John Deere Power Systems and Liebherr Machines Bulle SA announced Feb 8 they have entered into an agreement to jointly evaluate engine technologies, designs, and development processes that may be useful for developing and producing future power needs of each company. The two companies have indicated that the collaboration will be targeted towards specific horsepower and displacement ranges.

“John Deere Power Systems and Liebherr are both world-class engine designers and manufacturers who have a long history of successful interactions with each other,” said Mike Weinert, John Deere Power Systems vice president responsible for engine engineering and manufacturing. “Because of the capabilities each brings, and the long standing, positive working relationship, it makes sense for our two companies to join technical efforts in areas of engine technology and architectures, component sourcing strategies, and best practices related to engine development and manufacture.”

“Markets and customer needs are always evolving, meaning the engines that our respective companies need must also change” said Rudolf Ellensohn, as managing director at Liebherr Machines Bulle SA responsible for the business unit diesel engines. “This collaboration between John Deere Power Systems and Liebherr enables the two companies to gain leverage in numerous areas such as pooling engineering resources, tooling costs, and supplier development.”

Both partners also indicated they expected the collaboration to accelerate the time from engine concept to first production on any particular engine project.

John Deere Power Systems and Liebherr produce engines for powering John Deere and Liebherr equipment, as well as machines manufactured by other equipment manufacturers. Potential engine(s), and other output associated with this collaboration are not being detailed at this time; separate announcements are expected to occur, as appropriate.

About John Deere Power Systems

John Deere Power Systems manufactures engines and drivetrain components for John Deere branded vehicles as well as manufactures industrial, marine, and generator drive diesel engines, and drivetrain components for other original equipment managers for use in a variety of off-highway applications. For more information, visit John Deere Power Systems at www.JohnDeere.com/jdpower.

About Liebherr

Founded in 1949, Liebherr is not only one of the world’s largest manufacturers of construction machinery, but also an expert and market leader in many other industries. The company’s eleven divisions cover numerous industry segments, including mining, high-performance cranes, concrete technology, machine tools and automation systems, aerospace and transportation systems, domestic appliances, and hotels. The components division comprises 20 product lines from the areas of mechanical, hydraulic and electrical drive system and control technology, which are produced in ten production sites worldwide. Diesel engines were added to the product portfolio in 1984. For more information on Liebherr Components visit www.liebherr.com/components.

Komatsu Forest has several options that facilitate workdays in the forest and that also contribute to increased profitability.

The bogie lift is a forwarder option that has been available for more than 20 years and that is very popular, mainly in southern Sweden and Germany. At the request of our customers, we are now also introducing a bogie lift for the Komatsu 855, this time with the eagerly awaited function, individual bogie lift.

The bogie lift function is available for the Komatsu 835 and Komatsu 845 forwarders, and is a practical function in several different contexts. An important application area is when operating on roads between felling sites. Chains are often used to prevent skidding, but because these can damage road surfaces, they must be removed prior to road operation between felling objects. With forwarders in southern Sweden, for example, conducting between 70–80 machine movements each year, it is costly to spend so much time mounting and removing chains. With the bogie lift, the chains can be mounted on the rear wheels of the front bogie and the wheel pair easily lifted during transport. This brings increased productivity and consequently increased profitability for the machine operator.

Another application area is when driving in steep terrain down to the landing. As the hill levels off, there is a risk of the machine’s nose scraping the ground, but with the bogie lift it is easy to compensate for this and lift the nose until the entire front section has come down on flat ground. That the bogie lift with its versatility is popular in southern Sweden is confirmed by Joakim Danielsson, sales representative for Komatsu Forest in southern Sweden.

“Of the model 835 and 845 forwarders I’ve sold, all customers have chosen the bogie lift option.”
Demand has been substantial for the bogie lift being available as an option on more forwarder models. Now that the bogie lift is being launched as an option on the Komatsu 855, it will be with another very eagerly awaited function – individual bogie lift. The new function entails that the right and left bogie can be individually controlled, something that gives the forwarder very good manoeuvrability when obstacles are encountered. This is important in areas when space in stands is restricted during thinning and when there are narrow access roads, where easily manoeuvrable machines are needed with good terrain handling properties, such as in southern Sweden and Germany.

From a purely practical standpoint, if the forwarder is operating aslant or over an obstacle, the operator can choose to press down the front bogie’s rear wheel on the downhill side. This permits the tilt to be compensated to a certain extent and keeps the cab more upright, which increases both manoeuvrability and operator comfort. Joakim Danielsson has looked forward to the new function for quite some time and he believes that it will be a success in southern Sweden.
“I’ve already sold one Komatsu 855 forwarder with individual bogie lift. The customer placed an order as soon as he heard the function was available,” says Joakim in closing.

Watch an animation of the bogie lift here: https://youtu.be/Ry6xwHLHxPw

Building upon its commitment to listening and responding, John Deere will highlight its line of equipment, technologies and services at this year’s CONEXPO-CON/AGG, March 7-11 in Las Vegas.

Over 38,000 square feet of exhibition space will be home to 38 machines along with 11 John Deere simulators, the John Deere store, and a global staffed information counter. More than 280 experts will be on hand to connect with attendees and highlight the latest in construction technology. A daily opening program will kick off each day’s events at 10:00 a.m. PT, and expert interviews will occur throughout the day and be broadcasted on the exhibit’s big screen.

“CONEXPO-CON/AGG couldn’t be a more fitting venue to demonstrate our newest products, technologies, and services as it embodies the biggest source of research behind their development – our customers,”said David Thorne, director, global marketing & support, John Deere Construction & Forestry. “We’re excited to be back and looking forward to meeting with contractors in various fields to learn how we can empower them to be more successful than ever.”

Thirty-eight total machines will be on display at the booth, including articulated dump trucks, backhoe loaders, compact track loaders, crawler dozers, excavators, motor graders, scraper systems, skid steers, tractor loaders, wheel loaders, and numerous attachments.

In addition to the product showcase, customer support kiosks, a large touch wall, and interactive demo stations positioned throughout the exhibit will demonstrate the power of John Deere WorkSight™. Attendees will also have the opportunity to take part in an immersive booth virtual reality experience, and a concept machine both in the booth and outside in the Tech Experience area, along with augmented reality integration will make an appearance as well.

John Deere experts will participate in five CONEXPO-CON/AGG Education Program sessions. On Tuesday, March 7, from 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. PT, Vern Hoppes, John Deere staff product safety and compliance engineer will lead a presentation on “Diesel Fuel Cleanliness & Tier 4 Requirements: Why Bulk Fuel Filtrations is Needed in Today’s Diesel Engines.” On Wednesday, March 8 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. PT and Friday, March 10 from 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., William Bauman, instructor, John Deere WorkSight, will lead, “The Future is Now! Move More Dirt at a Lower Cost Using Machine Control.”

On Thursday, March 9 from 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. PT, Matthew Hendry, product consultant, hydraulic excavators, will participate in a roundtable discussion on the “Growing Role of Compact Equipment in Earthmoving.” And lastly, on Thursday, March 9 from 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. PT, Jena Holtberg-Benge, director, John Deere WorkSight will lead “Optimizing Your Jobsite: Overcoming Skill Labor Challenges with Machines Controls and Data Analytics.”

The John Deere Construction & Forestry booth is located at N12525 near the main lobby entrance of the North Hall. John Deere Power Systems & John Deere Electronic Systems are exhibiting at booth S83816 on the second level of South Hall.

For more information about John Deere at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2017, please visit www.vegas2017.deere.com/your-booth.

About Deere & Company

Deere & Company (NYSE: DE) is a world leader in providing advanced products and services and is committed to the success of customers whose work is linked to the land – those who cultivate, harvest, transform, enrich and build upon the land to meet the world’s dramatically increasing need for food, fuel, shelter and infrastructure. Since 1837, John Deere has delivered innovative products of superior quality built on a tradition of integrity. For more information, visit John Deere at www.JohnDeere.com.

For general media inquiries or information, please contact:

Worldwide Construction & Forestry Division
Mailing: P.O. Box 8806
Moline, IL 61266-8806

Kyle Rubeling
imre
Phone: 410-821-8220
E-mail: kyler@imre.com

Uniboard, a North American leader in decorative composite wood panels, has announced the launch of its new Ultralite MDF panel.

Ultralite MDF is a high-quality, medium-density fiberboard manufactured using 100% softwood fibers. The result is a lightweight, workable panel with a light, uniform and natural looking colour. This product offers the stability and excellent surface smoothness of regular MDF with additional user benefits such as lower weight, superior smooth surface and reduction in tool wear.

It is ideal for both commercial and residential applications such as recreational vehicles/mobile home components, TV, theatre and film stage sets, point-of-purchase and exhibition display stands, picture frames, wall partitions and lightweight moulding. Ultralite MDF reflects Uniboard’s ongoing commitment to respond to customer expectations and market demand by setting the standard in offering innovative, high quality composite panel products.

The board  is ECCTM certified (Eco-Certified Composite by the Composite Panel Association [CPA]), contains 100% recycled and recovered pre-consumer wood fibers and can help you achieve up to 2 LEED® points. It is also available as an FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®) certified panel on request.

Potlatch Corporation reported net income of $14.4 million on revenues of $155.7 million for the quarter ended December 31, 2016.

This compares to net income of $3.5 million on revenues of $138 million in the 4Q 2015.

Net income for the full year of 2016 was $10.9 million on revenues of $599.1 million. Excluding the after-tax loss of $36.7 million on the previously announced sale of 172,000 acres in central Idaho, 2016 net income was $47.6 million. Net income was $31.7 million on revenues of $575.3 million in 2015.

“Strong performance by each of our three businesses and improved lumber prices resulted in solid earnings this year,” said Mike Covey, chairman and CEO. “Our mills continue to run well and we achieved new quarterly production records in the third and fourth quarters. Resource successfully managed through challenging weather conditions to achieve our planned harvest volume for the year. Real Estate continues to identify opportunities to drive value and closed a series of attractive conservation sales during 2016. Turning to the balance sheet, we also reduced net debt by $125 million this year, increasing our financial flexibility, and returned $67 million to shareholders in the form of dividends and share repurchases,” stated Mr. Covey.

Potlatch is a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) with approximately 1.4 million acres of timberland in Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Minnesota and Mississippi.

Weyerhaeuser Company reported 4Q net earnings of $551 million, on net sales of $1.6 billion.

This compares with net earnings of $59 million on net sales of $1.3 billion for the same period last year.

4Q results include after-tax earnings of $489 million from discontinued operations, primarily consisting of gains from the divestiture of the Cellulose Fibers pulp mills and printing papers business, and net after-tax charges of $44 million for special items.

Excluding discontinued operations and special items, the company reported net earnings of $106 million. This compares with net earnings from continuing operations before special items of $81 million for the same period last year and $172 million for 3Q 2016.For the full year 2016, Weyerhaeuser reported net earnings of $1.005 billion on net sales of $6.4 billion. This compares with net earnings of $462 million on net sales of $5.2 billion for the same period last year. 2016 results include after-tax earnings of $612 million from discontinued operations related to the divested Cellulose Fibers segment.

“2016 was a transformational year for Weyerhaeuser. Through our merger with Plum Creek and the $2.5 billion divestiture of our Cellulose Fibers business, we became a focused timber, land and forest products company and nearly doubled the size of our timberland holdings,” said Doyle R. Simons, president and CEO. “In addition to completing these significant portfolio changes, we increased Adjusted EBITDA by nearly 55%, delivered more than $100 million of operational excellence improvements, captured significant merger synergies, and achieved the highest annual Wood Products earnings in over a decade. Finally, we returned cash to shareholders through a $2 billion share repurchase. Entering 2017, we remain strongly committed to driving industry-leading performance, continuing to capture benefits of the merger, and demonstrating disciplined capital allocation to drive superior value for shareholders.”

Weyerhaeuser Company is one of the world’s largest private owners of timberlands. The company owns over 13 million acres of timberlands, primarily in the U.S.

Japan is suffering a severe shortage of forestry workers at a time when many trees planted after World War II have grown enough and now need to be cut down.

Demand for domestic timber is expected to grow partly for use in facilities related to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

With Japan facing an urgent need to train industry-ready workers, the number of forestry colleges is increasing across the country. Until fiscal 2011, there were only six forestry colleges, run by prefectural governments. But the number now stands at 14. In fiscal 2017, which starts in April, new colleges will open in Iwate, Hyogo and Wakayama prefectures.

In April 2012, Kyoto Prefectural College of Forestry was established in the town of Kyotanba in Kyoto Prefecture as the first forestry college in western Japan. The college offers a two-year program for up to 20 students. It includes the country’s first course for students to learn how to use advanced forestry machinery. Students will also be given the opportunity to obtain qualifications.

Fifty-eight students have so far graduated from the college, and about 90 percent of them are working in the forestry industry. “Graduates of the Kyoto forestry college are actively sought in the industry,” an official of the Forestry Agency said.

Tomonaga Nakashima, a Forestry Agency official, said many forestry companies have weak management bases and face difficulties developing human resources. “This is why these companies want to hire people who have basic skills,” he added, projecting that the need for forestry colleges will grow further.

Source: Japan Times

New U.S. duties on lumber imports will leave Canada with excess production that could be difficult to sell.

Russ Taylor, president of International Wood Markets Group Inc., said lumber shipments to the U.S. will likely drop by 15% next year. The new duties will come into effect on 4 May following the expiration of the softwood lumber agreement on 12 October 2015, and the termination of a subsequent yearlong grace period.

At the same time that the new tariffs create another barrier to U.S. market access, B.C. lumber production is expected to fall by 20% as a result of the years of mountain pine beetle devastation in B.C.’s Interior. Meanwhile, “the U.S. is the only market that is growing and growing steadily,” Taylor said.

The American market rose 4% in 2016 and is expected to expand by 6% in 2017. Taylor attributed the rising lumber demand to increased housing construction as well as repair and remodeling projects. But while lumber demand in the U.S. is increasing, the expected associated increase in demand for Canadian lumber will likely be muted because of its higher price.

“In the B.C. Interior we’ve had 26 mills close since 2007 because of market conditions and available timber supply,” Taylor said. “We still have another four, five to close over the next six years.” While the tariff percentage is still unknown, Taylor said it will likely be somewhere around 27%, if previous duties are any indication.

The new duties will likely hit coastal mills with high-value lumber hardest. Taylor said higher-priced woods were previously protected from high duties because of a cap that froze the tariff rate for products selling for $500 or more per 1,000 board feet. But even with these additional duties, the U.S. market shows some promise for Canadian log and softwood lumber producers because U.S. consumption is expected to exceed the country’s domestic supply. The annual growth rate of U.S. lumber consumption parallels growth during the industry’s boom from 1991 to 2006.

“The U.S. cannot produce enough lumber for its own market, and that’s why Canada has had traditionally about a 32% to 34% market share. The U.S. is going to have to keep its imports at a steady level, if not increasing them, if there’s a stronger demand.

Source: www.biv.com

Nearly every year, some brands goes too far with their Super Bowl commercial, crafting a 30-second spot that’s deemed too sexy, provocative or offensive to air. In some cases, companies do this intentionally to garner more attention than a spot would’ve otherwise received.

But in the case of first-time Super Bowl advertiser 84 Lumber, it was a political message that was rejected for being “too controversial.” The 90-second spot, created by the Pittsburgh-based agency Brunner, includes images of immigrants unable to cross the border due to a wall, according to a story in Campaign, a trade publication that covers the communications industry.

“Fox rejected our original commercial because they determined that some of the imagery, including ‘the wall’ would be too controversial,” CEO Michael Brunner said in a statement (this was before the announcement last week by Trump on the wall along the US-Mexico border). “So, we went back and revised the spot to make it acceptable to them.”

Fox Sports did not immediately respond to a request for comment. According to Brunner, Fox approved the new version, which is set to air just before halftime at an estimated cost of US$15 million. 84 Lumber, based in Eighty Four, Pa., said the campaign will kick off a national recruiting campaign to help its current workforce of 5,100 employees grow.

“For 60 years, this has been a company defined by its people, entrepreneurs who see opportunity where others don’t,” said Maggie Hardy Magerko, 84 Lumber owner and president. “We want the world to know 84 Lumber is the place for people who don’t always fit nicely into a box.”

84 Lumber said it will post the full, uncensored ad online on Feb. 5, the day before the Super Bowl. “While the full story will no longer be told on TV at the Super Bowl, we all believe too strongly in that message to leave it on the editing room floor,” said Brunner.  Source –Friday offcuts

USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station (SRS) Scientist Michael Ulyshen is a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). Ulyshen is the only U.S. Forest Service scientist and one of three U.S. Department of Agriculture employees to receive this honor.

The PECASE is the highest award for federal scientists and engineers in the early career stage and recognizes innovative research and commitment to community service.

Research Entomologist

“It is really exciting to receive this award but I want to stress that everything I have done has been in collaboration with other people,” Ulyshen said. “I have been extremely lucky to work with so many great researchers over the years.” Ulyshen began his Forest Service career in 2010. In that short time he has authored or coauthored more than 34-peer-reviewed publications along with three book chapters. His work has also been recognized both nationally and internationally.

Ulyshen is a research entomologist with the SRS Insects, Diseases, and Invasive Plants unit in Athens, Ga. “Currently I am involved in projects on pollinators, wood-boring beetles, decomposition and forest health issues. Understanding how forest management decisions affect pollinators is a new research direction for me but I am hoping to make this a larger focus of what I do in the future,” he said.

Besides working as a research scientists with the SRS, he also works with aspiring future scientists as an adjunct faculty member in the entomology department at University of Georgia. “My advice to young people interested in pursuing research careers is to work with as many different people as possible and to take advantage of good opportunities as they come along, even when they may point in unexpected directions.”

https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/news/619

January 12, 2017, Athens, GA —