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HarvestTECH 2021  |  13-14 April 2021, Rotorua, New Zealand + Virtual On-Line

HarvestTECH News provides the latest updates on breaking news, research results, reports, articles, videos and useful web links for wood harvesting and transport operations throughout Australasia.

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HarvestTECH Events provides annual world class technology events and exhibitions to wood harvesting contractors, harvest planners, forest managers and wood transport operators.

Latest News & Technologies

HarvestTECH News | Issue 42

HarvestTECH News | Issue 42

Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. A car park full of large rigs and new technologies. Wood Transport & Logistics 2023 attracted over 250 people from forestry, wood harvesting and log transport companies from across the region. In addition to the large number of Australian companies making the trip to Rotorua, New Zealand, a large contingent from North and ...
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Event Summary – Wood Transport & Logistics 2023

Event Summary – Wood Transport & Logistics 2023

Wood Transport & Logistics 2023 returned to a packed audience, a car park full of large rigs and a range of next-gen technologies on display. Over 250 forestry and log ...
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Robots – the wave of a digitized forest industry future

Robots – the wave of a digitized forest industry future

Virtual machine operators can utilize 5G connections to remotely harvest forests The robots are coming to the B.C. forest sector. It’s the undeniable wave of the future for forestry companies ...
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PONSSE EV1 technology receives 2023 Automation Prize

PONSSE EV1 technology receives 2023 Automation Prize

Ponsse’s and Epec’s technology concept PONSSE EV1 has been rewarded with the Finnish Society of Automation’s Automation prize. The prize is given every two years by society to reward significant ...
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News & Technologies Cont.

Dive in log prices making harvesting uneconomic

Dive in log prices making harvesting uneconomic

NZ log prices dropped 14 percent between March and April as China's usual seasonal increase in consumption failed to materialise. Logging exporters are being blamed for the current dive in ...
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Celebrating training & business success

Celebrating training & business success

It was a well-timed event for the Southern North Island Wood Council to hold their Forestry Awards on the night of 12 May 2023 in Palmerston North. 410 members of ...
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23 year old forest contracting business pulls the pin

23 year old forest contracting business pulls the pin

In NZ, a Gisborne-based forest contracting business owner is “devastated” by having to pull the pin on his 23-year-old company. Robert Stubbs (photo) owns Stubbs Contracting and forestry has been ...
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NZ forestry contractors at breaking point

NZ forestry contractors at breaking point

New Zealand’s forestry contractors are at breaking point, with compounding pressures from the last three years mounting. Some are already in liquidation and many more are at risk of losing ...
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PF Olsen NZ Log Market – May 2023

PF Olsen NZ Log Market – May 2023

Market Summary At Wharf Gate (AWG) prices for export logs further decreased an average of $22 per JASm3 in May. The AWG prices have now dropped to their lowest prices ...
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Russian timber exports see steep decline

Russian timber exports see steep decline

According to recent data from Roslesinforg, the Russian forest regulator, foreign sales of Russian timber experienced a further decline in the first quarter of this year, dropping by over 20 ...
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Waratah appoints new NZ Area Manager Retail

Waratah appoints new NZ Area Manager Retail

Waratah is pleased to announce the appointment of Barry Gates as Area Manager Retail for Waratah Forestry Services of New Zealand. Barry will take up the leadership of the New ...
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HarvestTECH News | Issue 41

HarvestTECH News | Issue 41

Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. In log transport this month, conversions of heavy transport fleets from diesel to electric, hydrogen and hybrid fuelling options continue at pace. Last ...
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Log Haulage Skills resources being created

Log Haulage Skills resources being created

ForestWorks has commenced work on a project to update the forest industry's Log Haulage Manual and produce instructional videos to support some important knowledge and skills required to transport harvested ...
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Dual fuel truck powered by diesel and hydrogen gas

Dual fuel truck powered by diesel and hydrogen gas

New Zealand’s largest privately owned transport company has launched what is believed to be Australasia’s first dual fuel truck which is powered by hydrogen gas and diesel. The HW Richardson ...
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New funding for contractors for biomass innovation

New funding for contractors for biomass innovation

EECA has a new fund which could be of assistance to those looking to make a start in the biomass business in New Zealand or increasing production of an existing ...
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Saw logs moved more than 900km by rail to supply bushfire-impacted Riverina mills

Saw logs moved more than 900km by rail to supply bushfire-impacted Riverina mills

Logs are being transported more than 900 kilometres by rail from northern New South Wales to prop up supply to sawmills on the south-west slopes as part of bushfire recovery ...
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SpaceX to provide 100% mobile coverage of NZ

SpaceX to provide 100% mobile coverage of NZ

Vodafone has reached an agreement with Elon Musk’s SpaceX satellite business to provide mobile coverage of the whole country for its customers via Starlink. The telco announced the landmark deal ...
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Kenworth celebrates century of truck making

Kenworth celebrates century of truck making

From logging truck beginnings to battery-electric trucks and fuel cell pilots Kenworth, which began as a maker of logging trucks in 1923, is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Kenworth Truck Co ...
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Forest company cleared of RMA breaches

Forest company cleared of RMA breaches

The owner of a NZ forest company who has been cleared of breaching the Resource Management Act says the charges were without merit. Forestry company John Turkington Ltd was found ...
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Forest contractors want input to slash solutions

Forest contractors want input to slash solutions

New Zealand’s forestry contractors are asking to be included when investigating solutions for slash / woody debris. Forest Industry Contractors Association (FICA) CEO Prue Younger says FICA is keen to ...
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HarvestTECH News | Issue 40

HarvestTECH News | Issue 40

Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. Next month we’ll be hosting this region’s largest wood transport and logistics industry event, Wood Transport and Logistics 2023. This is timely and ...
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The slash traps debate - solution or even more damage?

The slash traps debate – solution or even more damage?

In New Zealand, could slash traps help curb the flow of woody debris that has battered and cloaked the east coast of the North Island during recent storm events? Forest ...
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The future of electric semi trucks

The future of electric semi trucks

Canadian Company takes the transportation industry by storm. Edison Motors is a revolutionary company that specializes in the design, development, and production of electric semi-trucks. Founded by Chace Barber and ...
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Issues around phasing out native logging in Victoria

Issues around phasing out native logging in Victoria

Three years ago, the Labor Government of Victoria announced that it would be phasing out all native forest logging by 2030. Now both environmentalists and industry are worried that this ...
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Deere & Co donates US$50,000 to NZ Red Cross

Deere & Co donates US$50,000 to NZ Red Cross

In an effort to help provide relief and recovery to Waratah Forestry Equipment’s home country following the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, Deere & Company recently announced a US$50,000 donation to ...
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New aerial imagery - before and after Cyclone Gabrielle

New aerial imagery – before and after Cyclone Gabrielle

Cyclone Gabrielle left a trail of destruction in its wake as it swept through the Hawkes Bay area, and now with the power and accessibility of satellite imagery we have ...
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Rising costs driving fleet management evolution

Rising costs driving fleet management evolution

A Teletrac Navman survey of more than 1,800 global fleet operators has revealed that rising fuel costs (39%), disruption due to the impact of COVID-19 (32%), and supply chain pressure ...
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PF Olsen NZ Log Market – March 2023

PF Olsen NZ Log Market – March 2023

Market Summary At Wharf Gate (AWG) prices for export logs increased $18 per JASm3 (14%) in March. This price increase was due to a shortage of logs to fill ordered ...
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International study tour grants opened

International study tour grants opened

Funding to explore industry innovations and best practice: Who’s doing what and doing it wellThe WIDE Trust is pleased to launch the opportunity for persons actively pursuing a career in ...
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HarvestTECH News | Issue 39

HarvestTECH News | Issue 39

Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. In New Zealand, the news over the last month has been dominated by Cyclone Gabrielle and its aftermath. The cyclone cut off communities ...
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Mobile log scaling innovation at Tauranga

Mobile log scaling innovation at Tauranga

ISO Limited is readying another significant technology investment, at the Port of Tauranga. The Mobile Log Scaler is a semi-autonomous robot which will image and scale logs, on rail wagons ...
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