SCA has been test-driving the Centipede concept machine, which Komatsu and eight Swedish forestry companies are jointly developing. The machine is seen as the sustainable forest machine of the future …
Drone footage shows forestry windthrow from cyclone
Great swathes of forestry in the central North Island of New Zealand have been obliterated by Cyclone Gabrielle, with drone footage showing the scale of destruction. The Lake Taupō Forest …
Contractor’s training school to address skills shortages
A shortage of skilled machine operators across New Zealand motivated contractor Mike Hurring to open his own training school in Balclutha. The school runs 5-week machine operator courses that cover …
Revamping hauler operation to improve safety
When central North Island contractor Brian Rutgers from Loggabull, decided to refit his old hauler, the first thing he did was ask his experienced operator and foreman for their ideas …
Mental wellbeing resources from Safetree
Safetree has some forestry-friendly resources to support good mental wellbeing: • Where to get help: Contact details for organisations that can help if people are struggling • Tailgate health cards: …
Using biomass to take cane trains beyond diesel
Diesel is impressive. Impressive in its abundance, energy density and liquid transportability. These unique features have made it ubiquitous to heavy transport and traction in the 20th and 21st centuries. …
NZ’s first hybrid harvester operating
Mike Hurring Logging & Contracting in Balclutha, has begun operating New Zealand’s first diesel-electric harvesting machine. Not only is the machine cheaper to run and better for the environment, it …
New zero-emissions truck showcased
Imagine a truck that only emits water vapor, produces its own electricity onboard and has a range of up to 1 000 km. It’s possible with fuel cells powered by …
Self-driving robotrucks rolling onto US freeways
After lumbering through a gravel parking lot like a big blue bull, one of Aurora Innovation Inc.’s self-driving truck prototypes took a wide right turn onto a frontage road near …
Einride E-Trailer concept unveiled
Autonomous EV freight company Einride introduced their new E-Trailer concept along with new software and hardware products at its first Einride Mesh technology conference. This includes updates to its Saga …
Helping workers recover from addiction
When Joe* failed a random drug test one Monday he expected to lose his contract. But his client Forestry Solutions Group offered him an alternative – sign up to a …
Exciting addition to In-field chipping workshop
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …