Tigercat has announced that Kristofer Larsson based in Gävle, Sweden has taken on the role of sales specialist for Tigercat AB. He will be covering the mid-region of the country. Kristofer has a technical background — a degree in pulp mill process technology and several years experience as a heavy equipment technician.

Most recently he was employed by Swedish harvesting head manufacturer, SP Maskiner AB, giving Kristofer a strong understanding of cut-to-length harvesting systems and the Swedish forestry equipment market.

“The Tigercat team is made up of awesome people who are designing and building great quality products,” says Kristofer. “I am looking forward to doing my best to further strengthen and develop Tigercat’s position in my own home market.”

Contact information for Kristofer:
Mobile: 0703012540
email: klarsson@tigercat.se

Tigercat has announced that Waldir Kelcheski has joined the Tigercat product support team in the position of South America factory representative. Based in Tres Barras, Santa Catarina, Brazil Waldir will focus on providing after sale technical and commercial support to Tigercat’s growing customer base in South America.

In the position, Waldir will provide infield technical support to the Tigercat dealer network and assist Tigercat engineering with technical issues, product improvement and new product development.

Waldir has eighteen years experience working in the forestry industry in a technical support capacity. He has worked for such companies as John Deere Forestry, Latin Equipment do Brazil and most recently Waratah.

At Waratah, Waldir supported the marketing and sales department, performed new machine start-ups and provided technical support and operator training. Waldir is fluent in Portuguese, English and Spanish and is currently pursuing an MBA in Corporate Strategic Management.

Wood products company Setra is investing in a new trim saw with integrated planing machine at its mill in Hasselfors. The investment is expected to deliver major efficiency gains and help to strengthen Setra’s position in the global construction market.

Setra’s Board has decided to invest in a new trim saw with integrated planing machine at Hasselfors sawmill. The new investment, amounting to SEK 300 million, is expected to deliver major efficiency gains and forms an integral part of Setra’s strategy to increase the proportion of finished products in response to the growing demand in the global construction market.

“This investment will allow us to boost our competitiveness and sharpen up our offer to customers in Sweden, the rest of Europe and, not least, markets outside Europe. The investment will also mean greater flexibility and better service for existing and new customers alike,” says Olle Berg, Market Director at Setra.

With the new facility in place, the mill in Hasselfors is expected to produce 320,000 m3 of wood products. Planed products will make up around two thirds of overall production.

“This is a major step in our Hasselfors mill’s continued development. The new trim saw and planing machine will enable us to significantly improve the efficiency of our current operation. We’ll be able to expand and enhance our product portfolio and better meet our customers’ wishes, which is something we’re really looking forward to,” explains Jonas Fintling, Mill Manager at Setra Hasselfors.

Lovisa Krebs
Communication Manager
+46 8 705 03 17
lovisa.krebs@setragroup.com

Setra is one of Sweden’s largest wood products companies. We process raw material from responsibly managed forests and offer climate-friendly products and solutions for building and living in a global market. The Group has approximately 800 employees and annual sales of approximately SEK 4 billion. Exports to Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and Asia account for about 60% of sales. Read more at www.setragroup.com.

Setra is one of Sweden’s largest wood products companies.

CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc. (NYSE: CTT) announced this month an agreement to acquire 14,923 acres of prime timberlands near the southeast coast of Georgia for $43.3 million, excluding closing costs. The to-be-acquired timberlands in Long and McIntosh counties, the Coastal Georgia Acquisition, will expand CatchMark’s positioning in one of the most competitive wood baskets of the U.S. South, increasing its regional holdings by 36%. Closing of the Coastal Georgia transaction is expected by the end of the year.

Jerry Barag, CatchMark’s President and CEO, said: “This acquisition will not only provide synergies in pricing power, haul distances, and management, but also will meet CatchMark’s objectives for continuing to establish the highest quality timberland portfolio in the industry. In particular, we will benefit from the enhanced merchantability of our harvests to a significant number of local mill customers within a 60-mile radius and a favorable supply agreement. Most importantly, the superior stocking and premier growing conditions on these plantations also meet our criteria and targets for producing durable earnings for our shareholders.”

The Coastal Georgia Acquisition includes 72% pine plantations with stocking of 81 tons per acre. Approximately 92% of the inventory volume is pine and 65% of the inventory volume is chip-n-saw or sawtimber. The transaction’s harvest productivity is expected to be 7.6 tons per acre per year, adding approximately 110,000 tons per year to CatchMark’s harvest over the next decade.

CatchMark  also announced that earlier this month the company closed on the purchase of 4,641 acres of premier timberlands located in southeastern South Carolina (Colleton County)—the Carolina Midlands V Acquisition—for $10.9 million, exclusive of closing costs. Carolina Midlands V comprises high-quality, heavily-stocked southern pine timberlands close to strong coastal mill and export markets. Based on current estimates, the Carolina Midlands V tracts contain approximately 224,000 tons of merchantable timber, comprised of 94% pine plantations or convertible natural pine stands by acreage and 65% chip-n-saw or sawtimber by tons.

Barag said: “Carolina Midlands V adds extremely high-quality sites to our existing South Carolina timberlands with the acquisition’s stocking averaging 47 tons per acre.  Again, this transaction meets CatchMark’s stringent criteria for building the highest quality timberlands portfolio in the industry.”

The Carolina Midlands V transaction was funded through CatchMark’s multi-draw term credit facility.

About CatchMark
CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc. (NYSE: CTT) is a self-administered and self-managed, publicly-traded REIT that strives to deliver superior risk-adjusted returns for all stakeholders through disciplined acquisitions, sustainable harvests and well-timed sales. Headquartered in Atlanta and focused exclusively on timberland ownership, CatchMark began operations in 2007 and owns interests in approximately 502,600 acres* of timberland located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. For more information, visit www.catchmark.com.

For further information:
Investors: Brian Davis
(855) 858-9794
info@catchmark.com
Media: Mary Beth Ryan
Miller Ryan LLC
(203) 268-0158
marybeth@millerryanllc.com

Notified area of final felling slightly increased in September in Northern Sweden for the first time this year. While in Southern Sweden notified area of final felling increased at a faster pace, reports the Swedish Forest Agency.

The total notified area of final felling rose by 17%, or 4,324 hectares in September compared with the corresponding month last year. In total, 29,261 hectares were notified area of final felling in September, which is an increase of 21% compared to August this year.

On the county level, notified area of final felling increased in 16 of 21 counties. On the regional level, notified area of final felling increased in all regions. Northern Norrland (Norra Norrland) +15%, Southern Norrland (Södra Norrland) +12 %, Central Sweden (Svealand) +15% and Southern Sweden (Götaland) + 28%.

When comparing 2017 and 2016 it has so far, this year 4% more notified area of final felling in the first nine months

LP Building Products launches LP Legacy™, APA rated with the highest bending stiffness and as one of the strongest sub-floor panels in the industry.

Packed with more resin, wax, and wood strands and made with Gorilla Glue Technology™, LP Legacy engineered sub-floor boasts superior moisture resistance that prevents edge swell. As a result, LP Legacy carries a class-leading “Covered Until It’s Covered” no-sand warranty, as well as a Lifetime Limited Warranty that lasts as long as the home.

Each wood strand in LP Legacy panels is coated with resins using Gorilla Glue Technology to ensure maximum moisture resistance. The resins bond wood fibers at the molecular level for premium performance.

Along with its moisture resistance, LP Legacy sub-flooring’s strength, stiffness, and density translate into exceptional fastener holding and a solid feel underfoot.

Louisiana-Pacific Corporation is a leading manufacturer of quality engineered wood building materials including OSB, structural framing products, and exterior siding for use in residential, industrial and light commercial construction.

Kastamonu started supplies of laminated flooring from Russia to China. Kastamonu has shipped a batch of laminated flooring produced at its plant in the Alabuga SEZ (special economic zone), Tatarstan, Russia, by railway containers.

Products by Kastamonu are already exported to the markets of Central Asia, the Baltic states, the Balkans and South Caucasus, as well as to the Republic of Belarus and Moldova.

The designed capacity of laminate production is 35 million m2, and the company is planning to reach this capacity in 2018. Also, after the launch of the second production line in 2016, the production capacity of MDF/HDF boards exceeded 1 million m3 per year.

“Following the approved development strategy, we continue not only to ramp up production, but also to systematically extend the export geography,” noted Ali Kılıç, General Director of the Kastamonu plant in Russia. “Now, even despite the decrease in the Russian laminate market, the situation is very favourable.

Suppliers from Europe and China do not meet competition in terms of the price/quality ratio, and our products enjoy increased demand outside Russia. Even such a specific laminate market full of local manufactures as the Chinese market, became accessible for us.”

Kastamonu is one of the top 5 largest companies in the wood processing industry in Europe. The company specializes in the production of MDF wood boards, particleboard, laminate flooring, door linings and furniture panels.

• TowerBrook plans future investments to further expand the mill’s capacities
• Jörg Harbring continues as Managing Director – the ownership change will not affect the employees
• In 2011 Schweighofer Group acquired unprofitable pulp mill in Hallein – invested more than EUR 60 million, thus securing 250 jobs and creating a profitable company with future growth potential
• The Schweighofer Group enhances its focus on its core business of wood processing

The Schweighofer Group, one of Europe’s leading timber processing companies, focuses on its core business of wood processing and sells its subsidiary Schweighofer Fiber GmbH in Hallein, Austria. The closing of the transaction was on 12 September 2017. The company specialising in the production of viscose pulp is listed amongst the most profitable of the “Top 250” companies in Austria.

Schweighofer Fiber was acquired by TowerBrook Capital Partners, a company focusing on investing in medium-sized enterprises with future-oriented products. Jörg Harbring, who has served as the company’s Managing Director since 2004, will remain in his position and stands for the company’s continued development.

Internationally successful pulp dissolving mill The Schweighofer Group acquired the then unprofitable paper pulp mill in 2011. Following the clear strategic aim of developing an internationally successful dissolving pulp plant, Schweighofer invested a total of EUR 60 million to enable the production of viscose pulp. The new products were first sold at the beginning of 2013. Under the guidance of the Schweighofer Group, Schweighofer Fiber GmbH quickly managed its turnaround, securing 250 jobs. Today Schweighofer Fiber GmbH is among the most profitable 250 companies in Austria. The main market for viscose pulp is Asia where the products manufactured from local spruce in Hallein are heavily sought after.

Success story Hallein Gerald Schweighofer: “The pulp dissolving mill in Hallein is a success story in every aspect. We acquired the mill when it was in a difficult situation. Due to substantial investments we were able to render the mill profitable, thus securing the site and its employees. By doing so, we have clearly demonstrated our principle of combining economic, social and ecologic responsibility. The decision to sell this profitable production site is purely strategic: We will focus entirely on our core business of wood processing while resting assured that the plant in Hallein is well taken care of”.

Background information:
Viscose pulp dissolving mill Hallein: 1890
Founding of the cellulose factory “The Kellner-Partington Paper Pulp Co. Ltd.“

1917 – 1979       Norwegian era under the ownership of BORREGAARD

1979 – 1995       Hallein Papier AG under the ownership of the German PWA and the Austrian Länderbank

1995 – 1999       PWA taken over by the Swedish SCA and operative incorporation of the plant into SCA FINE PAPER

1999 – 2000       Refounding of MODO PAPER AB with the fine paper divisions of the Swedish groups SCA and MoDo

2000      Modo Paper AB sold to the Finnish group METSÄ-SERLA and plant incorporated into the “Industrial printing paper” division

2001      Name changes to M-real Corporation and M-real Hallein AG

2009      Paper production suspended

2011      Sale of the company to the Schweighofer Group

2012 – 2013        Conversion of the pulp mill to enable production of viscose

Employees: 240 employees
Plant size: 32 ha
Revenues 2016: EUR 143 mn
Investments 2012/2013: EUR 60 mn Pulp
Dissolving capacity: 150,000 tons p.a.
Wood consumption for pulp production: 900,000 cbm

Schweighofer Group The Schweighofer Group has its roots in a traditional Austrian family company with over 400 years of experience in wood processing. Today, the Group is primarily active in the wood processing industry but also in dissolving pulp production, forest management, bioenergy production and real estate. The industry division of the Schweighofer Group operates three sawmills and two wooden panel productions in Romania, one saw mill in Germany and a dissolving pulp production in Austria. It takes a leading role in the European timber-processing industry, currently employing around 3,500 employees. Holzindustrie Schweighofer exports products to over 70 countries worldwide

For further information please contact:
Thomas Huemer Head of Corporate Communications
Tel: +43 1 585 68 62 -24
E-mail: thomas.huemer@schweighofer.at

A multiannual project developed by the Association of Forest Administrators (AFA) and the “Ștefan cel Mare” University of Suceava with the support of Holzindustrie Schweighofer:

•7 years of planting and aftercare (from 2017 to 2024)
•One million trees to be planted
•Over one million euros invested
•The first planting operation will take place in November 2017
•An initiative open to private & community forest owners, and to the general public

The Association of Forest Administrators (AFA) and ”Ștefan cel Mare” University of Suceava, with the support of Holzindustrie Schweighofer, will help private and community forest owners regenerate degraded forest surfaces all over Romania in the next 7 years. Tomorrow`s Forest replanting project will have a strong positive impact on local communities actively involved in it, by substantially contributing to the conservation of forest resources, to the prevention of erosion, landslides and floods in the respective areas.

Tomorrow’s Forest responds to an urgent need for reforestation on private or local administrations’ properties. Forest lands were restituted in several stages and various situations have led to forest degradation in some cases. Subsidies are in place for afforestation of degraded agricultural land but not for replanting on such areas.

AAP will manage the replanting and aftercare works and University of Suceava will support the selection and replanting process on a scientific basis. Holzindustrie Schweighofer will provide project management, funding, volunteers, community outreach, and the educational component of the project and will contribute over 1 million euro for the flawless implementation of the project.

The replanting project is open to any private forest owner and village/city hall. Proposals can be submitted via www.padureademaine.ro, a platform where potential applicants and any stakeholders can find detailed information, the methodology and progress.

Replanting in forests administered by private forest management units takes place on about four thousand hectares each year. We’re launching Tomorrow`s Forest to address particular situations encountered in our activity, where forest owners, for various reasons, lack the capacity to regenerate their forests. – Dorel Fechete, Executive Director of AAP

I believe that if we want to change something and it is in our power to do so, not only we should do it, we have to do it. This is what responsibility is about and we have to start somewhere. What better start than planting seedlings, new lives that will shape future forests. It is our duty towards today’s forest and tomorrow’s generation. – Ciprian Palaghianu, Project Director from the “Ștefan cel Mare” University of Suceava, Forestry Faculty.

We need to replant now so that future generations get the environmental, social and economic benefits from those forests that will take decades to mature. Tomorrow’s Forest will cover all Romanian regions and planting will be done in order to restore natural forest vegetation in the selected areas. – said Ionuț Apostol, project manager.

We are committed to sustainable forestry in Romania and therefore actively support Tomorrow`s Forest, as a project that will help degraded land become forests again – says Dan Bănacu, General Manager, Holzindustrie Schweighofer Romania.

Replanting will take place in spring and/or autumn each year depending on locations, species an weather conditions while aftercare operations will continue for several years in all selected locations.

AAP background information
AAP is a non-governmental, apolitical, non-profit organization, the professional association of the forest administrators. The association was established in 2004 and it was granted public utility status in 2015. The members of the association are 104 private forest management units. The forest districts in the Association manage 1.5 million hectares of forest fund, property of local administrations (64%), legal persons (30%) and individuals (6%).

The “Stefan cel Mare” University of Suceava background information
The Forestry Faculty at the Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava has forestry science and research as its main fields of activity. The institution prepares forestry engineers for forest management, wood exploitation and transportation, primary industrialization and wood harvesting. The Forestry Faculty in Suceava is very active in scientific research and it develops numerous research projects on a national and European level, acting as a founding member of the European Forest Institute’s Regional Center for Central and Eastern Europe

Holzindustrie Schweighofer background information
The Schweighofer Group has its roots in a traditional Austrian family company with over 400 years of experience in wood processing. Today, the Group is primarily active in the wood processing industry, forest management, energy production from biomass and real estate. The industry division of the Schweighofer Group operates three sawmills and two wooden panel productions in Romania and a saw mill in Germany. It takes a leading role in the European timber-processing industry, currently employing around 3,500 employees. Holzindustrie Schweighofer exports products to over 70 countries worldwide.

For further information, please contact:
Ionuț Apostol, Project Manager
T: +40 372 422 717
M: +40 729 440 999
contact@padureademaine.ro

Building machinery maker Komatsu will bring its “smart” construction know-how into forestry operations, harnessing both drones and information and communication technology-equipped logging machines to improve efficiency by about 10 times.

Verification testing on the so-called “smart forestry” concept has recently started in central Japanese prefecture of Ishikawa. Images of a forest taken in 3-D by a drone will help analyze the concentration of trees, as well as their height and locations. While managing the terrain and machinery data via the cloud, Komatsu’s harvester — a hydraulic excavator with logging and delimbing functions — will be deployed to fell trees.

The mechanization of surveying and logging operations that have hitherto been done manually will contribute to labour saving. In the past, it took a day to survey a hectare of land, a task that involved four to five workers. A drone could finish the same process in half a day, and only one worker — who will control the vehicle — would be needed.

The logging process, which now requires more than 10 workers, would only need one worker under the smart forestry concept, meaning the new system would boost the efficiency of each task by around 10 times.

Komatsu is working to put the system into practical application as early as possible because: “Even though many manmade forests reach the perfect time for timber harvest, logging often does not proceed due to the labour shortage in Japan,” said Kiyoshi Mizuhara, a Komatsu senior executive officer.

In Europe, which pioneered the mechanisation of forestry operations, Komatsu will bolster the ICT functions for forestry machinery. The company plans to expand the productivity improvement services and maintenance contracts for forestry companies using the MaxiFleet service which manages data on machine’s operational status.

Source: asia.nikkei.com