Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. A car park full of large rigs and new technologies. Wood Transport & Logistics 2023 attracted over 250 people from forestry, wood harvesting and …
Event Summary – Wood Transport & Logistics 2023
Wood Transport & Logistics 2023 returned to a packed audience, a car park full of large rigs and a range of next-gen technologies on display. Over 250 forestry and log …
Robots – the wave of a digitized forest industry future
Virtual machine operators can utilize 5G connections to remotely harvest forests The robots are coming to the B.C. forest sector. It’s the undeniable wave of the future for forestry companies …
PONSSE EV1 technology receives 2023 Automation Prize
Ponsse’s and Epec’s technology concept PONSSE EV1 has been rewarded with the Finnish Society of Automation’s Automation prize. The prize is given every two years by society to reward significant …
Dive in log prices making harvesting uneconomic
NZ log prices dropped 14 percent between March and April as China’s usual seasonal increase in consumption failed to materialise. Logging exporters are being blamed for the current dive in …
Celebrating training & business success
It was a well-timed event for the Southern North Island Wood Council to hold their Forestry Awards on the night of 12 May 2023 in Palmerston North. 410 members of …
23 year old forest contracting business pulls the pin
In NZ, a Gisborne-based forest contracting business owner is “devastated” by having to pull the pin on his 23-year-old company. Robert Stubbs (photo) owns Stubbs Contracting and forestry has been …
NZ forestry contractors at breaking point
New Zealand’s forestry contractors are at breaking point, with compounding pressures from the last three years mounting. Some are already in liquidation and many more are at risk of losing …
PF Olsen NZ Log Market – May 2023
Market Summary At Wharf Gate (AWG) prices for export logs further decreased an average of $22 per JASm3 in May. The AWG prices have now dropped to their lowest prices …
Russian timber exports see steep decline
According to recent data from Roslesinforg, the Russian forest regulator, foreign sales of Russian timber experienced a further decline in the first quarter of this year, dropping by over 20 …
Waratah appoints new NZ Area Manager Retail
Waratah is pleased to announce the appointment of Barry Gates as Area Manager Retail for Waratah Forestry Services of New Zealand. Barry will take up the leadership of the New …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 41
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. In log transport this month, conversions of heavy transport fleets from diesel to electric, hydrogen and hybrid fuelling options continue at pace. Last year, …
Log Haulage Skills resources being created
ForestWorks has commenced work on a project to update the forest industry’s Log Haulage Manual and produce instructional videos to support some important knowledge and skills required to transport harvested …
Dual fuel truck powered by diesel and hydrogen gas
New Zealand’s largest privately owned transport company has launched what is believed to be Australasia’s first dual fuel truck which is powered by hydrogen gas and diesel. The HW Richardson …
New funding for contractors for biomass innovation
EECA has a new fund which could be of assistance to those looking to make a start in the biomass business in New Zealand or increasing production of an existing …
Saw logs moved more than 900km by rail to supply bushfire-impacted Riverina mills
Logs are being transported more than 900 kilometres by rail from northern New South Wales to prop up supply to sawmills on the south-west slopes as part of bushfire recovery. …
SpaceX to provide 100% mobile coverage of NZ
Vodafone has reached an agreement with Elon Musk’s SpaceX satellite business to provide mobile coverage of the whole country for its customers via Starlink. The telco announced the landmark deal …
Kenworth celebrates century of truck making
From logging truck beginnings to battery-electric trucks and fuel cell pilots Kenworth, which began as a maker of logging trucks in 1923, is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Kenworth Truck Co. …
Forest company cleared of RMA breaches
The owner of a NZ forest company who has been cleared of breaching the Resource Management Act says the charges were without merit. Forestry company John Turkington Ltd was found …
Forest contractors want input to slash solutions
New Zealand’s forestry contractors are asking to be included when investigating solutions for slash / woody debris. Forest Industry Contractors Association (FICA) CEO Prue Younger says FICA is keen to …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 40
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. Next month we’ll be hosting this region’s largest wood transport and logistics industry event, Wood Transport and Logistics 2023. This is timely and is …
The slash traps debate – solution or even more damage?
In New Zealand, could slash traps help curb the flow of woody debris that has battered and cloaked the east coast of the North Island during recent storm events? Forest …
The future of electric semi trucks
Canadian Company takes the transportation industry by storm. Edison Motors is a revolutionary company that specializes in the design, development, and production of electric semi-trucks. Founded by Chace Barber and …
Issues around phasing out native logging in Victoria
Three years ago, the Labor Government of Victoria announced that it would be phasing out all native forest logging by 2030. Now both environmentalists and industry are worried that this …
Deere & Co donates US$50,000 to NZ Red Cross
In an effort to help provide relief and recovery to Waratah Forestry Equipment’s home country following the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, Deere & Company recently announced a US$50,000 donation to …
New aerial imagery – before and after Cyclone Gabrielle
Cyclone Gabrielle left a trail of destruction in its wake as it swept through the Hawkes Bay area, and now with the power and accessibility of satellite imagery we have …
Rising costs driving fleet management evolution
A Teletrac Navman survey of more than 1,800 global fleet operators has revealed that rising fuel costs (39%), disruption due to the impact of COVID-19 (32%), and supply chain pressure …
PF Olsen NZ Log Market – March 2023
Market Summary At Wharf Gate (AWG) prices for export logs increased $18 per JASm3 (14%) in March. This price increase was due to a shortage of logs to fill ordered …
International study tour grants opened
Funding to explore industry innovations and best practice: Who’s doing what and doing it well The WIDE Trust is pleased to launch the opportunity for persons actively pursuing a career …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 39
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. In New Zealand, the news over the last month has been dominated by Cyclone Gabrielle and its aftermath. The cyclone cut off communities and …
Mobile log scaling innovation at Tauranga
ISO Limited is readying another significant technology investment, at the Port of Tauranga. The Mobile Log Scaler is a semi-autonomous robot which will image and scale logs, on rail wagons. …
John Deere Introduces New Mid-Size Crawler Log Loader
MOLINE, Ill. (Feb. 20, 2023) — Designed for logging contractors of all sizes, John Deere is excited to introduce the new 2956G. The 2956G crawler log loader is an ideal …
Plantation thinning for carbon, timber and innovation
Plantation thinning may not be new in the forestry sector, which has been thinning to improve tree growth and vigour for years. But the operations being carried out by Forico …
Fears for forestry contractor livelihoods
New Zealand’s forestry contractors in the Tairawhiti, Hawkes Bay, Coromandel and Northland regions are facing immense pressure and compounding challenges post-cyclone Gabrielle. Planted forest in these combined regions makes up …
SCA test-drives centipede forest machine
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 …
FEA Update: China softwood log inventories
China’s Softwood Log Inventories at Ocean Ports. FEA industry sources in China report that softwood log inventories at the country’s main ocean ports totaled 5.4 million m3 on February 3, …
Hydrogen technology to debut on international stage
JCB will feature its new hydrogen combustion engine—the company’s solution for zero carbon emissions for construction and agricultural equipment on the international stage at North America’s largest construction show, CONEXPO/CON-AGG …
Forestry contractors chipping in with clean-up
New Zealand’s forestry contractors are mucking in to help clean up post Cyclone Gabrielle while unable to get back to work as normal. Some forestry contractors affected by Cyclone Gabrielle …
February 2023 NZ log market update
Opinion Piece, Marcus Musson, Director, Forest360 As expected, February has seen another solid lift in export prices courtesy of some increased in-market sales prices (CFR) and a reasonably subdued shipping …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 38
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. As we begin 2023 there’s plenty to catch up on as we look ahead to the upcoming year. In a couple of months’ time, …
Transport trends companies can’t ignore in 2023
Global transport is on the cusp of substantial changes driven by constant innovation in technology, the need to deliver more, a powerful surge in customer expectations, and pricing. In New …
Electrifying 8,500 Hilux and Landcruiser Models for Mining Industry
Press Release SEA Electric has made the next step in its journey to electrify the world’s commercial vehicle fleet, by signing a significant Memorandum of Understanding with MEVCO, a leading …
Midway officially opens wood fibre export plant
Tasmania’s sustainable forestry sector is going from strength-to-strength with the official opening Tasmania’s newest wood fibre export facility at the Bell Bay Industrial Complex last week. The facility, owned by …
Wahine in Forestry – Answers to a long standing challenge
The question of how to address the gender inequality that exists in our forest sector is not a new one, you only must read, “A Path Through The Trees”, the …
Awards return with accolades to industry winners
Good things take time and two and a half years since the inaugural event in 2019, the Hawke’s Bay Forestry Group celebrated with the local sector community the second forestry …
Death a reminder to keep an eye on field staff
A forestry services company has been ordered to pay NZ$536,000 for the death of a worker on a site near Wairoa in 2020. The victim, a 48-year-old father and husband, …
Waratah marks 50th anniversary
Waratah Forestry Equipment is celebrating 50 years of innovation within the forestry industry and thanking its customers for decades of trust and loyalty to the brand. “We’re proud to celebrate …
Brandt Tractor acquires AGrowQuip
The Brandt Group of Companies is pleased to announce that they have successfully acquired the assets of AGrowQuip NZ Ltd., effective January 30, 2023. This transaction ensures access to the …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 37
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. As 2022 comes to a close, it’s been a year where Covid-19 and disrupted supply chains have been replaced by a return to ‘normal’ …
Major log transport event planned for May 2023
In log transport, we continue to ramp up coverage of an array of new innovations in electric, hydrogen and diesel-hybrid powered vehicles, truck automation and platooning. Right now, there’s a …
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 …
Brandt to Acquire Agrowquip NZ
In New Zealand, the Brandt Group of Companies is pleased to announce that they have reached an agreement to acquire the assets of Agrowquip NZ Ltd. The acquisition combines the …
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 …
Expressions of Interest: Residues2Revenues 2023
Early expressions of interest to present at next year’s Residues2Revenues 2023 event are now been called for. This year saw record numbers of forestry, wood harvesting, timber products companies and wood residues extraction …
New debarker for Northport
C3 Limited and Pedersen Group are scheduled to install their new Debarker at Northport in early December 2022. Commissioning of the new Pedersen Group Debarker at Northport is planned for …
$40k raised for forestry mental health
More than NZ$40,000 was raised to lead a mental health initiative for forestry at a charity auction dinner held in Rotorua, New Zealand on 18 November. Brought together by the …
November 2022 NZ log market update
Opinion piece: Inflation is front and centre of everyone’s minds at present and is more than likely causing Grant Robertson many sleepless nights. One of his biggest worries (and he’s …
Natural gas versus hydrogen as a transport fuel
Many commercial fleet operators are thinking about transitioning their vehicles to hydrogen or natural gas engines. These fuels can be great ways to reduce emissions. Both fuel options present similarities …
Record shipments of Russian timber arriving via China
Timber from Russia has in recent years been sent through China for processing but since the Ukraine invasion by Russia, and the declaration of Russian timber as conflict timber, the …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 36
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. In log transport, we continue to cover an array of new innovations in electric, hydrogen and diesel-hybrid powered vehicles, truck automation and platooning. Right …
HiVision 2.0 camera system for forestry cranes launched
Hiab’s HiVision™ for forestry cranes uses external cameras to show the cranes surrounding. The operator sees the surroundings using virtual reality (VR) goggles inside the truck cabin. This improves productivity, …
Autonomous agricultural modular vehicle launched
Multi-use, modular platform Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) automates tree and vine crop tasks, starting with intelligent spraying Robotics Plus, a New Zealand-based agritech company, on 20 October launched its autonomous …
Celebrating long-term evergreen harvesting contract
In what must be one of the longest partnerships in NZ forestry, Safetree Certified Contractor Gamble Forest Harvesting celebrated 50 years working for City Forests in 2021. Safetree Toroawhi Richard …
Napier Port successfully trials prototype log grabs
On Friday 2 September, Napier Port’s senior crane operators safely and successfully loaded logs onto the Norse Mobile bulk cargo vessel using log grabs custom-designed and built for use on …
Rangatahi growing in forestry with iwi trust training
In New Zealand, a training initiative implemented by a central North Island iwi trust is taking rangatahi (youth) to new heights, three years since its launch. Rotomā No. 1 Incorporation’s …
Forest360 NZ log export market update
It would be nice to be reporting on a rebound in the export market on the basis of solid demand and improved overall global macro-economic factors, but that would be …
International softwood log trade declines 20%
Global trade of softwood logs plunged by 20% during the first half of 2022 y-o-y. Much of the decline was because of the Russian log export ban that came into …
Diesel-electric hybrid trucks for logging industry
If one guy can call his electric-car company Tesla, why not call theirs Edison, a couple of Merritt enrepreneurs figured. While the real-life Tesla and Edison, ground-breaking inventors, became fierce …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 35
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. After years of progress, electric heavy trucks are finally on the road in this part of the world. Australian log harvest and haulage company, …
Volvo marks series production on heavy-duty EVs
Swedish manufacturer Volvo Trucks is beginning series production of its heavy-duty electric models with global deliveries set to ramp up. And customers in Australia and New Zealand can expect to …
Fennell Forestry commissions world’s 2nd electric log truck
As a follow up to the local electric log truck story that we ran in the 9 September issue of Friday Offcuts, we’ve built in more information this week on …
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: …
Next generation harvesting head control
The Tigercat D7 control system combines a solid and field proven hardware and bucking control system with a Tigercat developed head control and user interface. The system offers powerful functionality, …
Forest360 NZ log export market update
Last month I made the comment that there was some light at the end of the tunnel in terms of increased export log prices, but we weren’t quite sure what …
Yamaha’s beefed-up unmanned helicopter can carry up to 50 kg
Yamaha recently announced that the company has further strengthened the functions and performance of the industrial-use unmanned helicopter FAZER R G2. Specifically, the transport & delivery services have been enhanced …
Super-fast 10-minute electric car charging
Despite the growing popularity of electric vehicles, many consumers still hesitate to make the switch. One reason is that it takes so much longer to power up an electric car …
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. …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 34
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. As part of the record turnout of forestry and wood harvesting companies at the recent Residues2Revenues 2022 event in New Zealand, the very latest …
Ponsse launches an electric forest machine
Ponsse and Epec are introducing the PONSSE EV1, an electric forest machine technology concept. While the forest machine will be commercially available later, Epec’s technology can already be used in …
OneFortyOne to export sawmill woodchips
OneFortyOne’s New Zealand’s Kaituna Sawmill and Marusumi Whangarei Co. Ltd, have signed an agreement to export wood chip to Japan with the first vessel expected to depart from Port Marlborough …
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 …
Leadership change at Tigercat
Tigercat founder Ken MacDonald takes on the role of president, Tigercat Industries. On August 2, 2022, Grant Somerville stepped away from his role as president of Tigercat Industries. The timing …
Pedersen Group unveils log debarking facility
A reliable, environmentally friendly, and sustainable alternative to methyl bromide. August 2021 saw the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announce revised regulations regarding the use of methyl bromide. Fumigation of logs …
Introducing the Tigercat 6900 Grinder
Tigercat officially has introduced the 6900 grinder, the first regular production offering in Tigercat’s material processing category. The 6900 is the first production grinder designed and built by Tigercat. The …
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 …
Worksafe: Close scrutiny or radical over-reach?
New Zealand workers are still being maimed and killed in huge numbers, but WorkSafe’s boss is ambitious to deliver change. Phil Parkes was trained as a regulator in the ways …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 33
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. First up, thanks to all of you who attended the Residues2Revenues 2022 event last week in Rotorua, New Zealand. An outstanding turnout (considering Covid …
Maersk to launch NZ coastal shipping service
Shipping giant Maersk is launching a dedicated New Zealand coastal service to help strengthen the supply chain and improve vessel schedule reliability. It’s the first time the company has offered …
Forest360 NZ log export market update
June is never a fun month in this game. We’re generally kidding ourselves that it’s going to be a dry winter or that we’ve had enough rain already and there …
World’s first electric log truck rolled out
SCA has, together with Scania, has developed the world’s first electric timber truck with a capacity of 80 tonnes. The world’s first electric timber truck with a capacity of 80 …
Fiona’s final forest safety blog
After seven great years this is my last Safetree blog. What an experience it’s been overseeing Safetree/FISC’s growth from a recommendation in the 2014 Independent Forestry Safety Review to an …
Heavy transport fleet de-carbonising with hydrogen
A new partnership is helping one of New Zealand’s largest heavy transport fleets decarbonise with hydrogen technology. New Zealand transport company H.W. Richardson (HWR) is partnering with Christchurch-based zero emissions …
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 …
Before chainsaws – hand felling monster trees
Before chainsaws were invented, the logging industry in the United States & Canada was a seriously challenging occupation and we are only talking about 125 years ago. In the Pacific …
Launch of two firsts for the NZ transport sector
New Zealand’s Energy and Resources Minister Dr Megan Woods celebrated the launch of two firsts for energy decarbonisation in the transport sector in New Zealand; an electric milk tanker and …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 32
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. First up this month is the release of a new online guide, The Ultimate Guide to Motorised Grapple Carriages for Mechanised Forestry Harvesting by …
Ponsse impacted by Ukraine conflict
Ponsse Plc is inviting its personnel to cooperation negotiations pursuant to the Act on Co-operation within Undertakings. The negotiations concern adaptations to the current situation. The needs for adaptations are …
Making full use of a Grapple Carriage
Motorised Grapple Carriages seem to have been around for ages and have revolutionised the way many steep forests are harvested around the world…….and yet, there is still some reluctance to …
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 …
An extra $4400 per trip: fuel price woes bite
Well-known veteran Australian outback truckie Steve Grahame says that while owner operators are already feeling the pinch of rising fuel costs – he believes the effects are likely to get …
Scania NZ welcomes first electric trucks
Scania New Zealand is putting two of its very first fully electric trucks on local roads and marks our country as the very first outside of Europe to have the …
No stopping 60-year logging industry veteran
One of nine brothers who, along with their father, were all involved in the log transport industry, Dave Siddle, 76, knows the roads that lead to the APM Mill at …
The CEO who gave up his salary
Alex Rodrigues, CEO of Embark Trucks, donated his 2022 salary and bonus to fund Little Robots. After a long career, many of us feel the need to help future generations …
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 …
New forestry dozer from Tigercat
Tigercat Industries develops purpose-built forestry dozer and launches new brand Tigercat Industries has developed a forestry dozer. The new TCi 920 will be making the rounds at several US forestry …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 31
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. This month we have several new product launches covered by Tigercat, Komatsu and John Deere. As you move into the forest, a number of …
NZ’s first Green Hydrogen refuelling site
Construction of New Zealand’s first high-capacity green hydrogen refuelling station has started in Palmerston North. The site, adjacent to Palmerston North Airport, is the first of four hydrogen refuelling stations …
MyKomatsu brings visual data to contractors
With Komatsu’s new digital hub, My Komatsu, contractors can get easy-to-interpret visual analyses of data collected from numerous sources displayed on easy-to-read dashboards. It’s designed to collect, visualize and monitor …
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 …
Tigercat develops forestry dozer and launches new brand
Tigercat Industries has developed a forestry dozer. The new TCi 920 will be making the rounds at several US forestry industry tradeshows this spring. The dozer will be branded under …
New harvester features intelligent boom control
John Deere is pleased to announce its latest operator assistance control feature, Intelligent Boom Control (IBC), for the 900 MH-Series Tracked Harvester. The development of this model is a result …
Transport company tackling driver fatigue
Dynes Transport are on a mission to save lives and livelihoods. They paired together smart technology solutions from Seeing Machines and EROAD, and reduced their risk of driver fatigue and …
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 …
Autonomous pruning: the future of forest management
With anticipated future innovations, this type of technology could be used to support bushfire risk management, improve the economic value of the nation’s timber resource, and overcome occupational health and …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 30
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. As previously highlighted, the Australian mining industry is leading the way in large vehicle automation and site-wide innovation. Small, continuous improvements can lead to …
Wood Energy New Zealand Partnership formed
A partnership between Pioneer Energy and Niagara Sawmilling Company Ltd in the lower South Island of New Zealand has been formed to meet the demands of the biomass market to …
Giant 180-tonne robot trucks are mining
As global demand soars, extractive industries are embracing automation. A mining outfit in Australia is making a big bet on big robots. Following a recent proof of concept at a …
Revised compensation package for WA forestry
The WA government has tried to ease the pain on forestry businesses affected by a logging ban by announcing a revised multi-million-dollar compensation package. ln September the government announced it …
Remsoft partners with ForestPHD
Remsoft has announced a new collaboration with Australian-based company ForestPHD, the developer of STICKS, to enable the use of forest machine data in Remsoft Forest IntelligenceTM solutions. The partnership will …
More details on Methyl Bromide & EDN decisions
In August 2021 a decision on the Reassessment of methyl bromide for fumigation of New Zealand logs was released by the EPA. This was followed more recently by the release …
Stirling Logging on building a good team
How can forestry companies look after their teams? See how Gisborne-based contractor Stirling Logging does it with things like top gear, hot food, smart targeting of bonuses and being a …
Forico improves harvest operations planning
With Forico’s implementation of cloud-based Remsoft Operations, planning pressures can be predicted 6-12 months in advance and the scheduling process is more efficient, taking 50% less time. Forico, Tasmania’s largest …
Swedish centipede forestry machine developed
A new type of forest machine is currently driving around the forests of Sweden. It combines a low-impact approach, increased productivity and an improved operator environment and is the result …
Tigercat enters yarder market
Tigercat Enters Yarding Niche with 180 – The new Tigercat 180 swing yarder is purpose built from the ground up. It combines the speed and stability of conventional yarders with …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 29
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. While electric vehicles are still a way off for the sector, technology is rapidly improving and there are numerous electric heavy vehicle trials underway …
Bush fire-fighting efforts – from 70 years ago
A couple of weeks ago we built in links to three extensive reports covering three major bush fires in Australia. Collectively they burnt over 120 million ha compiled and written …
Trial of new silviculture mentoring programme
Ten silviculture crews around New Zealand have completed a trial of a new mentoring programme developed by the Forest and Wood Processing Workforce Taskforce, with funding from the Forest Growers …
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 …
Pre-training prepares job seekers for forestry work
Nathan Fogden has 2,000 hectares of land to plant and prune in 2022 but not the staff to complete the work. “It’s a really competitive labour market these days,” says …
Stihl our top wood chopper
Top Axeman makes the cut for tilt at coveted 10th World Title – An emotional Jason Wynyard has cut his first step towards claiming a 10th world title by winning …
Challenges of switching to electric vehicles
This article appeared recently and puts into perspective some of the challenges being faced in switching from fossil fuels to electric vehicles. The range of new EVs available in this …
Waratah to offer Moipu products in Europe and Asia-Pacific
Waratah and Moisio Forest Oy, a Finland-based forest machine attachment and accessory manufacturer, have signed a co-operation agreement for sales, marketing and distribution of Moipu branded products. Waratah will begin …
Debris flow study indicates landslide risk
Marlborough District Council recently commissioned University of Canterbury researchers to map the North Marlborough area for river and stream catchments that may be susceptible to debris flows or debris floods, …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 28
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. Biofuel announcements on both sides of the Tasman continue to pop up – almost daily now. Better utilisation of forest residues has moved from …
Specialist wood fuel suggested by Genesis
Genesis Energy believes converting part of the Huntly power station to run on biofuel could be economic, but it will need a source of the specialist wood fuel needed to …
Car and truck carrier loads wood products
A vessel normally used to transport cars and trucks called at Northport this week to load approximately 5,000 cubic metres of triboard from the Juken Mill in Kaitaia. The m.v. …
John Deere introduces new full-tree simulator
John Deere has announced the release of the new and innovative Forestry Full-Tree Training Simulator. This development offers cost-effective and efficient operator training in a risk-free environment, all while avoiding …
C3 delivers industry-first grapple log loading innovation
C3 Limited, part of the broader LINX Cargo Care Group, has officially unveiled the new C3 Log Vessel Grapple (LVG) at the Port of Tauranga, a first in Australasia. Held …
Yes – big trees, they still exist
Murray Logging owner Andrew Murray said cutting the trees and getting them on a truck was laborious. They were cut from Manuka Gorge in Otago, NZ and were about 80 …
Addressing driver fatigue with technology
Dynes implements driver fatigue cameras across the whole fleet – Moving to the deep south, in a pioneering move, Dynes Transport has implemented driver fatigue cameras across its entire fleet. …
Improved log load securing project underway
As part of the FGR programme in Automation and Robotics, a project has commenced to develop a safe and efficient alternative load securing system in New Zealand for logging trucks. …
Monster Redwood from South Canterbury
This log is from a Sequoiadendron giganteum. The tree’s common name is either Giant sequoia or Sierra Redwood. It has also been given a nick name, “Wellingtonia” with history suggesting …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 27
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. …
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 …
Bridge over undisturbed waters
A Wairarapa-based forestry company are paving the way with stream crossing bridges that don’t disturb the waterway. Josh Blazek and Guy Farman of Farman Turkington Forestry came up with the …
ISO logs onto new technology
There’s some high-tech wizardry taking place as this ISO Limited log shuttle heads through the company’s log yard at Port Taranaki. We’re thrilled ISO is supporting the growing export log …
Mana Wahine on a mission
Learning with the Generation Programme has proved life-changing for 22-year-old Ariana Ngaronoa and she’s already lining up more study to pursue a career in forestry that she previously hadn’t considered. …
1st fully autonomous ship navigation system tested
The Nippon Foundation, Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co have successfully completed a demonstration test of the world’s first fully autonomous ship navigation systems on a large car ferry, conducted on the Iyonada …
New suite of forestry qualifications launched
As part of the NZQA-mandated five-yearly qualification review, the suite of New Zealand forestry qualifications spanning across forest harvesting and silviculture operations have been updated and officially launched. Coverage of …
First 80 tonne e-timber truck being developed
In another step towards a fossil-free society, SCA and Scania are together developing the first electric timber truck with a technical capability of up to 80 tonnes total weight. The …
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 …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 26
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. As 2021 comes to a close, it’s been a year where Covid-19 has once again dominated the headlines, disrupted supply chains and threatened business …
Dramatic rise of European logs into China
China imported 30% of its total volume of softwood logs from Europe in 2020 and2021, thus surpassing supply from Russia and North America. European softwood logs were practically non-existent at …
The mining industry joins the EV revolution
Historically there is little love lost between the mining industry and green groups. However, the two may now have some common ground in the pursuit of better EV technology and …
Volvo trials remote operation of forestry equipment
Volvo Construction Equipment says it is the first company in the world to trial a remote-controlled high-lift wheel loader over a 5G network in a complex forestry application – in …
Largest log vessel ever loaded in NZ
On 10 November Pacific Forest Products Ltd (PFP) completed the loading of the largest log vessel ever to load from Australasia. The Conrad Oldendorff was chartered by PFP’s subsidiary South …
NZ harvesting crews feeling the pinch
A dramatic drop in global log prices has impacted on operations in the East Coast region of New Zealand and some forestry crews face a lean Christmas until prices lift …
Major international forest engineering award presented
Dr Glen Murphy was presented with the International Forest Engineering Achievement Award at the 2021 Council on Forest Engineering (COFE) Conference held in September in Corvallis, Oregon. The award recognizes …
Komatsu introduces head for eucalypt harvesting
With its brand-new design, the Komatsu X164E has been specially developed to efficiently harvest eucalyptus. When developing this head, Komatsu Forest’s engineering team put aside all existing head designs for …
A world-first wireless system for advanced bucking
In a world full of cords, cables and wires, life without them is still mainly a vision. That, however, shouldn’t stop us from moving in the wireless direction. The fact …
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 …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 25
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. We’re pleased with the interest that’s being generated right now amongst forest owners and harvesting contractors in the Residues to Revenues 2022 event that …
Falcon flies on the slopes
If you need a clear demonstration of how safety conscious harvesting contractors have become in the past decade, the sale of the 150th Falcon Winch-Assist machine provides convincing evidence. It …
Nobel Island comes to Tasmania
The log carrier Noble Island, with a LOA of 199.9 metres and summer DWT of 61,115 tons made calls to Tasmania’s Burnie and Hobart ports in early October. The arrival …
Two pension funds acquire NZ forestry asset
Two European pension funds, APG Asset Management (APG) on behalf of its Dutch pension fund client ABP, and UK’s Pension Protection Fund (PPF), have agreed to purchase Sinotrans New Zealand …
Log exports to drop by more than a third
Major changes are looming for the New Zealand forestry sector as the deluge of raw log exports fades amid dwindling supplies and demands increase from the building industry and other …
Forestry Haulage Gap Analysis System receives funding
The Australian Forest Contractors Association’s (AFCA) Forestry Haulage Gap Analysis System will receive key funding through the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI), supported by the …
World’s 1st automatic woodchip discharging crane
Iknow Machinery, Nippon Paper Industries and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha have conducted a cargo handling trial of the world’s first automatic crane operation system, which was developed for wood-chip carriers …
Selecting productive logging machine operators
The Vienne Test System, followed by the use of simulators, results in productive operators being selected and their subsequent learning curve being quicker with less machine damage. Researchers used people …
Quebec trucker designs a hybrid forestry truck
Larry Bolduc has been a truck driver for more than 25 years and is now the head of the family business Transport Raoul Bolduc in Girardville, Que., in the Saguenay/Lac-St-Jean …
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 …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 24
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. We are pleased to announce the return of another FIEA event, Residues to Revenues 2022. This long overdue event will be showcasing innovations around …
AFCA General Manager steps down
The Australian Forest Contractors Association (AFCA) has announced that General Manager (GM) Stacey Gardiner had tendered her resignation on Friday of last week after six and half years in the …
Native forest logging in WA banned from 2024
Logging of native forests in Western Australia’s South West will be banned from 2024 thanks to a state government decision lauded by environmentalist groups. But the forestry industry lobby claims …
Largest vessel to load logs from New Zealand
A deal has been finalised that will soon see the largest vessel to ever call at New Zealand for the loading of logs. The deal between South Pacific Shipping (SPS) …
Hybrid trailer-log trucks: the move to electrification
It is no secret that electrification is the future. Over just a few years, electrification moved from being a concept to being a reality. And we’re not talking about cars …
Residues to Revenues 2022 event announced
For New Zealand and Australia, it’s been over 8 years since a wood residues programme has been run by FIEA showcasing new innovations around harvesting, bio-fuel handling and transport technologies. …
15.9% reduction in road costs for forestry company
There are massive pay offs when you think outside of the box! By adding PolyCom Stabilising Aid, TPMS cut the metal requirements by a massive 54.2% over their standard pavement …
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 …
Biofuel truck use damaging to the environment?
CEAC warns that use of trucks with biodiesel will cause far more damage to environment than using electric trucks, overseas studies have found that production of biofuels for use in …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 23
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. The latest Covid-19 outbreaks in Australia and New Zealand highlights a major difference in how both countries lockdown. While the Australian timber industry are …
Methyl bromide rules reset
A total ban on methyl bromide fumigation aboard ships in New Zealand is part of a comprehensive suite of new rules imposed by a Decision-making Committee of the Environmental Protection …
Australia’s first hydrogen-powered trucks
Hyzon Motors has signed a vehicle supply agreement with Australian industrial gases company Coregas to deliver two hydrogen fuel cell trucks. The Hyzon Hymax-450 prime movers should be delivered in …
Father and son graduate forestry course together
A father and son duo from Southland have shown there’s value in getting back to the books, even after four decades in the game. Bobby Baird and his 65-year-old father …
Impact of stress on wellbeing and productivity
Forestry researcher Trevor Best has written a summary of research he was involved in at Canterbury University on the impact of stress on the wellbeing of forestry workers, and how …
Canada invests in hybrid log trucks
As part of #EVWeekinCanada, a $1.7-million investment in FPInnovations was announced to develop and demonstrate hybrid diesel-electric forestry harvesting trucks and help green transportation in Canada’s forestry sector. FPInnovations will …
NZ container depots continue to struggle
COVID19 Lockdowns across New Zealand are expected to create further pressure on an already heavily disrupted shipping logistics. ContainerCo managing director Ken Harris said exporters and importers continue to take …
Komatsu NZ opens new South Island hub
Komatsu New Zealand’s new South Island Hub facility in Christchurch officially opened on 27 July 2021. The state-of-the-art facility, which was commissioned late mid-2020, offers greatly enhanced service and support …
Ponsse manufactures its 17,000th forest machine
The 17,000th PONSSE forest machine has rolled off the production line in Vieremä. The milestone machine, a PONSSE Elk built in mid-August, will start its career in the sure hands …
HarvestTECH News | Issue 22
Welcome to the latest issues of HarvestTECH.News. This month we highlight a number of stories on the rollout of some pretty innovative ‘next-generation’ technologies from around the world. Canada has now …
Electronic logging devices to combat driver fatigue
A new era in highway safety regulation begins in Canada as electronic logging devices that track a driver’s hours behind the wheel become mandatory in semi-trucks traveling between provinces. The …
Digital communications rolled out across forestry operations
A new digital radio system from Motorola Solutions and communications partner Central Radio Services (CRS) is helping New Zealand’s City Forests to work more safely and efficiently while complying with …
European charging network for electric trucks
Leading European commercial vehicle manufacturers have signed a non-binding agreement to install and operate a public charging network for battery electric, heavy-duty, long-haul trucks and coaches across Europe. The agreement …
Re-imagining the forest products supply chain
In the latest episode of FWPA’s WoodChat podcast series, listeners will hear about a research project that took an in-depth look at the various elements of Australia’s log and woodchip …
WorkSafe reminder on forest safety
(WorkSafe) Health and Safety Paramount On Forestry Sites. A tragic forestry fatality on the East Coast could have been avoided if industry guidance had simply been followed, says New Zealand’s …
NZ forest roading update to international audience
School of Forestry staff members Rien Visser and Campbell Harvey recently gave a presentation on “Forest Roads in NZ” to an international audience. The presentation includes an overview, details current …