NZ Logger April 2021

April 2021

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ISSN 2703-6251

Easy on, easy off

Scion brings down the fence

Towards mechanising silviculture

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contents APRIL 2021

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FOREST TALK NZ manufacturers left behind; Whakatāne Mill closure ‘devastating’; Where’s the spending on road freight?; Native trees to boost Awhitu Peninsula; New Chair for FISC; Taking on new challenges; Māori trades and training set to benefit; ACC backs Robotic scaling tech; Woodland warrior; Investing in the future; Get forestry recruits out of school; Sawmill feed system gets a makeover; New generation harvester head.

SHAW’S WIRE ROPES FOREST FOCUS When Southland logger, Andrew Pratt, spied a website about a self-contained,

38 bolt-on winch-assist unit that can easily be removed from the end of an excavator to allow the base machine to work without any hindrance between tethering operations, it immediately piqued his interest.

32

NZ TIMBER Reimagining Scion’s Rotorua headquarters to showcase timber use in commercial construction, with emphasis on the innovation and research reflecting the essence of Scion as an organisation, was no mean feat.

Turn to our NZ Timber feature to see the results for yourself.

38

SILVICULTURE Over the years mechanised silviculture has been attempted many times in New Zealand, some methods successful for their time and conditions and others not. With labour supply and quality always a factor, perhaps the time to adopt new techniques has finally come.Z

DEPARTMENTS 2 editorial 44 fica 46 top spot 48 new iron 53 classifieds

April 2021 | NZ LOGGER 1

from the editor

April 2021

A huge blow

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ISSN 1176-0397

PHOTO: JOHN ELLEGARD

Easy on, easy off

Towards mechanising silviculture

Scion brings down the fence

The Timbermax winchassist unit, fitted to the arm of a Sumitomo SH300 base machine to tether the Tigercat LS885E down the hill.

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2 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

T

THERE IS GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS AS WE PUT THE MAGAZINE TO BED this month. As New Zealand puts on a proud international face, sailing away with the America’s cup, on a domestic level expressions are grim as yet another mill shuts down. The Whakatāne mill closure is a huge blow, with over 200 staff left reeling as this producer of paper and packaging products for export closes its doors. Of course, there’s the knock-on effect for contractors and the industry at large too.

The decision was made after the mill lost its biggest customer, Swiss packaging company SIG, and it seems they can get the logs they need closer to home too. Forestry Minister, Stuart Nash says such closures are not sustainable for local economies: “We’ve got a reputation as one of the largest exporters of logs, I don’t think that’s a very good space. We want to be one of the largest exporters of processed lumber.”

Many say for this to happen, it’s high time Government stepped in at a wider level, addressing unbalanced trade environments to support the competitiveness of our manufacturers. Others suggest a commercial entity can still transform the Whakatāne mill into a different economically viable establishment to help sustain the region (turn to our Forest Talk pages for more detail).

But this is not the first commercial casualty of New Zealand’s domestic wood processing industry. Whether it is a reflection of the times or a sign of deeper rot, it’s time we sat up and took notice, so that our industry can adapt and keep up with the times. China plans to be self-sufficient in terms of logs in the next two decades, if not sooner – perhaps it’s time for NZ to be selfsufficient in related areas too.

Our features this month speak to the potential of moving forward and what can be achieved when we do. Scion’s new building showcases the best of forestry, embracing the benefits of a circular bioeconomy, leaving steel and concrete behind. Then there’s a look at how far silviculture has come over the decades. Not as far as it could have it seems, but there’s nothing wrong with tried and tested, and mechanisation in this arena is starting to make its mark.

As the mornings get darker, let’s hope life gets lighter.

Until next time, stay safe.

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forest talk

NZ manufacturers left behind “WHILE NEW ZEALAND HAS REBOUNDED well from the recession, GDP and production have not yet returned to pre-COVID levels.

At a time when COVID support is being wound back here, our trading partners are upping the ante to kick-start and support recovery efforts and, in some cases drive forward substantial industrial innovation strategies,” says New Zealand Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association (WPMA) Chair Brian Stanley.

As a result, New Zealand manufacturers are being left behind as other countries build up support for their manufacturing industries, he says, citing a new report by the WPMA titled International Manufacturing Policy and Programme Responses to COVID-19.

The report, by MartinJenkins consultancy, documents major interventions by New Zealand’s main trading partners. In 2020, around 200 countries introduced COVIDrelated economic support measures worth an estimated US$12-17 trillion, representing 13-19% of global GDP. Countries like Australia, Singapore and South Korea have introduced major manufacturing strategies to grow the value of their manufacturing sectors and build resilient supply chains. Many other countries have used the COVID crisis to accelerate investment in digital and low-emission technologies to support productivity growth and the transition to a low carbon future.

“The immediate challenge is that COVID continues to change everything and we can’t sit back and rely on NZ’s traditional processes to respond to those challenges,” says Mr Stanley.

“Our wood manufacturers are now up against international competitors receiving substantial and ongoing additional assistance. Furthermore, this is all happening within a trade environment where barriers remain high. We need to see urgent government efforts with the private sector to support the competitiveness of our manufacturers in global markets where

4 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

there is now scant regard for World Trade Organization (WTO) rules,” he explains.

Another factor is that the completion of New Zealand’s Industry Transformation Plans will be around mid-2021 meaning any initiatives are not likely to be in place before the end of 2021 at the earliest.

“We can’t wait till the end of the year while other countries are already implementing policy and programme support. Other countries are moving fast to bolster their value-adding industries and our manufacturers are seriously getting left behind.”

WPMA Vice-Chair, John Eastwood, also senior executive for the trans-Tasman engineered wood manufacturer XLAM, says WPMA Chair, Brian Stanley. the closure of the Whakatane mill highlights the need for government adopting content requirements for projects to prevent further decline.

“It’s yet another casualty in a long such as local capability development or line of closures in our domestic wood carbon neutrality.

• A step change in R&D support: processing industry due to the failure of successive governments to address unfair Significantly increasing the level and trade environments and support the accessibility of R&D funding available to enable New Zealand manufacturing to competitiveness of our manufacturers.

“There are some key levers government transition to a low carbon future. This can and must pull immediately to assist would be consistent with recommendations in the Climate Change Commission’s recent manufacturers.”

The WPMA proposes the following report.

Mr Stanley says New Zealand is missing immediate interventions in line with other an opportunity now and in the medium term countries: • Accelerated depreciation: Enabling to set policies that encourage higher levels capital investment in digital, Industry 4.0 of investment in our wood manufacturing and greenhouse gas emission reduction sector.

“New Zealand’s post-COVID economic technologies to be fully depreciated in the recovery, particularly the infrastructure/ first year.

• Government procurement: Embedding construction pipelines and shovel ready domestic manufacturing in the pipeline of projects are under threat because of major infrastructure and housing projects shipping delays. Given the $129 billion being delivered over the next decade through infrastructure pipeline over the next improved pre-commercial procurement decade, and the significant housing deficit, processes with industry, requiring government needs to think differently and partnerships with local businesses and to act quickly,” he says. NZL

forest talk

Whakatāne Mill closure ‘devastating’ THE CLOSURE OF WHAKATĀNE MILL HAS been confirmed, with over 150 skilled operational workers being made redundant after 85 years of operations.

FIRST Union and E tū say the impact on the local community will be significant, however there is still a chance for a new buyer to repurpose the existing plant and secure crucial infrastructure in New Zealand’s forestry supply chain.

“There are many options for refitting the existing assets to continue manufacturing pulp and paper products,” says Jared Abbott, FIRST Union Secretary for Transport,

Logistics and Finance.

“We are inviting potential buyers to ask for our assistance to get the support needed to make the most of the existing skills and infrastructure available.

“There are opportunities in the industry and there is an important role for Government to play in securing the wood supply chain and increasing our manufacturing capacity.”

E tū spokesperson, Raymond Wheeler, says the announcement of the closure is “devastating” for local industry, including businesses such as scaffolding and

engineering.

“We’ve just had the economic impact of the Whakaari (White Island) eruption and COVID-19 on Whakatāne’s tourism industry to contend with, and now the region has been dealt this blow. It’s an enormous hit to the regions and to the eastern Bay of Plenty.”

Mr Wheeler says job opportunities in the area are limited, and emphasises the urgency around the Government’s work on an Industry Transformation Plan (ITP) for the forestry and wood processing sector, if local manufacturing is to survive. NZL

forest talk

Where’s the spending on road freight?

THERE IS ALMOST NO MENTION OF STRATEGIC FREIGHT ROUTES that will enable trucks to move around the city more easily in the $31 billion Auckland Transport Alignment Project (ATAP) announced last month.

National Road Carriers Association (NRC) CEO, David Aitken, says the ATAP announced by Minister of Transport, Michael Wood, and Auckland Mayor, Phil Goff, is practically silent on road freight.

The report is just about all about walking, cycling and public transport. “It will help some people get to where they want to go – but what about transporting food to eat, medicines, clothing and manufacturing supplies?” he asks.

“The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted that truck drivers play a vital role in delivering essential supplies for New Zealanders. Everything we consume is delivered by multiple truck trips from seaport or airport to distribution centres and then on to retail outlets or direct to homes.

The public sees the freight industry as heroes as a result of their work during COVID.” Mr Aitken says the ATAP report is unbalanced: “This is very disappointing because half of the investment comes from the National Land Transport Fund, whose main contributor is the freight community through road user charges, which were increased last year.

“The long-delayed all-important East West link is now back on the table as the High Court last week dismissed appeals by Forest and Bird and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei but there is no mention of the link in this report.”

The consented East West link project includes a four-lane road between the Neilson Street interchange at SH20 and the Mount Wellington interchange on SH1, connections to local roads in Onehunga

and Penrose, cycleways and work on the foreshore, headlands and wetlands.

Mr Aitken says there is also no mention of upgrades to other strategic arterial routes including Favona Road, Mangere which is a Level 1B freight route (second highest priority) “servicing 2021 transport on a 1960s road network”.

“ATAP stands for Auckland Transport Alignment Project. Where is the alignment for the transport of material supplies? We have a long-term infrastructure deficit that needs addressing.

It won’t go away by ignoring it.

“The ATAP report caters for a portion of what is needed, namely commuter traffic. But that is what the Government focuses on all the time. There is not any recognition in here of the stuff that keeps people alive and houses them. Houses don’t just pop up.

Housing development timelines of five years will become seven years if we can’t efficiently transport the materials there.

“This is good spending on commuter and leisure travel but not spending on the infrastructure deficit for freight – which is real.” NZL

NRC CEO, David Aitken.

Native trees to boost Awhitu Peninsula RESTORING NATIVE TREES AND BIODIVERSITY AND IMPROVING waterways on Auckland’s Awhitu Peninsula will be accelerated thanks to two projects supported and funded by the One Billion Trees Fund, administered by Te Uru Rākau – Forestry New Zealand.

Henry Weston, Acting Deputy Director-General, Te Uru Rākau, says these projects will enable between 15 and 20 jobs to be created for propagation, tree planting and maintenance, and for the expansion of Matakawau Community Nursery’s infrastructure to upscale seedling production from 15,000 to 62,500 stems per year.

The four-year Te Korowai o Papatūanuku Awhitu Peninsula Project received nearly $1.7 million to grow and plant 250,000 native trees, including the planting and maintenance of up to 49 hectares of high ecological value sites.

“The project is being led by partners Awhitu Landcare, Ngāti Te Ata and Auckland Council, and is a great example of how working in collaboration with our stakeholders delivers environmental and economic outcomes and value for our regions,” says Mr Weston.

Eligible landowners in ecologically sensitive areas will get access to a planting plan, and subsidised native trees to plant and maintain.

Planting and maintenance will be undertaken by Awhitu Landcare and Ngāti Te Ata. “The project will include investment into Ngāti Te Ata’s cultural landscape restoration activities, supporting kaitaikitanga through a training programme on seed propagation and mātauranga Māori

6 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

learnings,” Mr Weston explained.

He adds that waterways in the Auckland region will also benefit from an $80,000 investment by Te Uru Rākau in the Million Metres Streams Project.

Established by the Sustainable Business Network (SBN) in 2014, the project’s goal is to plant one million metres (1,000 km) of waterways to restore water quality and habitat health. SBN connects businesses, people, and landowners as part of the project.

“This investment will help support the organisation and the delivery of 20 projects to restore approximately 20 kilometres of waterways with 100,000 seedlings over the next eight months,” says Mr Weston.

The Hauraki Gulf will benefit from these projects, with waterway restoration reducing erosion and sediment movement into the Gulf. NZL

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forest talk

New Chair for FISC LOOKING AT SIMON O’GRADY’S BUSINESS CARD YOU MIGHT wonder why he became the new independent Chair of the Forest Industry Safety Council (FISC).

Simon is currently Chief Investment Officer at Kiwi Wealth, a Kiwisaver and investment management business owned by the New Zealand Super Fund, ACC and NZ Post.

He is a highly qualified and experienced investment manager, having worked in the field for more than 25 years in Australia and New Zealand. He is also one of a select group of investment professionals in New Zealand to achieve Chartered Financial Analyst status.

Simon takes over as Chair in April, when FISC’s inaugural Chair, Dame Alison Patterson, steps down after almost six years in the job.

So, what does this Wellington-based investment expert bring to the role of chairing a pan-industry council focused on improving health and safety in forestry?

Well, quite a lot actually. He has a good understanding of the economic drivers of the forestry sector and value chain, experience as a small-block forest owner, and a personal desire to ‘give back’ and make a difference.

In his investment roles Simon has developed an in-depth understanding of the investment and financial side of the industry.

He also co-owns two forestry blocks totalling about 400 hectares, one in the Marlborough Sounds and one in Horowhenua.

“I took the role as Chair because FISC does such an important job and I want to contribute to that work. I bring analytical and strategic capabilities to the role that I hope will support the organisation at a governance level and help it deliver on its goals,” he says.

While he has professional and personal forestry experience, not working directly in the industry means he can operate as an independent Chair.

“This independence is essential because a key part of the Chair’s role is facilitation, bringing together the diverse groups represented within FISC. These stakeholders include workers, contractors, owners/managers and government,” says Simon.

He adds that his initial focus over the next six months will Be “listening and learning” to deepen his understanding of Health & Safety in forestry and of FISC’s work. Longer-term he’s keen to contribute to developing FISC’s strategy, including exploring how economic factors could impact on Health & Safety in the industry.

“I am impressed by the work to date done by the Council and Fiona Ewing, National Safety Director, and her team. Safetree is an outstanding initiative that, together with other programmes, is really helping to develop a safety ethos within the industry,” he says.

As the first pan-industry health and safety body set up in New Zealand, FISC has been something of a trailblazer and has put in place effective initiatives, says Simon. “But the industry’s Health & Safety performance shows workers are still being harmed, so there is still much work to do.”

He will continue to be based in Wellington but will spend time getting to know industry participants around the country.

Simon will be formally welcomed onto the FISC Council at its next meeting in April.

New FISC Chair, Simon O’Grady.

AS PART OF ITS INITIATIVE TO HELP THE FORESTRY INDUSTRY learn and become safer, WorkSafe is sharing information about forestry fatalities. With thanks to Mr Whare’s whānau, the Contractor and Principal for this information about a fatality near Masterton in January: • Person: Steve Whare, 53 years old, an experienced and popular member of the logging crew.

• Date: 26 January 2021.

• Location: Tinui Valley, near Masterton.

• Employer: Egmont Logging harvesting for Farman Turkington Forestry.

• Activity: Machine-assisted felling of a mature Macrocarpa shelter belt on farmland.

• Terrain and conditions: At the time of the incident Mr Whare was clear-felling on the flat and it was clear underfoot. The weather was hot and sunny.

• Circumstances: Indications are that Mr Whare had completed his cuts on a tree being held by a grapple. It appears as though the shelter belt was close cropped about 30 years old. It had a mean height of approximately 32 metres, with intertwined tops. WorkSafe understands that Mr Whare retreated to a partially protected position two trees away. Following that, it appears that as the machine started to move to lower the cut tree, the top third of the tree next to it (intertwined top), broke off, fatally striking Mr Whare. WorkSafe says its investigation is ongoing and the information above is as it understood events at the time of this update.

• Risk Management: WorkSafe says the Health and Safety at Work Act requires those in control of, influencing, or arranging work, to do all that is reasonably practical to protect workers and others from harm arising from that work. A principle of the Act is that workers should be provided the highest level of protection against harm to their health, safety and welfare from hazards and risks arising from work. In high-risk situations this means understanding and applying the hierarchy of controls. If the risk cannot be eliminated, then the next step is to look for ways that the work can be done without risk before adopting measures to manage the risk. Where trees can be fully mechanically felled, they should be. Only where they cannot and must be felled should exposing a tree faller with a chainsaw to the risk be considered. NZL

8 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

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forest talk

Taking on new challenges Māori trades and training set to benefit BRENT GUILD HAS BEEN APPOINTED Executive General Manager, New Zealand, by OneFortyOne. He replaces Lees Seymour, who resigned from the role in late 2020.

“We are pleased to confirm Brent’s appointment,” says OneFortyOne Chief Executive Officer, Andy Giles Knopp. “Brent has been working as General Manager Forests for OneFortyOne New Zealand since 2019 and as one of two acting leaders for the New Zealand team for the past several months. In this role he has made a significant impact on the business, particularly during a difficult 2020.”

Brent says he is looking forward to the challenges and opportunities offered by the role: “Our industry is an important contributor to the Nelson Tasman and Marlborough regions. We have very committed teams in both the forest and the mill, and I am looking forward to working with them and better understanding the aspirations of our stakeholders.” NZL

OneFortyOne’s new Executive General Manager New Zealand, Brent Guild.

WHĀNAU AND COMMUNITIES IN Tairāwhiti-East Coast, Northland-Tai Tokerau and the Bay of Plenty are set to benefit from a funding boost for Māori Trades and Training.

“The Government is continuing to support Māori into work and training by investing $5.5m to help up to 150 Māori train and gain qualifications,” says Social Development and Employment Minister, Carmel Sepuloni.

“The funding recipients are Manaia SAFE Forestry School and the ICONIQ Group in Tairāwhiti-East Coast, North Drill in Northland-Tai Tokerau and Minginui Nursery in the Bay of Plenty.

“The four funding recipients are providing high quality programmes to help their regions’ rangatahi get the training and qualifications they need to find long-term jobs in their local communities.

“But these programmes are about

more than just learning new skills. They also provide rangatahi with the pastoral care, guidance, qualifications and confidence to productively participate in their local communities, while helping build a stronger economy.

“Rangatahi will be taught how to safely work in forestry, acquire horticulture nursery skills and get the experience needed to get jobs in the drilling, mining and quarrying industries.

Alternatively they will learn how to build safe, warm, healthy homes, benefitting their whānau and the neighbourhoods they live in.

“Today’s announcement is focused on regions where we want to engage with Māori and rangatahi who have been impacted by COVID-19, or who are not in education, employment or training. We want to help Māori get the training and qualifications they need, in order to find long-term jobs. NZL

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forest talk

ACC backs Robotic scaling tech

Top: Robotic Scaling Machine (RSM) checkpoint.

Above: RSM scanning using a robotic arm (left); RSM scanning on truck (centre); RSM scan of logs and QR codes (right).

WITH LOGS BEING NEW ZEALAND’S THIRD-BIGGEST EXPORT, worth $4.5 billion in 2020, log handling is also a major cause of workplace injuries, with some 17,000 active claims costing $75 million last year, ACC data shows.

Now, ACC has teamed up with one of the world’s top 50 robotics companies, Tauranga-based Robotics Plus, to improve the Health & Safety of forestry and port workers.

The technology being developed by Robotics Plus includes a Robotic Scaling Machine (RSM) that can more quickly and accurately measure the volume of timber on logging trucks, eliminating the dangerous manual task of climbing over trucks to measure logs at ports, forestry sites and sawmills.

Injuries easily occur when workers climb ramps to individually scan and measure each log with a ruler. The new technology cuts scaling time from around 40 minutes per truck to just four-and-a-half.

“It starts at the back-end of the truck and works forward and it scans each face of the logs. Then we apply some machine-learning algorithms that do the scaling or the circumference of the log,” says Robotics Plus co-founder and CEO, Steve Saunders.

Mount Maunganui-based port logistics company, ISO Limited, which handles more than half of New Zealand’s log exports, has recorded no injuries or fatalities in log scaling since installing 11 RSMs at sites across the North and South Islands. The move has also allowed workers that were doing this task manually to be moved to higher-skilled positions.

“It’s safer and more productive than the previous manual system used throughout the world which requires people to manually scan and measure the logs by climbing on to trucks and trailers to perform the task,” says Paul Cameron, CEO of ISO. “We are excited to partner with Robotics Plus to take this innovative

10 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

Kiwi technology to the rest of the world,” adds ACC’s Head of Private Markets, Martin Goldfinch. “This investment is a perfect fit with our goal to ensure Kiwis stay healthy and safe while contributing to a financially sustainable scheme for the benefit of all New Zealanders.

That’s the impact we want to make – combining ACC’s established expertise in injury prevention with its proven skill in investment management.” ACC’s Impact Investment Fund used for this project sits within the target range of $2 million to $15 million.

Steve adds: “It’s great to have ACC investing in Robotics Plus alongside the continued support of Japan’s Yamaha Motor Co. ACC is an excellent strategic fit as it aligns with our values and our vision. The investment will help us accelerate the development of our advanced technologies that help solve complex global problems, including robotic log scaling technology, as we scale up rapidly and enter new markets internationally while providing solutions domestically.”

The RSM, developed in collaboration with ISO, led to Robotics Plus being listed on Robotics Business Review’s top 50 most transformative companies in the global robotics sector in 2020.

The technology is among a suite of innovative projects Robotics Plus has developed, including robotic fruit packers that reduce the musculoskeletal strains and injuries associated with repetitive manual tasks, and robots capable of a variety of tasks in horticulture. NZL

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forest talk

Woodland warrior JOHN DEERE’S NEW SIX-WHEEL 768L-II BOGIE SKIDDER IS A TRUE woodland warrior, designed to conquer wet conditions and steep slope terrain. Incorporating the proven features of John Deere’s existing skidders, the new 768L-II maximises productivity, performance, and comfort when carrying hefty loads over long distances in challenging conditions.

“Profitability and productivity are critical in the woods, and as loggers take to new areas for jobs, they need dependable machines that are built with these niche applications in mind,” says Matthew Flood, product marketing manager, John Deere Forestry. “With our new bogie skidder, we’re delivering a purpose-built machine that navigates tough terrain, such as swamps or steep slopes.”

The 209kW (281hp) 768L-II features heavy-duty bogie axles, which incorporate large components to maximise durability and stability for long axle and tyre life. The heavy-duty axles are purpose-built for tough applications, pulling heavy loads and manoeuvring through terrain.

The smooth, stable operation results in reduced machine vibration, ultimately minimising operator fatigue. Another key feature is its tractive ability and floatation. When combined with the bogie axles, ground pressure is reduced, allowing the 768L-II to work in wet terrain not accessible with a four-wheel skidder. As a result, the harvesting window is extended, adding more working days to the calendar.

The new arch design provides the operator with an expansive rearward view of the grapple and work area, for good visibility. The long

wheelbase and boom-arch envelope boost reach and lift capability for the boom and grapple. The tight turning radius enhances agility at the landing.

“The John Deere bogie skidder is hands down twice as good as a regular four-tyre skidder. It’s just all-around better in my book for productivity and ground disturbance,” says Jason Dawson of Triple J Logging. “With the 768L-II, you can carry twice as much of a load, especially in wet conditions and on steep terrain, without tearing the ground up.”

The 768L-II retains the other customer-favourite features introduced on the L-II product line-up. Streamlined and redesigned electrical and hydraulic systems result in improved uptime and increased guarding and protection of key components. An improved grapple squeeze force and two-speed winch further increase productivity, while articulation steering sensors improve operator experience.

Other features include a spacious cab with ample storage space, configurable controls, and air conditioning. Armrest-mounted electrohydraulic controls offer hand-finger operation of all machine functions, and joystick steering provides smooth control of steer, direction and ground speed. The industry-exclusive Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) marries the efficiency of a direct-drive transmission with the smoothness of a hydrostatic drive. As a result, CVT provides more power to the ground by sensing the load, increasing torque and tractive effort as needed to maintain the desired speed. NZL

Investing in the future ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL, HENRY WESTON, SAYS THE Forestry and Wood Processing Workforce Action Plan, developed in partnership with the sector, has identified that up to 5000 more forestry and wood processing workers will be required by 2025.

With this in mind, Te Uru Rākau is delivering $1.5 million into training and employment projects to help the sector meet labour and skills gaps.

“The food and fibre sectors are a key driver for the New Zealand economy and it is a priority for the Ministry of Primary Industries to invest in projects that attract people to the sector,” says Mr Weston.

“As New Zealand continues to recover from the economic impacts

12 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

of COVID-19, we need people taking up careers in this important sector. The forestry and wood processing sectors already bring in between $6 and $7 billion each year, employ 35,000 people, and we want to keep helping New Zealanders find exciting and rewarding training and career opportunities.

“It was great to see 10 trainees graduate from a 17-week Taranakibased course at the end of 2020 and go straight into jobs. The training built the silviculture skills of young people, enabling them to work within the iwi land development programme and within the wider Taranaki region.”

forest talk

By Jim Childerstone

Steve Johnson (far left) with the latest intake of Pathways forestry students, from left: Varseti McFelin, Michael Bennett, Harvey Tuckey, Connor Brown, Anthony Smart, Tane Parker, Joel Park, Luke Hewson, Ranah Herewhini, Harvey Pringle, Heath Brevenbeck, Alistair McKenzie (tutor).

Get forestry recruits out of school GET FORESTRY RECRUITS OUT OF SCHOOL AND THEY COULD stick with it, is what Steve Johnson of Johnson Forestry Services and Tokomairiro Training is finding with the current 11 strong group of youngsters in this year’s Forestry Career Pathways course.

Launched in 2019, the first eight trainees are mostly now in forestry and related jobs with a couple going on to further studies.

Steve says the current crop are showing considerable enthusiasm and predicts they’ll stick with it. They come mostly from the Otago/ Southland region; also a couple from South Canterbury and one from the North Island. But it appears none from the tourist towns where redundant workers number into the thousands.

Both Steve and Mike Hurring held workshops in the resorts at the start of the first lockdown which indicated a flurry of interest that appears to have died away. Geoff Owen, DOC Operations Manager, Wakatipu, says the Department of Conservation recruited over 30 workers trained for wilding control, track and replanting work but they did not last the distance, saying he realises some jobs can be boring. However, Queenstown Lakes District Council, with its 650 hectares of forested reserves has not actively recruited any new workers under its original Ben Lomond Queenstown Hill 2005 management plan. The writer visited these sites recently and was confronted by thick regeneration of exotic weedy shrub and regenerating conifers. A council official told NZ Logger that the council intends to update the plan which will include employment in the amenity forested reserves.

Steve explains that the Pathways course was designed to find a career pathway into the forestry industry at any level. Two days in the

week include industry visits, practical exercises and assignments.

Perhaps Lakes District high schools and tertiary institutions should include forestry as part of career recommendations. At least it adds another skill rather than relying solely on tourism during hard times.

Industry visits include to nursery, to forest, to processing plants, to ports, says Pathways tutor Alistair McKenzie, an ex Forestry Service qualified trainer with 45 years’ experience.

Practical exercises include planting, pruning and chainsaw use.

“All protective equipment (PPE) tools required for the course are supplied,” he explains.

Pre-employment level drug testing, inductions and Health & Safety awareness are also included in the course. Some level 2 and level 3 unit standards are offered.

The courses are popular with, and supported by, Southern Wood Council Members, Wenita Forest Products, City Forests Dunedin and Earnslaw One, says Alistair. Other funding is provided by the Forest Growers Association, MSD and MBIE. Transport is provided from Dunedin and surrounding areas.

Steve says students from the previous two courses are working in silviculture, harvesting and processing. Others have gone on to tertiary study.

Johnson Forestry also runs a course for WINZ, taking in both redundant workers and those wanting to change jobs. Last year’s trainees included eight, of which five remained in forestry work.

Johnson Forestry currently runs six crews, mostly within the two southern provinces doing planting, pruning, thinning operations. NZL

The course, run by Treemachine Services for rangatahi from Ngāti Maru and other Taranaki iwi, was funded by Te Uru Rākau with support from North Tec, Taranaki Regional Council, the Department of Conservation and Ministry of Social Development and forestry companies.

In Masterton, KTM Silviculture ran a programme for 24 trainees to gain Level 3 NZQA silviculture training qualifications.

“This will help address the skills gap in Wairarapa, which is currently holding back forestry activities in the region,” Mr Weston says.

“Funding provided to Tāne Mahuta in the Bay of Plenty enables 20 tairua (students) to do an eight-week Te Whakatō Rākau training programme, and we are also supporting a programme for 12 local rangitahi aged 18-29 run by Mohaka Kingz Contracting for their E Tū

Kahikatoa project in Wairoa.

“The students will not only gain NZQA Level 2 and Level 3 forestry credits, they will get work experience in a commercial planting environment, nutrition advice and kaihautū mentor support within a kaupapa Māori framework.”

Te Uru Rākau is also supporting the education of younger students and a grant has been provided to the Southern North Island Wood Council to deliver the Wood is Good education programme. This programme teaches rural primary school students about logging truck safety and introduces aspects of forestry through in class activities.

Mr Weston says these training investments are part of Te Uru Rākau’s broad programme that is assisting the industry to meet its training and employment needs in coming years. NZL

April 2021 | NZ LOGGER 13

forest talk

Sawmill feed system gets a makeover THE SPRINGER GROUP, AN AUSTRIAN, FAMILY-RUN COMPANY, will be the main contractor for the new, earthquake-proof, heavyduty sawmill feed system at Pan Pac’s Whirinaki (Hawke’s Bay) site. The investment totals around NZD 13 million (approx. EUR 7.8 million).

Pan Pac, owned by the Japanese OJI Group, is a leading specialist in sustainable radiata pine products and New Zealand’s biggest exporter of high-quality premium appearance lumber throughout Asia. The project will include local partners like Lakeland Steel and Design Manufacture & Installation in Rotorua.

“The sawmill feed system to be replaced was originally installed in the early 1980s,” says Pan Pac Managing Director, Tony Clifford.

The order was issued following several years of in-depth project work geared to customers’ highly specific requirements. However, Springer had already started to help Pan Pac develop the new heavyduty sawmill feed system back in 2017.

“Pan Pac has always harnessed international technologies to improve processes and our product range’s lumber quality for our customers worldwide, which is why we chose the Springer Group,” explains Michael Reaburn, Pan Pac’s general manager of lumber.

In order to minimise downtime, system integration, commissioning and project hand-over are scheduled during a planned shut-down of the plant at the end of 2022.

Facts and figures about the project: • System capacity: 15 cycles/minute, unsorted mixed operation, length of the log 3.4 – 6 metres, LED 0,9 metres and max. log envelopes of up to 1.1 metres.

• Annual log feeding capacity: 950,000 tonnes/1,100.00 m³ p.a.

• Radiata pine logs supplied by the company’s own forestry enterprise and from its own forests.

• Heavy-duty sawmill feed system with two parallel double-feed decks (deep pile 2.5 m).

• Consecutively alternating log feed from the two two-stage feed decks to ensure seamless feed to the saw line according to the production specifications, as well as symmetrical utilisation of the sorting systems.

• LOGEYE 301 with WiNLOG recording at the saw infeed, sorting, production data capture/logging/statistical analyses etc.

• The new generation of screw conveyor technology as a heavy-duty version.

• Smart sensor technology: Continuous fill level scanning of the feed decks as well as constant log position detection in the whole separation and infeed area.

• Earthquake-proof design of all the system and control technology.

• Modular system and control concept guarantee uninterrupted assembly and partial/pre-commissioning without additional downtime. NZL

New generation harvester head WARATAH FORESTRY EQUIPMENT HAS INTRODUCED A NEW generation of its HTH616C harvester head. The new HTH616C Series-III features many new service and accessibility upgrades and is highlighted by a main control valve designed to increase performance, responsiveness, and compatibility to a greater range of carriers – including WCTL (Wheeled Cut To Length), and smaller, lower powered carriers having limited flow.

“Boosting productivity and profitability is what the HTH616C Series-III is all about,” says Brent Fisher, Product Marketing Manager for Waratah.

“With a new valve, improved performance and more uptime, contractors can have confidence in the loads delivered. The HTH616C Series-III gives more performance from low-powered carriers, and it provides a great option for those with WCTL machines who want a 600 series head.”

With a weight starting at 1,800 kg (3,968 lb.), the HTH616 Series-III features a more efficient main control valve that can be configured with various options to fit performance needs on wheeled or tracked machines alike. Motor selections can be configured to complement the new valve and improve feeding speed, with a high torque motor option available to help increase productivity in the toughest delimbing conditions.

Operationally, the new valve provides improved responsiveness in the delimb and drive arms to enhance grabbing stems, log handling, and improve sawing performance – reducing processing times.

The cast delimb arm design improves limb shedding, and can be configured in a processing or harvesting profile with a maximum delimb opening of 68.5cm.

14 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

The H616C Series-III has optional twin diameter sensors that provide better measuring when small end diameters are critical. Additionally, the head features more length measuring consistency, with more measuring arm travel and enhanced measuring arm responsiveness.

The head also has a variety of features for increased uptime.

Hose routing has been optimised to the new valve, improving fitting access for easier serviceability, while optional harvesting guards for the main valve, drive arms, and saw box are available to reduce understory hosing interference.

An improved valve cover provides quick, no-tools access with integrated handles and quick-attach pins. A larger oiler filler improves the ease of filling bar and chain oil and helps shorten daily servicing.

The Waratah HTH616C Series-III is currently available to customers in New Zealand, Europe, the United States, Canada, Australia, Russia, Asia Pacific, Brazil and Latin America. NZL

Iron Test

Story & photos: John Ellegard

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The Timbermax winch-assist unit, fitted to the arm of the Sumitomo SH300 base machine to tether the Tigercat LS885E down the hill.

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April 2021 | NZ LOGGER 17

The weight limit for the rope is set at 18 tonnes, but that figure has never been reached during its operation with the King 1 crew.

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OUTHLAND LOGGER ANDREW ‘PRATTY’ PRATT LIKES the idea of tethering a machine on the hill to aid traction in steep harvesting operations.

But he’s not so keen on seeing a winch-assist digger sitting idle for big chunks of time when the system isn’t required.

So when he spied a website about a self-contained, bolt-on winch-assist unit that can easily be removed from the end of an excavator to allow the base machine to work without any hindrance between tethering operations, it immediately piqued his interest.

The Timbermax Traction Winch unit seemed to answer his requirements, and discussions with its inventor, Quebec-based engineer, Mathieu Lavoie, even led to the offer of distributorship for the New Zealand market.

“I loved the idea of the Timbermax and was keen to buy one, but the idea of being the dealer in New Zealand didn’t really appeal to me – not my thing,” says Andrew, who passed on the lead to AB Equipment.

Within a few weeks AB Equipment had organised for Andrew and another interested Southland contractor, Doug Anderson, to join them on a trip to Canada to see the Timbermax working in a snow-bound logging operation. AB Equipment returned with the distribution deal done and two orders, one for Andrew and the other for Doug.

That was more than a year ago. So has Andrew’s enthusiasm for the Timbermax paid off since he put it to work with his King One crew? It’s going better than expected, to the point where Andrew

BANNER BANNER BANNER 1 41

has expanded from only using it to tether a harvesting machine, to experimenting with assisting his skidder to recover trees from the hill as well.

It would have been nice to see how a skidder works on the end of a tether, as it’s still a very rare sight in New Zealand, but for this Iron Test visit we’ll only be experiencing the harvester on the rope in the Jericho Forest.

Situated on the western edge of Southland, where it meets the stunning Fiordland scenery, this is perfect winch-assist country.

Plenty of spots to anchor the winching machine at the top of the hill and long, straight slopes that allow it to perform wide sweeps across the face.

Watching the King One team attack the Douglas-firs on these 40-plus degree inclines you’d think they’d had years of experience with winch-assist technology. Actually, it’s not their first taste of tethering.

“We leased one of the Waka (Engineering) machines off another contractor, Mark Frisken, for a job and it was a good experience for us,” says Andrew.

“Then Rayonier said they wanted us to have one full-time, so that’s when we started looking around.”

Most of the winch-assist machines built in New Zealand have a winch set built into the rear of either an excavator or a bulldozer, with the bucket/blade dug into the ground to act as an anchor when SERIOUS POWER BIGidea TIME LOGGERS tethering a harvester on the FOR hill. The is that these machines can still operate as originally intended with buckets or blades

ALWAYS SWING A BIG STICK

EST EST 1909 1909 | TOCALL WWW.SHAWS.CO.NZ JONNY EDWARDS 021 944 894 THE THE SUPPLIER SUPPLIER NEW TO NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND HEAVY HEAVY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY 18 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

A NEW DAY.

THE WOODLAND WARRIOR, UNLEASH THE BEAST. A NEW DEERE.

With incredible stability in soft or sloped terrain, the new John Deere 768L-II Bogie Skidder efficiently retrieves timber in hard-to-reach places. The bogie axles on this six-wheel skidder combine excellent traction and flotation with reduced ground pressure helping you move big loads long distances no matter the conditions.

It’s a New Day and a New Deere.

JohnDeere.co.nz/Forestry

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when they are not tethering, but Andrew worries that the extra bulk and weight sitting on the back hinders their effectiveness for shovelling/bucket work on a hill or fleeting and loading around a tight skid site.

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Heavy-duty model The idea behind the Timbermax is not really new. Several European forestry companies have been employing bolt-on winches for many years, but they have mostly been attached to a machine to enable it to pull itself up or lower itself down a steep slope. Timbermax also has smaller versions of its Traction Winch that can do the same, but the majority of interest shown in New Zealand is for the top-of-therange T20HD that fixes to the arm of an excavator at the top of the hill.

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If the idea of having a big winch-set sitting on the end of the stick doesn’t sit well with some people, it’s really not that much different to dangling a big harvesting/processing head. In fact, it weighs around the same – tipping the scales at 4.7 tonnes.

The T20HD is a heavy-duty model that has been created to suit the New Zealand market, equipped with 420 metres of 1-inch rope (in place of the usual 7/8ths) with up to 56 tonnes breaking strain.

The rope is fed from a pivoting guide that swivels 45 degrees from centre and the winch has a spooling system to guide the rope onto the drum. It receives power through a hydraulic accumulator, which is fed from the base machine’s hydraulic system.

The T20HD comes with a spade attachment that digs into the ground to anchor when deployed. There’s also a movement detector that sets off an alarm to warn the operator.

We’ll get into the details of how the system itself works shortly, with input from Chris King of AB Equipment, who is also on site today.

First, we want to hear more from Andrew about his crew’s experience with the Timbermax.

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Fast line speed There’s a special computer box for the skidder (a Tigercat 632, soon to be replaced by a 635) with the software tailored for a wheeled machine. AB’s Chris King explains that the winch doesn’t really care if there’s a tracked or wheeled machine on the tether, as it’s just supplying oil flow. The Timbermax team has been working with Tigercat to ensure the systems work flawlessly when switching across.

A feature of the Timbermax is the line speed, which offers up to 8km/h in either direction, making it one of the fastest of any winchassist system NZ Logger has sampled. Ideal for running a skidder or forwarder.

Andrew says: “That’s what I liked when I looked at it, which is down to the variable speed pumps. The motor will keep de-stroking, provided they can keep the weight on. As long as you have enough hydraulic power in the base machine it will keep going.

“The winch is effectively controlling the excavator, so it’s asking for flow and engine revs and it matches the proportional valve with the hydraulic oil and engine revs to make the two work. And there’s no fear of over-run.”

When the Timbermax was being fitted to the Sumi base machine the only additional requirements were the fitting of upgraded valves in the hydraulic system to provide double-acting flow to

protect the winch and, when it is removed, to also protect the replacement grapple or bucket.

How easy is it to swap from the Timbermax to a grapple or bucket?

“There are three hoses off the winch and there is an electrical cable. Put your grapple on and hook up your rotators and your open/close and once you flick a switch it adjusts automatically and you’re away. Takes about 20 minutes.”

Andrew says the Sumi base machine has been fully utilised in shovel logging and on track work whenever the Timbermax has not been required, thus vindicating the main reason for purchasing it.

That happens when the harvester finds a slope that it can work on without needing to be tethered.

The harvester is a Tigercat LS855E, which has a tilting undercarriage, so it can happily work on reasonable slopes untethered. Andrew purchased the Tigercat after AB Equipment organised a Demo Day when the Timbermax arrived. The LS855E was brought in to demonstrate the winch-assist capabilities “and it never left”, laughs Andrew.

“I ended up driving it and liked it, so we decided we’d better pay for it,” he adds. “It’s just the operator comfort – you get out of that at the end of the day and you don’t feel too bad, but on a flat base your kidneys are buggered, plus it’s got huge track power.”

This Timbermax T20HD, operating with Southland contractor King 1, is the first to go into operation in New Zealand.

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MADE IN CANADA FOR NZ CONDITIONS

EST EST 1909 1909 |TO CALL WWW.SHAWS.CO.NZ JONNY EDWARDS 021 944 894 THE THE SUPPLIER SUPPLIER NEW TO NEW ZEALAND ZEALAND HEAVY HEAVY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY 22 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

Forest Focus

Although it has been on sale a couple of years, this is the first E-series NZ Logger has got its hands on. Our last LS855 experience was with a C-series and a lot has changed since then. The latest machine has a longer undercarriage, the new FPT engine, a whole new computer system, as well as a revised cab with improved vision due to slimmer pillars. This machine has also been fitted with lugs on alternative grousers for additional traction, especially side grip, says Andrew.

Regular operator, Brad Hammond has brought the LS855E up to the top of the slope so that our guest Iron Tester, Tony Buick, can take over.

Tony works for Gillion Logging and he’s no stranger to this machine or the Timbermax as he operated the pair on behalf of AB Equipment during the Demo Day. His experience goes back even further, because he was the operator on the first winchassist system that Bill Winmill designed and built before Waka Engineering took over the manufacturing.

Tony also started off with an LS855C and now operates an LS855E at Gillion, so his experience will be very useful for this Iron Test.

Excessive wear Regular operator, Brad, has joined us on the ground as Tony moves the 855E down the hill, with the rope seamlessly playing out to allow him to start falling a block of nearby trees and the pivot guide swivels to follow the rope. The Timbermax and Tigercat combo are Brad’s first experience of winch-assist harvesting, although he has done mechanical falling on the flat.

“It’s a bit different, but good – this set-up works real well,” he says. “Gets you around the hill much easier than not having the rope on. Stabilises the machine heaps.”

He likes the computer system and the touch screen that controls the Timbermax and says it is very easy to understand.

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One of the key issues with any winch-assist system is ensuring that the rope is protected and remains in good condition. On hard stone surfaces, like those found in this forest, it can easily get damaged if the operator isn’t careful and Brad says he is extra careful when making his daily inspection of the rope to look for any damage.

Andrew says that the rough ground in this forest has already caused some excessive wear on the rope compared to larger diameter ropes fitted to other winch-assist machines and it was replaced before it reached 600 hours.

Speaking of other winch-assist systems, I ask Andrew the question that would be on most loggers lips: how does the Timbermax compare to the Waka winch-assist.

“That one had a 21-tonne pull, compared to the 18-tonne pull on this one, because of the bigger ropes, but they’re pretty similar,” he says.

“When we weren’t using it, it would just sit there. This one allows us to take the head off and keep our production up. We use both a grapple and a bucket, depends on what the work need is. Keeps everything moving.”

Tony is making sure production doesn’t let up as he brings down a succession of trees with the 855E and the Tigercat 5195 felling head, shovelling them down the hill for the skidder to grab. Every now and then we hear the Sumi/Timbermax at the top of the hill as it responds to Tony’s walking commands, either paying out more rope or winding it in. And when he’s completed his part of the Iron Test it provides just enough traction assistance for the LS855E to walk back up the hill.

Tony vacates the cab to allow AB’s Chris King to explain how the Timbermax ‘iWinch Control System’ works.

What stands out first is how nicely the screen displays the FOR BIG TIME LOGGERS variousSERIOUS functions POWER and also includes a picture of the winch drum from a camera inside the Timbermax housing.

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Above left: The Canadian manufacturer of the Timbermax created a special heavy-duty version of the T20 for New Zealand, featuring larger diameter rope.

Above: This rear view of the Timbermax T20HD shows the upper part of the spade that digs into the ground to act as an anchor.

Right: This shot is from the Demo Day to show off the Timbermax to New Zealand contractors, and shows its inventor, Mathieu Lavoie, from Canada with the winch-assist unit raised off the ground.

Above left: Iron Tester, Tony Buick, doesn’t really have to think about what the winch-assist system is doing because it automatically recognises what the Tigercat LS855E requires.

Above right: Chris King, Product Specialist with AB Equipment, explains the functions on the Timbermax iWinch control system screen.

Left: Detail view of the iWinch screen.

Three tension settings A pictograph of the rope on the drum shows how many layers are left as the harvester progresses down the hill after resetting it at the top. Walking back up, the operator knows to stop when it gets to zero to prevent the chain going up into the winch. When it’s down the hill and at the last half wrap on the drum, an ultrasonic sensor sends a message saying ‘time to stop’.

Through the touchscreen, the operator can set it to three different tension settings – ‘downhill’, ‘not moving’ and ‘uphill force’ – with the amount of force displayed on screen.

“And if we hook into the ‘can’ we can see messages being displayed from the base winching machine to tell you if the machine is overheating, charge rate is not going, low hydraulic oil level etc,” says Chris.

“Over the life of the machine it also records the amount of weight the machine is pulling. So you can see here it has done 731 cable hours and I know that one cable has been replaced. You can see here it is running between 14 and 8 tonnes, that’s where it spends most of its life.”

All the manuals are held within this unit, including maintenance, safety manual, hydraulic diagrams, electrical diagrams and all parts manuals. It also provides servicing reminders, with the oil changes and new filters in the Timbermax system required every 500 hours, as well as new filters.

“We can also see what the base machine is doing, even into the diagnostic pages – I can see those live,” Chris adds.

“From here I can see on the winch cable extractor pressure and see how much current is being sent to the winch motor and see how

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much pressure is going to the rope. I can see straight away what the winch is sending, what this machine (LS855E) is requesting and what is happening to the rope.

So if we are fault finding, we can video this screen and send it to Mathieu (Lavoie in Quebec) and he can come back and say that’s not right, check that.”

At this stage, technicians cannot tap into that information from outside – it has to be downloaded directly from the computer system. The Quebec team is developing a system that will communicate the information wirelessly. Theoretically, this system could also allow the harvester to be run as a remote operated machine without anyone in either cab. But that is still well into the future.

For now, the Timbermax has fulfilled Andrew’s need to get people off the ground and provide the flexibility to utilise all of his machines wherever they are needed, including the winch-assist base. And he has managed to utilise the winch-assist technology at a surprisingly low cost.

Four Timbermax systems are now working in New Zealand – the Southland pair and another two in the North Island – and AB Equipment says it is has keen interest from other contractors. NZL

SERIOUS POWER BIG TIME LOGGERS

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iron test: Tony Buick

QUICK AND EASY I SUPPOSE I’M A WINCH-ASSIST VETERAN now, with five years’ experience using the Waka Engineering machines designed by my boss, Bill Winmill.

But it’s always good to try something that’s a bit different.

When I got the call to come and operate this Timbermax for AB Equipment at the Demo Day I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I ended up being quite impressed with what it could do.

Coming back again, I’m still impressed.

Compared to the Waka that I’ve got, it has more speed, so you can move down the hill quicker. It has similar pulling power.

But the first thing that you always question is how well it is anchored. We use a big bucket that we can dig deep into the ground.

The spade on the Timbermax looks a lot smaller and you wonder how long it would stay anchored. But the harder you pull the more it digs in. That rope being right on the ground pulls it down more.

The control system works similarly to what I am used to and it’s very user-friendly. I love the screen and I did ask Matthieu if he’d sell it separately, but you have to buy the whole thing. Really impressed with the way the

screen is laid out. Very easy to understand, just a quick glance and you know exactly what it’s doing. It can tell you which way your pedals are moving, pressure on your ropes, everything all at a glance.

Starting off you set your holding weight, set your walking down the hill weight, and then the weight for going uphill. You don’t have to tell it you are going up or down, that is done through your travel pedals. Very easy to use.

Then just drive the harvester as normal and make sure the ropes aren’t binding. Working with a smaller diameter rope means you have to be especially watchful for wear – I know this one was replaced after 540 hours. Our ropes are bigger and we do our replacements at 1,000 hours.

The camera watching the drum is very useful, as without it you wouldn’t know what was going on, but the rope seems to lay perfectly. It would be nice to have another camera looking down the hill.

When the weight goes onto the rope you do find it delays a bit but never to the point where I thought it wasn’t going to pull me up the hill. The ground here is good and firm so that helps.

Iron Tester, Tony Buick.

We have a 855E on our winch-assist, so I did feel at home in the cab and didn’t have to think about what I was doing because it’s all very familiar. These E-series are a definite improvement in the stability, the new engine is good and there’s better visibility. And the rear-view camera is useful to show you where the rope is.

I have not been inside a skidder on the rope yet. That would be interesting. By all accounts it works very well. The higher return speed down the hill would be an advantage.

And being able to take the Timbermax unit off the digger and put it on another machine without a lot of engineering and fuss is another advantage. NZL

Below left: Andrew Pratt, owner of the King 1 logging crew, wanted a winch-assist system he could quickly remove so he could fully utilise the base machine.

Below right: Brad Hammond is the regular operator of the Tigercat LS855E harvester.

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King 1 crew owner, Andrew Pratt, lifts the lid to show the inner workings of the Timbermax.

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NZ Timber

e h T

s i e c n fe

Story: Hayley Leibowitz

T

HIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP. We are effectively taking down the fence that’s been around Scion for quite some time,” says Scion CEO, Dr Julian Elder, of the Crown Research Institute’s new building named Te Whare Nui o Tuteata. “It was a real eye opener to me to come to Scion and learn all of the wonderful things

32 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

that happen here. Now we are no longer an ‘invisible, secret, science establishment behind the trees’. The fence is coming down.”

In collaboration with Irving Smith Architects, RTA Studio was commissioned to reimagine Scion’s Rotorua headquarters.

The project allows the workforce from around the campus to collaborate in

a central space which will be the new public face of Scion in the community.

The design showcases timber use in commercial construction, with emphasis on the innovation and research reflecting the essence of Scion as an organisation.

Julian explains that the timing of the creation of the new building is crucial,

s coming d own

Scion’s new building, Te Whare Nui o Tuteata.

given that around the world, “we are taking significant steps to move away from a linear, petrochemical-based economy to a circular bioeconomy, which is what makes this building so important”.

“We talk about all the work we do here and our core purpose, to drive innovation and growth for the economic,

environmental and social benefit of New Zealand. That means us helping others through our science, our research, our technology and taking up new state-of-theart or alternative ways of manufacturing products, as well as sustainable approaches in the environment. With Scion so involved with forestry, processing of wood and all

the benefits and products we get from trees, it was high time to reflect that,” he adds.

With some 600 000 visitors a year to the Redwoods, Te Whare Nui o Tuteata incorporates a public cafe as well as an experience centre that will tell the complete forestry story. The name was gifted by

April 2021 | NZ LOGGER 33

NZ Timber

Above: Construction underway.

Right: Developing the diagrid node connections and understanding their ability to withstand the load demands was critical to the success of the project. TimberLab worked with Dunning Thornton and Scion to manufacture test joints, allowing for proof testing of the diagrid nodes prior to finalising the design. Here the diagrid frame is shown in the testing rig.

Ngā Hapū e Toru who hold mana over the whenua.

“Our perspective is that the circular bioeconomy is the way the world is moving and that’s a huge opportunity for New Zealand. It fits our wheelhouse which is why showing our work is so important. This will feed back into all of the mechanisms that start to create the demand for this new future,” says Julian.

“Also exciting for us is that the innovation is centred in the regions. All of these activities will be close to trees. So it’s a really exciting opportunity for economic development of our regions and creation of new higher value jobs in a sustainable, environmentally-friendly way. We would like to get to the stage where everyone thinks of products that are made in NZ are good for the planet and good for you.

So that’s what we’re trying to do with this building,” he explains.

He points out that showcasing the

34 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

science and technology and thinking about those opportunities is about bringing people along on the journey “so that they go ‘wow, we want buildings like this or we want a future that looks like that’ ”.

And that is certainly what Scion has achieved with this building.

“We really have taken every opportunity to showcase what’s possible with wood in this building, we wanted it to really speak to Scion and what’s possible for the future,” says Project Manager, Aoife Mac Sharry (pronounced eefa).

First of its kind Visitors walk through the forestry canopy and are welcomed by a triple peak entry. The trio of ‘peaks’ in glulam timber, represent the three hapū of the land, standing proud and tall at the entrance. They then pass beneath these portals to a triple-height atrium where a curated exhibition of woodfibre technology and a café welcomes the public.

The dominant feature of the threestorey, 2000m2 building is the diagonal grid (diagrid) timber structure. Diagrids are an efficient way to provide strength and stiffness and require less material than traditional structures, says Aoife. As the only triple high timber diagrid in New Zealand, the building is believed to be a world first for a wooden diagrid structure of its size.

She adds that the central black plates were custom-designed by structural engineers

Dunning Thornton, to absorb all the energy introduced to the building in the event of a seismic event. “When the earthquake is finished, we swap out that plate and we’ve got a structurally sound building again. No catastrophic collapse of the diagrid. I’m sure you’ll agree, for a country such as New Zealand that could prove useful,” she says.

The atrium works to support passive ventilation and the double skinned façade provides a stacked chimney effect, says Aoife. “Moving inside we’ve got the CLT suspended staircases. You can jump on the

landing and there’ll be no noise, there’ll be no shake, there’ll be nothing. That’s a massive feat of engineering. One run of steps is just shy of a tonne. The landing up there is 1.1 tonne. So that’s a hell of a lot of weight being supported by each post.

“The diagrid reduces the reliance on steelwork at points of connection so traditional steel and concrete become redundant,” she adds. The strength of the diagrid components was tested at Scion. An apex portion was subjected to 45 tonnes of downward pressure then pulled upward by a 31.5 tonne force. A node section, where diagrid components are integrated with a horizontal member, was subjected to 20 tonnes of compression to try to twist the horizontal component. All the pieces tested passed with flying colours, performing comfortably at even the maximum design loads the engineers had calculated.

Engineered timberoptions were chosen for construction for their physical properties, sustainability and environmental performance.

The diagrid wall frames use glulam and laminated veneer lumber (LVL) technology; the floor beams and roof trusses have been manufactured from LVL. The floors, lift shaft panels, suspended staircases and meeting room bracing are made from cross laminated timber (CLT). The signature entry canopies utilise both CLT and glulam technology. The lift shaft is one of the few entirely wooden lift shafts in the world.

Fire resistance is well catered for in the building design too. The heavy timber members, like the LVL components, tend to char rather than catch alight. The charring rate is slow and predictable, and the layer of char acts as insulation, protecting the underlying timber.

The building contains 454m3 of structural wood, storing approximately 418 tonnes of CO2 emissions for the life of the building.

This storage is equivalent to the emissions from 160 return flights from Auckland to London. New Zealand radiata pine forests can regrow this amount of wood in only 35 minutes.

“Although not designed as carbonnegative, choosing wood instead of alternative materials reduced greenhouse gas emissions and fossil-fuel consumption during the product manufacturing and building construction stages. This led to us being the unexpected owners of an embodied carbon-neutral building. This attribute allows Scion to ‘walk the talk’ of what’s possible,” explains Aoife.

The triple-height atrium leads up to a custom-designed wooden ceiling which is a

Above, from left: Scion Chief Executive, Dr Julian Elder, Chair of Scion’s Board of Directors Dr Helen Andersen, and mana whenua representatives, Veronica Butterworth and Hokimate Kahukiwa, sign a document to formailse Ngā hapū e Toru gifting the name Te Whare Nui o Tuteata to Scion, for the new building.

Below: The Eastwood cafe and seating.

Right: Dr Julian Elder, in front of the CLT suspended staircases.

Bottom: Inside the building is light, bright and airy.

April 2021 | NZ LOGGER 35

NZ Timber

nod to Scion’s work, inspired by the structure of the radiata pine genome, the assembly of which Scion was heavily involved in. Timber battens and plywood panels in subtle tones depict the barcoding effect from the plant DNA, while the arrangement of atrium ceiling lights represent the Matariki star cluster.

It’s not just about the wood Looking upward from the atrium, the levels above provide more private, acoustically considered open-plan office and collaboration spaces.

A wrap-around coloured curtain wall clads the building in colours that reflect the forest canopy, acknowledging the cultural significance of the land. “Traditional tukutuku weaving inspired the double-skin façade with coloured glass moderating solar gains, while internally creating the effect of dappled light falling through a forest canopy,” explains Aoife.

The building is sustainably designed, with typical office heating and cooling needs significantly reduced. Developed for the local climate, the motorised doubleskin façade provides heat recovery in winter, with the coloured glazing panels and internal building cavity regulating thermal gains in summer. Other energy-saving features include natural ventilation, solar shading and LED lighting – all contributing to reducing plant and ongoing running costs.

“We used a lot of sustainable green products because it’s not just about the wood, it’s about the bioeconomy. Passive ventilation through the double skinned façade, LEDs, acoustic floor system with shredded up tyres in between the CLT… all help this space tell the history of forestry, the history of the land and what’s possible for the future,” says Aoife.

The exhibition space speaks to that, currently showcasing Scion science and research in three key areas: • Caring for our forests with the goal of healthy, resilient forests for all to enjoy.

• Building the future from timber: Trees as the ultimate green technology storing carbon for decades or even centuries.

• Creating tomorrow’s products: Anything made from fossil-based materials today can be made from a tree tomorrow.

Aoife continues: “Essentially the space we want to have is where anybody can come in and use it for brainstorming, hotdesking, an ideation space, a project space – open to our industry partners, we’re more than happy to have anybody here.”

36 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

Above: The ceiling represents the radiata pine genome and Matariki star cluster.

Below: The exhibition space.

Bottom: The enterior looking out through the main door.

K

K

K

M e i h e m

Julian has the final word. “What we’re trying to build here is a collaborative campus. We want that to grow. We want a lot more interactions with our peers. This building is a very important step for us, to start making people aware of what can be done and what’s possible.”

Project partners: Architectural design: RTA Studio, Irving Smith; Structural engineering: Dunning Thornton; Engineered wood fabrication: TimberLab/Xlam; Construction: Watts & Hughes; Project managers: RDT Pacific; Exhibition design and installation: The Gibson Group. NZL

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Silviculture

The long road to silviculture mechanisation Story: Russell Dale and Mike Baker

W

HILE MECHANISATION IN HARVESTING has advanced in leaps and bounds over the past few decades, the same cannot be said for forest growing operations such as planting and pruning, which still rely significantly on manual methods.

However, the forest growing sector faces a number of challenges, including: • Forest owners are finding it difficult to attract people to work in labour-intensive tasks and the costs of these activities continue to rise.

• Unless we can make forestry attractive to a new generation of workers this will get worse.

• License to operate pressures will continue to increase where chemicals are used.

38 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

There is now the opportunity to explore whether advancements in technology can help overcome some of these challenges for forest growing operations. For example, through the implementation or further development of mechanisation, improved handtools or remote sensing, There is also the opportunity to learn from the advances made in other parts of the forest growing in value chain such as in harvesting operations.

The last time the New Zealand forest industry had a coordinated mechanised silviculture research programme was over 30 years ago, with the Silviculture Equipment Research Group.

This had some success in nursery mechanisation and mechanical land preparation. However, not much else

has changed in our other forest growing operations, particularly when compared to other parts of the value chain.

Therefore, the time has now come for the forest industry, as a collective, to invest in the development of mechanisation and other technologies for forest growing operations.

A look at harvesting operations In the 1950s all tree felling and log making was manual, with little focus on Health & Safety. Since then, mechanised harvesting has developed on flat ground, particularly over the last 25 years, but the same could not be said for steeper land.

For harvesting on steeper land, a focused effort to improve Health & Safety and

harvesting productivity has seen mechanised felling on steep country increased from 20% in 2008 to 70% in 2020. As grapple extraction and mechanised log making increased there has been a corresponding reduction in the rate of serious harm injuries and fatalities in harvesting. It was also successfully demonstrated that teleoperation of harvesting equipment is possible.

A new seven-year MPI Partnership programme, now in its second year, is looking at further mechanisation and automation opportunities beyond felling and extraction to reduce costs, eliminate repetitive manual tasks and improve data connectivity across the supply chain.

There have also been major changes in log transport from bullock wagons to the rigs of today. Trucks now showcase technology and driverless trucks are already a reality – no doubt we will soon see them entering our industry here in New Zealand, especially where private road networks exist.

Advances in remote sensing such as Lidar, radar and multispectral imagery and UAV/drone technology too, mean that we are increasingly less reliant on physical measurements from ground crews and it’s

only a matter of time before all of our forest assessment will be by remote means.

A long time coming Yet when we move to our forest growing operations such as nursery, establishment and silvicultural operations we have not made such advances.

In the early 1900s manual labour was the backbone of our forest nurseries. Today, while many of our nursery activities have been mechanised – bed cultivation, seed sowing, weed control, fertilising, irrigation – lining out of cuttings and the backbreaking work of lifting tree stocks, despite early attempts, are still dependent on manual labour.

In the 1920s, trees were planted with spades. Today little has changed. Planting spades are still used, with the difference being that the tree stocks are in plastic boxes rather than leather planting bags. Granted, land preparation and weed control have improved as has handling of tree stocks.

However changes are beginning to be considered, initially on relatively flat land, with the implementation of machine planting technology from Finland. The

Top row: Changes in silviculture approaches are starting to make their mark. 2020 planting at Kaingaroa (Photo: Timberlands) and mechanised planting.

Above and opposite page: Little has changed in pruning other than hi-viz.

Below: There have been major changes in log transport from bullock wagons to the rigs of today.

April 2021 | NZ LOGGER 39

Silviculture

question remains if we can extend this, or other forms of technology, to steeper country and therefore the majority of our forest land.

Moving to pruning, again little has changed. Workers have hi-viz but 50 years on, low pruning is still being done with Porter pruners. Medium and high pruning has moved on from pole saws but the same ladders, Porter pruners and jack saws are still used.

Axe and poison thinning have given way to manual chainsaw thinning. However, other than improved chainsaws that are more powerful and easier on the body, the basic thinning to waste operations have not changed much in 50 years. Some thinning to waste on flat land is now mechanised, but as with planting, the real challenge is to extend this onto our more typical forestry sites.

In terms of herbicides, broadcast spraying is now more reliant on helicopters rather than fixed wing. While we have seen developments with technology in the helicopter – guidance systems and the like and nozzle technology to reduce drift – the basic broadcast spraying operation has not changed.

Does the future lie with swarms of smart drones, sensing the weed or pests of concern, and delivering targeted and precise applications of herbicide or pesticide?

Where to from here Whatever the future holds, it largely on funding and industry In New Zealand, funding for good activities in the forest

40 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

depends support. industry growing

Top: No boots on the ground, no hands on the log is fast becoming a reality.

Above and below: Teleoperation of harvesting equipment is possible.

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Silviculture

space is collected via a levy on harvested logs. Approximately two thirds of this is allocated to research and development.

This funding – around $5.5 million in 2020 – also attracts leveraged funding from industry and government. Forest Growers Research (FGR) was established in 2008 to coordinate and manage industry investment

in Research & Development. It manages research across the forest growing value chain, from biotechnology to harvesting and supply chain management, including some new special purpose wood product development.

With the more recent interest in mechanisation, an initial survey was carried out in 2018 of some of the larger forest growers in New Zealand to see whether there was interest in developing a research programme for mechanised silviculture. This led to a facilitated workshop being convened

by Forest Growers Research in late 2019 with a group of industry personnel, with the aim to discuss industry interest in exploring further mechanisation opportunities in forest establishment and silviculture.

There was strong interest in the topic, and also support to develop the ideas into a new

Left: Planting spades are still used today.

Opposite page: Other than improved chainsaws, basic thinning to waste operations have not changed much in 50 years.

Areas of focus (% effort)

Precision Planting/Mechanisation (25%)

Mechanised Thinning to Waste (20%)

Areas of focus (% effort) Precision Forestry (20%)

Mechanised Pruning (15%)

Reducing Herbicide Use (10%)

Nursery Mechanisation and Automation (10%)

programme of work targeting government co-funding.

The outcomes of this workshop provide the direction for the development of an industry research programme. Participants initially identified six key focus areas: • Nursery mechanisation and automation • Precision planting including mechanisation • Mechanised thinning to waste • Mechanised pruning • Precision forestry systems • Reducing herbicide use Following the workshop, participants were asked to indicate their priority rankings and how much effort should be allocated to each area. The results were broken down between large forest owners (representing about 1 million ha) and small forest owners.

Precision planting including mechanisation was identified as the main focus area, followed by mechanised thinning to waste, precision forestry, mechanised pruning, reducing herbicide use and nursery mechanisation and automation (see table below).

Projects

% Effort

Mechanised planting

60

Precise tree locations

20

Optimal planting alignment

20

Automated tree selection

45

Improved hand tools

30

Mechanised felling

25

Smart forest inventory

50

Projects

% Effort

Worker proximity

20

Power assist hand tools

45

Full mechanisation

45

Partial mechanisation

10

Precision guidance and application of herbicides

70

Remote identification of weeds

30

Mechanised lifting, trimming & grading

55

Precision weed control

25

Automated tree stock counts

20

Optimal stockings by genetics

30

Key areas of focus and related projects identified by industry personnel at Forest Growers Research workshop 42 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

Some of the projects identified and prioritised by participants include steep slope mechanisation, automated tree selection for silviculture based on remote sensing techniques, and incorporating power assist into hand tools.

Of course, full mechanisation of operations such as pruning will involve a lot of development and trial work and is not without risk, but it will be a game changer if successful.

Currently FGR is progressing with smaller, more focused workshops to further develop project plans in each focus area. These will form the basis of a business case to both industry and government funding bodies during 2021.

Over the years mechanised silviculture has been attempted in New Zealand, some methods successful for their time and conditions and others not. With labour availability and quality likely to be an ongoing factor for our industry, the time to invest in and adopt new methods has finally come.

If you are interested in participating in this work or would like to learn more please contact Bart Challis (bart.challis@nzfoa.org.nz). NZL

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Gareth: 0274500041 Email admin@gwhitelogging.com April 2021 | NZ LOGGER 43

www.fica.org.nz

Prue Younger, CEO Message

Planting Season Rolls Around

Before you know it we are back into planting season again… those dark mornings are an indication that summer 2021 is just about over!

Last month between FOA and FICA we put out an email survey on silviculture capacity and were very pleased with the volume of responses we received, however stats are conflicting in that Forest Growers see not much increase in plantings for 2021, have their silviculture crews engaged and recognise maybe more issues with seedling supply than anything else. Contractors are telling us that there is generally an increase in planting and that they need approximately another 280 employees to meet their targets. The disparity, we believe, is due to the fact that contractors who responded to our survey are those working for forest management companies and not corporates. It has, however, given us the information we need to support and maintain another MSD–FICA Silviculture subsidy campaign for this coming season. Last season we put through just on 280 new employees into the scheme and supported the training and workforce issues for New Zealand silviculture crews that were struggling to find themselves their full numbers. With COVID taking the country by storm, the timing was unfortunate as we headed into planting season so MSD came to our support and we thank them for their ongoing relationship with us in forestry. Out of this subsidy support came some really fantastic stories which I am going to share below. There has been overwhelming feedback from contractors highlighting their appreciation that the subsidy helped them complete their contracts.

Success for FICA Silviculture Subsidy Taking up an MSD–FICA subsidy in 2020 helped S.A.W. Forestry Contracting to find a great addition to the team while covering some of the expenses when bringing on new staff. We catch up with Director Scott and find out how the MSD–FICA subsidy has been a success for his business.

Employing a total of 6 staff, Dunedin-based S.A.W. Forestry Contracting completes silviculture planting, thinning and pruning contracts in the Otago region.

Working in silviculture for 28 years and as a business owner for the past 12 years, Director Scott Wilkinson says finding and keeping staff is always the biggest challenge for his business.

“By far the biggest challenge you have is finding and retaining good staff,” says Scott.

Just prior to the 2020 planting season, the MSD–FICA subsidy was advertised in an email from the regional silviculture trainer.

44 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

With a vacancy to fill in his crew, Scott contacted Work and Income and connected with new recruit Andrew through the WINZ work-seeker programme. Previously Andrew was working at a supermarket packing facility, but after being injured on ACC he was let go during the Covid-19 period.

“Andrew had no prior forestry experience, so we were eligible for the MSD–FICA subsidy,” says Scott.

“It’s really helped out with those start-up costs, setting him up with safety equipment, wet weather gear and a chainsaw, which can cost in excess of $5000. It’s also helped to cover some of those initial training costs we incur, especially where I spent a lot of time training him with the chainsaw.”

Andrew says he found the work really challenging at first.

“I wasn’t really up to it at the start – my fitness was a lot lower than I thought it would be. But I’ve had regular training and have got the hang of it. It’s been cool to learn new skills, especially thinning.”

“The support from my employer has been really good – they pretty much sorted everything for me and helped me with getting the right gear to do the job.”

Scott says the MSD–FICA subsidy has been a success, with Andrew staying on after the planting season to work in thinning and pruning as well. He’s now a skilled member of the crew.

“He’s been really good and has taken on board everything I’ve said so we’ve kept him on after the subsidy ended,” he says.

“It is a great thing – it’s good for encouraging you to get newbies in and get them up to speed while covering some of the cost.”

MSD–FICA Subsidy

FICA has announced that the scheme is back on and contractors can register through the website, however this year there is an incentive to join FICA and to apply for the subsidy you need to be a FICA member. We remind you that you can put forward new employees you recruit, they don’t necessarily need to be an MSD client but they must be new to the planting sector. The subsidy is available from 1 March through to 30 September and is available for pruning and thinning work too. Applications are now open for the 2021 planting season – find out more at www.fica.org.nz

T

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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

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www.fica.org.nz

top spot

Safety/performance/quality

While you wait NOW THAT WE APPEAR TO BE BACK TO SOME sense of normality with COVID-19, we can kick back into the 2021 competition.

We appreciate last month’s changes to COVID-19 levels has meant some presentation of 2020 awards has had to be delayed which, in turn, has meant commencement of 2021 assessments has also been delayed.

However, this doesn’t take away from the achievements of participants.

So, while you wait, we have included a few photos of top individuals and crews from 2020, including our top yarder crew, Hauraki 91, top ground base crew, Bluewood Thinning and top thin to waste crew, X Men Forestry.

Logging, Forest View Logging, Kimberley Logging, Dewes Logging, Manaia Logging, Storm Logging, Eastside Logging, Veal Forestry, McHoull Forestry, Pride Forestry, Bay Pine, Penetito Forestry, FM Silviculture, Forest View Forestry, Wayne Cummings, Rodco Forestry, Johnson Forestry, Pro Forest Services, Eastside Logging.

Hayes Logging, Swain Logging, Lumberjack Logging, Ernslaw One, Blue Wood Logging, Mike Hurring Logging, McCallum Harvesting, Whisker Logging, Kaha Logging, Lahar Logging, Dempsey Logging, Moutere Logging, JBD Harvesting, McDougall

Into safety?

Into performance?

Into quality?

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

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

Awesome companies, awesome people and awesome support!

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

They believe in what we do and what you do.

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

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

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

Our ongoing thanks to Rayonier/Matariki Forests, Wenita Forest Products, Port Blakely, Crown Forestry, Brand Logging, CMH Logging, Hauraki and Moehau Logging, Thomassen Logging, Te Waa Logging, Inta-Wood Forestry, Otautau Contractors, Heslip Forest Contracting, Waikato Forestry Services, Atamira Ltd, Makerikeri Silviculture, XMen Forestry, Central Forestry Services, Mangoihe Logging, Kohurau Contracting, Kuru Contracting, Dennis E

46 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

Hauraki 91, Top Yarder crew for 2020.

Safety Breakfast and Top Spot presentation.

top spot

Safety/performance/quality

Phil De La Mare and Nigel Hutchinson.

Contractors at Ernslaw One Safe Start 2020.

Devon Stewart.

David McKenzie.

Phil De La Mare and Marty Blythe.

Devon Stewart, Nigel Hutchinson (Bluewood Thinning top ground base logging crew), JR, Russell and Kalib Te Ngahue (top Thin to Waste crew).

Jareb Verdoner.

Stephan Hose.

Walter Beamsley.

James Sell.

Kelvin Stratford and Phil De La Mare.

April 2021 | NZ LOGGER 47

new iron

NEW KOMATSU FOR TRESIDDER

NEW MACHINERY FOR MCS MCS has taken delivery of a SANY SY305H full Ensign guarding package with high and wide with a 1730 log grapple from Shaw’s.

The machine is performing the fleeting, loading and shovelling duties on the job in Northland, working out of Whang ārei.

Beau and Jen Tresidder of Tresidder Toa from Napier have recently taken delivery of a new Komatsu PC 300LC-8. It has a full Active Heavy Duty Forestry Guarding Package and is fitted with a Waratah HTH 625C. Beau commented to John Kosar of Komatsu Forest NZ that he is very impressed with his new Komatsu PC 300LC- 8 “Heaps of power, both in the tracks and for the head”.

Pictured from left: Mike Lepper (Active Engineering), Mason Elliot, Les and Gail Tresidder, Jovan Hanley, Tamatoa Higgins, Beau Tresidder and John Kosar (Komatsu Forest NZ), Nick Boult (Finance NZ), Karl Christenson (Waratah NZ) and Dawn Murton.

Photographer – Peter Kay.

NEW GEAR FOR MOUTERE TIGERCAT/DUXSON COMBO FOR MARLBOROUGH HARVESTING Currently operating in the Wairau Valley, Marlborough Harvesting owner, Richard Marden, has added a Tigercat LS855E to his fleet fitted with a Duxson FX142 felling head, commissioned onsite by Donaldson Mechanical. It is working in tandem with a winch assist on the steep slopes of the Wairau Valley.

48 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

This new Hitachi ZX360LC-5B Processor package was recently delivered to Moutere logging, working in the Tasman Pine Forest on the Whangamoas in Nelson. This machine features a Trinder side door, forestry cab, high lift boom and arm guarding package, with a Waratah HTH624C fitted. Operator, Bailey Arnold, says it’s smooth to operate and quick to process, adding the cab is very comfortable and he sees a huge improvement in performance and operator control. The base is stable even with trees at maximum reach which is more than his last 40 tonne machine. Sold by CablePrice Nelson.

new iron

ELTEC/WOODSMAN COMBO FOR NIXON

CAT D6 FOR LISSETTE

Nixon Contracting has taken delivery of a new Eltec FHL317L leveller with a Woodsman falling head by Shaw’s. Working out of JNL Forest in Masterton, this machine is performing all the falling and shovelling duties.

Hastings-based MW Lissette is very happy to add a new Cat D6 dozer to its fleet. The D6 has been put to work in the Mohaka Forest on forestry roading and skid site preparation. Among the many features the D6 has is an SU blade, high light three shank ripper group, and slope assist which makes grading easy by automatically holding blade angles without any external laser or GPS reference.

The new dozer was sold by Terra Cat Territory Account Manager, Heath Stewart.

JOHN DEERE FOR GT HARVESTING

NEW EXCAVATOR FOR ENDURANCE GROUNDBASE

It’s a new Deere for GT Harvesting. This John Deere 948L-II grapple skidder was recently delivered to the company’s mechanised road lining crew in the Wairarapa. Pictured from left are the GT team: Clarance Akena, Paul Laird (AGrowQuip), Geoff Lewis (Owner of GT Harvesting), Rusty Moorcock, Maea Edmonds, Darren Nolan and Shaun Allen. Machine sold and supported by AGrowQuip Construction and Forestry

Endurance Groundbase has added a FX3026G purpose-built grapple excavator to its operation. The machine is fast and capable on the skid, easily lifting 5 axle trailers and fleeting well. It also performs well off the skid, coming in at 33 tonne high and wide fully bush rigged – a nimble machine with good power for anything asked of it. Thanks to Hayden and crew of Porters top of the south.

April 2021 | NZ LOGGER 49

new iron

LOG LOADER FOR ROSEWARNE

DEAN MECHANICAL TOOLS UP

Dale Gurney of Rosewarne Contractors standing beside his new company log loader. Having been on it for a week, Dale commented on the “fantastic reach, spacious and comfortable rear-entry cab and side view camera”, along with AGrowQuip’s increased support in the industry and local area.

Aaron Dean of Dean Mechanical in Awanui is now tooled up to provide a complete service to hydraulic machinery to support the forestry sector. With the delivery of a BOApod, Dean Mechanical now offers a full suite of mechanical engineering and hydraulic hose repair services. This mobile, all-terrain hydraulic hose selfrepair and maintenance facility is stocked with Yokohama hose and matched fittings, along with crimping and cutting machinery.

EF HANSEN GETS KOMATSU

SHAW’S FOR R&R

Philip and Lynne Hansen of EF Hansen from Matakana, have recently taken delivery of a new Komatsu PC 270LC–8. It has a full Ensign Heavy Duty Forestry Guarding Package and is fitted with an Ensign 1730C Log Grapple. Pictured from left: Paul Osborne, Roddy Davis, Simon Fenwick, Wayne Gage-Brown (operator), Shannon Tanoa, Peter Stanfield, Philip Hansen and John Kosar (Komatsu Forest NZ). Photographer – Lynne Hansen.

R&R Logging has taken delivery of this ACME GS23 by Shaw’s.

Brian and Sonya of R&R Logging have put this machine to work in Northland’s Avoca Forest. They’ve had a reliable ACME S28 for eight years and now are running the new ACME GS23 on their Madill 172 complete with an i.Log Tower Control system. From left: Ben from Shaw’s, Hauler operator’s Chappy and James, and Brian Rosewarne.

50 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

new iron

WOODSMAN PRO FOR PEACOCKE LOGGING Peacocke Logging, located in the Kaingaora Forest, recently took delivery of its second Woodsman Pro, sold by Adam Aldworth.

This 850 was a head upgrade and was installed on the company’s existing Sumitomo SH370-5TLFS forestry machine. The operator is enjoying how easy the Loggic control system is to use.

CAT MEETS DUXSON A Cat 538 fitted with a Duxson grapple GX171 for Terra Cat.

CAT FOR HAUTAPU PINE

NEW FALCON FOR HWH LOGGING

Crew boss Willie and the team from Hautapu Pine Products started the year with a new Cat 558 fall and process machine, fitted with a falling bonnet and a Woodsman Pro 750 harvesting head. After a few laughs and a bite to eat, the machine quickly headed out into the forest to provide the wood for local and export markets. This machine is working around the Whanganui and Central regions.

Sold by Ryan Petersen, Territory Account Manager, Terra Cat.

The team at HWH Logging, based out of Gore in the lower South Island, recently took delivery of a brand new Falcon Winch Assist on a forestry-spec base. This will enable them to tether their 885 Tigercat feller-buncher and safely harvest wood on steeper slopes.

Pictured from left: Reese, Jim from HWH Logging and DC Equipment’s Hayden Thorn.

April 2021 | NZ LOGGER 51

new iron

BOAPOD FOR FIRE AND HOSE Thames-based Peter Hansen of Fire and Hose Limited is supporting the forestry industry in the Coromandel with a full suite of fire protection and hydraulic hose repair services. Previously Firewatch Coromandel, the newly re-branded Fire and Hose team now has a fully mobile hydraulic hose service capability with the BOApod hydraulic hose repair and maintenance facility. Delivered

by Oscar Boakes, Regional Business Development Manager for BOA Hydraulics.

TIGERCAT MEETS DUXSON This Tigercat 865 was fitted with a Duxson GX171 grapple, by the Duxson team, for AB Equipment.

FOURTH WOODSMAN PRO FOR SHERWOOD

FOURTH CAT FOR MACFARLANE CONTRACTING

John Sherwood of Sherwood Logging, working in Kaingaroa Forest, recently added a fourth Woodsman Pro head to his fleet. Installed on a new Komatsu PC300LC-8, this latest Woodsman Pro 750 includes the new main saw auto tensioning system which the crew is finding very straightforward to use.

Zeke Macfarlane of Macfarlane Contracting has recently added his fourth new Cat 320GC to his fleet, putting the new unit to work in the Rotoehu forest. Operator, Gary, was very happy to have control of the 320GC which is his first brand new machine in over 26 years.

He’s impressed with the features and comfort of the new Cat and, after seeing the old machine, the 320GC will no doubt look as good as new in years to come. Brent Van Der Burg from Terra Cat sold the machine.

52 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

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5%

STRONG & RELIABLE GRAPPLES STRONG && RELIABLE RELIABLE GRAPPLES GRAPPLES STRONG Shareholder Rebate

sales@blackduck.co.nz

www.blackduck.co.nz

Made in NZ

Grapplesand andall allspares sparesinin Grapples stockwith withovernight overnightdelivery delivery stock

SERIES852 852and and864 864 MMSERIES STRONG&&RELIABLE RELIABLE STRONG GRAPPLES GRAPPLES LG31252

9

Contact: James Peacocke 0274 222 476

58 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

Knight Logging Ltd

• M SERIES 852 AND 864 – STRONG & RELIABLE GRAPPLES • GRAPPLES AND ALL SPARES IN STOCK WITH OVERNIGHT DELIVERY • PROVEN AFTER SALES SERVICE

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

PROTECT YOUR POLYCARBONATE WINDOWS

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

EXPOSE YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE Get the right exposure through NZ Logger magazine and capture the Forest industry buyers directly.

CONTACT TRISH TO ADVERTISE

LG31256

mobile. 021 925 600 phone. 09 571 3544

April 2021 | NZ LOGGER 59

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.

60 NZ LOGGER | April 2021

Sample photo

New Waratah 864 Grapple Heavy duty fleet and stack grapple.

Priced $25,000.00 +GST

10% OFF

Waratah Grapples

Manual Tension Block & Stud Set

Northland Mechanised logging services

Nelson Ryco 24/7

Dunedin Heavy Diesel support

Southland Heavy Equipment Repair

15% OFF

Hardware set 3/4 Auto tension Mainsaw

Improved flexibility S631G2_final.pdf

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CALL ANDY +64 27 474 6032