In the forest 2-2012 by Otavamedia Sisältömarkkinointi

Truly green with more power

Into the preventive maintenance

in the forest JOHN DEERE FORESTRY CUSTOMER MAGAZINE 02.2011

WHO? John Deere Testing Engineer Petri Lahtinen presents the new 1910E IT4 forwarder in southern Finland.

IN THE FOREST 61°33’39” N, 24°21’5” E, Orivesi, Finland, August 2011.

WHAT? Introducing the new E-series IT4 harvesters and forwarders to international forestry business professionals.

WHY? The John Deere IT4 machines go green as they now meet the tightest environmental requirements. They also provide users with even more power and lots of new advanced features.

MACHINERY? Hands on: the new John Deere 1270E IT4 harvester, available for test driving and inspection.

Editorial.

Growing the business for

logging contractors European logging contractors own 2-4 cut-to-length machines, on average. That hasn’t changed a lot over recent decades. What has changed is that everything is getting more expensive – except your logging rates. In this issue, our Heavy Hitter writer addresses this dilemma and wonders when we will see logging companies focusing on emerging growth markets. Growth is the key to a sustainably profitable logging business, but going international is a huge leap. For many, cutting costs is the only feasible solution, and many are spending huge amounts of time chasing after the cheapest maintenance parts, sometimes even sacrificing quality and uptime of their machine. What else can you do? How about leaving the regular maintenance to your John Deere dealer professionals through a service agreement and chasing after new logging contracts instead? How about lowering your costs with the help of a John Deere tuning expert? Ever since our dealers started the TimberLink-based tuning business, we’ve seen many success stories, like the 1470E owner whose increased fuel efficiency is saving him 30,000 euros; or the tuning of the feeding acceleration and speed that is significantly boosting the productivity of another. Operator productivity varies a lot and has great potential to be fine tuned. Skogforsk, the wellknown Forestry Research Institute of Sweden, urges that the trend of losses in labour productivity in forestry needs to change; better operator training and support is one solution. So what’s my motive with all these examples? I want you to see that we at John Deere understand “what’s important to grow your business.” I want you to see that low fuel-consumptionper-hour and the cheapest parts are definitely not the only options you have in making your contracting business successful. Our intelligent solutions and knowledge can help you succeed. No less important in this context is the launch of the next-generation E-series, now with the cleanest Deere engines ever seen. Some may think this is just about “greener” engines; but, as a matter of fact, it’s about much more: our biggest harvesters now feature a twin-pump system for smoother and stronger simultaneous operations, a new power management function anticipates the load of the hydraulic system and responds with more rpm-sustaining power, and the standard MTG (Modular Telematic Gateway) will make sure you stay connected so that you can transmit or receive any machine data. Again, more intelligent solutions from John Deere to make sure you’re getting the most out of your machine. Innovation is one of the core values of John Deere and has been a key factor in our growth as we enter our 175th anniversary year. Growing our customers’ business in the future is our commitment.

Dr. Arne Bergmann John Deere Construction & Forestry Division Director of Sales & Marketing, Europe & Africa

The core of John Deere

IT4 solution

The E-series-based IT4 machines meet now even the tightest requirements with improved utilization rate and productivity.

The value of

good maintenance

AFCO is one of the three John Deere dealers in France. Today there are 11 machines in AFCOs operational area that use the oil service program. _12 Optimizing machine operations,

JDLink Ultimate version is available free of charge for three years period to John Deere IT4 forest machines. _14 Easy: John Deere Forestry has chosen Parker hoses as the factory installation hoses. _15 Passion: Managing Director Pierre Llorach’s heart beats for rally. _16 Innovate: The new Stockholm Regional Parts Distribution Center _17 Heavy Hitter: Focusing in growth areas; Extended coverage. _22 Voice: The Haas traction winch; Merimex S.R.O. wins; Enduro pro returns to the top; Sales and service network in Germany; New office building at Joensuu factory.

IN THE FOREST is a copyright magazine published two times a year in English, French, German, Polish, Portuguese, Rumanian, Russian and Spanish. The magazine circulation is about 12,000. All articles in this magazine have been written, selected and edited with great care. Opinions expressed are those of the author and cannot be considered as statements made by John Deere, nor do they bind or oblige John Deere. John Deere reserves the right to change the specifications and design of products described in this magazine without notice. John Deere assumes no liability for errors and omissions. ISSN 1795-2573. PUBLISHER John Deere Forestry Oy, P.O. Box 474, 33101 Tampere, Finland, www.JohnDeere.com. ADDRESS CHANGES AND SUBSCRIPTIONS to InTheForest@JohnDeere.com. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Elina Suuriniemi. EDITORIAL OFFICE AND LAY-OUT Otavamedia Ltd, Helsinki, Finland. REPRODUCTION Aste Helsinki, Finland. PRINTED BY Offset Ulonen Oy, Tampere, Finland. Cover photos Hannu Vanhanen.

Make it Real.

Text by Kimmo Kiimalainen Photos by Hannu Vanhanen

ot only do the new Interim Tier 4 (IT4) machines meet strict emissions requirements and make the green John Deere machines even greener, their twin-pump system on large harvesters now also gives users more power, more productivity and a future-proof platform for further developments. The introduction of the new IT4 machines last August in Finland marked the beginning of a new era in the forest machine business. EU27 and EPA standards require a significant reduction in emissions of small particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), which are harmful for humans and the environment. This is a clear challenge for all machine manufacturers, but not a problem for a company like John Deere, which has been developing technologies to reduce emissions since 1967. With several advanced technological solutions, the E-seriesbased IT4 machines now meet even the tightest requirements. But they also provide users with new features that clearly improve the utilization rate and productivity.

The heart is under the hood The core of John Deereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s IT4 solution is located on the top of the engine, just under the hood of the harvesters and forwarders: itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an exhaust gas after treatment device (ATD) consisting 6

That

t’s iT4, folks! Here’s the answer to the new environmental requirements for forest machinery: advanced John Deere IT4 harvesters and forwarders based on the proven E-series machines.

Background info U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – Interim Tier 4 and European Union (EU) – Stage III B engine emission regulations for non-road engines over 130 kW (174 hp) output class became effective in 2011. The regulations call for a 90 percent reduction in particulate matter (PM) along with a 50 percent drop in nitrogen oxides (NOX). Final Tier 4/Stage IV emission regulations, which will be fully implemented by 2015, will take PM and NOX emissions to near-zero levels.

of a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and diesel particulate filter (DPF) supported by an exhaust gas recirculation system (EGR). John Deere chose cooled EGR with an exhaust filter to meet Interim Tier 4 emission regulations. This approach provides the best fluid economy, requires less operator involvement, is proven, is simpler to install, and it’s a less costly technology compared to alternative solutions. Cooled EGR doesn’t require the added cost of a second fluid (urea), and it doesn’t require you to change how you operate your equipment. In later development stages, the ATD will be further developed to comply with the next level of emission regulations, Final Tier 4 (FT4).

All these features make the machines truly green, but do not compromise the well-known John Deere performance. A lot was done elsewhere too: the IT4 machines now feature dual turbo, major improvements to the control system software, an updated gear box, a new modular telematics gateway (MTG) system, available for certain regions and allowing engine control unit (ECU) software updates through a 3G cellular network, an improved Controller-area network (CAN) bus and much more. Now the machines are even more powerful: the new open-circuit, twin-pump hydraulic system on larger harvesters and the new power management system give the operator more muscle that also can be allocated more precisely.

Make it Real.

Tight grip. The harvester head clearly profits from new hydraulics; its grip doesn’t loosen a bit, even during simultaneous operations. [TOP Left] Familiar controls, more power. The IT4 series machines provide the user with familiar instruments, and just one additional switch. [TOP RIGHT] Designed to the detail. John Deere’s Pekka Leppänen explains the numerous advantages of the twin pump hydraulics to John Mastanduno, John Deere Power Systems. [RIGHT] 8

“John Deere expects the power management to lead to improved fuel economy. Other improvements – like the new separable and more rigid CAN bus and MTG – provide clear advantages in maintenance work and in decrease the daily operating costs. In case of trouble, the diagnostics is much easier in the new CAN bus system, where the bus can be split easily,” explains Sakari Suuriniemi, Program Manager, Harvesters. The MTG is a 3G-modem which is connected to base machine CAN bus. It’s located in the cabin. Antennas (3G+GPS) are located on the top of the cabin roof. The MTG makes a wireless transfer of engine control software possible. The operator can install the software whenever he wants. The machine

I’ll stick to Deere. Tore Sundström Bensby Skogstjänst AB will be connected to JDLink server with the modem. The operator or contractor can log into the server from a home PC and see the machine’s location and service and maintenance elements, like machine hours and alarms. John Deere is developing Fleet Management systems around this new telematics.

Hands on the new IT4 But what about operating the IT4 series

harvester? It’s as easy as it always has been. “From the operator’s point of view, there’s no difference to the E-Series,” says John Deere Testing Engineer Petri Lahtinen. “Basically, there’s just one switch more in the cabin.” Tommy Lynch from the Irish Lynch Harvesting Ltd. sees a difference, however. According to him, the interior of the IT4 cabin looks very familiar, but after testing the 1270E IT4 harvester in a southern Finnish forest near the city of Tampere, Lynch saw clear improvements in performance: “Good power! The twin-pump system is a great advantage, making simultaneous operations run even smoother and stronger. The machine does not loosen

its grip while feeding,” Lynch says. With years of experience operating John Deere 1510E, 1170E and 1270D machines, Lynch can very well compare the new models with the older ones. “This is several steps ahead of my 1270D and certainly a step in the right direction,” Lynch says. “I believe this is proven technology, and I do not much worry about what’s happening under the hood.” Lynch’s opinion is confirmed by his Swedish colleague Tore Sundström of Bensby Skogstjänst AB. “You can clearly feel the machine is now stronger with two pumps,” Sundström states after a test run. Working with forest machines since 1991, Sundström handles some 60,000

Hands on. The performance of the IT4 series harvesters won over numerous testers from all over the world. 9

Make it Real.

to 68,000 cubic meters of timber annually with a 1270D equipped with H414 harvesting head followed by a new 1510E forwarder. He has had his hands on 14 different machines, but now stays true to John Deere.

What about the fuel? As new regulations require the forest machinery to become greener and greener, diesel fuel becomes more and more important. To run clean and not clog and damage the ATD system, an IT4 machine requires first-class diesel fuel with ultra-low sulphur content and low-ash engine oil. This is a task to master for every operator. “The quality of the diesel fuel is now a key issue, but unfortunately there’s no easy way to measure it in the field. You need a lab. Fuel sampling and analysis is now more important than ever before, and certain big construction business companies in the US do this even with every new batch,” explains Joe Mastanduno, Product Marketing Manager, John Deere Power Systems. Basically, this analysis needs to be done by sending in oil samples, as there is no reliable certification system for diesel oil providers. But of course it’s not all about quality. Quantity counts, too. So what about the fuel consumption of the new IT4 machines? “Long-term consumption data is not available yet, but it seems to be about the same as in my 1270D,” Tommy Lynch says after checking the TimberLink™ data of the 1270E IT4. “Fuel consumption is of course an important factor, but it’s not the most important. That’s productivity!” Tore Sundström grins. Total fuel consumption in the IT4 machine is designed to be the same or even lower as in previous models. An independent source, the German Board of Trustees for Forestry Work and Technology (KWF) is going to test the new solutions. “I hope we’ll see an IT4 machine in testing soon,” says Günther Weise of KWF, which is an independent watchdog for forestry work, forestry technology and wood logistics in Germany and Europe.

Leading edge solutions John Chi, Engineering Manager for Advanced Customer Solutions, John Deere Construction & Forestry, trusts the customers will soon see many of the IT4 improvements in other John Deere products, too. Chi works in an internal think tank looking for potential improvements and innovations. But sometimes there is no need to re-invent the wheel if the design is already available in the forestry segment of your own company. “What I want to do is to transfer some of this technology into our construction products and at the same time find synergies,” Chi says, impressed by the interior and control systems of the IT4. “Look at the electronics and solutions they have here. This is as comfy as my living room.” •

Even greener now. The IT4 line of John Deere harvesters and forwarders meets tight US and EU environmental regulations making the forestry business even greener.

Good power! The twinpump system is a great advantage. Tommy Lynch The Irish Lynch Harvesting Ltd.

Well-known shape. The only visible new feature in the looks of the 1270E IT4 harvester is a slightly higher hood covering the new ATD equipment. [Left] Feel the power. Tore Sundström of Swedish Bensby Skogstjänst took a test run with the new IT4 series harvester. “You can clearly feel the machine is now stronger,” he states. [below]

Great expectations. Günther Weise of the German KWF expects to see the new IT4 machines in lab testing in Germany soon. John Chi, Engineering Manager at John Deere US, sees great chances of implementing some of the advanced control solutions in other John Deere products. 11

Make it Real.

The JDLink Ultimate version is available free of charge for a three-year period for John Deere IT4 forest machines.

Manage your

IT4 fleet without leaving the seat! Text BY REIMA TUULI_Photos by John Deere

fleet of one or more machines can be monitored and reported at the same time. The JDLink Ultimate version is available free of charge for a three-year period for John Deere IT4 forest machines, both harvesters and forwarders and also in forwarders with CommandCenter. With JDLink, the TimberMatic control system and forest machine controllers (modules) transmit information via a cellular connection from the machine through a wireless gateway MTG (Modular Telematics Gateway) to the JDLink server. JDLink also offers an optional satellite communications hardware controller for forest machines working at sites where a cellular signal is not consistently available.

Real-time operating data from the forest machine. JDLink can be accessed

on any computer with an internet connection. The user can go to the JDLink web12

site to view the current and historical status of equipment. Information collected by JDLink includes location, machine hours, idle time, maintenance intervals, utilisation, fuel consumption, and a variety of other machine information. For ex-

Herkko Saukkomaa (left) and Reima Tuuli, John Deere Forestry Oy, testing JDLink real-time data transmitting â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this time in the forest.

ample, a contractor can monitor the total fuel consumption of the whole machine fleet and plan the fuel service for a worksite. Additionally, users can check the realtime status of a machine from their com-

John Deere IT4 forest machine with the latest ECU software. puter by sending a request to the MTG controller. This request is sent to the JDLink server through the internet and to the MTG controller on the machine. Once the data is generated from the controller, it is then sent back through the server and ultimately to the user’s computer, where the machine can be monitored remotely.

Automatic engine software updating. The engine controller ECU software

can be uploaded easily and automatically through the MTG – and without a field visit from the service technician! The machine operator just needs to accept the ECU software upload and let the system automatically install the new software. JDLink provides a possibility to have the

latest ECU software in the John Deere IT4 forest machines. JDLink Ultimate also allows users to be alerted when one of their machines issues a diagnostic trouble code. The code can be viewed through the website, so a manager can contact a service technician or dealer and let them know exactly which code has been reported by the machine. Geofence and curfew alerts are naturally included in the alert package.

Improved service support. JDLink data is also utilised by local John Deere dealers to support John Deere IT4 forest machines in the field. Periodic maintenance can be planned more accurately, and alerts and fuel consumption can be checked in the office before field service. The system enables Service ADVISOR™ remote diagnostics and makes troubleshooting faster. TimberLink™ is used for more in-depth machine performance, productivity and fuel consumption analyses. •

Quickly and efficiently. Valuable equipment information can be accessed quickly and efficiently to optimise machine operations. The JDLink dashboard display includes information on one or more John Deere forest (and agricultural) machine locations (map), alerts (both base machine and TimberMatic control system), missed connection calls to server, and machine utilisation (machine hours) – during a selected period. The JDLink Ultimate display gives more detailed information concerning the machine or selected machine fleet’s fuel consumption and utilisation.

The JDLink™ machine and fleet management solution is a telematics system designed to remotely connect machine owners and managers as well as service personnel to their equipment – enabling real-time alerts and the machine information needed, such as location, utilisation, fuel consumption and maintenance data, to make real-time decisions to optimise machine operations.

Easy. Text by Juha Manninen Photos by John Deere

Parker hoses High quality for demanding conditions When machines are working in the forest, some bruises and bumps can be expected and hydraulic hoses have to be able to withstand them. Hydraulic oil pressure levels inside the hydraulic hoses in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s equipment can be up to 480 bars. Choosing high-quality hydraulic hoses can save an extensive amount of downtime. Weather conditions bring challenges for the manufacturer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; hoses have to endure ambient temperatures from -40 degrees up to +40 degrees. Parker hoses are designed to operate in even more extreme conditions, so you can always count on Parker hoses, regardless of the weather. Hydraulic system cleanliness is really critical. Even a small amount of contamination in the hydraulic system can cause severe failures. One gram of dirt introduced to the hydraulic system while changing a hose, can cause severe malfunctions and shorten component lifetime to 25 per cent of the original. The easiest way to prevent dirt from entering to system is to minimize the chance of contamination by having

high-quality hoses that avoid breakage in the first place. In case of hose failure, it is most critical to ensure that the new hose is clean and the hose replacement is done using methods that minimize the risk for contamination. To achieve goals in productivity, uptime and low daily operating costs, John Deere Forestry has chosen Parker hoses as the factory installation hoses. In addition to factory installation, John Deere Forestry has introduced a Parker Hose programme for John Deere Forestry dealers. This means that your dealer has the tools and resources in place to produce a hydraulic hose with the same specification and quality as the original factory-equipped hose. Since cleanliness is the most critical success factor in ensuring carefree operation, your dealer also has the equipment to take care of hose cleanliness after the hose has been manufactured. ď&#x201A;&#x;

John Deere Forestry has chosen Parker hoses as the factory installation hoses.

Forestry machines work in demanding conditions. This sets high requirements on hydraulic hoses. When it comes to machine condition and uptime, hydraulic hoses and well-designed hose routings are among the most critical success factors. 14

Text by Raine Tiessalo_Photo by vsc/Pascal Saivet

Passion.

“Winning a Race or Signing a Contract,

You Need the Same Desire” In the Trophée Andros series’ 2010–11 season, Pierre Llorach left famous Formula One drivers behind in two races. Even worse for those world-known legends: Pierre does it just as a weekend hobby – and could seriously be among today’s top international rally pilots. “I have no regrets. I would have loved to have taken the place of some of the best pilots in the Rally World Championship, but I have chosen my own path,” he laughs. 36-year-old Llorach is now Managing Director at Payant Forêt, one of three John Deere dealers in France. His heart has always beaten for rally – and everything that runs on wheels. The choice between a rally career and engaging in the family business was not easy, but the stakes were clear. Although Llorach had won two French Rallycross titles in a row with Citroën Sport, in 1999 and 2000, he felt that he had a personal duty to take charge of his responsibilities in a company created by his grandfather back in 1951. “I entered Payant Forêt in 2001, partly in order to consolidate our market position and partly to convince our clients about the future of our business,” Llorach says. Now Pierre, with his father Jean-Louis Llorach still as CEO, navigates his 289-strong staff through the challenges of our times. Global financial and economical turmoil have left their marks, but Pierre is always aiming for the pole position. “In forestry machines, the competi-

Pierre Llorach has won two French Championships in Rallycross. Here with a Renault Clio tubular chassis, V6 motor, 380 HP, sequential gearbox 6-spd, 4-wheel-drive.

tion is hard, but in comparison to others, the John Deere brand is superior. We have more than 50 per cent of the market,” Llorach affirms. For many entrepreneurs, working hours are not counted and weekends may have to be sacrificed, too. But Llorach has found some kind of a personal winwin situation. When racing with his current DE Racing team, he often invites his clients with him to follow the race. “When you are chatting with a client about the race, or when your client sees you talking about tuning your car with the team’s engineers and technical staff, I think that it strengthens your profes-

sional credibility,” Llorach reflects. He compares selling forestry machines to a rally competition. What is needed is an appetite for winning. “You have to have the same strong desire to win a contract or win a race.” Pierre Llorach could be a big name in rally or even Formula One. But let’s turn the question upside down. Could Alain Prost & Co have a future in Payant Forêt selling John Deere? “Maybe these celebrities could be used in some business happening, but in order to sell forestry machines, you have to have a real passion for the machines – and the forest,” Llorach quips. 

What car racing fan doesn’t daydream of beating Alain Prost, Jacques Villeneuve or Olivier Panis in a car race? Pierre Llorach doesn’t have to dream. He’s already done it – and may do so again. 15

Text by Markku Ojaniemi Photos by John Deere

John Deere opened a new Stockholm Regional Parts Distribution Center (RDC) in Sweden last August.

Enhancements in John Deere Parts operations At the same time, John Deere Forestry Parts operations were fully integrated with John Deere World Wide Parts operations. This integration makes parts logistics more efficient and accurate, providing improved parts service for John Deere dealers and customers. The new facility has two times more floor space and the capacity to stock seven times more parts, compared to the former Märsta parts operations. The new warehouse has been divided into five different zones. Each zone is tailored to stock parts in specific categories. Most moving parts are in area where they can be picked and packed in the most efficient way. Slow moving and vintage parts are stocked in a high storage area for the most economical stocking solution. With this arrangement and with the new business system integrated to World Wide parts operations, John Deere has the best-in-class stock optimization and parts consumption forecasting in use. Compiling all John Deere Parts operations under one organization also brings synergies and efficiency in parts logistics and parts deliveries to dealers and customers. The Regional Distribution Center will continue to be the main warehouse for John Deere Cut-toLength forestry parts. From the RDC, John Deere will ship forestry-specific parts to all European Union countries, to 34 export countries and to all other John Deere Parts Distribution Centers globally.

To enable daily service from the RDC, permanent two-shift operations have been taken into use. Warehouse employees are working from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Customer Service for dealer parts inquiries is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. For John Deere Forestry dealers, this change also means the implementation of a new parts ordering system. The system itself is not new, other John Deere product lines have used it for decades, but it is new for Forestry dealers. It enables better visibility of stock quantities in other John Deere locations, on-line information about order processing and delivery tracking. In early 2012, the new Regional Distribution Center will also start serving John Deere Agricultural and Turf customers in the Nordic and Baltic countries, which were previously served by the John Deere Parts Distribution Center in Bruchsal, Germany. After the Agricultural & Turf parts integration with the Stockholm RDC, it will ship parts to over 250 locations, close to 600,000 order lines annually. Once the Regional Distribution Center project is completed, John Deere’s investments for Europe and Russia parts operations will be final for now. The investments include the Eur-Asian Parts Distribution Center at Domodedovo, in Moscow, Russia, the Stockholm Regional Distribution Center and further enlargement of the European Parts Distribution Center in Bruchsal, Germany.

The new Stockholm Regional Parts Distribution Center is located two kilometres from the former Märsta warehouse.

Innovate.

Heavy Hitter.

Let’s invest in growth areas Extended coverage

– Easy way to predict expenses

John Deere Forestry has a wide selection of extended coverage options available for customers who want to ensure carefree operation of their equipment after the standard warranty period has expired. Coverage includes various options from power train coverage for 2000 hrs/24 months up to comprehensive coverage for 6000 hrs/36 months. Extended coverage is sold only with service agreements. For service agreements, customers can choose from various advanced maintenance options, like TimberCare Oil Service, Machine Performance Reports and TimberCare Tuning Day. With these advanced services, your equipment condition is monitored through fluid sampling and TimberLink data analysis, and maintenance costs are minimized by optimizing the oil change intervals based on real oil condition. Extended coverage covers most machine components. Exceptions that are not covered typically include wear items and possible attachments, modifications and options installed by the customer. Having your equipment covered under extended coverage and a service agreement makes it easy to predict operating costs, so there will be no surprises during the coverage and contract period. Extended coverage is usually sold when new equipment is ordered, but if your machine has been maintained by an authorized John Deere dealer and your equipment has just one day left on the standard warranty, you can still contact your dealer and get an extended coverage option activated. For more information about prices, terms and options available, please contact your John Deere Forestry dealer. Powertrain Max. 3 years / 8,000 h

Powertrain Max. 3 years /6,000 h

Powertrain and hydraulics Max. 3 years / 6,000 h

Powertrain and hydraulics Max. 3 years /6,000 h

Comprehensive Max. 3 years / 6,000 h Extended Coverage minimum 2 years / 2,000 h

Comprehensive Max. 3 years / 6,000 h

The writer is an independent forest industry professional who watches the industry with an insider’s perspective. The writer is not employed by John Deere and his opinions expressed above cannot be considered as statements made by John Deere.

Extended Coverage minimum 2 years / 2,000 h

For 1070E, 1170E, 1270E, and 1470E Harvesters, and 1110E, 1210E, 1510E, and 1910E Forwarders

The logic is simple. If you invest in shrinking businesses, supply will increasingly exceed demand and prices will drop even though you improve productivity – dropping prices and higher costs will soon shrivel your business. If you invest in growth businesses and improve your competitiveness in them, effective supply will lag behind the growth in demand. Sales will climb, prices will develop favourably, and an efficient player will have good opportunities for success. Forest machine contracting is no different. The forest industry’s traditional markets are growing in the southern hemisphere, and declining or only slightly growing in the northern hemisphere, where the demand for the traditional forest industry and the dependent services is unfavourable. This, combined with weakening cost competitiveness, the rising price of slow-growing raw wood, and the sector’s general sensitivity to economic fluctuations is not a good equation for the players in the sector. The most efficient companies in the sector cut their costs, boost their productivity and force the weaker players out of business – and have moderate success. The majority of players in the sector hold quite a pessimistic view of the future, even though there might be short-term success during better economic times. On the other hand, new growth segments do emerge in the sector, but their real significance is often obscure for a long time. In the northern hemisphere there will be successful forest industry companies focused on that area and forest machine contractors serving the area. There will also be growth segments in the north, but they may develop more slowly than expected and more dispersed than envisioned in the public dialogue. The most successful forest industry companies in the north will direct their investments to the growing markets in the southern hemisphere. How can a service company engaged in forest machine contracting grow and succeed if its customer industry locally is withering away and not investing. If the customer industry isn’t investing, why should the subcontractor serving it invest… The northern hemisphere’s forest machine companies may be left as prisoners of their past. Forest machine companies may have strong know-how and efficiency, a stable, location-based and respectable conservativeness, a shying away from unfamiliar cultures, a lack of language skills, and generally shying away from new opportunities, the takeoff of a new kind of growth is thwarted. A healthy awareness of risks and conservatism also goes with this line of thought, but opportunities for a new level of success for forest machine companies and their customer companies are, nevertheless, far from the home turf and the traditional landscape. When will we see the emergence of international forest machine companies focusing on growth markets?

For 810E and 1010E Forwarders

Up and Running.

AFCO is one of the three John Deere dealers in France. It is also the first to utilise the Super Caddy 3.

A French Text and photos by Vesa Eskola

affair

Background info AFCO is the first dealer in France to utilize the Super Caddy 3; a service tool designed for oil filtration. It can be used to clean hydraulics systems, transfer fluids and certify hydraulic oil to a certain level of cleanliness. It helps to ensure that the John Deere machines stay productive. It also reduced the daily operating costs while improving the uptime.

obody knows John Deere machines better than the people who designed and built them. Based on the data collected from the vast John Deere service network, this knowledge is put to use to help customers to understand how different machines perform in different environments. This shared knowledge gives the technicians at local John Deere dealers the expertise to maintain their machinery in the best possible running condition. AFCO (Atelier Forestier du Centre Ouest) was founded in 1977 in Egletons, France, by Bernard Abisset. The company has been responsible for the John Deere fleets in Central France ever since it became a Timberjack dealer in 1991. Since

then, the company has seen rapid growth. After Abisset retired in 2003, his daughter Marylene Pinlet took charge of the company. It’s still a family company, something that is clear upon stepping inside their workshop. Marylene’s husband Jean-Luc Pinlet is the operational manager of the workshop and Hervé Continsouza is the field service manager. AFCO sells 15 to 20 machines annually and has a customer base of close to 200 machines. The AFCO mechanics are busy in the shop, taking care of several machines. Marylene Pinlet has basically grown up amid these green machines. “I have always been attracted to modern machines, that’s why I also studied technology. When my father retired, it was 19

Up and Running.

Up and running. Eric Paillot (right) is managing the fleet of 26 forest machines for CFBL. “The biggest cost for us is downtime. The preventive and proactive services of AFCO save us money.”

natural for me to continue his work. After all, I have been working for the company since 1992.” AFCO is responsible for 11 departments, regional areas of France. Its area of responsibility runs from La Rochelle on the Atlantic coast all the way to the Cantal mountain range in south central France.

More and more professional. The people at AFCO have

long relationships with their customers. As the machines have changed in recent years, Marylene Pinlet thinks that customers too have evolved. “They are becoming more and more professional. We have a lot of owner-operators who typically have had only one machine. But, lately, many of those smaller companies have grown and now have more machines. This has changed the mindset of the people, how they view the business – and especially how they understand the value of good maintenance and service.” Of course AFCO has also repeatedly stressed the issue of preventive maintenance. “Here at AFCO, we feel we are responsible for our custom-

“We realized that the downtime costs us more than having good service.” Eric Paillot ers. We have to help them to understand the importance of good maintenance and its relation to operating profit. And our clients listen to us – more and more often,” Marylene Pinlet says. When AFCO delivers a new machine to a customer, included in the deal are two days of classroom training and a start-up day in the forest, in addition to a complementary training day at the 250-hours visit in the forest. “We go beyond delivering the machine and teaching people how to operate them. We also educate them about the importance of oil cleanliness and the effect dirty oil can have on the machine.” “We can’t push our customers. Fortunately, we have a very

Taking care of business. AFCO has a customer base of 200 machines. The AFCO mechanics have a reputation for valuing the good and close relationship with customers.

Easy and mobile. Super Caddy 3 is compact and light enough to get loaded into a service van. With Super Caddy 3, it is easy to filter the whole hydraulic system of the machine – even in the forest.

The John Deere Oil Service

Family business. Hervé Continsouza, Marylene Pinlet and Jean-Luc Pinlet understand the value of good after-sales service. They include John Deere oils in their service programs.

strong relationship with our customers. That’s why we have been so successful.” Today there are 11 machines in AFCOs operational area that use the oil service program. Since AFCO received its Super Caddy in May, it has become an important part of the service program. It is used to maintain the cleanliness levels in the Deere machines, and also if there is a need for a cleanup after a failure. Oil service is also offered to customers who are negotiating the purchase of a new machine.

An impressive fleet. We meet one of the biggest customers of

AFCO, Mecafor, in a beautiful Douglas-fir forest near Egletons. Eric Paillot is the Manager of Mecafor. The company is fully owned by Coopérative Forestière Bourgogne Limousin (CFBL) and has 25 employees. Apart from the forestry unit, it is also involved in other activities, like a sawmill and the bio energy sector. The Mecafor fleet consists of 11 harvesters, 10 forwarders, two excavators, two low loaders and one skidder. One of the excavators is equipped with a harvester head. The fleet is almost all

John Deere Oil Service is designed to ensure that you get the most uptime from your machine. The service includes: • Oil sampling program, oil samples taken at recommended intervals and Oil Analysis made at the John Deere laboratory. • John Deere Lubricants, which helps the customers to increase the oil change intervals. • John Deere Filters, the right filters to meet the operating specifications. • Hydraulic oil filtration service, the filtering of the oil with Super Caddy 3 – if so required.

green, new and in good condition. Three or four machines are renewed every year. Mecafor employs one mechanic, who is responsible of bigger service jobs done once a year together with the operator. Otherwise, the operators themselves keep the machines up and running by doing the regular maintenance work. All of the larger repairs are done by AFCO. Paillot has learned to value the good maintenance. “We have had some bigger technical problems lately. One of our forwarders had pump damage last year. We also experienced some problems with two of the harvesters.” That got Paillot thinking about costs. “The biggest cost is really the machine downtime. That’s why we have looked more carefully at the preventive and proactive services AFCO offers. After several calculations, we realised that the downtime costs us more than having good service.” Besides the oil services, AFCO has also invested a lot into other sectors of after sales as well. It sells and promotes John Deere oils, and it has even hired an after-sales manager. This should further strengthen the bind to customers.  21

A John Deere 1270E harvester with a HAAS traction winch approaching steep terrain. With the SPS control unit and a camera display, the operator has full control of all winch functions.

Haas traction winch takes your machine

to steep or difficult ground The Haas traction winch for harvesters and forwarders enables the machine to be used on steep or difficult ground. The hydraulically-driven winch is equipped with a Ø14mm (0.55 in.) steel cable. The cable length of the harvester is approximately 300 meters (984.3 ft) or other optional length with cable supply and camera surveillance. The cable length of the forwarder is 400 meters (1312.3 ft) with cable supply and camera surveillance. The drive and the winch – cable speed is the same as vehicle speed – are controlled by a winch-specific SPS control with digital display operated from the cabin.

The digital display shows • • • • •

Operating mode. Set traction. Current cable length on the cable drum. Uncoiled cable length. Gradient of the slope where the harvester/forwarder is driving.

The traction can be adjusted in steps from 0-90kN (0-20,233 lb) while driving. An additional third pump allows driving and simultaneous boom operation and working with the harvester head/grapple. When mounted on a harvester, the height of the traction winch can be hydraulically adjusted. By request, the winch can be constructed with a quick-change system for mounting on different machines. On a forwarder, the winch drive (spill) is mounted on the rear frame end, whereas the cable storage drum is mounted at the side of the load space.

HAAS Founded 1986 by Franz Alfred Haas (CEO). 25 employees. Modification and service of John Deere skidders, forwarders and harvesters. New and used machine sales, parts and services.

The control has three operating modes

Put down cable/pick up cable > cable is automatically put down after leaving the slope/ leaving the forest for the road or automatically put down/picked up when driving back and forth when unloading. The cable is put down tension-free behind the machine so that peripheral trees are not damaged by the cable when the machine is leaving the skid trail.

Radio transmitter > operating the winch from outside of the machine, e.g. unwinding the steel cable at the anchor tree.

Mooring > automatic control of the winch when working with the machine.

Text by Ilona Nikanto

Out of Gear.

Photo by Jonty Edmunds

Voice

Merimex s.r.o wins John Deere Forestry Dealer Excellence Award 2011

Building a World-Class Distribution System was a topic for the European Construction & Forestry Dealers’ Annual Meeting held in Stockholm on June 21–22. A competition for successful dealers was announced prior to the meeting. Among the number of excellent candidates, Merimex s.r.o., Czech & Slovak Republics, was voted winner of the Dealer Excellence Award 2011 for its highest alignment to the John Deere strategy, a sustainable market share and after-sales growth. Merimex s.r.o, established in 1994 with 25 employees and a John Deere dealer in since 2002, has achieved a strong market share in the forestry business in the Czech and Slovak Republic regions. “Our focus is on strong after-sales services. There is no better reference in this market segment than the image of a perfectly operating service organization,” Vlastimil Zeman Jr. of Merimex s.r.o. stated proudly when receiving the award. The annual meeting brought together representatives from 28 dealerships in Europe to share future visions and initiatives of dealer channel development while enjoying the delights of the Swedish summer.

Photo by John Deere

Dealer Excellence Award winners Vlastimil Zeman Jr. and Vlastimil Zeman Sr., Merimex s.r.o., Czech & Slovak Republics.

In the World Trophy team competition held in August in the Kotka-Hamina region in Finland, Marko Tarkkala was one of the riders in the Finnish gold medal team, taking the overwhelming win in his own E3 class.

Professional Enduro Rider Marko Tarkkala:

Return to the top

Marko Tarkkala’s road to his professional career started when he was four years old as a hobby with his first bike; that road eventually took him to his profession. Now 29-year-old Tarkkala has been riding enduro professionally since 2000. ”When I was a little kid, I couldn’t even imagine that one day I’d be earning a living by riding a motorcycle,” Tarkkala sneers. ”I feel privileged. Even though I’ve also dealt with injuries and a few difficult years in my career, the past year has been very rewarding. When preparing for the 2011 season, I started everything as if I were starting from scratch; I was at a turning point in my career. After two years of dismal results, I decided to put everything on the line and try to make a comeback to the top in the world championships.” Tarkkala’s family is deeply rooted in the forestry business, so he’s familiar with forestry and forest machines. ”Equipment is very important also in my profession. And, just as with a forest machine, the most important properties in a motorcycle are performance and reliability. In enduro racing, the differences between the best riders are often marginal, so it’s vitally important that the rider can trust his bike under all conditions.” So the importance of having competitive work equipment is obvious in enduro. Enduro can be compared to a rally driven with motorcycles. At the World Trophy level, there are three classes based on the bike’s cylinder displacement. Enduro’s World Trophy competitions consist of at least three different types of special tests combining the speed of motocross, the technical nature of trial and traditional off-roading in the woods and over rocks.

Text and Photo by John Deere

Voice

Photos by John Deere

Text and Photo by John Deere

Strengthening sales and service network Kotschenreuther Forst- und Landtechnik GmbH & Co. KG has become an additional authorized sales and service partner for forestry customers in parts of Northern Bavaria, Thüringen and Lower Sachsen, Germany. John Deere Forestry has been developing its European distribution network over the past couple of years through a series of new dealer appointments. Developing a worldclass distribution system has been designated as one of the critical success factors in the Deere & Company enterprise strategy. Kotschenreuther, located in Neufang, D-96349 Steinwiesen, is an existing John Deere agricultural equipment distributor. The company is also known for its own Kotschenreuther-branded forestry products, which are standard John Deere tractors modified for forestry use. Established in 1958 and with 34 employees, Kotschenreuther has established a strong market share in the tractor and forestry business in its area. “Germany is a major market area for John Deere, and continuous development of our distribution channel is necessary to stay ahead of the competition that is becoming increasingly skilled and aggressive. With the strengthened distribution network, we are well positioned to meet the ever increasing demands of our German forestry customers,” says Janne Märkälä, Dealer Area Operations Manager, John Deere Forestry Oy. From left: Kelly Granatier, Eugen Kotschenreuther, Bernd Herbert , Günther Satzinger, Martin Zwosta, Janne Märkälä, Richard Bayer and Arne Bergmann.

New office building in Joensuu, Finland The new office building at John Deere Forestry Oy’s Joensuu factory in Finland was taken into use last spring. The 2,000-square-meter building contains work space for about 90 people and spacious conference and training areas. The building also houses a cafeteria that seats 80 people. The new office building completed the company’s extensive series of investments in Joensuu launched in 2006. These investments ensure that the processes, production, products and the operating environment meet today’s efficiency requirements. ”About 2,000 people visit the factory every year. We are the world’s biggest cut-to-length forest machine factory, and we are proud to showcase the factory’s operations to our customers and other groups. The new visitor centre is ideal for this,” Joensuu Plant Manager Janne Haapasalo sums up.

John Deere Forestry has increased the Joensuu factory’s capacity significantly in recent years. Success has been deliberately targeted with the launch of the E-series products, the renewal of the quality system, and the new production system. ”The investments demonstrate the commitment of John Deere to the Joensuu economic region. The commitment has stemmed from the favourable business environment, a qualified workforce, and collaboration with the city of Joensuu and development companies and actors in the region,” explains Jussi Malmi, General Manager, John Deere Forestry Oy. Close to 90 per cent of the forest machines manufactured in Joensuu are exported. The Joensuu factory employs about 500 people. This year, the factory has hired 70 new employees.

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The renewal of the JohnDeere.com brings you better usability and functionality – the website is now wider with larger pictures than before. The website has been renewed globally through all John Deere divisions. Now it’s easier and faster to find information about John Deere!

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(2011-09)

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You don’t compromise on performance. Neither should your harvester.

Your success is our business. The new Interim Tier 4 (IT4) John Deere E-Series Harvesters have been loaded with innovative solutions to enhance the productivity of your business. Take, for example, the new twin-pump hydraulic system. And our exclusive machinecontrol and power-management systems that enable best-in-class boom and harvester-head performance. Configurable TimberMatic™ control-system menus that help operators spend less time navigating the system and more time getting work done. Plus John Deere is the only forest machine manufacturer to design machineperformance and -management systems such as TimberLink™ and JDLink™ for all of our IT4 forest equipment. All this productive performance will help make your logging business — and your bottom line — a whole lot stronger. Plus the E-Series is backed by our worldwide dealer network. Find out how to unleash your earning potential by contacting your local John Deere dealer today.