Forestry Machinery Issue 4 Spring 2020

SPRING 2020 • ISSUE 4 • £4.10

KOMATSU 901XC PUT TO THE TEST REVIEWED

OPERATORS GIVE THEIR VERDICT ON THE ALL-ROUND HARVESTER

MODIFIED MACHINES

SPECIALIST KIT FROM HYUNDAI, KOBELCO, NEW HOLLAND & MORE INSIDE

ADDED TRACTION

CUSTOM KIT

FLYING FINNS

JOHN DEERE 1910G FORWARDER ON TRACKS AT WORK IN IRELAND

ADAPTED DOOSAN EXCAVATORS TAKE ON TOUGH FORESTRY TASKS

THE RISE OF SAMPO ROSENLEW MACHINERY ACROSS THE WORLD

GERMAN AND SCOTTISH SHOWS GIVE A GLIMPSE INTO THE FUTURE OF FORESTRY 001_FM004_Cover_FINAL.indd 1

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Liebherr telescopic handlers

Outstanding lifting power and excellent manoeuvrability.

Market-leading Comfort cab with 360-degree vision for optimal safety and productivity Available with ‘auto power’ for enhanced loading cycles and excellent efficiency Continuously variable hydrostatic drive system provides maximum tractive force Quick couplers available for compatibility with other manufacturers’ systems Models available: T 35-6, T 32-7, T 36-7, T 41-7, T 46-7, T 55-7, T 60-9, T 33-10 An excellent all-rounder machine tailored to you specific application requirements

Liebherr-Great Britain Ltd. Normandy Lane, Stratton Business Park Biggleswade, SG18 8QB Phone: +44 1767 60 21 00 E-mail: info.lgb@liebherr.com www.facebook.com/LiebherrConstruction www.liebherr.co.uk

ED’S LETTER

SPRING 2020 • ISSUE 4 • £4.10

EDITOR Graham Black editor@earthmoversmagazine.co.uk EDITOR Peter Skilton peter@farmmachineryjournal.co.uk ART DIRECTOR David ‘Spike’ McCormack ADVERTISEMENT SALES Clive Coe 020 8639 4402, Alex Cronin 020 8639 4405 ADMINISTRATOR Martin Attis 020 8639 4409 PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Paul Cosgrove 020 8639 4401 CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS David Wylie, Eoghan Daly, Graeme Kirk, Ken Topham, Nick Drew, Paul Argent, Paul Carter, Stuart Gibbard Forestry Machinery is published by Sundial Magazines Ltd, Sundial House, 17 Wickham Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 5JS TEL 020 8639 4400 FAX 020 8639 4411 EMAIL info@forestrymachinerymagazine.co.uk WEB www.forestrymachinerymagazine.co.uk SUBSCRIPTIONS Earthmovers subscriptions, Trinity House, Sculpins Lane, Wethersfield, Essex, CM7 4AY TEL +44 (0)1371 853632 EMAIL earthmovers@escosubs.co.uk Farm Machinery Journal subscriptions, Trinity House, Sculpins Lane, Wethersfield, Essex, CM7 4AY TEL +44 (0)1371 853634 EMAIL farmmachineryjournal@escosubs.co.uk NEWSTRADE Seymour Distribution, 2 East Poultry Avenue London, EC1A 9PT TEL 020 7429 4000 REPRO Design & Printing Solutions Ltd, The Coach House 101 Northwood Road, Whitstable, Kent CT5 2HE TEL 01227 770034 PRINTING Walstead Southernprint, 17-21 Factory Road, Upton Industial Estate, Poole, Dorset, BH16 5SN COPYRIGHT Sundial Magazines Ltd 2019. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden without the express permission of the publishers.

Sundial Magazines Ltd. Registered in England no. 4134490.

CONDITIONS FOR ADVERTISING All advertisements are accepted subject to the publisher’s standard conditions of insertion. For a copy of advertising terms & conditions, please write to Paul Cosgrove at Sundial Magazines Ltd, Sundial House, 17 Wickham Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 5JS

KOMATSU 901XC PUT TO THE TEST REVIEWED

MODIFIED MACHINES

SPECIALIST KIT FROM HYUNDAI, KOBELCO, NEW HOLLAND & MORE INSIDE

OPERATORS GIVE THEIR VERDICT ON THE ALL-ROUND HARVESTER

ADDED TRACTION

CUSTOM KIT

FLYING FINNS

JOHN DEERE 1910G FORWARDER ON TRACKS AT WORK IN IRELAND

ADAPTED DOOSAN EXCAVATORS TAKE ON TOUGH FORESTRY TASKS

THE RISE OF SAMPO ROSENLEW MACHINERY ACROSS THE WORLD

Spring 2020 Issue 4 COVER IMAGE Komatsu Forest

GERMAN AND SCOTTISH SHOWS GIVE A GLIMPSE INTO THE FUTURE OF FORESTRY

WELCOME

to Forestry Machinery, the magazine dedicated to modern forestry equipment.

Looking to the future in a post-Coronavirus economy, all the major UK political parties have indicated their support for a massive programme of reforestation.

Putting to one side the question of the billions of pounds it will take to buy or long-term lease suitable ground, or provide landowners with other suitable incentives, there is the question of how such work will actually be undertaken.

One thing is for sure, such a programme will not involve thousands of folk working on hillsides up and down the country manually planting trees, the last bastion of those in the industry who resist full mechanisation. Mechanised tree planting works well, not only in terms of productivity, but also its success rate for establishing young trees is much higher than manual methods.

With this in mind and forgetting future political fantasies, perhaps there is a good argument to look more closely at mechanised tree planting solutions within the current industry. Particularly if an excavator is going to be employed for mounding, both the contractor and the client have a lot to gain if this opportunity is also used for higher value work. Our feature on the Risutec planting attachment is an example of what can be achieved in the right hands.

The John Deere forwarder review in this issue also offers an insight into how flexible such a machine can be in the right hands. Helped greatly by a load bunk and headboard that can be reconfigured to suit different applications, such a machine can cope with a variety of situations, from working over wet ground, undertaking thinnings applications to performing well on large clear fell sites.

At the other end of the scale, the Sampo Rosenlew FR28 forwarder is intended for thinnings applications, but clearly has a lot more to offer, particularly in challenging conditions. At the end of the day, no matter what level of technology is used, it all comes down to using the machine’s attributes to best advantage.

As an industry we may use some of the most sophisticated off-road machines on the surface of the earth, but, as with any piece of equipment, getting the most out of it comes down to the expertise and experience of the operators.

Graham Black & Peter Skilton

MOD ERN MAC HINE

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& CON TRACTO

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SPRING 2020 FORESTRY MACHINERY

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CONTENTS

CONTENTS SPRING 2020

REGULARS 3

WELCOME

The leading highlights contained in this issue

8

NEWS

The latest industry developments and updates

FEATURES

p12

12

OPERATOR FEEDBACK JOHN DEERE 1910G

High-spec forwarder is surprisingly versatile

19

SITE VISIT TIGERCAT LH845D

Canadian 35t harvester at work in Scotland

25 NEW MACHINERY

AGRITECHNICA 2019

p25

New products unveiled at giant Hanover show

31

HARVESTING KOMATSU 901XC

Eight-wheel all-round harvester in Ireland

36 FLEET FOCUS

SIMON RICHARDSON

Dumfries-based specialist forestry contractor

41

FLEET PROFILE WAINWRIGHT UK

Manchester contractor’s diverse equipment

46 FACTORY VISIT

SAMPO ROSENLEW

p51

Finnish firm’s history dates back to mid-1800s

51

SHOW REPORT SCOTTISH FORESTRY EXPO

Inaugural Scots exhibition attracts big crowds

56 LAND CLEARANCE

TREEFELLERS

Fleet of machinery deployed for site clearance

62 ATTACHMENTS

RISUTEC PLANTER

p36

p56

A proven mechanical means of planting trees

67 CLASSIC FORESTRY

VALMET

How the Finnish brand became a forestry favourite FORESTRY MACHINERY SPRING 2020

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For Sales & Service please contact John Deere Forestry Ltd. Ballyknocken, Glenealy, Co. Wicklow, Ireland Tel: +353 (0)404 44969 (Sales) Contact Ed Power Mob: +353 (0)87 2542570 John deere First DPS with Border.indd 2

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FORESTRYMACHINERYNEWS

CUSTOM VOLVO DELIVERED

S

cott Young & Sons of Lockerbie, Dumfries & Galloway, has taken delivery of a new bespoke 16t Volvo EC160E with a unique two-piece boom and Steelwrist X20 tilt-rotator.

This family-run business specialises in forestry work, building and maintenance of forest tracks, as well as some general contracting work, crushing and screening.

“The machine has plenty of

power to operate the mulcher and, in conjunction with the priority control valve, makes it highly responsive,” comments Scott Young junior. “Using the Steelwrist tilt-rotator in conjunction with the two-piece boom makes the machine very versatile as well, especially when I’m working on narrow forest tracks and up against embankments.

The EC160E is powered by a Stage V-compliant four-cylinder Volvo engine, developing 148hp.

Scott Young Jr at the controls

Other features that have been specified include LED lighting, heavy-duty cab guards and a machine upper-structure produced specifically by Lammer Engineering of Gifford, East Lothian. It also sports side impact protection for the upper-structure, a special deflector mounted on the dipper arm, a Prolec height limiter device, Lexan safety glass for the windscreen and a factory fitted dozer blade with heavy-duty wear plate.

The two-piece boom and arm geometry make the machine highly adaptable.

For example, the maximum reach with the 2.6m dipper arm is 8.87m, while the maximum dig depth is 5.5m. Furthermore, the machine is capable of digging to its maximum depth at a mere 3m from the machine centre.

“It’s early days yet, but so far I’m very pleased with the way the machine is performing; it is certainly ticking all the boxes as far as I’m concerned,” declares Scott. “The machine is robust, well built and extremely comfortable from the operator’s point of view; I cannot fault it.”

NEW MULCHER RANGE FROM SPALDINGS A new tractor-mounted mulcher is available from Spaldings. The TMC Cancela MPK-225 has a working width of 2.25m (a 2.50m version is also available), operates on the rear three-point linkage of a 220-300hp tractor, and has 58 rigidly-mounted hammers arranged in a helix pattern. It can produce a fine and firm tilth ready for woodland re-planting or sowing to other crops as part of a land regeneration project. The MPK has a two-speed gearbox, providing a slower rotor speed for shredding and incorporation, and a faster speed for grinding away tree stumps up to 450mm diameter.

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NEWS

HALF-TRACK CONVERSION LAUNCHED Camso has launched its CTS Halftrack, a new conversion track system for 110-165hp tractors.

The CTS Halftrack aims to make the switch from wheels to tracks more affordable for those looking to minimise soil compaction and increase traction.

“This is the industry’s first genuinely affordable, bolt-on half-track solution, while its durability and ease of mounting and dismounting means they can maintain optimal productivity,” says Andrea Pavan, Camso aftermarket sales director.

“Our track systems ensure that farmers can get the most out of their equipment, providing the benefits only tracks can bring,” said Pavan. “And in the case of the CTS Halftrack, those benefits include road speeds and manoeuvrability similar to that of a wheeled tractor.”

REGISTER TO MOVE WOOD PRODUCTS Businesses are being reminded to register with the Forestry Commission to continue to move wood and wood products within the UK and to the EU. On 14 December 2019 Plant Health Regulation and Official Control Regulation were introduced to modernise protections against tree pests, as part of the EU’s Smarter Rules for Safer Food package.

Businesses including wood and bark processors, management companies, biomass companies, wholesalers/retailers, timber merchants, hauliers and woodland owners are legally required to register and be authorised with the Forestry Commission if they wish to move conifer species with bark, Christmas trees and foliage/tops taken from conifer trees over three metres tall, sweet chestnut with bark or plane, walnut or wingnut (with or without bark). For all these species the wood products that require a plant passport include roundwood, wood chipped at a felling site or points of aggregation and brash.

CHIPPER DEALER Thurlow Nunn Standen Ltd (TNS) has become the latest pin in the dealer map of GreenMech, having been appointed as distributors for Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. Operating out of three depots in Attleborough, Kennett and Melton, TNS will now be handling sales and support for Europe’s leading range of wood-chippers.

FRENCH FORESTRY SHOW ANNOUNCED FOR JUNE European forestry and logging professionals will come together at Forexpo in Mimizan, France, from 17 to 19 June 2020. It is the fourth time that Mimizan will welcome this four-yearly exhibition launched in 1962. Around 400 exhibitors are expected and exhibition space is spread over five zones: soil preparation and reforestation, logging, transport and logistics, wood for energy, and services.

Around 30,000 visitors are expected through the gates.

Left to right: Julian Cullis of GreenMech with TNS sales director Chris Tew and Matt Bailey, Suffolk Groundcare sales manager FORESTRY MACHINERY SPRING 2020

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KING OF THE HILLS

As Eoghan Daly reports, Byrne Tree Services operate a large forwarder, which they use on a surprisingly wide range of site types

A

s long term operators of some of the highest capacity timber forwarders to work in Ireland, Byrne Tree Services are ambassadors for this approach to machine selection.

This is not surprising, as they tend to work on large volume clear fell sites, typically involving long haul distances. However, their large forwarder also has to be able to work across low weight bearing ground and on steep slopes, in addition to occasionally tackling smaller jobs. For the past two years the operation has run a 22.2-tonne John Deere 1910G, which offers a payload of 19-tonnes.

Byrne’s long term forwarder operator, Gerry Kavanagh, said, “Some may believe you need to be selective about the kind of sites you can extract with a forwarder of this size and capacity, but the reality of it is a forwarder like this is far more versatile than many would believe. It all comes down to using what the machine has to your advantage. The range of sites that we have taken out timber from over the years with machines like this shows how well they can work with a bit of forward planning and thinking ahead.”

Gerry has operated all three heavyweight forwarders that the company has run over the years, including a ‘black cab’ Valmet, and continued, “The original Valmet 890 will always be remembered as a first class machine and it did start a trend for the company when it came to running larger capacity forwarders.

STEEP SLOPES AND LONG HAULS

Below inset: Gerry Kavanagh serves as the 1910G’s operator with Byrne Tree Services and has long-term experience of operating large forwarders in Irish conditions

“Even though the work takes us to many different areas, much of the harvesting we do is in Co. Wicklow, where working conditions call for a machine like this to take on steep slopes and often long hauls.

Since the 890, the John Deeres 1910s have brought a new standard to high capacity forwarders and really I don’t think any other manufacturers’ machine comes near them in many ways.”

The Valmet was replaced by a John Deere 1910E, that went on the clock-up 16,500 hours over eight years on the fleet. This generation of forwarder heralded the introduction of a slewing and levelling cab, together with a host of other features that placed it amongst the best high capacity forwarders available. The E Series machine was replaced in March 2017 with a 1910G model, which is configured with a long 5.6m load bunk to accommodate multiple bay configurations.

Gerry continued, “I believe the balance of power, traction and build strength of the 1910G is second to none.

It might have very high load capacity, but has the power, traction and stability to match and really is a hard machine to beat when it comes to working on rough hillsides as it takes it all in its stride.”

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OPERATOR FEEDBACK | JOHN DEERE 1910G “SOME BELIEVE YOU NEED TO BE SELECTIVE ABOUT SITES BUT A FORWARDER LIKE THIS IS MORE VERSATILE THAN MANY BELIEVE”

The crane base and centre joint of the 1910G have proved effective over long-term operation in demanding working conditions

Despite the imposing stance of the 1910G, it has a sensible and user-friendly cabin access route

The 1910G is powered by a 9-litre, 6-cylinder John Deere engine which kicks out 268hp FORESTRY MACHINERY SPRING 2020

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“USING TRACKS ON A FORWARDER LIKE THE 1910G WOULD SOON FIND A WEAK SPOT IN THEIR DESIGN IF THEY HADN’T STRENGTH BUILT IN”

The 1910G has a selection of tracks which are exchanged according to working challenges. This steep site saw the fitment of aggressive front bogie climbing tracks which help exert the ultimate level of tractive force With a gross weight of over 41-tonnes, some may think that even with the weight spread across eight 750/26.5 tyres, this size of machine may be unsuitable for some of the harsh site conditions found in the Irish forestry sector.

Not so says Garry, who continued, “The machine is running on 750 tyres and, depending on the site conditions, we have a range of band tracks to suit the type of ground conditions we are facing.

On the wetter sites there are tracks which give eighty percent floatation. When conditions become steeper we have climbing tracks for the front bogies, which give an excellent grip and allows the machine to apply its tractive force to fullest extent possible.”

SITE VISIT

The 1910G offers positive ground clearance which does not erode stability of operation

14

We caught up with man and machine as they were working on behalf of ECC Timber Products on a clear fell site near Glenealy in East Wicklow. Located in a number of blocks within the same Coillte-owned forest, the larger section presented some particularly testing terrain, with gradients up to 27 degrees. Ground conditions ranged from rock to dry ground beneath a thin layer of peat. This called for the use a special set of climbing band tracks on the front wheels, which feature wide paddle spikes with spacings that alternate across the width of each pad. The edges of the tracks incorporate long shovel spikes, together this combination provides high levels of traction, without excessively churning up the ground.

Garry continued, “We have been using Clark Tracks for some time and find their performance very good. Using tracks on a forwarder like the 1910G would soon find a weak spot in their

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OPERATOR FEEDBACK | JOHN DEERE 1910G The slewing and levelling John Deere cabin fitted to this 1910G is considered the ultimate in operator comfort and convenience and is favoured over the fixed mount alternative

The machine is equipped with IBC crane control which governs grapple position instead of all crane movements

Tamtron weighing system includes a cabin module and weigh link which feeds data to the control system via a Bluetooth link design if they hadn’t the strength built into them, which they seem to have based on the life we get from them. I don’t think there is any other track design that would give the machine better climbing ability than this design.”

A high ground clearance of 685mm without impacting stability is another of the 1910G’s positive attributes, while the profile of balanced beam bogies helps to deliver maximum traction through continual ground contact. On this size of forwarder, balanced bogies also offer a distinct advantages when extracting on steep slopes.

However, in the right hands, this large forwarder has proven its worth on less favourable wet ground with a lower weight bearing capability. In these circumstance, using the flexibility of the long load bunk is a key to success. In is equipped with five bunks that can be easily relocated and a hydraulically moveable headboard, both vertically and horizontally, to provide versatility.

Gerry continued, “No matter what load capacity the machine

has, it’s all about reading the site’s ground conditions. If I need to take out a wet area of a site, just take a partial load and in shorter lengths keep the load height low, just to get through the area.

If ground conditions are very wet, and I’m handling 12-feet lengths, I just take one bay directly over the bogie and it makes the machine very well balanced and doesn’t cause any ground damage.

“Like any forwarder, its work is only as good as the brash mat that is laid out for it by the harvester. With the capacity and reach of the Komatsu 951 harvester working ahead of the 1910G, its capacity means it can take out a rack in a minimum number of passes before the brash mat wears down. The limits of a machine in this size class are much fewer than some would believe.”

Another plus point of the 1910G is its 8.5m reach CF8 8.5 single extension crane, fitted with a 0.42 square metre capacity grapple and, on this G Series machine, features John Deere’s Intelligent Boom Control (IBC) system. The crane is worked hard on

JOHN DEERE 1910G DRIVELINE The 1910G is powered by a Stage

torque of an impressive 1315Nm

between 0 and 7kph and between

choice of Eco, Normal or Power

4 emissions compliant John Deere

at between 1200 and 1400rpm.

0 and 21kph. The transmission

modes to meet a variety of

features John Deere’s Adaptive

applications and delivers an

6090 engine rated at 200kW

This drive a hydrostatic

between 1600 and 1900rpm,

mechanical two-speed

Driveline Control system, which

impressive tractive force of

while producing its maximum

transmission, offering ranges of

provides the operator with a

230kN.

FORESTRY MACHINERY SPRING 2020

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JOHN DEERE 1910G | OPERATOR FEEDBACK “THE CRANE MATCHED TO THE 1910G HAS GOOD POWER AND SPEED AND HAS NEVER GIVEN ANY PROBLEMS”

The current 1910G was preceded by a 1910E model on the fleet which successfully operated for 16,500 hours over eight years

Tamtron weigh link fitted to the machine between the crane tip and rotator The cab itself offers 290 degrees of slewing, while the cab base also offers 10 degrees of tilt to either side and 6 degree forwards and backwards. The cab can either follow the movements of the crane, or be operated independently.

Gerry continued, “Based on how well the slewing and levelling cabin worked on the original 1910E, there was definitely no going back to a fixed cabin on the new 1910G. Some users prefer the fixed option as they think it has less potential for problems, but we have had no difficulties with the slewing version on wither the E or G models.

“I don’t always use the slew capability to continuously follow the crane, since the view is so good through the side Patrick Byrne of Byrne Tree windows. I normally face the bunk continuously when Services, seen here with the firm’s Komatsu loading and travelling and the way the cab is designed is ideal harvester that works in for this. The big sloping front window gives an excellent view alliance with the John of the bunk and crane when loading and when I need to Deere 1910G forwarder move on to the next logs within the rack, even without slewing the cab, the view through the back windows is great with its curved corner design.

“I always thought the 1910E would be hard to improve on, but the 1910G has taken it to a new level as it has a noticeable increase in power and traction. Based on its first two years’ service, it looks set to beat the performance and match the reliability of the 1910E which served us so well.”

large clear fell sites with a with high percentages of longer lengths of large volume saw log material. In addition, typically working on steep sites with a downhill extraction working method, results in the crane having to slew logs uphill before they enter the load bunk.

Gerry said, “The crane matched to the 1910G has good power and speed and has never given any problems despite the amount of work it has done in steeper sites, where it is constantly slewing against the slope. There have never been any problems with the crane base or any part of the structure, which is also true of the older 1910E it replaced even with such high hours recorded.

“Once I got into the IBC system, I see it as being just great and takes a lot of the effort out of using the crane compared to an ordinary setup. You’re basically controlling the position of the grab, which reduces the amount of joystick movements needed and is a very user friendly system.”

DIGITAL FORWARDING This forwarder is fitted with a wireless Bluetooth Tamtron weighing link between the end of the crane and the rotator, on which Garry commented, “The weighing system gives a two day battery life and has a battery level indicator inside the cab. It’s quick and simple to change the battery and the whole system is well built to last in forest conditions.”

In addition, this forwarder was specified with the John Deere Timber Link system. This provides comprehensive production data including a user-friendly data transfer capability. The machine’s central management system is an upgrade of the E Series machine, which offers Gerry easy and quick access to change machine settings.

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Crawler Excavator DX160LC-5 HT

Operators’ choice The Doosan DX160 High Track is purpose built for all your forestry needs – additional ground clearance to track over stumps when mounding, greatly increasing productivity. Also available with two pump flow for mulching duties. Low ground pressure and high stability/digging forces are combined with a powerful 85.9 KW, 115 HP engine and extra durability is provided by the reinforced track frame and double supported top rollers.

For more information – Tel: 01443 842273

Doosan, manufacturing construction equipment for over 40 years.

RH3016 HARVESTER ROTATOR

HIGHEST TORQUE AND LONGEST SERVICE LIFE

SITE VISIT | TIGERCAT LH845D Small but highly skilled and productive team clearing tall mature trees from the proximity of high-voltage distribution lines Left to right: David Thain, Bruce Smith, Raivo Banis and Graham Stirling

APEX PREDATOR

David Wylie visits a Tigercat harvester working to clear timber close to live high-voltage power lines

T

he Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) maintain approximately 130,000km of overhead power lines north of the border. A key part of this work is undertaken by their 130-strong tree-cutting team, one of the largest such enterprises in Scotland, which plays a vital role in maintaining power supply to customers. SSEN is the only power network company to carry out such work in the UK and possibly the whole of Europe.

The scope of works undertaken by this team includes maintaining the live lower voltage distribution network, the 11kV to 66kV higher voltage lines and the main transmission network – carried by tall steel towers – but only up 132kV. These main transmission lines can carry up to 400,000 Volts, but the cutting teams do not work under such ultra high-powered live lines.

To undertake this work 100 staff regularly use chainsaws and the like, but they can also

call upon their own 35-tonne Tigercat LH845D timber harvester, together with a similar machine on long-term hire from dealer Treetop Forestry.

MAN VS MACHINE ‑The manual cutting teams are constantly deployed and will also be used to remove small stands of trees. Deploying a 35-tonne harvester takes time and planning, therefore the Tigercats are typically used on the larger jobs, where they can really get into their stride. In one day a Tigercat will harvest the equivalent of a week’s worth of hard work from a three-man cutting crew, which in these circumstances would use

“CUTTING TREES UNDER LIVE POWER LINES MINIMISES THE POTENTIAL OF DISRUPTION TO SSEN’S CUSTOMERS”

double ropes for directional felling.

Cutting trees under live power lines minimises the potential of disruption to SSEN’s customers. It also helps keep their bills low, as it helps to eliminate typical causes of a power outage and therefore reduces the need to use large portable diesel generators to back-fill the power gap at both ends of the line.

SSEN’s lead harvesting manager is Perth-based Graham Stirling, who we met with one of his Tigercat crews in a Fife forest.

Graham explained that his tree-cutting teams cover everything from planned trimming programmes to emergency call-outs. The teams travel in their own fully equipped off-road vehicles and are equipped with satellite telephones, as they often work well off the grid. Graham recalls that, on one occasion, they even had to use a helicopter to get a cutting crew to an extremely remote location, to deal with a windblown tree that had landed on a line.

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trees, as SITE VISIT happened SSEN also provides a service to commercial on this site forestry companies, to use their highly as the experienced cutting teams to work safely contractor under live high-voltage lines. This site in had already Fife was one of those jobs, as the harvesting departed. This contractor decided that it was too risky to is an opportunity clear fell the trees immediately adjacent to for the team to do a 33kV overhead power line. In addition something a little different, to their knowledge of working in such but also to remain productive, as they work situations, SSEN’s in-house tree cutters to tight internal guidelines. These include maintain a direct link to the control room, stopping all timber felling operations if the should it be required to quickly shut down wind speed is greater than 12mph blowing a line. towards the line, or if the wind speed is Conventional timber harvesters with a above 18mph at any point adjacent to the floating processing head do not provide the line. high degree of directional control required This Tigercat LH845D has a reach of when delicately removing a tree from under 7.5m and is configured as a feller buncher a live power line. SSEN’s Tigercats are with a bespoke LogMax 7000 processing equipped with a fixed timber harvesting head and its associated LogMate 500 head, which may not achieve production computer. The tilt function of the rotating levels of output, but is ideally suited to this head is via a heavy-duty tipping linkage, extremely specialised forestry task when similar to an excavator. The head and its used as a feller-buncher. computer can cut logs into 4.9m, 3.7m Experienced timber harvester operator Raivo Banis said, “Working with a fixed head sawlog and pallet wood lengths, plus 3m of chip wood lengths of Sitka spruce and pine. took a bit of getting used to, as you need to The computer calculates the tree tilt and rotate as you line the tree up and diameter and length to process the correct when you feed it thorough for processing. sizes of timber, and all Raivo has to do is to Whereas with a conventional head it’s all done automatically, however I find the fixed hit the saw cutting button. This LogMax head also features a top chainsaw to head very easy to use now. maximise the available timber. Once the top “I’ve also operated converted tracked saw is deployed the computer automatically excavators fitted with a harvesting head, but recalculates the desired lengths from this the Tigercat is in a different class of tracked starting point. machine, as you sit much higher with better Raivo continued, “I’ve heard lots of good visibility. The tilting mechanism and long undercarriage offer maximum grip, comfort comments about LogMax harvesting heads over the years. This is my first experience of and stability on steep terrain. I feel Tigercat one and I can say it’s an amazing bit of kit. has done a very good job producing this It has huge amounts of power from the LH845D model.” twin-feed motors to process SSEN has developed a specific big timber quickly and safely. technique for harvesting timber “I really enjoy this type of in such higher risk situations.

SAFETY FIRST precision felling, as it’s a lot of Raivo demonstrated the Everybody working responsibility to concentrate technique, initially by with machinery close to overhead lines, on the safety of the ground approaching the tree with the particularly farmers and team around me, the live bottom of the harvesting head. forestry workers, should power line, ground As contact is made with the tree, take note of the Look Up conditions, machine stability the head is tilting forward until and Look Out campaign and control. What more can the top knife can be seen making being promoted by I say? I love my job!” contact. The top and bottom the Energy Networks Observing Raivo and his knives are then clamped around Association (ENA).

Tigercat at work, it is amazing the trunk and then Raivo On average, to see its brute strength activates the 13,000rpm bottom somebody is killed combined with precise saw. Applying a bit of back or seriously injured by contact with high movements while felling and pressure, the tree is carefully voltage lines every placing a full tree. It solidly lifted up, before slowly slewing month in the UK. SSEN held the felled tree, which it away from the power lines. recorded over 850 was then swung off to one SSEN’s Tigercat crews are best incidents on agricultural side and carefully lowered to used to safely cut and stack full land across its networks, a horizontal position, before trees for later processing by the where third parties came being deposited on the commercial harvesting into contact with poles, ground. During this cycle the contractor responsible for the overhead lines and Tigercat remained totally whole stand. Very occasionally cables, resulting in planted on the ground, they are also asked to process the disruption of local

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Above and above inset: David has a small handheld wind speed monitor - as the wind speed was starting to pick up during our visit - and he has setup a windsock in a clearing to check the changing wind direction Below: The big LogMax 7000 head is rotated with powerful Tigercat rotating mount

Above: Powerful LogMax feed motors and heavy-duty knives stripping off branches

Right: For extra safety the taller trees are cut a quarter of the way up the trunk and the remaining long stump is finally cut in a two-pass operation

electricity supplies and serious injury.

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SITE VISIT | TIGERCAT LH845D Left: The remaining trees left for SSEN’s skilled team to fell close to a live 33kV power line Top right: The lower part of a “Topped” tree being removed – note how close the compact LH845D can get to adjacent trees that will be left standing Centre right: Observing this Tigercat at work, it’s amazing to see its brute strength at being able to grip and hold a large tree with total precision Below right: The tree is carefully tilted forward and lowered almost horizontally on to the ground, whilst the machine remains totally planted as it safely fells each tree

“SSEN HAS DEVELOPED A SPECIFIC TECHNIQUE FOR HARVESTING TIMBER IN SUCH HIGHER RISK SITUATIONS”

TIGERCAT LH845D BRIEF SPECS The 35-tonne LH845D harvester is powered by a 282hp, Stage 4 emissions-compliant FTP engine. This LH model features a super-heavyduty levelling system that can tilt the complete upper-structure by 20 degrees forward, six degrees rear and +/-17 degrees to either side.

The machine includes a regenerating feature, which transfers energy back and forth between the main boom and the stick boom functions.

This helps to increase its productivity while improving fuel economy.

Regarded by many as one of the most robust cabs on the market, the Tigercat’s near bomb-proof cab structure has a front screen made of two 15mm laminated sheets that are designed to protect the operator from both accidental strikes and high-speed metal objects, such as a saw tooth or chain breaking off.

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“I REALLY ENJOY THIS TYPE OF PRECISION FELLING, AS IT’S A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY”

SSEN BACKGROUND Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) forms part of the massive FTSE-50 energy company SSE. It has been building and maintaining a network of transmission and distribution power lines for over 70 years.

The company’s networks carry electricity to over 3.8 million homes and businesses across the north of the Central Belt of Scotland and central southern England.

SSEN employs over 4000 staff, operating from 85 depots and offices based right across the regions they serve, from the hustle and bustle of west London to the quiet and smallest villages in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

They are supported by engineering and customer service teams based in major offices and depots in centres such as Reading, Portsmouth, Perth and Inverness. These engineering and maintenance teams are responsible for 106,000 sub-stations and 130,000km of overhead power lines (OHPL) and underground cables across one third of the UK.

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without the offside track lifting at all. To increase site safety, any excessively tall trees are topped about 7m from the ground, and the long stump then removed separately by the Tigercat.

PRECISION TEAMWORK Such felling operations under live power lines are carefully supervised, for obvious reasons.

A key member of the crew on this job was site supervisor David Thain. David has over 20 years experience as a tree cutter and has recently joined the SSEN team. Having gone through an intensive training course, this was his first opportunity to supervise a live line operation. He was being mentored on site

by Bruce Smith, a highly experienced SSEN tree cutting site supervisor.

A part of David’s job is to carry out a formal risk assessment each day before operations start and conduct ongoing dynamic risk assessments as the day progresses. He is in constant radio communication with operator Raivo, providing the all-important extra set of eyes and ears as the Tigercat sets up and then

Above: Good rear-view camera is fitted as standard

Above right: Key controls fall easily to hand on this right-hand console

Right: The front-end equipment on this Tigercat uses the dipper and heavy-duty rotating mount to deliver outstanding performance and control from a Tigercat produced feller buncher set-up, which provides ample reach at 7.5m

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SITE VISIT | TIGERCAT LH845D

Above: Good access for daily checks or maintenance

Above: Good visibility and view through the skylight to the top of the tree

Left inset: Tigercat operator Raivo Banis completes the felling of each tree.

David also monitors wind speed with a small handheld device, he also sets up a windsock to monitor the changing wind direction. This is of vital importance, as the Tigercat could be picking a 15m-tall tree from the ground, the branches of which act like a large sail in gusts of wind.

As an aside, distribution lines have an automatic ‘reclosing’ function built into their control systems. This is designed to deal with light bird strikes and the like, so that the line is not shut down unnecessarily due to a minor issue.

However, when live-line working, part of David’s responsibility is to ensure that, at the beginning of each working day, the control room disables this function. This is to ensure if something were to strike the 33kV line, it would remain dead until David called in an all clear to the control room.

CONCLUSION SSEN has operated Tigercats for more than six years and has moved from a used 845C fixed base model to this highly versatile

Left: This LH model has a super heavy-duty levelling system with large pins and roller bearings to help eliminate wear in pivot joints.

The structures feature thick steel sections to minimise flex tilting undercarriage, three-year-old LH845D unit. Graham is delighted with the support received from dealer Treetop Forestry. The initial performance of the fixed LogMax head was tweaked a few times by them to extract the maximum performance. In addition, the Tigercat initially came with a LogMax rotating unit, which was swapped for a heavy-duty Tigercat rotating mount fitted with three drive motors.

Graham concluded by saying, “The service from Treetop Forestry is absolutely second to none, as the team at Laurencekirk are always available to answer queries. On the rare occasion we have encountered a technical issue, they always manage to resolve it on the same day. In general, Treetop Forestry is very easy company to work with and you never feel you’re sat in a queue waiting to be seen.

As the second Tigercat LH845D is on permanent hire to us, we have a set-up that works well for our business needs.”

Finally, Graham emphasised the importance of the work carried out by his teams, to ensure the safety and reliability of power supply to the community.

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FORESTRY DEVELOPMENTS | NEW MACHINES

Germany’s Agritechnica may be best known as one of the world’s largest trade fairs for farm machinery, but equipment for the forestry sector is also well represented. Graeme Kirk took a look at some of the new products found at last year’s Hanover show IMAGES MANUFACTURERS Pfanzelt’s Moritz Fr50 tractor is remote-controlled

L

ike agriculture, the forestry sector is undergoing a process of major renewal; machines and technology are taking over, displacing manual labour and allowing those that remain to work smarter, not harder.

At Agritechnica 2019 there were products for people working at every level of arboriculture: from farmers diversifying into firewood supply and new ways of operating for tree surgeons, to new, app-linked technology for professional foresters and the latest high-output wood-chipping systems for biomass production.

Here are some of the developments we found.

PFANZELT MASCHINENBAU Agritechnica’s Innovation Awards judging panel rewarded this exhibitor with a Silver Medal for its Protective Screen for tracked forestry tractors. This new development is designed to protect tree fellers who are at risk of injury from falling branches and treetops, especially when felling or cutting dead timber.

An outdoor area allowed smaller machines to be demonstrated to show visitors Unlike existing solutions where the protective screen is suspended from a forwarder, this solution offers the advantage that fellers are not working under an unpropped crane. Another advantage is that the new screen is used in conjunction with a tracked tractor, which is less expensive to operate than a forwarder.

In view of the increase of dead timber in forests as a consequence of climate change, the new protective screen has been judged a contribution to safety in forest work, and this tractor-based screen presents an effective and comparably cost-effective way of improving work safety for tree fellers.

PFANZELT MASCHINENBAU

THE FORESTRY SECTOR IS UNDERGOING A PROCESS OF MAJOR RENEWAL” The new protective screen can be attached to Pfanzelt’s Moritz crawler tractor and is opened when the tractor is at the tree. The screen embraces the tree at 2.0m from the ground and offers effective protection to fellers, especially in the preparatory phase.

For the actual felling, only one half of the screen stays open so that the movement of the remaining half can be used in the felling job.

Above: Used attached to the company’s Moritz crawler, Pfanzelt’s screen not only protects the tree feller while he is working, but with one half of the shield open helps guide the tree to fall in the right direction FORESTRY MACHINERY SPRING 2020

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FAE GROUP

Above: Offering 175hp, the PrimeTech PT-175 is the smallest of the company’s tracked carrier models

GMT EQUIPMENT

Left: The new Fly Jib from GMT Equipment allows the company’s grapple saws to be used with conventional truck-loading cranes

FAE GROUP The new PrimeTech PT-175 from this Italian firm has been designed to deliver high performance while ensuring stability and traction even in the most demanding forest conditions. Joining the bottom end of the company’s tracked carrier range, it has a Stage IV emissions-compliant 4.4-litre, four-cylinder Caterpillar engine offering up to 127kW in a machine that can work continuously on slopes of up to 45 degrees.

This level of power allows the machine to operate forestry mulchers of up to 2m wide.

Setting this forestry tractor apart is its robust oscillating undercarriage that is said to guarantee excellent flotation and manoeuvrability. Customers can choose between steel track pads (standard 500mmwide pads or 700mm low ground pressure pads) or 500mm rubber track pads, with the possibility to switch from one type to another easily as the track chain remains the same. The 700mm steel track pads bring the ground pressure down to just 3.7psi.

FAE’s Sonic hydraulic transmission management system is said to enhance the machine’s performance by 30%. This fully electronic control system features

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in the forest on self-propelled harvesters, but have moved into urban areas where tree surgeons can take advantage of their efficiency and flexibility to remove or make safe trees in awkward-to-reach locations.

Dutch manufacturer GMT, which has been making grapple saws for more than 10 years, revealed a development that makes this tool even more accessible.

Previously the company’s GMT035 or GMT050 grapple saws could only be used with dedicated timber or recycling-type cranes, but the new GMT Fly Jib allows the saws to be installed on conventional truck-loading cranes. The jib allows this to be done by ensuring free movement and 360-degrees rotation of the grapple saw when the crane is in an upright position.

The new GMT Fly Jib, which attaches to the grapple saw in conjunction with an appropriate link and rotator, is available in three different versions. The Fly Jib FS and FY are the ideal solution when you are able to store crane, Fly Jib and grapple saw on the back of your truck during movements.

The FY differs from the FS in that the hydraulic lines are protected inside the fly jib, making the machine more durable.

Where the crane has to be folded completely for transport, and the complete Fly Jib has to be removed, the folding GMT Fly Jib FF could be a better solution. After unhooking the grapple saw, rotator and link as a set via a quick connector, the Fly Jib FF can easily be folded in the upper section of the crane.

HALVERSON WOOD PRODUCTS integrated speed GRAPPLE and temperature sensors, and a SAWS ARE NO new layout of LONGER the hydraulic RESTRICTED components in the power train TO USE ON for: enhanced SELFperformance; PROPELLED optimised power control; a more HARVESTERS” compact layout; effective diagnostics and troubleshooting; and customisation of functions and settings to the specific needs of the operator.

Naturally, the cab is FOPS compliant and designed to operate in confined spaces and in direct contact with surrounding vegetation. To provide maximum operator comfort, the cab is sound-proofed, equipped with an air-suspension driver’s seat and has controls arranged logically and ergonomically. A 7in colour display monitors the main operating parameters, as well as selecting functions and settings.

GMT EQUIPMENT Grapple saws are no longer restricted to use

Farms with small areas of woodland often consider diversifying into producing and selling firewood, and this has been made even easier by the new HWP-140B Skid Steer Firewood Processor from this United States company.

Said to be perfect for light commercial and residential use, this new machine makes the job hassle-free. When attached to a skid-steer or other suitable loader, it enables the operator to easily and efficiently perform wood-cutting and splitting tasks that normally require two to three people and a couple of different tools, all from the comfort of the cab seat.

The machine has been designed for commercial users that cut 100 to 200-plus cords per year and has a capacity of one to two cords/hour. Logs are picked up with the equipment’s forks and then rolled into the cutting trough. Once in position, the operator engages the chainsaw and a log is cut up to 50cm long. The advancement arm of the firewood processor then moves the log to the next cutting position while simultaneously ramming the cut piece into the splitter, where the wood is split into four or six pieces depending on the splitting head.

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FORESTRY DEVELOPMENTS | NEW MACHINES McConnel’s Robocut offers up to 56kW for a range of forestry tasks, and can even be equipped with auto-steering for maximum productivity

McCONNEL The firewood processor can be used with any case-drain hydraulic system with a minimum flow of 60lit/min and a minimum pressure of 2800psi.

McCONNEL This UK-based company’s stand included its new Robocut range that has been designed from the ground up to meet the challenges of the toughest working environments.

The new Robocut RC56 and RC75 remote-control tool carriers are more powerful than ever thanks to 42kW and 56kW engines that have been developed in partnership with Hatz. With this increased power output, the Robocut can now be fitted with flail heads up to 1.9m wide, resulting in substantially higher output.

Both models share the same new chassis design that delivers a lower centre of gravity and perfect 50/50 weight distribution on its tracks, which is vital for maximum stability and performance in all terrain.

Hydraulically adjustable track-width help maximise the machine’s stability where required, and the Robocut can work on slopes up to 55 degrees (with a warning at

50 degrees and automatic shut-off at 70 degrees).

The latest Robocut comes with a new remote-control unit that features a highvisibility digital display providing valuable feedback to the operator, including machine engine rpm, engine temperature and signal strength.

Robocut can even be enabled with a GPS auto-steer system – developed in conjunction with Trimble – that allows it to automatically steer to within 25mm accuracy along its cutting route for huge advances in output and efficiency.

PEZZOLATO As the use of timber for biomass heating continues to gain traction, new business opportunities are opening up for contractors to offer wood chipping services to growers and suppliers. This Italian manufacturer has entered the market with its PTH All Road self-propelled chipper.

This high-output machine has a range of unique features and comes in two models: a 405kW machine that can handle trees up to 60cm in diameter; and a larger 515kW unit

that can chip trees up to 70cm in diameter.

The larger machine has an output of up to 380 cubic metres/hour.

Both machines are characterised by a compact frame that provides ease of usage in confined spaces. Mobility is further optimised by the four-wheel drive system that has three steering modes: each axle singly; both axles combined; or only the front axle.

Central to the machine’s productivity is Pezzolato’s solid drum chipping, which has a reputation for reliability, wear-resistance and for being maintenance free. The drum, which has been designed to guarantee the best quality chips, either small for domestic use, or large for industrial boilers, is 1400mm wide and weighs about 3500kg.

Furthermore, it has staggered blades to distribute the machine’s effort equally, reducing vibrations, noise and fuel consumption.

The woodchip ejection fan has continuous speed adjustment that adjusts the rpm according to the actual requirements, again reducing energy consumption.

To enlarge the crane operating area

Left: One man can do the work of three with the new Halverson HWP-140 firewood processor that has been designed for mounting on the front of a skid-steer loader

PEZZOLATO

HALVERSON WOOD PRODUCTS

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and improve the visibility of the logs STIHL being loaded, the operator’s cab is raised and moved back by about 1m. Wholly glazed and air-conditioned, the cab is equipped with controls for the complete management of the machine, both for chipping or travelling on the road, by means of two colour 12.1in touch-panels.

STIHL The third generation of the MS 261 C-M chainsaw is said to offer 20% more cutting performance combined with a reduced weight. After a comprehensive model update, its improved performance is the result of a multitude of optimised engine details, as well as the revised cutting attachment that comprises a new guide bar and saw chain.

The reliability and longevity of the 50cc, 3kW engine, which weighs only 4.9kg, has been further increased by the addition of a tinned piston, a nickel-plated throttle shaft and a new solenoid carburettor valve. At the same time, the MS 261 C-M is easy to start thanks to the fully electronic Stihl M-Tronic engine management system that controls the ignition timing and fuel metering in every operating state.

The increased cutting performance is thanks to the new, versatile Stihl 0.325in Pro saw chain with a narrow kerf that is also claimed to significantly reduce vibrations.

The weight of the chainsaw, meanwhile, has mainly been achieved by using the new slim Stihl Light 04 guide bar, which is 100g lighter in its 40cm version. This helps bring the total weight of the unit down to as little as 5.8kg.

TAJFUN GROUP This Slovenia-based manufacturer is complementing its range of forestry equipment with the innovative forestry information system TajGO, which makes the bold claim of being able to save up to 30% of working hours involved daily in assessing the potential output of woodland.

The system includes an electronic digital calliper that has been designed for professional use in the forestry and wood sectors. It is used for measuring forest wood assortments (trees, logs and boards), to quickly assess diameter values.

When purchasing the calliper, buyers also receive a licence for the associated TajGO MX Bob basic software. Suitable for use on Android devices, it allows the recorded data to be processed immediately and the results printed on a mobile printer, or transferred via Dropbox, e-mail or simply synchronised to your existing forestry management system through the internet or mobile data transfer.

The system has been built to withstand measuring timber in sun, rain and even

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VOLOCOPTER

THE VOLODRONE IS ABLE TO COVER AN ENORMOUS AREA UNDER DIFFICULT CONDITIONS”

snow. It is lightweight and durable, and its ergonomic design means it is easy to use and allows easier manoeuvring on tight measurement points. The high-performance software for data processing means no computing skills are needed, and direct transformation of measured data into a

digital form makes the new system an excellent supplement to forestry machinery.

UNIFOREST Also based in Slovenia, this manufacturer’s Scorpion Premium timber grabs represent a new generation of high-quality and technologically sophisticated equipment for handling cut timber. The company set out to develop the new grabs with safety, user-friendly operation and long service life as priorities. It says this has been achieved by using simple solutions and high-quality components, hidden under a dynamic but robust frame.

TAJFUN GROUP

Right: The new Tajfun TajGO system allows the easy collection of timber measurements and automatic calculations that can cut the time taken to assess timber yield by about a third

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FORESTRY DEVELOPMENTS | NEW MACHINES Far left: The thirdgeneration Stihl MS 261 C-M impresses with a new cutting attachment and 20% higher cutting performance Left: Redesigned from the ground up, Uniforest’s new Scorpion Premium timber grabs combine larger capacity with ease of use and a lower maintenance requirement

UNIFOREST All hydraulic hoses and cylinders are covered with a robust but dynamically shaped frame to protect them against mechanical damage. This ensures minimal maintenance costs and extends the life of the machine. Compared to previous models, the Scorpion Premium has an up to 20% greater load capacity, and the telescopic extendible frame can be shifted 55 degrees to the left or right.

A range of accessories are available to the user, including a remote-control winch that can be mounted on the timber grabs, which makes it easier to access and manipulate the load. An extension board is also available

Far left: John Deere and Volocopter are collaborating on the VoloDrone concept that could replace the use of helicopters in forestry operations

new VoloDrone. A demonstrator model, equipped with a John Deere crop protection sprayer, was featured at the event. Featuring a potential payload of 200kg, the VoloDrone is able to cover an enormous area, especially under difficult operating conditions, which forestry contractors often face.

Deere and Volocopter see great potential for the VoloDrone’s use in areas with difficult topography. It is powered by 18 rotors with an overall diameter of 9.2m and features a fully electric drive using exchangeable lithium-ion batteries. One battery charge allows a flight time of up to 30 minutes and the VoloDrone can be operated remotely or automatically on a pre-programmed route.

The drone frame is equipped with a flexible standardised payload attachment system. This means that different devices can be mounted on the frame depending on the application. For crop protection, the drone is equipped with two tanks, a pump and a spray bar.

Thanks to the drone’s low flight altitude, a very large coverage area of up to 6ha/hr can be achieved and spray management improved. This makes the VoloDrone a sustainable, precise and cost-effective alternative to helicopters

WOOD-MIZER

While not a new product, Wood-Mizer from the United States is busy promoting its LT20 Sawmill, which is on special offer worldwide during 2020 to mark the company’s 30th anniversary. It presents an ideal solution for start-up wood businesses, workshops, individual estates and larger business operations that require an efficient, flexible and productive sawmill. The base model LT20 Sawmill, powered by an 11kW electric VOLOCOPTER motor and including de-barker, is selling at The terrain where forests are found is often the discounted price of £15,995 until the difficult to access, so it is not surprising that end of the year.

John Deere – itself a major manufacturer The LT20 cuts logs up to 80cm in of forestry equipment – and its technology diameter and 6.1m long thanks to its M partner Volocopter included arboriculture size bed. The maximum width of cut is in the markets they are targeting with the 65cm. Its sawmill head retains the same productivity features of Wood-Mizer’s Wood-Mizer’s ideal starter premium range, and with the standard sawmill, the LT20, is on electronic SW Setworks, simply select the special offer throughout 2020 to mark the board thickness required and the head company’s 30th height automatically positions for each anniversary cut. Forward and reverse movement is made by the adjustable power feed.

The LT20’s de-barker prolongs blade life by clearing away dirt and rocks from the bark, and a water tank feeds lubrication directly to the blade to improve cutting performance and to keep the blade clean.

The electric blade guide arm keeps the blade supported while cutting various sized material. Blade tension is easily adjusted and keeps the blade at the proper tension WOOD-MIZER for cutting.

for easier ramping, and optional joystick control allows user-friendly operation of the machine.

Due to their characteristics, Scorpion Premium grabs are suitable for work in all weather conditions while remaining durable and low maintenance.

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HARVESTING | KOMATSU 901XC

ONE SIZE

FITS ALL Eoghan Daly reports on the all-round Komatsu 901XC operated by Irish-based G&G Timber Harvesting

E

xperienced forestry machine operators Greg and Garrett Cuddy established G&G Timber Harvesting in 2009, initially running used equipment.

Their first harvester was a Silvatec 886H, which was later upgraded to a Timberjack 1070.

The pair were eager to source a good used Valmet harvester, as they knew what the base machine was capable of and were impressed with the performance of Valmet harvesting heads. After securing their first long-term contract with the Irish state-owned forestry business Coillte, they replaced the Timberjack with a pre-owned Valmet 911.3.

In the meantime, Komatsu had acquired both the Valmet forestry machine business and the LogMax range of heads. In 2017 the brothers bought their first brand new

harvester, a Komatsu 911. Running alongside a recently acquired eight-wheel John Deere 1010E forwarder, it was the first time the business had run a pair of new machines.

However, even though the brothers had run the 911 for just a year, when Komatsu introduced the new eight-wheel 901XC harvester it was clear to them that this machine was ideally suited to their varied workload of thinning and clear fell harvesting. An order was immediately placed with new dealer McHale Plant Sales, and the new 901XC entered service in the summer of 2018.

Greg said, “There is very little you could improve on with the Komatsu timber harvester, as it wins in a lot of areas where others fall short. They have always been very

G&G Timber Harvesting founders Greg and Garrett Cuddy

comfortable, well-balanced machines to operate with plenty of oil flow allowing us to get the most from them.

“Even when using the crane and harvesting head at the same time, which is the real test of any machine, especially in this size class, we were very impressed by our 911’s performance. However, it did give small but annoying problems, so when the 901XC became available we believed a change to this new model was the best option.”

THERE IS VERY Now working LITTLE YOU almost exclusively COULD for Coillte on an IMPROVE ON extended contract mainly in the Co THE KOMATSU Laois area, the new

The 901XC features a comprehensive LED light package, which is particularly effective when working in thinnings in low light

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Access to the machine’s hydraulic elements is positive

Cuddys have fitted the C123 head with a bottom fixed knife for thorough delimbing of the initial log length eight-wheel harvester allowed the brothers to operate effectively across a broad range of ground conditions. Greg and Garrett have also been joined in the business by their brother David, who mainly works as the operator of the John Deere forwarder.

Greg continued, “Since there are three of us working with two machines, we have a very high level of flexibility to make sure we get the most from the harvester and forwarder. Even though David mainly operates the forwarder, he can also operate the harvester. If the forwarder is getting close to the harvester, we can put in an extra shift on the harvester to keep it ahead. If the forwarder is working over a longer haul, we can do the same with it to keep production up.”

CONFIGURATION

The cabin affords positive visibility and a good sense of space in a proven concept that has its origins as far back as the 1990s in early thinnings. It also offers the stability necessary to handle larger stems in clear fell applications.

However, in its standard configuration with wide tyres, particularly when fitted with band tracks, it is just too wide for thinnings work, as Greg explains, “With band tracks over 700 tyres, the 901XC is over three metres in width, which would be far too wide for thinnings, so we needed to cut this back as much as possible.

“We managed to get the machine narrowed-in enough to fit 700mm tyres and band tracks to the front and still have a total

width of 2.9 metres; it stands at 2.87 metres without the flotation tracks. We couldn’t narrow in the rear to the same level, as there wouldn’t be enough clearance between band tracks and the main frame, which is why we fitted 600mm-wide tyres on the back bogies.”

This configuration allows the brothers to penetrate a stand for thinnings work, yet keep a high level of ground contact beneath the front bogies for stability when handling larger stems. The slightly narrower rear tyres have been fitted with climbing tracks for good traction; all the band tracks were

This John Deere 1010E forwarder works with the Komatsu. Its cab is kept immaculate (left)

Even though the 901XC is marketed as an all-round harvester, there are several aspects of its configuration that can be refined to meet a specific set of operational requirements. At 20 tonnes, the 901XC can be a few tonnes lighter than its direct competitors. Coupled with a tight steering angle and its overall proportions, the harvester offers good stand penetration

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HARVESTING | KOMATSU 901XC Routing of hydraulic hoses throughout the crane is impressive with a good level of protection

Right: In addition to data on the ongoing processing operation, the display screen shows a wealth of data relevant to machine performance supplied by Olofsfors.

The cab and crane are mounted on a common slewing base, positioned to the rear of the front bogie, as opposed to the common placement over the front bogie.

Again, this promotes good stability and balance when handling larger stems. This rearward location is made possible due to the design of the centre joint to avoid placing undue strain on this vital part of the chassis. These measures include a stabilisation lock on the centre joint, which ensures rigidity when the machine is harvesting.

Mounting the crane and cab on a common slew ring is by no means a new concept, it was a feature of the original Valmet harvesters from the 1990s and has stood the test of time particularly well.

Garrett explained, “Some believe having the cab separate could be a better option, but we really like this system. With the sensors used on the crane, no sudden or sharp movements are transferred to it and it remains smooth and comfortable in all cases. The degree of levelling is superior to anything else offered by others, as it can be tilted 22 and 20 degrees forward and backwards and 17 degrees to the side, which makes it really comfortable in steep sites.”

Above: With the protective frame released the engine hood raises to reveal the complete engine bay

CRANE & HEAD The brothers opted for the shorter 10m-reach 200H parallel motion crane in order to allow them to fit a C123 harvesting head, the largest head offered on the 901XC. Greg stated, “The working range of the machine is really impressive in relation to its size. We have harvested clear fells with trees over one cubic metre and it can handle them without any difficulty. It’s really stable and well balanced, which has allowed us to work in some steep sites in the Kinnitty area during last year.”

Ideal for clear fell work, the C123 is also compact enough in its fully closed position to allow easy placement in early thinnings.

The design of the sawbox allows the head to be positioned low down, even on flared butts, resulting in low stump heights, while its maximum felling diameter in a single cut is 65cm. This C123 is a non-standard configuration of four movable and two fixed knives, including a lower fixed knife.

As Garrett added, “Heads without a bottom fixed knife can leave light lower branches and spikes behind on the first log length, especially in early thinnings. This is why we believe having the lower knife is a must, as it makes the timber far more presentable.”

Above inset: Even though the head may appear large, it is still easily manoeuvred through the stand in thinnings and has compact dimensions when in the closed position Below: The cabin slews through a full rotation and rearward visibility is very good

THE WORKING RANGE OF THE MACHINE IS IMPRESSIVE IN RELATION TO ITS SIZE

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KOMATSU 901XC | HARVESTING IT’S HARD TO IMAGINE A SINGLE MACHINE COULD BE SO VERSATILE, BUT THE WORK COMPLETED PROVES IT IS A TRUE ALL-ROUND HARVESTER

Above: To achieve the best combination of minimal width for thinning with stability for larger stem sizes, the machine utilises 600mm tyres on the rear and 700mm tyres on the front Right inset: Removable access ladder for refuelling with the opening refuelling panel having a light to provide illumination in this area While this provides the C123 with an impressive delimbing ability, even in coarsely limbed material, the head’s combination of speed and feed force is one of its most impressive attributes. Feeding is conducted by two outer angled rollers and a third driven roller embedded in the frame of the head. This creates a feeding ring around the stem, which allows the knives to work at lower hydraulic pressures, as the rollers are carrying most of the weight of the tree.

The brothers have carried out minor modifications to the head, including the

fabrication of an infill panel to prevent build-up of bark residue between the mainframe and roller arm mountings. In addition, the steel covers have been beefed up around the hoses as they enter the feed motors.

This head includes a grease-based chain and bar lubrication system, as opposed to traditional oil systems, as Greg explained, “We are getting much longer bar and chain life with the grease-based system and really like what it has to offer over oil. On the downside, the cartridge is a bit undersized and if the machine is cutting a lot of trees over the course of a day it would need refilling twice.”

Greg is also complimentary about the C123’s measurement system, saying, “We are very impressed with the measurement accuracy and also the whole measuring wheel system of the head, which has never given any form of trouble so far.”

CONCLUSION Greg summed up, “It’s hard to imagine a single machine could be so versatile, but the range of work we have completed with it proves it really is a true all-round harvester.

We have completed all stages of thinning, some of which has been on wet sites and with the kind of flotation given by the eight wheels it is very kind to the ground.

“On the other hand, we have a machine that can handle clear felling as it has enough working capacity in both the crane and head to take down bigger trees. It’s also very stable, which really comes into its own when working on steep ground.

“We are working with two machines, which need to be able to complete thinning and clear fell on a full range of site types equally well. I believe what we have at present is as good a combination as is available to do that. Even though we do like the 901XC, when the time comes we will take all options into consideration as machines are continuously improving.

We will always run with whichever option offers the best performance and dealer service to us. We are in the process of changing the forwarder at present and have returned to John Deere for a new 1010G model.”

KOMATSU 901XC DRIVELINE The 901XC is powered by a Stage

an oil flow of 400 litres per

production it can achieve are

with its hydraulic power. Few

4 emissions-compliant Agco

minute.

factored in then it is acceptable.

other machines allow you to use

engine rated at 170kW, providing

Greg stated, “It’s using 18 to

its maximum torque of 950Nm

19 litres per hour. At the start I

machines on demonstration over

and move the machine at the

at just 1500rpm. It drives three

thought it would be lower, but

the years and can say the

same time, which is all down

hydraulic pumps, which deliver

then when the performance and

Komatsu harvester really wins

to the kind of oil flow it gives.

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“We have tried some other

the harvesting head and crane

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Handle More with Liebherr.

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Our range of equipment can be supplied in standard material handling specification or designed to suit your application, and comes with full support from the manufacturer.

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Two of an eight-strong fleet new Doosan DX160LC-5 HT machines

Paul Warwick at the controls

DIGGERS &

DOZERS

David Wylie reports on the specialist excavators and tracked tractors used by Dumfriesshire-based S. Richardson Contracting

B

ased in Langholm, Dumfriesshire, Simon Richardson has been a forestry contractor since 2003. His business currently focuses on contract work for the Forestry Commission and land maintenance for large estates, on sites throughout Scotland and the north of England. In addition to tree felling and thinning, his firm undertakes road and track maintenance, tree re­planting projects together with land ploughing contracts prior to re­planting.

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DIGGERS Simon started out with a Volvo EC140B excavator and now operates a mixed fleet of machines. They include a recently purchased batch of eight Doosan DX160-5 high-track forestry excavators from local dealer James Gordon. Additional protective guarding was fitted by Moffat-based Carlton Engineering, and Simon added finishing touches in the form of extra LED lighting. We caught up with two of these specialist excavators as they were carrying out mounding operations on a clear fell site in south Lanarkshire.

Simon’s team also make drainage systems with their V ditching buckets The DX160-5 HT excavators feature the upper-structure from Doosan’s 14-tonner, mated to a heavy-duty 18-tonne class high-clearance undercarriage, which results in a ground clearance of 615mm. With a standard boom and dipper, this excavator provides a reach at ground level of over 8m.

Simon said, “We were introduced to the Doosan high-track excavators by Darren Nicholson, sales manager for Gordons Construction Equipment. These excavators are well built, fit-for-purpose machines that have provided us with many advantages in

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FLEET FOCUS | SIMON RICHARDSON Right: Extra guarding

by Carlton Engineering

Right: The Doosans have quiet and comfortable cabs Above: Highly productive trench mounding with the Doosan DX160 high track

Right: The Doosan High Track design allows easy negotiating of tree stumps and other obstacles in forests, traversing sites much more easily the forestry work we do, from preparing ground and mounding work to drainage and building forestry roads.

“Unlike our previous excavators, which were specially modified, the Doosans are purpose-built machines for the forestry and rough terrain work we undertake.

We initially tried out a DX160-5 HT from Gordons and it performed really well and our operators liked the machine. So it was an easy decision to purchase more of them, particularly when they are part of the excellent package offered by Gordons that combines reliable service and maintenance with their fast response times.”

Operator Grant Swan explained the mounding technique, which starts by excavating a shallow trench, from which the soil is side-cast in small mounds at 1.9m spacings. Later in the process saplings will be directly planted into these mounds.

To undertake this work a special mounding bucket is used, for which Richardson uses Lammer Engineering’s attachments. The sides of this bucket are tapered so that the excavated soil falls out quickly; this is not a truck-loading operation. In addition, two teeth are fitted to the external back wall of the bucket, to help move the brash residue from the site.

Often this feature of the bucket is used to clear the way for the excavator to undertake mounding operations, but in any case they tend always to be used to push brash into the shallow trench.

CLIMBING ABILITY

Above: The majority of the adaptations were undertaken

by Carlton Engineering based in Moffat. To finish the machine Simon Richardson has fitted additional LED work lights to the cab

“THESE EXCAVATORS ARE WELL BUILT, FIT-FOR-PURPOSE MACHINES”

Grant said, “Doosan has done a very good job making this forestry excavator; my only gripe is the seat is too hard for me, which I believe the dealer is going to address. The machines have great climbing ability and, for extra traction, we can fit bolt-on track-grips to the 800mm-wide triplegrouser pads. When these are attached, I’ve had her on steep 40-degree slopes and, with its lower gearing and very powerful travel motors, it just wants to keep climbing.”

Fellow operator Paul Warwick was equally enthusiastic about the Doosan high-tracks and said, “This is a fantastic machine for mounding and other types of forestry work.

The high track clearance means our workload is reduced by at least 50%, as you can leave most of the tree stumps in situ to track up and down the run. In fact, I’d go as far as to say it’s the best mounding machine I’ve ever operated.”

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Left: Some operators find filling the side -mounted DEF tank on a high machine with a can of AdBlue a bit challenging at times

the Doosan’s cab. They include a novel system that allows the operator to control the work tool from either a two-way pedal or from a joystick button. For example, extended or repetitive use of a button to energise the likes of a mulcher can quickly become uncomfortable. In these circumstances it may be better to use the pedal. This may also be a good tactic when the operator needs to precisely control the front-end equipment, without the distraction of keeping the button pressed.

For additional convenience, the controls for the auxiliary lines on the joysticks have been repositioned, and the rotation and shear rollers positioned for left/right movement. The joysticks have also been shortened to reduce the effort required to operate them and an additional pedal for straight travel has now been installed on the left of the main travel pedals.

TRACKED TRACTOR Until recently Simon had a classic agricultural dozer on his fleet, a 1970s Caterpillar D4 tracked tractor. He did consider buying a more modern D4 or D5-size machine as a replacement, but he really wanted something a bit smaller and lighter, with the ability to more easily mount and power hydraulic attachments.

In the past he ran a tracked Fiat 100C tractor and, after a bit of research, approached his local New Holland dealer Lloyd to enquire about the TK4 range.

These modern compact tracked tractors are designed to operate on steep terrain, typically for specialist orchards, vineyards and nut groves.

Simon thought that the largest model in the range, the 99hp TK4.100M, would be ideal for site preparation and mounding operations. That is apart from one minor

detail; it needed much longer tracks to cope with the work in northern forests, particularly to cross wide drainage ditches.

The TK4.100M rolls out of the factory with 1656cm-long track frames, shod with either rubber tracks or steel track pads. Simon’s steel track example was immediately despatched to Graham McGivern at SMT Stirling to reconfigure the machine. The cast iron tack frames were removed and replaced by scratch-build track frames made from steel plate that are nearly one metre longer than standard. This adds six extra track pads per side, so that the machine has much lower ground pressure and provides greater traction on steep slopes.

The other advantage of an agricultural tractor is that it comes with a PTO and three-point linkage, allowing a wide variety of attachments to be used. The elephant in the room is that a tracked TK4.100M is half the price of a small construction dozer!

We encountered Simon’s TK4.100M as it was completing site preparations on a 90-hectare plot overlooking the spectacular Kielder Water and Forest Park in Northumberland, where an additional 230,000 trees will be planted.

This example has the optional single-lever Steering-O-Matic Plus control system fitted.

It requires only the thumb and index finger to control steering, while the single lever also controls the drive direction and allows the machine to come to a stop. This one-handed operation of basic tractor functions allows the operator’s free hand to control the attachment and associated tractor functions such as the PTO. Simon concluded by saying, “I’m very pleased with the new TK4.100M’s performance and the track frame modifications have been carried out to a very high standard. With extra front ballast added, a longer undercarriage and a shorter frame on our big mounder unit, the machine is perfectly balanced. It also has plenty of power and grip to tackle the steepest and roughest of terrain that we’re likely to encounter on ground preparation and mounding work.”

Above: The TK4.100M comes with a PTO and three-point hitch fitted as standard and was half the price of a construction-based dozer to do the same job. Selectable two-speed PTO is standard on all models in the TK4 range with 540/540E speeds across the range

Right: Company owner Simon Richardson trying out his latest New Holland TK4.100M tractor

“PLENTY OF POWER AND GRIP TO TACKLE THE STEEPEST AND ROUGHEST OF TERRAIN” Up to 500kg of additional front ballast can be mounted on Open Field models

Left: At 18 tonnes the Doosans are quite an easy machine to deliver on remote forestry sites

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FLEET FOCUS | SIMON RICHARDSON Left: The longer undercarriage has been increased by nearly one metre, which adds six extra track pads per side so that the machine has much lower ground pressure, more grip on very steep slopes and is able to straddle wide field drainage ditches often encountered in forestry sites

TRACTOR ATTACHMENTS Hitched to the back of the New Holland compact tracked tractor was a Cyclone Mower, typically used for pasture topping, sensitive environmental scrubland control and to manage forestry margins. These rotary toppers are said to require far less power than equivalent-sized flail mowers,

Below: The machine has the optional single lever Steering-O-Matic Plus control system that requires only the thumb and index finger to steer left and right

while its blending, double-chop blade system also outperforms a flail. The 3m-wide topper was making short work of clearing long grass and other tough vegetation in preparation for mounding, at the same time allowing the tree planting team much easier access to the site.

Hot off the press is the news that Simon has commissioned Dumfries-based CM Engineering to build a bespoke mounder attachment for the TK4.100M. It is designed to be highly productive, quickly producing regular and accurately spaced mounds of soil for tree planting. For precision mounding, Simon’s fleet of conventional tractors are fitted with GPS systems, which can be quickly swapped on to the TK4.100M. Despite the latest innovations in mechanised tree planting attachments, Simon reports that traditional manual methods are alive and well; planting saplings

NEW HOLLAND TK4

Models in the TK4 range of New Holland’s compact tracked tractors are powered by in-house FPT engines rated from 75hp to 107hp.

Simon’s cabbed version of the TK4.100M model has the creature comforts of a traditional tractor with air-sprung seat and air conditioning. In addition, it features a new firewall design to ensure that hot air and dust from the engine bay do not reach the operator.

It is powered by a 3.4-litre, four-cylinder engine rated at 99hp that meets Stage 3B of the European emissions regulations, producing 407Nm of torque. It is mated to an 8F/8R constant mesh transmission.

by hand is still deemed one of the most efficient and productive ways of establishing a new stand.

Above: Simon commissioned Dumfries-based CM Engineering (Scotland) Ltd to build a bespoke mounder attachment designed to be highly productive at producing a regular and accurately spaced mound of soil for tree planting

Above: Graham McGivern who is based at SMT Stirling was asked to build two new one-metre longer track frames using steel plates FORESTRY MACHINERY SPRING 2020

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FLEET PROFILE | WAINWRIGHT UK

“WE DECIDED TO KEEP INVESTING IN OUR OWN EQUIPMENT, WHICH HAS LED TO US EXPANDING OUR SERVICES”

The Morbark 2131 is one of three machines Wainwright UK purchased in 2019

INVESTING IN EFFICIENCY

One of Wainwright UK’s specialties is site clearance, although the client was using the chip on site

Ken Topham went to see south Manchester contractor Wainwright UK, which has built a business around self-sufficiency to serve site clearance, arb and forestry demands with a diverse range of equipment

R

ichard Wainwright and Alex Corkill have a history with vegetation management. Their business has evolved to cater to the three main sectors they consider themselves best equipped to engage in, both mechanically and knowledge-wise. From small domestic arb jobs to difficult forestry thinning operations, Wainwright UK has made the investment to be able to shift assets and manpower to get the job done.

The last year has seen sizeable investment

in equipment and Alex explained how he and Richard have come to their current place: “We’ve worked in the industry for over 35 years between us and one of the obstacles we’ve seen is people coming unstuck on jobs when relying on external companies for hire equipment. So we decided to keep investing in our own equipment, which has led to us expanding our services. We’re very customer focused, which is expected in domestic situations; larger customers seem to expect sub-hire

but we try to avoid it”.

The Wainwright mindset is to make sure its customers are happy. “We don’t go with a marginal gain approach,” explains Alex.

“If the customer wants a tree chipping and to keep the chip for their own use, then we see it as our job to satisfy their request without trying to make the job suit us.”

The site where we visited part of the Wainwright team was near a forest in Cheshire where they were on a clearance job, employing some of their heavier FORESTRY MACHINERY SPRING 2020

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WAINWRIGHT UK | FLEET PROFILE “THE UNIT WILL MUNCH TWO FEET BELOW THE SURFACE, WHILE KEEPING THE OPERATOR AWAY”

Moving the Bandit up the line, the output on these smaller stumps was impressive equipment, including one of three Morbark chippers that the company had taken delivery of in 2019.

“They are market leaders in America but don’t seem to push export,” explains Richard. “A Scottish company, Steel Viper Ltd, distributes them. It also sells and supports large recycling kit as well as Morbark nationwide, so we were confident they’d look after us well in terms of back-up.”

TRACKS AND WHEELS

commercial size and allows us to tow it with a pick-up,” says Richard. “The 18in and 21in machines suit our big jobs; the beauty of the tow-behind is it crosses over to our domestic jobs where smaller contractors might not have that capacity without subbing in. We can take on larger

Above inset: Fingertip control is slick on the remote, and once learned the operator never looks down while working

Wainwright bought two tracked machines and one tow-behind. The Fendt tractor and low-loader in their fleet Right: With such enable local moves to be compact dimensions, done, but a truck is hired the 2900T Bandit can in for more than a few work comfortably round standing trees miles. The tracked machines weigh 5.5 and 6.5 tonnes respectively, so towing behind a 4x4 isn’t possible. However, the third unit is a towable wheeled machine that can chip up to 14in material at the large end for domestic customers.

“The towable sits between domestic and

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FLEET PROFILE | WAINWRIGHT UK WAINWRIGHT UK IN DETAIL LOCATION SOUTH MANCHESTER WORK TYPE CLEARANCE, ARB AND FORESTRY

CORE CHIPPER FLEET MORBARK 2131 21IN MORBARK 1821 18IN MORBARK 1215 14IN

GRINDERS BANDIT 2900T FSI D74 FSI 2T

EXCAVATORS

TAKEUCHI TB280 & TIGERGRIP TREE SHEAR VOLVO ECR 25D & TIGERGRIP FORESTRY GRAB Top inset: The wheel can cut from 32in (800mm) high to 24in (600mm) deep

TRACTOR

Above inset: The drum is 630mm x 949mm with four double edged knives fed by a hydraulically controlled feed system

Above left: The four-pot engine kicks out 165hp, leaving only a 215hp option before the massive tracked machines

jobs on that side and justify the higher capacity machine with our commercial jobs.”

Richard also mentioned that they had enough chipper capacity to expand their business with hire. “We have done some ‘man and machine’ hire as we want to keep our guys using the chippers. They are expensive assets to let anyone use and the potential for injury and machine damage is high. Our guys are trained up so it’s definitely an area we’re trying to grow.”

SAVAGE PIECE OF KIT The stump grinder we saw in action is from the Bandit stable. The Right: As convenient 2900T model is a savage as electrics are, you piece of kit with a 165hp can’t beat a lever engine and a serious and the Morbark’s appetite for stump main engagement destruction, all in a clutch is manual package the size of a Far right: The only couple of quad bikes. disappointment Wayne Carter was in with the Morbark charge. A skilled operator was the rather with plenty of experience, expensive optional he showed us the 2900T debris pusher in action. Part of the clearance job was to remove a row of stumps

FENDT 514

Left: The Bandit 2900T works under no pressure and effortlessly chews through softwood stumps along the fence line. The trees were only 10 to 12in trunks and soft wood so it was little challenge. The remote-controlled unit will munch down two feet below the surface, while keeping the operator well away from the danger zone.

The compact machine can still fit through a small access gate at 35in (88cm) wide, another cross-over to domestic clients where a high capacity but compact form factor can save time. Where a lower capacity machine would need more coaxing to munch through a larger stump, the Bandit will chew through large stumps without the operator having to manually push it around.

The Wainwright team also get into the woods carrying out thinning work. Richard explained why their kit suits tight access sites: “We run a Takeuchi eight-tonne machine with a Tigergrip tree shear that will go where a dedicated forestry harvester won’t fit, and we hire a 10-tonne KTS forwarder trailer with a 6.7m crane.

“The combination of machines and hand cutting means we can do some very delicate jobs that have access limitations, some of which can be in more populated areas that heavy forestry equipment might be hard to use because of proximity to the public. They need upwards of 90 metres

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WAINWRIGHT UK | FLEET PROFILE

of safe zone because of chain-shot, but if you’re near houses that’s not possible,” he added.

A second excavator from Volvo is an ECR 25D equipped with a Tigergrip grab, which works in conjunction with the chipper. The Morbark machines have a simple remote box that is kept in the cab of the feeding machine. This enables the operator to stop the feed and move the unit closer to the heap if needed. Peter Ashley was running the tractor and grab on his own and a JPL dump trailer, which has been modified to a chip-box.

Another benefit of the excavators is their ability to tackle dangerously fallen trees.

Alex said the ability to get hold of trees that pose a danger to their team while clearing wind-blown and storm-damaged sites is invaluable. “We try to mitigate the risk: the last thing we want is an accident and the machines mean we don’t leave anything to chance,” he says.

Above: Wainwright UK doesn’t often hire but when they do it’s for the big guns.

Here Huw Owen has come in to help with his 517hp Fendt and Musmax 10X on a large job near Manchester Below and right inset: Feeding the chipper with a grab needs an experienced hand not to over-stuff the intake

FENDT POWER Along with the dedicated equipment Wainwright runs a Fendt 514 tractor, which is possibly the most versatile piece of kit on the asset list. It is utilised in most jobs either hauling chip or shredding light vegetation, and with front linkage and PTO the driver can sit in comfort with everything working out front. Clocking 1000 hours per year, the tractor is used on nearly every job that isn’t domestic.

Wainwright UK has grown as a business and evolved to meet customer needs as its workload has become more diverse.

Instead of choosing a client base that suits its business, it has instead built a business round that diversity and recruited team members that can turn their hand from domestic to clearance to forestry. The equipment inventory is also very diverse and like the people, the machinery line-up has a wide range of capacity and application.

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“A SECOND EXCAVATOR FROM VOLVO IS AN ECR 25D EQUIPPED WITH A TIGERGRIP GRAB, WHICH WORKS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CHIPPER” Right: Wheels and tracks are available either with steel or rubber options but speed is a sedentary 1.6mph

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SAMPO ROSENLEW | FACTORY VISIT

BUILDING ON TRADITION

Eoghan Daly reports from Finland on manufacturer Sampo Rosenlew This 2018-built FR28 has clocked up an astonishing 3000 hours in its first year of operation

The Sampo Rosenlew FR28 is one of the most terrain-friendly forwarders available Tracks all-round make a big difference to both traction and flotation

H

aving produced its first forestry machine in 1993, Sampo Rosenlew may be a recent entrant to the market. However, the firm has a long history that dates back to 1853 and the establishment of the huge Rosenlew industrial conglomerate. Relics of Rosenlew heavy engineering and its manufacturing sites dominate the city of Pori near the Gulf of Bothnia, some 240km north of the Finnish capital Helsinki.

The Sampo Rosenlew operation traces its history back to 1920s, when the brand name was applied to its agricultural threshing machines. Fast forward to the late 1980s and Rosenlew was being disbanded, together with the Sampo Rosenlew combine harvester operation, which was initially under the ownership of Metso. The business was purchased by Timo Prihti in 1991, with a view to diversifying the enterprise, in particular developing a range of forestry machinery alongside the combine business.

Timo and his son Jali continue to own

46

51% of the business, and Indian tractor manufacturer Mahindra came on board in 2016 as the minority shareholder. The involvement of Mahindra has provided greater financial stability, allowing the firm to significantly grow its business.

range are currently the 10-tonne capacity FR28 and the larger FR48.

Sales and development manager Norbert Schalkx said, “Sampo Rosenlew’s forest machines have been aimed at the compact thinning equipment area of the market up to now, and have been very successful for the company. The early machines have been FORESTRY MACHINERY well received and are well respected in the Sampo Rosenlew is best known for its industry, so it has been decided to build on thinning harvester, with which its forestry range was launched back in 1993. Its current this success and offer a more complete range. incarnation is the H46X model. However, the firm has signalled its intention of “The first step towards this has been our entering the clear fell harvester sector forwarders, firstly with the FR28 and more with an eight-wheel HR86 model, which was recently the larger 12-tonne capacity shown as a prototype at the 2018 FR48, which have been very Finnmetko show. well received.Even though we Timo had designed and built use proven components, the “SAMPO a forwarder for use in his own machines offer greater value ROSENLEW forests, but it was not until 2015 and faster availability, which is HAS EXPANDED very important for the that Sampo Rosenlew launched its INTO NEW commercial range of forwarders, customer when it comes to MARKETS VERY developing their operation.” an ideal match to its thinnings harvester. The two models in the In addition to showing a GRADUALLY”

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The cabin is guided into place on the forwarder production line

Formerly known as SISU, a Finnish-built AGCO Power engine sits under the bonnet of the FR28 prototype of a clear fell harvester, Sampo Rosenlew also has a matching 14-tonne capacity FR68 forwarder in development.

NEW MARKETS Since entering the forestry machinery market in 1993, Sampo Rosenlew’s Pori factory has produced over 800 machines.

Around 60% of these have been bought by Nordic customers, but in more recent years the balance is changing as the firm’s growth strategy is focused on entering new markets.

Poland and the Czech Republic are proving to be a particular success; sales are increasing in Spain and Italy, and entry into the UK and Irish markets is going well. It is understood that the first FR28 forwarder to be sold to a UK customer has recently entered service.

Norbert continued, “Sampo Rosenlew has expanded into new markets very gradually, as it has never been the company approach to offer machines without having the kind of dealer support a forest machine needs.

Right inset: Striking a good mix of essential technology and functionality, the FR28 could never be described as an over complex machine We take dealer appointments very seriously and need to be confident they are positioned to offer after sales support necessary to keep machine downtime to a minimum if there is any kind of problem.”

With a total workforce of 450 at Pori, the factory itself is divided into a number of distinct production areas. Combine harvesters are assembled in a number of the larger halls, while forest machine production occupies a dedicated area, with separate lines for harvesters and forwarders.

While the current manufacturing system works effectively, greater efficiencies are continually being sought, resulting in the adoption of lean manufacturing practices.

For the two forest machinery ranges, the working approach is a main assembly line that is fed by sub-assemblies produced in adjoining bays.

FR28 FORWARDER To better understand the features and durability of the FR28 forwarder, we visited a

high-hours example working north of Pori.

Contractor Royal Machine specialises in thinnings work and runs a pair of John Deere 1070D harvesters fitted with 412 heads. We met them on a clear fell site, which is an unusual job for the team.

Their 2018-built FR28 has clocked up an astonishing 3000 hours in its first year on the fleet, working hard in northern forests over two shifts a day.

Royal Machine is extremely satisfied with its choice of John Deere timber harvesters, but is relatively new to running timber forwarders, as previously this task was sub-contracted out. Crucial to the firm’s first foray into extraction was getting the right balance between terrain friendliness, earning potential and capacity of its pair of thinning harvesters. They identified the Sampo Rosenlew FR28 as one of the most terrain friendly forwarders available and specified it to meet their requirements.

This included the fitment of 710mm-wide Nokian Forest King Eco profile tyres and FORESTRY MACHINERY SPRING 2020

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Sampo Rosenlew is based at Pori, around 240km north of the Finnish capital Helsinki

Left inset: Operator Simo Riihimaki reports positive levels of reliability from the FR28 forwarder run by the logging company he works for

the unbalanced bogie option, which together would improve the machine’s flotation properties over more difficult terrain (see panel on the changing environment).

GOOD FLOTATION Operator Simo Riihimaki said, “With unbalanced bogies, 710mm-wide tyres and band tracks fitted all round, the FR28 has very good flotation when working in peat sites, even in thinnings. At the start we were using tracks on the rear and chains on the front wheels, but now we use tracks all round more often. This makes a big difference to both traction and flotation, as we have seen how well the machine travels over the ground.”

Obviously dependent on the detailed specification, particularly of the load bunk and the crane, an FR28 is classified as a 13-tonne machine, which is considerably lower than many of its competitors. Options include load bunk lengths of 3.8m, 4.1m and 4.4m, with bunk widths tailored to meet individual preferences from 2.212m to 2.680m. Irrespective of the bunk

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dimensions, the machine’s overall width on 710mm tyres remains a slim 2.72m, which allows for ease of movement in thinnings.

Basically, an FR28 can be configured as a specialised first thinnings forwarder, or more suited to all-round operation in a variety of sites.

This forwarder can be configured with a variety of cranes from either Mesera or Kesla: this example has a 10m-reach, double telescopic Mesera 71F. The design of this crane is interesting in terms of hose routing, as those serving the rotator and grapple are well out of the way, while those routed through the crane base could be considered vulnerable, particularly to brash carried upwards by band tracks.

Looks can be deceiving and operator Simo said, “We have never had any problems with damage to hoses on the machine at the crane base. The only problems this machine has had in 3000 hours of work have been the need to replace a few grapple hoses. Aside from that everything has worked perfectly.”

The external appearance of the cab can also be deceptive, particularly from the front.

It is actually very spacious, and the angled

front side windows and door offer a particularly good field of vision. The windows are also set low along the sides, providing a direct line of vision for the operator to the front bogies. However, the rear window comes in for special praise, as its rounded profile provides an excellent view of the crane.

Operator Simo spends most of his time

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FACTORY VISIT | SAMPO ROSENLEW Parker IQAN control module inside the FR28 operator’s cabin

CHANGING ENVIRONMENT It is becoming clear that there is a change in weather patterns across much of Scandinavia, which is making an impact on forest harvesting working practices. For example, contractor Royal

Left: Visibility from the operator’s seat is good in all directions with the view to the sides aided by the low set window structure Left inset: Norbert Schlakx has taken up responsibility for sales and dealer development with the company

Machine often works on

“THE CABIN IS VERY WELL LAID OUT AND I CAN SEE MANY GOOD DESIGN POINTS”

Below: Even though the name Sampo Rosenlew may be new to many, they are a long term producer of forest machines as affirmed by this earlier generation 1046X harvester

forestry sites located on deep peat with low weight-bearing characteristics. The longstanding method of extracting timber from such sites is to wait until the winter months, when the severe frost acting of the peat’s high water content firms up the ground nicely. This made such challenging sites much easier to work and allowed the use of larger machines.

However, in recent years the milder winters have had a dramatic impact on the severity of the frost, as higher temperatures result in reassuringly firm winter ground conditions in northern peat lands being but a memory in many areas.

Consequently, the previously idyllic working conditions of Finnish forests are becoming more like those encountered in the British Isles. Contractors

Left: The crane base is compact and low set which gives a good view into the bunk for loading and unloading operations

in the cab of a John Deere harvester, but had this to say about the Sampo Rosenlew forwarder: “The cabin is very well laid out and, even though I mostly work on harvester operation, I can see many good design points on the machine; visibility and layout of the controls are of a very high standard.”

Striking a good mix of essential

Far left: Unlike many other manufacturers who need to import all major components from outside sources, wheel motors for the harvester range are produced

by Sampo Rosenlew subsidiary Black Bruin

technology and functionality, the FR28 could never be described as an over complex machine, yet it performs well.

Sampo Rosenlew has chosen the widely used Parker IQAN control system for this forwarder. It provides the operator with access to a wide range of information on the machine’s performance and allows changes to be made in its operating parameters.

SOPHISTICATED CONTROLS In common with modern forwarder design, the FR28 features a range of control buttons on both pads adjoining the joysticks. The offside centre pillar also features a comprehensive switch bank for activation of lights, wipers and other related elements, which afford equal access whether the operator is facing forward or to the rear.

Simo concluded by saying, “There is very little that could be improved on this machine, as it delivers on everything it is expected to. Its performance and reliability have been very positive, so for this harvesting company it has been a very good choice of forwarder.”

such as Royal Machine are therefore changing their typical purchasing decisions to better meet current and projected ground conditions.

FR28 DRIVETRAIN The Sampo Rosenlew FR28 is powered by a Stage 4 emissions-compliant Agco engine rated at 127kW at 2100rpm, which produces its maximum torque of 700Nm between 1100 and 1600rpm.

Offering two speed ranges, the machine presents a tractive force rating of 130kN, which provides the basis for its high levels of traction, delivered through proven heavy-duty NAF bogies.

In addition, hydraulic performance is seen as generous, delivering a flow rating of 220 litres per minute via its load sensing system.

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SHOW REPORT | SCOTTISH FORESTRY EXPO

NEW WORKING DEMO ATTRACTS THOUSANDS David Wylie reports from the inaugural Scottish Forestry Expo event

Komatsu introduced its 2020-spec 931XC harvester at the show. It features 200kN of tractive force, a new control system that includes a mini steering wheel, a stronger front chassis and updated drive shafts and articulation joints

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rganised by Rural Projects with the support of other industry partners, the Scottish Forestry Expo event attracted some 3000 visitors. The site at Little Clyde in South Lanarkshire had 60 trade stands, on which there were several working demonstrations.

In addition, a shuttle bus made the short run to the adjacent commercial forestry site, where visitors could see harvesting demonstrations taking place.

Organiser Martin Dare said, “It was brilliant to see everything come together and I am grateful to the forestry community of Scotland and further afield, including international visitors, who turned out to

support the event. Our aim is to grow on the success of Forestry Expo 2019 and to repeat the event in future years.”

An estimated £40m-worth of harvesters and forwarders were at work on the forestry site, from the likes of John Deere, Komatsu, Ponsse and Tigercat. These demonstrations harvested around 6000 cubic metres of timber during the two-day event. Such live working demonstrations are rare: it is believed that this event is one of only four held in the world, at which a wide range of forestry kit can be seen in operation in its natural environment.

One bit of

news at the event was from Jim Wilmer, owner of one of the largest forestry contractors in the UK, who is now also the UK dealer for Rottne machinery. At the time of the event, Jim had taken ownership of an F18 forwarder for his own operation, and another F18 model had been sold to a large Scottish harvesting contractor.

Stef Kaiser representing Confor, the forestry industry trade body, said, “These are really exciting times for the industry and events like Forestry Expo are a good way to attract more people to our sector.

That could be farmers looking to plant productive woodlands or young people looking for employment. Forestry Expo helps to demonstrate that modern forestry is supported by investment and underpinned by innovation.”

Left: Komatsu’s new cloud-based harvesting management system enables an operator to digitally see other machines working on the jobsite, together with their production rates and routes FORESTRY MACHINERY SPRING 2020

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NEW ROTTNE DEALER Jim Wilmer is the new UK dealer for Rottne, whose large F20D

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HYBRID HARVESTER Logset dealer R.J. Fukes forestry services had many machines

forwarder on their stand attracted much interest. Don’t expect to see

on site, including this 12H hybrid harvester, complete with a TH12 head.

huge numbers of these machines, as Rottne painstakingly handcrafts

The hybrid system consists of a 291hp diesel engine and an electric

only 250 machines a year.

motor that delivers a combined 2000Nm of torque.

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NEW KOMATSU FORWARDER Komatsu’s new range of forwarders has all the exhaust treatment

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EXCAVATOR WINCH R.J. Fukes is also the dealer for Timber Max winches. This massive

kit packaged under the hood for good forward visibility. There is also

excavator-mounted T10 traction winch and ground anchor allows

a new SmartFlow crane control system, which provides smoother and

machines to harvest and extract timber on very steep ground, while

more precise control for forwarder operators.

minimising root damage and soil compaction.

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TIGERCAT SKIDDER Tigercat’s 220hp 615E skidder drew a lot of attention in the live

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JCB LOADER DEBUT Making its debut appearance was JCB’s 457 Stage 5 emissions-

demo area. This six-wheel drive machine is ideal in steep terrain and

compliant 457 wheel loader, fitted with a massive log grab. This model

soft soil conditions. It’s said to be quick, compact, agile and versatile

is now powered by a Cummins QSB6.7 engine mated to a new five-speed

for selective felling and clear fell applications.

powershift transmission.

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SHOW REPORT | SCOTTISH FORESTRY EXPO 7

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EIGHT-WHEEL JD HARVESTER John Deere had several machines in the live demo area, including

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HILLSIDE HARVESTER Looking similar to a Tigercat harvester, John Deere’s ‘hill climber’

this eight-wheel 1170G harvester, believed to be its first time on display

heavy-duty 859MH also attracted much attention. It is fitted with a tilting

at a public working demonstration. It is said to have an exceptionally

undercarriage to keep the upper-structure level on the steepest of

quiet cab.

terrain.

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STEEP SLOPE FORWARDER The John Deere 1210G forwarder was fitted with a side-mounted

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HIGH-VISIBILITY PONSSE Ponsse Scorpion harvesters were given a good workout, their

HAAS winch and a HAAS tilting crane kingpost. These features should

unique overcab crane offering unrestricted forward visibility. This 260hp,

further improve safety when climbing and loading on exceptionally

23-tonne Scorpion King model featured a 10m-reach crane and an H7

steep ground.

head designed for clear fell operations.

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ALL-TERRAIN CHIPPING On the John Deere stand was Hunter Harvesting’s new eight-

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TRAINING SIMULATOR Ponsse also brought its impressive training simulator to the event.

wheel 1110G chassis cab, which had been fitted with a large Bruks

It is designed to be a cost-effective and risk-free method of teaching the

wood-chipper. The chipper has its own power pack, the combination

basic functions of a forest machine, before prospective operators move

being used for the production of fuel chips from forest residues.

on to learning in a forest environment.

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Although hire rates are incredibly low in the UK, Treefellers decided to buy their own 22-tonne excavator to ensure reliability and performance

“WE DO A WALK-THROUGH OF AN AREA WE ARE GOING TO CUT, JUST TO HAVE A CHECK TO MAKE SURE THERE IS NOTHING OBVIOUS LYING AROUND”

SUGAR SITE CHIPPING Paul Argent reports on the fleet of machinery used to clear a former British Sugar site in York

G

one are the days when developers rock up to a new site, rip any trees and bushes out and burn them in a large bonfire.

Modern developers will follow the advice from a team of ecologists and will employ a dedicated company to de-vegetate the site according to the ecologist’s reports. This work is usually done far in advance of any construction works commencing.

This is true of the huge 100-acre former British Sugar refinery on the outskirts of York, which was demolished over a decade

56

ago and the site mothballed. Over the intervening years the vegetation has literally bloomed, and the site’s owners engaged the services of Chester-based specialists Treefellers to undertake a comprehensive programme of tree felling, chipping and clearance.

We first met Treefellers in Warrington in 2018 where they were using their then new Hyundai HX145 and WestTech tree shear. In the intervening years the firm has continued to further mechanise its operation in order to meet increasing

demands and complete these projects quickly, profitably and more importantly, safety. Following the arrival of the Hyundai, the company returned to dealer Molson for its latest purchases, a new Kobelco SK85MSR midi-excavator and a 22-tonne class Kobelco SK210, the latter being the dealer’s ex-demonstration model.

Operations manager Nick Brown said, “We went back to Molson as we have nothing but praise for the service they have given us. We decided to go for the Kobelco this time because of their impressive flow

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LAND CLEARANCE | TREEFELLERS

Above: The Kobelco SK85MSR feeds a tracked Bandit 20XP chipper

Right inset: Nick Brown was swayed by the Kobelco because of their flow rates and fuel economy The new Kobelco SK85MSR midiexcavator has been equipped with an Engcon tilt-rotator

Above: On this job the smaller of the Kobelcos uses a nine-finger Tigergrip grab to feed the chipper rates and low fuel consumption figures. We may only use the excavators for six months of the year, but we need them to be in perfect order and totally reliable for these times.”

SITE VISIT The full complement of the Treefellers fleet was on duty at the York project, where they were commencing the clearance of a small stand of conifers and larch trees, alongside an area covered by a variety of unkempt trees and bushes of various types.

Nick explained, “We have to be extremely

careful on sites like this. The demolition of the buildings across the site has left the area strewn with off-cuts of rebar and other items. This could cause our lads on the ground to fall and hurt themselves, along with getting caught in the shear or the tracks and cause mechanical damage. We do a walk-through of an area we are going to cut, just have a check to make sure there is nothing obvious lying around. It’s not just material that can be

The big Kobelco SK210 has been equipped with a rotating Dymax HPX18 tree shear

hiding in the undergrowth, we have had incidences of rough sleepers being holed up inside a wooded area we have been asked to clear.”

With the work area checked for debris, the Hyundai HX145 is set to work clearing an area of small, mixed species bushes and trees. The 1.6-tonne WestTech C350 is handled impeccably by the 15-tonne excavator. Even some of the larger examples of tree grabbed securely in the attachment prove no issue for the machine, although its stability can be slightly compromised working cross-carriage in this situation.

Left and above Nick continued, “The inset: The tree operator needs to be careful shear is capable at all times. It’s a finely of taking down balanced machine and a an 18inslightly denser tree than diameter tree expected combined with a in one cut sudden movement on the levers can cause a little bit of instability.”

Working alongside the Hyundai is the new nine-tonne class Kobelco SK85MSR. FORESTRY MACHINERY SPRING 2020

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CHIPPING OPERATIONS The Bandit 20XP, made in Michigan, USA, is

This Hyundai HX145 was purchased a couple of years ago from dealer Molson

a powerful chipper that is technically capable of handling timber up to 600mm in diameter.

In practice, it will cope with anything that is fed into its 622mm x 667mm feeder opening, thanks to its 315hp Volvo engine.

The 20XP weighs just 9.5 tonnes and has a footprint of just 2.8m x 5.0m. The heavyduty undercarriage rides on triple-grouser steel pads with the option of a set of bolt-on rubber blocks for when it is required to operate on delicate surfaces. With full remote-control operation, the Bandit is controlled from the comfort of the loading excavator’s cab.

For larger chipping operations the firm uses a combination of vehicles to remove the chipped material from the work area, but for this smaller section the task was being undertaken by one of the most impressive vehicles on the fleet, a Unimog U1650. It made the task of reversing across the uneven ground to the discharge spout on the Bandit look easy and while it is a climb and a half to the cab, the view from the seat is impressive.

Nick said, “We usually use the ‘Mog’ to tow our kit around from site to site. As we travelled over two hours to the York job, it has had an easy time on the back of the low-loader.”

This compact tailswing midi has been fitted with an additional counterweight to increase the machine’s stability and extend its productive working envelope. The additional counterweight also helps to offset the additional weight of an Engcon EC209 tilt-rotator, complete with the Ec-Oil automatic powered attachment coupling system.

VERSATILE PERFORMER The tilty-equipped midi is used with a variety of attachments, making it a very versatile and competent performer in the fleet. At the time of our visit the Kobelco midi was working with a nine-finger Tigergrip grab to load material into a Bandit tracked shredder (see panel). This shredder is used reduce almost everything they cut down into a usable biomass product, which is usually shipped to a plant in Widnes.

On the levers of the Kobelco is freelance operator Dave Broster, who said, “Having a tilty makes the job so much easier. You can stand in one position and select the material you need to put in next.”

The largest machine on the fleet, the nearly new Kobelco SK210, was purchased in lieu of hiring in a similar machine, as Nick explained, “We seemed to be using

58

Above: This sturdy rear counterweight on the SK85MSR protects from damage when slewing

Right inset: Operator Dave Broster is a big fan of tilt rotators and the convenience they provide

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LAND CLEARANCE | TREEFELLERS

Above inset: The Hyundai is equipped with a WestTech C350 Woodcracker tree shear

larger taking down an 18in-diameter tree in one machines cut. The 4.5-tonne shear is a compact design more and and includes a built-in rotator, allowing Nick more. to grab a tree and cut without a massive The cost amount of moving about to get into the of hiring correct position. The large trees on this part wasn’t that of the site were on the limit for this shear so bad, as they were taken down in two pieces. rates in AUXILIARY SERVICES the UK are unreasonably The Kobelco has a full range of auxiliary low compared pipework, including lines to supply 300psi to the cost of pressure for the shear. In addition, it was purchasing an retrofitted with a sturdy Rock Guard ROPS excavator. However, we and FOPS cage to protect from any errant needed a good, reliable base branches falling on the cab. machine that we knew we could stick Nick concluded by saying, “We are very on a job and it would be reliable for happy with this and the other machines the duration of that project. We have from Molson. They have supplied us what to work in a small window “WE MAY ONLY USE THE before nesting season starts and reliability is the key to EXCAVATORS FOR SIX MONTHS us being able to complete contracts on time.”

OF THE YEAR, BUT WE NEED With the two smaller excavators looking after the THEM TO BE IN PERFECT ORDER small trees and bushes, the AND TOTALLY RELIABLE” large Kobelco was tasked with removing some large conifers and larch trees in a small copse next to we wanted and when we needed it. The the access road to the site. With an access machines have lived up to our expectations fence removed and a walk-through of the and have been very reliable and fuel site completed, the SK210 was set to work. efficient. In short, we can’t fault the The Kobelco has been equipped with a product, the dealer or the after-sales Dymax HPX18 shear, which is capable of from Molson.”

The Kobelco is fitted with a sturdy Rock Guard cage to protect from any branches falling on the cab

FORESTRY MACHINERY SPRING 2020

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Jussi Aikala, founder of Risutec, with sales manager Henri Syvanen

PLANTING FOR

THE FUTURE Eoghan Daly reports on the experiences of one Finnish contractor using a proven mechanical means of planting trees

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n contrast to all other parts of the forestry cycle, the mechanisation of tree planting lags well behind other operations, particularly harvesting.

As an example of what is possible, the father and son team of Reijo and Toni Lainio have enjoyed considerable success with a Hyundai excavator-mounted Risutec planter, achieving a consistent work rate of 220 plants per hour.

Based at Rauma in the west of Finland, the family firm originally focused on general

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plant hire and constructing forest roads, then in 2007 diversified into tree planting.

Unlike the British Isles, due to adverse winter weather the planting season runs from May to September, occasionally into October if the frost is not severe.

Running one machine with multiple shifts of operators, this planting operation is highly productive and has a high earning potential. It also demonstrates how one-pass mounding and planting can be the basis for a successful small business.

Toni said, “We work with four operators,

two of which are my father and myself. One of us is in the forest at all times to have full control over what is happening, and we have trained two other operators to work the multiple shifts with us.

“The machine is working continuously and on the changeover of shift we share machine maintenance. Each pair of operators work for three days per week before handing over to the other pair. Since the season is short, we must do everything possible to make sure we get through the maximum amount of work and insist on high standards at all times.”

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ATTACHMENTS | RISUTEC PLANTER Left: The Risutec PM160 features a maximum plant carousel size to ensure minimal requirements for refilling during the working shift

Left inset: To demonstrate the working movements of the planter, it is seen here raised from the mound with the probe opening to demonstrate how it inserts the plant in the preformed mound Above inset: Firming in plates of the planter provide effective compaction without losing the gentle touch around the vulnerable plant

Below left inset: The amber light indicator on the planting machine faces the operator and signals completion of the planting action when it illuminates allowing the unit to be lifted clear and begin the next cycle

PLANTING ATTACHMENT Having previously run a PM100, the first Risutec planter attachment to be produced, the current PM160 model was bought in 2014 and has been worked extremely hard over the years.

It is currently mounted on its second carrier, a Hyundai 140LCM-9A complete with a high-clearance, heavy-duty undercarriage.

Toni continued, “Risutec have much experience of mechanised tree planting and most important of all is how they are willing to listen and produce exactly what the customer wants. The support they give long after supplying the equipment is also very important and any technical issues are resolved quickly, allowing us to get the most from the machine.”

Working for six years on this high intensity, multi-shift working pattern, the Risutec attachment has demonstrated its high build quality. Compared with similar attachments from other manufacturers, the Risutec design has fewer moving parts, particularly to perform mounding that is the most demanding part of the process.

Saying that, Risutec also offers the option of a movable mounding spade for those that require it.

Above: Toni Lainio who runs the business with his father with the machine, which is run with two other operators on a twin shift basis through the busy planting season

“THE SUCCESS RATE OF THE CROP IS MUCH HIGHER THAN MANUAL PLANTING, WHICH MAKES IT MUCH MORE ATTRACTIVE TO THE GROWER”

Success rates with mechanised planting are said to be greater than manual approaches The working principle of the attachment sees the front mounding plate being drawn in towards the excavator to accumulate sufficient material to form a mound. The planter is then rested on top of this material to provide a degree of compaction. The operator presses a single button on one of the excavator’s joysticks to start a fully automated planting process.

A probe at the base of the attachment creates a suitable hole in the mound for the small containerised plants, 160 of which are held in the carousel. As the probe is opened within the mound, a single plant drops down a chute from the carousel and is duly compacted into place. An amber light on the back face of the attachment signals to the operator that the cycle is complete, and the carousel automatically advances one space to present the next plant.

Although the Risutec is clearly a heavyduty attachment, it handles the young containerised plants with extreme delicacy.

It is also extremely consistent in terms of placing the plant in the mound and compacting it in.

As Toni confirmed, “Success rates with mechanised planting using this machine are very high. Much of this comes down to proper selection of planting sites and FORESTRY MACHINERY SPRING 2020

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Left: A sense of scale of the containerised plants used on the site is afforded by comparison with a typical mobile phone

mound formation, and attention to detail is needed at all times. When the right effort is put into the task the success rate of the crop is much higher than manual planting, which makes it much more attractive to the grower.”

The control, monitoring and management system developed for the Risutec planter clearly plays a key role in this high success rate. This example runs on an early version of the current ASTA system, using a Siemens-based control unit linked to a smart phone to provide the display and a data transfer capability. Providing full access to site maps and planting densities, the system allows the contractor to keep track of work progress and ensure the required stocking rates are achieved.

RISUTEC BACKGROUND In the mid-1990s Jussi Aikala required a clearing head for his compact thinning harvesters. As nothing was available to meet his requirements, he designed and built his own unit. Impressed with its performance, other local forest owners asked him to build one for them. From managing his own forests, Jussi’s product supply workload continued to increase, ultimately leading to the establishment of Risutec in 2004. To develop a sustainable manufacturing business, Jussi diversified into the production of tree-planting equipment, which now accounts for the vast majority of the business.

Based at Nakkila, south-east of Pori in

western Finland, the Risutec business model is not to cut, machine and weld metal themselves, but use specialist subcontractors to perform the work. The small team of eight people develop the products and serve the needs of their customers.

Jussi explained, “We work continually on the development of further improvements to our tree planter range and have put much effort into the control and monitoring systems, which govern the equipment. This is very important as we need to have complete information available for both the user and the client to show the correct planting density is being achieved and site boundaries being observed. In this way, we can show how we are meeting the required standards to establish the future forests “We use a range of sub-contractors, all of which are specialists in their own fields, to manufacture different aspects of the tree planters we produce. As a company specialising in a niche product, this gives us access to high-level manufacturing and quality workmanship, without having to invest heavily in the necessary equipment and manpower in-house. Instead, it leaves us free to concentrate on developing the product range further in response to our customers’ unique requirements.”

This R&D/customer service approach has allowed Risutec to develop specific treeplanting attachments for different species and far different environments than is found in northern Europe. For example, their SKB planter is proving to be popular in

“WE WORK CONTINUALLY ON FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR TREE PLANTER RANGE”

Reforestation site before planting

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ATTACHMENTS | RISUTEC PLANTER Left: Smartphone linked to the planter’s control system shows data relevant to site boundaries and planted area as well as actual stocking density per hectare

HYUNDAI BASE UNIT Reijo and Toni Lainio are no strangers to running Hyundai excavators, as there are a number of examples in their wider fleet.

The tree planter is carried on a dedicated 140LCM-9A model complete with a heavy-duty, high-clearance undercarriage carrying 800mm-wide triple-grouser track

Far left: Planter being refilled with containerised spruce plants to begin the next period of operation

pads, complete with forestry-spec track guards.

To minimise the level of support required in their typically isolated sites, an additional fuel tank has been fitted, as Toni explained, “The machine has a standard fuel tank that

the arid conditions of Spain, complete with an open bucket and a ripper.

Principally designed to establish Eucalyptus plantations in challenging conditions, instead of mounding the planter will dig down to a maximum of 90cm and place cocoons containing the young trees.

These cocoons will be filled with water from a pump mounted on the base machine, giving the plants every chance of survival.

In addition, this type of planter can also deliver a variety of inputs or other compounds at the time of planting.

Jussi concluded, “The possibilities are very great as the planters can perform a range of functions at once and include fertiliser and insecticide application. We also have successfully applied moose and deer repellents with the range of options we offer.”

holds 240 litres, to which we have added another 250-litre tank. This means it can carry three days fuel based on its 9.0lit/hr consumption, which we are satisfied with even though it is slightly higher than the 8.2 litres per hour of the previous Dash 7 model.”

A lot of thought was also given to where to position a rack on the excavator to hold refills for the carousel, but at the end of the day the only logical place was at the

Below right: The rear plant carrier lowers to the ground hydraulically and has sufficient capacity to hold enough plants for 20 hours operation based on a 220 plant per hour output

excavator’s rear end. A hydraulically rising rack of shelves was designed and built in house, which hold sufficient stock for 20 hours of multi-shift work. When filled, the rack is elevated to provide the excavator with sufficient slewing clearance over debris on the forest floor.

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See us throughout the UK at the following trade events....

FOREST MACHINE SERVICES DemonstraƟon Days.

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FUELWOOD SCOTLAND DemonstraƟon Days.

24th & 25th April - West Linton, Scoƫsh Borders.

ARB SHOW Westonbirt.

15th & 16th May - Westonbirt Arboretum, Glos.

FUELWOOD WARWICK DemonstraƟon Days.

22nd & 23rd May - Beausale, Warwickshire.

ROYAL CORNWALL SHOW. 4th - 6th June - Wadebridge, Cornwall.

ROYAL HIGHLAND SHOW. 18th - 21st June - Edinburgh, Scotland.

SOUTH WEST DEALER DemonstraƟon Days.

3rd & 4th July - Exeter, Devon.

KENT COUNTY SHOW. 10th - 12th July - Maidstone, Kent.

ROYAL WELSH SHOW. 20th - 23rd July - Builth Wells, Wales.

BLACK ISLE SHOW. 6th August - Inverness, Scotland.

APF FORESTRY SHOW. 24th - 26th September - Ragley Hall, Warwickshire.

FUELWOOD WARWICK DemonstraƟon Days.

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MIDLANDS MACHINERY SHOW. 18th - 19th November - Newark, Noƫnghamshire.

See website or facebook page for more details.

sales@fuelwood.co.uk 66

01926 484673

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CLASSIC FORESTRY | TRACTOR PROTECTION

WORKING

UNDER COVER

Integrated cabs, offering a plush and safe environment for the operator, are a feature of almost every modern tractor. However, back in the 1960s when Valmet introduced the concept on its new 900 tractor, a cab was still thought of as a novelty rather than the norm, reports Stuart Gibbard

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IMAGES AGCO/ROYAL SWEDISH ACADEMY OF AGRICULTURE & FORESTRY (KSLA)/STUART GIBBARD

n the 1960s, a cab was still thought of as no more than a means of protection from the elements – something to keep the rain off your head. Most of the weather cabs on the market were noisy and draughty structures that restricted vision and vibrated incessantly – they were regarded as a frivolous option rather than a necessity.

However, increased concerns about overturning accidents led to a growing awareness, particularly in certain markets of the world, that cabs could also be developed to save lives. Most countries were working towards some type of compulsory regulations for rollover protection, but it was a slow process.

In the UK, for example, during the 1950s, between 30 and 40 farm workers were killed each year through tractors overturning.

Despite these frightening statistics, little interest was shown in protective structures.

Greater emphasis was put on safety campaigns, vigorously organised by both the Ministry of Agriculture and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, to educate drivers with advice on how to avoid overturning accidents.

SAFETY FRAMES

Above: A safety frame was an option on the Valmet 565 tractor, launched in 1965, as the Nordic countries brought in compulsory ROPS regulations

“IN THE UK DURING THE 1950S, BETWEEN 30 AND 40 FARM WORKERS WERE KILLED EACH YEAR THROUGH TRACTORS OVERTURNING”

As the number of deaths from rollover accidents continued to rise, peaking at 50 in 1966, it became obvious that something needed to be done to prevent further fatalities. The NIAE was already testing safety frames, and its investigations led to the draft Agriculture (Tractor Cabs) Regulations being put before parliament

by Lord Walston in 1967. The bill, when eventually passed, made the fitment of safety cabs or frames mandatory from 1 September 1970.

The USA began investigating the use of rollover protective structures (ROPS) in

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“THE CAB WAS ONLY PART OF THE STORY. THE VALMET 900 HAD A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF SPECIFICATION”

This picture: Launched in 1967, the Valmet 900 was the first tractor to feature a fully-integrated cab

Right: The 900’s cab had an automotive-style instrument panel, and the seat, steering wheel and controls were positioned for optimum comfort

the 1920s after there were a large number of fatal accidents with Fordson tractors, which had a tendency to rear up and overturn backwards. The arrival of pneumatic tyres, which had the ability to slip, decreased the risks of overturning rearwards, but led to other types of accidents through increased speeds.

During the 1950s, the University of Nebraska, the US Department of Agriculture and the American Society of Agricultural Engineers began testing protective structures, but legislation making ROPS mandatory on all tractors didn’t come into force in the USA until 25 October 1976.

In this respect, both it and Britain were way behind the Nordic countries, which had introduced compulsory regulation several years previously – and the Scandinavian tractor manufacturers were already setting new standards in cab design.

SAFETY IN SWEDEN The American tests carried out during the 1950s had attracted much attention in Sweden, even though it had a lower incidence of fatal tractor accidents at the time than many other European countries.

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Bottom right: The Valmet 900 introduced ergonomics into the design of the tractor

Officials of the Swedish Workers Protection Board (WPB) visited the USA to view the tests, and articles were published in several Scandinavian farm magazines about the ROPS investigations.

Soon afterwards, the Swedish union of farm workers began lobbying the WPB, pushing for safety structures to be made compulsory. The dangers of overturning were highlighted following a spectacular accident that occurred in front of all of the country’s leading experts on farm mechanisation during a demonstration held in 1953. A tractor undergoing a braking test while pulling farm wagons overturned sideways and the driver was severely injured.

That year, Swedish inventor Gösta Nyström registered the first patent in the country for a protective frame, and trials were held by the Swedish National Testing Institute for Agricultural Machinery (NTIAM). Although the tests revealed that the frame was both impractical and not strong enough, further discussions were held between the various interested parties including the WPB, the tractor manufacturers (Volvo and BolinderMunktells), the farm workers’ union and

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CLASSIC FORESTRY | TRACTOR PROTECTION

Above: Sales brochure for the futuristic Valmet 900 tractor

The Valmet cab was integrated into the design of the tractor rather than being an aftermarket ‘add-on’

The cab fitted to the Valmet 900 provided a comfortable and safe environment for the operator when the tractor was used as a timber forwarder

employers’ associations.

There were various objections to making ROPS compulsory, particularly from a financial point of view, and the debate continued for several years. In 1957, the Swedish newspapers reported a fatal overturning accident involving agricultural students. The headlines, and public opinion, forced the government’s hand, and regulations were passed making a protective frame or cab mandatory on every new tractor to be sold after 1 July 1959.

Recognising the commercial potential, several Scandinavian companies began developing protective frames during 1957 and 1958. One of the first in the field was the Danish firm Sekura, which introduced a safety structure manufactured from profiled tubes in 1957. A testing programme was also developed by NTIAM. The new frames quickly demonstrated that they could protect lives. As early as 1962 – only three years after the Swedish regulations came into force – statistics showed that 32,000 tractors now had ROPS fitted. Of the 27 cases recorded by the WPB of tractors with ROPS overturning, only one person was killed, and his death was caused by jumping from the tractor as it was beginning to overturn.

Encouraged by the statistics, in 1964 Sweden extended the legislation to make ROPS compulsory on all tractors, new or old, driven by employed labour. Other Nordic countries followed the Swedish initiative and brought in compulsory regulations: Norway in 1964, Iceland in 1966, and Denmark and Finland in 1967.

The Scandinavian tractor manufacturers were quick to realise that a safety cab was a more viable alternative to a basic ROPS frame, and was a useful sales feature – particularly if it offered a degree of comfort and protection from the harsh winters found in that part of the world. The developments, which also included noise insulation, were driven to a certain degree by the Nordic forestry industry rather than agriculture.

VALMET UNVEILS CAB Cab design was taken to a whole new level in 1967 when the Finnish firm Valmet introduced a fully-integrated unit for its new 900 tractor. As well as being a safety structure, the cab was isolated on rubber mountings to prevent vibration. Rubber mats and sound-deadening material also helped reduce noise levels. It was fully enclosed and fitted with a heating and ventilation system including a defrosting function for the windscreen.

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TRACTOR PROTECTION | CLASSIC FORESTRY A similar cab was fitted to the 75hp Valmet 700, which was launched in 1968

The evolution of tractor cabs  1915 Steel cab fitted to International 12-25 ‘Twin Mogul’

 1938 Minneapolis Moline ‘Comfortractor’ with all-weather cab  1957 Sekura introduces its safety frame  1959 Safety cab or frame compulsory on new tractors in Sweden  1961 NIAE begins testing ROPS in England

 1967 Valmet 900 features fullyintegrated cab  1969 Zetor Crystal 8011 fitted with integrated safety cab  1970 Safety cabs compulsory on new tractors sold in UK

 1972 John Deere Sound-Gard cab

 1975 Fiat 80 Series cab designed by Pininfarina

gauges plus an ammeter. The panel also incorporated the steering column, throttle, warning lamps and switches for the lights, indicators, horn and windscreen wiper.

The cab was manufactured at Valmet’s Kuorevesi factory, and the engineers had paid special attention to ergonomics when it came to designing the seat and

“THE VALMET 900 HAD A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF SPECIFICATION WITH A FOUR-CYLINDER ENGINE DEVELOPING 89HP” positioning the controls. Steering was hydrostatic, and the 900 was the first machine to use a Danfoss unit.

The cab was only part of the story.

The Valmet 900 had a very high level

of specification with a four-cylinder engine developing 89hp, a fully-synchromesh gearbox delivering 8x2 speeds, three-speed power take-off and hydraulically-operated disc brakes. The hydraulic system offered position, draft and pressure control and lift capacity was 2500kg with quick couplers at the link ends.

STIR IN THE INDUSTRY The 900 tractor went into production at Valmet’s Tourula plant and its launch caused something of a stir in the industry.

Over the next couple of years, a similar integrated cab was also fitted to the new 75hp 700 and 115hp 1100 models. In terms of operator comfort and safety, Valmet’s cab was way ahead of the opposition – and the company claimed that never before had so many innovations been brought to the marketplace at any one time.

 1976 UK noise level regulations for agricultural tractor cabs

 1987 Renault TZ Hydrostable suspended cab

 1994 John Deere CommandView cab  2009 New Holland Horizon cab with AutoCommand

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Introduced in 1969, the Valmet 100 was powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder engine rated at 115hp

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