Forest-based biofuels are occupying an increasingly important role in energy supply. Conversions of large sale industrial heat plants to renewables, including biomass is ensuring that local forest owners and wood harvesting operations are starting to sit up and really take notice. The market and demand are already there. It’s increasing and the economics are starting to stack up. Aggregating bio-fuel …
A 6.2m electric drone for forest thinning
Airforestry has been in stealth mode since the start of 2020. But now they finally reveal their pioneering technology for forest management. “We have been working in secret for almost two years and already have paying customers among Europe’s largest forest owners. But now it’s time for our public launch. We want to tell you about our concept, which is …
Solid biofuel powered tractors being developed
A prototype tractor which can run on solid biofuel is being developed for the primary industries by AgLoco®, a start-up company based in Christchurch, New Zealand.AgLoco® is developing advanced steam engines which burn woodchips (dry or wet) to replace diesel tractors on farms and diesel trucks for hauling heavy loads. The company is currently building its first fully functional 150hp …
Volvo’s electric truck gets tick of approval
The first electric Volvo truck on Australian roads is getting a tick of approval from one of the most authoritative voices in the transport industry – a truck driver. It follows more than seven months on the road with 6000 kilometres of driving and more than 5200 kilowatt hours. Rob Smith has been driving trucks for Linfox for over 17 …
Switching from paper to digital communications
PF Olsen has recently adopted the Assura Software platform to support their Health & Safety needs in challenging environments, plus solve a number of other business issues. Check out the video below.
A Christmas present for every forest worker?
You can only ask your manager or boss – right? After all, you really deserve it after the year you’ve just been through. They say the feeling you experience when flying the Jetson ONE through the forest is unreal. The excitement and thrills are phenomenal, far more incredible than what you’ve seen in sci-fi Hollywood blockbusters. Can you think of …
Rehabilitating workers back into the forest
Gisborne contractors Gavin and Chrystal Edmonds are helping forestry workers recover from drug problems and get back to work in the forest. Difficulties accessing rehabilitation support for workers prompted the couple, who run Stirling Logging, to start bringing workers into their own home to help them recover. Gavin and Chrystal say they’re motivated by a desire to help workers who …
Mobile harbour cranes for Eastland Port
Mt Maunganui-headquartered port logistics company ISO Limited this week announced the arrival of two world-leading mobile harbour cranes for safer and more efficient handling of cargo at its operation at Eastland Port in Te Tairāwhiti Gisborne. The world-leading technology continues ISO’s significant investment in innovation to transform its port logistics supply chain nationwide. Paul Cameron, CEO of ISO, says, “Our …
Tracking timber from the lake to the lounge
The “lost trees of Hydrowood” have become a part of the lore of Tasmania’s West Coast. Lake Pieman was dammed in 1986, and since 2015 the “lost trees” from the lake floor have been cut, dried, and recreated into objects that can be enjoyed for a lifetime- from boats, homes, furniture, and homewares. The story behind Hydrowood and its finite …
Timber Haulage Academy to address driver shortages
All sectors of the haulage industry currently require drivers, and the forestry sector is no different. What is different, is the challenge of in-forest driving and hydraulic crane loading in some of the most beautiful and remote locations in the UK. A new initiative has just been set up in the UK. If you enjoy driving and would like to …
Cat launches remote control system
Think of the work being done at the moment around remote controlled log hauler operations – keeping those working on steeper forest slopes safe. This work is ongoing – but the targets already set. In a similar vein, Caterpillar has launched its remote-control system for large excavator models into the North American and Japanese construction equipment markets. Designed to remove …
Powering data exchange & wireless weighbridge integration
Since its release in 2018, LOGR eDockets have seen a meteoric uptake in the forestry industry. Now Enabled the innovation firm behind this platform, is again creating industry buzz with the release of LOGR Air. LOGR Air is a Multi-Party System that allows the whole supply chain to exchange data in real-time through a sophisticated set of APIs. Starting in …
Forestry contractors reducing downtime on hydraulic assets
Forestry contractors across New Zealand are reducing their downtime and hydraulic hose bills with trailblazing tools and technology from BOA Hydraulics. BOA Hydraulics’ ‘integrated solution’ combines world-class hydraulic hose facilities and products with comprehensive training and inventory management support to enable forestry workers to repair and assemble hydraulic hoses onsite. This solution is helping contractors reduce their unplanned downtime by …
WorkSafe: Trucking Induction Video
We have put together this video to help educate PCBUs and operators within the trucking industry about some common risks and how they can ensure people go home healthy and safe. The video shows how to avoid or minimise the risks associated with: Route planning Cab safety On-site traffic management Loading and unloading We want everyone involved to feel empowered …
Tasmania launches updated Forest Practices Code
The Forest Practices Authority (FPA) released a new issue of the Forest Practices Code on 6 October 2020. The Forest Practices Code 2020 is the fifth version of the Code since it was first released in 1987. The changes are a result of the most comprehensive review in 20 years. FPA Chair, John Ramsay, launched the new Code saying, ‘The …
Drone ‘mosaic’ to help environmental management
A drone “mosaic” of harvested forestry blocks is letting Marlburians see the wood for the trees, and could cut down environmental issues. In New Zealand, Marlborough company GeoInsight Limited is using drones, 360-degree cameras and an e-bike to “stitch together” images of forestry blocks and help the Marlborough District Council streamline compliance checks. Of the council’s 17 monitoring programmes, forestry …
WorkSafe releases new video for induction
WorkSafe has just released a new WorkSafe Induction video. The video is targeted to New Zealand businesses and has been designed for use during induction process. It provides staff with a high-level overview of their rights and responsibilities when it comes to health and safety. It will also help workers and businesses to better understand WorkSafe and our expectations of …
A 5G roading solution for forestry roading
In New Zealand, there are many forests with thousands of km’s of roading spread widely across both islands, with many different types of soils and clays. Some are great for building roads on and others, not so great. Some of these roads require cut to waste and backfilling or thick pavement depths to bridge the poor sub-grades including the use …
Wire rope maintenance and inspection in winch assist operations
As you many of you will be aware, Brian Tuor, a Canadian cable logging specialist has been travelling to NZ for the last 30 years providing training and consulting to the cable logging sector of the NZ forestry industry. In a recent email sent to us in early April he said that in fact he had “just returned to the …
Positive messages for contractors during lock down
The Log Transport Safety Council, Forest Industry Contractors Association and Forest Industry Safety Council have been working together to get positive messages out to New Zealand forestry contractors in these uncertain times. A local expert, Pio Terei, has been called in to produce a series of light hearted every few days while we’re all in lock down. See below for the first in …
Video: Voice-operated heavy truck inspections
Technology is now making truck inspections far easier. Schlumberger Trucks perform assisted inspections on heavy trucks and trailers using a head mounted tablet, the RealWear HMT-1. Technicians use the voice-operated interface to log inspection results in real-time. The HMT-1 includes a 16mp camera that can visually annotate inspection steps to provide thorough documentation of the inspection process. Upon a satisfactory …
How Fonterra stopped workplace fatigue
When driver Malcolm Burkes first started at Fonterra it was all about getting out there, getting the job done and getting back as quickly as you could. “Now I don’t hesitate to call Fonterra up and tell them I’m going to stop and have a sleep. Fonterra’s whole attitude towards making me feel alright about managing my fatigue makes me …
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
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 in New Zealand, a new and larger model has just been developed which should be well suited to markets like ours. A forestry operation north of Gisborne has been operating …
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 late June. The opportunities of using drones operationally in a raft of forestry activities was outlined to those attending. Already in New Zealand, some 118 foresters have successfully gone through …
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 on the job, with a ‘smart shirt’ the leading contender. Using sensors on the front of the shirt to monitor heart-rate variability and others on the back to measure perspiration, …
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 the Florida turnpike. It’s a first in the industry. To be sure, there are plenty of autonomous trucks on the road. TuSimple has a fleet of more than 50 trucks …
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 (guardians) of Te Urewera are Tuhoe, said to be descended from Te Mauna (the Mountain) and Hine-pukohu-rani (the Mist Maiden). Tuhoe – the Children of the Mist – are renowned …
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 more ambitious. Researchers, in addition to confirming developments in the technology since last year, will be focusing on steering control in the following trucks. The data collected will be used …