of log tr c dri ers is holding back growth in the industry and we must work together to lan ho e can ma e the most e cient se of the ca acity e ha e r c rod cti ity has im ro ed signi cantly b t there is no immediate sol tion to the dri er shortage he trans ort ind stry is in esting hea ily in recr itment and training initiati es, b t e sho ld be caref l not to dri e eo le o t of the ind stry thro gh contin al ress re t is rong to contin ally increase age and contract rates in a sel sh dri e to ro t in a boom mar et belie e it breeds ine ciency that ill ultimately be our demise. We all share a feeling that scenario is just around the corner. agree that e all need to or together for long term s stainability ll good b siness models ha e a long term lan erha s e sho ld loo bac to those isionary eo le years ago and as them hat it as

Hamish Owen – FICA, Executive Director oming o historically high log rices, ith a relati ely e en-aged forest estate, o ners ha e been e ing to get their trees c t, and managers mar eters m ing o er

each other to sign them up. Logging contractors are stretching themsel es to ta e on more or before someone else is o ered it artage g ys are nder the m to mo e the ood as more cre s c t, and distances stretch o t ere are fo r layers all ith di erent b siness dri ers, all ta ing di erent ris s t s not s r rising then that sometimes we get out of sync – and that is without e en mentioning the orts, mills and e orters aybe we need a bit more transparency in the supply chain and a bit more restraint ith better lanning from s all hat s my s ggestion if e ant to a oid disa ointed forest o ners beca se e can t get there hen romised, e ant to a oid loggers going bro e, as lift in income st doesn’t meet logging costs which ultimately leads to log tr c s ar ed in yards e are already coming off this boom, and as the economists o ld say, let s try and ha e a soft rather than harder landing t s com licated, and forest o ners deser e to be able to maximise their returns but this shouldn’t come at any cost here are no magic ans ers, b t let s all try and better understand each other’s positions and create s stainable b sinesses for e eryone in the s ly chain

Dan Gaddum – Forest360, Managing Director hat is the root ca se of all this ar et dri en log prices ha e forced ndisci lined beha io r and nabated cost in ation, hich is largely n lanned ith little regard for the conse ences and thin e are all e ally g ilty of it n a n mber of ays yo ha e to hand it to the i i she ll be right attit de , hich a ears to ha e been a reasonable component of the strategic thinking in our industry of late.

Unfortunately, the current price correction in play is going to dust out some of the industry and if it goes on for more than t o months, thin the ant m of that d sting co ld be ite se ere as ith the cost escalation has come ine ciency and slo y o erating lready the August 2019 | NZ LOGGER 51

www.fica.org.nz

phone is ringing for crews looking for work because things ha e sto ed n my ie , the ind stry sit ation c rrently has a n mber of similarities to the gold r sh, and the scary thing is e ery gold rush in history ended . . . but only until the next one hit o accent ate the roblem, ith the orld a ash ith money and lo interest rates, asset forests rices ha e been blo n to ieces relati e to historic n mbers hese rices ma e it more di c lt for forest o ners to ma e the n mbers or and the s ee e comes on e eryone in the chain. You don’t need to look too far to the hills from Eastland Port for recent examples of this. As long as the f nny money is oating aro nd, the ress re ill remain on participants in the supply chain to make the numbers or if the mar et can t or on t sa e s his gets harder to achie e if e ha en t been able to o erate at the front of the e ciency c r e n nfort nate conse ence of a more e cient s ly chain is an im ro ement in the al e of forest assets he challenge is to ens re this al e is shared thro gho t the supply chain and we don’t all end up in a race to the bottom.

Andrew Gaddum – Eastland Port, General Manager Ports e e or ed hard ith o r marshallers and ste edores to ma e astland ort the most e cient log e ort ort in the co ntry, ith o r single berth facilitating the e ort of m tons er year o e er, in some ays, o r s ccess has led to o r o n demise in recent months he iss e ith ort infrastr ct re is that the lead times and in estment re ired for de elo ment or s are signi cant, and timing ne infrastr ct re to meet demand in a olatile commodity-based mar et is a ma or challenge his is here e nd o rsel es today he forest ind stry is ni e in that no long-term or e en short-term export contracts exist with ports and they are a crucial art of the s ly chain n the ast oast, the fragmented nature of forest ownership combined with a -year ea in age class resents s all ith some signi cant challenges n to of this, the hole ind stry s social license to o erate is nder threat in o r region manifesting itself in a eals to o r c rrent consents for ort e ansion s a res lt, it s im erati e the ind stry or together to o timise e isting infrastr ct re and ie the s ly chain from standing tree to end user as a whole rather than in its constituent parts.

Glen Mackie – NZFOA, Technical Manager he lantings of the early nineties are the basis for the so-called all of ood that is s osedly on the hori on n reality, the forest ind stry has been dealing ith that all for a hile, ith har est le els increasing from million c bic metres to million c bic metres o er the last years, ith an increase in har est of million c bic metres e ery year orecasts s ggest there is still a h ge increase to come, ho e er in reality some of this ood has already been har ested, artic larly in areas 52 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

where there are regional shortages, such as Northland. onstraints ith labo r, e i ment, trans ort and shi ing ill limit the har est he recent rice correction ill also, in time, or to c rb har est, altho gh in the short term there is a lot of inertia in the har esting system n f t re e are nli ely to ha e ongoing year on year increases in har est, ith the le el li ely to start latea ing as ell as being more olatile he e Zealand plantation forest industry used to be dominated by large forest o ners hey no their reso rce, and in many cases are o erating ith normal forests consistent har est and or load and onto second, third or e en fo rth rotations oday ho e er, to a third of the har est is from smaller gro ers his has radically changed the dynamics of the har est and mar eting scene maller o ners rchase har esting and mar eting e ertise, ha e aited years for that one ay-o , ha e limited or no e erience in har esting and mar eting, and are not necessarily lin ed into the forest sector dynamics he sector is no m ch more olatile, ith the smaller gro ers in artic lar lnerable to mar et forces mentioned tho ght har est le els are li ely to latea o er the ne t co le of years ho e er, har est le el is determined by the mar et and the increasing ol me from small gro ers is m ch more hea ily in enced by rice mo ements than the larger gro ers this means a f t re of greater olatility

Morgan Strong – UDC Finance, General Manager has been s orting the logging ind stry for o er years, and forestry has gro n to be a core ind stry for s ring this time, e e seen forestry go thro gh a n mber of cycles and ha e learnt a fe lessons along the way. a e a lan olid b siness lanning ill hel yo b ild a strong foundation for success. Work with a good team of ad isors, incl ding an acco ntant, to de elo a lan and continually monitor your progress against it.

Ensure your ad isory team are re ared to challenge the n mbers yo t together, doing hat e call sensiti ity analysis in the nance game on t ass me that e erything ill go to plan – build your plans to allow for something to go wrong. omm nicate reg larly ith yo r f nder y ha ing o en, honest con ersations early, e can or together to ride o t cycles and ens re yo re ready to ta e ad antage of the next boom. yo r a e a long-term ie y steadily b ilding balance sheet in the good times, yo ll be better positioned to withstand any speedbumps you may enco nter in the f t re here ha e al ays been challenges ith nder-ca italisation in the forestry ind stry, so tread carefully and protect your position for the long-term here is al ays going to be a deal that s too good to be tr e and e tra ol me on o er, b t if the o ort nity is only going to last for a short time, consider whether it is right for your future success.

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top spot Safety/performance/quality

Close results in Thin To Waste THERE IS ONLY ONE THING HARDER THAN winning the top crew competition in harvesting or silviculture... and that is hanging on to the coveted top position.

And the only way to achieve this is to focus on those things that you can control and strive for excellence in everything you do.

This applies to individuals and teams as a whole – from the contractor and crew foreman right through to the newest member of your team.

Results to date show that those who are doing this are really putting the heat on.

This issue we bring you the first set of results for Thin to Waste.

In the table below we have included an extended list of participants because these guys are all at the top of their game. The reality is, anyone of these participants has the potential to be at the top of thinning to waste, as their results were so close it was very difficult to separate them. But there were differences, and they counted in the end.

We’re still waiting for the perfect result – it will happen, it’s just a matter of who and when.

Congratulations to our top four and those sitting just outside of the top placings – your efforts are a true example of professionalism in this function.

It was quite interesting to read some comments recently from Roger Mariu, who is the South Island Silviculture Supervisor for Ernslaw One, about how the level of work is improving.

He says: “I have noticed with the introduction of Top Spot assessment there has been a marked improvement in H&S within our

southern silviculture crews.”

This slow, but steady rise in improvement can be attributed to the change in attitude towards assessment and Health & Safety and by crews consistently hearing clear communication through supervisors and contractors.

“Certainly, things are not always 100% correct but by conveying our message, we will continue to head in the right direction.”

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.

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, Wenita Forest Products, Port Blakely, Crown Forestry, Brand Logging, CMH Logging, Hauraki and Moehau Logging, Thomassen Logging, Te Waa Logging, Lakeland Cable Logging, Logged on Logging, Pakiri Logging, Inta-Wood Forestry, Otautau Contractors, Heslip Forest Contracting, Waikato Forestry Services, Hodgson Silviculture, Makerikeri Silviculture, NJ Simns Forestry Services, SAS Forestry, XMen Forestry, Central Forestry Services, Mangoihe Logging, Kohurau Contracting, Tohaia Forestry Harvesting, Kuru Contracting, Dennis E Hayes Logging, Swain Logging, Lumberjack Logging, Ernslaw One. Blue Wood Logging, Mike Hurring Logging, McCallum Logging, Whisker Logging, Kaha Logging, Lahar Logging, Dempsey Logging, Moutere Logging, JBD Harvesting, McDougall Logging, Forest View Logging, Kimberley Logging, Dewes Logging, X Men Harvesting, Pakiri Logging, Storm Logging, Lumberjack Logging, Eastside Logging, Veal Forestry, McHoull Contracting, Johnson Forestry Services, Pride Forestry, Halley Forestry, Penetito Forestry, FM Silviculture, Forest View Forestry, Wayne Cummings, Rodco Forestry, Johnson Forestry, Pro Forest Services, Eastside Logging and Norwest Logging.

Into safety?

Into performance?

Into quality?

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

THIN TO WASTE – PERIOD ONE PARTICIPANT

CREW

FOREST ESTATE

PLACING 1ST

PAETAWA TOKO

INTA-WOOD FORESTRY

PORT BLAKELY/ MATARIKI FORESTS

JR KALIB

X MEN FORESTRY

ERNSLAW ONE

2ND=

KALIB TE NGAHUE

X MEN FORESTRY

ERNSLAW ONE

2ND=

RUSSELL TE NGAHUE

X MEN FORESTRY

ERNSLAW ONE

2ND=

DION KAHI

INTA-WOOD FORESTRY

PORT BLAKELY/ MATARIKI FORESTS

ADRIAN WATSON

INTA-WOOD FORESTRY

PORT BLAKELY/ MATARIKI FORESTS

AARON MOTUTERE

INTA-WOOD FORESTRY

PORT BLAKELY/ MATARIKI FORESTS

SIMON AUSTIN

SAS FORESTRY

MATARIKI FORESTS

MARIUS VERGEER

OTAUTAU CONTRACTORS

MATARIKI FORESTS

JOHN WOODS

MAKERIKERI SILVICULTURE

MATARIKI FORESTS

54 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

top spot Safety/performance/quality Three successful members of the X Men Forestry team, from left, Kalib, JR and Russell Te Ngahue, who were all second-equal in the Thin To Waste first period.

Last year’s top silviculture crew, Inta-Wood Forestry, is still leading by example in 2019.

Pictured, from left, are Dion Kahi, Adrian Watson, Aaron Motutere and Paetawa Toko, who took out first place in the Thin To Waste first period results.

Zac Pinnington, of Hauraki 91, who was third in Mechanised Felling/ Processing from the harvesting period one results.

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August 2019 | NZ LOGGER 55

new iron

TUMEKE’S JOHN DEERE

ULTIMATE TIGERCAT

Tumeke Loggers, based in Takaka, near Nelson has taken delivery of a new John Deere 848L skidder, seen here with owner Daniel Solly and the crew at their Cable Bay site. Tumeke Loggers work all around the top of the South Island and the team are very happy with their new grapple skidder’s performance, especially operator, Tama Solly.

Ultilmate Logging and John Turkington have taken delivery of a new Tigercat 625E skidder in the Wairoa region. Timing was ironic when delivering the 6-wheeler, as the rain belted down and layered the tracks with a foot of muck. A 6-wheeler with band tracks was the perfect machine to attack the conditions that were settling in for the long winter months. The machine was sold by Mardi Pritchard, AB Equipment.

NEXT GEN CAT FOR DG GLENN

OTANGAROA KOMATSU

The first next generation Cat excavator has arrived for DG Glenn Logging with the addition of this Cat 323 into its East Coast operations. Operator, Josh, loves the smooth operation and performance of the new 323, as well as all the next gen features.

Pictured, from left, are Rob Scurr, Chad Gough and operator Josh.

The unit was sold by Heath Stewart, from Gough Cat.

Matty, Colin and boys at Whangarei-based Otangaroa Forest have taken delivery of a new Komatsu PC 270LC-8 fitted with an Active guarding package and Ensign 1730C log grapple and it’s already impressing operator, Colin Willis. Pictured, from left, are Matty Barr, Colin Willis and John Kosar (Komatsu Forest NZ).

56 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

August 2019 | NZ LOGGER 56

new iron

FOREST VIEW DOOSAN James Brown, of Forest View Logging in Whitianga, has taken Delivery of his second new Doosan DX300LL in the last 12 months.

This factory-built log loader has gone into his hauler crew working for Ernslaw One in Whangapoua Forest and replaces a Doosan DX 300LC that had completed more than 18 000 hours. The unit, which is fitted with an Ensign 1530 internal hose grapple, was supplied

by Priceright Parts and Machinery Rotorua. James Brown, second from left is seen here with the new machine alongside the Forest View crew and staff from Priceright Parts & Machinery.

HITACHI FOR TE KAHIKA Te Kahika Contracting has a new machine working in Hawkes Bay, building forestry roads – a Hitachi ZX210LC-5B. The machine was guarded by CablePrice Engineering in Christchurch and fitted with a quick hitch and Chubb thumb.

SUMI & WOODSMAN PRO FOR MCDOUGALL

BROWN CAT

McDougall Logging has taken delivery of a new Sumitomo SH350TLFS, fitted with a Woodsman Pro 850. Crew foreman, Arnold, loves the machine so much owner Ray has trouble getting him out of the cab. Reach, lift and slew power have all impressed Arnold while clearing the chute. Pictured with the newcomer, from left, are Ray McDougall and Arnold Henry. The sale was made by Mardi Pritchard, AB Equipment.

Daniel Brown, from Brown Logging, has purchased a new Cat 552 Series 2 harvester fitted with a Woodsman 1350. It is Brown Logging’s first dedicated felling machine and has been put to work in the Tokoroa region. Sold by Mark Costello, from Gough Cat.

August 2019 | NZ LOGGER 57

new iron

DT KOMATSU

FAST ELTEC

Des and Tracey Hansen, of DT Logging in Napier, have delivery of a new Komatsu PC 220LC-8, complete with an Active Engineering heavy-duty forestry guarding package and Ensign 1530IH grapple.

Des, owner/operator, is very impressed with the newcomer. Pictured, from left, are Joe James, Phil Brockman-Palmer (Motorworks), Des Hansen and John Kosar (Komatsu Forest NZ). Photo: Justin Morgan (Partridge Heavy Haulage).

Fast Logging has taken delivery from Shaw's Wire Ropes of a new Eltec FHL317L Tilter with Woodsman Pro Fh1350 Felling head, joining the other two Eltec machines that are operating on site.

WAIPINE TIGERCAT

CAT & WOODSMAN PRO FOR HICKFORD

Waipine Logging has taken delivery of its third Tigercat 6-wheel skidder. The new 635G comes with EHS (Efficient High Speed) transmission, which is perfect for the return speed on the long drags. This machine is impressing the crew on a regular basis with where it can go and what it can pull in challenging conditions and also how productive it can be in the hills and on the sand in winter for co-owners Hew Dalrymple and Aaron Christiansen. The machine was sold By Mardi Pritchard of AB Equipment.

Hickford Logging, which is working in Omata Valley near Waverly, has taken delivery of its new Woodsman Pro 850, which is installed on a Cat 336F. The sale was made by Ryan James from Gough Cat, Palmerston North.

58 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

new iron

BLUEWOOD DOOSAN Bluewood Logging, owner Clint McIvor, has taken delivery of the first Doosan DX225LL log loader in the deep south. Clint operates a ground base operation with Earnslaw One, based in Tapanui, ideally located for his crews to log in both the Southland and Otago regions. Spec’d in a road builder configuration, this machine comes with the excavator bent boom and arm, with bucket cylinder and linkage included and factory heavy side guarding, walkways and high and wide with heavy-duty lower components and track gear etc. Clint had his local engineer fit a high lift and ROPS/Side intrusion but otherwise all else is supplied ex-factory. He also chose a Duxson GX171 grapple. Pictured with the new machine, from left, are Adam and Clint McIvor.

RIBBONWOOD KOMATSU Pete and Diane Smith, of Ribbonwood Log Extraction, who are working in the Whangapoa Forest on the Coromandel Peninsula, have taken delivery of a new Komatsu PC 300LC-8 fitted with a full Active heavy-duty forestry guarding package and a Woodsman Pro 750 processing head. Brian Johnston, operator, is very impressed, saying it has “loads of lift, slew, a really good set up”. Pictured, from left, are Brian Johnston, Steve Candy, Reece Sowerby (foreman), Danny Bourke, Jarrett Gregory, Pete Smith and John Kosar (Komatsu Forest NZ). Absent: Jeff Mills. Photo: Craig Balsom.

MCCALLUM TIGERCAT & WARATAH Dave McCallum, owner of McCallum Harvesting in Southland, has taken delivery of the first Tigercat 875 to go into the deep South.

Now using the larger brother 880’s undercarriage, the 875 has proven to be a great carrier for this Waratah 624C, which is fitted with 360-degree centre hose-through, optimiser, paint marking and the larger MS18 1395cc Bigwood motors. Operator, Blanchy, can’t believe the difference in speed and raw power compared to the crew’s previous excavator conversion and says he couldn’t wait to get into some big stuff and put the new machine through its paces. Pictured with the new 875, from left, are Dave ‘Daggy’ McCallum, ‘Blanchy’, Skidder, Logan, Jackson and Waratah Product Support Technician, Gerald Crichton.

DAVIES CAT Caleb Davies, from Davies Earthmoving & Logging, has taken delivery of a new Cat 326F, featuring a 1730 Ensign grapple. The machine also has an Active Engineering guarding package. Caleb and the team are logging in Taumaranui and the King County area.

The machine was sold by Mark Costello, from Gough Cat.

August 2019 | NZ LOGGER 59

new iron

BRAND TIGERCAT & SATCO MANGOIHE SUMITOMO Mangoihe Logging has taken delivery of a new Sumitomo SH300TL-5, complete with a Priceright guarding package, Doherty hitch and Ensign grapple and hanger. Steve Harris, co-owner and operator, is very happy with all facets of the machine, which is working in full-time road lining, and he says the versatility and performance makes the job easy. The machine was sold by Mardi Pritchard, AB Equipment.

Tony and Simon Brand, of Canterbury-based Brand Logging, have taken delivery of their first new Tigercat H855E harvester, fitted with a SATCO 324 processor. The machine was delivered into their operation in Balmoral Forest in North Canterbury and operator Matt (aka Baldy) is very happy with the operation and performance.

Pictured, from left, are Simon Brand, Tony Brand, Sam, Matt (operator), Matt, Dan and Brian. The machine was sold by Steve Varcoe, of AB Equipment, Christchurch.

NZ LOGGER classified

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60 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

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WE HAVE THE PARTS TO GET THE JOB DONE! WE HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE TO GET THE JOB DONE!

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GET YOUR HAULER'S HEALTH CHECKED NZ WIDE REGISTER YOUR INTEREST NOW AT www.drdiesel.nz/haulerwof OR INQUIRE AT service@drdiesel.nz

PREVENT THIS BRAKE LININGS, ALL CUT TO SIZE. BRAKE PUCKS USE THIS

DR D's 's Y-SCREEN FILTER KITS AIR RAMS WATER PUMPS COPPER PLATES DEUBLIN VALVES AIR DUMP VALVES AIR VALVES / CONTROLLERS HYDRAULIC PUMP / MOTORS BRAKE AIR VALVES / TREADLES AIR COMPRESSORS & SERVICE KITS FINAL DRIVES AND SO MUCH MORE

COMING SOON! SERVICE & RECONDITIONING OF ALL HYDRAULIC RAMS AND SEALS

GEAR TAC 460 The Ultimate Replacement for Black Tac

410c Lower Queen Street, Richmond, Nelson Mobile: 021 811 057 sales@drdiesel.nz | www.drdiesel.nz

GT-460 MULTI GOLD

5th Wheel / Turntable Grease Replacement

COO TR T

YOUR BEST CHOICE FOR HAULER PARTS & SOLUTIONS AIR VALVES / CONTROLLERS

D 1 1007 REXROTH HD-2-FX CONTROLAIR & SERVICE KITS

1262 AVENTICS PILOTAIR 2-HA-2

1189 KOBELT CYPRESS & 1031REBUILD KIT

1296 KOBELT MADILL 124

1058 HUMPHREY 70 CONTROL

1020 1302 1209 1207 1019 WILLIAMS WM90DM WILLIAMS WILLIAMS WM512C WILLIAMS 3 WAY, 2 WM498W HYDRAULIC WM-607-C1 PRESSURE POSITION THROTTLE MODULATING VALVE TOGGLE VALVE CYLINDER & SERVICE KITS

AIR RAMS

1193 1251 1003 WILLIAMS 1270 WILLIAMS 1265 WILLIAMS PARKING BREAK WM498P WMR318 MAXI BRAKE WM318-G VALVE CONTROL REPAIR KIT REPAIR KIT SWITCH & REPAIR KITS VALVE

1205 THUNDERBIRD TMY50/70 GUY WINCH MAXIBRAKE

1035 MADILL 122/123 SPRING MAXIBRAKE M2475

1204 12/16 STRAWLINE MAXIBRAKE

1025 WABCO / BENDIX AIR DRYER

1295 1021 1022 THUNDERBIRD MADILL 122/124 TMY 50/70 GUY WINCH AIR MADILL 122 GUY WINCH TOWER DOG RAM & RAM AIR RAM REPLACMENT CYLINDERS

1153 THUNDERBIRD TSY 155

BRAKE AIR VALVES / TREADLES

1178 WM 305 SINGLE TREADLE DUAL VALVE & REPAIR KITS

1047 WILLIAMS 472 & WM325 / WM472 REPAIR KITS

1252 WM472/352 CARTRIDGE

1177 BENDIX DUAL ACTION BRAKE TREADLE

1208 WPT DUMP VALVE

1186 DUMP VALVE

ED BU

1176 WILLIAMS WM352F MODULATING VALVE

AIR DUMP VALVES

1174 WILLIAMS QUICK RELEASE VALVE

W NE

MAD TRAN

1052 1026 FAIRCHILD MODEL 20 TWIN DISC CLUTCH HIGH CAPACITY DUMP VALVE & REPAIR VOLUME BOOSTER KITS

1179 WILLIAMS AIR DUMP VALVE & REPAIR KITS

1172 BENDIX T-240004-D DUMP VALVE

AIR COMPRESSORS

1109 BENDIX DF-596 COMPRESSOR

1190 CUMMINS BRAKE AIR COMPRESSOR

1226 CAT COMPRESSOR

1187 QUINCY 325, 350, 370 NEW & EXCHANGE

1305 BRAND NEW QUINCY 370 AIR COMPRESSOR

1292 QUINCY 370 COMPRESSOR AIR COOLING TUBE

1230 PILOTED UNLOADER CHECK VALVE

1192 BENDIX SHUTTLE VALVE

1260 COMPRESSED AIR REGULATOR LUBRICATOR

1229 BENDIX AIR COMPRESSOR GOVERNOR

1284 TALKIE TOOTER AIR SOLENOID

1225 WM80A AVANTICS SHUTTLE VALVE SHUTTLE VALVE

1070 EATON 224 RUBBER DIAPHRAGM

1085 ADT WICHITA 18”, 19”, 21”, 24” AIR TUBE

1313 WICHITA 3 SPUD TUBES HHVVV 18”, 19”, 21”, 24”

SUPPLIERS OF OREGON HARVEST CHAIN + CHAIN SHARPENING SERVICES

www.drdiesel.nz .drdiesel.n

sales@drdiesel.nz les@drdiesel

REA

D 14”,

ULTRA DEGREASER 1000

GOLD

Dissolves Black-Tac

COOLING SYSTEM TREATMENT

NS

WE SELL OREGON HARVEST CHAIN

1241 COMPLETE DIESEL FUEL TREATMENT

1055 FULLER'S EARTH POWDER 250G

1164 POWERUP GEARMAXX

T-MAR

DEUBLIN VALVES

1010 DEUBLIN 5/8”-18

1009 DEUBLIN 1” NPT

1012 DEUBLIN 3/8” NPT

1011 DEUBLIN 5/8”-18

1004 OREGON 3/4 HARVEST CHAIN

1016 DEUBLIN 1/4” NPT

TIGERCAT

1314 TIGERCAT REVERSABLE FAN UNION

1309a DEUBLIN T-MAR LOG CHAMP

1019 LLIAMS -607-C1 607-C1

1129 DEUBLIN

53 ERBIRD 155

LES

1017 DEUBLIN 3/8” NPT

1057 WICHITA CLUTCH AIR TUBE BLANK ADAPTER

W NE

1013 DEUBLIN WICHITA CLUTCH 18”, 19”, 21”

1015 DEUBLIN 1”-14 NPT

E YL ST

1201 EDWARDS 820 BUTTON (NEW STYLE)

1008 POTENTIOMETER 4 POLE TERMINALS

1024 MADILL 122-123 TRANS F-REVERSE SWITCH

1023 MADILL 122-123HI-LO TRANS SWITCH

1266 TWIN DISC 2 SPEED TRANSMISSION COIL

TWIN DISC TRANSMISSION CONTROL VALVE GASKETS

72 DIX 04-D VALVE

0 R UBE

nz

1014 DEUBLIN 1” NPT

WATER PUMPS

SWITCHES / BUTTONS

1101 DETROIT 60 SERIES ENGINE THROTTLE SWITCH

76 IAMS 352F LATING LVE

A UBES V 1”, 24”

1159 DEUBLIN THUNDERBIRD WATER UNION

1203 ACT 8 WATER PUMP 90252008 + KITS

1081 ACT 06 WATER BRAKE PUMP

DISCS 14”, 16”, 18”, 24”

1082 BE70-85 WATER BREAK PUMP

1194 WATER BRAKE RETURN SCREEN FILTER

1262 DETROIT 60 SERIES ENGINE THROTTLE SENSOR

1279 TWIN DISC 5 SPEED MADILL TRANSMISSION 009/046/071 FUEL / COIL HYDRAULIC PUMPS

1211 CLUTCH ACCUMULATOR MADILL & THUNDERBIRD

1121 WICHITA 224 WATER BRAKE

1242 / 1243 / 1318 CHOKER BATTERIES CR-P2, CR2, 2CR5

BRAKE PUCKS 4”, 4.5”, 5”, 6”, 7”, 8”

1181 STRAWLINE PADS

1199 MADILL 124 HYDRAULIC PUMP DRIVE SHAFT

W ED E N OV N R G P SI IM DE

COPPER PLATES EATON 18”, 24” WICHITA 18’, 19”, 21”, 24“, 30”, 36” WICHITA 18", 19", 21", 24" WEAR PACKING SPACER

REACTION

1206 MONARCH NT2L8S

1087 WICHITA 18”, 21” ALUMINIUM REACTION DISC

WICHITA / TWIN 1188 DISC WICHITA 16" 14”, 18”, 21”, CENTER FRICTION 24”, 36” TWIN PUCK

1163 1184 EATON 118 - 218 NUT WICHITA 19" FRICTION PLATE BOLT SET 5/16 X 2 KIT INNER AND OUTER COPPER PLATES

1161 ADT WICHITA VENTED DRIVE DISC

1065 EATON 18” / 24” FRICTION DISC

1083 / 1084 BFG OIL TUBE / BAG 20¼ X 5, 22 X 5, 26 X 5, 26 X 7

HAULER PARTS NZ

1045 TWIN DISK CLUTCH SEPARATOR PLATE KIT

1191 BFG OIL BAG BLOCK 22X5, 26X5, 26X7

NZ LOGGER classified

W

KOMATSU PC 400LC-8

Sa

www.chains.co.nz ENGINEERED WITH EXPERIENCE....

LG29770

Price $695,000 + GST Phone 0272 379 160

Chain Protection have been Clark Tracks NZ agent for 20 + Years.

Chain Protection Services Ph: 03 338 1552 • E: chainpro@xtra. co.nz • www.chains.co.nz

N

N LG28236

This harvester has a full EMS build, boom and arm, tilt bonnet, cab etc.

The factory radiator and oil cooler have been replaced by an high flow radiator and oil cooler. Plus an auxiliary oil cooler in the counter-weight.

Base has done 3,985 hours. Base still has 2000 hours power train warranty.

Just had it’s 4,000 hours service.

The head has done 1700 hours and still has 2300 hours left on chassis warranty.

Has the latest optimisation timberite H16 computer system.

New colour marking which is not fitted.

Currently being used and will be available end of April early May so the hours will climb a little.

Clark Grouzer Super Grip with 28mm links for 30.5x32 Firestone tyres is the single wheel track that delivers maximum climbing capability for 6-wheeled machines.

GSG’s give exceptional traction and require less maintenance than tyre chains. $10150.00 + GST per pair while stock lasts.

Bra 100 hea

N

Hea cylin circ

U

Reb hyd auto

64 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

Jas ww

s e c i v r e S y r t s e r Waratah Fo Sample photo

Floor Stock on Hand New stock HTH624C Heavy Duty build spec. Factory fitted with MS18 drive motors for increased torque and natural speed. Comes complete with our H16 fully Optimised cabin computer system.

Available now.

Waratah 624C HD Harvester

NEW STOCK NEW

NEW

FL95 Series II Brand new floor stock, Fixed saw box felling head with 1000mm log cut. Ready to replace any existing felling head plug and play. Auto tension main saw $85,000

NEW

NEW

FL85 Series II Brand new Floor stock, small felling head ideal for small 20 ton carrier, auto tension saw $65,000

Extra heavily reinforced model for the toughest jobs in the forest and excavator applications, Strong cushioned cylinder reduces shock loads, ž Saw unit SC300 Integrated mounting of saw motor, No hoses in the saw box, Simple installation Introductory Pricing $38,500

NEW

NEW

Waratah 852 Log Grapple

Waratah 864 Log Grapple

Heavy duty fleet and stack grapple. High pressure cylinders allow mains pressure to be used in grapple circuit.

Price $27,750

Heavy duty fleet and stack grapple. High pressure cylinders allow mains pressure to be used in grapple circuit.

Price $29,550

USED

New Waratah SG360RS Grapple with Supersaw 650S

USED

Waratah 618C Upper and lower delimb knives along with topping saw are standard features on the HTH618C.Short, robust chassis that can easily be positioned in tight spots while thinning or taking on the bent and ugly timber for which this model is famous for.

Price $130,000.00 + GST excluding automation

USED

Rebuilt 626 Bigwood

Waratah 622B

Waratah 625C Harvester

Rebuilt 626 Bigwood - New motors, line bore, new pins, hydraulic valve bank reseal, repaint. New TimberRite automation system.

Price $185,000

TimberRite Head only. Softwood spec. Ready to go

Just traded 625c with TimberRite Optimisation computer system, auto tension mainsaw and ž topsaw. Our Waratah technician will partially or fully rebuild this unit to meet your needs. Talk to us today.

As is price $42,500.00

*prices exclude GST and are valid for a limited period.

Jason Huitema - Customer Support +64274864227 www.waratah.com

t

CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEB SITE

www.blackduck.co.nz

USED EQUIPMENT from

SEAT COVERS

AB EQUIPMENT

Forestry Equipment • Trucks • Utes – Vans – Commercials Construction Machinery • Agriculture Machinery • Quad Bikes

1989 Thunderbird TSY355 Swing Yarder Good working order, fully roped but excludes Camera & Grapple, Ex Palmerston North.

• Genuine high quality 12oz canvas • Manufacturing for over 25 years

SEAT COVERS • Water & rot proof

• Easy to fit - easy to clean • Side airbag compatible

Genuine high quality 12oz canvas • Tailored specifically to fit each type of seat Manufacturing for over 20 years • Over 3000 patterns available Water & rot proof Easy to fit - easy• to clean your vehicle investment Protect Side airbag compatible • Overnight available on most products Tailored specifically to fit each delivery type of seat Over 3000 patterns available Protect your vehicle investment Overnight delivery available on most products

Ph: 0800 158 479 sales@blackduck.co.nz

0 158 479 - sales@blackduck.co.nz - www.blackduck.co.nz

Call Mark Hill - 027 503 0483 Lease to buy options also available

Heavy Diesel Imports Ltd CONTACT HEAVY DIESEL IMPORTS LTD

Kelvin Johnson

Ph: 078847942 Mob: 027 307 7701 Email: heavydiesel@xtra.co.nz Te Aroha Waikato

CUMMINS • CATERPILLAR • DETROIT DIESEL SPECIALISING IN REBUILT EXCHANGE ENGINES TO SUIT LOG HAULERS • LOG YARDERS • MADILL THUNDERBIRD • BRIGHTWATER BULLDOZERS • EXCAVATORS 35 years experience building diesel engines. Cummins QSK19 only 1713 hours since new. We have the correct make up Cummins 855 STC and Caterpillar 3406C and Detroit diesel 60 series engines used in Madill-Brightwater-Thunderbird haulers rebuilt - run up and tested - ready to go. We travel anywhere in New Zealand to fit engines if required. We have Caterpillar 3406C built as log hauler spec, but can be changed to suit other Caterpillar applications such as Caterpillar D8N Dozer and others.

We also travel to do jobs such as tune ups - oil leaks or what ever problems you may have on above engines.

FOR FAST TURN AROUND AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICE 12 MONTHS WARRANTY ON REBUILT ENGINES Photos of engines and jobs done around New Zealand.

LG29740

• • • • • • • • •

LG28 71 4

UPER OUGH

NZ LOGGER classified

66 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

ABE_Us

USED EQUIPMENT from

AB EQUIPMENT Tigercat LH855C with Satco 424 (as pictured)

Two 2013/14 Tigercat LH855C’s with 9,000 to 11,000 Hours. Both have Satco Fall & Delimb Head (1 with measuring).

Ex Taupo.

2009 John Deere 753 JH Harvester

15,000 hours, Waratah 622B with measuring, Topping Saw & optimiser.

A well serviced machine, Ex Christchurch

$160,000 + GST

$495,000 + GST Each ONO 2011 Tigercat 635D Log Skidder

(Sample photo as currently in the paint shop) with 12,500 hours, new Engine, 4 new 30.5 rear tyres, Winch & 25 ft Grapple Ex Invercargill.

Tigercat 635C Log Skidder

Log Skidder with 16,827 Hours, Large Fuel Tank, 25 Sqft Grapple, 35.5 Tyres on the Rear. Recently had new Engine & front Diff fitted. ex Invercargill.

$240,000 + GST 2014 Tigercat LS855C Feller Buncher

9,000 Hours, Tigercat 5195 Felling Head, tethering Hitch, new undercarriage to be fitted, available late March. ex Dunedin.

$180,000 + GST 2014 Caterpillar 545C Log Skidder

9,000 hours, One owner machine with Winch, 19ft Grapple & good rear rubber, Ex Christchurch

$225,000 + GST 2014 Hyundai R250LC-9 HW Feller Buncher

With Satco 630 Felling head, 6500 hours, 600 mm single Grouser shoes, One Piece bonnet, Full length track guards, heavy duty corner post, Brightwater Engineering ROPs , hydraulic door, Ex Nelson.

$300,000 + GST 2014 Caterpillar 545C Log Skidder

8,000 Hours, Grapple, Winch, 2 new rear Tyres, centralised grease blocks Ex Nelson

$195,000 + GST

OFFERS WELCOME

2014 Tigercat 630D Log Skidder

7,000 hours, Grapple, Winch & good Rubber, Ex Wellington

$240,000 + GST

Contact your Forestry Specialist Today: 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 André Muller 027 550 1729 HASTINGS Ben Kendrick 021 658 554

NEW PLYMOUTH & PALMERSTON NORTH Richard Walker 027 553 9216 WELLINGTON Mardi Pritchard 021 335 873 NELSON Chris Jones 027 574 1712

FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

ABE_UsedFE_NZL_AUGUST.indd 1

CHRISTCHURCH Nic McLennan 027 275 6252 Steven Varcoe 021 969 323 DUNEDIN Cory Hellyer 027 288 1952 INVERCARGILL Dean Cousins 021 932 246 AB EQUIP MENT

23/07/2019 2:44:17 p.m.

NZ LOGGER classified

Mount Machinery Ltd

Hitachi Zaxis 200-3 LC 2004 With rotating logging grapple on quick hitch & rock bucket, all in good condition. Has certified ROPS FOPS & OPS, side intrusion on operators door. Ready for work.

Heavy Plant & Machinery Valuers

Price $85,000.00 Plus GST Make an offer

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

LG29794

LG29796

For more information contact 03 261 5599/027 443 8462

www.mountmachinery.nz

STRONG & RELIABLE GRAPPLES STRONG && RELIABLE RELIABLE GRAPPLES GRAPPLES STRONG Made in NZ

• M SERIES 852 AND 864 – STRONG & RELIABLE GRAPPLES

Grapplesand andall allspares sparesinin Grapples stockwith withovernight overnightdelivery delivery stock

• GRAPPLES AND ALL SPARES IN STOCK WITH OVERNIGHT DELIVERY

LG29717

PROVEN852 AFTER SERIES and864 864 MM•SERIES 852 and SALES SERVICE STRONG&&RELIABLE RELIABLE STRONG GRAPPLES GRAPPLES

68 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

ProvenAfter AfterSales Sales Proven Service Service ContactMarty MartyororBruce Bruce Contact Ph027 027324 3249091 9091 Ph 79Chambers ChambersStreet, Street,Tokoroa Tokoroa 79 enquiries@cdlloggrapples.co.nz enquiries@cdlloggrapples.co.nz

A DIVISION OF

W

of the

Equipment MONTH

Finance rates available 0800 346 275

HITACHI ZX330LC-5G

2012. Hydraulic Hitch, GP Bucket, Tilt Bucket, ROPS Cab, Aux Piping, Reverse Camera, HRV's fitted to boom and arm rams.

9,882 hrs.

Auckland #E0519024

$150,000.00

SUMITOMO SH300-5 2014. Tidy low hour forestry spec with Satco 425 processing head.

7,992 hrs.

JOHN DEERE 624K

$328,000.00

Invercargill #E1118113

JOHN DEERE 624K

2013. Auto lube, log forks, GP bucket, as new tyres, guarding, rear camera. 9,250 hrs.

Nelson #E1018109

$155,000.00

JOHN DEERE 624K

2013. Hydraulic quick hitch, auxiliary piping, auto lube system, lever steer, new 20.5 x 25 rims. Tidy loader. 5,091 hrs.

Christchurch #E0419010

$168,000.00

CATERPILLAR 525C

$76,500.00

Waratah HTH626 Big Wood head. Devine engineering ROPS, FOPS, OPS and forestry guarding. 16,000 hrs.

$115,000.00

VOLVO G940

2007. Good tyres. Tidy grader with push block, rear rippers, auto lube, rear view camera. 11,007 hrs.

Whangarei #E0719035

Nelson #E0718076

VOLVO EC360CL

Grapple Skidder, Good condition. 12,260 hrs.

Rotorua #E0519022

2010. Trinder log forks, Groeneveld auto lube, rear radiator guard, full mud guards, one owner driver from new. 16,342 hrs.

$95,000.00

Hastings #E1217095

$225,000.00

TIGERCAT 630C

2008. Tidy low hour skidder with winch. Near new front tyres and good rear tyres 6,160 hrs.

Whangarei #E1018102

$165,000.00

Contact your local CablePrice sales representative for all enquiries Northland: Phil McKenzie 0276 202 505 | North Shore: Luke Larsen 0275 884 064 | Auckland / Coromandel: Simon Birchall 0278 096 211 Auckland: Donal Campbell 0278 088 006 | Hamilton / Taranaki: Angelo Capon 0276 037 517 | Central North Island: Terry Duncan 0275 943 550 Hawke’s Bay / Gisborne: Colin Dulley 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 *Terms & conditions apply. All prices exclude GST

Free Phone: 0800 555 456 | sales@cableprice.co.nz | www.cableprice.co.nz

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S 0

NZ LOGGER classified

0

0

)

NOW AVAILABLE FOR HIRE

S

0

0

visit us on

00

LG26859

www.facebook.com/RWFSfieldservice

Ph: 07 348 0501 Email: Info@rwfs.co.nz Mob: 027 817 9448 Workshop 41 Riri Street, Rotorua

Re-grip for winter with our Nokian and Maxxis combo deals.

S

LG29731

z

CHOOSE THE HARDEST WORKERS. Call us on 0800 NOKIAN (0800 665 426) or email info@nokian.nz to find a dealer.

Like Nokian, Maxxis understands how to make tyres stand up to the roughest of conditions and keep working hard, day after day. So this winter, we have combo offers so you can go further not only in the forest, but also on the roads that get you there. Talk to us about your requirements today.

www.maxxis.co.nz www.nokian.co.nz

August 2019 | NZ LOGGER 71

NZ LOGGER classified

Mobile welding & light fabrication Servicing Bay of Plenty and Waikato

NEW WORK and REPAIRS onsite to all forestry machinery / heavy motor vehicles we will come to you anytime

LG29834

Certified Welder LT400 C.O.F welding and repairs

Visit www.customweld.co.nz call 027 717 5934 anytime IN FORESTRY, IT’S THE SIMPLE THINGS

DONE WELL THAT REALLY WORK

Ben Addenbrooke 027 359 2360 S O UTH IS LA ND S A LE S Nick Andrews 027 548 7761

dcforestryequipment.com

72 NZ LOGGER | August 2019

FALCON C L AW SAFE . SIMPLE . PRODUCTIVE

LG25750

NO R TH IS LA ND S A LE S :

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 CHAINS, HEAVIER AND BETTER 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

Logger ad March 2019.pdf 1 21-Mar-19 3:20:25 PM

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Swaged 6x31 rope is the new standard in the forestry industry.

Our high performance rope provides improved e ibility and increased bend cycles res lting in increased ro e life red ced do ntime