Treemetrics, the pioneering forestry software company, has announced the official opening of its new Global HQ on the South Mall in Cork city. An Tánaiste, Mr Simon Coveney, TD, Minster …
HarvestTECH News Issue 4
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. This will be the final issue for 2019. Whilst just set up following this year’s HarvestTECH 2019 event, HarvestTECH News has already grown to …
Trifecta for Women in Forestry in awards
They say its woman’s intuition and having that natural ability to relate to tree fallers in the forest that has been a real skill that Kere Elliot from Elliot Logging …
Ponsse celebrate 15k machines built
The 15,000th Ponsse machine was completed at Ponsse’s factory in Vieremä and delivered to Lespromindustria from Russia. The machine delivery also represented a step towards Ponsse’s 50th anniversary to be …
Hazard alert: Slip could have been far worse
A reminder to all drivers to take extra care when unchaining log loads at log yards – There has been an incident where a log has slipped off a truck …
Two key acquisitions for RDO Equipment
RDO Equipment is excited to announce the consolidation of its business interests in Australia and the appointment of Julie Whitcombe as CEO of the newly formed RDO Australia Group – …
John Deere: New steep slope felling model
A direct result of the continued growth of the steep slope logging market, the new John Deere 959ML Shovel Logger is designed for felling and log handling in difficult terrain. …
Hyundai puts platooning self-driving trucks to the test
Autonomous driving technologies could significantly shape the future of trucking over the coming decade, and as we’re continuing to see through various trials around the world, platooning may play a …
Commitment to training and people top priority
Rosewarne Cable Loggers (RCL) was one of the big winners at the recent 2019 Northland Forestry Awards taking out the UDC Training Company/Contractor of the Year crown. Company health and …
Tigercat introduce power clam grapple
The new Tigercat power clam grapple series is here. Designed for use on the 875 and 880D loggers, the three models – PC08, PC10 and PC12 – are sized for …
HarvestTECH News Issue 3
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. In this month’s issue, we cover the NZ-based harvesting company, Stubbs Contractors, who successfully overhauled their traditional business model and moved to ‘Lean manufacturing’, …
Pedersen brings in Sennebogen 830 material handler
The Pedersen Group has improved its efficiency and fuel consumption by bringing into Australia a first-of-its kind material handler from the Group’s long-standing German manufacturing partner, Sennebogen. The Pedersen Group …
Rewarding times for forestry ‘family’
A major focus for Lloyd Logging since it started in 2017 has been to invest in staff and training. It’s no surprise then that company staff member Channing Green took …
Austrian logging conference report
The Symposium Formec “Forestry Mechanization” was held in Sopron and Forchtenstein (Hungary & Austria) from the 6th – 9th October, crossing over with the Austrofoma machine demonstration (held every four …
C3 secures five-year contract with FCNSW
C3, part of LINX Cargo Care Group, has commenced operations under a five-year softwood clearfell harvest contract with Forestry Corporation NSW (FCNSW) in the Walcha Management Region in NSW. This …
Family spirit at heart of logging firm
Love, care and a true family spirit are at the heart of Subritzky Clark Logging’s successful Northland operation, New Zealand. Winning last year’s Forestry Family of the Year at the …
Making it ‘Lean’ pays dividends
Implementing a series of management principles made famous by the Toyota Motor Company has helped turn a NZ East Coast business into a “lean logging machine”. Since Stubbs Contractors overhauled …
Logger Rhythms Video
When Kaingaroa was the biggest – In the early 20th century forests of fast-growing exotic pines were established in the North Island, making one of the world’s largest timber plantations. …
New harvester from Tigercat
Tigercat introduces the highly anticipated smaller wheel harvester – The 1165 is a mid- sized harvester well suited for thinning, selective cut and final fell applications. With strong swing and …
HarvestTECH News Issue 2
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. I hope you all enjoyed our first monthly issue of HarvestTECH.News sent out last month. Thanks to all of the positive comments sent back …
RealWear for forestry or wood products?
Company-X has become the first and only Australasian reseller for head-mounted tablets from established global innovation leader, RealWear. The agreement, covering Australia and New Zealand, adds additional capability to Company-X, …
NZ’s first all-female forestry crew
It’s a girl group of a very different kind – meet New Zealand’s first all-female forestry team. Source: NZ Herald
A contractor’s guide to electronic logging devices [Part Two]
This is the second of a two-part series by Kamloops, B.C., log hauler and logging contractor Greg Munden, sharing his company’s experience implementing electronic logging devices (ELDs). Part one was …
Videos added for local harvesting operations
HarvestTECH 2019, run in Rotorua, New Zealand on 26-27 June 2019, was sold out. Details on the event can be found on the event website. As well as an outstanding array …
World’s largest electric vehicle – the eDumper
This story is probably timely considering recent announcements on encouraging more electric vehicles onto our roads. While a single computer used to take up a whole room, now they comfortably …
Bigger T-WINCH coming….with NZ in mind
The T-WINCH traction assist machine was unveiled to local logging contractors at the HarvestTECH 2019 event in New Zealand few weeks ago. With the first cab-free T-WINCH machine already working …
Improving the health of NZ forestry workers
Improve the health and wellbeing of NZ workers and you also improve safety and productivity. That’s the thinking behind the pilot of a health programme for forestry workers being run …
Trimble Acquires 3LOG Systems to Expand its Forestry Solutions
Trimble (TRMB) announced, on 4 September 2019, that it has acquired 3LOG Systems, Inc., a leading supplier of timber management software solutions. The acquisition complements Trimble’s forestry business software portfolio and further …
John Deere expands technology solutions
Building upon the positive momentum of the original launch of TimberMatic™ Maps and TimberManager™, John Deere announces the expansion of the technology offerings to full-tree equipment, including feller bunchers and skidders. These streamlined …
Plans for a Toroawhi H&S forestry pilot
The Forest Industry Safety Council is looking for someone to be a health and safety forestry champion for a pilot project aimed at ensuring a strong workers’ voice in New …
HarvestTECH News Issue 1
Together with industry, the Forest Industry Engineering Association (FIEA) will be communicating much more regularly with harvesting contractors, harvest planners, wood transport operators, forestry managers, forest owners and equipment and …
New service for harvesting & wood transport operators
Together with industry, the Forest Industry Engineering Association (FIEA) will be communicating much more regularly with harvesting contractors, harvest planners, wood transport operators, forestry managers, forest owners and equipment and …
EWC programme opens forestry pathway
The shake-up of vocational training in New Zealand has been welcomed by the forestry industry here, just as its own apprenticeship programme takes off. Eastland Wood Council’s Generation Programme last …
Taranaki forestry course attracts trainees
Digging in Pinus radiata seedlings on a steep, slippery slope as an icy wind whips off Mt Taranaki is helping provide future work skills in New Zealand’s forestry industry for …
First production trial of helicopter slash grapple
Erosion and debris flow from forestry operations is currently a live topic. Severe weather events in the Nelson and Gisborne regions of New Zealand last year caused localised debris flows …
Gough family sells Caterpillar dealership
Gough family to sell Caterpillar dealership after nearly a century – The wealthy Gough family has sold Gough Group for $211 million to a Malaysian company after a 90-year history …
Tree seedling deliveries by drone tested
David Herries from Interpine was able to open the minds of many of the harvesting contractors and forest managers who attended the New Zealand HarvestTECH 2019 event that ran in …
Hi-tech shirt for forestry workers
A shirt with built-in sensors could help reduce fatalities in New Zealand’s forestry industry. Researchers at the University of Waikato are developing a hi-tech way to keep forestry workers safe …
Trucking start-up wins race to run driverless
Starsky Robotics is now testing autonomous trucks that have no driver inside, the San Francisco Bay Area start-up announced. As of June 16, Starsky began operating truly driverless semi-trucks on …
A contractor’s guide to electronic logging devices [Part One]
This article recently appeared in a North American industry magazine, Canadian Forest Industries. It will we think be of interest to harvesting and haulage companies in this part of the …
Forest supply chain survey
Scion is planning a research project to better understand and assess New Zealand forest supply chain capabilities including visibility, agility, and flexibility. This project aims to identify some key supply …
Gym in a truck concept unveiled
At a global launch of its S-Way range truck cabins, IVECO has unveiled the Fit Cab concept designed to incorporate exercise and gym equipment under a healthier push to help …
Wood derivative improves unsealed roads
Rugged, remote and astonishingly beautiful, Te Urewera is the largest wilderness region in the North Island, a primeval forest prized for its ecological systems, biodiversity and cultural heritage. The kaitiaki …
Falling log prices impact on woodlot harvesting
In-market prices for logs in China – New Zealand’s largest export market – have fallen in recent weeks and ANZ Bank warns the drop will make the harvest of some …
Contractors encouraged to access support
The Forest Industry Contractors Association (FICA) and Forest Owners Association (FOA) are encouraging New Zealand contractors to access support early during the logging downturn. The price drop has been felt …
Fatigue management guidelines released
The Logging Investigation and Training Association (LITA) has released guidelines for developing and implementing a fatigue management policy for the forestry industry. The material aims to assist forestry industry participants …
Truck platooning: New trials on the way!
Encouraged by what they learned during last year’s test campaign, FPInnovations and its partners plan to continue evaluating cooperative truck platooning technology in the coming months. This year’s goals are …
World-first robotic logging truck scalers
The world’s first two automated logging truck scalers, commissioned by Mount Maunganui-based ISO Limited, are now scanning logs at Port of Tauranga, New Zealand. The Robotic Scaling Machines (RSM) give …
Paige picking up top forestry award
Paige Harland was born to be in the bush. Miss Harland (21) comes from a Southland family who have sap in their blood over three generations. Named apprentice of the …
HarvestTECH 2019 Sold Out
HarvestTECH 2019 has officially sold out. This two-yearly harvesting event also sold out in both the 2015 and 2017 events. Close to 450 logging contractors, forestry managers, forest owners, harvest …
Connected C-me vest enhances driver safety
Truck driver safety takes big steps forward with the introduction of the technology laden safety vest. The Scania C-me vest is a connected safety vest that features automatic lighting when …
Featured Sponsor: Onsite Hydraulic Hose Repair & Maintenance
Do you ever ask yourself “Where does the time go?” How can I create more time to achieve tasks or spend more time with friends & family? At BOA we …
Featured Sponsor: Applied Teleoperation
Applied Teleoperation Limited (ATL) was established with the goal to apply teleoperation and vision systems to improve safety and productivity in the forestry industry. ATL is dedicated to delivering practical …
Featured Sponsor: McFall Fuel
McFall Fuel is a committed & dedicated family fuel & lubricant distribution business. McFall Fuel has developed great relationships with people at all levels of the forestry industry. We are …
Caterpillar selling purpose-built forestry business
In August 2018 Caterpillar Inc. announced plans to sell its forestry business to Weiler Forestry Inc. Caterpillar and Weiler have now entered into a definitive agreement to sell Cat’s purpose-built …
Meeting the workforce needs of American loggers
American Loggers Council welcomes launch of Future Logging Careers Act, saying allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to work in mechanized logging operations under parental supervision will help meet future workforce needs …
Results from latest Forest Contractors Business Review
The Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology has recently completed another update of their New Zealand Forestry Contractors Business Review. The results are summarised below and a copy of their latest …
Minimising stem breakage on steeper slopes
There’s nothing more frustrating than watching an impressive 35-m tall Radiata pine topple to the ground and then shatter into two or more pieces. That stem has now not only …
Competenz calls for forestry industry feedback
The New Zealand government’s proposal to reform vocational education could undermine the success of training and apprenticeships at a time of critical skills shortages in forestry, says industry training organisation …
CNI company establishes all-female forestry crew
A group of New Zealand women have found employment together in an unlikely industry as new figures show job advertisements in the Bay of Plenty are soaring. CNI Logging has …
Support key to success forestry training programme
Nearly a year after its official launch, New Zealand’s Eastland Wood Council-driven Generation Programme is proving its worth in multiple ways. Launched in April last year the programme had its …
Tigercat unveils largest machine in forestry line-up
Tigercat continues to set the bar high with the introduction of the new 890 logger – the largest machine in the Tigercat forestry equipment line-up – a heavy duty, purpose-built …
Distractions slow your reactions campaign underway
Forestry Corporation of NSW kicked off 2019 with a series of safety campaigns and workshops to put safety first after the holiday break. The Safe Start campaign was targeted at …
Komatsu buys forestry machine manufacturer
Komatsu America Corp. a leading global heavy equipment manufacturer, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire TimberPro, Inc. The acquisition is expected to close on April …
Report out on new excavator-based yarder
Smaller scale forest owners in New Zealand (those owning less than 1000 hectares) made up 30% of the national plantation forest estate in 2017 (MPI, 2017). Recent forecasts indicate that …
Health and fitness pay off for forestry truckers
A healthy and safe crew is a happy crew. Warwick Wilshier knows that all too well through the extra measures he has put in place to benefit drivers at his …
John Deere appoints AFGRI in Western Australia
As outlined in an earlier release a couple of weeks ago, John Deere Construction & Forestry and Hitachi Construction Machinery (Australia) Pty Ltd had announced they were ending a successful …
Scania and Rio Tinto trial autonomous truck
Commercial vehicle manufacturer, Scania, is testing a new generation autonomous transport system at Rio Tinto’s Dampier Salt operations in Western Australia. The first phase of the trial started August 2018, …
Dyneema rope testing for load restraint
A recent project undertook load restraint testing to ascertain the engineering qualities of Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE e.g. Dyneema®) rope as an effective mean of load restraint for industry …
Why LEAN? Lessons from a NZ logging contractor
If you have a business that is experiencing the following ‘symptoms’ read on…… – Are your costs rising? – Are mistakes on the increase? – Are your efficiency levels unsatisfactory? …
Early NZ logging – an added bonus for HarvestTECH 2019
In addition to the very latest in harvesting technology, new innovations and new operating practices that are making such a huge difference to New Zealand, Australian and North American harvesting …
New Cat app delivers streamlined equipment data
Caterpillar launches the industry’s first mobile app designed to allow customers who spend their time in a truck, at the job site and on-the-go to take advantage of equipment telematics …
Deere and Hitachi end Australian partnership
John Deere Construction & Forestry Company (Deere) and Hitachi Construction Machinery (Hitachi) have had a long and successful global partnership spanning multiple continents and product lines. This partnership has served …
Fatigued log transport drivers and sleep apnoea
In December we were fortunate to get an update on the very popular work being delivered to log transport companies and their drivers up and down New Zealand. This is …
Generation Z – the key to meeting skills shortages
The last wood harvesting event ran two years ago in New Zealand. It was a sell-out. Same story two years before this in 2015. Over 450 met at both events …
The attraction of operating multi-million-dollar machines
Scott Thomas is a young man with an exciting future. Aged just 21, he is currently working for Gamble Forest Harvesting in a fully mechanised 8-man hauler crew in Otago. …
Logging in a living technology laboratory
A few years ago, American logger Eric Krume expressed some frustration that technology had not moved quickly enough to adapt to Pacific Northwest conditions and dynamics. A lot has changed …
HarvestTECH 2019 details now on line
Following on from the early announcement at the end of last year, full details of the two-yearly wood harvesting event, HarvestTECH 2019 have now been set in place and full …
New research collaboration on steep slope harvesting
Networking is an investment in business development and a recently published paper on tensile force monitoring in steep slope harvesting jointly written by Canada’s FPInnovations’ steep slope initiative (SSI) scientists …
Harvesting operation’s completion celebrated
Rayonier Matariki Forests and Crew 21, from Maungawaru Logging this month celebrated the completion of an extremely challenging harvesting operation in Oponae Forest, New Zealand. Crew 21 has had to …
Gough Cat signs dealer agreement with US company
Gough Cat has announced this week an agreement with United States company Weiler Incorporated to distribute its forestry product line in New Zealand. Founded in 2000, Weiler has a long …
Forestry truck platooning tested in Canada
FPInnovations and its partners took truck platooning research a giant step further and earned a spot in history by successfully road testing the emerging technology in the deep forests of …
Waratah Forestry Equipment celebrates 45 years
Waratah Forestry Equipment is proudly celebrating 45 years of innovation and serving customers in the forestry industry. Established in Tokoroa, New Zealand in 1973, the company transitioned to meet local …
Forestry apprentices growing the industry
In last week’s issue we asked for more good news stories to profile the industry, particularly to the younger generation. Attached is one supplied by Rayonier Matariki Forests. The company …
MOU for NZ and Canada on steep slope logging
FPInnovations, Canada has announced the renewal of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Forest Growers Research (FGR) of New Zealand to widen the scope of their information exchange in the …
Volvo’s self-driving Vera concept – with no cabin
Much is said about the emergence of autonomous cars on our streets, but enclosed areas like ports, factories and corporate campuses may well be where they are put to work …
EOI to Present – HarvestTECH 2019
You know just how popular it was when last run in 2017. HarvestTECH 2017 SOLD OUT well in advance of the event even running. Over 450 harvesting and wood transport …
Caterpillar announces plan to sell forestry business
Caterpillar, Inc. announced last Wednesday that it has entered into a preliminary agreement with Weiler, Inc. to sell the Cat purpose-built forestry business. The sale is subject to negotiation of …
Truck driving rates as most dangerous job
Truck drivers are in one of the unhealthiest and deadliest jobs in the country with a 13 times higher risk of dying at work than other Australians, a landmark study …
Einride reveals driverless all-electric logging truck
New start-up, Einride, recently participated as an exhibitor at the Goodwood Festival of Speed Future Lab, together with Roborace, Jetpack Aviation and others. The T-log was unveiled by Einride CEO …
Event Summary – WoodFlow 2018
The Woodflow series is Australasia’s premier technology event run every two years. It provides insights into innovations and new tools being developed and employed by leading forestry, wood products and …