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 45
Welcome to the latest issue of HarvestTECH.News. Decarbonisation is no longer just a worthwhile future project, but one that is now an essential upgrade for heavy transport fleets as we address challenges around climate change. This was a recurring and key theme at the recent Wood Transport and Logistics 2023 event, with new electric, hydrogen and dual fuelling options entering ...

August 2023 NZ log market update
Opinion Piece: Marcus Musson, Director, Forest360 Moving into electioneering season we are starting to see our political masters throw cash promises at potential voters like candy to kids, seemingly without ...

Hybridised drivetrains & electrification with tower yarders?
Researchers examined the potential of hybridized drivetrains for tower yarder applications. Radical changes are necessary to address challenges related to global warming and pollution. Ever-tightening emission standards for combustion engines ...

Accelerating Australia’s hydrogen-transport future
A new report released by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, and GHD Advisory calls for Australia to focus on hydrogen-powered transport – alongside electric vehicles – or risk being left ...
News & Technologies Cont.

Safety using the T-Winch harvesting downhill
Zane Knight, owner of Knight Logging, and his operator Johnson Peri, talk about their new T-Winch, which can be operated from the cab using a remote control. Zane says the ...

Record nominations recognise forestry’s top talent
Heralding the success of the inaugural awards last year, the Central North Island forestry industry stepped up to bring in a record number of nominations for the second year, with ...

Repairs & maintenance of mobile forestry machinery
Great videos covering key tips on repairs and maintenance. See these short clips that cover key tips for staying safe when repairing and maintaining forestry machinery. They summarise messages contained ...

AI company partners Nordic Forestry Automation
Södra Ädla is a new partner of Nordic Forestry Automation (NFA). The company develops next-generation operator support systems for forest machines based on sensor technology from autonomous vehicles and AI ...

Australian review of tree felling skills standards
Forestry operators, arborists and emergency workers may all need to draw on skills to manually fell trees with a chainsaw when using large machinery is unviable. These skills are described ...

HarvestTECH News | Issue 44
Welcome to the latest issue of HarvestTECH.News. Residues2Revenues 2023 ran last week and saw over 250 attendees discuss the significant bioenergy and bioproduct market opportunities that are available to forest ...

Waka Kotahi to audit excessive RUC purchases
Waka Kotahi will be auditing and invoicing RUC users for excessive Road User Charges purchases made during the temporary reduction scheme. The Government reduced RUC rates by 36% from 1 ...

Event Summary – Residues2Revenues 2023
As anticipated, the turnout to the second Residues2Revenues 2023 was a standout for the industry. Around 250 delegates attended the wood residues event, principally forest owners and managers, harvesting and ...

TRT Made Possible Brand Promise
Overcoming challenges is precisely how TRT got started. Clever, practical people solving complex engineering problems with ingenuity and relentless hard work. Making something from nothing, and then making it better ...

Accusations on plundering timber from Tasmania
The Andrews government is being accused of plundering timber from Tasmania after announcing the closure of the Victorian industry. The Heyfield Mill, part-owned by the Victorian Government and operated by ...

CNI Generation Programme students graduate
The third Generation Programme run at Toi Ohomai Institute NZ Tokoroa completed on Thursday 15 June with a 'Matariki' celebration. The Matariki cluster of stars signifies the start of the ...

Plantma Forestry commercial planting trials expanded
Successful trials with the Swedish manufactured mechanised planter have already been undertaken in a number of countries. The last few months where their machines have been operating have been a ...

July 2023 NZ log market update
Opinion Piece; Marcus Musson, Forest360 DirectorSentiment’s a funny thing. A month ago, we were staring down the barrel of a long and protracted export market ‘crash’ as prices plummeted to ...

Potential of satellite broadband for rural NZ
The Commerce Commission’s latest Measuring Broadband New Zealand report shows the potential of low Earth orbit satellite (LEO) broadband internet as an option for the 13% of Kiwis who are ...

Young apprentice grows new forestry skills
NZ forestry apprentice Neihana Brewer is a man of few words, preferring to leave it up to others to speak of his attributes, including Graeme Benge, his employer at Fast ...

HarvestTECH News | Issue 43
Welcome to the latest issue of HarvestTECH.News. This month's news revolves around compliance in New Zealand's harvesting sector, technological advancements in log tracking and the need for market diversification. We ...

Nationwide first bond for slash management
The NZ Government has ordered a ministerial enquiry into forestry practice and the which has filled beaches and destroyed roads in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle. But in a nationwide ...

GNSS for more accurate machine & log location
Digital developments unfold at a fast pace, and for forestry this means opportunities for new, smarter ways of working. Thanks to developments in the satellite positioning technology GNSS, MaxiFleet, Komatsu ...

Bioenergy funding to better utilise forestry slash
The NZ Government is making a start on a more sustainable forestry industry with investments into a bioenergy plant, research into biomass and better forestry practices, Forestry Minister Peeni Henare ...

Australian Pine Log Price Index report released
The latest Australian Pine Log Price Index for the July to December 2022 period has just been released. The Australian Pine Log Price Index is compiled by KPMG using data ...

Mechlog launches new forestry training programme
MechLog, a leading provider of forestry services, has announced the launch of Skills Enhancement & Employee Development, a new training programme aimed at improving the skills of people entering the ...

Kiwi logging equipment manufacturer acquires Madill
New Zealand-based logging equipment manufacturer DC Equipment has acquired the renowned Madill brand from B.C.-based Nicholson Manufacturing, who have held the brand for the last 12 years. The Rich Madill ...

Australian log exports unlikely to reach historic highs
At the end of 2020, China banned the importation of plantation pine logs from Australia, stating that bark beetles had infected the logs. This decision resulted in a collapse of ...

Komatsu launches new harvester for steeper terrain
The Komatsu 951XC is a new harvester for final logging in steep terrain and on soft ground. The eight-wheel design, combined with the stable Komatsu concept, ensures a machine with ...

Sawmills face temporary closures as demand dives
Several New Zealand sawmills producing housing timber are temporarily halting production, as the construction sector slows.Forest manager and log marketer Allan Laurie said demand for building new houses had dropped ...

Discover Forestry NZ launched
New Zealand’s eight Wood Councils have joined forces to launch the joint forest education organisation - Discover Forestry New Zealand. Work around the country has already been undertaken with school ...

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 ...