International Forest Industries October November 2021 Issue

SAWMILLING • LOGGING • BIOMASS

SAWLINES Harvester Heads 2021

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

Forestry Machines Prime Movers &Mulchers

BUILT TO CONNECT

Many Models, Endless Applications High volume wood waste recyclers know that when it comes to creating the highest volume products at the lowest cost per ton, Peterson horizontal grinders offer better fracturing, more accurate product sizing, and more throughput than any horizontal grinder on the market.

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LOGGING • BIOMASS

CONTENTS

27

HARVESTER HEADS 2021 46/47

44

LUMBER PROCESSING

20

44 FORESTRY MACHINES

46/47 PRIME MOVERS

& MULCHERS

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

REGULAR FEATURES

FAE is expanding its line of forestry mulchers for excavators with Bite Limiter technology with the new BL5/ EX/VT

6 Logging News 64 Advertising Index

20 EWD EWD Digital – the new generation

LUMBER PROCESSING

SAWMILLING

COVER - PONSSE Finnish forestry-machine operator student Laura Linkoneva found herself struggling in tough conditions during a nightshift: rain was pouring down, and darkness had settled in. “I asked myself, would I rather be doing something else for a living?” she recalled, having recently made a complete career shift to the forestry industry. “The answer was

SAWLINE S Harvester Heads 2021

simple: absolutely not. This is exactly what I want to do be doing.” Laura works with a New Generation Ponsse Scorpion harvester. Read about this new generation harvester and operator on page 5.

• LOGGING •

BIOMASS

CONTENTS

OCTOBER / NOVEM

BER 2021

Fore stry Machine s Prime Movers &Mulchers

www.ponsse.com

Ponsse_IFI_Laura_A

4_kansi_2021.indd

1

27.9.2021 19.26.15

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 1

LUMBER PROCESSING

21

22

24 21 KOSKISEN

22 USNR

24 SPRINGER

This past summer, Koskisen focussed strongly on a new X-ray log scanner at its log sorting facility

Freres turned to USNR to help it realize the full potential of its mass timber appeal

New log sorter at Boise Cascade

24

26

25

24 SPRINGER

25 LINCK

26 SETRA

New and improved Feeder Carriage

SEL conveyor solves the issue of varied product dimensions in separation

Setra Skinnskatteberg invests in a new saw line

#teamfranzen2021

Reliability matters.

www.franzen-machines.com 2 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

Millwide. Worldwide.

+1.360.225.8267

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ISSUE 83 OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

SUBSCRIPTIONS Tel: +44 (0)1442 877 583 emma@internationalforestindustries.com Annual Subscription UK and Europe £160, €230 Rest of the world US$270 EDITORIAL T: +44 (0)1442 877 583 F: +44 (0)1442 870 617 www.internationalforestindustries.com 2 Claridge Court, Lower Kings Road Berkhamsted, Herts. HP4 2AF, UK Editor Chris Cann chris@internationalforestindustries.com Editorial Board Dr Patrick Moore – Chairman and Chief Professor Piotr Paschalis-Jakubowicz – Warsaw Agricultural University (Poland) Mr Kim Carstensen Director General Forest Stewardship Council Eduardo Morales South American Forestry Consultant

ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONS International Forest Industries Ltd Advertising Manager Phil Playle phil@internationalforestindustries.com +44 (0)1442 87 77 77 Associate Editor Robin Peach robin@internationalforestindustries.com Advertising Production Enquiries Emma Smith emma@internationalforestindustries.com

EDITOR’S COMMENT Timber demand to taper

I

there is plenty of truth in the old saying that “the best cure for high prices is high prices”.

One of those has obviously been the rise in demand for wood products as the COVID-19 pandemic has seen millions upon millions across the world forced to abandon their dreams of overseas holidays – and, for many, just the opportunity to get down to the a restaurant,

Speaking in this instance from personal experience, I have been looking at getting a pergola built and the quote has changed twice in the three-month period from the initial quote to the suggested point of execution; to such a degree that I have gone from looking at a hardwood option, to softwood and, now, looking at options that don’t use wood at all – there are

’ve dedicated these column inches over recent times to a couple of major trends that I must admit – as someone leveraged to the forestry sector – I’ve enjoyed watching unfold.

or even have a drink at the local pub – as government restrictions have clamped down on personal freedoms in a bid to curb the spread.

The alternative for a huge number of people – particularly with local DIY franchises categorised as ‘essential’ retailers – was to plough the money saved into jobs around the house that had long been put off. More so, the inability for estate agents to show homes also meant people stopped buying houses and instead invested in major renovation projects.

The other trend has been the rise of timber as a sustainable but increasingly reliable construction material for structural supports as opposed to its usual use in frames for windows, roofing, stud walls and an outrageous number of subsidiary functions. This has been in conjunction with the need to ‘build back green’; a promise from politicians that has pushed construction and development solutions firmly toward materials considered sustainable and specifically carbon neutral.

International Forest Industries is published

by International Forest Industries Ltd, 2 Claridge Court, Lower Kings Road Berkhamsted, Herts. HP4 2AF, UK

COVID has also injected huge supply disruption into usually sound value chains, exaggerating supply-side struggles.

International Forest Industries (ISSN 1755-6732) is published bi-monthly by International Forest Industries Ltd GBR and is distributed in the USA by Asendia USA, 17B South Middlesex Avenue, Monroe NJ 08831 and additional mailing offices. Periodicals postage paid at New Brunswick NJ. POSTMASTER: send address changes to International Forest Industries, 17B South Middlesex Avenue, Monroe NJ 08831 © International Forest Industries Ltd 2007 – 2019 IFI uses, as preference, SI units throughout.

All dollars are US unless otherwise stated.

This has seen the much talked about rise in prices – the Wood Resource Quarterly reports that softwood prices under its coverage have risen in 21 of the 22 regions it covers in the past year; the most material rises have by far been in Europe and British Columbia.

While I’m wary I’ve been as bullish as any other on the long-term likelihood of sustained strength in wood pricing, I’m getting the feeling we may be entering an interim period of tapering back – a correction, if you will. Though the fundamentals are sound in the longer term,

4 International Forest Industries | AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

great metal structures or material sails if I want to scale back completely.

There are many things that you can’t substitute wood out for – at least not given other pressures around responsible sourcing and carbonsensitive materials – but the demand around the margins feels almost certain to wane as borders open, travelling becomes easier, and therefore the competition for the discretionary dollar becomes more intense.

Also of note is a likely change in tack over in China – a huge wood consumer. The sustainability agenda looks to have been put on the backburner as it enters a winter with potentially serious energy outages that it has told its utilities must be avoided at all costs. This has seen immediate practicalities replace longterm sustainability on the political agenda.

Ultimately, as COP26 gets underway (days away at time of writing), the thrust toward sustainability and the demand for wood will be reinforced, but this is unlikely to convince the millions considering wood-based projects over the next 12 months to swallow current pricing.

Enjoy Chris Cann

The New Generation PONSSE Scorpion is here. The harvester is in great hands with an operator who is also from a new generation, Laura Linkoneva. Laura spent years working in accounting and finance before deciding to flip the switch and study to become a forest-machine operator. She sees her soon-to-be-profession as a form of asset management: “Asset manager is a perfect description for a forest-machine operator, who cares for others’ land and ensures the future growth of the forest.”

The operator’s wellbeing and comfort were the focus when developing the new Scorpion. This resulted in improved productivity and efficiency. Thanks to its eight wheels and patented active system, the machine’s incredible stability brings it to a new standard of harvesting.

For Laura and others like her, the PONSSE Scorpion takes workplace comfort and operability to unprecedented levels.

Lion appointed new authorized SP dealer in Brazil SP has announced that Lion Equipamentos has been appointed as authorized SP dealer for the Brazilian states of Parana, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. Headquartered in Curitiba/ PR, Lages/SC, and Guaiba/RS, Lion performs its activities with 20 years of experience in the forestry business.Within its varied areas of performance, Lion stands out in the forestry market by its high-quality technical assistance and fast spare parts supply. With

a high focus on customer service and field maintenance carried out by highly skilled and experienced staff members Lion is able to offer a great level of customer support.

“We are very happy to welcome Lion to the SP dealer network,” says Anders Gannerud, SP International sales manager.

“Lion is a perfect match for us and exactly the type of company and partner we are looking for when expanding our dealer network. Not only do they have

Anders Gannerud, SP, International Sales Manager a good experience from working with harvester heads and highly technical forest products, but they also share our commitment

to putting the customer first by focusing on parts supply and customer support.”

INTERFORST 2022 on its best path A good nine months before its opening, INTERFORST, which will take place from July 17 to 20, 2022 on the exhibition grounds in Munich, is drawing a very positive interim conclusion. The upcoming edition of the leading international trade fair for forestry and forestry technology is therefore able to maintain the record level of 2018 with scientific events and practical special shows despite the

pandemic-related imponderables.

Petra Westphal, Exhibition Director at INTERFORST, is pleased that, “we are fully on course with the figures and planning. As of now, there are even signs of a slight growth in internationalization. Under the current conditions even this can’t be taken for granted and proves that the industry will continue to need and use trade fairs as a

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6 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

platform in future.”

INTERFORST 2022 will occupy around 80,000 square meters—11,000 square meters of hall space in B6 and 69,000 square meters of outdoor space. In total, around 450 exhibitors and more than 50,000 visitors are expected.

“At the last INTERFORST,” explains Westphal, “36 percent of the exhibitors came from other countries. Our goal is to increase this share to 40 percent.” The choice of INTERFORST’s focus country, Czech Republic, will also contribute to this: “We see a lot of potential in the Southeast European market, especially when it comes to visitors,” explains Westphal. “The Czech Republic will therefore be taken into account in all the framework program items.

Another firm component of INTERFORST are the scientific as well as practical events and special shows. For 2022, the topics of “Forest Conversion / Climate Change,” “Forest Maintenance and Utilization Lines,” and “Forest Technology and Digitalization” are the center of attention in the congress and forum area.

In addition, there will once again be the INTERFORST special show in Hall B6 and in the outdoor areas, organized by the Kuratorium für Waldarbeit und Forsttechnik (KWF), the Erzeugergemeinschaft für Qualitätsforstpflanzen (EZG), the Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung (DGUV) and the Sozialversicherung für Landwirtschaft, Forsten und Gartenbau (SVLFG). The special show, which is about presenting future trends, will be supplemented for the first time by

Sabine Wagner, PR Manager sabine.wagner@messe-muenchen.de

the DLG Forest Practice Arena in the outdoor area.

Because of the numerous postponed trade fairs in 2022, the dates for INTERFORST have been changed slightly for one time only.

This time, the trade fair will start on a Sunday, as Westphal explains: “On this day, our supporting program is completely oriented toward small and mediumsized private forest owners. In addressing this clientele, we are supported in particular by the AGDW-Die Waldeigenthaber, its regional associations and the Austrian Forest Association.”

New Komatsu Comfort Ride

The next generation of comfort

Great news for all forwarder operators – the new generation of Komatsu Comfort Ride has been improved with comfort-enhancing features like adjustable sideways firmness and automatic side levelling at standstill and at low speed. The elevated unloading mode now also works at low speed, which gives you a good overview at the log piles.

As you see, you’re truly in for a comfortable ride.

See more at komatsuforest.com/newcomfortride

Great news for all forwarder operators – the next generation of Komatsu Comfort Ride is here

A forwarder operator spends many hours a day in the cab, making a pleasant and comfortable work environment extremely important.

Forest terrain is often rough, and the operator is subjected to both jolts and vibrations. These can be tiring and make maintaining a steady and high production rate a challenge – and in the long run they can even affect your body physically Komatsu Forest is now introducing the next generation of Komatsu Comfort Ride, with several comfort-enhancing innovations.

Komatsu Forest first launched the Komatsu Comfort Ride forwarder option back in 2013, a hydraulic cab suspension system with a four-point design that efficiently dampens jolts and vibrations. “Comfort Ride quickly became one of the most popular options for Komatsu forwarders and now it’s time to introduce the next generation of Comfort Ride, with several eagerly awaited

features,” says Daniel Grabbe Product Manager Forwarders at Komatsu Forest.

One new feature is the ability to adjust the cab suspension’s lateral firmness, which further improves operator comfort. This function is geared to the machine’s speed to make driving as comfortable as possible regardless of whether the operator is inching over an off-road obstacle or driving unladen from the landing to the next wood pile.

In practical terms, the suspension’s firmness is progressive, increasing with machine speed to ensure maximum comfort. “Since operator preferences regarding optimal cab suspension in various situations differ, individual adjustments can be made for each operator and settings are automatically saved in MaxiXT,” Grabbe explains. The operator can also easily adjust the firmness while driving if necessary, to adapt the machine to varying ground conditions. The suspension’s firmness is adjusted

using a button on the hand controller.

Another new feature is that the new Comfort Ride can level the cab laterally on gradients of up to 6 degrees, provided the machine is stationary or moving slowly. This offers the operator a more comfortable working posture during crane operation, which usually is a fair share of their working day. When the machine is moving at higher speeds, the longitudinal suspension is given priority to better handle rough terrain.

When unloading, a clear view of the load area is advantageous.

Comfort Ride has long had an unloading mode that raises the cab the full stroke of the cylinders.

This affords the operator a good overview of the load area and the landing. One of the updates in the new Comfort Ride is that this

function now also works when the machine is moved at low speed. This allows the operator to reposition the machine at the landing while still retaining the elevated position. If, however, the speed increases, the cab is automatically lowered back down to its standard position.

In addition to these new features, Komatsu Comfort Ride retains the same popular characteristics as before. The hydraulic cab suspension dampens vibrations from the tracks to ensure a smooth, comfortable ride for the operator, just as it dampens any jolts during crane operation.

“Komatsu Comfort Ride quite simply offers forwarder operators a work environment that is physically more forgiving while the reduction in jolts and vibrations enables them to retain their focus and energy levels for longer,” Grabbe concludes.

Comfort Ride quickly became one of the most popular options for Komatsu forwarders and now it’s time to introduce the next generation of Comfort Ride, with several eagerly awaited features Daniel Grabbe Product Manager Forwarders at Komatsu Forest

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8 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

more Productivity

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O T E MAD

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st i n g p h a r ve i r g e l g e sin ing at a oductiv k r r p o y w l h r g et h e rs hi he c ut , w h enginee l x a a n e h a ve t fi M w g o t p Lo m g u n i t nn he s ro m t h i sing at t s e c o r p heads. F and s, r fe l l i n g arvester o g tions. n i d rs and h n ie r la r s t o p e ra a e c h d g e u k to c . a e u tr and ds of th fo r yo wheeled e deman s o l ut i o n for both ucts meet th ed r p ro d ned to Develop m a ke o u re desig a e s m d ti a n e w h o Lo g M a x inimal d g. ty and m li il b nt loggin a ie e c fi f e r Servic fo t ice dealer a ious cho the obv ur local

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LOGGING & BIOMASS NEWS

Komatsu WA480-8 yard loader is a 3-Pass Machine for Loading & Moving aggregate & processed Materials Compared to Komatsu’s standard WA480-8, the yard loader variant has more than 1,400 pounds (635 kilograms) of added counterweight to increase bucket capacity and stability. And when combined with Komatsu’s 7.2-cubic-yard (5.5-cubic-meter) bucket with a curved side edge to minimize spillage and an integrated load meter, the WA480-8 yard loader provides new features to increase productivity when loading aggregate and processed materials. Komatsu says the WA480-8 can also be adapted for infrastructure, forestry, and non-residential construction applications.

Fewer Passes & Cycles The WA480-8 yard loader is designed to be a three-pass match for most highway trucks. The 7.2cu-y bucket features a long bucket jaw, allowing for a decreased strike plane angle to more easily fill

transport trucks, and this design is also said to reduce resistance during pile penetration. Operators can also use the integrated load meter system to optimize bucket capacity. The WA480-8 powertrain is equipped with a 299-horsepower (223-kilowatt) engine and Komatsu’s Smart Loader logic engine control system to optimize torque for each work phase.

Operators can see information on the engine condition, load, and other details on the in-cab monitor, and control of the loader is easy thanks to Komatsu’s Advanced Joystick Steering System (AJSS).

Longer Brake Life With expectations to work under a high-duty load-and-carry cycle, Komatsu equips the WA480-8 yard loader with a new air-cooled braking system. In severe test conditions, Komatsu says the higher cooling efficiency of the system reduced temperatures by

Komatsu’s new WA480-8 yard loader has more than 1,400 pounds of added counterweight for increased bucket capacity and stability Komatsu says the WA480-8 can also be adapted for Forestry applications 56 to 58 degrees Fahrenheit. The cooling performance is enhanced by a sensor on the brakes’ electric drive pump, which measures the

axle temperature and activates the cooling only when necessary.

NEW BL/EX RANGE LIMITLESS PRODUCTIVITY

Achieve new levels of productivity with the BL1, BL2, BL3 and the new BL4/EX/VT forestry mulchers for excavators from 18 to 25 tons. The innovative Bite Limiter technology reduces power demand and promotes a consistent working speed, guaranteeing excellent performance when mulching any type of wood.

Contact us to find the perfect FAE product for you: info@fae-group.com

10 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

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LOGGING & BIOMASS NEWS

Construction starts on Drax’s second biomass pellet plant in Arkansas Work is underway at the site in Russellville, Pope County in northwestern Arkansas, with commercial operations expected to begin at the plant in 2022.

The move is part of a $40 million investment by Drax in the state, creating approximately 30 new direct jobs and many more indirect jobs across Arkansas.

these three Arkansas communities will experience further growth and opportunities, and Drax will be able to continue working toward its mission to provide renewable electricity for millions across the pond.”

The three pellet plants are expected to produce a total of around 120,000 metric tons of sustainable biomass pellets a year from sawmill residues, supporting the renewable energy company’s plans to increase self-supply to its power station in the U.K.

Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston said: “The investment that Drax is making throughout Arkansas is proof that the state’s timber industry is poised for a bright future and is a great example of how a global economy works.”

“Through this partnership,

Russellville Mayor Richard Harris said: “The construction and future operation of the Drax pellet plant

in Russellville is certainly welcome news. On the occasion of this exciting announcement, I’d like to welcome Drax as a new partner in our community and thank them for the investment they are making in our community.”

The development of the “satellite” pellet plants, which are situated near sawmills, is part of Drax’s strategy to increase biomass

YEARS since 1921

self-supply to five million tons by 2027, improving supply chain resilience while reducing pellet costs.

Continued on page 18

Scan QR code or go directly to www.jenz-shop.de/en

Original wear parts - order online JENZ GmbH Maschinen- und Fahrzeugbau Wegholmer Straße 14 • 32469 Petershagen • Germany Tel.: +49 (0) 5704/9409-0 • info@jenz.de • www.jenz.de International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 11

Harvester head SP 661 LF

SP 661 LF

- fast, versatile and reliable The SP 661 LF is a compact and strong high performance harvester head designed according to SP´s Low Friction principle for minimum friction and maximum productivity. The SP 661 LF is designed to be able to offer highest productivity in both small and large diameter harvesting.

Visit our website www.spmaskiner.com

Our low friction concept Our low friction concept comprises five separate innovations and solutions, each carefully designed to maximize production, optimize fuel and energy consumption, and drastically reduce maintenance costs.

The five solutions are: Proportional pressure, LogHold, Proportionally angled feed rollers, The delimbing knives and Optimal hydraulics. Together, these five solutions provide an unbeatable combination that allows SP to offer heads with totally unique properties and advantages that maximize your profitability.

The advantages of our low friction concept Maximizes

Minimizes

n Feed speed

n Friction between head and stem

n Performance

n Head wear

n Productivity

n Stem damage

n Profitability

n Carrier fuel consumption

n Uptime

n Maintenance and repair costs

New version of IBC introduces Operator-Assist features lower maintenance costs and improve the machine’s resale value. IBC 3.0 is available for the 1270G (H425, H425HD and H424) and 1470G (H425 and H425HD) harvester models.

John Deere’s advanced IBC

The milestone in forest machine technology, John Deere’s Intelligent Boom Control (IBC), is available for all John Deere WCTL forest machines. The new IBC 3.0 version is again a technology milestone because it enables the rollout of also future smart functions to facilitate the operator’s work and improve productivity.

The latest IBC, version 3.0, introduces operator-assist features that guide operators to the correct work methods, increase productivity, and improve the machine’s resale value.

• Harvester head’s over-rotation prevention protects against hose damage.

• Feeding assistant guides the operator to avoid feeding stems towards the machine or the cabin.

• Sawing assistant guides the operator to avoid sawing towards the cabin.

The feed function significantly slows down when feeding stems towards the machine and stops when encountering a defined safety zone.

A pop-up window appearing on the control system display provides guidance in the correct work method. Sawing assistant helps to prevent sawing towards the cabin. The harvester head’s over-rotation prevention protects against hose damage. All features above enable the operator to focus on work planning. The operator-assist features and the functions that guide operators to the correct work methods not only protect the machine from external damage, they also

A boom equipped with the IBC is fast, easy to use, and precise. Sensors in the IBC detect the position of the harvester head and the algorithms adjust the boom’s trajectories into one easily controlled motion.

In harvester work, IBC adjusts to the machine’s work cycle. The trajectory and function of the boom automatically adjust as the boom is taken to a tree and to the load in the harvester head.

The operator doesn’t have to manoeuvre the different sections of the boom individually. IBC ensures precise and efficient work methods. The electronic end dampening makes the work smooth and efficient, and reduces 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 increased productivity of the machine and in the daily working capacity of the operator.

Further information: Sakari Suuriniemi Product Marketing Manager John Deere Forestry Oy Tel. +358 40 8475 443 SuuriniemiSakari@JohnDeere.com

Barko announces partnership with Stearns Bank National Association Barko Hydraulics (Barko), leading developer, manufacturer and distributor of innovative heavy equipment solutions for the forestry, vegetation management and material handling industries, has partnered with Minnesota-based Stearns Bank National Association to provide exclusive retail financing to dealerships across the United States.

“We are very excited to be partnering with such an incredible organization as Stearns Bank.

Both Barko and Stearns Bank want to provide not only competitive financing to the retail market but also an incredibly personal level of service and customer experience,” said Barko President Justin Rupar. “Our combined goal is

Barko President Justin Rupar to make the financing experience easy and enjoyable so that our dealer partners can grow their business and capture a larger percentage of potential sales.”

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 13

West Fraser to acquire U.S. South Lumber Mill West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. (“West Fraser” or the “Company”) (TSX and NYSE: WFG) recently announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the Angelina Forest Products lumber mill located in Lufkin, Texas for approximately $300 million, subject to certain post-closing adjustments.

The transaction is anticipated to close following successful completion of U.S. regulatory reviews and satisfaction of customary conditions.

Management will provide an update and further details about the transaction on West Fraser’s third quarter earnings call on October 28, 2021. All dollar amounts in this news release are expressed in U.S. dollars unless noted otherwise.

The new turn-key facility, which produces southern yellow pine (“SYP”) lumber products, began construction in 2018, commenced operations in late 2019 and is expected to progress toward full production capacity of approximately 305 million board feet over the next three to four years.

The transaction includes approximately $4 million of target working capital and approximately $24 million of supplemental tax attributes that are expected to result in a direct cash flow benefit to West Fraser.

Strategic Rationale and Synergies The acquisition is another important step in West Fraser’s continued expansion of its U.S. lumber operations. The new, highly efficient facility is expected to be a top quartile mill that will integrate with and support our existing East Texas lumber and OSB business.

Anticipated to be among the lowest cost operations in the Company’s lumber mill portfolio, the Lufkin mill is strategically located near low-cost and abundant fibre as well as large and growing end-markets and its additional lumber production will allow West Fraser to better serve the Company’s growing customer base in Texas and the southern U.S. Upon completion of this transaction, West Fraser will have combined Canadian and U.S. lumber production capacity of approximately 7.0 billion board feet, with U.S. capacity of SYP lumber representing approximately 50% of the Company’s capacity.

“We look forward to welcoming the Lufkin mill employees to West Fraser. The management team at Angelina Forest Products has done a commendable job developing the Lufkin team and operations, and we believe this modern, high-margin facility will enhance our existing U.S. platform of lumber mills and help us to better meet the growing demand for our lumber products in Texas and the U.S. South,” said West Fraser’s President and CEO,

Ray Ferris. “With this acquisition, we will be able to quickly capitalize on a fully-invested and highquality manufacturing facility. This includes a trained labour force and the local community and logistics infrastructure to support the mill’s supply chain, distribution and outlet for residuals. Further, we are able to immediately reap the cash flow benefits of our investment while significantly reducing the associated risks of greenfield construction, execution and startup.”

West Fraser intends to finance the acquisition with cash on hand. Annual synergies of approximately $13 million are anticipated to be achieved within two years with minimal capital requirements. These synergies are expected to be realized through continued capacity utilization improvement, implementation of best practices and the coordinated transportation, logistics and procurement benefits derived from West Fraser’s distribution scale and existing production facilities in the region.

It is anticipated that after the cash tax benefits described above, the post-synergy mid-cycle Adjusted EBITDA multiple at full production will be approximately 6.4x and the transaction is expected to generate an internal rate of return (“IRR”) of approximately 13%. Based on recent industry announcements and West Fraser’s latest internal analysis, the cost to construct a greenfield lumber mill of the scale

Ray Ferris, President & CEO, West Fraser

and quality of the Lufkin mill plus working capital investment and the foregone cash flows anticipated during the construction and ramp up phases are expected to exceed the purchase price for this top quartile facility.

The Company West Fraser is a diversified wood products company with more than 60 facilities in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe. From responsibly sourced and sustainably managed forest resources, the Company produces lumber, engineered wood products (OSB, LVL, MDF, plywood, and particleboard), pulp, newsprint, wood chips, other residuals and renewable energy.

Millar Western invests in vision and Deep Learning AI for its sawmill trimmer Millar Western at Fox Creek, AB is adding USNR Vision and Deep Learning AI technology to its existing trimmer optimizer. The trimmer optimizer was originally installed in 2010 outfitted with laser profile sensors. Now the mill wants to improve the value recovery of its output to the planer mill. The optimization platform will be updated, and new BioLuma 2900LV sensors installed in the scan frame.

Technology has improved substantially from the 2010 timeframe, with the advent of much more powerful computing, ultra high density geometric scanning, vision technology, more precise and improved optimization algorithms, and now Deep Learning AI. This new technology is scheduled to be installed in mid-2022.

14 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

www.ewd-digital.de

www.ewd.de Esterer WD GmbH | Estererstrasse 12 | 84503 Altötting | Germany | T: +49 8671 503 - 0

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 15

LUMBER PROCESSING NEWS

BSW acquired by Binderholz BSW Timber Ltd (‘BSW’), the UK’s major integrated forestry and sawmilling group, has been acquired by Binderholz. The deal is subject to normal closing conditions and approval from the Austrian Competition Commission and UK Financial Conduct Authority.

Binderholz is a significant global sawmiller and producer of value-added products, including cross laminated timber, Glulam beams, solid wood panels, pressed pallet blocks, wood pellets and briquettes. The business has demonstrated a solid consistent growth, now operating in Austria, Germany, Finland, and the USA. Under the leadership of CEO Tony Hackney, BSW will integrate with Binderholz. “Our management teams across the business units remain and the whole team will be supported by Binder family and Senior management,” said Tony.

Following the acquisition, Binderholz and BSW plan to undertake a significant capital investment programme in the sites to increase capacity and broaden the capabilities of the business.

“The long-established name of BSW will remain and business will be as normal, with much greater opportunity to supply a wider basket of products. We will be enhancing our capabilities to further expand our capacity and grow further in supply to all sectors,” added Tony.

“We are all excited and thoroughly committed to support the business through a transitionary period under new ownership and have demonstrated our ability to do this”.

“I am very grateful to our previous owners Endless LLP and the whole team for the support they have given us all at BSW”.

“The acquisition of BSW will strengthen Binderholz’s capabilities and further broaden BSW’s product offering and service to customers,” said Reinhard Binder, Chairman of the Binderholz group of companies.

Aidan Robson, Founding Partner of Endless LLP, said: “We are proud of what we have achieved at BSW in such a short period and have enjoyed working with the BSW team.

“We are delighted to be selling the business to such a good home in Binderholz who have such a strong track record of growth and a market leading reputation. We feel this acquisition is hugely positive for the BSW employees, its customers and the whole supply chain”.

Tony Hackney continued: “We are very pleased to be strengthening our position in the value-added timber market by becoming part of the Binderholz family. The opportunity to enhance our supply chain and additionally widen our product offering is exciting.

Front – Alan Milne, Hans Binder, Tony Hackney, Reinhard Binder; Back – Aidan Robson, Gebhard Duenser, Matteo Binder, Ludwig Foildl, Ian Henderson, Gavin Adkins “This represents another major milestone in the growth of BSW and we are looking forward to drawing on the expertise and knowledge of the Binderholz team.

I would also like to thank the Endless LLP team for their huge support over the last years.”

Endless LLP and BSW were advised by MCF (Corporate Finance), Walker Morris (Legal), PWC (Financial and Tax), Deloitte (Pensions), Willis Towers Watson (Insurance) and Propaganda (Brand).

Binderholz were advised by Alvarez and Marsal (Financial, Tax and Pensions), Flick Gocke Schaumberg (Legal) and MacFarlanes (Legal).

BSW was founded in 1848 in Earlston, Scotland and has a production capacity of over 1.2 million cubic meters of sawn timber

From old to NEW in 22 days!

SPRINGER upgrades lumber line plant by HILO Within a very short period of time, SPRINGER was able to replace the existing grading line for side boards at HILO in Losheim, DE with a new state-of-the-art lumber line.

In order to be able to install the new grading line with two decks, a trimmer line and a new SPRINGER positioning fence in time, the lumber sorter downstream was already modified by SPRINGER in December.

For the entire upgrade of

the plant, starting with the disassembly of the old plant up to the commissioning of the new one, SPRINGER had only a window of 22 days this summer.

To ensure that the plant could be assembled on time, entire sections of the line were preassembled outdoors next to the production building.

Already during the construction phase, care was taken to ensure that individual sections and the respective machines could be easily brought into the production

16 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

building by a mobile crane.

After the successful performance test, the plant was accepted by HILO in due time.

per year. The company, which employs around 2.000 employees, operates seven sawmill sites in the UK, one sawmill site in Latvia and seven other production sites in the UK. BSW is active along the entire value chain of the sawmill industry: from sustainable forest management and forest maintenance – with capacity to plant up to 50 million new high-quality seedlings per year – to timber harvesting, sawmill operations, timber processing and distribution as well as biomass energy.

LUMBER PROCESSING NEWS

Merger announced between USNR and Wood Fiber Group USNR and Wood Fiber Group have announced their merger in a transaction that will create one of the world’s most comprehensive supplier of the equipment, technology, and essential tooling used in modern wood processing facilities.

USNR is an industry-leading global supplier of sawmill and plywood mill machinery, aftermarket parts, and technical and engineering services.

Wood Fiber Group is the largest supplier of cutting tools, filing room equipment, and critical consumable products to the wood products industry, serving the North American market with wellknown brands including Simonds International, Burton Saw & Supply, BGR Saws, Global Tooling, and U.S. Blades.

This merger will create a single company with a vast product range, capable of delivering

complete solutions from project conception, to building/installing processing lines, to supplying the spare parts, technical services, ancillary equipment, and customengineered cutting tools that their customers rely on to operate their mills at peak performance.

The complementary nature of the two businesses presents the opportunity to offer new products and services to customers – enabling a ‘win’ for the Wood Fiber

Group, a ‘win’ for USNR, and a ‘win’ for their customers.

Rettenmeier invests in growth, Resource Efficiency & new jobs in the Baltic States With an investment program at its own location in Incukalns (Latvia), the Rettenmeier Group will expand the plant significantly over the next few years, increase the depth of added value and create additional jobs.

In the course of 2022 a new log yard and a new sawing line with a capacity of more than 1 million cubic meters per year each will

be installed, followed by two new sorting lines in early 2023 and a new planing line with an annual output of over 250,000 m³ in 2024.

The focus of the entire investment and the future direction of the company is the increase in resource efficiency with higher yield, productivity and added value of the raw material with a significantly improved energy

balance. Taking ecological aspects into account, the company‘s entire vehicle fleet will be converted to electromobility as far as possible within the investment period.

In addition, the plant will be connected to the European and Russian rail networks in order to shift considerable parts of the freight traffic onto the rails in the future.

SCREW TECHNOLOGY Your advantages: √ Low maintenance √ Low-wear and tear √ Quiet operation √ No stop & go operation √ No energetic peak loads √ Designed for crooked species too

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International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 17

LUMBER PROCESSING NEWS

Jartek Invest Oy – Delivery of Green sorting Machinery to Pölkky Jartek Invest Oy delivers a modern green sorting machinery to Pölkky Oy’s Kajaani production facility.

The delivery consists of both green sorting and sticker stacker machinery with peripherals.

Automation installation for the sorting system is delivered by Jartek AI Oy. The delivery is the biggest green sorting line ever built in Finland.

The Kajaani green sorting project has been put together for quite some time by both parties. “It is truly great that Pölkky Oy chose

local partners and have confidence in Finnish expertise. Jartek would like to thank Pölkky Oy for the trust”, says Kari Puustinen, Sales Director of Jartek.

“We wanted to continue the cooperation with Jartek on this project. Kajaani production facility has a demanding concept because the new line will be installed in the existing building with the shortest possible production shutdown. We think that the local partners will serve our needs for the best in this case”, says Petteri Virranniemi, the

CEO of Pölkky Oy. The investment is a continuation of the well-started cooperation between Jartek and Pölkky. Jartek AI Oy has recently delivered automation solutions to Pölkky’s planing mill and dry sorting plant.

Preparation work for the Kajaani production facility development project is already in action. The installations will begin in autumn 2022 and production trial run will start immediately at the end of 2022.

Kari Puustinen, Sales Director of Jartek

Eacom announces a $10 Million Dollars Investment at it’s Gogama Housing Facility EACOM Timber Corporation, has announced a $10 million dollars investment over 5 years to replace its existing housing facility in Gogama, Ontario. The investment will allow to replace the 12 housing units by a complex of 44 units including a food catering service for its employees.

EACOM is strongly committed to attract and recruit talent. As the housing situation in the Gogama area is limited, EACOM desire to stay at the forefront of human resources practices. Over the next 12 months, EACOM will be welcoming over 12 international employees and their families at its facility. The housing facility will

also accommodate corporate and regional employees while travelling for business in the area.

“This is the achievement of an idea that started two years ago”, says Eric Larouche, EACOM Vice-President Human Resources.

“EACOM appointed internally a dedicated task force group to work on this project and they worked countless hours to make it happen. We are extremely happy to offer our employees a housing alternative to better their life at work, as we always strive for the best for our employees.”

For this Project EACOM has partnered with IVEY Group, based out of Sudbury, Ontario. IVEY

Group will have the responsibility of the operations of the facility from food service to house keeping to maintenance and upkeep.

“Our team at IVEY Group is pleased and extremely proud to partner with EACOM on this exciting project. Further, our organization has partnered with First Nation Industrial Systems, out of Timmins, Ontario, to bring this project to fruition. From the very beginning of the process, EACOM made it clear that they wanted to support local businesses in an effort to stimulate the local economy. This is in direct alignment with the vision at IVEY Group which is to continue to support

the development of Northern Ontario, creating high-value jobs and promoting the north as a great place to work and live. EACOM is a great partner that demonstrates high levels of social responsibility and is an excellent corporate and community citizen”, says Anthony Lawley, president and founder of IVEY.

McDowell Lumber adds vision & Deep Learning technology McDowell Lumber at Asheboro, NC is adding vision technology to its existing BioLuma Trimmer Optimizer. The company implemented BioLuma sensor technology in 2019 with laser profile sensors in their existing

scan frame. Now the company wants to increase its grade recovery and value by replacing the sensors with BioLuma 2900LV units. This upgrade also adds Deep Learning AI technology to the mix.

McDowell processes a mixture

18 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

of hardwoods into lumber and pallets. The mill trusts USNR‘s experience with vision technology for hardwood production; the optimizer platform is designed to allow for both shop and appearance grade scanning. This

technology is scheduled to be installed in mid-2022.

Koskisen to build state-of-the-art wood processing unit in Finland

Koskisen will carry out an investment in Kärkölä worth EUR 48 million, with production scheduled to start up in summer 2023. The new unit’s annual production will initially be 400,000 cubic metres of softwood sawn timber. The investment is a continuation of the further processing capacity expansion carried out in 2020 and the power plant investment in which heat production was converted entirely to biofuel.

Koskisen is the biggest industrial employer in the PäijätHäme region in terms of number of employees. The investment will increase the company’s annual net sales by tens of millions of euros, a HALCO AD:Layout 3

3/8/10

significant share of which will come from export revenues. The business growth will support well-being in the Päijät-Häme region through salaries, stumpage revenues and the use of various contracting services. The employment impact during the construction phase is estimated at approximately 70 person-years.

“This investment is the largest in the company’s history and extremely significant strategically speaking. The new production line, coupled with our major processing capacity, makes Koskisen’s Sawn Timber Industry one of the most competitive players in its field, with one of the highest degrees of further processing,” says Koskisen 17:22

Page 1

Optimise your production plan...

Group’s CEO Jukka Pahta.

“The use of renewable materials, especially wood, is expected to increase significantly in the future. Responsibly managed Nordic forests and wood products made with the environment and effective use of raw materials in mind offer solutions for sustainable development. With this investment, we secure our place as a driver of this development towards carbon neutrality,” Pahta adds.

Geared towards eco-efficiency and a 40% increase in productivity The starting point for Koskisen’s integrated mechanical wood processing operations in Järvelä is high eco-efficiency and the highest possible utilisation of the wood material. The investment project will involve moving the sawmilling operations from the centre of Järvelä to the sawn timber finishing and further processing operations, 4 kilometres away from the current location. This will create synergies in production and significantly reduce the emissions from the sawmill’s internal logistics.

“The new production line will increase sawmilling productivity by up to 40% and enable the utilisation of a broader range of log diameters. This will allow us to offer our customers new products,

Koskisen Group’s CEO Jukka Pahta

Koskisen Sawn Timber Industry Director Tommi Sneck and the wood raw material can be used even more effectively for end products that store carbon for a long time,” explains Koskisen Sawn Timber Industry Director Tommi Sneck.

For more information: Jukka Pahta, CEO, tel. +358 050 3894 499, jukka.pahta@koskisen.com Tommi Sneck, Director, Sawn Timber Industry, +358 40 5498 218, tommi.sneck@koskisen.com

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SAWLINES

EWD Digital – the new generation The new generation of EWD Digital ensures efficient use of natural resources, such as wood, are critical for sustainable development, competitiveness as well as environmental protection.

R

esource-efficient management along the entire value chain, for example through the intelligent use of digital technologies, is the goal of their development for the future.

There is no way around digitization if a company want to remain profitable. This is the only way one can maintain freedom for innovation and agility in competition.

The goal is clear: “We want to remain a leading manufacturer of sawing technologies and at the same time become a leading supplier of digital sawing technologies.”

Technical innovations such as EWD Liveview, Millcontrol or EWD Simulation, and especially our digital platform eWood, are unthinkable without transformation.

EWD Sägetechnik is transforming itself from a pure sawmill manufacturer to a networked sawmill supplier, always focusing on people – as customer and employee. In this way, they are consistently developing EWD further.

Designing the customer experience, from the initial inquiry through personal contact to delivery is always the company’s primary focus.

In doing so, it is important to be able to understand relevant details of the customers: In what

situations does the customer engage with products and services? To what extent can the customer understand all aspects of performance? And which aspect then leads to which request from the customer?

EWD is able to process requests quickly and satisfactorily with the shortest turnaround time. This can only be achieved with strategy and a great team of employees who intelligently support and flexibly develop all business processes in the background, such as their service.

In the company’s words, “We move forward and know where we stand every day. To keep it that way, we take time to reflect. About our future and how we want to shape it successfully.”

EWD Sägetechnik stands for this new digital development.

Early on, EWD recognized that the sawmill industry was about to change fundamentally. The pace of new developments is constantly increasing.

The expectations of the customers to saw more efficiently increases every year.

Erik Brandsma new CEO of Sveaskog Erik Brandsma has been named new CEO of Sveaskog, effective from 15[th] January, 2022.

Brandsma has a degree in forest engineering with a MSc from British Columbia and most recently served at Jämtkraft AB. Before that he was Director General of the Swedish Energy Agency, where he contributed to the energy transition in Sweden.

He also served as Chief Sustainability Officer at Vattenfall AB and EON AG, and he has experience from international

sustainability work within the OECD and the UN. “We’re very pleased to welcome Erik Brandsma as our next CEO,” says Eva Färnstrand, chairman of the board at Sveaskog.

“He has long experience from leading organizations in change and a strong commitment to sustainability. He has just the right set of skills needed to lead the continuous implementation of our long-term focus that was made public last spring: Sveaskog’s sustainable forestry programme.”

20 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

“Every time I’ve met Sveaskog, I’ve been impressed by the organization’s commitment, competence and pride,” says Erik Brandsma. “I see this as a wonderful challenge, to drive the change towards a sustainable forestry together with all my new colleagues. It’s a very important task to lead Sveaskog through the transition where we future-proof our operations, and I see that all of my previous experiences have contributed to preparing me for this exciting job.”

Brandsma will replace Per Matses, who will retire after 10 years as CFO and acting CEO during 2021.

SAWLINES Better opportunity to produce customised grades

An image of the inside of the log produced by the X-ray log scanner. Image: RemaSawco Oy

Getting the most out of wood raw material with new X-ray log scanner This past summer, Koskisen focussed strongly on a new X-ray log scanner at its log sorting facility

P

reparations for the new X-ray log scanner were initiated already the previous spring, and included the fulltime recruitment of Kirsi-Marja Toivonen, who is writing her Master’s thesis on the subject.

Kirsi-Marja’s assistance helped to ensure that the investment would bring the greatest possible benefit right from the start. The X-ray log scanner was finally in full use on the sawmill’s sorting line at the end of August.

“The technology has evolved tremendously in recent years, and the machines have become more and more compact. For those reasons, it was the right time to invest in one,” says the sawmill’s Production Manager, Jaakko Huttunen.

Compared to the previous sorting method, the X-ray log scanner clearly enhances efficiency in both log sorting and the utilisation of the raw material. The X-ray log scanner enables more efficient sorting and sawing of the pine and spruce logs that arrive at the sawmill, which means there is also less log waste.

“In sawing, the raw material costs represent a significant share of the price of the final product.

The X-ray log scanner measures bark thickness and reveals the inner quality of the logs, the location of knots, the heartwood diameter and clear differences in density. Since the X-ray log scanner is able to calculate the top diameter of the log under the bark, it possible to more accurately determine how to efficiently saw the log.

“The X-ray log scanner allows us to sort the logs so that we achieve the optimal sawing grade in terms of the final product and the customer’s specifications.

At the same time, it gives us the opportunity to produce customerspecific grades,” explains Huttunen.

Koskisen has devoted considerable resources to the X-ray log scanner project.

Kirsi-Marja has been involved in the project almost full-time since the spring. Virmiala and the sawmill’s foreman, Anna Vilkko, have also been assigned

Koskisen employee and Master’s thesis worker Kirsi-Marja Toivonen makes measurements on logs sorted by the log X-ray machine.

The goal is therefore to get the most out of the log materials,” says the sawmill’s production planner, Juha Virmiala.

In addition to costs, sustainability issues were also considered. With wood consumption continuously increasing in Finland, it is important to make efficient use of all the raw material obtained from forests, and to process higherquality products from the bestquality logs.

Jaakko Huttunen, Production Manager

Juha Virmiala, Production Planner

to the project. Another partner in the project is RemaSawco Oy, the company that delivered and installed the X-ray log scanner on the Järvelä mill’s log sorting line.

“We knew this would be a challenging project, so we wanted to dedicate our best experts to it.

It really paid off, as in the very first pine sawing we were able to see how the X-ray grading works. The timber sawn from A-graded butts was U/S quality to a very high degree,” says a pleased Huttunen.

For now, harvesters measure the logs as they are harvested.

X-ray log scanning, however, offers opportunities to grade and price the logs.

“In principle, it will be possible in the future to use X-ray log scanning to determine log quality and log pricing when receiving the raw material, in which case the value of the raw material would be defined even more precisely,” reckons Huttunen.

Every day, thousands of cubic metres of logs pass through the log sorting line at Koskisen’s Järvelä mill.

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 21

NEW Products, NEW Processes

Freres Lumber: Carving out a niche The beam and column line with the new carriage is a way for us to expand on our primary Mass Plywood Panel products. We have the ability to supply a larger percentage of the entire project: beams, columns, and panels

Freres Lumber realized it was missing a portion of its market potential. After researching the mass timber market, the company decided to jump in with its own mass timber offering. With patents in hand, a brand new facility and production process, and very strong markets, the only thing missing was a way to expand the solutions it provided to potential projects. The company turned to USNR to help it realize the full potential of its mass timber appeal

22 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

W

hile the wood processing industry is currently enjoying a hot market for lumber, plywood, and panels, a few years ago the markets were struggling. In 2015 Freres Lumber was challenged in the plywood market with competition from OSB and from imported products. That led the management team to look to broaden the company’s product portfolio and expand its market.

Freres Lumber is headquartered at Mill City, OR. Its operation comprises two softwood veneer plants, a plywood plant, a Mass Plywood Panel (MPP) plant, and a cogeneration power plant that produces electricity for the local grid. The plywood plant is in Mill City, while the other operations are down the road in Lyons. The MPP plant employs 20, and the complete contingent of personnel at the Freres company numbers 430.

Freres Lumber is family-owned, with Rob Freres as President and brothers Kyle and Tyler Freres managing the day-today operation. In 2015 market challenges were impacting the company’s operation for its primarily plywood products. At the same time, the Freres team

knew their supply of Douglas Fir exhibited superior strength properties for a softwood. Kyle Freres, VP of Operations, explains, “We knew we were not getting full value out of our commodity plywood products, so we started to look into mass timber as a way to fully utilize the strength properties of the wood.” The team traveled to Germany along with a group from Oregon State University (OSU), and toured some Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) facilities. The team thought they could do better than what CLT was offering. “We did some product testing and proof of concept testing that proved out our design, and this resulted in our decision to proceed with the MPP facility.”

To date, Freres Lumber has patented its MPP veneer-based mass timber product and its manufacturing process, in 4 countries.

What is MPP? MPP is a structural composite lumber-based panel. Freres has engineered MPP to enhance the natural strength of the wood while adding dimensional stability.

Panels can be constructed with a combination of cross-grain

SAWLINES

We knew we were not getting full value out of our commodity plywood products, so we started to look into mass timber as a way to fully utilize the strength properties of the wood Kyle Freres Vice President of Operations at Freres Lumber Co., Inc.

and long-grain components. It can be processed to required specifications; floor, roof and wall panels can be manufactured as large as 11’-10” wide, 48’ long, and 12” thick.

Realizing the goal MPP panels are marketed world wide, primarily to architects, engineers, and developers. Kyle explained that there has been a lot of interest in mass timber for commercial construction, and as well for mid-to-high rise multi-family apartments. “The commercial and industrial projects we were quoting required more than just panel products; they also utilize a large percentage of glulam material. So the beam and column line with the new carriage is a way for us to expand on our primary MPP products. Now we have the ability to supply a larger percentage of the entire project: beams, columns, and panels.”

Specialty carriage design This specialty USNR carriage was designed to accommodate panels or billets that are 60’ in length. Dry

weight of the carriage is 60,000 lbs. and it can transport 20,000 lb. billets. The carriage drive is engineered to transport that weight at a speed up to 410 ft./min. The single bandmill is USNR’s proven L&B design.

Kyle was happy with the result, “The carriage and bandmill have really expanded the range of products we can produce. Now we can process material that is 24” thick; we can produce columns that are 24” thick and 47-1/2” wide.

That is a substantial piece of wood that we would never have been able to process without the new equipment.”

“USNR has been designing and manufacturing carriages for decades for processing hardwood and old growth timber. We thought this capability would be a good fit for designing a carriage that could process our large mass timber beams of the future.”

Overcoming challenges Kyle said that with the COVID-19 pandemic, commodity markets were really struggling early on with coming to terms with the new reality. Kyle related, “Some commercial projects were delayed, so projects we hoped to be working on were pushed out to the end of the year. Luckily we had some orders come through our MPP facility that kept us going for a few months while the pandemic was at its worst.”

Riding strong markets Currently the plywood market is extremely hot, similar to the lumber market. “We are seeing

historically unprecedented prices on the plywood products. We try to price our MPP products for the long term in order to build market, and to build confidence in our customers that we can maintain prices.”

For now Freres is focused on sales and marketing efforts to inform the market of what is available, and that they can provide all the raw components from panels to beams and columns.

Equipped with the means to add value to its MPP product line, Freres is well positioned to meet future demand.

The project There were several elements of the carriage that had to be completely designed versus a traditional log carriage. Kyle explained, “Instead of dealing with a round log rolling onto carriage knees and secured with spiked dogs, we had to account for a rectangular piece of wood that is conveyed into the knees, and held down by knurled dogs. Then instead of speed, volume, and grade being the main targets, we know what grade of product we are cutting because we laid it up in an engineered fashion, so we are most concerned with having a precise finish on the final piece.” He continued, “With any large project there are always growing pains, but USNR’s crew is very professional and they did a fantastic job on the installation.”

Kyle described their new process. “We are set up to run in batch operations. We will run that equipment when we have the need, so it’s not impacting the personnel requirements. We move individuals around to produce the product we need to fill the orders.”

Kyle made special note of two individuals who ensured the project’s success. Plant manager Ed Stezer was key to overseeing the project from start to finish, and Zack Holman, millwright and bandmill operator, made sure the carriage installation and start-up hit the mark.

The panel is turned to process products from the opposite side

Beams have been cut and are separated out from the MPP panel

(Photos courtesy of Freres Lumber and Shanna Hall Photography)

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 23

SAWLINES

New log sorter at Boise Cascade Well-proven log solutions from SPRINGER

B

oise Cascade is one of the leading American manufacturers of and dealers in timber building materials.

For the new stem and block processing equipment in its plywood mill in Florien (Louisiana), it picked SPRINGER’s proven log handling solutions including the robust screw technology.

Following the loading deck, oversized and unsuitable stems are shaped on a defect saw and fed to the slasher deck after debarking and scanning.

The stems are trimmed into several blocks of equal length by five crosscut saws. They are then conveyed in two directions by a reversible belt and buffered in a total of ten sorting bins until further processing.

New and improved Feeder Carriage Ensures the reliable positioning of boards The consistent increase in conveying speeds requires good quality assessment via a scanner and then reliable positioning of the boards in front of the trimmer. In order to meet any of its customers’ future requirements, SPRINGER has developed a brand-new positioning system.

Adjustment of the end stops is now carried out exclusively by servo technology. As a result, the new feeder carriage no

longer needs any flaps, cranks or clamping systems that are subject to wear and tear. Springer focused particularly on ensuring good access, compatibility with existing machinery and easy maintenance.

The upshot is real added value for customers.

24 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

SAWLINES

The combination of high functional reliability, unlimited cutting patterns and short log gaps not only makes the separating conveyor unique, but also makes the complete sawmill process more economical

SEL conveyor solves the issue of varied product dimensions in separation

Linck conveyor transports mills to profitability

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he latest separating conveyor SEL from Linck is designed for separating sideboards from multiple centre products.

Its functional principle, for which a patent application has been filed, allows a safe and reliable separation without limitation of the product dimensions.

With a feed speed of up to 200 m/minute, the sideboards on the left and right of the centre product are separated one after the other.

As the adjustment to different cutting patterns is done servohydraulically in a very short time, it is possible to operate with short log gaps. The chain-free solution

makes the SEL very low wear and easy to maintain.

The combination of high functional reliability, unlimited cutting patterns and short log gaps not only makes the separating conveyor unique, but also makes the complete sawmill process more economical.

“The combination of high functional reliability, unlimited cutting patterns and short log gaps not only makes the separating conveyor unique, but also makes the complete sawmill process more economical.”

Project Power Wood Corp., Canada Mühlböck drying technology in North America Mühlböck dry kilns 1306 PRO for new location in Agassiz, B.C. When Power Wood Corp. of Surrey moved their Custom Cedar production to a new location in Agassiz B.C., Canada this summer, they too chose Mühlböck to design their new 4 kiln drying capacity,

Jake Power Owner, Sales-Manager, General Manager, Power Wood

with the flexibility of installation in 2 phases.

Mühlböck North America was able to offer customer the perfect design to meet their motto ‘On Time, On Grade, On Budget’, with 1306 PRO dry kilns that are developed to reduce thermal and electrical power consumption by up to 25% without losing any drying time, while still delivering the highest possible lumber quality.

The installation of the first 2 kilns has just been completed exactly as scheduled, and commissioned to customer’s full satisfaction.

‘You and your team did a great job for us. I’m looking forward to building kilns #5&6 soon!’ reported Jake Power to the Mühlböck North America Team.

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 25

SAWLINES

Katarina Levin, CEO, Setra

Setra Skinnskatteberg invests in a new saw line

T

he wood industry company Setra invests in a new saw line for small diameter logs at the company’s facility in Skinnskatteberg. The investment provides major efficiency improvements and increased resource utilization.

Setra’s board has decided

on an investment in a new saw line for small diameter logs at Skinnskatteberg’s sawmill. The investment in the new saw line, including additional measures in other parts of the sawmill, amounts to approximately SEK 170 million.

It is an important step in Setra’s construction strategy and enables

Pyrocell has started production

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roduction is now underway at Pyrocell’s plant in Gävle.

The new and groundbreaking factory is turning sawdust into bio-oil.

Jointly owned by Setra and Preem, Pyrocell was formed in 2018 based on the business concept of producing bio-oil from sawdust. Production at the groundbreaking plant – Sweden’s first pyrolysis oil plant for biofuels

– is now underway.

“It’s brilliant that we have built a brand new factory from scratch and it’s now up and running. We have produced the first oil and we’re very proud of the plant,” says Anders Wigstein, Production Manager at Pyrocell.

Pyrocell’s plant is located at Setra Kastet sawmill in Gävle on Sweden’s Baltic coast. It converts sawdust, a residual product in

26 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

an overall efficient production and a safer working environment on the small diameter log range in Setra’s southern raw material area.

- It will also improve productivity at other nearby Setra sawmills and enables a total increase in production of 150,000 m3 of sawn goods the next few years, says Katarina Levin, CEO of Setra.

-The investment will improve conditions to create business process flows. Our coworkers are very engaged in working improvements, and a new saw

Setra’s industrial process, into nonfossil pyrolysis oil. The pyrolysis oil is then processed further to make renewable diesel and petrol at Preem’s refinery in Lysekil.

“Pyrocell is a unique industrial initiative that enables a sustainable value chain from forest to tank. We replace fossil oil and contribute to an increased share of renewables in fuels, producing lower carbon dioxide emissions,” says Pontus Friberg, Executive Chairman of Pyrocell.

The plant will produce around 25,000 tonnes of non-fossil pyrolysis oil per year, equivalent to the annual fuel consumption of

Mikael Romlin, Mill Manager, Skinnskatteberg

line will further improve that, says Mikael Romlin, Mill Manager at Skinnskatteberg.

about 17,000 cars.

For further information, please contact: Pontus Friberg, Chairman Pyrocell, pontus.friberg@pyrocell.se

Pyrocell – from idea to finished factory • I n 2016, Setra launched a feasibility study on bio-oil production based on the rapid pyrolysis technology.

Continued on page 48

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Power meets Precision Harvester heads equipped with smart technologies enable more accurate results in all kinds of forestry.

T

he European harvesting model has always been led by the most sophisticated technologies. The idea of having what is essentially a robot as an attachment is a little bit of science fiction. To be able to connect to a computer on board the carrier that is communicated to by the demands of the sawmill that the rig is feeding revolutionised the industry when it was introduced.

That communications software has therefore always been a key driver of harvester head technology.

Control systems dictate how accurately heads can execute on orders from the mill and directions from the operator.

This year’s harvester head review sees that computer-based technology advance coupled with a renewed concentration on capacity.

Perhaps it is the need to ‘build back green’ or a lightening fast response to the squeeze on wood supply, but this year equipment

suppliers have taken a purposeful step toward greater cutting power and volumes.

Ponsse has a long history of manufacturing harvester heads.

The first PONSSE harvester head was made in Vieremä in 1986.

PONSSE harvester heads have been designed to withstand even the toughest conditions.

They are characterised by a simple and solid structure which enables them to be used in various harvesting applications from harvesters to track-based solutions.

Each harvester head model is designed on the basis of efficiency, durability and ease of use.

Harvester heads must withstand

H6 The ultimate head for thinning and regeneration felling.

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 27

extreme conditions while operating accurately and as gently as possible without damaging the trunk surface unnecessarily.

All PONSSE harvester heads are manufactured and designed at the Ponsse factory in Vieremä. The design process is comprehensive and covers, in addition to mechanical parts, operating controls and software. The manufacturing process is highly automated to ensure high quality and measuring accuracy. The frames of harvester heads are machined from a single piece after the welding

assembly. This guarantees the highest quality with excellent precision. Durable hoses and delimbing knives form an important part of reliability.

Ponsse’s selection includes 10 different harvester heads for different conditions from thinning to regeneration felling and processing.

The basic product features in all models include powerful feeding as well as quick and efficient sawing. The harvester heads can be adjusted according to the trees harvested and the base machine used, ensuring smooth operations and

a long service life. Their strong grip and accurate measuring system ensure excellent measuring accuracy.

JANNE LOPONEN, Product Manager, Harvester Heads

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he PONSSE H7 HD is a very robust 4 T

and strong harvester head primarily for large wheeled harvesters and tracked based machines. The structure is based on the popular H7 model, but it has been reinforced for the special operating conditions of track-based machines.

he new H8 HD Euca harvester head 8 T

has been designed for the PONSSE Bear harvester, but especially it is ideal solution for track-based machines. The H8 HD Euca is an effective tool in forests where the diameter of eucalyptus stems can be up to 50 cm.

5 PONSSE H7 HD Euca is designed for

processing and debarking eucalyptus trees. Thanks to its excellent geometry, the H7 HD Euca works well with big trees. Suitable for both wheeled and track-based machines.

9 Strong power, reliable structure and

accurate control in the same package.

PONSSE H9 is excellent in processing but suits felling and multi-stemming processing very well. PONSSE H9 head is a real multifunction head. Fast, effective, rational and most important productivity. A harvester head of this size class has never been this versatile.

he PONSSE H8 is a robust and 6 T

powerful harvester head for demanding work with large trees.

Powerful feed and excellent geometry together with efficient sawing enables high productivity. Also available with a top saw.

1 The PONSSE H5 is a multipurpose

harvester head especially suited for efficient thinning. he PONSSE H6 is praised as the best 2 T

multipurpose harvester head on the market. It’s suited to a variety of uses, ranging from thinning sites with small trees to regeneration felling.

he PONSSE H8 HD is a robust 7 T

harvester head with high power and excellent geometry for demanding conditions. The H8 HD is designed for demanding use on large track-based machines with a powerful hydraulic system. Also available with a top saw.

he PONSSE H7 is a compact, robust 3 T

and powerful harvester head for demanding regeneration felling and later thinning work.

he PONSSE H10 is the largest 10 T

harvester head in the selection, suitable for processing large diameter trees. With a very robust structure, the H10 is designed for track-based machines weighing over 25 tonnes.

In spite of its size, the H10 is not only suitable for processing but also felling.

TXL ULTIMATE

F L O TAT I O N

E T A N O M I I T T L A U LOT F

FITTED AS STANDARD

K ST Y TRAC E W N LO N & RE OF A O I T U C TRA PRESS T S D BE OUN GR

www.clarktracks.com |

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 29

John Deere introduces New H423 & H425 Harvester Heads

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his fall, John Deere introduced the new, smallsize H423 harvester head and the large-size H425 and H425HD. These new attachments replace the previous H413, H415 and H415HD models. Like its predecessor, these heads have 4WD feed.

The H423 harvester head works on the 1070G, 1170G and 1270G base machines and is ideal for thinnings and other fellings, where the tree diameter at chest height (BHD) is 150-350 mm.

With improved hose routing from boom to harvester head, and

from valve block to feed motors, this attachment offers improved durability, easy hose replacement and improved hose protection with modifications to the frame. It has an operating range of minimum diameter at chest height (BHD) 40 mm to a maximum 500 mm.

The new harvesting heads provide excellent performance, durability, measuring accuracy and economy Sakari Suuriniemi, John Deere

The new Deere H423 harvester head can make short work of trees with a chest-height diameter of 150 to 350 millimetres

30 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

The H425 harvester head for the larger size class is available on the 1270G and 1470G base machines. This attachment is ideal for final fellings and other fellings where the tree diameter at chest height (BHD) is 250-500 mm. Also including improved hose routing from loader to harvester head and from valve block to feed motors, the hoses are routed through the frame and well protected within the structures, improving durability.

Additionally, the H425HD harvester head added to the H425 model offers an HD tilt frame, expander pins in the upper end of the tilt cylinder, feed motor arms, and lower delimbing knives.

“The new harvesting heads provide excellent performance,

Deere’s new H425 for trees up to 500 millimetres in diameter also comes in an H425HD version with an HD tilt handle, feed motor guards, and expander pins durability, measuring accuracy and economy,” said Sakari Suuriniemi, product marketing manager Wheeled Harvesters and Heads at John Deere Forestry. “So far, we’ve received great customer feedback

on the latest updates and can’t wait to see the updated harvester heads in action this season.”

A wide selection of saw motors and saw bars are also available for the H425 and H425HD harvester

heads. For more information on the H423, H425 and H425HD models or the full portfolio of John Deere products, visit johndeere.com.

BY HULTDINS Hultdins SuperGrip is the best selling professional timber grapple in the world. No matter if it is on a forwarder, self loader or excavator, in desert heat or freezing cold, on a sunny day or in pouring rain.

Every hour of the day, every day of the year, tens of thousands of Hultdins grapples are handling various logs in all corners of the globe. hultdins.com

Since 1928, Hultdins has been developing and manufacturing tomorrow’s tools and components for forest and construction machinery. Our products SuperCut and SuperGrip are used every day worldwide.

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 31

New Keto continuous 360° plus rotator

Unlimited 360 ° Plus Rotators are now available The following models can be ordered with the CONTINUOUS 360° Plus rotator; Keto-51 Eco LD3 Keto-100 Karate Keto-150 Keto-600+ Keto-800+ series Keto are in the process of gradually including this rotator to other models

CONTINUOUS 360° PLUS ROTATOR This is the newest updated in Keto head family. It meant to enhance the efficiency significantly in every day operation.

Kone-Ketonen has filed a patent application for the rotator as it incorporates new and unparalleled features.

Feedback There are already a number of these unlimitedly rotating Keto­ harvesters in use in Finland, Germany and North-America since last three years. Contractors have given very positive feedback of new innovation. One of them is from entrepreneur Hannu Siukola, Finland, expressing his satisfaction with the new rotator.

The 360° Plus continuous rotator expedites the felling work.

The tree can be approached from any direction. The felling head can be rotated unlimited in both directions without damaging the hoses or trees.

The 360° Plus continuous rotator also facilitates maintenance work, whit the easy access to the hoses and fittings.

This new rotator increases the service interval for hoses, which saves the service costs. The hoses are not moving and wearing out and they are much shorter.

We have been involved in this Keto’s continuous rotator project since day one. We are running them on a bunch of Keto heads, each getting 100h per week, over 4000h per season. Sure, we had some hick-ups in the early stages, but Keto took care of them quickly. Today we have the total of over 30000h on these rotators, and they work very well. No more old hose issues, more rotating power, fool proof electrical swivel, simple and compact unit - there is no way going back to the old setup.

Desmond Major, Major’s Logging Limited, Deer Lake, NL, Canada:

Rotator for smaller models: Suitable for

0 45 links & 0 45 swing dampers

Benefits

Rotator Max Torque

1050 Nm(@ 100 Bar)

The 360° Plus continuous rotator provides significantly more rotational force: up to 1050 Nm at a pressure of 100 bar. In forest thinning, this also increases the efficiency.

Rotar Max Static Load

146 kN (15 metric ton)

32 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

Rotator for large models: Rotator Max Torque

1800 Nm(@ 100 Bar)

Rotar Max Static Load

450 kN (46 metric ton)

Everything passes through the rotator All hydraulic hoses, electrical cables, stump treatment liquid and urea, are passing through the rotator.

The urea hose has its own isolated channel in the the rotator.

Therefore, even in the case of any failure, the urea and hydraulic oil will never get mixed.

Forestry contractor Hannu Siukola introduced his Keto-51 LD3 with unlimited rotating rotator and SampoRosenlew HR46x harvester at Forest Machine Demo Day, in Kangasala.

Helping drivers work The 360° Plus continuous rotator revolutionizes the usability of the harvester head.

• Trees can be approached from any direction • Dangling hoses cannot be cut or damaged by the saw • Hoses cannot be twisted anymore around the tilt • No more pulled out electrical cable or wires • Increased service life for hoses and fittings • More powerful and precise rotational motion • Built-in sawing feature • Easy ad well designed service access

The hose bundle does not interfere with trees. It is faster to rotate the head to the next tree. I will not go back to the old, limited rotators.

This is a keeper!

Hannu Siukola,

KETO500 EcoProcessor and 360º PLUS ROTATOR UNLIMITED 360º PLUS ROTATORS ARE NOW AVAILABLE Have You heard about this innovate product?

The following models can be ordered with the CONTINOUS 360º Plus rotator:

Keto-51 Eco LD3, Keto-100 Karate, Keto-150, Keto-500 and the largest Keto-600+ and Keto-800+ series heads.

We are in the process of gradually including this rotator to the other models.

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 33

Waratah Forestry Equipment unveils new H425, H425HD & H425X harvester heads

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aratah Forestry Equipment recently announced the new H425, H425HD and H425X – a trio of rugged harvester heads built for tough jobs. With a powerful control valve and four roller feed arm geometry, each highperformance head is productive on wheeled or tracked carriers. “These models are built for durability and performance,” said Brent Fisher, product marketing manager for Waratah. “Among other updates, new hose protection and servicing enhancements make these great heads even better.”

The standard H425 (1360 kg or 2,998 lb.), H425HD (1390 kg or 3,064 lb.) and hefty H425X (1426 kg or 3,143 lb.) each offer increased reliability with new feed motor hosing routings and new covers.

For quick and easy servicing, each head features a new hinged valve cover and improved access to greasing points.

H425 Optimizing performance, productivity and delimbing, the H425 excels in large diameter regeneration harvesting. A powerful control valve and feedroller arm geometry ensure a solid grip and agile harvester head control for all diameter classes.

For increased uptime and lower daily operating costs, the H425 offers improved hose routing from boom to harvester head and from the valve to feed motors, keeping hoses well protected from limbs and understory interference. The H425 offers optional saw motor sizes, standard (narrow stem) or buttress (wide stem) saw frames for challenging applications, and processing knives for picking stems from the ground or bunch piles.

H425HD Built to work on the toughest jobs, the H425HD features a heavyduty tilt frame, feed motors and

guarding to provide even more durability. With a powerful control valve and a top saw option, the high-performance head offers great productivity, especially for wheeled carrier applications. For ease of maintenance, the H425HD now has easy filling of saw chain oil. Likewise, daily maintenance can be performed without changing the position of the harvester head.

The valve block and grease points are also easily accessible. The H425HD offers optional saw motor sizes, standard (narrow stem) or buttress (wide stem) saw frames for challenging applications, and processing knives for picking stems from the ground or bunch piles.

H425X The H425X features an extreme duty main saw box with heavier steel plating, extra feed motor component guarding, heavy-duty tilt frame, hose protection and increased drive arm durability for demanding applications in mixed stand harvesting. Its four roller feed arm geometry ensures rollers grip solidly in all diameters, improving responsiveness with unprecedented tree-processing performance – especially in large timber.

Purpose-built for tracked harvesters, the H425X offers options for many applications with multi-tree handling, an integrated top saw and processing knives for picking from piles or hardwood applications, and many feed wheel options to suit numerous applications.

“The H425, H425HD and H425X are reliable heads for heavy-duty applications,” Fisher said. “With each new head generation, we’re providing our customers the solutions they need to maximize productivity and uptime.”

The Waratah H425, H425HD and H425X are currently available to customers in Europe, the United

34 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Africa, Asia, Brazil and Latin America.

For more information about Waratah, please visit Waratah. com or contact Sarah Larson at slarson@mindfirecomm.com.

Our strategy as the leading independent harvester head manufacturer guides us to develop our products so that they can be flexibly adapted to different conditions and base machines

Kesla introduces the third generation of the RH harvester head range Kesla, the leading independent manufacturer of harvester head strengthens its position by introducing the new RH-III range.

The all-new 24RH-III and 26RH-III heads into the bestseller class

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he KESLA 26RH-III harvester head is suitable for both thinning and final felling due to its versatility and belongs to the highest volume size class of the market. Equipped with four moving delimbing knives, the 26RH-III can handle even large trees with ease, and the delimbing quality is excellent on even the most branchy trees. The head, weighing approximately one tonne, is suitable for mounting in mediumsize harvesters and in 13–16-tonne excavators. Its sister model, the 24RH-III equipped with one rear knife, is an excellent choice for handling crooked broad-leaved trees and debarking eucalyptus due to its shorter frame.

Customer deliveries of the first 3rd generation models, the 19RHIII and 21RH-III thinning heads, began at the beginning of 2021.

The KESLA 19RH-III is a three-knife, lighter and more compact head specially developed for curved broad-leaved trees and debarking,

Mika Tahvanainen, Director of Logging Equipment Business at Kesla Oy making it also ideal for thinning in Scandinavian forests. Equipped with two rear knives, the 21RH-III can handle even bigger trees and is an excellent choice as a thinning machine’s all-round head, which can also handle final felling of smaller trees. The heads are in a power-to-weight ratio class of their own, and the only ones in their size class made to last in continuous debarking of eucalyptus and acacia. Both models can be equipped with the KESLA mthGRIP accumulating grapple and multistem processing feed rollers. The KESLA 21RH-III is also available with Kesla’s unique proAX cutting knife, which improves efficiency in harvesting small-diameter trees.

Kesla’s largest heads 27/28RHIII and 29/30RH-III have also undergone thorough renewal and now represent the design and technology of the third generation.

Renewing manufacturing technology to prolong service life The design of the new models has progressed hand in hand with the renewal of Kesla’s manufacturing technology, and evolving automation has been taken into account in the design from the very beginning. The frame modules

are machined as a one piece after the welding assembly, and the moving parts make use of casting to a great extent. This brings the structures’ dimensional accuracy to a new level. This, combined with heavy-duty axles and bearings, will further increase the already extended structural service life of the KESLA harvester heads and improve their performance.

Hydraulic system designed for maximized efficiency The hydraulics of the RH-III heads has been redesigned. The starting point was minimized power losses, high net power and suitability for various base machines. The spacious hydraulic system of the heads can handle even a high oil flow with small losses, and the excellent efficiency of the 2WD feed system enables high performance even with base machines that have a modest hydraulic output.

Since the targets in terms of structural strength and power-toweight ratio were set particularly high, the zero series of all the size classes have been tested for an exceptionally long time in various base machines around the world.

The testing process has also involved forest companies and base machine manufacturers.

Thanks to their modular design, the new third-generation RH harvester heads can easily be optimised to operate in different circumstances, with different types of trees and with different base machines.

“Our strategy as the leading independent harvester head manufacturer guides us to develop our products so that they can be flexibly adapted to different conditions and base machines,” says Mika Tahvanainen, Director of Logging Equipment Business at Kesla Oyj. “It makes us a superior partner for manufacturers of excavator harvesters and those harvester manufacturers whose product line does not include harvester heads.”

Deliveries of the KESLA RHIII series, covering the whole collection, will start in early 2022.

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 35

New harvester head for demanding operations Komatsu C164 When harvesting in rough forests, an operator can face several challenges. For example, trees that need to be cut from two directions, root flares that are too wide for the saw bar or rough limbs that need to be processed several times.

The C164 is designed with these conditions in mind.

Komatsu C164 is a brand-new model in the range of C heads and a perfect match for the Komatsu 951 harvester. The robust head is specially designed to handle large trees, big root flares and rough limbs. Still, it has a design that makes it smooth and easy to handle. The C164 design is inspired by the features of other C models, but it is a completely new head where many parts are optimised for the size and application of the head.

Constant Cut, the saw motor control that ensures that the head has a constant and efficient saw motor speed throughout the complete cutting cycle, is further developed for C164 to handle long saw bars and broad stems.

The saw bar position is designed for optimal felling performance and the position of the saw bar is new compared to other C heads.

This gives a better felling cut in the direction of the head, which in turn gives the saw bar better longevity whilst also reducing the risk of log splitting. For increased durability and service life the chain

The C164 is a brand-new model in the range of C heads and a perfect match for the Komatsu 951 harvester

tensioning of the saw bar has been improved, the saw bar mount has a more robust design, stronger saw bar clamp and increased bolt dimension to hold the saw bar.

The rotator has a stronger and more robust design as well as a new hydraulic motor and bigger slew bearings to cope with

The 951 is Komatsu’s largest and most powerful harvester. With its high productivity and operator comfort it is especially suitable for clear cutting

36 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

this type of demanding logging operations.

To make the head more fuel efficient, the C164 also has a new type of hydraulic control valve that can handle a high flow, which reduces energy losses.

The C164 is a “carry style” head, where the stem is carried by the feed wheels and the delimbing knives are mainly used for delimbing the stem. The head’s feed system allows good contact between head and stem, which reduces the clamping pressure and makes the feeding procedure energy efficient. Komatsu C164 comes with the option of two different feed roller motors. The bigger motor is standard and gives a high traction force which improves the productivity of the head. The smaller motor is optional and gives a more aggressive feeding start, but with less force than with the bigger motor.

Upon customer request, the Komatsu C164 has a completely new tilt lock function, i.e., the ability to lock the tilt link at the desired angle, which facilitates access to difficult branches or

tree forks. The Find End function makes it possible to reset length measuring without needing to make a first cut and lump a part of the log. This reduces forest residues and minimises value loss. It is particularly useful when processing pre-felled trees.

The head has several features designed to minimise unplanned downtime and thereby improve productivity. The frame is designed and verified to stand the force from heavy operations. Components like the head unit are well protected under the hood. Cast iron is used for strategic components and ORFS couplings on hoses.

Overall, the head with all its features, in combination with the Komatsu 951 harvester, is a useful tool for demanding operations.

Improved Constant Cut for all C-units From June 1, the cutting unit on all C-heads, Constant Cut, will receive an upgraded design. The upgrade contains no less than 25 points and represents a number of improvements for customers, both in terms of increased productivity and better flow in the production.

C

onstant Cut, Komatsu’s intelligent cutting unit, ensures that the head has a constant and efficient saw chain speed throughout the complete cutting cycle. This ensures efficient cutting and limits problems with cutting cracks. Now the cutting unit has undergone a major upgrade, which means that all C-units get a new, fresh Constant Cut with productive benefits. Below are some of the biggest new features.

It’s news that we believe our customers are happy to hear.

The improvements come from customer feedback and we have implemented it in our development.

In this way, it is an important team work where we together develop our products, in this case heads, says Tobias Ettemo, Product manager for Harvesters and Heads.

Less unplanned stops The chain tensioning of the Constant Cut function is improved, this reduces expensive downtime for the contractor. Another advantage of a better and smoother chain tensioning is that

both chain and saw bar can be used longer.

The saw bar mount has a more robust design for increased servicelife. The mechanics around these components have been optimised to ensure that the saw bar is more stable inside the saw box.

Customers who have tested the new cutting unit feel that they get a straighter cut, and that the saw bar does not sway as much.

Another advantage is that the chain lubrication has improved, as the oil is better steered into the lubrication groove and out to the bar. Better chain lubrication also extends the life of the saw bar, explains Tobias Ettemo.

Better protection and stronger material A new protective cover has been introduced for the auto-release feature, which protects the saw bar mount from sawdust and debris.

This means that when changing the chain, the operator does not have to clean the saw bar mount and the saw bar clamp as often as before, thereby reducing downtime.

Several components of the cutting unit have been upgraded with a stronger and more durable material, which increases the service-life of the entire cutting unit.

The bearing between the swivel housing and the saw motor has a better fit to reduce unwanted movements, providing a more stable cutting unit and also less abrasion on the swivel seals. The material in the swivel seals has been replaced with one that is more flexible during movement and less sensitive to abrasion, which reduces the risk of oil leakage. The new swivel seals are also much easier to install as they do not damage as easily when installed. In addition, no special tool is needed to change them, which facilitates service in the field.

Customers who have tested the new cutting unit feel that they get a straighter cut, and that the saw bar does not sway as much. Another advantage is that the chain lubrication has improved, as the oil is better steered into the lubrication groove and out to the bar. Better chain lubrication also extends the life of the saw bar Tobias Ettemo, Product Manager for Harvesters & Heads

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 37

• S implicity & ease of access: It’s now even easier to perform regular maintenance and service on the head thanks to Improved accessibility, well laid out hoses and grease nipples makes life easier.

Strength and durability

7000XT Top Saw

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he Log Max 7000XT is a durable, easy-to-work, accurate, and intelligent workmate, ready for the toughest applications.

Weighing 2,270 kg (5,004 lbs) it has everything you would expect from a modern harvesting head and is designed to withstand the toughest applications no matter how or where in the world you use it. It offers accurate and precise length and diameter measuring and has many smartly designed features that greatly simplify service.

A new, more powerful cylinder and reinforced lower knife

38 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

What makes the 7000XT Top Saw special : • D urability: the frame is reinforced in many places to withstand the toughest jobs and increase lifespan.

• C utting performance, the 7000XT Top Saw as new saw valves for both units that have been optimized to offer fast, troublefree cutting.

• T he measuring results, there is a high requirement for today’s harvester heads to deliver precise measurement results.

The 7000XT measuring unit has been redesigned to meet these requirements.

To improve the frame’s durability and life span, the attachments for all the delimbing knives and for the feed roller arms have been strengthened. The lower knife has a new reinforced mechanical stop in both open and closed positions.

In the open position, the inside of the frame has been strengthened, inside the oil tank. In the closed position, a mechanical stop has been integrated in the frame. To increase the lower knifes lifting capacity and improve the stem holding, the cylinder for the lower knife has been upgraded. Both the lower knife attachment and the knife itself are updated to work optimally with the new larger cylinder.

The frame’s design around the measuring wheel hole has been modified and the stoppers for the roller arms on the inside of the frame reinforced. A replaceable wear plate has been added on the frontside of the Top Saw box.

Instead of wearing down the centerline of the frame, the new wear plate will take the hit.

The 7000XT Top Saw will, from now on, be equipped with a hydraulic top knife as standard.

This feature allows the upper knife to automatically retract when the

The new contactless measuring unit has conical roller bearings that better withstand radial forces. It also has a removable grease nipple on the cover

head feeds in reverse, a good way to protect the knife from damage.

The 7000XT has new reinforced knives with welded knives edges.

The knife-edge has an increased thickness and is interchangeable.

The tip of the knifes have a smaller round tip, which makes them function more like a tweezer, making it easier to pick stems from a woodpile. The knives are also better suited for hardwood thanks to a steeper angle of the lower part of the knife helping to fend away thicker branching. The lower knife is reinforced to adapt to the new, more powerful cylinder.

Cutting performance The head comes equipped with the 611 has the main saw and the 318 for the top saw. The saw 611 has a 60cc (3.66 cu.in) motor, manual chain tensioning and 3/4” chain, the top saw is the 318 with a 30cc (1.83 cu.in) motor and automatic tensioning.

To increase the performance and durability of the top saw, a new valve has been added. It has also been given a new position on the frame to simplify service and settings. The main saw also has a new valve that provides increased durability and better controllability of the saw. The valve has a new placement, directly mounted on

A new saw position, larger saw cylinder and saw valve placement improve cutting

the motor outlet, which minimizes the risk of cavitation. To improve cutting, the position of the main saw has been optimized. This modified geometry provides a faster cutting cycle and minimizes the risk of the wood splitting during cutting. This change in design of the saw box also provides extra room for the new, more powerful, saw cylinder.

Improved length measurement function & New contactless sensor To offer the best measurement results, the length measurement function has been totally rethought. The design of the measure wheel cylinder, the hydraulic circuit have been

improved and the measuring wheel arm and its attachment reinforced.

The new measuring wheel unit includes a larger diameter measuring wheel. Altogether, the changes will allow the measuring wheel to follow the contour of the stem even better and provide the best measurement results. The new length measuring sensor is now contactless meaning that there are no mechanical moving components that will result in minimal or even service and maintenance free sensor. The spring-loaded sensor is placed in the arm and retained by a lock ring. An o-ring prevents it from turning, a magnet is fixed to the cover which is part of the wheel assembly. The measuring wheel assembly has also been equipped

The new knives contour and tips make it easier to pick up logs form a woodpile

with a new bearing with tapered rollers which provides a more stable and stronger construction.

To simplify the maintenance of the roller bearing, a lubrication point on the aluminium cover of the measuring unit has been added.

The heads come with many more improvements, such as the new laser find end sensor, the integrated safety pin attachment, hose protections that protects the base machine hoses from sticks coming from the front.

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 39

The Log Mate 510 control system is now standard on Southstar units

Loading logs with a Southstar QS605 Grapple-Processor

O

ver the past few years, Southstar Equipment has become one of the leading global suppliers of professional forestry attachments. The manufacturer puts its rise down to “good old fashion know how”.

Ever since the company was launched in 2008 by Dave Cochrane, one of the industry’s best-known innovators, and then as part of the Quadco Group since 2016, the Southstar brand, with factories in Canada and New Zealand, has focused on “what matters the most” – uptime and production.

“We’ve developed some of the most innovative equipment to match any application while

meeting the need of today’s loggers,” Southstar told International Forest Industries.

Available worldwide through forestry equipment dealers, our attachments have been successfully installed on a variety of carrier makes and models, whether it be purposed-built forestry machines or excavator conversions.

“Our wide range of attachments means you can deal with a single supplier,” the manufacturer said.

Since every product of the Southstar family has common hydraulic systems, the need for inventory and training are consequently reduced. The only difference between the various models are feed motors and cylinders. The simplicity of the hydraulic system and the parts commonality make product support

Multi-stemming with a Southstar QS600 Harvester-Processor 40 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

“a breeze” for any technician.

All Southstar heads come standard with continuous rotation and 3/4-inch main saw. Optional features include knives with replaceable edge, various styles of feed wheels, computer software options, etc. All heads use only four lines from the base machine, which makes installation remarkably easy and cost effective. Each head comes with LogMate 510 control system as standard equipment. The former computer, Dasa 5, is still available as an option.

One of the most important factors – accuracy – has been the focus right from the design process. Today, Southstar processors are some of the most accurate, in both length and diameter, of all processors available on the market. This gives each owner an advantage as

production records are as accurate as they could be.

Various sizes and types of Southstar heads are available.

To begin with, the thinning head, model QS450, specifically designed to handle smaller trees in the optimum range of 35-45 cm, is a head you can count on as a reliable and productive addition to your line of equipment. Next, still in the harvester-processor group are the QS500, QS600 and QS630.

Each designed to fell-and-process, producing either tree-length or cut-to-length. Recommended tree diameter are as follows: QS500 ranges from 45-to-60cm; QS600, 55-to-65cm; and QS630, 60-80 cm.

The next group is the grappleprocessors: QS505, QS605 and QS635. With similar recommended tree sizes as above, they are used to process trees on landing or forest floor/behind a feller buncher. The short hanging bracket provides more stability and control over harvesting heads that come with a longer tilt frame. Productive time is improved as less time is wasted lining up the processor with the next log to be grabbed from the pile.

The grapple-processor can also be used to load trucks as the arms open up wider than on a harvester head. Other features of Southstar processors include: a laser-type find end system, low-friction four roller drive system; hydraulic traction control designed for large timber; hose through design with excellent protection against wear and tear; wide frame design for multi-stemming capabilities while giving added strength to the head.

Available on Southstar attachments, and designed in-house, a satellite-based

communication tool called Startrax, allows for reliable reporting and communication, increasing safety for employees out on the job, even in remote no-service areas. This system does not rely on cell phone coverage, USB stick or Wi-Fi; thus, eliminating the human error and providing better security in data transfer.

Two-way text messaging as well as sending and receiving product reports, grades, assortments, and machine information or instructions can all be done in remote areas regardless of phone service. Managers can track their equipment using the GPS equipment location feature, program automatic reporting, and send out bucking instructions no matter their location.

T

he Quadco 5660 HarvesterProcessor is a whole lot of power packed into a durable, high efficiency machine. The main saw is an intermittent disc, not a bar saw, which means it can makes the job easier and more productive in any forest conditions, such as though limby hardwood

or softwood, blowdown, deadfall, heavy underbrush, etc. A disc can quickly remove oversize limbs and forked tops, common to many hardwoods, without running the risk of bending a bar or throwing chain.

The lightweight sawblade provides high quality cuts at an impressive rate. Only the outer ring rotates, enabling the saw to instantly develop plus-700 rpm of cutting speed and to stop when the operator releases the button. To lower operating costs, teeth similar to those found on high-speed saw discs are used, only smaller in size.

Known everywhere for their long life in any conditions and their ability to maintain an efficient cut throughout the life of the tooth, the teeth are available in Concave or Beaver style, heat treated or carbide. The 12 square rotatable teeth are mounted to the ring using bolt-on replaceable tooth holders.

The swing-out saw has a 24 in (60 cm) cutting capacity.

The head has a solid/fixed mount, comparable to a disc saw felling head. It is not dangle; therefore, it allows the operator to maintain better control of the tree, a clear advantage in applications like selective cutting,

Controlled-fall Quadco 5660 Harvester-Procesasor with intermittent disc and top saw

blowdown, right-of-way, steep slope, etc. When the head gets rotated in processing position, the special boom adapter has floating capability to prevent tree breakage and to reduce component wear and tear.

Another feature that maximizes productivity is a standard top saw with 12 in (30 cm) capacity

THE “T” STANDS FOR “TRACK.”

and 0.404-in gauge. “In recent years, this model has seen over 25 improvement updates, ensuring that you’re getting the latest technology to maximize your uptime,” Quadco told International Forest Industries.

These robust heads are built for shift after shift production.

P

recision Husky Corporation leads the forest products industry, building the highest quality, most rugged equipment available since 1964.

Our horizontal grinders are the most powerful, easiest to use grinders in the industry. They are designed with innovative features and advanced technologies to give you the power and production needed to tackle the most demanding grinding operations.

You can invest in our equipment with confidence, and know it will do the job for many years to come.

Call us today to discuss your needs and learn more about our high-performance products.

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P.O. Drawer 507, Leeds, AL 35094 • 205-640-5181 • www.precisionhusky.com • sales@precisionhusky.com Precision Husky H-3060T 1/2-island Int'l Forest Prod June-July 2021.indd 1

4/23/21 3:13 PM

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 41

raising the clamping pressure sufficiently to hold the stem in the optimum position. The increase in diameter before Log Hold reacts is set individually for each tree species in the control system.

SP - NEW Developments P 661 LF high speed feeding spruce

SP was founded in 1978 and presented the world´s first ever single grip harvester head in 1980. They have the longest experience of all in the field of development and manufacture of harvester heads for the professional forestry sector. SP design and development team have focused on finalizing all options and market adaptation to the SP 661 LF and SP 661 E harvester head models. They were released for sale in early 2018 and have quickly become best-selling head models globally

SP harvester heads in the LF and E- series are designed according to the SP Low Friction concept.

The low friction concept comprises five separate innovations and solutions, each carefully designed to maximize production, optimize fuel and energy consumption, and drastically reduce maintenance costs. Together, these five solutions provide an unbeatable combination that allows SP to offer heads with totally unique properties and advantages that maximize your profitability.

The low friction concept provides you with a highly productive and easily operated head, whether used for thinning, heavy final felling, or harvesting hard wood. The unique feed roller mounts ensure an agile, narrow head that makes light work of harvesting even in dense stands without unnecessary wear on the head or damage to standing trees.

Parallel to this, when harvesting large-diameter trees, the rollers provide maximum carrying capacity, able to handle even the heaviest of stems effortlessly, ensuring efficient harvesting and maximum profitability.

with more than 200 units being sold so far.

42 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

Five innovations for maximum efficiency: 1 T he Delimbing Knives boast long, especially designed cutting edges, ensuring delimbing by cutting rather than snapping.

This minimizes friction during delimbing, thereby increasing speed and productivity. The delimbing knives are cast in high-strength steel for maximum durability and service life.

2 Proportional Pressure ensures that the head automatically always applies the optimal delimbing knife and feed roller clamping pressure on the stem, regardless of diameter. This minimizes friction between stem and head, ensuring the fastest and smoothest feed possible.

Individual settings for different tree species further maximize production.

3 L ogHold is a patented system and a further development of the proportional pressure solution that further minimizes friction.

LogHold enables the delimbing knife clamping pressure to be lowered even further without any risk of dropping the stem.

Should the stem start to slip, LogHold reacts instantaneously,

4 P roportionally Angled Feed Rollers ensure that the angle and carrying capacity of the feed rollers change in proportion to the stem diameter. When the feed rollers are fully open for processing an extremely large diameter stem, the feed rollers are set at their widest angle and, as a result, provide maximum carrying capacity for the stem.

This means that the clamping pressure to the delimbing knives can be minimized, which in turn reduces friction and enables the head to feed the stem quickly and easily. When the feed rollers are closed, this unique solution provides an incredibly narrow and agile head with compact dimensions.

6 O ptimal Hydraulics mean that pressure drops are minimized by means of the size and design of each hydraulic component, such as the motors, valve blocks, couplings, and hoses. This generates high energy efficiency and the lowest possible fuel consumption per cubic meter timber harvested, with power, force, and productivity maximized during feeding, delimbing, and cutting. Due to the fact that the heads in SP’s low friction concept only have two feed roller motors, the number of hoses, couplings, and bends can be significantly reduced, which also results in minimal hydraulic losses. The low pressure drops also reduce heat generation in the hydraulic system, which increases the service life of many machine components due to less wear and lower maintenance needs.

The LF concept gives a number of benefits and advantages to maximize customer profitability: Maximizes • Feed speed • Performance • Productivity • Profitability • Uptime

Minimizes • Friction between head and stem • Head wear • Maintenance and repair costs • Carrier fuel consumption • Stem damage

SP 661 LF

reliability and uptime regardless of tree size and harvesting condition.

Thanks to a vast array of options customers are able to customize the 661 LF to perfectly fit their individual needs and to match their operation requirements.

Thanks to this the 661 LF has been equally at home on a rubber tyre harvester in Europe as on a tracked harvester in Canada or on an excavator in the Southern Hemisphere.

The SP 661 LF is the latest design from SP. It is a compact and strong high performance harvester head designed according to SP’s Low Friction concept for minimum friction and maximum productivity.

The SP 661 LF is designed to be able to offer highest productivity in both small and large diameter harvesting.

In large diameter harvesting the proportional angled feed rollers in combination with SP’s patented knife control system LogHold, ensures an impressive capacity and productivity. When harvesting smaller diameter trees the compact and agile design is a great asset.

Equipped with the optional Multi tree handling equipment the SP 661 LF is able to reach highest productivity also when harvesting very small tree dimensions. With a protected and robust design in combination with state of the art hose routing ensures highest

The options list includes: Top Saw – Processing knives – Multi speed feed motors – Work light in saw box – Color marking – Multi tree handling equipment – Find End sensor – ¾” saw unit – Adaptation to various control systems – HD Tiltframe. The latter being the latest development to better suit installation on tracked carriers and demanding operations.

SP 661 E The SP 661 E is designed for one task only – one pass debarking of plantation grown eucalyptus.

Highest debarking quality and productivity is achieved through a unique combination of specially designed debarking knives, replaceable bark deflectors and high-speed feeding capabilities.

Thanks to the proportional pressure function on knives and feed rollers the debarking process can easily be perfectly adjusted for different conditions, resulting in the best possible debarking quality and a minimum of fiber damage.

The SP 661 E shares the same

state of the art hose routing and protected design as the SP 661 LF and because of this is also able to offer an unrivalled reliability and uptime. The SP 661 E truly is a productive and reliable debarking harvester head. The SP 661 E was released in the end of 2018 and is today to be found working in eucalyptus plantations all over the world.

The latest development on the 661 E head model is the addition of the HD tilt frame making it ideal for installations on tracked carriers and demanding operations.

SP 661 E

SP 661 LF with HD tilt frame International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 43

Forestry Machines

Komatsu ROPS/OPS/FOPS/ TOPS/WCB/FOG/Oregon The Komatsu 398 harvesting and processing head is built for big timber selective harvesting, clear-cutting and processing pre-felled timber. The rugged, robust design allows it to handle timber averaging up to 23 inches in diameter and it can be mounted on 28-40 metric tonne track carriers such as the Komatsu PC290LL-11

This heavy-duty head with top and bottom saw bards is built for selective harvesting, clear-cutting or processing large-diameter timber up to 31 in (78 cm).

It features a ‘carry-style’ feed system and three driven feed rollers to maintain a tight grip and accurate length measuring. It is controlled through a large colour display with MaxiXplorer smart control system that is integrated into the PC290LL-11.

OSHA Certified Forestry Cab Option The wide spacious cab includes a heated air suspension seat with reclining backrest. The seat height and position are easily adjusted using a pullup lever. The armrest position is easily adjusted together with the console. Reclining the seat further enables it to be fully laid back with the headrest attached.

• A vailable with a 7” (178 mm) fixed riser or 48” (1,219 mm) hydraulic tilt cab riser.

• P owerful LED working lights are standard (7” riser -7 lights, 48” riser - 8 lights).

• 7 /8” (22 mm) thick polycarbonate front window is standard.

Komatsu PC290LL-11

Komatsu’s PC290LL-11 is an “extremely productive and versatile carrier” within the Komatsu log loader product lineup.

Featuring a 196 net HP, EPA Tier 4 Final, Komatsu SAA6D107E-3 engine, the PC290LL-11 is available with a 30 ft 6 in processing arm, 40 ft reach live heel log loader, or a 34 ft reach road builder configuration, for high performance in a variety of demanding logging applications.

Operating weights range from 82,230 lb (37,300 kg) to 89,730 lb

(40,700 kg) depending on front/ application.

New and improved PC290LL-11 features include a high capacity cooling system, high drawbar pull, additional forestry guarding, narrower, 11’5” (3492 mm) transport width, more comfortable operator controls, all LED lighting, and KOMTRAX® technology.

Roadside Processing As a roadside processor, the Komatsu 398 harvesting/ processing head matches perfectly to the PC290LL-11.

44 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

safety. Smaller cab pillars with the large panoramic windows and recessed right front of the machine contribute to the 50 per cent visibility improvement over the previous model. Two different cab risers – 6.5-inch fixed or 48-inch hydraulic tilt – are available to help operators better see the jobsite.

Video feed from the standard rearview camera is easily visible on the high-resolution monitor to enhance operating safety; an optional sideview camera improves visibility even more.

Lower maintenance costs

Caterpillar’s Next Gen 538 forest machine

T

he Cat® Next Generation 538 forest machine features several significant design upgrades that make it a top choice for working with timber.

“The 538 has a reputation as a solid performer with rugged reliability,” said Giacomo Bottone, worldwide director for Caterpillar’s forestry and medium excavator family. “The Next Generation 538 builds on this foundation by being more productive, more comfortable, and costing less to maintain so owners can spend their time moving more timber, loading more trucks, and maximizing their profit potential.”

More production Available in log loader and general forest configurations, the 538 has a new electrohydraulic control system with 10 per cent more swing torque that allows the machine to do work with more power and precision. Updates to the drive system result in a 12 per cent increase in travel speed, helping the Cat Next Generation 538 cover more ground and move up and down slopes faster. High wide undercarriage provides 15 per cent greater ground clearance to help the machine pass over stumps and other obstructions with ease.

The 538 features an efficient Cat 7.1 engine that meets U.S. EPA Tier

4 Final and EU Stage V emission standards and is flexible to run on biodiesel up to B20. Smart mode automatically matches engine and hydraulic power to working conditions to help reduce fuel consumption up to five per cent without sacrificing performance.

The 538 offers a cold-start capability of -25 F (-32 C) and reliable high ambient temperature operation reaching 118 F (48 C).

It efficiently operates at altitudes reaching 9,842 feet without derating. Fuel tank capacity is more than double the previous model, which means the new 538 can operate up to five shifts before refilling.

Improved comfort and safety The all-new Certified Forestry cab design for the Cat Next Generation 538 dramatically improves operator comfort and safety.

“The cab is 25 per cent larger with 50 per cent greater overall visibility than our previous 538,” said Bottone. “Plus, it has a heated seat and a more ergonomically friendly layout, so the operator doesn’t have to exert much effort to be efficient and productive.”

Ingress/egress is easier due to the cab’s wider and taller door and tilt-up console on the operator’s seat. The machine’s new dual HVAC system keeps operators comfortable regardless of working in the summer heat or during subfreezing ambient winter temperatures. Its specially insulated roof and improved

Loggers who want more production, greater comfort and safety, and lower maintenance cost will love the Next Generation 538 Giacomo Bottone Worldwide director for Caterpillar’s forestry & medium excavator family window and door seals keep in-cab noise levels low.

Operators can start the 538’s engine with a simple push of a button. The new Operator ID allows each operator to quickly program and store their own machine settings and attachment function preferences. A larger 10-inch highresolution touchscreen monitor delivers intuitive navigation through operating menus and includes a digital version of the operator’s manual for quick reference. An available Cat PL161 Attachment Locator assists in finding work tools within a range of 200 feet, even when covered by overgrowth or debris.

A larger, 1.25-inch polycarbonate front window improves visibility and operating

Compared to the previous model, the Next Generation 538 lowers maintenance costs by up to 15 per cent over the course of 12,000 hours of operation.

“We improved our filters and our service intervals, and we improved ground-level access to service points to make daily maintenance quick and safe, including a new ground-level dipstick for checking the engine oil,” said Bottone. “Our new electrohydraulic control system eliminates the need for a pilot filter and pilot oil altogether.”

The improved filters and synchronized replacement intervals result in greater uptime and 50 fewer filters being consumed over 12,000 hours. Fuel filters feature a synchronized 1,000-hour change interval, which doubles the service life of the previous model. A new hydraulic oil return filter improves filtration and delivers a 3,000-hour service life, which is 50 per cent longer than previous designs.

The high-efficiency, hydraulically driven cooling fan runs only when necessary; reversing intervals are programmable to enable the fan to keep the radiator cores clean without interrupting the work schedule.

Product Link™ technology captures critical operating data, fault codes, and machine location information to boost fleet management efficiency. The Next Generation 538 has Remote Troubleshoot capability when within cell coverage. Remote Troubleshoot analyzes real-time machine data captured by Product Link for diagnostics of fault codes without impacting machine productivity, and it can potentially save a service trip to the jobsite.

Continued on page 48

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 45

Prime Movers & Mulchers

John Deere mulcher hydraulics conversion kit for the 843L and 843L-II Wheeled Feller Bunchers To maximize the versatility of its machines, John Deere announced the availability of its Mulcher Hydraulics Conversion Kit for the 843L & 843L-II Wheeled Feller Bunchers

• J ohn Deere now offers a dealerinstalled Mulcher Hydraulics Conversion Kit for the 843L and 843L-II Wheeled Feller Bunchers.

• T he base kit, which includes a new hydraulic pump and component updates, equips the machine for mulching applications, such as land clearing and right-of-way maintenance.

• A dditionally, attachment manufacturer Fecon has worked with John Deere to launch a new mulching head designed specifically for the 843 machines, available for purchase through the Fecon sales channels.

Installed by the dealer, the kit allows customers to equip their machines for mulching applications, expanding the capabilities of the 843 models.

The field kit can be used with compatible mulching heads, such as the new Fecon RK8620 Mulching Head, which was built specifically for use on the John Deere 843L and 843L-II machines.

“This offering is exciting for our customers, as it expands the versatility of the equipment in their fleet so they can take on new jobs, such as land clearing or right-of-way maintenance,” said Brandon O’Neal, product marketing

46 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

manager, John Deere Construction & Forestry. “Additionally, this kit is installed and supported by the John Deere dealer network, so customers can feel confident in the durability and reliability of the kit and its components.”

The Mulcher Hydraulics Conversion Kit includes a new hydraulic pump in addition to plumbing and valve updates. While the base kit allows for a single function and float, those needing a second function can upgrade with an add-on kit. Customers can purchase a kit through their local dealer, which can convert their existing 843L or 843L-II into a mulching head-ready machine.

Built with the John Deere 843 models in mind, the Fecon RK8620 Mulching Head is constructed from a stronger, lighter steel and features an 86-inch cutting width. The RK8620 is available with an FGT- or DCR-style rotor to enhance the cutting performance.

With the DCR rotor, the reversible Viking knives are ideal for fast cutting in all materials. The knife performance is further enhanced by depth control rings, which provide fast cutting durability. The heavyduty RK8620 offers a broad range of motion for felling and belowgrade work. With this attachment, operators are able to process

This offering is exciting for our customers, as it expands the versatility of the equipment in their fleet so they can take on new jobs, such as land clearing or right-ofway maintenance Brandon O’Neal, Product Marketing Manager, John Deere Construction & Forestry

material faster with fewer passes.

The RK8620 Head is available as a standalone purchase through the Fecon sales channels.

To learn more about the new Mulcher Hydraulics Conversion Kit, as well as the full line of John Deere forestry equipment, visit your local John Deere dealer.

The new BL5/EX/VT: A forestry mulcher with Bite Limiter technology, for excavators up to 36 tons

F

AE is expanding its line of forestry mulchers for excavators with Bite Limiter technology with the new BL5/ EX/VT. This new head is great for handling and removing vegetation in wooded areas, especially when a large shredding capacity and fast operational speed is required.

The BL5/EX/VT can mulch vegetation up to 40 cm in diameter, is compatible with 24–36-ton excavators and has a working width of 160 cm.

The BL5/EX/VT’s most popular feature is the rotor with Bite Limiter technology, which has special wear-resistant steel limiters that limit the teeth’s reach. This technology cuts down

on power demand and promotes a consistent working speed that results in excellent performance when mulching any kind of wood.

The Bite Limiter technology also minimizes rotor stalling and optimizes fuel consumption.

The BL5/EX/VT has a Variable Torque (VT) motor that delivers a noticeably better performance and increases torque when needed, to minimize rotor stalling. Like all FAE products, the BL5/EX/ VT’s sturdy steel frame is built to last, and the Poly Chain belt drive provides optimal power transfer and reliability.

The BL5/EX/VT can be equipped with the Sonic system —available only from FAE— which

keeps the operating carrier and the FAE mulcher synced with automatic mulcher calibration. The Sonic system continuously manages the mulcher’s hydraulic settings, achieving a significant boost in overall productivity, up to 30%. The Sonic system also minimizes rotor stalling and shortens recovery time thanks to the quick recovery of the rotor’s rpm. This head can also be equipped with a hydraulic thumb to facilitate the handling of ground material.

The addition of the BL5/EX/ VT completes FAE’s line of forestry mulchers for excavators with Bite Limiter technology, which now ranges from 4 tons, with the BL1/ EX all the way up to 36 tons, with this newest machine.

West Salem Machinery delivers on green agenda Converting stumps and wood waste to biomass feedstock Rubberwood stumps, large diameter round wood, storm debris, land clearing, and other wood residuals are processed into valuable biomass feedstock with WSM’s electric Titan Horizontal Grinding Systems.

Stumps and other residuals are initially fed to West Salem Machinery’s (WSM) severe duty Disc Screen to remove dirt and rock. This step reduces wear on the Titan Grinder, providing savings on maintenance.

Large and bulky material is easily processed to a 4 in minus by the rugged and reliable Titan Grinder, which features a 54 in diameter by 72 in wide rotor assembly, with hammers that each weigh 198 lb.

The unit is equipped with reversible and replaceable tips to further reduce maintenance time and expense. The pivoting grinder housing allows for easy maintenance access to the rotor and screens.

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 47

A ground-breaking new eucalyptus head - the Komatsu X164E Komatsu Forest is introducing the Komatsu X164E, a robust head specially developed for efficient eucalyptus harvesting. A high-performance feed system ensures high productivity which, combined with smart solutions for reducing maintenance time and costs, makes the X164E a profitable head. The standout feature is the fact that the conventional chainsaw is replaced by hydraulic shears, which also benefit production and safety, such as with the absence of a chain to maintain.

W

ith 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 softwood trees and instead focused solely on the needs and conditions of eucalyptus harvesting.

“To minimise losses in production time, we established strict requirements for the debarking function.

With the Komatsu X164E, the ambition is for at least half of the stems to need only be fed through once, from felling cut to the end of the stem, also known as one-pass debarking,” says Tobias Ettemo, Product Manager at Komatsu Forest.

The effective debarking is due in part to the head’s specially designed feed system, which has a very high degree of contact between the debarking knives and the stem.

The design is based on four angled feed rollers which cause

This solution reduces service and maintenance costs, including downtime, while the hydraulic shears also offer great advantages in terms of machine and operator safety Tobias Ettemo, Product Manager for Harvesters & Heads

the stem to rotate inside the feed path, efficiently debarking and delimbing the stem at the same time. The head also shreds the bark into shorter lengths, minimising process disruptions at sawmills and greatly benefitting the growth

48 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

of new stands.

The main difference compared to Komatsu’s other heads is that the X164E slices rather than saws through the stem. The head is equipped with extremely powerful hydraulic shears, with broad, sturdy blades, that easily and effectively slice through each stem.

“This solution reduces

service and maintenance costs, including downtime, while the hydraulic shears also offer great advantages in terms of machine and operator safety,” says Tobias Ettemo.

For excellent reliability, the Komatsu X164E is equipped with several smart solutions, such as protected hose routing all the way from crane tip to head valve and from head valve

to roller motors. This means less downtime and reduced spare parts costs, greatly boosting profitability. The underlying concept of using hydraulic shears instead of a saw bar also helps to keep maintenance costs down, as there are no chains, bars, sprockets or saw motors to replace, and no need for saw lubrication either.

The Komatsu X164E can be mounted on an excavator or a wheeled machine.

“All the development that we have put into this new head had had the primary focus to reduce the total cost of ownership, that is what really matters in the end. And we are very happy to say that we have seen proof of substantial reduction of TCO with the

X164E.” Ettemo concludes.

With the Komatsu X164E, eucalyptus harvesting is taking an innovative step forward.

New technology combined with a robust design and well-proven advantages result in a head that truly comes into its own in demanding plantation environments. Add to this the smart solutions for improved reliability, such as

the protected hose routing, and the Komatsu X164E is clearly a highly profitable alternative.

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 49

50 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

New version of IBC introduces Operator-Assist features The milestone in forest machine technology, John Deere’s Intelligent Boom Control (IBC), is available for all John Deere WCTL forest machines.

The new IBC 3.0 version is again a technology milestone because it enables the rollout of also future smart functions to facilitate the operator’s work and improve productivity.

The latest IBC, version 3.0, introduces operatorassist features that guide operators to the correct work methods, increase productivity, and improve the machine’s resale value.

• Harvester head’s over-rotation prevention protects against hose damage.

• Feeding assistant guides the operator to avoid feeding stems towards the machine or the cabin.

• Sawing assistant guides the operator to avoid sawing towards the cabin.

See page 13

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 51

NEW H7 HD Euca

Highly efficient debarking and delimbing.

See page 27

52 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 53

54 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

John Deere introduces New H423 & H425 Harvester Heads

The new harvesting heads provide excellent performance, durability, measuring accuracy and economy Sakari Suuriniemi, Product Marketing Manager John Deere

See Page 30

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 55

56 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

The all-new KESLA 26RH-III in action

Kesla, the leading independent manufacturer of harvester head strengthens its position by introducing the new RH-III range. The KESLA 26RH-III harvester head is suitable for both thinning and final felling due to its versatility and belongs to the highest volume size class of the market. Equipped with four moving delimbing knives, the 26RH-III can handle even large trees with ease, and the delimbing quality is excellent on even the most branchy trees. The head, weighing approximately one tonne, is suitable for mounting in medium-size harvesters and in 13–16-tonne excavators.

See Page 35

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 57

SP design and development team have focused on finalizing all options and market adaptation to the SP 661 LF and SP 661 E harvester head models.

They were released for sale in early 2018 and have quickly become best-selling head models globally with more than 200 units being sold so far.

See Page 42

58 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 59

The new BL5/EX/VT: A forestry mulcher with Bite Limiter technology, for excavators up to 36 tons See Page 47

60 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 61

Peterson 1710D Horizontal Grinder

62 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

Heavy duty and mobile, the 1710D Horizontal Grinder can readily reduce a wide range of materials.

The 1710D’s large feed opening, measures 54″ x 27″ (137 x 69 cm). When boosted by Peterson’s high-lift feed roll, the feed opening’s maximum lift of 41.5 inches (105 cm) can tackle the largest of feedstock, and allows excellent accessibility to the rotor for maintenance.

The 1710D Horizontal Grinder is equipped with a Caterpillar Tier IV C9.3B 455 hp (Stage V, 339 kW) engine, or an optional, export-only C9.3B Tier

III, 415 hp (309 kW) engine. At 46,500 pounds (21,092 kg), it is one of the lightest of Peterson’s grinder series, and is easily transportable.

The 1710D Horizontal Grinder features a quickchange multiple grate system, making it easy to customize grate configurations. Grates are removed through an easy-access door on the side wall. With Peterson’s patented up-turn rotor, and heavy-duty bits, and robust anvil, the 1710D has an exceptional wear life and accurate product sizing.

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 63

ADVERTISERS INDEX SALES OFFICES UK, Europe, South Africa, US East Coast CONTACT: Phil Playle International Forest Industries Ltd Tel: +44 (0)1442 877 777 Fax: +44 (0)1442 870 617 Email: phil@internationalforestindustries.com

Japan CONTACT: Shigeru Kobayashi Japan Advertising Communications, Inc. Star Bldg., 3-10-3 Kanda Jimbocho Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0051 Tel: 81-3-3261-4591 Fax: 81-3-3261-6126 Email: Shig-kobi@media-jac.co.jp

Western USA (AZ, CA, NV, UT) Australia, & New Zealand CONTACT: Bob Warren International Forest Industries Ltd Tel: +44 (0)1442 877 777 Fax: +44 (0)1442 870 617 Email: bob@internationalforestindustries.com

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EWD ����������������������������������������������� 15 www.ewd.de

Panolin ������������������������������������������� 13 www.panolinamerica.com

FAE ������������������������������������������������� 10 www.fae-group.com

Ponsse ��������������������������������������� FC/5 www.ponsse.com

Franzen ��������������������������������������������2 www.franzen-machines.com

Precision Husky ������������������������������ 41 https://precisionhusky.com

Halco Software Systems ������������� 19 www.halcosoftware.com

Raptor Florestal ����������������������������39 www.raptorflorestal.com.br

Hultdins ����������������������������������������� 31 www.hultdins.com

Peterson �������������������������������������� IFC www.petersoncorp.com

Jenz ������������������������������������������������ 11 www.jenz.de

SP Maskiner �������������������������������� OBC www.spmaskiner.com

KESLA ��������������������������������������������� 6 www.kesla.com

Springer ����������������������������������������� 17 www.springer.eu

Keto Harvesters ��������������������������� 33 www.kone-ketonen.fi

USNR ����������������������������������������������� 3 www.usnr.com

Komatsu ������������������������������������������ 7 www.komatsuforest.com Western USA (MT, ID, OR,WA) & Canada

Continued from p26

CONTACT: Bob Warren International Forest Industries Ltd Tel: +44 (0)1442 877 777 Fax: +44 (0)1442 870 617 Email: bob@internationalforestindustries.com

US Mid-West, Central & Mountain CONTACT: Kevin Lapham J.P.Media Inc 1163 E.Ogden Ave, Ste. 705-359 Naperville IL 60563, USA Tel: +1 (630) 420 9752

Pyrocell has started production

• T his concept formed the basis for the application to the Government’s Klimatklivet initiative that was submitted in spring 2017.

In early summer, it was announced that the plant had been granted SEK 117 million in investment aid.

• S etra’s and Preem’s boards decided to invest in the pyrolysis plant in Gävle in 2019.

• A n environmental permit was gained in 2018.

• T he first ground was broken on 23 March, 2020.

• I n 2018, the company Pyrocell was formed, jointly owned by Setra and Preem. The company’s business concept is to produce bio-oil from sawdust.

• Production started on 2 September, 2021.

• I n the summer of 2019, the construction project was manned and procurement of pyrolysis plant and sawdust handling systems started.

Fax: +1 (630) 420 9763 Email: lapham@jpmediainc.com

South America CONTACT: Editec S.A. Avda del Cóndor 844 Of. 205, Cuidad Empresarial Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile Tel: +56 2 757 4200 Fax: +56 2 757 4201 Email: editec@editec.cl

Continued from p45

Caterpillar’s Next Gen 538 forest machine Also, owners can be sure the 538 is operating with the most current version of software with standard Remote Flash (dependent on cell service), which updates machine software around the production schedule.

“Loggers who want more production, greater comfort and safety, and lower maintenance cost will love the Next Generation 538,” said Bottone.

62 International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021

“When you add in our Cat dealer network that’s committed to forestry, you get a winning combination of machine and support that can’t be beat for moving timber.”

New harvester head for processing eucalyptus trees from Ponsse

Ponsse recently launching a new debarking PONSSE H7 HD Euca harvester head alongside the previously released H8 HD Euca. The new powerful harvester head further strengthens Ponsse’s strategy to be the leading global manufacturer of harvester heads.

“

T

his new harvester head has been developed together with our customers, based on their feedback. We wanted to introduce an even more powerful and productive harvester head for processing eucalyptus trees that withstands even the most extreme conditions, and we succeeded in this with the H7 HD Euca harvester head”, says Janne Loponen, harvester head product manager at Ponsse.

The H7 HD Euca harvester head can be fitted on the PONSSE Cobra, Scorpion King and Ergo harvesters, but it can also be installed on 16–22-ton track-based base machines.

The frame of the PONSSE H7 HD Euca harvester head is made of the Heavy-Duty structure, developed

by Ponsse. It withstands even the most extreme conditions both in forest machines and track-based machines. The geometry and technical solutions of the new harvester head have been made to ensure maximum efficiency

during debarking, feeding and sawing. The development of the harvester head has also focused on mechanical durability and the ease of maintenance.

Its efficient feed rollers and debarking knives guarantee firstrate debarking results from start to finish. The solid frame and robust tilt frame give the harvester head the durability needed in debarking.

Automated functions control saw movements according to the tree diameter and saw bar position and allow trees to be cut quickly.

All PONSSE harvester heads have been designed to withstand even the toughest conditions.

They are characterised by a simple and solid structure which is why they can be used in various harvesting applications, ranging from harvesters to track-based solutions. All PONSSE harvester heads are manufactured and designed at the Ponsse factory in Vieremä, Finland. Comprehensive design applies to both mechanical components and the electronic

This new harvester head has been developed together with our customers, based on their feedback. We wanted to introduce an even more powerful and productive harvester head for processing eucalyptus trees that withstands even the most extreme conditions, and we succeeded in this with the H7 HD Euca harvester head Janne Loponen, Harvester Head Product Manager, Ponsse

control system, controls and software. The manufacturing process is highly automated, guaranteeing a high level of quality and measuring accuracy. Durable hoses and delimbing knives form an important part of reliability.

FURTHER INFORMATION: Janne Loponen, Ponsse Plc, Product Manager, harvester heads, janne.loponen@ponsse.com, tel. +358 40 502 8018.

New PONSSE Frame & Crane care for service agreements Frame and Crane care is a new extended protection for forest machines that have an PONSSE Active Care service agreement.

The Frame and Crane care covers main frame structures for up to 10,000 engine hours if the machine has a valid service agreement during that period.

PONSSE Active care service agreement needs to be valid for the whole period, but the agreement can be made in several parts.

“With the new Frame and Crane care package our customers

can get even more out from their service agreements.” says Eveliina Pölkki, Product Group Responsible for service agreements at Ponsse Plc. PONSSE Frame and Crane care covers following frame structures: front and rear frame, middle pivot and articulated frame, crane base, main, lifting and luffing booms without extensions and pillars.

The new Frame and Crane care is valid for machines that have service agreements and are manufactured starting from 2021.

Ponsse Active Care service agreements ensure maximum productivity Ponsse Active Care service agreements comprise the best possible service for forest machine entrepreneurs: you can focus on your key business, logging, while Ponsse takes care of scheduled maintenance, machine optimization and extended cover.

You forest machine will maintain its performance, reliability, and productivity from one logging site to the next. Forest

machines maintained regularly by professionals using only highquality and original Ponsse parts, lubricants and filters remain in good operating condition and retain their value well.

International Forest Industries | OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2021 IBC

Harvester head SP 661 LF

SP 661 LF

- fast, versatile and reliable The SP 661 LF is a compact and strong high performance harvester head designed according to SP´s Low Friction principle for minimum friction and maximum productivity. The SP 661 LF is designed to be able to offer highest productivity in both small and large diameter harvesting.

Visit our website www.spmaskiner.com

Our low friction concept Our low friction concept comprises five separate innovations and solutions, each carefully designed to maximize production, optimize fuel and energy consumption, and drastically reduce maintenance costs.

The five solutions are: Proportional pressure, LogHold, Proportionally angled feed rollers, The delimbing knives and Optimal hydraulics. Together, these five solutions provide an unbeatable combination that allows SP to offer heads with totally unique properties and advantages that maximize your profitability.

The advantages of our low friction concept Maximizes

Minimizes

n Feed speed

n Friction between head and stem

n Performance

n Head wear

n Productivity

n Stem damage

n Profitability

n Carrier fuel consumption

n Uptime

n Maintenance and repair costs