HarvestTECH provides an essential and independent platform to showcase new innovations and operating practices suited to our local harvesting and wood transport operations.

The HarvestTECH conference and exhibition that ran in June 2019 SOLD OUT well in advance of the event being run. Exhibitor space sold out months before. It was the largest gathering of its type ever seen in New Zealand. Close to 500 harvesting contractors, harvest planners, forestry managers and equipment and technology suppliers into the region’s logging industry attended.

In addition to most major New Zealand contractors being there, a large contingent came across from Australia, North and South America and SE Asia. It well and truly established itself on the international stage. HarvestTECH 2020, with a focus on wood transport and logistics had been scheduled to run in September 2020 in both New Zealand and Australia. However, because of COVID-19 restrictions, the event unfortunately had to be postponed.

With support from major equipment suppliers and the local industry, the plan is to now run HarvestTECH 2021 in mid-April 2021. However, the format, because of the uncertainty still surrounding travel between the two countries and even across state borders in Australia, for April next year has been changed.

What's Planned?

There are a number of exciting changes to HarvestTECH in 2021. We’re confident that, in the current uncertain environment, the following features will cater for our growing HarvestTECH community and the many enquiries that we’re already fielding from those outside Australasia.

One location

Like the 2019 event, the physical event (on-site presentations and trade exhibitions) for HarvestTECH 2021 will again be run in just one location, Rotorua, New Zealand. This enables delegates and exhibitors to plan with some degree of certainty.

LIVE + Virtual On-Line Event

Live links from the New Zealand event will be set up for those unable to travel into Rotorua. This ensures:

1. Active involvement of Australian and international delegates. Timing for the HarvestTECH 2021 programme is being set up to enable live links to the Rotorua event and all presentations throughout the two days. On-line questions from virtual conference delegates will be able to be made to all presenters - live.
2. Significant savings on travel and accommodation costs. As well as being involved during the live event, recorded sessions for the presentations will also be made available post event to all virtual event delegates.

Increased international involvement

The live or virtual hybrid format for HarvestTECH 2021 enables a much wider cross section of International presenters to be involved in the event. They will be joining local presenters at HarvestTECH 2021, either with a live remote presentation or, alternatively, through a pre-recorded presentation.

Alignment with the Forest Safety & Technology 2021 event

The very popular forestry safety event run by the Forest Industry Engineering Association is also being held at the same venue on the first day, Tuesday 13 April. This will enable delegates from both events to network during the breaks and to capitalise on the large number of trade exhibitions that are anticipated to be present in Rotorua.

Changed format and content

With the theme of the postponed HarvestTECH 2020 series being on wood transport and log scaling technologies, this will still form an integral part of the planned two day-event in 2021.

At a later stage, expressions of interest in presenting at HarvestTECH 2021 will be sought. Already, from the many local and international companies involved as presenters or exhibitors at the HarvestTECH 2019 technology series, we have a list of interested companies that have expressed an interest in presenting.

If interested in presenting at the HarvestTECH 2021, please register your early interest by clicking on the button below.

• Harvesting and wood flow planners
• Wood harvesting and haulage contractors
• Transport operators
• Forestry managers
• Forest owners
• Technical foresters
• Forestry consultants
• Forestry researchers
• Wood supply chain and logistics companies
• Key suppliers to forestry, wood harvesting & transport operations

HarvestTECH 2021, particularly in the current environment, offers a tremendous opportunity for companies involved in developing or selling wood harvesting, transport or log haulage equipment to showcase their company, technology or associated products to New Zealand’s (and this region’s) forestry industry. Exhibition spaces are always at a premium. As mentioned, last time the event ran, spaces SOLD OUT month’s in advance of the event being run.

Added Bonus: As an added bonus, a Forest Safety & Technology 2021 event is being held by the Forest Industry Engineering Association at the same venue on the first day that the HarvestTECH 2021 event will be running. This ensures an even larger audience to you as a HarvestTECH 2021 sponsor or exhibitor. It will though put immediate pressure on available exhibition or trade spaces at the Rotorua venue.

Many of the Forest Safety Exhibitors have already been allocated exhibition spaces as a consequence of the 2020 event having to be run as an online webinar series because of the COVID-19 lockdown. Their exhibition spaces allocated in 2020 have been kept for this year’s event. So, if keen on securing a space in Rotorua for HarvestTECH 2021, the clear message here is to get in early to avoid disappointment.

FIEA has a well-deserved reputation of providing both sponsors and exhibitors with a unique platform for promoting their products and services to the industry.

HarvestTECH 2021 is already being planned. We always receive strong interest in the sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities available. Early exhibitors will benefit from exposure in the regions wood harvesting and wood transport platform, www.harvesttech.news, which provides monthly communication to well over 6,000 wood harvesting contractors, harvest planners, forest managers and owners and wood transport operators across the region.

Sponsorship and branding opportunities are also available for other Forest Industry Engineering Association (FIEA) events and in the region’s most widely read weekly e-newsletters, Friday Offcuts and WoodWeek.

For a full range of sponsorship, exhibition and branding options, please contact our Sponsorship Manager, Gordon Thomson on (+64) 7 921 1384 and marketing@fiea.org.nz.

You are welcome to view our updated Terms and Conditions.

390 Fenton Street, Rotorua, New Zealand

With its beautiful garden setting and located just minutes from the city centre, Distinction Rotorua Hotel is the perfect place to relax and unwind after a big day at the conference. After the event, this hotel is also a great base to enjoy the wealth of attractions and activities Rotorua has to offer. Free car parking is available at the venue, however, spaces are limited and hotel guests take priority.