Chippers Komatsu Forest enjoys recycling growth

Komatsu Forest took up the Peterson dealership just over 12 years ago with a strong belief in the market potential of the Peterson flails and chippers which would compliment KF’s existing forestry product line in Australia.

When considering the market is somewhat small, the Peterson/ Komatsu Forest partnership has been very successful in taking a strong market leadership with both flail chippers and horizontal grinders.

Since 2011, KF have delivered more than 70 Peterson units with orders for a further nine units for delivery over the next 12 months.

“Something both companies have worked hard to achieve and are very proud,” Brenton Yon, Sales and Marketing Manager, said.

“We expect to continue and expand the momentum created by our partnership.”

The grinder business continues to increase with strong emphasis on recycling products such as waste timber and green waste.

In addition, there’s good potential in the processing of forest residues. The horizontal grinders now make up nearly half of the Peterson sales in Australia with the Peterson 2710D being the most successful model with 20 units in the field and orders for a couple more in the coming months.

“We’re extremely pleased with the Peterson’s success and have been somewhat surprised by the growth of the Peterson Grinder sales”, says Brett Jones, Managing Director Komatsu Forest.

Peterson have four-model range of horizontal grinders; 2710D/4710D/5710D/ 6710D and are available as either wheeled trailer or self-propelled track and all with the same unique features;

• Upturn 3 Stage Grinding Process for a superior fracturing process.

• Impact Release System, incorporating a Patented Air Bag protection for contaminated feed stock.

• Impact Cushion System protecting the mill from catastrophic damage from large items in the feed stock.

Currently all Peterson models sold in Australia are self-propelled tracked grinders fitted with Tier II engines with the most popular 2710D followed by the 5710D as the preferred models spread across the country.

• The Peterson 2710D is powered by a Caterpillar C18 570 kW engine (Tier II) weighs 30,900 kg and is designed for easy mobility with high production.

• The Peterson 5710D is powered by a Tier II Caterpillar C32 839kW engine (Tier II) weighs 43,091 kg is designed for operations requiring very high production and demanding endproduct specifications. It provides the highest power to weight ratio of any Peterson grinder.

The Jefferies Group

The Jefferies Group, a long-term Peterson owner from Adelaide started in the grinding business in the late 90’s when they purchased a second-hand Peterson 2400 which they on sold to Snell Contracting in 2013. Now they have just taken delivery of a new 2710D adding to their current fleet of a 2710C and 5710D.

“From our point of view, the Petersons are good reliable machines,” Martin Jefferies says. “And we’re quite happy with the service and back-up we get from Komatsu Forest.”

The Jeffries Group manufactures composts and soil improvers from green organics received from most of metropolitan Adelaide’s council kerbside collections, as well as supermarkets, hotels and restaurants. Large quantities of tree trimmings, street sweepings and end-of-life wooden pallets make up much of the clean green and timber inputs.

“For us, Komatsu Forest has gone out of its way to try and get a part, whether it’s in Australia or the US. “That’s key for a business.

You’re making a profit when these machines are running,” Martin said.

Snell Contracting

Phil Snell, the Owner/Operator of Snell Contracting purchased his first grinder, a second-hand Peterson 2400 from the Jefferies Group Adelaide which was later replaced by a new Peterson 2710C. Since 2016, he’s purchased five Peterson 2710D Grinders, including two in September 2022, from Komatsu Forest. His knowledge of the grinding industry has developed over the years, and he’s now quite discerning about having the right equipment for the job.

“I stuck with Komatsu Forest, and Peterson, because they’re focused on the timber industry and do it well”. said Phil.

Phil built his business in

Northern Territory on land clearing and grinding green waste for local councils and has secured a five-year contract for site clearance and rehabilitation at Rio Tinto’s 15,000-hectare bauxite mining lease in Nhullaby, formerly Gove. The Gove site has been supplying the global aluminium industry with bauxite for more than 40 years but is expected to cease later this decade.

Work to support closure of the operation and rehabilitate the area is already under way. Phil and his team are clearing and mulching timber to be used to rehabilitate the mine’s burrow and red mud ponds.

Gove is the fourth-largest town in the Northern Territory and a nine-hour drive from Katherine. For the Rio Tinto job, Phil’s equipment is transported by barge and remains onsite for six months. The remoteness adds some complexity to servicing or any issues that arise, East Arnhem Land is 700 kilometres from Darwin so you need equipment you can rely on in a remote location.

“We’ve got to work around the wet season so we ramp things up where we can. We’ve got two grinders working 12 hours a day, seven days a week,” said Phil. “Remoteness and monsoon rains are a real challenge,” added Phil “but Komatsu Forest gets things done”.

“The Peterson 2710D is ideal for Phil’s operation because it’s designed for high production and frequent moves between jobs,” said Brenton Yon, Komatsu Forest National Sales Manager. What has also developed over the years, is a relationship between Phil and Komatsu Forest