Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News.
This is the first issue of 2022 and how things have changed since we last corresponded. Omicron has been an unwelcome game-changer in Australia. While the worst may be over, the big issue for business has been chronic worker shortages in key industries across the country. Companies reported that 20% to 50% of workers were off sick with covid, or isolating, during the peak. It soon became apparent that an ‘essential worker’ was not limited to teachers, doctors and supermarket workers – it now included truck drivers, meat workers, cleaners, machinery operators, maintenance staff and hundreds of other occupations.
With omicron now in New Zealand, we are likely to see a similar scenario play out. Hopefully, some lessons have been learnt from across the Tasman and New Zealand businesses can plan for upcoming disruptions.
In industry news, forestry contractors and managers across the region have been looking forward to the upcoming Residues to Revenues 2022 event in Rotorua, New Zealand. Because of safety concerns for delegates, presenters and exhibitors, Residues to Revenues 2022 has instead been rescheduled to run on 26-27 July 2022. The same programme, presenters and venue will be used. Likewise, the conference, trade exhibitions and two workshops, including the tech overview of new in-field chipping operations, will be run. Registrations are still rolling in for the new dates and further updates can be found on the event website.
We have a number of great stories in this month’s issue of HarvestTECH eNews. We’d like to highlight the development of the first 80 tonne e-timber truck. Battery life and engine power have always been major barriers to the use of electric trucks within the forestry industry. Companies in Canada and Europe have been working hard in recent years to crack these issues and pave the way for rolling out operationally some of these new commercial vehicles. In Sweden, SCA and Scania are now doing real-world testing with their own electric truck, which is transporting timber between an SCA terminal and papermill.
Check out these stories and much more below. Enjoy this month’s issue.
Remember, please send through any stories or video you want us to pass onto the wider wood harvesting and log transport community.
Stories this issue:
- A Christmas present for every forest worker?
- Bridge over undisturbed waters
- ISO logs onto new technology
- Mana Wahine on a mission
- 1st fully autonomous ship navigation system tested
- New suite of forestry qualifications launched
- First 80 tonne e-timber truck being developed
- Rehabilitating workers back into the forest
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