NZ Logger September 2020

September 2020

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H G HI E D I W & ming the newcomers co ISSN 1176-0397

Wel

Thumbs up to mechanised planting

They’re jogging for logging

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contents SEPTEMBER 2020

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FOREST TALK Keep safety top of mind in lockdown; Cannabis referendum raises questions; Automated log tagging project underway; Methyl bromide deadline waived; Don’t ignore powerline risk; Focus on mechanised and aerial planting; Fonterra fires up first wood pellet fuelled plant; First citywide renewable energy heating system for NZ; A little courtesy goes a long way; Converting data into decisions; Specialty timber sector in the spotlight; New Tigercat H-series skidders impress; Tough-built processing head; Why isn’t NZ using more paper-based packaging?.

SHAW’S WIRE ROPES IRON TEST Among the first Sanys to go to work in New Zealand are a pair of machines

26 working with a central North Island logging crew run by Tokoroa-based Fast Logging. We travelled to a Eucalyptus block just north of Taupo to conduct an Iron Test on Fast Logging’s latest loaders.

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SILVICULTURE: MECHANISED PLANTING When Timberlands first considered trialling mechanised planting in Kaingaroa Forest, it was with some trepidation. “But if not us, then who in New Zealand would trial this technology?

We needed to have an open mind about the potential of mechanised planting and to be involved with its development,” says Timberlands Operations Manager, Ben Dixon. The results are impressive.

36 36

WORKER WELLNESS: JOGGING FOR LOGGING When Gisborne forestry worker, Wade Brunt, decided to get healthy in mind and body, he quickly realised his mates were struggling with similar problems. Unlike so many of us, he acted on his good intentions and Jogging for Logging was born.

DEPARTMENTS 2 editorial 40 fica 42 top spot 44 new iron 47 classifieds

September 2020 | NZ LOGGER 1

from the editor

Welco

Thumbs up to mechanised planting

They’re jogging for logging

Time for an overhaul

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H IGHDE I comers & W w ming the ne ISSN 1176-0397

PHOTO: JOHN ELLEGARD

September 2020

Fast Logging’s Mike ‘Smiley’ Alexander is enjoying his new Sany workhorse. Turn to this month’s Iron Test to find out why.

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HE WORD ON EVERYONE’S LIPS AT THE MOMENT IS LOCKDOWN. As Auckland powers down to Level 3 and the rest of the country heads back to Level 2, the forestry industry once again holds its breath.

Despite the early difficulties, the industry bounced back strong the first time around and with a bit of luck and a lot of awareness, this second knock doesn’t have to take a higher toll. As we go to print, Coronavirus cases are decreasing and we can only hope this second wave is no more than a ripple.

Meanwhile though, it’s not only our rugby players struggling to get travel exemptions. Logging contractors with staff needing to cross the Auckland borders are taking strain. Exemptions are taking up to 10 days, and while we know it’s for a good cause, at the end of the day, for a small business it’s a little more than frustrating. If the trend continues as it is, by the time you hold this magazine in your hands, lockdown in the Auckland region may well be winding down. Until that happens, take note of the correct safety Protocols. You can find them all on the Safetree website. See our Forest Talk pages for the link.

The planting season also took a step back as it was delayed thanks to COVID-19, but it’s in full swing now and looks to end strong. Last month we took a look at the difficult, yet rewarding world of manual planting.

This month, it’s all about the machines. The mechanised planting trials at Kaingaroa Forest have proven their worth and the machines are now going full steam ahead on appropriate terrain. Many may question if this marks the end of manual planting, but those in the know insist it’s more about better utilisation of the labour force than competition. Turn to our feature on mechanised planting to learn more.

It’s not just planting that’s getting an overhaul. A group of loggers down in Gisborne have taken it upon themselves to get fit and healthy. It’s no accident they went down this route. One man took the brave first step towards physical and mental health and wellbeing, and others followed. It’s not only enriched their own lives but that of their whānau too. It’s a reminder too, not to take your health for granted on any level and to reach out for help and share your problems if you’re struggling, particularly in these unusual times. After all, a problem shared is a problem halved.

Until next time, stay safe. NZL

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forest talk

Keep safety top of mind in lockdown IT’S A GAME OF PATIENCE AS WE WAIT TO see if Auckland’s second wave of Coronavirus takes stronger hold. With Alert Level 3 in the Auckland region and Level 2 elsewhere, the forestry industry is nevertheless, powering ahead.

The earlier bounce back after the Level 4 shutdown was encouraging, but if things get worse, can the industry take a second hit after 102 days of effectively being COVID-19 free?

For now, it’s buckle down and work, with safety top of mind. Those operating in the greater Auckland Region must do so under the COVID-19 protocols which can be found on the Safetree website. The protocols will be reviewed as appropriate, particularly for travel to and from work.

Key actions are: • stay home if unwell, • sneeze and cough into your elbow,

• wash hands often, • maintain one metre physical distancing at work (two metres in public places) and consider using a mask where this isn’t possible, • maintain contact tracing and travel only if necessary in Level 2.

See the full Protocols on the Safetree website at: https://safetree.nz/resources/ covid-19/ NZL

Cannabis referendum raises questions WITH THE REFERENDUM ON THE legalisation of cannabis around the corner, now is a timely opportunity for companies to proactively review and assess their approach to managing the risk of impairment caused by drugs and alcohol.

Impairment is a significant workplace risk. The current debate is an opportunity to reflect, refine and refocus approaches to managing impairment risks at work – from cannabis to other drugs and fatigue, says the Forest Owners Association (FOA).

New regulations that came into effect in April mean employees can now validly use medicinal cannabis. From a workplace perspective, medicinal cannabis can be treated in the same way as any other prescribed medicine when it comes to managing the risk of impairment.

When taking a drug test, employees

must declare any prescription medicines that they are taking, including medicinal cannabis. This is entirely separate from the cannabis legalisation and control referendum which is linked to the 2020 General Election.

If recreational use of cannabis is legalised following the referendum, it is useful to think of dealing with this in the same way we currently deal with alcohol consumption, says the FOA. While it is legal for people to drink alcohol on their own time, we do not expect them to show up to work under the influence of alcohol.

The same would apply for recreational use of cannabis. If recreational cannabis is legalised, testing will still be allowed.

Existing drug and alcohol policies may be affected by the medicinal cannabis regulations and, possibly, by the outcome

of the referendum. It is important to review your policies to ensure they reflect the legalisation of medicinal cannabis use, and (depending on the referendum results) potentially the recreational use of cannabis.

The existing FOA Code of Practice Eliminating Alcohol and Other Drugs from the Workplace will be updated to take into account these changes, when the result of the referendum is known. NZL

Automated log tagging project underway A NEW LOG TRACKING PROJECT AIMS to replace paper log tags with a punch code that will enable log identification and tracking from the time a log is made in the forest to the time it is delivered to the customer.

This will eliminate the cost of branding logs with paint, and the cost of attaching log tags to export logs. It will also mean log measurement and other attribute data will be captured only once, eliminating the duplication that currently occurs in the forest-to-customer supply chain.

New Zealand technology companies are partnering with a Swedish company

4 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

to further develop and commercialise the technology here in New Zealand. Within the Forest Growers Research Automation and Robotics programme, Dr Glen Murphy is putting together a project team which includes forestry companies, wood processors and port logistics companies, all of whom could adopt the new technology.

The plan is to have built an alpha prototype log marker suitable for a NZ processor head and alpha prototype tag readers by June 2021. This will be followed by testing of the alpha prototypes, and development of beta prototypes up to the end of 2022.

Field demonstrations, commercialisation

and deployment of the technology will then begin, with a project completion date before the end of 2025. NZL

An example of the log marking (which is about the size of a credit card).

forest talk

Log fumigation at the Port of Tauranga.

Methyl bromide deadline waived THE GOVERNMENT HAS WAIVED THE DEADLINE FOR LOG exporters to recapture emissions of the toxic fumigant methyl bromide.

Two years ago, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) advised that after October 28, 2020, anyone using the ozone-depleting gas, methyl bromide, for pest fumigations would have to recapture and destroy all emissions.

The deadline, set in 2010, said that if industries such as forestry could not show they were using recapture technology for all fumigations, they would not be able to use methyl bromide.

However, recently, an EPA decision-making committee agreed to waive the deadline until April 28, 2021, just as community groups

feared would happen.

The EPA is currently considering an application by the forestry group Stakeholders in Methyl Bromide Reduction (STIMBR) to re-assess the recapture controls – it was against this background that the deadline waiver was granted. STIMBR argued that it needed the extension because of the long lead-time for log exports to India, and how these might be affected by the decision-making process.

The EPA says the deadline extension was a “temporary measure to make sure the industry can continue to function while the main decision-making process is progressing”. The waiver will not influence or impact the ongoing process, it says. NZL

Don’t ignore powerline risk LOGGING COMPANY, MIKE HARRIS Earthmoving, has been fined $100,000 at the Rotorua District Court after a worker suffered an electric shock from live powerlines that left him without full use of his right hand.

WorkSafe says any business conducting work near live powerlines must consider the risk they pose as part of its safety planning.

The incident happened in November 2018 when the crane on a forwarder picking up and transporting logs at a Rotorua site stopped working. The forwarder was then transported to an area on site to be repaired.

Once moved, the vehicle came in close enough contact with live powerlines for electricity to be conducted through it. As a result, a worker who was holding a rail on the side of the machine at the time suffered a serious electric shock. He suffered full thickness burns to his right foot and had to have two of his toes amputated. He also suffered full thickness burns to his right hand and has not regained full use of his hand.

WorkSafe’s Acting Chief Inspector, Danielle Henry, says the incident left one person seriously injured but also put several

others at risk.

“This work should not have been carried out near live powerlines. Before beginning repairs the company should have considered proximity to the powerlines and the potential for worker injury if the machine came into contact with live electricity.

“Mike Harris Earthmoving didn’t have an area designated for repairs. This is a reminder to all businesses that the risk of powerlines must be considered. This company’s failure to do so has left a worker with life-changing injuries,” he says. NZL

September 2020 | NZ LOGGER 5

forest talk

Risutec mechanised planter

Focus on mechanised and aerial planting FORESTTECH 2020 HAS SET ASIDE A FULL DAY TO COVER NEW technologies around forest establishment, mechanised planting and silviculture, in addition to its usual data collection focus.

Several presentations at last year’s ForestTECH covered research and trials that had been undertaken on planting with drones, seedling deliveries onto planting site by drones and survival counts of tree seedlings using satellites, hyperspectral and multispectral imagery and deep learning. As these new remote sensing technologies are being rolled out, there is an obvious cross over between forest data collection and cutting-edge research and trials around tree crop management, says organiser and Director at Innovatek, Brent Apthorp.

Recently, there has also been a resurgence of interest being shown by forestry companies in Australasia on mechanised or automated operations for planting and silviculture. The economics are starting to stack up and mechanised or machine planting is already successfully being used across Scandinavia and in South America. Operational trials have been undertaken in the central North Island of New Zealand last planting season with more extensive plantings using the mechanical planting systems planned for this year, he says.

Aside from addressing the shortage of planters this year because of COVID-19 restrictions, some of the advantages being seen of mechanised planting using planting heads mounted on an excavator are better soil cultivation (ripping and mounding) for the young trees and greater consistency in the quality of the tree planting. Fertiliser granules can also be integrated into the planting process, along with herbicides or insecticides if required.

In drier climates or at the end of the planting season, tree planting can also be extended by the application of water (or slow release irrigation) at the time of planting. This feature, particularly with Eucalyptus plantings in countries like Chile, Brazil, South Africa, China and Indonesia, has been used successfully and is being trialled this season in northern NSW. Each of the main mechanised planting head manufacturers; Bracke, Sweden, Risutec, Finland and the M-Planter, Finland will be presenting as part of ForestTECH 2020. Early trial results and lessons from trials by some of the larger companies in both New Zealand and Australia will also be detailed to ForestTECH 2020 delegates as part of the November event. (See the article on page 26).

As well as on-ground mechanised planting, aerial planting systems using swarms of drones are also now fully operational. DroneSeed

6 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

out of the US spoke at last year’s ForestTECH event. The company has been employing swarms of UAV’s (or drones) to automate tree planting and spraying operations for a number of major North American forest management companies and late last year, had already started commercial trials for planting in New Zealand. The technology is capable of planting out at six times the speed of the human planter and in some pretty tight and tough terrain. This year they’ll be providing an update on their planting trials as well as their projects on reforestation and rehabilitation.

Another company with local ties, AirSeed Technologies, has also devised its own system, allowing drones to plant large numbers of seeds in minutes using a pneumatic firing module. It can fire out two seeds per second at velocities of anywhere between 150 and 300 metres per second into the soil. This is faster than the cruising speed of a passenger jet. The module, called a Podder, can be attached to the bottom of most popular drone models and a team of two, flying two drones, can plant up to 40,000 seeds into the ground in a day. AirSeed Technologies will be presenting at ForestTECH 2020 on its drone technology and work in seedling and tree planting projects.

ForestTECH 2020 runs in Rotorua on 18-19 November 2020. This year, it’s being run live and as a virtual on-line event for Australian and international delegates. Together with resource and inventory management, the two days will provide a comprehensive technology update for all those involved in forest operations, planning, data capture, forest establishment and tree crop management. Full details of the programme for both days can be viewed on the event website at www. foresttech.events/ft20. NZL

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forest talk

Fonterra fires up first wood pellet fuelled plant FONTERRA WILL UNVEIL ITS FIRST COAL TO WOOD PELLET energy conversion at its Te Awamutu plant in the Waikato this month.

This marks part of the company’s move to renewable energy and to reduce emissions as it works towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The $11 million power source conversion could be used as a blueprint for its other factories around the country.

Previously, the factory was using coal to heat its boiler, to produce dry milk products. “The boiler produces steam which is used as a heating medium to dry milk powder, to make products like whole milk, skim milk and buttermilk powder,” says Site Operations Manager, Marc Carney.

Once the new wood pellet burner is operational, it will eliminate 84,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year, the equivalent of taking 32,000 cars off the road. It will also reduce Fonterra’s coal energy consumption in New Zealand by 10%.

Mr Carney adds that he was pleased Te Awamutu had been selected for the fuel conversion pilot project: “We’re about the fifth biggest plant the company has, so it’s the ideal size to test the technology, and then see if it can be used in our other factories.”

Fonterra partnered with Nature’s Flame in Taupō to supply the wood pellets. It uses waste wood shavings, sawdust and offcuts from the forestry and timber industry to convert into pellets for heat fuel.

The large coal storage pit across the road from the Te Awamutu

factory is now empty and being used as a car park.

A special storage shed is being built near the pit, so the wood pellets can be delivered from Taupō, out of the weather. From there, the pellets will be moved to the factory boiler via the existing conveyer belt, which was used to carry the coal across the road.

The Te Awamutu plant burnt 42,000 tonnes of coal last season.

Although it will burn 50,000 tonnes of wood pellets once the conversion is completed, Mr Carney says the emissions will be cleaner and lower compared to coal.

Fonterra has 21 factories in New Zealand. Some already use a mix of renewable electricity, with wood biomass conversions in progress.

Last year, Fonterra made a commitment not to install any new boilers or increase capacity to burn coal. It also converted the boiler at its Brightwater site near Nelson to run on a mixture of coal and wood biomass. The company is also working to move away from coal at its Stirling site in Southland.

Mr Carney says the company started its energy efficiency journey in 2003 and is on target to reach a 20% reduction in energy intensity by 2021.

“Since 2003 we have saved enough energy to power all the households in Hamilton for more than 43 years,” he says.

Coal-fired power is one of the largest sources of air pollution accounting for almost 20% of greenhouse gas emissions. NZL

First citywide renewable energy heating system for NZ THE INVERCARGILL RENEWABLE DISTRICT Heating System has received $14.6 million funding from the Shovel Ready Infrastructure projects fund, says Climate Change Minister, James Shaw.

The system will provide sustainable, renewable energy for the Invercargill inner-city and will become the first distributed, renewable energy heating system in New Zealand. It is an important milestone also for the New Zealand timber industry, for its environmental benefits and in enhancing the perception of Invercargill City.

The system will see Invercargill become the only carbon-neutral, heated city centre in the country and build upon the region’s proactive approach when it comes to mitigating the effects of climate change.

The plan involves centrally located biomass boilers being established which will distribute heat via pipe networks to businesses and public goods in the inner city. This will focus on the Esk and Kelvin Street areas.

As part of the funding, boilers at the Invercargill Prison, Southern Institute of Technology and Kew hospital will be converted to renewable biomass boilers. In total the developments will remove the equivalent of one million tonnes of CO2 – equal to 360,656 cars being taken off the road.

The system builds on the Wood Energy South project that was led by Venture Southland and has strong ties to Great South’s carbon Neutral Advantage Project which focuses on creating a competitive advantage for the Southland region.

As a result of the announcement, Great South

Map of proposed Invercargill energy plan.

8 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

will commence planning work immediately with the hope of construction for the system beginning early 2021.

Just what is an integrated district heating network? Simply put, it is a system that provides centralised heating and cooling to a range of innercity buildings via pipe networks. The new system will likely involve two wood-fired biomass boilers integrated with the existing water storage tanks.

At the same time it will use supplementary peak demand heating from existing local electrical boilers for more extreme peak days, or if there is a boiler plant outage.

Biomass boilers often have the lowest life cycle

cost and using the waste wood from sawmills, they provide additional income and local employment opportunities. Southland is ideally positioned to champion the benefits of these boilers with 200,000 tonnes of waste wood per year, a number that is likely to increase to 600,000 tonnes by 2050.

A secondary supply/return pipe network for the new ILT hotel, The Langlands and inner-city development will supply supplementary fresh air heating and/or potable hot water. Access to the existing storage tanks has a critical design and cost benefit, together with maintaining the existing on-site electrical standby/peak heaters for on-site redundancy. NZL

forest talk

Wilson Haulage’s courteous driver presentation. Fom left: Ian Burton, Jerome Renata, Renata (Reno) Tawhai, Kim Holland and Rod Wilson.

Photo: Gisborne Herald.

A little courtesy goes a long way LOGGING TRUCK DRIVERS, RENATA (RENO) Tawhai and Jerome Renata of Wilson Haulage, are the inaugural recipients of two special Eastland Wood Council awards for courteous driving.

When local surgeon, Ian Burton, was out for a regular fitness ride on his bike, he was near the top of Makorori Hill when a logging truck came up behind him. “He held back from overtaking me until I had cycled down the far side of the hill to Whales,” he says.

He gave the driver a wave, and quickly realised there was a second truck immediately behind. Ian was so impressed with their courtesy that he wrote to Kim Holland, Chief Executive of the Eastland Wood Council (EWC). It didn’t take her long to find Reno and Jerome, who Ian got to meet when they were

acknowledged for their efforts.

Ian has spent plenty of time biking on the roads, so knows only too well the difference good and bad drivers make to his cycling: “This was really good of them. I see plenty of bad examples and this was a wonderful change.”

Reno and Jerome say that courtesy is the norm at their whānau-focussed company.

“This is a Wilson’s thing,” says Reno, who has been driving trucks all his working life, “and it comes from the top.” He’s talking about company owner Rod Wilson, a driver for 35 years and owner of Wilson’s Haulage for the past 16.

Jerome, who has been driving for 12 years, agrees: “This is a great job. I like the challenge that comes with it but we all have to share the road with others, so it’s better if

we are all courteous.”

Both men say a log truck driver is in anticipation mode all the time. “These are big vehicles and it takes a lot to slow them down,” says Jerome. “I am really grateful Ian took the time to write – it’s good for our industry.”

Kim says it was a lovely gesture by Ian to publicly thank the drivers: “I would love to do more like this to acknowledge our log truck drivers. It is challenging work in a tough environment and sometimes they undeservedly get a bad rap.”

The two drivers received a certificate and vouchers from the EWC, as well as Hunting and Fishing vouchers from Ngāti Porou Whānau Forestry, whose logs they were hauling.

“I am very proud of them,” says Kim. “This was unsolicited feedback – it’s great to get. NZL

forest talk

Converting data into decisions Above: Illustration of machine learning/AI in action. Insert: Andrew Rossington, Vice President of Technology, Teletrac Navman.

TELEMATICS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY, Teletrac Navman, has announced the release of its next generation solution TN360. Powered by artificial intelligence, TN360 delivers telematics functionalities in real-time, providing businesses with simplified, predictive and actionable insights for transport, logging and construction industry fleet management.

Traditional telematics systems rely mostly on GPS and motion sensors as they collect a narrow set of data-points, centred on location, diagnostics and routing. These systems process linear calculations and produce important but limited feedback. TN360 uses a scalable cloud ecosystem that connects data from sensors, cameras, mobile and third-party applications in real time and translates raw signals into context.

It serves as a nexus for data collection across all integrated systems such as engine information, driver behaviour, camera sensors, temperature sensors as well as information

connected via third party systems. Powered by AI, TN360 collects this information, predicting critical insights to make an immediate impact on safety, compliance and efficiency.

The ability to capture, connect and process robust amounts of data with immediacy transforms telematics from a two-dimensional map application to a powerful real-time sensor network producing insights for a threedimensional world.

“The digital transformation of the mobile asset and fleet management space has only just begun,” says Jens Meggers, President of Teletrac Navman. “Artificial intelligence, scalable cloud technology, real-time computer vision sensors and easy-to-use smart data analysis are completely changing the telematics market.

We are at a pivotal step in the industry, digitising vertical industries unlike any time before.”

Through AI, TN360 removes the analysis period for its users, allowing managers to take

corrective action immediately. The platform enables business operations to recognise patterns of efficiency in order to highlight opportunities in areas like route planning, logistic workflows, maintenance, driver behaviour, compliance and fuel management.

Users can quickly receive business intelligence metrics simply by asking a question of TN360’s smart AI engine with voice-command technology, eliminating the challenge of traditional data analytics.

“Our goal is – and always has been – to simplify mobile asset and fleet management for our customers,” says Andrew Rossington, Vice President of Technology, Teletrac Navman. “We built TN360 with an AI-first approach on the latest technology stack, delivering a paradigmshifting product. We use this technology to process the masses of data collected and turn this into real answers. The platform converts data into decisions.” NZL

Specialty timber sector in the spotlight A WORKING GROUP TO CREATE AN industry entity for those working in New Zealand’s specialty timber industry, comprising sawmillers and others working in the sector, has been formed, supported by Specialty Wood Products and Forest Growers Research.

Exotic specialty species, including Cypresses, Eucalypts, Redwoods, Poplar and Tasmanian Blackwood, are estimated to cover around 67,000 hectares, and are a potentially highly valuable regional resource.

10 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

These species are generally milled by smallscale sawmillers, who form a critical link in the specialty species value chain. Currently these people all work independently, but are known to be milling timber worth hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.

The working group believes an industry entity could provide leadership, strengthen links in the value chain, attract and train new entrants, upskill existing practitioners, and develop branding and collaborative marketing that will increase the value and

sales of specialty timbers.

The working group has produced a discussion document and a survey of the sector has been launched, targeting primarily small-scale sawmillers and aiming to discover more about the activities of the sector, and gauge the level of likely support for an industry association.

If enough positive responses are received, the next step will be to set up a steering group to lead the formation of the new association. NZL

New Tigercat H-series skidders impress

TIGERCAT’S SKIDDERS JUST GOT A WHOLE LOT BETTER WITH A completely redesigned operator station and plenty of advancements to boost productivity and minimise downtime. The line includes the 620H, 630H, and 632H four-wheel models, as well as the 625H and 635H six-wheel models.

The redesigned operator station provides 20% more cab space than the previous E-series design. Window area has increased by 19%, offering improved forward and rear visibility. Additional low side windows allow for better sightlines to all tires.

A new and improved Turnaround® system lets the operator rotate the seat 220°. Effortless pushbutton controls lock and unlock the seat in any position in the range. The operator has full control of all machine functions including drive controls. The seat rotation improves operator visibility, reduces neck strain, and allows the operator to easily exit either side of the cab, says Tigercat.

A durable, heavy duty air ride suspension seat with heating and cooling keeps the operator comfortable. The reclining seat is fully adjustable with seat angle and seat extension adjustment. Tilt up adjustable armrests along with adjustable lumbar support all contribute to operator comfort. A secure five-point harness comes standard for improved safety.

Added to this, a completely redesigned HVAC system provides more efficient cooling capacity, 50% more air vents, variable fan speed, and an automatic defrost option. A ventilated cup holder with adjustable airflow keeps drinks hot or cold. Dedicated storage locations are set aside with space for a lunch box, hooks for a hardhat and jacket, along with a sturdy cell phone holder and convenient charging port.

The interior finish includes a modern LCD touchscreen display.

Interior walls are made of moulded plastics and removable steel panels, making cleaning a breeze. An easy-clean rubber floor mat with aluminium plates gives added durability.

Operator controls are now located on the armrests and include several new features. Independent differential lock buttons are easily accessible on the joystick with the ability to engage the front and

forest talk

rear separately. LED lights above the buttons illuminate, making it clear when they are active. A cruise control button is also available to maintain the drive command for the operator.

All H-series skidders feature load-sensing hydraulics with larger, more efficient valves. Hydraulic tank capacity has increased 20% for improved steep slope performance, along with improved level detection and more robust mounting. Horsepower has increased on the 620H, 630H, 632H, and 635H models. The 620H and 630H are now equipped with larger arch and boom cylinders. The 625H is also equipped with larger arch and boom cylinders, along with larger steer and dozer cylinders – all to maximise productivity.

Engine enclosure doors have been reinforced to resist impacts.

T-style compression latches ensure they stay securely closed. Belly doors now use pivot bolts to easily swing open and a new, smaller door gives easy access to the fluid drain plugs. ‘Quarter turn’ locking pins, adjustable sweep brackets, and a larger tilt cylinder make tilting the cab much simpler. Batteries, drain hoses and fill hoses are now easily accessible within the left side step. A robust tyre pressure monitoring system now comes standard on all models.

The first 635H, already pre-sold, lands in New Zealand this month, says AB Equipment’s Mark Hill. After that, H-series stock will be available again in the new year. NZL

September 2020 | NZ LOGGER 11

forest talk

AFM-Forest Sales Area Manager, Timo Savornin.

The AFM 75 processing head.

Tough-built processing head THE NEW AFM 75 IS A TOUGH-BUILT PROCESSING HEAD with high feeding power for the most demanding logging operations worldwide, says AFM-Forest Sales Area Manager, Timo Savornin.

With its HD frame and pins made from Scandinavian quality steel and nylon bushings it can fit on different tracked base machines.

A wide tilt angle and the geometry of the front knives ensures an efficient and ergonomic way to pick up logs on steep slopes.

Designed in conjunction with customers, the AFM 75 offers easy access for daily maintenance and hydraulic hose change, maximising production.

Optional feeding motors and rollers make the AFM 75 a perfect tool for harvesting and debarking operations even in the most difficult species of plantation grown Eucalyptus, by offering good de-barking results during the first feed, says Timo.

The proportional saw system and saw control also makes for fast and efficient sawing in all tree species. “With its modern geometry and optional top saw, Supercut saw system and 360 rotation it can fell, feed, crosscut and measure with precision in roadside processing or in stump-to stump operations with no compromises,” he says. NZL

Why isn’t NZ using more paper-based packaging?

WITH THE GROWING PROBLEM OF PLASTIC POLLUTION highlighted by the Government’s banning of plastic bags, the New Zealand Forest and Wood Sector Forum is asking the question – why isn’t NZ using more locally-sourced and recycled paper-based packaging?

Statistics on the environmental impact of plastic speak for themselves.

It is estimated we are on track to lose 90% of marine bird life, while the weight of plastic in the ocean will exceed the weight of fish by 2050.

Annual global plastics waste generation is estimated at 258 million tonnes per annum. That’s enough plastic to build a 310 metre high wall along the entire length of SH1 – material destined to persist in landfills, or the wider environment, for decades if not centuries.

The traditional ‘linear’ manufacturing approach of produce > use > dispose needs to change to a ‘circular’ model. Avoiding landfill and litter requires goods to be reused or recycled at the end of their useful life, whether into similar products or for energy.

Paper-based packaging is a demonstration of mainstream ‘circular‘ production: • It is sourced from plantations that regrow after harvest.

• Virgin paper is made from a combination of residues of other wood processing and wood that is unsuitable for sawmilling.

• Paper is the mainstay of recycling worldwide.

• If not recycled, at worst, paper naturally biodegrades.

As an alternative to many single-use plastics, paper represents a solution to the problem that is both economically and ecologically sustainable.

The forestry and wood products sectors are established parts of NZ’s economy, with our primary sector exporting the majority of food products in paper packaging. The opportunity to build on that capability can only be enhanced by the growing global consensus around environmental goals, says the Forum. These include net-zero emissions of greenhouse gasses

12 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

and zero waste to landfill by 2050.

Countries are reflecting their commitments to a circular economy in practical ways. China has banned the import of contaminated materials for recycling, obliging exporting nations (including NZ) to look inwards at their systems of consumption and recycling. Australia’s Council of Australian Governments has moved to ban the use of materials that can’t be recycled domestically, and to bolster the domestic use and recycling of paper and paper packaging.

New Zealand has long-standing and significant trading ties with both Australia and China. We therefore have a choice; to embrace the change to a circular economy, which our forestry sector is ready and primed for; or risk linear economic isolation into tomorrow’s ‘circular’ global economy, says the Forum. NZL

Paper-based packaging represents an economically and ecologically sustainable solution.

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iron test

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E tos: John

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This Sany SY305H is equipped with a larger-than-normal Ensign 2430 grapple.

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Standard boom and arm don’t seem to hamper the shovelling ability of the Fast Logging Sany SY305H.

S

OMETIMES IT DOES PAY TO BE LATE INTO THE GAME when developing contracting equipment because you can learn from everyone else’s successes and mistakes, then use the latest technologies and manufacturing techniques to try and do better.

The Japanese did it. So did the Koreans. And the Chinese are now using the same recipe to make a wide array of products to fuel their economic development. As a result, China has become the workshop for the rest of the world But we haven’t seen much equipment from China in our forests. Until now.

Sure, Chinese-built Yuchai loaders have been working in harvesting operations around New Zealand for a while, just not in big numbers. That is set to change with a new brand landing in the bush.

Shaw’s Wire Ropes has begun importing excavators from one of the world’s largest producers of diggers and is ramping up to be a serious player. Get used to seeing the name Sany around our skid sites.

If you’ve never previously heard of Sany that’s because it has mainly concentrated on markets much bigger than ours. Headquartered in Changsha in the Hunan Province, Sany is the sixth-largest heavy equipment manufacturer in the world and in addition to its huge industrial base in China, it has manufacturing facilities in Australia, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine and the United States. It employs 90,000 worldwide.

Sany products cover a wide base, from excavators, wheel loaders and other construction equipment to cranes, pumps and a whole lot more.

Right now, the focus is on their diggers after Shaw’s inked a deal last year to import Sany excavators to work in New Zealand forests.

Among the first to go to work here are a pair of Sany machines working with a central North Island logging crew run by Tokoroa-based Fast Logging.

To find out more about these Chinese newcomers, NZ Logger travelled to a Eucalyptus block just north of Taupo to conduct an Iron Test on Fast Logging’s latest loaders.

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But not before we spoke to Shaw’s and Fast owner, Mike ‘Smiley’ Alexander to find out why they went out on a limb with a product that is largely unknown in our market – especially as loggers tend to be very conservative with their big capital purchases. Aren’t they worried about doing their dosh on an unproven brand? Apparently not.

Terra Cat (previously Gough) has been selling Sany pumps in NZ for a while so they must have faith in the brand, points out Jonny Edwards, Product Manager for Shaw’s Wire Ropes.

The Aussies have also been using Sany excavators in forestry for a few years, he adds. Randalls Equipment, which represents Ponsse on both sides of the Tasman, is a long-time distributor of Sany to its forestry customers in Australia.

“We had been looking around at what else was available after contractors were asking us about whether we could supply a costeffective log loader and Sany combines nicely with our Eltec product,” says Jonny. “It means we have a premium purpose-built forestry range Eltec at the higher end and now this new Sany product at the lower price end of the market.

“We got into it through Paul Morgan, a contractor from Tasmania who runs them. Steven (Stokes) and I flew over to Tassie and we were really impressed after driving them and talking to a few of the mechanics, although they don’t guard them up or prepare them for the forest like we do.”

That was followed up by a trip to China that saw them signing up to import Sany excavators for the forestry sector only – another distributor here looks after the civil construction market.

It was decided that the local line-up would consist of two models; the 25-tonne 245H and the 30-tonne 305H. The H indicates that these machines are for general contracting use, so they would need to receive a full high and wide conversion, forestry cab and extensive guarding package.

Jonny says that Sany does produce a forestry version it calls the F model, which features “a semi-high and wide base with a little bit of

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Left: Good stability and traction – even on those triple grousers – make the Sany SY305H a useful machine out in the cut-over.

Below: No problem shifting these heavy Eucalypts, thanks to good hydraulic power.

Right: That big high and wide chassis is a real boon when working in these conditions. guarding” and standard cabs. A 245F was brought in for a Stokes Logging crew in Northland to see how it performs, but things have already moved on.

Factory high and wide coming The factory has now agreed to build the more substantial high and wide base developed by Ensign Engineering in Rotorua, says Jonny: “Dave (Cox of Ensign) was happy to supply the design to Sany. He says they are a pain to build and take up a lot of space and time in his workshop – he’d prefer to concentrate on the other parts of the package.”

In future, the Sany 245 and 305 will both arrive sitting on the same 30-tonne high and wide base and be shipped to Ensign to receive the forestry cab, full guarding and be set up for the appropriate grapple, felling head or processing head.

“That will cut the conversion time by half,” adds Jonny.

Sounds good, but it doesn’t quite address the usual contractor

concerns about how a machine will stand up to the tough New Zealand forest environment.

“I know contractors are very cautious with their purchases and that’s understandable,” admits Jonny. “But look at what’s inside these Sany machines.

“You get Isuzu Tier 3 engines (for the 305 and a Mitsubishi for the 245), Kawasaki valve bank, Kawasaki pumps, and these guys build all the cylinders for Hitachi and Doosan, so there’s lots of interconnected ties that people will already be familiar with.

“We’ve cut the steel up to have a look at it and seen them being built and it’s all good. The boys at Ensign were very impressed with how they are put together and we were blown away by what we saw in China. Sany exports all around the world so they have to be up to scratch.”

Currently there is no factory option for a log loading boom and arm with under/under configuration rams, but these can be constructed locally.

“We’ll work with Sany to do a logger boom at some point, but we’re

SERIOUS POWER FOR BIGLOGGERS TIME LOGGERS SERIOUS POWER FOR BIG TIME

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ALWAYS SWING A BIG STICK

EST EST 1909 1909 894 | TOCALL WWW.SHAWS.CO.NZ JONNY EDWARDS 021 WWW.SHAWS.CO.NZ JONNY EDWARDS 021 944944 894 THE THE SUPPLIER SUPPLIER NEW TOCALL NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND HEAVY HEAVY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY 18 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

starting with the factory high and wide first to get that how we want it before we move onto anything else,” adds Jonny.

Another question mark on the mind of contractors will be supply of parts. Jonny confirmed that Shaw’s has already brought a large quantity of parts into the country “as people will expect us to have things in stock”.

He goes on to say: “Sany is building a big parts warehouse in Melbourne – they’re really serious about that market and we’ll be able to draw parts from there, which means very little delay in getting stuff that we don’t have.”

Those reasons were enough to convince ‘Smiley’ Alexander to order two Sany SY305H machines for Crew 62, working just south of Kinleith.

“The reason for going with a machine like that just comes down to the support behind it – Shaw’s are only just down the road and they’re very responsive,” he says.

“They are a simple machine, too, which I liked. Getting back to basics so it’s good for servicing and has well-known components. Although nobody else is using them, once we learned what the components were we knew they were going to go OK.” There is still an element of chance, although ‘Smiley’ adds: “My whole contracting history in forestry I haven’t been afraid to try new things.

“I was the first one to have a Sumitomo in the forest 20 years ago and now look at how popular they are. I was among the first to use Hyundai in 2008 and none of them have let me down and that just comes down to the people behind them as well as the quality of the product.

“So when Jonny Schick told me they were getting into Sany it didn’t really worry me that I hadn’t heard much about them – you trust their judgement and the fact they will stand behind them. I can’t see why they shouldn’t be just as good as any of the other gear I’ve got. That is already the case because the operators are very happy with them, and they are quite simple yet still comfortable to drive.”

Both Sany SY305H machines working for Fast Logging are identical except for the tracks and implements; one has triple grousers and a large Ensign 2430 grapple, while the second has cleats on the grousers to provide more bite for working on the slopes and uses an Ensign 1525 grapple equipped with a drop saw.

‘Smiley’ says the machine fitted with the grapple saw spends more of its time out in the cut-over, following the harvester, shovelling and

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bunching trees for the skidder to drag to the skid. Having a saw on the grapple enables the operator to trim butt ends and he could even fell trees at a push.

“With Eucalypts you don’t have to be precise with measurements because they go off to Kinleith for pulp, so the operator can just cut off the butts and it’s handy to have that option,” says ‘Smiley’.

Big grapple The big grapple on the other Sany was an experiment to see if it could make good use of its ability to grab more logs and reduce loading time. In the current block, the tree diameters can be very small, so the advantages of the large grapple are somewhat outweighed by lots more juggling to prevent them slipping and sliding in the arms, but it should come into its own in the next block where the wood is bigger.

Time to see the Chinese machines for ourselves and make our own judgements.

Crew 62 is one of six operating under the Fast Logging banner and it used to work exclusively in woodlots, but now concentrates on larger Eucalypt forests. In another change, it is also one of the few crews in the country led by a woman.

Min Tobenhouse was appointed recently as foreman of the crew after spending four years occupying the Health & Safety role at Fast Harvesting. But she also has a long history working in the bush, with experience across a range of machines. In fact, she gained her first loader ticket from our Iron Tester, Stan Barlow, who greets her like a long-lost friend when we arrive on site.

Min and her husband Nolan, who operates one of the new Sany loaders, are hoping to buy a partnership in the crew if all goes well.

“An opportunity arose with this crew and I was asked and thought ‘why not’ – I haven’t run a crew before and it’s unique in New Zealand,” says Min. “The guys are all happy for me, Nolan doesn’t mind me being his boss. The best part about it is that I have worked with all of them out in the field and then as part of my Health & Safety role. This is a new adventure and hopefully it might even lead to us being able to partner in this crew.

“I am fortunate enough to work for ‘Smiley’ who has given so many people that opportunity and being female it’s really good that he has seen some potential in me. I feel he is rewarding me for my work ethic.”

MADE IN CANADA FOR NZ CONDITIONS

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September 2020 | NZ LOGGER 19

Right: Shovelling slippery, small diameter stems with such a big grapple can be a challenge.

Below: The advantage of having a big volume grapple is well illustrated.

Below right: The second of Fast Logging’s Sany 305H loaders is equipped with a smaller Ensign grapple fitted with a saw to remove butt ends.

Speaking of work ethic, how are those two Sany loaders working out?

“Pretty good,” she says.

“They are very functional – no heated seats, but do you need them? I like the fact that when I was on one for about a week it was easy to clean, inside and out, I could reach everything outside from the platform in front of the windscreen. Lots of places to grab, too.

“It’s a high machine to step up onto the big high and wide, but I still manage it. There is a step under the cab and usually they are the first things to get wacked off but it’s a good solid design. We wanted it high for the work we do out in the cutover and although the wood in here isn’t that big we are going to be moving into bigger wood and that means bigger stumps out there. You try and cut them as low as you can but sometimes that isn’t possible and the high and wide makes it easier to get over any that are left.”

Nolan has parked up the Sany SY305H fitted with the big grapple on a flat surface so we can examine that big high and wide more easily. And, as Min says, it is very high, providing almost 900mm of ground clearance. A big step up, even for a tall bloke, let alone the vertically challenged.

If Sany is going to be constructing high and wide bases this big in the factory, it will certainly be a point of difference in the market.

They’ve got a great template in this Ensign-built job, with the bottom rollers now sat on top and benefitting from large protective plates. It looks damn-near bulletproof.

The top part of the loader appears to sit even higher because of the extra-large collar and slew ring. Not a bad thing, because it prevents wayward branches getting caught up between the frame

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and the underside of the upper body. Love the extra-wide platform, too.

Well-finished cab Ensign has done an equally good job with the forest cab, minimising the bars through use of Marguard to create a big expanse of glass, which makes the interior feel so much bigger when you plonk down in the seat. The finish is superb. Factory-like plastic trimming on the metal surfaces looks much more professional than grey felt. It’s well laid out, but I’ll leave it to Stan Barlow to comment further in his Iron Test column on page 24.

Also impressive is the amount of space around the engine and all the componentry. Technicians will love working on these machines and operators can carry out most of their daily checks from the ground. Well thought out.

There’s even a huge storage cabinet where the fire extinguishers are kept, providing lots of space for tools and fluid containers.

The engine itself should be well-known to many contractors because it has been used in a variety of machines over the years. It’s the Isuzu GH-6HK1 model, a six-cylinder, 7.79-litre unit delivering around 212kW of power at 2,000rpm and 1080Nm of torque at 1,500rpm.

To keep it operating at a nice cool temperature, Sany has designed a descent cooling system, including an oil radiator. Nolan says it hasn’t run hot in any of the work he’s undertaken. Fuel use seems to be on par with similar size loaders.

Nolan was on a Sumitomo 320 prior to the Sany and is enjoying his new steed: “It’s very smooth and power-wise, it has all you need,”

SERIOUS POWER BIG TIME LOGGERS

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he reckons, adding that it has no problem coping with heavy loads in a full grapple.

Initially he wasn’t keen on the big grapple but grew to like it: “It was put on as a trial to see what it could do and I actually like it so I’ve asked for them to keep it.

“You only have to do a couple of grabs and you’ve almost filled a bunk. That means the truck drivers are not waiting so long and they are off again.

“No feeling of being unbalanced even though it has a weightier grapple. When it first turned up I was expecting a bit of rocking, but it’s quite stable.

“The computer operation has been made as basic and simple to follow as they possibly can. And that makes it easier for the operator.

You don’t have to go into lots of places to get to things.

“It has four modes and I have it set on full power. You can also adjust the response but I haven’t needed to as it came just the way I like it. This one reacts as fast as I want the boom and arm to work.”

In between fleeting and loading trucks, Nolan takes the Sany out to the cut-over to help Junior Aiturau shovelling stems off the hills, which is where we’re sending Stan Barlow to conduct the first part of the Iron Test.

As Stan heads off at a good pace, Nolan remarks: “This machine walks better than any I’ve been on, it’s real smooth. Even on those triple grousers, I was told when it arrived that I would be limited to where I can go but I haven’t had a problem getting anywhere yet. I’ve taken it up a few hills and as long as you are careful where you track, it will go up alright.

“And see that big stump over there, you’d think I would have

trouble getting over it, but no, I get over that without touching. So it’s pretty high.”

Stan gives that stump a miss, but there are plenty of other obstacles to overcome before he reaches the hill behind the skid site. There, he tests the 9.5m reach and doesn’t appear to have any problems moving the wood to the flat.

“The boom and stick could be longer, but I’ve got used to it and you just work with what you have,” adds Nolan.

The large grapple makes it tricky for Stan to pick up individual stems, particularly the skinny ones, but it definitely helps when grabbing a big bunch.

While Stan deals to this side of the hill, Nolan and I walk around to the other side to where Junior Aiturau is shovelling with the second Sany.

On those cleats it “climbs like it has running shoes on,” according to Min, although the greasy Euc bark can act like a skating rink when it’s wet, so caution is advised.

Junior Aiturau has a smaller grapple to play with, so he can’t be as gluttonous when it comes to grabbing big loads, but he shows off the advantage of being able to trim the butts to save the processor time down on the skid.

By the time we get back to the skid, a truck has turned up and Stan prepares to test the lifting ability of the Sany on the 4-axle trailer.

Not a problem. If lifts with ease, as you’d expect for a machine that has seen its factory weight of 31.5 tonnes grow to almost 40 tonnes including grapple thanks to the forestry build.

The log stacks are positioned on a ledge above the road, so Stan has a great view looking down onto the truck and trailer. But those

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1: The neatly laid out cooling side of the Sany SY305H Isuzu engine.

2: Plenty of space in this locker for tools and other items, as well as the fire extinguishers.

3: Lots of room around this big Kawasaki pump, plus good access to filters.

4: View from the top – good access around the back of the boom.

5: Substantial guarding around the Isuzu engine.

6: Professionally finished cab from Rotorua-based Ensign.

6 skinny SOBs are still causing havoc as he tries to grab a big bunch of logs to fill the bunks. It’s like picking up matchsticks. It does provide a good test of the dexterity and fine control movements of the 305H.

Eucalyptus is more dense than Pine, so the big loads also provide a test of the stability of the Sany, as well as the power of the slew and lift. A test that it passes with flying colours.

If these Sany loaders can continue to deliver good performance in demanding forestry jobs for another 10,000 or 15,000 hours ‘Smiley’ will be delighted and relieved. And so will the team at Shaw’s Wire Ropes. NZL

Two of a kind – the pair of Sany 30-tonne

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Fast Logging’s Eucalyptus harvesting crew.

ALWAYS SWING A BIG STICK

22 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

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iron test: Stan Barlow

A BIG BEASt ONE OF THE STAND-OUT FEATURES OF the new Sany has nothing to do with its Chinese builders – it’s the big High & Wide constructed by Ensign in Rotorua.

Man, it’s a big mother of a beast. Almost makes you feel like superman when you wade out into the cut-over. I swear I could have walked over stumps twice as high as any other machine. I really hope that the factory version follows this blueprint when it gets built.

In all other respects, it’s hard to distinguish the Sany from any other loader in the forest. That’s not a bad thing.

They’ve looked around at what others are doing and they’ve built a very competent loader. Take the logo off the sides and you’d be hard-pressed to tell it apart from another brand. It’s tidy and has a really nice looking finish. Mind you, a lot of that is down to the excellent local upgrade by Ensign.

The proof, of course, is how well it works and my time in the cab underscored those initial impressions; it goes just as well as it looks.

I liked the way the power comes in through the hydraulics, with little drop when you employ more than one function at the same time.

Travelling out to the cut-over on broken, lumpy ground didn’t faze it. The walk speed was good and the long tracks bridged most of the ruts and dips.

Once out there, it felt well-balanced once I started reaching out to grab stems and shovel them down the hill. I didn’t miss the extra counterbalance weight, although you definitely feel it when you pick up the heavier stems, yet it didn’t disturb the machine too much. Coming out of Radiata Pine where you grapple two or three logs, it’s very different with Euc. I was greedy on my first grab, I admit and nothing moved.

So I was more circumspect after that and it handled the stems very well.

I didn’t really miss the extra reach of a straight boom and arm, you just change your approach to compensate. Any longer and it might over-balance and suddenly you’ve changed the whole dynamics of the machine.

Iron Tester, Stan Barlow.

Loading the truck was a challenge with all those spindly logs moving around in that big grapple. I can see why Nolan likes it because of the amount you can grab, but you need plenty of variety and not too much of the smaller stuff, as they have a life of their own. Once you have laid out the bed in the truck it’s a lot easier, too. It’s a different technique to loading pine. After loading up the grapple, the machine lifts strongly and although the slew feel less powerful compared to other machines, it works well enough.

Far left: Minimal bars deliver a great view through the screens – the Marguard has an exterior film to protect from scratching.

Left: Nolan Tobenhouse is one of two operators for the Sany SY305H loaders.

Below: Fast Logger owner, Mike ‘Smiley’ Alexander with newly appointed Crew 62 boss, Min Tobenhouse.

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IFICATION

SPECIFICATIONS - SANY SY305H LOG LOADER SPECIFICATIONS ENGINE

REFILL CAPACITIES (LITRES)

6-clinder, 7.79-litre, Isuzu GH-6HK1, Tier 3 Bore / stroke Gross power Max torque Max travel speed

115mm x 125mm 212kW (284hp) @ 2,000rpm 1,080Nm @ 1,500rpm 5.2km/h

HYDRAULICS Main pumps Max flow Swing pump Swing speed

Two variable displacement axial piston pumps 2 x 360L/min Axial piston 9.5 rpm

BOOM / ARM Sany standard boom/arm Model Reach 9.5m Grapple Model Ensign 2430 Rotation 360-degrees Max clamp opening 2,430mm Capacity 1.3m² Weight 1,930 kg

Controls follow the standard industry pattern and they had a good feel to them and were placed nicely for me. Good, comfy seat, too.

The view out from that cab is excellent.

540 31.9 35 380

Fuel tank Engine coolant Engine oil tank Hydraulic tank DIMENSIONS (MM) Shipping length Shipping height Shipping width Ground clearance Track length Track shoe width Tail swing radius Operating weight

So much glass. Ensign has even angled the bars to present the smallest width to the operator, so you don’t even notice them. The cab itself is very nicely finished and roomy. No heated seat, but the heater

10,667 3,470 3,190 900 4,840 600 3,315 31,500kg (factory standard), 40,000kg approx (forestry built incl. grapple)

keeps it pleasant inside on a cold day. I did like the three exits built into the cab design – a good safety feature.

Overall, the new Sany impressed me more than I expected. NZL

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22/07/2020 11:44:27 AM

Silviculture

Mechanised planting demys t Story: Hayley Leibowitz

W

HEN TIMBERLANDS FIRST considered trialling mechanised planting in Kaingaroa Forest, it was with some trepidation. What about the costs, the continuity of work, the product support, the risks? Those were some of the challenges that needed to be overcome says Ben Dixon, Timberlands Operations Manager.

“But if not us, then who in New Zealand would trial this technology? We needed to have an open mind about the potential of mechanised planting and to be involved with its development.”

That led them to the M-Planter. With just four in the country – the first imported by Timberlands in 2018, two more in 2019 and the fourth in 2020, owned by another contractor – the first trial was followed by a full season of

26 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

planting last year with some 350 000 seedlings planted during that season. Initially planting was done on prepared sites, says Henry Fear, Director of HA Fear and M-Planter NZ, the companies conducting the trials. The machines have since been adjusted to be able to do the main preparation as well, with the planting encompassing the full operation in one system and the resulting increased productivity.

“Mechanised planting is not new. It has been done and developed around the world for 20 years, however it is still only done on a small scale. Scandinavia has led the way with this technology and innovation, however when we reviewed the opportunity of mechanised planting, less than 5% of planting in Scandinavia was being done mechanically,” says Ben.

“We reviewed what mechanised planter machines were being used around the world and identified that there were three main manufacturers: M-Planter, Risutec and Bracke (all out of Scandinavia) who were leading the way with this technology and development,” he adds. The next step was to travel to Finland and Sweden to talk directly with the manufacturers and view the machines working in the forest environment.

“All of the units had the potential to be engineered for our environment, however we went with M-Planter due to the fact that it was a very basic and robust design (less moving parts) and M-Planter were interested in working with us to design-engineer the unit for our environment to be able to rake slash, spot cultivate, mound and plant.”

s tified Mechanised planting made sense in a lot of ways, he says, particularly with forecasted labour shortages, difficulty in finding motivated people and retaining skilled labour with seasonality of silviculture work, and increasing labour costs closing the gap on mechanisation.

In terms of efficiency of preparing land for planting it made sense too, integrating several operations into one environment – land preparation, planting and fertilising, and utilising water gels/crystals to extend the planting season, says Ben. Taking on Timberlands That environment is in the Southern part of Kaingaroa Forest, where ground conditions are flat but it’s pumice country with little

humus or top soil. “Traditionally this has been a very difficult area to establish trees,” says Henry. “The only method that seemed to guarantee results previously was the Wilco spot cultivation method of doing a full cultivation with a rip depth to an optimum of 0.9 of a metre and producing a mound that centres on that rip of 0.4 of a metre.

We’ve taken what’s been learnt from that in terms of survival establishment right the way through the tree’s lifetime, to rip to a set depth of the same criteria and we’ve modified the planting machine to be able to do that.

“So our cultivation rip depth has been achieved up to 1.2 metres – that’s our maximum – with a pre-planted mound height of up to half a metre.”

Above left: The M-Planter using the cutting edges to form a mound ready to plant.

Above: The operator herb sergeant loading the seedling cassette.

The machines hold 160 plants and with around seven minutes to fill them up, you can plant 2000-3000 per day on pre-prepared sites depending on ground preparation used and 1000-1300 for a full cultivate and plant. “Indications around survival rates and quality of planting from last year have all come back incredibly positive with a noticeable difference between the growth in the trees from mechanically planted trees and manually planted trees on similar sites,” adds Henry. (continued on page 30) September 2020 | NZ LOGGER 27

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Silviculture

(continued from page 27) He says the reason for this is likely the consistency around the fertiliser application: “We’re fertilising as we plant in some areas and we’re doing a measured amount for each tree, with the fertiliser distributed pretty evenly around the tree in the ground, always an exact measurement within about one to two grams so it’s incredibly accurate.”

Ben adds that currently Timberlands manually fertilises its stands after they have been planted. “The method of application is to create a slit close to the roots and apply 10 grams of fertiliser per tree in a tablet form. The amount of fertiliser applied manually is very accurate, however it is very difficult to check that the fertiliser has been applied,” he explains.

Man versus machine Which leads to the obvious question of whether machines are likely to push out manual labour.

30 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

Both Ben and Henry emphasise that it's more about better utilisation of the labour force than any competition.

“We mechanically prepare 3,500-4,000 hectares per year for planting using mainly excavator machines and we require 100+ planters per year to complete our annual planting programme of 7,500 hectares,” Ben explains. “We looked at our land preparation and planting operations, based on the amount of area we prepare with machines for manual planting and the forecasted labour concerns and saw an opportunity for mechanisation.”

Henry adds that to mechanically plant some of the easier contour in New Zealand allows for the steeper contour to be “planted better” with more available labour. “It’s not pushing anyone out of work, it’s more changing where that labour is utilised.”

It’s about working smarter says Ben: “Over time mechanised planting will evolve and we

will plant more and more using machines, due to improving technology, machinery and robotics. Forest growers are wanting to be smarter about how we establish forests for the future. That includes: • Preparing the sites for future mechanisation.

• Capturing and storing seed stock information – monitoring growth/ performance of various seed stock.

• Use of fertiliser to improve initial growth – for better tree health and productivity.

“However, having said all of this, there will be a place for manual planting in terms of: • Teams of people can plant a lot of area safely and quickly.

• Areas which are difficult to access or too steep/dangerous for machines.

• Not all forest growers have the same need for precision planting or collection of information – and the associated additional cost.”

Above: The original M-Planter fitted in 2018 (it included a movable ripper).

Left: Arial footage of the M-Planter showing the straight lines of slash from the raking process.

Below: The operator’s view during the planting process.

Henry adds that with reduced pruning availability, there are fewer experienced silviculture labourers and as companies struggle to fill those gaps they start looking for mechanical options. 2020 has been the exception to the labour shortage with the influence of COVID-19.

Thanks to COVID-19 the planting season started a lot later this year too, but the increase in available staff has meant that it progressed a lot faster than normal for the greater Timberlands, says Henry.

Under current circumstances, at the start of the season mechanised planting was one of the only ways to maintain isolation while productively planting with COVID restrictions. One man for one machine also significantly divides labour costs.

“Isolation used to be a bit of a no-no for health and safety rules but since COVID’s come along it’s ‘hang on, that’s actually a bit of an advantage’,” he says.

September 2020 | NZ LOGGER 31

Silviculture

Of course lead times have also increased with COVID, with uncertainty everywhere around shipping. On the plus side, M-Planter spare parts can be locally manufactured, modified and maintained.

And any experienced machine operator will pick up the controls of the planting machine within a couple of weeks, says Henry. “They’re incredibly simple machines to use.”

Attached to the end of an excavator boom, the M-Planter resembles a large hopper with a digging implement to mound and then create a hole for the young trees.

Grown in plugs, they are held in a carousel that feeds a tube into which the trees drop and are then fed into the ground, along with some fertiliser granules, when the operator pulls a trigger. Two paddles compact the soil around the freshly planted tree. It can be used on pretty much any soil or any terrain which is accessible by an excavator.

“Anything less than around about 18 degrees of slope can be done quite comfortably. Anything more than that requires a management plan. There’s no reason why the machines can’t be used on anything that you can use an excavator

32 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

on,” says Henry.

He adds that the costs are more or less the same as manual planting, even slightly more expensive sometimes, but “we are starting to see a lot of benefits within the growth rates in the trees as well as increased survival rates and consistency around the planting quality and cultivation quality in some areas”.

“To clarify costs, when we cultivate and plant we can be anywhere from $1.30 up to $2.00 per tree. This is largely dependent on ground conditions, stump height and previous crop stocking. However when we are planting on sites that have been prepared for manual planters, the cost per tree can be far greater than the conventional manual planting. In short the cost is incredibly varied depending on ground conditions and whether or not any prep work has been done prior,” he says.

Benefits and challenges The benefits are already showing within the growth rates and consistency of the planting. “Within our trial season last year we had very few faults come up within our

planting consistency for the overall volume of trees planted. Probably less than 0.01% of the trees came back with any sort of fault during the process. Because it’s obviously mechanical the depth and straightness are consistent and the compaction is far more consistent than anything you’ll find manually,” says Henry.

The challenges have been mostly around the learning side, providing feedback to the nurseries and the communications between the nurseries and the planting machines as to how to achieve the best quality seedlings in the ground, he says. And Timberlands has been doing a lot of work around that, to develop their seedlings to be more suitable for mechanised planting, right down to how the boxes of seedlings are packed before they’re shipped out.

“The machines are very much tailored to the customer’s requirements. So our machines have all been specified with fertiliser and we’ve since modified one of them to do the ripping and cultivation because it’s what Timberlands is looking at,” he adds.

Ben says the initial challenge was, “convincing ourselves that we should trial

mechanised planting in the first place”.

Then came identifying the priorities for this particular project. He admits they “probably tried to do too much too early” but that identifying a good partner was key. Planting quality and consistency were priorities, as were identifying engineering opportunities and setting clear goals and objectives. Lastly came proof of concept through operational trials. “Take it slow and smooth and review was our policy, no rushing into production.”

Henry seconds that: “To be honest, the main challenge was getting everyone to agree on what the key objectives and outcomes of the initial trials were. There is a lot of experience in the team involved and there was a need to do things well and prove that they could be done consistently before committing to anything. And that’s really understandable. I was chatting to some of the guys who’ve been in the forestry industry for a long time and seen a lot of people come and go with these great ideas that have never come to much.”

He adds though that those within the forestry industry are more adaptive to new technology, having seen processing

Above: The original M-Planter, purchased in 2018, being prepared for the field.

Left bottom: The seedlings loaded into the cassette ready to plant.

Below: Arial footage of the M-Planter showing the cultivated and planted trees to the left of the excavator and on the right, the pre-raked cutover.

September 2020 | NZ LOGGER 33

Silviculture

machines and the like taking over skid sites, so overall it seems to be welcomed by the industry: “A lot of the silviculture contractors are quite interested to see whether or not mechanisation could become a part of their business rather than viewing it as a threat.

The general public, on the other hand, see a planting machine or a piece of new technology as taking jobs away from people rather than as a progression of the New Zealand forestry industry.

“On a more practical note, the main challenges have been the design and manufacture of the ripping system to maximise the strength of the planting machine and transfer the added load force to the correct parts of the machine to ensure it still maintains strength, functionality and efficiency,” Henry says.

No ‘one-size-fits-all ’ Henry emphasises that it’s not a one-sizefits-all solution: “Each area needs to have the machine tailored to suit it to really maximise the return on investment. In New Zealand it’s primarily Pine. However there’s been a lot of interest in the Australian market in planting

Eucalyptus. There are mechanised planting machines working in Indonesia, South Africa and South America planting Eucalyptus in large plantations already.

“Adaptations for New Zealand and Australia are primarily around the cultivation methods and the variations between the seedling sizes and species. So, for example, the Spruce that they’re planting in Finland primarily has quite a small seedling whereas our Radiata Pine has a very large seedling by comparison. Machines can be adapted for different stems and leaf structures to suit the seedling.

“During last year’s season we managed to get some trials from Scion in Rotorua of some Manuka seedlings which performed really well through the machine. There’s no reason why we couldn’t plant any native species which has a similar seedling size to our Radiata Pine containerised stock. So we can pretty much plant anything.”

Scion is also working on developing the Elipot system with seedlings grown in a paper mixed with fabric seedling bag which has the potential to address damage to the root stocks during transit.

The M-Planter using the ripper to cultivate to a depth of around one metre.

34 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

Towards the future Mechanised planting will no doubt evolve significantly over the next 10 years and Timberlands is setting up its sites with future mechanised operations in mind.

“The M-Planter will play a part in our planting programme over the next fiveplus years as we continue to develop this capability,” says Ben. “However over time I believe different technology, methodology and machinery will be available.”

He believes the impact on New Zealand forestry will be limited to the land area to be planted – Kaingaroa Forest has large flat rolling terrain suitable for machinery access. “We currently utilise machines to prepare our land for planting, so we are really looking to better utilise these machines to do multiple jobs. If you look at Scandinavia or Brazil, mechanised planting, slow compared to conventional planting, is evolving and needs to be designed for the specific environment.

There is a market and a need in New Zealand, however the method or machinery will likely change as we prepare our sites for mechanisation in the future.” NZL

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NZ Timber Worker Wellness

‘A healthy man Story: Hayley Leibowitz

G

OING FROM SWINGING A chainsaw to sitting in a cab all day had an impact on me physically. The guy in the machine was always the fat guy of the group and you’d always say, ‘I would never look like that if it was me’. Well it didn’t take long for sitting all those hours to take its toll, when seven years into my forestry career I got a chance to hop on the machine.

After a few years I’d put on 20 kilos and I was very unfit. I just wanted to feel better,” says 37-year-old Gisborne forestry worker, Wade Brunt, of the seeds that sprouted his Jogging for Logging initiative.

He joined a gym, found diet tips online, got himself a personal trainer and shed all that weight and more, getting as fit and strong as in his manual harvesting days… but still, something was missing. “You know, I lost all this weight and I looked really good, built muscle, lost fat… but when I looked in the mirror, as good as I looked on the inside, I still didn’t feel so good.”

Struggling with a recent separation from his wife, this former gang member took himself for counselling and that was when everything came together: “It really helped me deal with things like depression and a few other issues that were going on. And it had an impact on my family life. Before, I didn’t even have the

energy to play with my kids at the park.

“So I came back to my workplace this transformed guy – physically and mentally – and I looked at my workmates and realised they were struggling with similar problems too. Many of them were overweight or obese or dealing with personal problems. I care about my mates – they’re my brothers and friends. These machines and the long work hours are tough on us and all our whānau.

If you are physically unhealthy, then the mind starts to go too. I wanted to make a difference.”

Turning the unhealthy into the healthy Unlike so many of us, Wade actually acted on his good intentions and in January 2019

Wade Brunt.

36 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

created an eight-week group fitness ‘health camp’ for his workmates. Already Health & Safety Champion in his crew at McIndoe Logging, he took on the extra responsibility unpaid. It soon grew from 10 participants to 35 and Jogging for Logging was born.

The sessions ran twice a week after work, involving plenty of cardio and some strength training, following by stretching and talking – sharing things and getting them off their chests. “I saw this cooldown time as really important in improving people’s mental wellbeing,” says Wade. “Despite the industry’s ‘hard man’ image, many forestry workers wouldn’t have the confidence to attend a public gym. There is so much pressure to behave like ‘real men’ in this country – it’s a killer,” says Wade.

He included forestry equipment in the exercise routines, for example, getting his mates to take turns carrying 20 litre drums and chainsaws up their local hill in Gisborne, Titirangi. Wade says the training had a huge impact on the morale of the crew. They had much more energy and were getting along better, which helped the work go better too.

“My goal is to turn the unhealthy into the healthy – one at a time. If our workers are healthy, then they will be able to do their jobs better and safely, and the effects will flow onto their partners and children.”

Wade wanted to challenge his workmates, so he came up with the idea of getting them to run a relay from Gisborne Port to Tolaga Bay, a distance of 54 kilometres, as a grand finale to their health camp.

“When I made the suggestion four weeks into the camp, most people thought they couldn’t do it. But as the weeks went by and they got fitter, they began to believe in themselves,” he says.

The first Jogging for Logging relay took place on March 9, 2019. Sixteen runners set off from Port Gisborne, running two to three kilometres at a time with each person doing three to four legs. They all made it to the finish line in Tolaga Bay. The event was covered by the Gisborne Herald and promoted by the Eastland Wood Council, growing his initiative still further. The classes continued throughout 2019 and into 2020. When the Covid-19 lockdown began in March 2020, Wade moved to doing classes

n is a safe man’

Training during the week before the 54km run from Gisborne to Tolaga Bay, 21 March 2020. on Facebook. He is grateful to his employer, Rodney McIndoe, and says others in the industry could learn a lot from his approach.

He pays the gym membership for any of his crew who want to take it up and is no stranger to the gym himself.

Well-deserved In June, Wade’s work was recognised by his local community when he won a Tairāwhiti Men of the Year award. He also won a scholarship through Eastland Wood Council to support his studies towards a New Zeland Certificate in Exercise Level 4 (to become a personal trainer), bringing together his passion and his hobbies.

In January this year, Wade was appointed as a Safetree Toroāwhi – a champion for worker engagement, participation and representation in health and safety. He teamed up with local community groups to expand the Jogging for Logging initiative into a dedicated worker wellness centre after

COVID-19 impacted Gisborne.

On March 21, 2020 the second Jogging for Logging relay from Gisborne to Tolaga took place. Forty-five runners took part, with all of them running the last two kilometres to the finish line. Some workers who attended Wade’s sessions ran 10km straight. Every runner involved achieved a personal best or exceeded their personal expectations.

Most recently, Wade has been nominated for a Safeguard award for his work and dedication. The award winners will be announced in November.

Wider impact The Forest Industry Safety Council's Fiona Ewing says while there has been strong investment in mechanisation in forestry as a way to reduce the industry’s high rate of serious injuries and fatalities – proving effective with no deaths in New Zealand involving mechanised falling of trees – mechanisation has had an impact on the health of workers.

Wade Brunt met with Forestry Minister, Shane Jones, to share his vison for forestry workers and worker wellness.

September 2020 | NZ LOGGER 37

NZ Timber Worker Wellness

Above: Walking the hills around Gisborne with heavy forestry equipment as baggage.

Below: Last leg of the run to Tolaga Bay.

38 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

“Wade has demonstrated incredible personal leadership and care for others.

His initiatives helped workers improve their physical and mental health and had positive flow-on benefits for safety and team culture. This work was unpaid and was done in addition to Wade’s normal 10-12 hour working day as a machine operator. His is a great story of how one person can make a big difference to the lives of their fellow workers.”

Wade’s Jogging for Logging and Health Camp initiatives have helped improve the health and wellbeing of more than 100 Gisborne forestry workers and their families, she says.

“While this is a small number relative to the working population, it is a large number of people for one forestry worker to help. Wade has had feedback from the

partners of those who attend that they are much less ‘grumpy’ and their family lives have improved. Importantly, it has helped raise awareness within the wider Gisborne community about the importance of being healthy, including that it helps keep people safer at work,” says Fiona.

She adds: “His classes offer a healthy form of ‘mate-ship’, a safe place to talk, and the challenge of participating in Jogging for Logging has helped build workers’ confidence and self-esteem.

Wade was also willing to make himself vulnerable and to talk about his own mental wellbeing struggles, both at his training sessions and in the Safetree video we made to encourage other companies to put health at the forefront. His openness helps normalise these conversations and gives others the permission and encouragement

they need to open up about their problems.

“Wade is a great example of the power that one person can have on improving the health and safety of their workmates.”

And what better endorsement can there be than from your own colleagues? Machine Operator, Atahere Cameron, says: “Before I was a walking time bomb. The doctor said my blood pressure and cholesterol were going through the roof. I’ve been with Wade doing the course for a few months and I’ve lost about 15 kilos and my cholesterol has dropped quite a bit. I’ve also changed my diet, so it’s been pretty good.”

Forestry Trainer/Auditor, Nigel Drummond, adds: “It not only keeps your body fit but keeps you mentally fit as well. Having mental fitness keeps you focused on your health and safety and what you do in your role. It’s keeping our mind on the job.”

Above: Team selfie on the top of Titirangi Hill.

Below: Everyone's a winner.

In Wade’s own words: “It’s been really great with better morale and more energy in the crew. Instead of turning up tired and not wanting to get into things, they turn up ready to go. Socially we’re all getting along a lot better too. After work, instead of going to party, me and the guys will walk up our local hill or go to the gym.

“I challenge everyone in our industry, from workers on the ground to supervisors right at the top, to live healthier lives. You come to work and you’re a happier, more productive worker. What you do outside of work affects how you’re going to function at work. A healthy man is a safe man,” he says. NZL

September 2020 | NZ LOGGER 39

www.fica.org.nz

Stepping up Contractor Certification Just under a year ago we came out to the industry with an article about contractor certification. At that time we celebrated that we had seen a significant increase in participation over the two years since it was launched in 2018 and at that time there were 175 contractors certified. That uptake has continued, and we report that now 233 contractors have certification, with some of the early adopters going through their second audit which is something to be very proud of as an industry. With this type of industry certification scheme though, there is only one way that it will retain its status and that is to continually step it up and build on the great work and practices of those that are supporting it.

For these reasons, FISC has continued to build up the modules and this year, as well as focusing on leadership, worker engagement and risk management (these are the fundamentals that we always look at), the new environmental module has been implemented and is available for adoption.

In addition, the health and wellbeing module is close to completion with the KYND APP modifications and improvements rolling out next month. The system has also been modified for forest management company audits which will give another sector group the ability to certify their operations. The third module that is on the radar to develop up is the business capability area and there are a number of courses that will be on offer to contractors leading into 2021 around leadership, negotiation and workplace wellbeing.

In conjunction with all this work developing new modules, FISC has gone out to the market to request proposals for new technology support which could mean a change to the platform that is being used. As part of this proposal, consideration for including worker certification and incident reporting is on the wish list.

I think it is timely in this article to do a reminder of the independent Forestry Safety Review from 2014 as this was when FISC was established to take up the challenges that were posed in the industry. The certification scheme was one initiative designed to focus on some of the solutions. Though the structure of the forestry industry had enabled rapid growth, it had led to some issues especially the mandatory standards for health and safety that were not consistent across the sector. The need for system-wide change may have surprised some when the report was released. The multiple layers of ownership and contractual relationships had resulted in a lack of coordinated leadership on safety issues.

Poor communication between government and industry and across the different levels of the industry’s supply chain were obvious and at worker level, there was little or no communication between crews which resulted in the sector not speaking with one voice and some within the industry with no voice. Competing economic tensions had resulted in a dangerous blame culture and a weak safety culture.

The review highlighted that Health & Safety was a cost of doing business and improved safety and productivity go handin- hand. Too many workers are expected to be productive from day one, and too many are left to their own devices too soon. It is unacceptable to say that there is insufficient money or resources to achieve better outcomes to build that experience and develop judgement. It is important to focus on training and focus on communication, team building and leadership

Prue Younger, CEO Prue Younger, CEOMessage Message

for supervisors. FICA was keen at the time to explore such a certification scheme that would allow contractors to leverage off the benefits from the new obligations on persons conducting a business or undertaking in the Reform Bill for HSWA. The drive to change to a “can do safely” culture meant the change had to be led by forest owners and managers, by marketers, forestry contractors and crew bosses. The failures extended all the way through the supply chain and the need for a charter of a pledge from industry leaders to commit to this action for change was suggested.

The follow up review in 2018 confirmed that FISC further develops and updates the Forestry Safety Charter and promotes it as a way for individual companies and/or supply chains to demonstrate their leadership and formalise their commitments. Managing overlapping duties is a key feature of the HSWA and relies on excellent consultation, cooperation and coordination of activities. Some relationships are still adversarial and front-line supervisors do not all have the skills to engage their workers effectively. Forest owners and contractors are reminded to focus on their PCBU responsibilities.

FISC is now reviewing the opportunity to develop up progressive tiers to the system recognising all aspects, from compliance to competence. The latter being the ideal model where a contractor will build it into their culture so it becomes a part of their daily habit. The model being suggested is a Cultural Maturity Model that will: • Develop commitment • Realise the importance of frontline staff • Engage everyone in improving the business • Move from compliance thinking to resilient organisations Cultural Growth SCC Level 3 Learning Culture

Resilent

SCC Level 2 Growing Culture

Pro-Active

SCC Level 1 Compliance Culture tree Safe cation ifi Certinimum M ndard Sta

Compliant Reactive Vulnerable

The success of the implementation of the Contractor Certification has certainly come a long way in a short time but we know certification is an integration of safety into successful work rather than a focus on “compliance”.

FICA continues to promote the value of taking up certification to the membership, ensuring you know how well you are holistically operating your business, a chance to assess how you compare to others and how you can keep ahead of the game. We know that just over 65% of our members are certified so we have a way to go and more forest owners are adopting the Safetree Contactor Certification as their auditing tool and making it compulsory to their own contractors. It is not something that will stay static but continue to build and reflect what is current and relevant in the environment across all facets of a business.

SWEENEY TOWNSEND HAS BEEN A PROUD AND LONGSTANDING SUPPORTER OF FICA AND WILL REMAIN A STRATEGIC PARTNER NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE. Over recent months we have worked tirelessly to support its forestry contractors and log transport operators to get through the effects of Covid-19 on their insurances. When lockdown was announced our forestry broking team was still on the job here in the office as an essential service, contacting clients to initiate the process for “laid-up” cover and organising the resulting premium reduction for the relevant period with insurers.

Now the vast majority of our clients have now returned to work and hopefully the log markets will settle, but the forestry industry may still see some instability in the interim.

When looking at your insurances you need to make sure that your coverage is fit for purpose and that it is specifically designed to cater for your business. A policy should be targeted to support your business in the most beneficial way - whether you are a hauler or have ground-based operations - as your needs may differ significantly.

For most in the logging sector insurance is a major component of your annual operating costs, so please do not hesitate to call us for an insurance “warrant of fitness check” as it costs you nothing to have Sweeney Townsend review what you have in place and provide a second opinion.

CONTACT SWEENEY TOWNSEND TO DISCUSS YOUR UNIQUE INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS TODAY

www.sweeneytownsend.co.nz 0800 55 54 53

Sponsor Profile Thank you to all of the organisations who support FICA, which in turn works to promote business growth and improved safety and efficiency amongst forestry contractors for the benefit of New Zealand’s Forestry Industry.

Strategic Partners

Business Partners

Gold Partners

To join, call: 0800 342 269

www.fica.org.nz

top spot

Safety/performance/quality

Six of the best THIS ISSUE WE BRING YOU THE FIRST round of results for thinning-to-waste.

We are pretty pleased with the response the thin-to-waste participants have made to the challenges put in front of them.

We are ecstatic about the results at the top end of this competition. The top six are so close, we could not separate them.

Something else that was cool to see was one of our forest owners, Port Blakely, using the skill and experience of a consistently top performer in this competition (Aaron Motutere) to train and upskill its North Island Regional Forester – Alfred Duval, a graduate from the School of Forestry at the University of Canterbury. From the way he is smiling (centre photo), things must have gone okay.

Refreshing to see the commitment to having a young staff member know, do and understand what these guys do day in and day out.

Better understanding of the function = better decisions = better value for the company. It’s a no-brainer really.

So, congratulations to all those who featured in the results. The thin-to-waste competition is lining up to be the closest it ever has.

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

Awesome companies, awesome people

FUNCTION

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,

CREW

Thomassen Logging, Te Waa 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, Storm Logging, Lumberjack Logging, Eastside Logging, Veal Forestry, McHoull Forestry, 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, 07 3483037 or at primefm@xtra.co.nz. NZL

PARTICIPANT

PLACING

JR TE NGAHUE X MEN

KALIB TE NGAHUE

1=

RUSSELL TE NGAHUE THIN-TO-WASTE VEAL FORESTRY

JAKE VEAL

2=

AARON MOTUTERE 2=

INTA-WOOD FORESTRY

DION KAHI

42 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

top spot

Safety/performance/quality

Russell Te Ngahue from XMen Forestry.

JR Te Ngahue from XMen Forestry.

Kalib Te Ngahue from XMen Forestry.

Alfred Duval – Port Blakely North Island Regional Forester.

Jake Veal from Veal Forestry.

Aaron Motutere from Inta-Wood Forestry.

Dion Kahi from Inta-Wood Forestry.

September 2020 | NZ LOGGER 43

new iron

CAT 988K FOR PEDERSEN GROUP

HYUNDAI EXCAVATOR FOR KEA

They don’t come much bigger than this Cat 988K Millyard wheel loader which is a new arrival at Pedersen Group for its operation at the Kinleith Mill in Tokoroa. The big Cat has been put to work as a front line machine in the export yard, unloading, stockpiling and loading log rail wagons and is impressing with its productivity, fuel efficiency and operator comfort. It features Ensign TR2S large capacity log forks, with a capacity of 7.7m2. The forks are fitted with an auxiliary clamp allowing for safe handling of less than full loads, and has floating tines which allows operators to recover logs easily while reducing tine wear and damage to sealed yards or yard surface. James West from Terra Cat sold the machine.

Working on the West Coast of New Zealand comes with its challenges. That's why Gav and Clayton Fisher, owners of Kea Logging, knew the new Hyundai FX3230G forestry excavator was the machine to get the business done. Fitted with quick hitch, grapple and bucket it can shovel logs from the fella buncher to the forwarder and when it’s not doing that it can do tracking, so the forwarder can access more challenging sites that need harvesting.

Gav and Clayton needed a machine that could do all this and also lift 5 axle log trailers safely. This is the third new Hyundai they have purchased from the Porter Group this year. Their motto is to work smart, have good gear, keep breakdowns to a minimum and harvest logs day after day!

TIMBERPRO/WOODSMAN COMBO FOR EF HANSEN Philip and Lynne Hansen, of EF Hansen from Matakana, have recently taken delivery of a new Timberpro TL 775D fitted with a Woodsman Pro 750. It is installed with the Loggic control system for high performance and ease of operator use. The TL 775D is working for Darrin Collet (Woodbank) at South Head. The forest is owned by the Anderson family who also have sawmilling interests (Pinepac). There are three generations of the Anderson family in the photo. Pictured from left: John Van Boven (Woodsman), Bruce Anderson, Roddy Davis (operator), Harley Rossell (Komatsu NZ), Judith Anderson, James Anderson, Astin (Philip & Lynne’s grandson), Andrew Anderson, John Smith, Carol Fougere, Lynne and Philip Hansen, John Kosar (Komatsu Forest NZ), Wayne Gage-Brown, Ben Costley (Woodbank) and Craig Vickery. Photographer, Tinus Barnard (Komatsu Forest NZ).

44 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

THIRD VOLVO FOR MHE LOGGING Mike Harris has put a third Volvo EC380DL to work in his Central North Island logging operation. The latest EC380DL Forestry Carrier has been converted to a harvest-line by EMS in Rotorua, including the addition of a Hawkeye grapple carriage that is powered by a Transdiesel-supplied Kohler diesel engine. The new EC380DL Forestry Carrier is a factory build forest machine sitting on the EC480DL high ‘n wide undercarriage and this made for an easy conversion into the harvest-line. The decision was an easy one for the big Volvo for Mike with his experience running the two previous machines and the support of Transdiesel’s service Team. Sold by Ewen Satherley, Transdiesel.

new iron

HYUNDAI FX3230LL FOR SEAVIEW LOGGING

BOAPOD MOBILE REPAIR FACILITY FOR BURSON

Seaview Logging’s Graeme Saville is the proud owner of a brand new Hyundai FX3230LL. Graeme is using his machine as a multiuse platform, with a processing head and grapple. It has proved to be a good decision, with production increasing markedly, he says. He appreciates the lifting and shovelling capabilities of the LL model together with its climbing abilities. Cab vision and ergonomics also score points.

Wakefield based crew, Burson Logging, was happy to receive its new BOApod mobile hydraulic hose repair and maintenance facility.

Burson Logging has three mechanised crews. Setting up with this turnkey, onsite hydraulic hose repair and maintenance solution will reduce its hydraulic machinery downtime. BOA Hydraulics South Island Sales Manager, Duncan, trained and certified Burson Logging’s Operations Manager and mechanic, for safe, efficient hydraulic hose repair and maintenance.

L90H FOR MOFFAT WOODSMAN PRO 750 FOR CMH CONTRACTING Conan Hemsworth of CMH Contracting, Rotorua, recently added a Woodsman Pro 750 to his line-up. The Woodsman Pro 750 is on an existing Cat 558 LL machine and is paired with the latest version of the Loggic control system. Sold by Adam Aldworth, Ensign/ Woodsman Pro.

Archie Moffat has updated his load out machine to a new Volvo L90H. The L90H is a factory spec’ed logger with third valve, belly guards, logging counterweight and axle coolers all standard. The machine is equipped with an Ensign log head. The new Volvo L90H loader has gone into Archie’s road-lining crew in the central north island and is performing well, with the operator noticing an increase in smoothness and power over his old machine. Sold by Ewen Satherley, Transdiesel.

September 2020 | NZ LOGGER 45

new iron

NEW DELIVERY FOR FAST & EVANS

ANOTHER JOHN DEERE FOR MIKE HURRING

Fast & Evans Harvesting of Tokoroa, working in Taupo, recently took delivery of a Falcon Winch Assist Volvo EC250DL. Pictured from left: Operator, Brad Ramsey, DC Equipment’s Dexter and owner Jess Evan.

These new John Deere machines – 1470G Harvester & 1910E Forwarder – were recently delivered to Mike Hurring Logging & Contracting of Balclutha. This is the fifth John Deere wheeled harvester added to the Mike Hurring Logging & Contracting fleet and the 16th John Deere forwarder, with nine forwarders in the current fleet. Mike’s team is currently thinning Douglas Fir and Oregon tree species in the Beaumont Forest, Blue Mountains.

JMEC GETS A NEW BOAPOD JMEC Maintenance Solutions has added a new BOApod, hydraulic hose repair and maintenance facility, to its fleet. This mobile unit allows owner, Nick Jones, to add hydraulic repairs to his existing mechanical field service. Nick is based in the Gisborne region, mainly servicing the logging industry. With years of experience in the Australian mining industry, JMEC Maintenance Solutions is keen to offer more value to its customer base. BOA Hydraulics Regional Sales Manager, Oliver, took Nick through the training and certification, before handing over his new BOApod.

46 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

CAT 538LL FOR HAUTAPU PINE PRODUCTS Terra Cat, together with Chris, Susan and Mark from Hautapu Pine Products surprised long-serving employee, Henry with the new Cat 538LL featuring a Duxon grapple. The purpose-built Cat FM will be put to use loading trucks and sorting stock for one of Hautapu Pine's crews working in and around the Taihape/Turangi area. The unit was sold by Terra CAT's Ryan Petersen.

new iron

VOLVO EC250DL FOR 4WARD HARVESTING Shane and Chantelle Ward have put a new Volvo EC250DL forestry carrier to work in their Kinleith operation. The new Volvo EC250DL updates the existing fleeting machine Volvo EC250DL that has served the crew well. This will work next to Shane’s EC300DL in the same crew. Operator, James Broughton, says the new machine is “very nice to operate, being smooth and quiet with plenty of track power”. Pictured with the new machine are Matt Williams (Transdiesel), James Broughton (operator) and Shane Ward (owner). Sold by Ewen Satherley, Transdiesel.

NEW FH1350C WITH GPS MAPPING AND PDF MAPS H&R Harvesting has taken delivery of a Woodsman Pro FH1350C. This felling head model gives owner, Rodney Hubbard, the capability to interchange between the felling head and his Woodsman Pro 750. It is installed with Loggic FH, providing GPS mapping and recording and PDF map viewer functionality. Sold by Adam Aldworth, Ensign/Woodsman Pro.

NZ LOGGER classified

Forestry Insurance Solutions LG23616

0800 55 54 53 info@stal.co.nz

www.sweeneytownsend.co.nz

Forestry Insurance Solutions

September 2020 | NZ LOGGER 47

HYDRAULIC HOSE REPAIR MADE SIMPLE O u r i n -field h ydrau lic h ose repair clamps have made hydraulic h o se repair as simple as possible, with no removal of the hose from the machine. You can b e u p an d running in as little 10 minutes. The cl amps can be used on most types of hydraulic h o se eliminating the need to have different fittin fi ttin g s for different types of h o se.

Hosepatch is a repair kit for hydraulic hoses designed for temporary and emergency repairs.

Hosepatch is an innovative product that can be easily assembled and engineered to significantly reduce asset downtime.

Can achieve repairs in less than 10 minutes.

Has the ability to effectively comply in emergency situations.

Reduces costly downtime and production losses.

There are 2 ways to use the product Hosepatch Assembly as a Patch ·The clamp can be used as a patch for simple repairs, where the hose is in relatively good condition and for low pressure applications, less than 2000PSI (160 Bar)

Hosepatch as a Joiner ·The clamp and joiner can be used for more robust repair. ·The advantages of using as a joiner is that the condition of the hose isn’t important and it can be used for high pressure applications, up to 6000PSI (480 Bar).

Advantages of Hosepatch Reduce down time and associated costs.

Quick and Easy to assemble.

Cost Effective.

Excellent for remote areas or when replacements are not available.

Completely reusable.

The clamp does not rust.

Fits most types of hoses

Item Kit 1/4” 3/8” 1/2” 3/4 ” 1”

Weight 5.6 kg 0.95 kg 1.05 kg 1.4 kg 1.67 kg 1.76 kg

Kit Sizes Dimensions 10cm*23cm*13cm 21cm*14cm*10cm 21cm*14cm*10cm 21cm*14cm*10cm 21cm*14cm*10cm 21cm*14cm*10cm

NEW STOCK LINES

THUNDERBIRD TSY 255 MADILL / THUNDERBIRD DOOR 355 IDLER ASSEMBLY REPAIR KIT LATCH KIT

MADILL WATER UNION EXCHANGE SLEEVE & SEAL KIT EXCHANGE COMPLETE UNIT

WATER PUMP CUMMINS K19/855, CAT3406 (B,C), DETROIT 60 SERIES

BELL ULTRA LOGGER EXHAUST MANIFOLD

REACTION DISC MADILL/TWIN DISC 14” STRAW DRUM WILLIAMS THUNDERBIRD CONTROLLERS & REPAIR KITS

TWIN DISC 8, 14, 16, 18, 24” DIAPHRAGM

EATON 18” /24” WATER BRAKE STUD KIT AIR SUPENSION BAGS FOR ALL VEHICLE MAKES & MODELS REAR LEAF & COIL SPRINGS

MADILL 122, 123, 124 WIPER ARM KIT

WASHINGTON GUY WINCH AIR RAM

WATER PUMPS

AIR COMPRESSORS: NEW & EXCHANGE

OPEN GEAR LUBRICATION GEAR TAC 460 SUPREME PERFORMANCE OPEN GEAR ULTRA HIGH VISCOSITY SYNTHETIC LUBRICANT

WHITMORE’S SURTAC 2000 XD

MOBILTAC 375NC

MULTI SERVICE LUBRICANT (LOG CHAMP)

410c Lower Queen Street, Richmond, Nelson, Tasman.

EXCELLENT PROTECTION OF OPEN GEAR TEETH AND OTHER MACHINE ELEMENTS

NZ LOGGER classified

Mount Machinery Ltd Heavy Plant & Machinery Valuers

expoSe youR pRoduct oR SeRvIce

www.mountmachinery.nz

contact tRISH to adveRtISe

mobile. 021 925 600 phone. 09 571 3544

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

For sale

Woodsman Pro 800 Harvesting Head Fully refurbished after 15,000 hours Ideally suited for a 30-45 tonne excavator with diameters up to 800mm New control valve, hose kit and wiring loom Rebuilt saw and drive motors 3/4 top saw and diameter sensor upgrades Comes with Loggic control system software and all cab components Superior back-up service and field support

$195,000

+gst

CONTACT ADAM IF YOU ARE INTERESTED P. 07 348 1286 | M. 027 370 8468 E. ADAM@ENSIGN.CO.NZ

WOODSMANPRO.CO.NZ

© Copyright 2020 Engineering Services (Rotorua) Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

The Ensign, Woodsman Pro and Loggic brands are trademarks of Engineering Services Rotorua Ltd.

50 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

LG29794

LG18594

Get the right exposure through NZ Logger magazine and capture the Forest industry buyers directly.

Tigercat Skidder 635D

JUST $335,000*

REF: D115098

CONTACT YOUR FORESTRY SPECIALIST TODAY Northland

Central North Island

Auckland

Lower North Island

Marcus Bourke 027 241 6126

Thunderbird TSY355 JUST $750,000*

REF:D110635

Tigercat Skidder 635D JUST $360,000*

Byren Ware 027 287 8902 Colin Saunders 027 593 2661 REF:D115754

Waikato/Coromandel

Tony Hennessy 027 839 8153

Hawkes Bay/Gisborne

Ben Kendrick 021 658 554 Mt Maunganui

André Muller 027 550 1729

SUMITOMO SH350LHD-3B JUST $140,000*

REF:D008148

Tigercat LH855C JUST $450,000*

Steve Mellar 027 565 3956

Mardi Pritchard 021 335 873 Nelson

Martin Talbot-Price 027 574 1712 West Coast & Canterbury

Steven Varcoe 021 969 323 Otago

Cory Hellyer 027 288 1952 Southland

Dean Cousins 021 932 246

Tigercat Product Manager: Mark Hill 027 503 0483 markh@abequipment.co.nz REF:D117672

*Subject to L&F Ltd lending criteria, Ts&Cs

PARTS, SERVICE & 24/7 BREAKDOWN NATIONWIDE CALL 0800 30 30 90 abequipment.co.nz

NZ LOGGER classified

BLACK DUCK SEAT COVERS FLoOR MATS

• 650gsm/19.2 oz Cotton Twill Composite • Heavy Protection • UniqueDuty locking system keeps them in place • Easy to remove for Cleaning • 100% Waterproof Fabric • Moulded to fit your vehicle perfectly • Cotton Soft to Touch • Both front & rear available • Machine Washable • Made from quality PVC • Full replacement Warranty • UV Resistant • Tailored Fit for Comfort and Style • Available in Black or Grey • Protect Your Vehicle Investment

ENGINEERED WITH EXPERIENCE...

Clark Tracks from Scotland Single tracks Bogey Tracks 30.5x32 750/55-26.5 35.5x32 780/50-28.5

5% Ph: 0800 158 479

Trygg Ring Lug Chains from Norway are available from 16mm to 25mm 23.1x26 30.5x32 24.5x32 35.5x32 28Lx26

Shareholder Rebate

INTRODUCING THE NEW & Revolutionary les@blackduck.co.nz www.blackduck.co.nz

4ELEMENTS SEAT COVERS

• UV Resistant 650gsm/19.2oz ozCotton Twill Composite •• 650gsm/19.2 • Tailored Fit for Comfort CottonDuty TwillProtection Composite • Heavy and Style HeavyWaterproof Duty Protection •• 100% Fabric • Available in Black or Grey 100% Soft Waterproof Fabric •• Cotton to Touch •• Machine Washable • Protect Your Vehicle Cotton Soft to Touch •• UV Resistant Investment Machine Washable • Tailored Fit for Comfort and Style • Available in Black or Grey • Protect Your Vehicle Investment

Ph: 0800 158 479

9

Chain Protection have been selling these brands of forestry Chains & Tracks for 20+years

sales@blackduck.co.nz www.blackduck.co.nz

0 158 479

www.chains.co.nz

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

5% Shareholder Rebate

sales@blackduck.co.nz

IN FORESTRY,

www.blackduck.co.nz

IT’S THE SIMPLE THINGS

DONE WELL THAT REALLY WORK

NO R TH IS LA ND S A LE S : Ben Addenbrooke 027 359 2360 S O UTH IS LA ND S A LE S Nick Andrews 027 548 7761

dcforestryequipment.com

52 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

FALCON C L AW SAFE . SIMPLE . PRODUCTIVE

LG30793

MUD GRABBA 4ELEMENTS SEAT COVERS

LG30437

INTRODUCING THE NEW & Revolutionary

NZ LOGGER classified

Built to banish downtime.

For heavy tyres, there’s no such thing as an easy job. That’s why the entire Nokian foresty tyre range is built to stand up to the harshest of conditions and heaviest of applications.

To get the best from your gear, choose Nokian.

STAYS ON THE JOB. Tyres that mean business.

Phone us on 0800 NOKIAN (0800 665 426) or email info@nokian.co.nz to find a dealer.

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

54 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

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

NZ LOGGER classified

• Harvester and processing bars to fit all models

• Harvester Bar nose tips • Double ended super chainsaw bars and nose tips

173c Military Road RD2 Whakatane 3192 Fax 07 322 8857 • whey@xtra.co.nz • 0274 953 513

PROTECT YOUR POLYCARBONATE WINDOWS

LG30959

• Special bars carving bars for all model chainsaws and nose tips

Polycarb windows are prone to scratching causing severe reduction in visibility for the operator creating health & safety issues.

By applying our protective window film to your machine windows, you will: ► Extend the life of the polycarbonate, ► Restore visibility for operator, ► Reduce need for screen replacement, only film when necessary

LG30961

► Enable use of windscreen wipers

BEFORE

MOBILE SERVICE NATIONWIDE

AFTER

CONTACT: SHANE 027 626 2231

@ExtremeWindowTints

extremewindowtints@xtra.co.nz

Extreme_Window_Tints

September 2020 | NZ LOGGER 55

NZ LOGGER classified

Hauler Engineering Ltd 021 365 812

Brightwater yarder parts + servicing – 70 main/tail shafts in stock Sept – genuine Witchita 19kk parts in stock Sept – Gears all engineered parts available

LG29851

Brightwater yarder grapples + parts

service@hauler.co.nz

Engine + trans setups with chaincases

Yarder Rebuilds

Yarder clutch convertions with BFG clutches thunderbird 155, 255, 355, TTy70, TMY70-50

SPECIALISING IN BRIGHTWATER YARDERS

FORESTRY TYRE TRACKS

NE

P

US

Get a grip & pull more wood with a set of Clark Tyre Tracks on your Forwarders & Skidders BENEFITS OF CLARK TYRE TRACKS Increased traction & pulling power Protection for your tyres Less wheel spinning, less fuel burn Safer on the slopes Better steering ability Less ground disturbance

P

PA

Great Deals NOW ON 30.5 & 35.5, Heavy Duty Tracks Call 0800 654 323 to order your set now!

North Mech

56 NZ LOGGER | September 2020

Con

New Product Call Nelson for more information 021 536 265 Priced $100,000.00 + GST

Waratah FL100

NEW ATTACHMENTS

Waratah FL85

Waratah FL95 SII

Waratah 622B SII

Waratah 618C

With Install Kit Priced $59,000.00 +GST

With Install Kit Priced $79,000.00 +GST

Priced $181,800.00 +GST

Priced $150,000.00 +GST

Waratah 625C

Waratah H414

Waratah 624C

Waratah 622B

Refurbished Unit Priced $130,000.00 +GST

With H16 Cabin Kit Priced $141,500.00 +GST

Head with H16 Cabin Kit Priced $200,000.00 +GST

Head only Priced $43,500.00 +GST

USED ATTACHMENTS

PARTS 15% OFF

Waratah Grapples

Rotators

From $3,867.87 + GST

From $3,160.00 + GST

10% OFF

Servicing Protection Covers

Complete Machine set of Cylinder Seal Kits

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

Northland Mechanised logging services

Nelson Waimea Engineering

Contact Waratah Forestry Services on 0800 492 728

Dunedin Progressive field services

Southland Heavy Equipment Repair

Improved flexibility S631G2.pdf 1 18-Aug-20 1:17:05 PM

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M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

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CALL US ON +64 27 474 6032