Grant Somerville, the new President of Tigercat Industries Inc., has announced that Matt Roberts has been promoted to the position of sales manager, Europe and Russia. “My focus will include the continued development of distribution for sales and product support in the European, Scandinavian and Russian markets,” explains Matt. “With the ongoing expansion of our product offering for these primarily cut-to-length markets, we stand in a greater position than ever to offer forest harvesting professionals in these areas a durable and productive tool.”

Matt has been with the company for over nineteen years, most recently as marketing manager for the harvesting attachments product line and overseeing dealer development. Matt will continue to manage Tigercat’s dealer development activities worldwide, supporting the continuous improvement efforts of the Tigercat dealer network in order to better serve Tigercat customers around the world.

NZ structural log prices rise to 24-year high, A-grade export logs hit record – New Zealand structural log prices rose to the highest level in 24 years and A-grade export logs hit a record as local mills compete with the export market to secure supply for the domestic construction market amid strong demand from China.

The price for structural S1 logs increased to $130 a tonne this month, from $128 a tonne last month, marking the highest level since 1993, according to AgriHQ’s monthly survey of exporters, forest owners and saw millers. Export log prices lifted between $2-to-$5 a tonne for the majority of grades, with the price for A-Grade logs touching $128 a tonne, up from $127 a tonne last month and the highest level since AgriHQ began collecting the data in 2008.

New Zealand is experiencing strong demand for its logs from China, which has clamped down on the harvesting of its own forests and reduced tariffs on imported logs to meet demand in its local market. AgriHQ said Chinese demand for softwood logs remains strong, lifting back to record levels in the latest data for September with Chinese imports of New Zealand logs currently tracking 10 percent ahead of last year.

“Those trading in the domestic log market are continuing to receiver near-record returns and there’s nothing to signal that this situation will change anytime soon,” said AgriHQ analyst Reece Brick. “Looking forward, all prospects will be determined by the direction the export log market takes.”

Brick said wharf gate values climbed through October and early November and will likely hold high until the Chinese New Year period. Also known as the ‘spring festival’, the Chinese New Year falls on Feb. 16 next year, and the festival will last until March 2, about 15 days in total. As an official public holiday, Chinese people can get seven days’ absence from work, from Feb. 15 to 21.

“Beyond that point, it’s still a wait-and-see situation,” Brick said. He noted the latest situation and outlook report released by the Ministry of Primary Industries continues to shed a positive light on forestry’s prospects over the next two years.

“They predict strong Chinese interest in logs over the short-medium term, underpinned by its ban of commercial logging of natural forests, falling Russian log supplies, and a 2 percent reduction on its imported log tax.”

Brick said “the only proper negative” when it comes to the export market is shipping rates, which are rising faster than log values. However, this was being masked by a weaker New Zealand dollar, he said.

“There is still a level of uncertainty as to whether shipping rates have reached their peak or have a little more upswing to come,” Brick said. Still, he said “in terms of market fundamentals it is all still quite positive.”

Source: BusinessDesk via Scoop 

John Deere introduced Intelligent Boom Control for the 1270G harvester and the 8-wheeled 1170G harvester in June at the Elmia Wood trade fair. Now they are introducing a 6-wheeled model of the 1170G harvester as well as the smaller 1070G harvester. At the same time, IBC will be available also for the 1170G harvester.

Precise and smooth work with IBC
IBC is a unique boom control system developed by John Deere. It is not an automatically operating boom extension or damped valves; it is an intelligent control system with sensors that detect the positioning of the harvester head and algorithms that adjust the boom’s trajectory in one continuous, efficient motion. IBC also functions as a platform for new features that facilitate the customer’s work.

Intelligent Boom Control was introduced for John Deere forwarders in 2013. IBC for the 1270G harvester’s CH7 boom was introduced earlier this year, and now this unique feature is available also for the 1170G harvester’s CH6 boom.

With the harvester, IBC operation has been designed to suit the harvester’s work cycle. The boom’s trajectory and operation automatically adjust as the boom is taken to a tree and when the tree is in the harvester head. The operator doesn’t have to move the different sections of the boom individually.
IBC ensures precise operation and efficient practices. The boom’s electronic end damping makes for soft and smooth work, thereby reducing stress on the entire boom. IBC improves work ergonomics and guides the operator in the correct use of the boom, which is directly reflected in the machine’s increased productivity.

Caption:
The operator maneuvers the harvester head to the desired position and the system automatically adjusts the 1) lift, 2) slew, 3) extension and boom rotation trajectory for the optimal solution.

Design brings comfort to mid-sized G-series harvesters
The 1070G and 1170G models complementing John Deere’s G-Series line of harvesters share a totally new rear chassis and new placement of the engine, hydraulic oil and fuel tanks, and pumps.

In both models the engine has been turned 180 degrees, the hydraulic oil and fuel tanks, and pumps have been placed in front of the engine, and the fan at the rear of the machine. These changes make the cabin very quiet. At the same time, the machine’s rear has been lowered and the rear visibility has significantly improved.

John Deere 1170G meets logging challenges on soft terrain and slopes
The new John Deere 1170G harvester is available in 6- and 8-wheeled version. Updated with many improvements, the 6-wheeled model is a new version of the popular John Deere 1170E harvester. New options for the 6-wheeled model’s front frame are the 24.5- or 26.5-inch tires. The 8-wheeled 1170G is a real general purpose machine for thinnings and regeneration fellings, and for soft terrain and slopes.

The machine combines outstanding stability, low surface pressure, agile forwardmovement, climbing ability on slopes, and excellent productivity.

The bigger 190 cm3 work pump gives the machine more hydraulic power than before. The 1170G model’s CH6 boom is available with a 10-meter or an 11.3-meter reach, and the machine can be equipped with an H412, H413 or H414 harvester head. The weight of the 8-wheeled machine with the H412 harvester head and without tracks is about 19,500 kg, and the 6-wheeled machine with the H412 harvester head about 17,800 kg.

John Deere 1070G is the most agile machine for thinnings
The new John Deere 1070G harvester is ideal for thinning also in fragile terrain. Thanks to its compact, easy to maneuver frame, the machine can also operate in logging areas with dense growth, and the wide tires and balanced frame protect the terrain from damage.

The 1070G model’s 180S boom is available with an 8.6, 10, or 10.8-meter reach, and the machine can be equipped with an H412, H413 or H414 harvester head. The weight of the 6-wheeled machine with the H412 harvester head and without tracks is about 16,000 kg and the 4-wheeled version about 15,200 kg.

Adaptive Driveline Control
Adaptive Driveline Control is a unique standard feature in the G-Series harvesters. The system improves the machine’s drivability and productivity by automatically adjusting the engine’s RPMs to correspond with the engine load. High RPMs are used only when needed, so the machine’s average noise level is also reduced.

During high-load situations, the new Adaptive Driveline Control ensures that the diesel engine runs smoothly and efficiently uses the maximum tractive force available. The response of the drive pedal and frame steering has also been improved with smart electronic filtering.

New fuel efficient engine and easy daily maintenance
The mid-sized G-series harvesters are equipped with the John Deere 6068 engine, which is compliant with the latest Final Tier 4/Stage IV emissions regulations. The more powerful engine combined with the totally new control system make harvester work more precise and efficient and thus increases the machine’s productivity. The Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC), and the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) added to the exhaust gas treatment system and the related urea tank, familiar from our previous machines, ensure that our new engines meet emissions standards. The new engine technology has also significantly improved the fuel efficiency of the machines in relation to their productivity.

The daily servicing of the new machine models has been made quicker by making the engine oil dip stick, filling pipe and fuel filters more accessible. The liquid fill connectors have been conveniently placed in one location. The new placement of the batteries also facilitates servicing.

More straight forward machine control
All G-Series machines are equipped with the new MECA control modules, simple CAN busses and optimized electrical system to make the machine functions more efficient. The Processing Power Control (PPC) system adjusts the processing power and fuel economy to correspond with the logging work requirements. The system has three different power levels to choose from, and it anticipates the engine load and responds with the right power boost for that situation, thereby improving both productivity and fuel economy.

1170G
Engine – John Deere 6068, Final Tier 4 / Stage IV
Maximum power @ rpm 155 kW (208 hp) @ 1900
Torque @ rpm 978 Nm @ 1500
Power train – Tractive force, 8W: 160 kN, 6W: 150 kN
Work hydraulics – Pump capacity 190 cm3
Boom – John Deere CH6, Maximum reach 10/11.3 m
Lifting torque 165 kNm
Cabin – Rotating and levelling, or fixed
Harvester heads -John Deere H412, H413, H414
Measurements

6W
Length 7240 mm
Width with 650-Series tires 2720 mm
Ground clearance, at middle joint 580 mm
Weight with harvester head [H412] 17800 kg

8W
Length 7450 mm
Width with 650-Series tires 2720 mm
Ground clearance, at middle joint 580 mm
Weight with harvester head [H412] 19500 kg

1070G
Engine – John Deere 6068, Final Tier 4 / Stage IV
Maximum power @ rpm 135.5 kW (208 hp) @ 1900
Torque @ rpm 850 Nm @ 1500
Power train – Tractive force 130 kN
Work hydraulics – Pump capacity 160 cm3
Boom – John Deere CH6, Maximum reach 8.6/10/10.8 m
Lifting torque – 143 kNm
Cabin – Rotating and levelling, or fixed
Harvester heads – John Deere H412, H413, H414
Measurements

4W
Length 6500 mm
Width with 600-Series tires 2600 mm
Weight with harvester head [H412] 15200 kg

6W
Length 6990 mm
Width with 600-Series tires 2660 mm
Weight with harvester head [H412] 16000 kg

Further information:
Elina Suuriniemi
John Deere Forestry Oy
Tel. +358 400 466 476
SuuriniemiElina@JohnDeere.com

Australia’s battered forestry sector and timber industry is finally starting to emerge from the financial wilderness it was cast into nearly a decade ago following the spectacular collapse of managed investment scheme timber plantation companies such as Gunns, Timbercorp and Great Southern. New figures released by the federal government show the timber industry has enjoyed four years of consecutive growth, with the value of wood product exports growing 9 per cent in 2016-17 to AU$3.4 billion.

Nowhere is the change more evident than in the AU$1.1bn woodchip sector, once the favoured target of environmental groups such as the Wilderness Society because of the perception pristine old-growth forests in places like Tasmania were being pillaged to supply woodchips to Japan to be made into toilet paper and nappies. These days, the woodchip sector is fast becoming an unlikely paragon of the new green economy, with the potential to play a major role in carbon sequestration, farm viability and the generation of renewable energy from biomass.

Over the past five years, it has transformed itself on the back of vast, fast-maturing blue gum MIS (managed investment scheme) plantations across Tasmania, South Australia and Victoria into an environmentally acceptable industry no longer reliant on the logging of native forests.

Tony Price, chief executive of newly listed company Midway, Australia’s largest woodchip processor and exporter, admits it has been a long and bumpy ride and many companies have not survived. “It’s been tough. We had the GFC, the collapse and chaos of MIS, a glut of blue gum and a high Australian dollar — a perfect storm that has resulted in most of the industry not being here any more,” said Mr Price, a veteran of the forestry sector.

“But now we are experiencing an industry resurgence as demand for wood products — and woodchips particularly — grows and supply shrinks. These days it’s all about being sustainable, having a certified product and making sure you have a social licence to operate in the long term.” Midway, which owns wood processing facilities and loading wharves at Geelong, Portland and Brisbane ports, floated on the ASX last December with its majority owners, the Gunnersen and McCormack families, retaining a 55 per cent stake.

Mr Price, a former Australian Bluegum Plantations boss and ex-Rio Tinto executive, said the company now had a market capitalisation of about AU$180m, seven major customers in Japan and China, and was exporting three million tonnes of woodchips annually. More than 90 per cent of Midway’s shipments are of woodchips from blue gums grown mainly in former MIS plantations spread across Victorian, SA and Tasmania farmland, with the chips derived from thinned trees or smaller trunks after more valuable hardwood sawlogs have been extracted.

Mr Price said end users in China — which last year bought 62 per cent of Australia’s woodchip stacks — were looking for a sustainable supply chain of plantation-certified woodchips, with healthy prices now hovering around $US152 a tonne for single species Eucalyptus globulus (Tasmanian blue gum).

Source: The Australian

Forestry Corporation is Australia’s largest softwood plantation manager producing enough timber each year to construct a quarter of the houses built in Australia.

The Softwood Plantations Division alone oversees timber production from over 200,000 hectares of pine plantations in NSW. Forestry Corporation is pleased to announce and welcomes the new head of this division, Mike Beardsell.

Mike has held senior roles in the forestry and a broad range of natural resources industries including heading up the North Pine Products business in Tasmania, Operations Manager of the Peak Hill Gold Mine in West Australia, Treasurer of the Iron Ore Company of Canada and CEO of North Forest Products.

In Mike’s most recent role he was Executive General Manager of Boral’s Cement Division with operations across Australia and in South East Asia.

Photo: Mike Beardsell & Nick Roberts, FCNSW

Electric trucks are having a moment in the spotlight, but they won’t replace diesel-powered trucks in big numbers until they overcome costs and other limitations.

Tesla Inc. unveil a semitractor-trailer last week, its first foray into trucking after more than a decade of making cars and SUVs. German automaker Daimler AG showed off its own electric semi last month and says it could be on sale in a few years. Truck rental company Ryder just added 125 all-electric vans made by California startup Chanje to its fleet.

“It’s kind of like the checkered flag is being waved,” said Glen Kedzie, energy and environmental counsel with the American Trucking Associations. “We’ve seen different fuels come and go, and electric has gotten to the front of the line.”

As battery costs fall and more options enter the market, global sales of pure electric trucks are expected to grow exponentially, from 4,100 in 2016 to 70,600 in 2026, according to Navigant Research. Delivery companies, mail services and utilities will be among the biggest purchasers, and most of the growth will come from Europe, China and the U.S.

Most electric trucks on the road will be medium-duty vehicles like delivery vans or garbage trucks. They’re quiet and emission-free, and they can be plugged in and charged at the end of a shift. They’re ideal for predictable urban routes of 100 miles or less; a longer range than that requires more batteries, which are heavy and expensive.

One issue: Cost. A medium-duty electric truck costs about $70,000 more than equivalent diesel trucks, according to the consulting firm Deloitte. Buyers considering electrics have to weigh what they can save on fuel and maintenance costs, since electrics have fewer parts.

Heavy-duty trucks like electric semis have even further to go before they can be competitive with diesels. Some of those trucks are used for shorter routes, but to achieve a longer range of 300 miles, they require more batteries.

Deloitte estimates electrification adds around $150,000 to the cost of a heavy-duty vehicle, or more than double the cost of some diesel tractor-trailers. Electric semi-trucks will have the added problem of long charging times and little highway charging infrastructure.

“I see it being relevant but not ready for prime time,” Chanje CEO Bryan Hansel said of long-haul electric trucks. He thinks it will be five years or more before the battery technology and infrastructure can support cross-country electric trucking. “It’s a big prize, but the physics haven’t caught up yet,” he said.

But analysts believe that will change. Battery costs are expected to fall significantly over the next decade as technology improves. Deloitte expects battery costs for trucks to fall from $260 per kilowatt-hour in 2016 to $122 in 2026. That would cut the cost of a 300kWh battery pack — like the one in Daimler’s prototype semi —from $78,000 to $36,600.

The winch assist developed by Ecoforst has been used with a Logset in South America.

Slopes are challenging within the forest industry, as forest machines are heavy and may damage the ground surface. However, there have been constant advances in forest machine technology, and solutions currently exist for extracting timber on steep slopes. Logset indicates that if the machine works daily on sleep slopes, an independent whinch is sometimes preferred. The TWinch solution was used with Logset’s largest forwarder, the Logset 12F GT in South America, with impressive results.

Logset indicates that the T-Winch makes the machine more versatile, because the cable can be either attached to the front or rear of the chassis. The T-Winch can also easily be transferred to another pulling spot by remote control. Logset delivered the 12F GT forwarders with clambunk configuration to Biofor in Chile in mid-2016. On steep slopes, the weight distribution between the eight wheels is uneven and therefore the T-Winch can assist. The synchronized T-Winch is automatically connected to the operating machine through radio control. For example, if the driver of the machine stops, the T-Winch also stops. Therefore, the cable always remains tight and secure.

The Logset 12F GT forwarder has a tractive effort of 250 kN. Combined with the T- Winch’s pulling power, the machine operator has 350 kN of tractive power available. The 12F GT combo can operate safely on a regular 45 % slope. On a few occasions, the 12F GTs were performing on 80 % slopes. This winch option is really recommended if you constantly need to forward or skid on slopes and are looking for maximum efficiency. Because the T-Winch assistant has its own engine, it doesn’t take power from the operating machine.

Rottne Industri AB has recently signed a retailer agreement with the Argentine company Inderfor. The agreement means that, for the first time, Rottne Industri enters the South American continent.

“We think Argentina provides an excellent good gateway to the South American market. Inderfor is a company with both great commitment and extensive industrial experience – the fact is that the first machine has already been contracted”, says Tobias Johansson, CEO of Rottne Industri AB.

Inderfor has been active in Argentina for over 20 years, and works in the forestry industry with different brands and products, some of which come from Scandinavia. With Rottne’s range of equipment and machinery, the offer increases significantly, even though the company will start with a limited range of forwarders. Inderfor has a large customer base in Northeast Argentina, and also in southern Brazil as well as in northern Uruguay.

“We are both happy and proud to be Rottne’s first dealer in South America. Our companies share the same values in which we both want to deliver reliable machines and offer knowledgeable and accessible service,” says Darío Rodríguez, CEO and owner of Inderfor.

The first forestry machine that Rottne will deliver to Inderfor is the Rottne F15D forwarder. The Rottne F15D is well adapted to conditions in Argentina, when a lot of doubled-up shorter-length timber is processed, in combination with the Rottne F15D being a well-proven machine in this field.

“The agreement with Inderfor comes as at extremely timely juncture, as Argentina recently introduced new customs rules for forwarders. Customs duty has recently been reduced from 35 per cent to two per cent, which we believe will provide the launch market with good potential”, concludes Tobias Johansson.

In response to the devastating wildfires that have raged across California over the course of the past year, Congressman Tony Cárdenas has introduced an amendment to promote wildfire management innovation. The amendment allows the federal government to explore the use of drones in fire response and forest management and was adopted unanimously and passed in the House.

“Wildfires continue to grow in intensity and frequency, and we want to ensure that we are using all available tools to prevent and contain them,” said Rep. Cárdenas. “While I have concerns about the underlying bill, progress is being made by adopting amendments like mine that promote much needed innovation in wildfire management. This amendment explores the use of drones to fight wildfires and manage forests. It will help add another tool to the toolkit in protecting American lives, homes, property, businesses, wildlife and forests from devastating wildfires.”

In October alone, wildfires in California killed 42 people, burned over 240,000 acres and destroyed an estimated 8,900 structures. When these fires are finally put out, they leave in their wake thick smoke, toxic ash and debris that pose long lasting risks to our health and environment.

Rep. Cárdenas’s amendment requires the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study evaluating the feasibility, safety and cost effectiveness of using unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, for the purposes of wildfire response and forest management. The amendment was unanimously adopted into H.R. 2936, the Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2017.

Source: Congressman Tony Cardenas

For the last 30 years, Autolog has been offering expertise, know-how and solutions to the wood transformation industry for large corporations and/or entrepreneurs around the world.

Created in 1987,their first commercial offerings were supplying industrial controls such as lumber and log sorters. Over the years, they have continuously added products to their existing line-up and rapidly became recognized worldwide as pioneers offering solutions in optimization, automation and vision.

Who are they today? They have a team of 100+ professionals, made up of specialists representing the best in their field of expertise. They live by three principles: Quality, Technology and Customer Experience.

Each of these key elements precisely define who they are and how they conduct business.

As a leader in vision, optimization and automation, Autolog will continue to build on its reputation for innovative solutions, quality products and unparalleled customer experience, for many more years to come.

Read more visit www.autolog.com/en/who-we-are.html