Following on from the early announcement at the end of last year, full details of the two-yearly wood harvesting event, HarvestTECH 2019 have now been set in place and full details can now be found on the event website, www.harvesttech.events

The 2015 harvesting event, HarvestTECH was a SELL OUT. The 2017 event likewise sold out. Both at the time were the largest gathering of harvesting contractors, forestry managers, forest owners, harvest planners and all of the major equipment suppliers to the logging industry seen in New Zealand. Around 450 met up in Rotorua, New Zealand.

In addition to having most logging contractors from throughout the country attending, the events drew in a large contingent of contractors and forest managers from throughout Australia, as well as attracting key equipment suppliers, researchers, forestry companies and international contractors from Europe, the US, Canada, Papua New Guinea and Asia.

2019 is shaping up to be another standout. Already, as well as key local equipment and technology suppliers, most major international equipment providers will be bringing in international expertise for the event.

Leading contractors have already committed to present, as part of the two-day event, on new and innovative technologies along with some pretty clever operating practices that they’ve employed. This includes processes which are making a significant difference to their both their operations productivity and safety.

So, what’s being covered?

• Recent innovations in steep slope and winch assist harvesting
• Getting the best out of existing hauler & ground-based operations
• Harvest planning – new systems really making a difference
• Effective use of collected data from your harvesting operation
• Options for eliminating log sorts and reducing landing sizes
• Tools & Systems for harvesting smaller woodlots
• Remote sensing technologies for harvest planning and operations
• Solutions for improving in-forest communications
• Increased automation and mechanisation – new R&D
• Remote control, robotics, virtual reality and automation in the bush
• Filling the skills gap in harvesting

The full programmes can now be viewed on line. You can check out what’s being planned on the event website, harvesttech.events.

As anticipated, at this stage, many of the exhibition stands have been taken. If a supplier to wood harvesting operations in this region and you haven’t as yet booked a space, best get onto it (contact gordon.thomson@fiea.org.nz or Tel: +64 7 921 1384) to avoid missing out.

Further information relating to this major event will follow.

Very popular when last run in 2017 HarvestTECH 2017 SOLD OUT  well in advance of the event even running. Over 450 harvesting and wood transport contractors, harvest planners, forest managers and equipment and tech providers met up at one place, Rotorua, New Zealand over a couple of days. It was the largest gathering yet seen in New Zealand.

In addition to having most harvesting contractors from throughout the country attending, the FIEA event drew in a large contingent of contractors and forest managers from throughout Australia, as well as attracting key equipment suppliers, researchers, forestry companies and international contractors from Europe, the US, Canada, Papua New Guinea and Asia. As well as the two-day conference and over 40 displays, two one-day field tours ran for HarvestTECH 2017 delegates.

So, the two-yearly gathering has been scheduled for next year. Mark the dates 26-27 June 2019, Rotorua New Zealand for the two-yearly harvesting event, HarvestTECH 2019. Early details on the programme can be found on the event website. At this early stage, Expressions of Interest to present at the harvesting event are being sought.

If you are keen to be a speaker at the conference and you are an early adopter, developer, innovator, contractor, technology or equipment supplier, service provider or researcher involved in wood harvesting operations, they would like to hear from you.

What’s being covered?

– Recent innovations in steep slope and winch assist harvesting

– Getting the best out of existing hauler & ground-based operations

– Harvest planning – new systems really making a difference

– Effective use of collected data from your harvesting operation

– Options for eliminating log sorts and reducing landing sizes

– Tools & Systems for harvesting smaller woodlots

– Remote sensing technologies for harvest planning and operations

– Solutions for improving in-forest communications

– Increased automation and mechanisation – new R&D

– Remote control, robotics, virtual reality and automation in the bush

– Filling the skills gap in harvesting

Interested speakers or exhibitors – or others who’d like to look at building in visits, tours or meetings in and around this major harvesting event, please contact Brent Apthorp (Tel: (+64) 21 227 5177) or brent.apthorp@fiea.org.nz BEFORE Friday 19 October.