Issuu

Lone Wolf in the Woods Fred Warth Contracting

Leader in Stewardship and Production Lone Rock Logging

Productivity and Safety Go Hand in Hand Sevier Logging A Cat Tradition Lind Logging

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ON THE COVER

November/December 2014 Vol. 39 No. 11-12

Photo by Lindsay R. Mohlere captures Lone Rock Logging, working their Pierce DeLimbinator

Leader in Stewardship and Maximum Production

Leader in Stewardship and Maximum Production It’s Lone Rock Logging’s proactive commitment that has won them so many awards, including the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Southwest 2013 Operator of the year.

Fred Warth Contracting prides itself on taking on the small jobs that others walk away from.

Productivity and Safety Go Hand in Hand Sevier Logging based out of Olympia, Wash., focuses on high production and safe practices.

A Lone Wolf in the Woods

Making Wood Waste Valuable Rawlings Manufacturing sets up a new test facility at its Spokane manufacturing center to focus all aspects of wood waste processing.

A Lone Wolf in the Woods

A Cat Tradition

Productivity and Safety Go Hand in Hand

Lind Logging out of B.C. isn’t afraid to try something new, especially if it’s technology being developed by Cat.

The Show America Logger Council annual meeting review.

DEPARTMENTS

Page 4 .............................................................In the News Page 31 ................................................. Association News Page 32 ..................................................... Machinery Row Page 35 ........................................................ New Products Page 37 .................................................Advertiser’s Index Page 37 ............................................... Calendar of Events Page 37 ................................................. Classified Section Page 37 ............................Subscription/Reader Service Page 38 ........................................................Guest Column

A Cat Tradition

www.forestnet.com November/December 2014 TimberWest

Editor: Diane Mettler, diane@forestnet.com Copy Editor: Beth Szyperski Contributing Editors: Lindsay R. Mohlere, Andrea Watts, Kenneth Boness, Barbara Coyner ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Sales Mgr: James Booth – jbooth@forestnet.com Director: Rob Stanhope – stanhope@forestnet.com Sales Contact Information: Toll Free: 1-866-405-6462 Phone: (604) 990-9970 • Fax: (604) 990-9971 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Publisher & Production Manager: Sheila Ringdahl – sringdahl@forestnet.com Office Manager: Betty Rosales – brosales@forestnet.com

Looming Expiration of Softwood Deal

With less than a year until the expiration of the Canada-U.S. Softwood Lumber Agreement, lines are already being drawn on both sides. Canadian producers would like the agreement extended, but the U.S. would like some changes. Business Vancouver reported, “The U.S. Lumber Coalition, a lobby group representing American lumber companies and timber owners, said... it’s not going to renew the agreement when it expires next October. It has expressed its anti-deal position to the U.S. government but it has yet to say publicly what it intends to do.” One of the issues the U.S. has with the current agreement is the claim costs. Washington, D.C., trade lawyer Elliot Feldman said the future is not promising for those wanting softwood peace.

$2 Million for Taller Building Designs

The United States Department of Agriculture is offering a $2 million prize for design ideas to build taller wood structures. The Tall Wood Building Prize Competition, supported by the Softwood Lumber Board and Binational Softwood Lumber Council, invites U.S. developers, institutions, organizations, and design teams to submit entries that undertake alternative solutions to construct taller timber buildings. Submissions must showcase the safe application, practicality, and sustainability of a minimum 80-foot structure that uses mass timber, composite wood technologies, and innovative building techniques. “The objective of the competition is to identify proponents with building project(s) in the concept, schematic, or design development stage in the U.S. that can safely and successfully demonstrate the use of wood as a viable structural material in tall buildings,” the organizers say. 4

Corporate Office Information: Phone: (425) 778-3388 Fax: (425) 771-3623 timberwest@forestnet.com www.forestnet.com

New Versatile Process Efficiently Converts Biomass to Liquid Fuel

Turning chips to liquid fuel may be coming sooner than people think. Researchers at Purdue University demonstrated a new process that converts all biomass (wood chips, switch grass, corn stover, rice husks, and wheat straw) into liquid fuel. The innovative process — called fast-hydropyrolysis-hydrodeoxygenation — could make mobile processing plants possible. “The demonstration is a step toward commercialization,” said Rakesh Agrawal, the Winthrop E. Stone Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering. “Because the process can produce hydrocarbons in a single tandem step, it clearly has a potential to have a positive impact on the biofuels sector.” To read more about the revolutionary method, visit phys.org/news/2014-11-versatile-efficiently-biomass-liquid-fuel.html#jCp.

Homebuilding Recovery to Continue in 2015

Homebuilding continues to look good, especially in the Portland area. At the recent Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland event, economists said they expect building activity to continue creeping higher. Homebuilding is looking better across the country. The Oregonian reported that: “Using the period from 2000 to 2003 as a benchmark — because the years that followed were so far out of whack — the National Association of Home Builders says construction of single-family houses in the U.S. fell to 27 percent of normal by 2009. But the pace is expected to recover to 68 percent of normal next year, said Robert Denk, the trade group’s assistant vice president for forecasting. By 2016, it should be back to 90 percent of normal.”

TimberWest November/December 2014 www.forestnet.com

Send all materials - Insertion Orders, Contracts, Copy, Photos, Disks to: TimberWest Publications, LLC P.O. Box 610 (300 Admiral Way, Suite 105) Edmonds, WA 98020-0610 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Send both OLD and NEW Circulation information to: TimberWest Magazine Attn: George Aldridge P.O. Box 610, Edmonds, WA 98020 Fax: (425) 771-3623 • subscribetw@forestnet.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Advertising created by TimberWest Publications, LLC is the sole property of TimberWest Publications, LLC and may not be copied or reproduced without the express written permission of the publisher. PUBLISHER’S EDITORIAL STATEMENT: TimberWest reports on the logging and lumber segment of the forest industry in the Western United States with emphasis on the states of AK, WA, OR, ID, MT and CA, providing current information on timber harvesting techniques, sawmill operations, news, legislation, events, people and products pertinent to this market. TIMBERWEST (USPS #024858) is published bi-monthly (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/Jun, Jul/Aug, Sept/Oct, Nov/Dec) by TimberWest Publications, LLC, 300 Admiral Way, Suite 105, Edmonds, WA, 98020. Periodicals postage paid at Edmonds, WA and at additional mailing offices. Copyright 2014. All rights reserved. Subscription rates to qualified subscribers are Free and all non-qualified subscriptions in U.S. are $22 per year payable in advance. Canada $35 (U.S.). Other $40 (U.S.). Single copies paid in advance $4. Company affiliation, title, date and signature must appear on subscription forms. Publisher reserves the right to refuse non-industry subscriptions and advertising. All other advertising is accepted at the discretion of the publisher. Publisher does not assume any responsibility for the contents of any advertisement and all representations or warranties made in such advertising are those of the advertiser and not of the publisher. Back issues, if available, $4 each. Directory and Calendar issue $10 each. Canadian Publication Mail Product Sales Agreement #40740074. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to P.O. Box 86670 Stn. Main, North Vancouver, BC V7L 4L2 Printed in Canada at Rhino Print Solutions POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to TimberWest, P.O. Box 610, Edmonds, WA, 98020-0610

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ContractorProfile

A Leader in Stewardship Lone Rock Logging Company, Roseburg, Ore.

By Lindsay R. Mohlere

n February of the this year, Lone Rock Logging Company of Roseburg, Ore., was named the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Southwest 2013 Operator of the Year. The award recognized Lone Rock’s 20-years of stream improvement and fish habitant restoration along King Creek in southwestern Oregon. This is the third Southwest Oregon Operator of the Year award Lone Rock Logging has earned having previously received the honor in 1998 and 2003. In addition, Lone Rock has received many other awards for its logging and stewardship practices including the Department of Forestry and the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s 1998 Forest Stewardship Award; the Department of Forestry’s 2001 Merit Award for Southwestern Oregon - Design, Layout, and Road Construction. Lone Rock founder Fred Sohn demanded that the company play by the rules and be a good steward of the land. The awards underscore Lone Rock’s proactive commitment to protecting critical resources while maintaining a productive working forest.

From a Bakery to the Forest

According to Duane Grant, Logging Operations manager at Lone Rock, Sohn started working in a bakery when he was 10 years old. “Fred was a German immigrant. In the town he grew up in, Fred started unloading sacks of grain into the gristmill. He

Lone Rock is a full-service logging company, running a cutting crew with a hot saw operator, two yarder sides, one shovel logging side, and reforestation. 8

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ContractorProfile

and Maximum Production worked his way up the ladder to become a baker before he left Germany for the United States. Fred always considered himself a working man.” After graduating from Iowa State University, Sohn ventured west and landed in Roseburg, Ore. In 1950, he purchased a stud mill, which eventually grew into a veneer and sawmill manufacturing facility. Sohn’s mill was the first saw mill in the nation to computerize and became an industry leader by introducing innovative manufacturing technology. Many of his advancements have become the foundation of technology used by mills today. As the mill progressed, Sohn began buying land, purchasing his first timber tract of 120 acres. The company now owns over 125,000 acres of timberland, managed by Lone Rock Logging’s sister company Lone Rock Timber Management. The management company and the logging operation are the foundation of Lone Rock Resources Inc.; a family owned and operated diversified corporation that also includes ranching, investment, and real estate entities.

to buy and log his own Forest Service and BLM timber sales,” Grant says. “He bought logging equipment, and the company yarded and loaded. It contracted out its cutting and hauling. That’s how Lone Rock Logging basically started.” As road credits became available with the government timber sales, Sohn branched out into road construction. “About the same time, Lone Rock started to hire its own cutters,” Grant said. “Then we had our own cutting, logging, and road construction. With all that came the need for maintenance, and a shop was set up.”

Today, Lone Rock has evolved into a full-service logging company with nearly 60 employees, running a cutting crew with a hot saw operator, two yarder sides, one shovel logging side, and reforestation.

The Production Challenge

Lone Rock Logging harvests between 50 and 60 million board feet per year. “We challenge ourselves every day to meet production goals,” Grant says. “We operate year round and take a lot of pride in our ability to deliver a quality log — rain or shine. We rock a lot of our roads to make sure we can keep working during the wet winter months when logs are in demand.” By June, and into the next two quarters, Lone Rock production keeps pace with market demands. “Our production slows down once we get into June,” Grant continues. “But then we have to deal with the heat and fire levels.”

The Genesis of a Full-Service Logging Company

“In the mid 60s, along with buying up timber tracts and old overgrown ranch properties, Fred wanted to have the ability

Lone Rock operates year round, employs nearly 60 and harvests between 50 to 60 million board feet a year.

ContractorProfile To accomplish production goals, Lone Rock relies on the experience of the crews and its machinery to carve out the numbers necessary. “Our guys are motivated,” Grant says. “When they move into logs, they get it done. It’s a personal challenge to them every day. If they put up 200 logs today, they’ll try for 205 tomorrow.” Lone Rock runs and maintains a stable of two TSY 255 swing yarders and three Pierce 3348 delimbers powered by a CAT 324, a CAT 322, and a John Deere 2454 respectively. The company also utilizes two Hitachi 350s, one of which is set up as a yoder. In addition, a 370 Hitachi, 330 CAT, and an 830 Thunderbird see duty as log loaders. Along with several different carriages, the Lone Rock also makes use of two CAT D6Cs, a CAT D7G with a ripper, and a CAT D8H, as well as CAT 527 and CAT 528 skidders. The logging roster is rounded out with several five trucks, fuel trucks, crew vans, and pickups. On the cutting side, Lone Rock operates a Madill 2250 feller buncher and four pickups. The company has two Kenworth tractors; one is dedicated to lowboy for equipment hauling, and the other hauls logs, rocks, and at times, a lowboy. Most hauling is contracted out to Ireland Trucking out of Myrtle Creek, Ore. The road building operation employs a variety of medium and large CAT dozers, CAT 325 and 314 excavators, and CAT 140 and 143 graders. The Lone Rock road side also uses two off-highway dump trucks, a pad foot roller, two smooth drum rollers, a road side brushing machine, five fire trucks,

Lone Rock couldn’t make it without experienced crews. “Our guys are motivated,” Duane Grant says. “When they move into logs, they get it done. It’s a personal challenge to them every day. If they put up 200 logs today, they’ll try for 205 tomorrow.” two fuel trucks, and six pickups. “Our most productive machines are the stroker/delimbers and shovels,” Grant says. “Our operators prefer Hitachi shovels; they’re our main working machines. Twelve years ago, we compared five or six different brands, and our operators rated which machine they felt was the best. Our guys picked the Hitachis as the most productive. We rely on our operators to tell us what machine will do the best job.”

“When it comes to shovels,” Grant adds, “I depend on those shovels to run every day. I don’t want to be wrenching on the thing twenty-five percent of the time. We replace our shovels between 25,000 and 30,000 hours. We replace our strokers about the same. We rotate in new machines every eight to ten years.” Grant also noted that yarders are a longterm investment. “We replace those machines every twenty or thirty years as long as we can get parts. Problem is, when you keep them too long, parts become unavailable. When that happens, you’ve got to update.”

It’s Our Company

Lone Rock’s commitment to being a good community partner and steward of the land is a direct result of Fred Sohn’s working philosophy. “The reason Lone Rock Logging is here is because Fred wanted the ability to control what happened to the property,” Grant explains. “He was very particular about having the property looking nice. He instilled in us to treat the property like it was our own. Baggies, garbage…none of that is on our property. It all gets taken away. Clean it all up. Don’t leave big piles. Take care of the water.” Sohn expected his employees to take ownership in the company. “Our people take quite a lot of pride in Lone Rock,” Grant says. “It’s our company.” Although the company owns two Kenworth tractors, most hauling is contracted out to Ireland Trucking out of Myrtle Creek, Ore. 10

TimberWest November/December 2014 www.forestnet.com

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ContractorProfile

A Lone Wolf in the Woods

Fred Warth Contracting , Sweet Home, Ore. By Lindsay R. Mohlere

“

hey call me ‘Bottom Feeder Freddy.’ It’s because I’ll do what everybody else doesn’t want to do,” says Fred Warth as he leans against his 1999 Timberjack 2618 feller buncher. “None of the big operations want to peel off and do a six or seven acre patch when they can put out twenty loads a day.” Located in Sweet Home, Ore., Fred and his wife Stephanie are the sole operators of Fred Warth Contracting, a unique logging company that truly sweats the small stuff all the way to the bank. “We take on the small jobs, rehabs, and private owner tracts too small for most operations that run a crew. It’s just Fred and me,” explains Stephanie. Single operator logging companies are an endangered species, but Fred and Stephanie have followed a simple business philosophy that has paid off. “We try to do a good job and be honest with people. You gotta show up. We try to please our clients,” says Fred. Stephanie agrees. “Great customer service is what makes the difference.” For nearly 20 years, Fred and Stephanie have slugged it out through the hard times and the good times to create a respected company that serves a particular niche in the logging industry. “I was working for a larger crew but doing some private stuff on the side. Weekend work basically — rented the equipment,” says Fred explaining how they got started as a oneman logging operation. “It just happened. We decided to go off on our own. Took a mortgage out on the house, bought an old 550 John Deere dozer and a power saw, and let ‘er rip. I like working for myself.” Taking Care of Business

Fred and Stephanie Warth, owners Fred Warth Contracting, happily take on the small jobs. 12

One of the biggest challenges facing any logging operation is surviving the radical ups and downs of the timber industry. For Fred and Stephanie, it has been a wild ride. When the economy tanked and the

TimberWest November/December 2014 www.forestnet.com

Warth uses a 2006 Kobelco 250 as his main shovel and a 1994 Kobelco 220 as his loader. A 1995 Kobelco 220 with a 518 ProPak stroker does the processing. housing market came to a screeching halt, the timber market collapsed. “During the crash, the mills quit buying. We had no work,” Stephanie says. In order to survive, Fred says he ran a shovel for a friend who had a large timber contract. “You got to do what’s necessary to survive.” Today, the company is doing what it does best — logging small tracts on its own. It all begins with marketing the timber. “We follow the timber market closely,” Fred says. “We can advise our clients on the possible prospects of the sale. We shop the markets depending upon the type of trees and get back to the landowner. Let them know who’s got the best prices for the different types of wood.” In addition, Fred cruises the stand, logs the site, and then cleans up and piles brush for fall burning. “We contract out our hauling, usually to Z & L Enterprises. Most of the time, we only need one truck. “I don’t replant. We give our clients a copy of Oregon Department of Forestry’s (continued on page 14)

ContractorProfile

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ContractorProfile (continued from page 12) planting schedules, and it’s up to them to do the replanting. Around here, Tim Dodge does most of the replanting,” he adds. The company works on a per-thousand cost basis rather than a percentage cut. “We pay for all the costs involved. Pay for trucking; handle burn fees. The timber owner gets paid per thousand. I feel we should get paid the same way. On occasion we do a mill split to keep everything straight,” he added. New projects come from a variety of sources. “We get most of our work just by word of mouth,” Stephanie said. “We do advertise in a little paper called the Tell & Sell. Ninety percent of the calls don’t turn out to be much, but every now and then we get a good one. We also get a lot of repeat customers.” In addition, Cascade Timber Consultants Inc. will occasionally refer clients who have projects too small for larger crews. “Sometimes you’ll pull out on a job and a neighbor sees you and asks you to do their work,” Fred says. “That’s happened before.” At times, when new work doesn’t roll in when it’s expected, Fred and Stephanie weather the slow down with cautious optimism. “We’ve been in business long enough to know it’s going to work out. Why stress?

It’s going to be what it’s going to be. We just have to handle it,” Stephanie says. “We’ve had some lean times,” Fred says. “I hand it up to the Good Lord to keep us going.”

Keeping the Bottom Line on Track

Running a one-man operation means keeping a sharp eye out for good used equipment and being serious about preventative maintenance. “I don’t buy anything new,” Fred says. “I’ll buy old stuff and do what needs to be done to keep it in good shape. We take good care of our machinery. We fix what needs to be fixed and do the maintenance every night.” Like most Northwest logging companies, Fred logs year round. “Soil compaction is a problem. We run our 1995 wheeled John Deere grapple skidder any time we can, but basically we do a lot of shovel logging.” He uses a 2006 Kobelco 250 as his main shovel and a 1994 Kobelco 220 as his loader. A 1995 Kobelco 220 with a 518 ProPak stroker does the processing. For longer yarding jobs, Fred relies on the grapple skidder. In addition to his feller buncher, Fred does hand cutting. “I don’t pioneer any roads, but I’ll use our 650 dozer to carve out a little spur road on

occasion. Clear a spot for loading,” Fred said. “On the bigger jobs, when I can move a couple of pieces of equipment in, I’ll have the Kobelco 250 up in the brush and position the older 220 to do the loading,” Fred continued explaining how one man can do it all. To keep a tight fist on the bottom line and knock down expenses, Fred does most of the equipment maintenance himself. “I do everything that I can. When we need to have a crane to move some heavy parts around I use a guy in Sweet Home, Ray Stratman of Stratman Repair. He’s really good. He goes the extra mile and gets things done right. For the John Deere equipment, I use Pape’ Machinery. John Carlson is one of their best mechanics. He’s one of those people that can pretty much diagnose what’s going on over the phone. Both these guys do a real good job for us.” Fred gives Stephanie a lot of the credit. “It’s a huge challenge trying to make a living out here in the woods but our secret to success is having a wife that supports what you want to do. She’s a great partner. She handles all the billing, all the paperwork. I do the labor. We’ve raised three kids and supported ourselves.” Fred sums it up the way his dad used to. “What you get out of life is what you put into it.” TW

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Making Wood Waste Valuable A look at the equipment angles By Barbara Coyner

hen did woody biomass change from being a waste product to a commodity? Was it back in the late 20s when Robert Bowling of Potlatch Corporation devised the idea of creating Pres-to-Logs out of mountains of useless sawdust? Was it when mill owners started grinding bark into hog fuel to power steam plants and boilers? Both of these developments were game changers in the industry, yet woody biomass has often remained a headache in the forest industry. Today wood waste makes up 28 percent of most landfills,

and slash piles often languish in the woods due to air quality issues. The new and intense search for alternative energy sources, however, has given the various kinds of wood waste new value.

Rawlings Family Gets into Wood Waste

John Rawlings knows plenty about woody biomass utilization, having grown up in the forest industry. His father Cliff Rawlings raised his sons, John, Craig, and Mike, around mills and tinkered enough with wood grinders to come up with the solid rotary wood hog. Up until the 1980s, sawmills generally used hammer mills to pulverize bark into hog fuel for boilers, but many had given up on processing cedar because the bark was so stringy. The grinder developed by Cliff Rawlings used a system of solid rotors that efficiently reduced the more challenging bark without the usual equipment breakdown. His tinkering led to Cliff and his family signing contracts with Potlatch Corporation to grind up wood waste at several closeddown mill sites. In 1982, the Rawlings family hitched up Cliff ’s portable wood hog and worked the sites on a seven-year contract, turning the piles of waste wood into uniformly processed fuel for the co-generation plant operating at the same Lewiston mill where Robert Bowling first developed Pres-to-Logs. In 1984, Cliff died suddenly, leaving his wife Pat and sons in charge of the family enterprises. It was then that, at the age of 24, John oversaw his first wood hog installation at a Boise Cascade mill in Yakima, Wash. He worked with Gary Tucker, a Lewiston engineer, who helped him learn more about the equipment and its creation. John eventually wound up as head of Rawlings Manufacturing, maker of his dad’s trademark invention.

Steeped in Biomass

Now 54, John has marinated in the woody biomass industry for years, improvising and improving on his father’s original designs. Today’s lineup of wood hogs is known especially for handling cedar, black spruce, and poplar more efficiently than the hammer mill models still used in some sawmills. “We’re not just about boiler fuel these days,” John says from his company’s Missoula, Mont., headquarters. “We always have to change, and change some more.” To that end, the company has set up a new test facility at its Spokane manufacturing center. John says the focus will be on all aspects of wood waste processing, from rotors to screening. He points out that the company just replaced the wood

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(continued on page 18)

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WoodyBiomass (continued from page 16) hog his father Cliff originally installed in the 70s at the Potlatch Corporation plant in St. Maries, Idaho, showing the durability of the machinery design.

From Waste to Commodity

A look at the Rawlings Manufacturing comprehensive website (www.wastewoodhogs.com) shows the wide variety of products and applications that have developed as wood wastes have come to be regarded in a different light. “In the past, there was no money in wood waste,” John says. “But hog fuel is more important now. It’s a commodity. It’s dominant especially in existing and new biomass cogeneration plants.” Out west, John has overseen some especially unique projects, such as the installation of an Electrical Horizontal Stationary Wood Hog at the Whistler Compost Municipality. The system takes the wood waste that would normally be sent to the landfill, processes it through the grinder, mixes it with food waste generated from grocery stores and restaurants, and ultimately sends it to an inline tunnel composter. In 2008, Rawlings also installed the same style of large horizontal rotary hog at the Mitsubishi Concrete plant at Lucerne Valley in California’s San

Bernardino Mountains. The idea there was to provide an alternative fuel source to replace coal. The Lucerne Valley project illustrates the steps necessary in taking an idea to an actual operating system, and it’s no surprise that the Mitsubishi facility took about a year to get off the drawing boards. The concrete company had already scouted for wood supply, sourcing wood waste from landfills within a 150-mile radius. Initially John toured Mitsubishi officials through a plant at Deer Lodge, Mont., and another plant at Usk, Wash., demonstrating various features of the company’s wood hogs. Once the system ideas were finalized, John’s brother Mike Rawlings and his company, Rawlings Industrial (known in the industry for building some of the largest sawmills in the country), had the system up and running in 45 days. Wood now comes into that plant in a broken down form and is then uniformly processed to two-inch size, with 3/8-inch dirt and debris screened out. The system creates a fairly uniform fuel for the plant’s generating system, a vital step in monitoring consistency in woody biomass energy. “It’s a great system and everything turned out well,” John says of the 2008 installation at Lucerne Valley. He notes that research

for various biomass applications goes on constantly. “We’re not experimenting on anyone,” he adds. The fact that John’s son Cliff is now coming into the business as an auto-CAD draftsman means that John constantly thinks ahead so the family’s business continues to prosper well into the future. John’s brother Craig, head of Forest Business Network (and a walking textbook on woody biomass), feels that woody biomass is here to stay as a viable energy alternative. “Is it waste or product?” Craig asks. “If you pay for the stuff, people will get creative. It used to be slash, but if you grind it, it has value. It’s now often just too costly to burn.” Noting that today’s utilization of waste wood alternatives is still in the experimental stage for things such as jet fuel and other forms of liquid fuel, Craig nevertheless thinks that all such research will be of benefit in the long run. “It’s all economics,” he adds as a reality check. “You have to get the cost down.” His brother John knows that efficient economics have to include efficient equipment. Citing such programs as Fuels for Schools, along with the importance of reducing wood wastes in landfills, John knows there is a good future in woody biomass energy. TW

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Meet the Officers

he OLC Board of Directors

chose “Cutting Edge Jobs Grow on Trees” as the theme this year. The theme resonates for them on many levels because the field is filled with jobs ranging from forester to machine operator, and from machine designer to professor. For individuals looking to earn a real wage at jobs that require talent and skill, the timber industry will provide a rewarding career. The OLC, in support of our professional and diverse industry, provides education, networking opportunities, and displays of “cutting edge” technology, as well as ongoing support in the form of grants and scholarships. The OLC Board of Directors encourages you to register for the Oregon Logging Conference and support the cutting edge jobs of today and tomorrow.

The 2015 OLC Board of Directors: Treasurer Mike Randall, Swanson Brothers Lumber Co.; 1st VP Jeff Unger, Unger Logging Co.; Pres. David Nygaard, Warrenton Fiber.; 2nd VP Jeff Wimer, OSU Logger Training Program.

(continued on page 20)

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Desserts for Dreams – Play Smart

First Lady Judy Nygaard invites you to join her at the 12th Annual Ladies Desserts for Dreams Charity Event, which will take place Friday, February 20 at the Eugene Hilton. The 2015 event will include a light lunch to go along with the delicious desserts from the many bakeries in the Eugene and Springfield area. A light lunch, desserts, wine, champagne, and an alcohol-free beverage choice will be served from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tickets for this event are $30 with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the charity of Judy’s choice — Play Smart.

About Play Smart

This year, Judy selected the Play Smart Youth Heart Screening Program. The organization works with communities—parents, teachers, medical professionals, and individuals—to help prevent sudden cardiac arrest in young people through youth cardiac screenings.

The most common cause of sudden cardiac arrest in young people is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM, an inherited disease that affects one in 500 people. HCM can thicken the walls of the heart and cause it to beat in dangerous rhythms. While symptoms may include chest pain, shortness of breath, or fainting, some kids with HCM have no symptoms at all. Play Smart saves lives by creating access to automated external defibrillators, education on cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and youth cardiac screenings. The program is staffed by a team of highly-trained cardiac professionals and cardiologists, led by medical director, James Beckerman, MD. The team screens young people for potentially dangerous heart conditions and collaborates with community partners to make screenings accessible to as many youth as possible. (More information is available at oregon.providence.org/patients/ programs/providence-heart-andvascular-institute/Pages/playsmart/index.html.)

This is an organization that is very dear to Judy, and 100 percent of the funds from the Desserts for Dreams will go to provide free heart screenings for young athletes. Come help support an awesome cause. And a special thank you to the wonderful restaurants, bakeries, and the Eugene Hilton. For information and to purchase tickets, please call (541) 686-9191.

Keynote Speaker — Senator Betsy Johnson

he 2015 OLC keynote speak-

er will be Senator Betsy Johnson (D-Scappoose). She is beginning her third term in the Oregon Senate in the District 16 position. Betsy’s family has a history steeped in politics. Her father, the late Sam Johnson, was a member of the House of Representatives from Redmond, Ore., and her mother, Becky Johnson, served on numerous state boards, including

the State Board of Higher Education and the Teachers Standards and Practices Commission.

Business Background

Betsy received her undergraduate degree in History from Carleton College and her Law degree from the Northwestern School of Law, Lewis & Clark College. A licensed commercial pilot of both fixed and rotorwing aircraft, she founded Transwestern Helicopters Inc., in 1978. The helicopter division of the firm was sold in 1993 and the company, now known as Transwestern Aviation Inc., is managed by her husband, John Helm. In September 1993, Betsy was selected as Manager of the Aeronautics Division of the Oregon Department of Transportation, a position she held until her resignation in September 1998. During the 1999 Legislative Session she was Vice President of Legislative Affairs for the Oregon Pilots Association; she successfully championed legislation that created the Oregon Department of Aviation.

Boards and Commissions

Betsy has served on numerous local, regional, and national boards and commissions, including the Oregon Health Sciences 20

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University Foundation and Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, among others. She is a former director of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and currently serves on a number of regional boards, such as the Board of Visitors, Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College. She also serves as the president of the Samuel S. Johnson Foundation.

Legislative Involvement

In the 2013 Legislative Session, Betsy was, once again, appointed to the Joint Committee on Ways and Means where she has served since her first session. In addition to serving as Vice Co-Chair of the Full Ways and Means Committee, her 2013 legislative duties included vice-chair of the Transportation & Economic Development Subcommittee of Ways and Means, member of the General Government Subcommittee of Ways and Means, the Economic and Community Development Commission, State Interoperability Executive Council, Pacific Marine Fisheries Commission, Joint Emergency Board, and the Joint Interim Task Force for the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. Her assignments make good use of her business, government, and public sector experience.

“Cutting Edge Jobs Grow On Trees”

Panels and Seminars at a Glance

The OLC will once again offer a wide range of panels and seminars, and attendees will be able to earn up to 9 professional logger credits.

LOGGING, CONSTRUCTION, TRUCKING & HEAVY EQUIPMENT EXPO FEBRUARY 19, 20, 21, 2015 LANE COUNTY EVENTS CENTER & FAIRGROUNDS - EUGENE, OREGON Host Hotel: Eugene Hilton – For Room Reservations Call 541-342-2000 “REMINDER” Registered Companies Will Receive Two Credits When Attending The Oregon Logging Conference and Equipment Show” TENTATIVE PROGRAM AND SCHEDULE OF ENTERTAINMENT

W EDN ESDAY, FEBRU ARY 18, 2015 - Activities H eld At The Eugene H ilton 4p.m. – 6:30p.m.

Registration – Meet & Greet - “Hosted Beer & Wine” - Sponsored by

4p.m. - 10p.m.

Doors Open for Silent Auction benefiting “Talk About Trees” OWIT Dinner and Live Annual Auction – Call OWIT at 503-831-1593 to order tickets. “Hosted Beer & Wine” – Playwrights Hall, Eugene Hilton

6:30p.m.

TH U RSDAY, FEBRU ARY 19, 2015 - Program Sessions H eld At Lane County Fairgrounds

This year, the topics to choose from will include the following.

Thursday, February 19

• 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Log RolloutPoles (Hands-on seminar) • 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.: Better Ideas/New Technology in Logging — cable assistance, GPS with yarder crews, cameras with GPS for cable logging, grapple logging, top five causes of fires in forestry equipment and new innovation for track machine transport

Friday, February 20

• 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.: Oregon Forest Practices Seminar — Wet-Weather Hauling and Maintaining Forest Roads • 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Washington Forest Practices Seminar • 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.: Business Seminar 1 — Market Update on Domestic and Export Log/Lumber Markets • 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.: Log RolloutPoles (Hands-on seminar) • 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Chainsaw Sharpening and Safety (Hands-on Seminar) • 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.: Business Seminar 2 — Insurance for Logging and Logger Safety Initiative, Washington State Perspective, and Oregon Perspective • 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Forest Residuals Seminar — Cleanup of Log Yard Waste, Biomass Collection across the Pacific Northwest, Status and Update of Turning Forest Residuals into Energy • 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Washington Forest Practices Seminar • 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Business Seminar 3 — How to Finance New Equipment • 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.: Fire Equipment and Requirements (Hands-on Seminar)

7a.m. - 4p.m.

Registration - Main Convention Center Lobby

8a.m. - 5p.m.

Equipment Displays Open

7a.m. - 8a.m.

Opening Session Breakfast - Sponsored by Peterson Cat and Caterpillar Wheeler Pavilion - Tickets included with PAID Registration

8:00a.m.

Opening Prayer Oregon Logging Conference Foundation Auction Call to Order, Wheeler Pavilion - 1 PL Credit President's Address – David Nygaard, 2015 President, Oregon Logging Conference Keynote Speaker

9a.m. - 4p.m.

Chain Saw Wood Carver – Outside Demonstration Area

10a.m. - 1p.m.

Elementary School Education Tours

11a.m. – 12p.m.

Exhibitor Hands On Seminar – Outside Display Area -1PL Credit “Log Rollout - Poles”, Carl Harrison, McFarland Cascade – Stella Jones

12pm-6pm

Lars Larson Show Broadcast Live Remote Onsite – Sponsored by General Trailer Co.

12p.m. - 1p.m.

Free Time to View Equipment Displays

1p.m.

Meeting Called To Order - Wheeler Pavilion

1:15p.m.

Oregon State University Forestry Program Update – Oregon State University

1:30p.m.

Operators of the Year Presentation – Oregon Department of Forestry

2:00p.m. - 4:00p.m.

“Better Ideas / New Technology In Logging” – 1 OPF Credit Moderator – Frank Chandler Jr., C & C Logging Inc., Kelso, WA 1) Cable Assist, 2) GPS with Yarder Crews , 3) Cameras with GPS for Cable Logging 4) Grapple Logging, 5) “Top 5 Causes of Fires in Forestry Equip. – How Operators Can Avoid Them”

5p.m. - 6:30p.m.

Sawdust Bowl "Hosted Beer & Wine Performance Hall, Convention Center - Ticket Included Registration

FRIDAY, FEBRU ARY 20, 2015 - Program Sessions H eld At Lane County Fairgrounds 7a.m. - 4p.m.

Registration - Main Convention Center Lobby

8a.m. - 5p.m.

Equipment Displays Open

7a.m. - 8a.m

Hosted Breakfast –- Sponsored by Pape’ Group Wheeler Pavilion – Tickets included with PAID registration

9a.m. - 4p.m.

Chain Saw Wood Carver –- Outside Demonstration Area

8:30a.m. - 11:30a.m.

“Oregon Forest Practices” Seminar - Wheeler Pavilion - 3 FP Credits Moderator – Craig Olson, Weyerhaeuser Company, Clatskanie, Oregon “Wet Weather Hauling”, and “Maintaining Forest Roads”

8:30a.m. - 10:30a.m.

“Washington Forest Practices” Seminars - SE Meeting Room - Exhibit Hall – 2 WAFP or 1 PL Credit

10a.m. – 11a.m.

Business Seminar 1 – SW Meeting Room Exhibit Hall – 1 PL Credit “Market Update on Domestic and Export Log / Lumber Markets”

10a.m. – 11a.m.

Exhibitor Hands On Seminar 1 – Log Loader Competition Outside Display Area - 1PL Credit “Log Rollout - Poles”, Carl Harrison, McFarland Cascade – Stella Jones

11:30a.m.-12:30p.m.

Exhibitor Hands On Seminar 2 – SW Meeting Room Exhibit Hall -1PL Credit “Chain Saw Sharpening and Safety”, Jerry Locker, OREGON / Blount International

11:30a.m. – 3:30p.m.

"OLC" Log Loader Competition – Sponsored by Triad Machinery and Linkbelt - Outside Display Area- Visit www.oregonloggingconference.com or call 541-686-9191

1:00p.m. – 2:00p.m.

Business Seminar 2 - SW Meeting Room Exhibit Hall – 1 PL Credit “Insurance for Logging and Logger Safety Initiative” “Washington State Perspective” and “Oregon Perspective”

1:30p.m. - 3:30p.m.

“Forest Residuals ” - Seminar – Wheeler Pavilion – 2 PL Credits Moderator – Steve Henson, Potlatch Corp. St. Maries Complex, St. Maries, Idaho 1) “Cleanup of Log Yard Waste”, 2) “Biomass Collection Across the Pacific Northwest”, 3) “Status and Update on Turning Forest Residuals into Energy”

1:30p.m. - 3:30p.m.

“Washington Forest Practices” Seminar - SE Meeting - Exhibit Hall Map - 2 WAFP or 1 PL Credit

2:30p.m. - 3:30p.m.

Business Seminar 3 – SW Meeting Room Exhibit Hall – 1 PL Credit “How to Finance New Equipment”

2:30p.m. - 3:30p.m.

Exhibitor Hands On Seminar 3 – Outside Display Area - 1 PL Credit “Fire Equipment and Requirements”, Link Smith, Oregon Department of Forestry, Salem, Or

5p.m. - 6:00p.m.

Sawdust Bowl "Hosted Beer & Wine" – Sponsored by US Bank Performance Hall, Convention Center - Ticket Included Registration

EV EN TS H ELD AT TH E EU G EN E H ILTO N 12:30p.m. - 3p.m.

LADIES' DESSERTS FOR DREAMS – Charity Benefit for Play Smart Youth Heart Screening Program. Enjoy Decadent Desserts Donated from area Restaurants and Bakeries Visit www.oregonloggingconference.com or call 541-686-9191 to order tickets.

7p.m. – 11pm 7p.m. 7:00p.m. – 9p.m. 7:30p.m. – 11pm

OLC Celebration Hors d’oeuvre Cocktail Party – Playwrights Hall, Eugene Hilton Doors Open - Hosted Beer & Wine Tasting Hors d’oeuvres Dancing to Bump In The Road

SA TU RD A Y , FEB R U A R Y 21, 2015 - All Activities Held At Lane County Fairgrounds Please note: No Seminars will be presented on Saturday

9a.m. - 2p.m.

All Exhibits Open To Public – Convention Center & Parking Area Family Fun and Education Activities – Wheeler Pavilion - Sponsored by KEZI 9 Wood Carver – Outside Demonstration Area High School Forestry Skills Competition - Outside Display Area Sponsored by Warrenton Fibre & Nygaard Logging Co.

10a.m. - 12p.m.

"OLC" Log Loader Competition – Sponsored by Triad Machinery and Linkbelt - Outside Display Area Visit www.oregonloggingconference.com or call 541-686-9191

www.forestnet.com November/December 2014 TimberWest

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ContractorProfile

Productivity and Safety Go Hand in Hand Sevier Logging, Olympia, Wash.

The Sevier brothers, Dean and Jeff, take on primarily clear cut operations with a mixture of shovel and tower.

By Andrea Watts

f you haven’t heard of Olympiabased Sevier Logging, that would suit the Sevier brothers Dean and Jeff just fine. They like to “stay under the radar” and just focus on what they do best— doing the tough jobs and doing them safely in the tough timber country in Washington’s Mason County. “When you log the volume we have over the years, you either get it or don’t,” says Jeff. Though it’s Dean and Jeff who own Sevier Logging, their three logging trucks bear the name of the company’s founder — their father, Paul. “We still keep his name on the log trucks out of respect for Dad,” Jeff says. “He was an old character who could do anything.” Though Paul grew up in Iowa, his family lived in the Pacific Northwest at the

turn of the century before returning to Iowa. After World War II, Paul went west, and with the purchase of a logging truck, started logging in 1949.

Behind the Wheel

Though Jeff cannot remember when he didn’t spend whole summers out in the woods, he and Dean formally joined the company after graduating from college. “Dad needed a truck driver,” Dean explains. “I was home for two days [after graduating from Western Washington University] and away I went.” While working with family can cause challenges in running a business, the brothers maximize their talents by overseeing different portions of the company. Dean handles the trucks and the maintenance, and Jeff manages the logging side of preparing

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bids and hiring cutters. “But every day at the job site, we both are always on the job because it contributes so much to production and safety,” says Jeff. “And is there really anything better than working with family?”

Shovel and Tower

Sevier’s jobs are primarily clear cut operations with a mixture of shovel and tower operations. Jeff says, “Back in the day, it was shovel logging with a CAT 235, but we couldn’t just be a ground-based outfit, because if you are going to stay busy, you need a tower.” For the past 25 years, the company has been in tower logging, and though Jeff doesn’t like to boast, he admits that they’re “pretty good at it.” At their current job site, on Green Diamond Resource Company timberland in the hills north of Mason County,

ContractorProfile a Thunderbird TTY 70 yards the logs (this time uphill instead of downhill, which they faced on a previous job). Of their yarder that was purchased used 15 years ago, Jeff says, “it works every single day of the year” and they “can log anything with it.” Working in Mason County, where they have to schedule around the snow and heat, is a new experience for Dean, Jeff, and their crew. For nearly 30 years, from 1979 until 2009, they worked for Weyerhaeuser in the Raymond-Aberdeen area, and they worked alongside other companies in the area including Bridgewater Logging and NDC Timber.

Weathering the Recession

With the downturn in the economy, the brothers faced challenges keeping the company viable. They took jobs farther from their Olympia base, working in Fossil Creek in Washington State’s Wahkiakum County for a year, which required putting up the crew during the week. Looking back on those years, Jeff says proudly, “We’re by far a better company today than ever before.” Whether it is equipment maintenance or having their wives balance the books, everything is about efficiency. And for Jeff it is

The recession meant big changes for the company, but Jeff says the company is far better today than before. Even their clientele changed, and they now they work primarily for Green Diamond Resource Company.

about avoiding becoming so “stretched out” that he cannot sleep at night. Sevier Logging now has steady work with Shelton-based Green Diamond Resource Company, which became a contractor in 2013. Jeff says Green Diamond is a good

company. “I just can’t say enough about these guys.” Casey Black, a contract logging superintendent who is overseeing their current contract, says they keep Sevier Logging busy year-round, and that the company follows through on what they say they are going to

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ContractorProfile

The Sevier brothers don’t normally buy new equipment, but recently purchased a Doosan DX300LL. Other pieces include two Kobelcos and a CAT 325 with a Waratah head. do, even in the tough country with its steep hillsides, which makes space a premium on the landing.

Efficiency & Safety

At their current job site, the Thunderbird yarder is working alongside a Thunderbird 1236 DL stroke delimber, which is being used instead of the Waratah processing head. Dean prefers the stroker because the machine makes a “clean log,” which Green Diamond prefers. The company does its own hauling with three Kenworths, and they contract out the falling.

While Dean and Jeff mainly buy good used equipment, a recent addition to their lineup is the new Doosan DX300LL, which Dean says is a “good piece,” adding that their next purchase will probably be a Doosan. Two Kobelcos and a CAT 325 (with a Waratah head) can also be interchanged depending upon the job site’s requirements. While the shovel side can take as many hours as necessary to finish the job, Jeff says that eight hours a day on the yarder and sending out 8-12 loads a day is plenty, because after that, it’s difficult to do the work safely.

The Sevier brothers say that safety is their biggest concern. They would rather spend the time training a logger than hire one with bad habits. 26

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It is this steadfastness to maintain a safety-conscious environment—even before becoming an active participant in Washington State Labor & Industries’ Logger Safety Initiative—that has kept Sevier Logging accident-free. (With Jeff adding the caveat “knock on wood.”) “Safety is our biggest concern,” Dean says. Jeff adds that they would rather train a logger to ensure that safety practices are followed than hire a logger with bad habits.

Outstanding Crew

Of their 13-man crew (many of whom have been with the company over 10 years) Dean and Jeff have nothing but praise, saying they have “a super crew” and that everyone is considered family. “You’re only as good as the people you have working for you. I’m a firm believer in that,” Jeff says. Yarder operator Johnny LaBresh has worked for seven years and only missed one day. Francisco Pena “Poncho” is their hooktender, and the brothers express unanimously that he is the best in the industry. “He can do anything,” Dean says. Two new additions to the crew include Jeff ’s son Justin and his friend Jake. Jeff and Dean pride themselves on the crew’s versatility. They credit that to the fact that it’s a relatively young team with an average age of 30-35. Jeff ’s motto is, “Treat every contract like your last, and you’ll get another.” He believes it’s one reason their company is called back. And with future jobs lined up with Green Diamond, the brothers look forward to plenty of work. If the recession made them a more efficient company, then times of plenty will only make them stronger. TW

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ContractorProfile

A Catintradition logging equipment Lind Logging has a long tradition of running Caterpillar equipment By Paul MacDonald

R (Mac) Lind Logging of Princeton, British Columbia, has a long history with Caterpillar equipment—and a history of being willing to try something new to make their operation even more efficient. Mac Lind did the field follow-ups for the new Cat 525 skidders in the 1990s. Fast forward to 2014 and Mac’s son, Reid, recently did field demos for the new Cat D555 grapple skidder—and has now purchased the first D555 machine in Canada. Reid was also part of a small group of logging contractors from throughout North America who were selected to help Cat design new features into the company’s new D series skidders. “My Dad is a long term Cat guy, so we know the equipment well,” says Reid, who at the age of 35 now runs the day-to-day operations of Lind Logging. B.C. Cat dealer Finning Canada asked Reid to be part of the logging contractors group, to participate in focus groups, and try out the new D series machines. “They were looking for someone who runs skidders, as well as owns them,” says

Reid. And although Reid is busy overseeing logging operations these days, he started out as a skidder operator while still in his teens, and still gets in the operator’s seat, when needed.

First Trip to Cat

Being part of the group involved travelling to Cat operations in Georgia. Reid explained that the first trip back in 2012 involved looking at prototype 535D skidders, with the contactors making suggestions about how the equipment could be improved. “I wasn’t sure how it would work when I first went down there, but they were genuinely interested in what we had to say,” he says. “We all put together our lists of pro’s and con’s about the equipment. There were way more pro’s than con’s.” A common comment was improving the accessibility for servicing on skidders. The Cat people came away from the contractor focus groups with a To-Do list, and some homework to do.

Second Trip to Cat

On the second trip, many of the suggestions had been acted on, including

improving service accessibility. And the contractors, including Reid, had a chance to try the equipment out. “It was good—the Cat people were responsive, and listened to what we said.” Cat engineers addressed each of the contractors’ suggestions individually and systematically, about how changes were made or in some cases, not made, because it would impact the performance of the skidders. “The D Series was developed over the course of 4 ½ years with extensive input from loggers and Cat dealers,” summarized Matt McDonald, product specialist for Caterpillar Forest Products. At every stage of the machine’s development, they provided feedback so Cat could be sure the skidders were going to do what they needed them to do, he added.

Third Trip to Cat

The third time down to Georgia, more tweaking had been done, and the equipment was put through the paces, in kind of a mini-demo. It was a varying group of contractors, and some of them, from the southern U.S., were looking at working with prototypes of the more mid-sized skidders, the 525Ds and 535Ds. The southern contractors work a lot in plantation forests, where the skidding trails are more like well-established country roads. But in talking with the Cat people, and Brian Mulvihill, director of forest products with Finning, Reid said he wanted to go big with using a new Cat D series skidder—the 275 hp 555D. Reid and Mac Lind were looking for power and size. And Reid was the first one in the cab running the 555D in their operations. “It gets into the steep places that we need to go, and it’s very stable,” says Reid. “For us, big is the way to go.” The large size of the 555D is helpful in keeping the machine stable in the adverse ground they work in.

Testing Out the 545D

They also ran another machine, the new

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ContractorProfile

Cat’s strong presence is evident throughout the equipment line-up of Lind Logging, including Cat 541 bunchers. The operation recently signed up for Cat Product Link, the equipment maker’s telematics system, to help it monitor production rates and equipment fuel consumption. 545D in their operations last summer, in some field trials. “We had it working with three processors, and it was a bit challenging for the skidder operators, but they were able to stay ahead of the processors, even though we were working in some small wood.” At the time this story was being put together, they had not done specific fuel monitoring on the 555D, but Reid expected it would be about the same as the 545C. But even if it is the same, he said, the 555D does quite a bit more in terms of production, so they are ahead in terms of production per litre of fuel consumed. And they need to keep productivity high, as they can sometimes be working in small wood. They still get some bug wood in the areas they work in. “The mountain pine beetle was kind of hit and miss in this area, and Weyerhaeuser has gone after the bug wood fairly hard,” explains Reid. “There is definitely some bug wood still out there, but overall, the wood is fairly green. And we’re working in areas that also have spruce, balsam and fir. I think we’re going to be doing a lot of fir in the next couple of years.”

Reid Lind (below, with the 555D) runs the day-to day operations of Lind Logging. Cat dealer Finning Canada asked Reid to be part of a logging contractors group, to participate in focus groups, and try out the new D series machines.

Cat Visit Lind

While some of the Cat people who visited the Lind Logging operation had been to B.C. before, some had not, and were impressed with how the operation delivered solid timber production in tough slopes, and challenging weather conditions. Equipped with chains, the skidders move around in hip deep snow, and minus-30 Celsius temperatures in the winter months. In the summer, the temperatures can easily be in the high plus-30’s. Princeton and the other towns in this part of B.C., such as Lillooet, are often the hot spots,

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ContractorProfile temperature-wise in Canada in the summer months. The Cat people were especially interested in seeing how the Cat ACERT Tier 4 engine on the 555D performed; results have been good, to date. “We haven’t had any troubles with it,” says Reid. Mac Lind is still involved in the logging operation these days; he looks after the right-of-way crew, and runs loader a fair bit. “He’s still a part of the business,” says Reid. They’ve had a right-of-way program going with Weyerhaeuser Princeton that Mac oversees that does five or six loads of logs a day with one buncher, a single skidder, a couple of processors, and a loader. Reid runs equipment once in a while, but most of his time is taken up managing the business. This year, that involved some extra co-ordinating as the company took over Dennis Cook’s logging operation, which involved meshing the operations together, both in terms of people and equipment. That has worked out well, reports Reid. They now have additional wood volume, and additional people and equipment to do that volume.

Line-up Heavy on the Cat

On the equipment side, their line-up is mostly Cat equipment: in addition to the new Cat 555D, they have a Cat 535B grapple skidder, a Cat 545C grapple skidder, a Cat 535C grapple skidder, a Cat D6R dozer, a Cat 324D FM loader with a Weldco-Beales power clam grapple, a Cat 320C FM loader with IMAC grapple, a Cat TK741 feller buncher, two Cat 541 bunchers, two Cat 320D processors, a Cat 320D FM processor, and a Cat 320C excavator for roadbuilding work. They also have two Cat graders, a 14M and a 160M. The expansion included bringing some John Deere equipment into the fold. Their Deere equipment now includes two 2054 processors, a 2154 processor and a Deere 2454 log loader. All of their processors are equipped with Waratah 622 heads, which continue to be proven performers. Their mechanic, Clint Gibson, knows the Waratah heads well, and the Finning mechanics are also right up to speed on the heads. Lind Logging has a service shop in Princeton, but much of the required work is done in the field, with heavy-duty mechanic Clint Gibson and the service truck. With purchasing the Dennis Cook operation, there is no shortage of work for Lind Logging. In addition to the harvesting they did for the Weyerhaeuser Princeton sawmill on their tenured land, they also did some timber sales for Weyerhaeuser last year, too. As compared to 20 years ago, in his Dad’s 30

A bird’s eye view of the new Cat 555D at work in the Lind Logging operation in B.C.’s Southern Interior region. The Lind Logging equipment can face some tough working conditions, including hip-deep snow and minus 20 temperatures, at times. day, they have to be a lot more flexible with their logging operations now, says Reid. Things can change quickly now, and they need to respond—and do so readily. “That’s just the way it is these days—we go with it, and accommodate any changes.”

Telematics System

A change on the equipment side is that they recently signed up for Cat Product Link, the company’s telematics system. “A big reason why we’re doing it is it allows us to monitor fuel consumption, and we want to use that to help out with rates with the mill.” This also helps in determining rates based on actual production rates on the ground, vs. expected production rates on paper. As any logger knows, what’s down on paper on a logging plan can differ from actual production due to real time ground conditions, and unexpected issues, such as weather. Reid, who is part of the younger generation of loggers in the industry, says they are fortunate in that they have both some longer term, very experienced equipment operators and young guys who have caught on to equipment operation very quickly. They have about half-a-dozen equipment operators who are under 30, and a handful

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of guys who are over 50. “I’ve had quite a few people comment on how young our crew is—they are surprised at that.” And Reid himself was pretty young when he took on management of the operation eight years ago, at the age of 27. Reid said he initially did a lot of listening. His Dad, Mac, was there as a resource—as he still is now—and he had a lot of experienced loggers working for them; some of them had worked for Reid’s grandfather. These guys had seen it all—and then some, and had lots of experience to share with Reid, and the younger operators. Reid says their long term relationship with Cat and Cat distributor, Finning, has been a good one—and that being involved with initiatives such as the D series development, they feel they are directly engaged in equipment design. It reinforces that Cat is always looking at ways of improving their equipment—so contactors such as Lind Logging can improve their logging operations. And having mostly Cat machines works out well on the service side, adds Reid. “We have five Cat 320 machines, and it’s the same filters, the same everything, and it makes servicing that much simpler. And with the Cat 320 processors, they seem to run forever without any trouble.” TW

WSRI Requests Suggested Research Projects

The Wood Supply Research Institute (WSRI) is now accepting suggestions from members and others for research projects focused on improving the efficiency, productivity, profitability, or business relationships within the wood fiber supply chain. WRSI Chairman Danny Norman noted, “WSRI logger, landowner, and wood consuming company members are committed to seeking better ways of cooperatively improving the productivity and efficiency of the wood fiber supply chain operations to guarantee the continued existence of a U.S.based forest and paper industry.” WSRI Executive Director Jim Fendig requested that the suggestions for research projects adhere to the following guidelines: • Be brief, consisting of three paragraphs with the first paragraph establishing background information for project consideration. • The second paragraph should state expected project deliverables. • The third paragraph should state how final project data might be used. Please submit your suggested research projects to the WSRI executive director, fendig@bellsouth.net, by January 15, 2015. WSRI is a joint project of professional loggers, forest landowners, wood consuming mills, educators, and manufacturers that facilitates and funds research to promote and improve efficiency in the wood supply system.

Service’s Non-Fire Work. The AFRC came out in support of this report. “This is an excellent recount of how the Forest Service has gone from a land management agency to a firefighting agency. One has to only look at this year’s fire season to realize that even though slightly over 3,000,000 acres were burned, the Forest Service spent its entire fire budget (42 percent of their total budget) on extinguishing their portions of those wildfires. Less forest treatments are taking place on the ground and the fires that are occurring are more

catastrophic in size, severity, and cost. “The agency is out of balance on its priorities and focus on managing their forest lands. They have gone from the Forest Service to the Fire Service. Secretary Vilsack and his staff understand that something has to change to turn this trend around to once again let foresters manage the land rather than fire. View the full report at www.fs.fed.us/ sites/default/files/media/2014/34/nr-firecostimpact-082014.pdf. TW

Moist Mixed-Conifer Publication

The Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station recently published The Ecology and Management of Moist MixedConifer Forests in Eastern Oregon and Washington: A Synthesis of the Relevant Biophysical Science and Implications for Future Land Management.

The report reviews existing moist mixedconifer (MMC) research across multiple natural resource issues. It also contains information on the current wood processing infrastructure and capacity for forest restoration and on biomass utilization. You can request printed copies by emailing pnw_pnwpubs@fs.fed.us or calling (503) 2611211 and referencing “PNW-GTR-897.”

AFRC Supports Vilsack’s Fire Plan

In August, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack released a report, The Rising Cost of Fire Operations: Effects on the Forest

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Wood-Mizer Announces Winner of 2014 Business Best Contest

Sawmill manufacturer Wood-Mizer LLC, recently announced the winners of their 2014 Business Best Contest, a longstanding tradition that recognizes WoodMizer sawmill owners who have demonstrated exemplary business methods. Honey Grove Hardwoods LLC of Honey Grove, Penn., won First Place. Additional Business Best award winners for 2014 include Wood Castle Furniture of Albany, Ore.; Westgate Urban Woods of California; Timbergreen Farm of Wisconsin; The J Team

of Massachusetts; North Woods of Oregon; Family Investments Inc. of Washington; True South Sawmill and Woodworking of South Carolina; and Verdin Sawing of Louisiana.

FAE Celebrates 25 Years in Business

Founded in 1989 by four partners, FAE is the leading manufacturer in land clearing equipment and PTO mounted construction attachments. FAE celebrated their milestone September 13 at the world headquarters in Italy with almost 400 people in attendance including

employees, top-selling dealers, and a few loyal customers. At the party’s welcome speech, president and co-founder Mr. Diego Scanzoni discussed the history of the company and how the company has become the global leader in the industry.

Terex Construction Announces New Leadership in Americas

Terex Construction announced the appointment of Gary Dennis as Vice President and General Manager of Terex Construction Americas and Global Aftermarket. In support of Terex Construction’s continued focus on customer responsiveness and process improvement, Gary will work with the company’s teams in Southaven, Miss., and Rothenburg, Germany, to ensure that Terex Construction Americas is well-positioned to meet market demands and is focused on continuous improvement.

Materials Handling Pioneer Paul Laroia to Retire from NMHG

NACCO Materials Handling Group (NMHG), the parent company of Hyster Company and Yale Materials Handling Corporation, announced that its vice president of aftermarket, Paul Laroia, has indicated plans to retire. Laroia will stay with the company through the end of the year to ensure a smooth transition.

Rotochopper Expanding for the Future

Rotochopper Inc. recently completed an 8,400 sq. ft. factory expansion, which includes a new shipping and receiving area, paint preparation bay, and parts warehouse. “When our customers invest in Rotochopper grinding equipment, we have to continue to invest in them,” states John Babcock, Rotochopper president. “This new

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warehouse is just one small, practical way we are planning ahead to maintain our commitment to customer uptime.” The warehouse expansion went into use December 1, 2014. As Rotochopper customers have continued to diversify into more raw materials and end products, the company has been adding new options and new tooth and screen designs to meet their needs. This new warehouse will help them keep pace with the growing need for unique wear parts. TW

The Show

By Kenneth Boness

few of the terms that were used

to describe various methods of Great Lakes logging a hundred years ago are still valid today. A “cold deck” is a pile of logs that will wait for some time before being loaded and hauled out of the woods. “Hot logging” applies to bringing logs to roadside and immediately loading them onto whatever method of transportation is being used. More recently, a logging operation was referred to as a “show.” The logging show headed up by Brian Nelson, president of the American Loggers Council (ALC), could well have been called “The Greatest Logging Show on Earth!” In the tradition of ALC, it is customary to hold the annual meeting in the home state of the sitting president. And this one—the 20th annual meeting—was special because the ALC’s first president, Earl St. John, a renowned Michigan logger, was present to see

ALCReview

American Logger Council Annual Meeting Review

the ALC meeting come back to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for the first time since he hosted it. If there was anyone in the gathering who was regarded as royalty it was Earl St. John.

Ready to Wow

Special days require special planning. To Brian Nelson of Marvin Nelson Logging that meant experienced loggers from all points of this country would be coming to his home turf. And he was ready! The “greatest show” only lasted one day, but it was something to see. The stumpage was provided by Plum Creek Timber Company Inc., with the assistance of Charlie Becker, senior resource managerLake States. Brian Nelson invited a number of manufacturers and dealers to bring in equipment to demonstrate. Loggers from around the country watched harvesting, forwarding, skidding, chipping, grinding, and trucking as all facets of Lake States logging kicked in. On hand were machines from (in alphabetical order): Barko, Caterpillar, Hood, International, John Deere, Kenworth, Kesla, Peterbilt, Peterson, Ponsse, Rotochopper, Vermeer, and more. Biomass, tree length, cut-to-length, and chips; wood was moving in various forms. Tracked harvesters were working alongside rubber-tired units. A grapple skidder was pulling tree length to the landing, where it was later bucked by a harvester. Forwarders brought biomass to chippers and decked it

Brian Nelson, ALC president, welcomed members to the logging demonstration. or fed it into a chipper or grinder. Some forwarders cold-decked their loads while others off-loaded onto trucks.

In Control

The scene was surreal—like a logging site out of control. And yet it was all under control. Sightseers, equipment operators, and support people came together, and there was something different to be seen with every turn of the head. Even though trucks of all sizes—from pickup trucks to service trucks to Michigan log and chip hauling monsters—had to ease their way through the machinery and pedestrians, all went smoothly. Without question, Brian and brother David Nelson know how to run a logging show. Marvin, their father, had passed away not that long before the show. The show was evidence of how well he had taught his boys to log. ALC members commented later that it was one of the best logging demonstrations they had seen.

Successful Seminars

“The logging tour was the most comprehensive equipment demo I’ve seen!” Ms. Shawn Keough, executive director, Associated Logging Contractors Inc., Idaho.

The following day saw something new at ALC annual meetings: seminars. The first, Industry Direction, Challenges, and Needs, was skillfully led by Tom Trone ( John Deere) and members of the ALC. Panel and audience freely discussed “what a successful, profitable logging business might look

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ALCReview like and the challenges and opportunities moving forward.” The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th seminars dealt with specific areas of equipment maintenance. Dan Brunner (Peterbilt) led the way through Tier IV Engines and Trucking; a discussion of maintenance, technology, and applications of Tier IV engines in the hauling of timber products. Jimmie Locklear (Forestry Mutual) presented a colorful and knowledgeable dissertation of On-Board Fire Suppression Equipment Systems. The last topic was Telematics. Jason Coskiners

Logging Strong By Kenneth Boness

he Shamion name has been a

fixture in Lake States logging for many years. Combining hard work, sound business practices, and savvy company management earned the family an admirable reputation. Unfortunately, cancer has no respect for reputations. “Sadly, the Shamion family has been

(Caterpillar) joined with Tom Trone to enlighten ALC members about the latest technology entering the marketplace, which allows for equipment on-site to be evaluated for certain electronic problems and repaired by a technician at a remote location.

Business Meeting

Highlights from the business side included election of a new president: Myles Anderson, Anderson Logging, Fort Bragg, Calif. The legislative report detailed progress of ALC activities in Washington, D.C., including the Right to Haul Act, the Future Logging Careers Act, and activities supporting USFS Timber Sale program improvements. Also announced was the completion of a web page (www.americanloggers.org/careers) and brochures that provide contact information to those interested in a logging career. President-elect Anderson stated, “I plan

forever changed by cancer. My mother-inlaw and sister-in-law lost cancer battles. “Logging Strong” is dedicated to their memory,” says Scott Shamion of Shamco. The first move was the purchase of a Kenworth set up for Michigan log hauling— a self-loading truck, a wagon-style pup, and eleven axles with pink metal-flake paint. As Todd Socha of Wisconsin Kenworth noted, “There was one problem. Pink metal flake

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on keeping the momentum we have built over the past twenty years. There is still much work needed at the federal level on the issues that will help those we represent participate in the economic recovery being seen around the country.” ALC Legislative Committee Chair Jim Geisinger commented during his report that “over the past twenty years, the progress that the organization has made is amazing in the fact that where once there was no unified voice of loggers in Washington, D.C., now, 20 years later, they are calling us. Just this year, members of the ALC have been called several times to testify, either written or orally, on the issues and legislation that have the potential to impact their operations, and two of our issues, the Endangered Species Act and Truck Weights have been introduced as bills in both the House and Senate.” TW

paint didn’t exist. DuPont engineers had to formulate this paint for this truck!” To the Shamions, running a pink Kenworth with everything that could be chrome chromed wasn’t enough. The Shamco name appears on the KW with the “A” in Shamco replaced by the cancer-symbol ribbon. At the August 2014 Relay for Life fundraiser in Bessemer, Mich., the special truck made its debut, and Shamco announced the “Logging Strong” program. The impact? Stephanie Swartzendruber of ACS says, “They raised over $12,000. Incredible!” Purchased next were a pink Buffalo Forwarder and Ergo Harvester from Ponsse, who also contributed. “Shamco is making a $10K annual, multi-year commitment to ACS—and Ponsse has also made a multiyear commitment,” explains Scott. He adds, “At the end of the day, if this pink equipment makes the road a little easier, the burden a little lighter, serves as inspiration for someone who is in the fight, or has someone who has been delaying a check up — get checked — then ”Logging Strong” has done its job!” TW

Fecon Announces RTF230 Rubber Tire Mulching Tractor

Fecon Inc. has released the RTF230 Rubber Tire Mulching Tractor, a 4-wheel drive, 4-wheel steer machine that lends itself to incredible tractive and handling capabilities. A center-mounted engine and hydraulic drive train give the RTF230 a very low center of gravity and even balance. Climbing slopes is no chore for the 230 hp engine and 75 gpm/6000 psi hi flow to the Bull Hog mulcher head or other hydraulic or PTO attachments. Unlike other wheeled tractors in the same horsepower class, the RTF230 is also capable of 24 mph road speeds. A large cab with excellent visibility in all directions provides the operator that extra measure of accuracy and safety on the job or on the road. RTF230 tractors can be configured for many types of work: land clearing, municipal maintenance, snow removal, and roadside clearing as well as construction, industrial, and agricultural applications. The RTF230 is capable of boom and/or crane mounting and mechanical or hydraulic PTOs (and 3-point hitches) both front and back. www.fecon.com

Bandit Industries’ Model 2550 Track stump grinder

The introduction of Bandit’s new Model 2550 Track stump grinder marks the company’s entry into track-mounted stump grinders in the 40 hp category, combining the popularity of the Model 2550XP self-propelled stump grinder with the versatility and go-anywhere mobility of a track-mounted machine. Featuring the same 44 hp diesel engine and a 20” diameter Revolution cutter wheel from the standard 2550, the Model 2550 Track delivers the all-terrain capabilities and superb flotation found in larger track machines. Its light weight makes it easy to tow, while the track undercarriage provides exceptional maneuverability. The Model 2550 Track features a beltless hydrostatic direct-drive, delivering smooth, direct power to the cutter wheel while reducing maintenance downtime and costs associated with traditional belt drive models. The Revolution cutter wheel comes standard, delivering exceptional cutting power and chip containment for easy clean up. www.banditchippers.com

rotator, a 128º tilt link angle, and an effective swing damping/braking system ensure fast feeding performance and reduce head frame stress when harvesting and/or reaching on downhill slopes. The head is equipped with four moveable delimbing knives, three of which are hydraulically controlled. The fourth knife is an automatically pressure-controlled floating top knife with a sensor to manage Komatsu’s Flex Friction Control System™. www.komatsuamerica.com

GEM introduces new line of harvester bars

After several months of field testing, Gem Chain Bar (GEM) has introduced its own line of 404 harvester bars.

Development of this new product line was driven by customer request. The ¾” pitch bars are made from premium grade raw materials and proven CNC manufacturing processes. All of the company’s new GEM 404 bars will have a replaceable external tip. Bars are powder-coated a bright white to provide maximum visibility while operating at night. The product is available in 59 centimetre, 64 centimetre, 75 centimetre and 90 centimetre sizes. www.gemchainbar.com

Komatsu Launches S132 Harvesting Head

Komatsu America Corp. has introduced the new S132 Harvesting Head, the second model in its new S-series family of “squeeze-style” harvesting heads. It is a high capacity head suited for a wide variety of final felling applications including those with crooked trees and tough branches. Weighing 2,965 lbs, the S132 has a recommended DBH working range of 6” to 17” diameter and a maximum cutting diameter of up to 28.3”. It is available installed on Komatsu 931.1 and 941.1 Harvesters and as a loose head that can be installed on other carriers. The S132 is built on a proven robust frame design that provides excellent durability and protection of key components. The 360º

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(continued from page 35)

eliminating manual set-up time and effort. Additionally, the cutting blade rotates to direct debris away from the operator, enhancing visibility for the sawyer and providing a clean groove for the sawmill blade to pass through. The new LT35 debarker is also positioned behind the rotating pivot arm to reduce operator difficulties if the debarker blade catches irregular knots in the bark. www.woodmizer.com

Wood-Mizer adds automated debarker to portable sawmill

Wood-Mizer has added a new debarker for the LT35 portable sawmill. Engineered to extend overall sawmill blade life, the redesigned LT35 debarker improves functionality and efficiency for LT35 owners. Featuring a powered in-and-out function, the LT35 debarker is now controlled completely at the operator’s fingertips.

With this automation, sawyers experience an increase in overall sawing efficiency by

Intercomp CS750™ Crane Scale

Intercomp announces the launch of their new and improved CS750™ Crane Scale. This popular American-made scale now boasts a new set of features reinforcing its position as the go-to choice for mediumduty industrial applications. With capacities ranging from 100lbs to 1000lbs, including many NTEP-certified models, the CS750™ can now be ordered with Intercomp’s RFX™ Wireless Weighing Technology. Battery life has also improved — increasing from 500 hours of continuous use to an impressive 800 hours (5000 hours in standby mode); all while decreasing (to just four) the number of D-cell batteries needed to power the unit. Additional keypad functionality has been added including setting Tare, and the ability to accumulate and total a series of weight readings right on the scale. If direct power is required, the optional direct power chord has been upgraded from a barrel jack plug to a quarter-turn military-spec coupler for a more secure connection. www.intercompcompany.com

Doosan Telematics

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In response to greater demand for machine-to-machine communication, machine intelligence, and remote equipment monitoring, Doosan has introduced an upgraded telematics package for its heavy equipment including excavators, wheel loaders, and articulated dump trucks. The new system, Doosan Telematics, will be standard on all Doosan equipment except for DX63-3 and DX85R-3 compact excavators. Doosan Telematics provides a connected machine solution that allows customers and dealers to remotely track and monitor Doosan heavy equipment. Each new Doosan machine that arrived at Doosan dealerships after July 1, 2014, came with a complimentary three-year subscription, including prepaid wireless service. Customers can monitor their Doosan equipment remotely from an Internet-enabled device and an upgraded Doosan Telematics website called CoreTMS. After the three years of prepaid wireless service expires, customers will have the option to purchase a service extension. www.doosanequipment.com TW

AD INDEX PG COMPANY RS# 16.......... Agri-Tool & Supply.........................108 32.......... Austen J. Brown.............................115 27.......... Bandit Industries / Bejac Corp....113 35.......... Cleanfix NA.....................................116 6-7......... John Deere......................................103 18.......... Laser Technology..........................110 23.......... LBX / Bejac Corp. / Triad Mach.....111 40.......... Log Max...........................................119 2............ Morbark..........................................101 13.......... Olofsfors.......................................105 17.......... Peterson.........................................109 15.......... Pierce Pacific Mfg..........................107 11.......... Sennebogen....................................104 36.......... Sierra Cascade Show....................117 5............ Tigercat/Triad Machinery.............102 39.......... Waratah...........................................118 25.......... Way Machine....................................112 31.......... White Mountain Chain....................114 14.......... Wood-Mizer.....................................106 CALENDAR January.........................................Komatsu America February................................................... Caterpillar March......................................................... Peterson April............ LInk-Belt / Bejac Corp / Triad Machinery May.............................................Quadco Equipment June.................................................... Pierce Pacific July.......................................................Sennebogen August...................................................Nelson Paint September................................Southstar Equipment October................................................... Husqvarna November......................................................Ponsse December....................................................Log Max

CLASSIFIED CALENDAR January 13-15 Associated California Loggers 42nd Annual Meeting, Reno NV 916-441-7940, www.calog.com January 15 Western Region Council of Forest Engineering, Eugene, OR www.cofe.org January 15-17 Associated Oregon Loggers’ 45th Annual Convention, Eugene, OR 503-364-1330, www.oregonloggers.org January 21-23 72nd Annual Truck Loggers Association Convention, Victoria, BC 604-684-4291, www.tla.ca

www.forestnet.com

End Greasing Frustration

Grease goes in, not on, the machine!

February 4-6 Intermountain Forestry Assoc. 14th Ann. Forestry Forum, Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-883-4488, www.consulting-foresters.com February 4-6 Western Silviculture Contactors’ Assoc. Conference & Trade Show, Victoria, BC 604-736-8660, www.wsca.ca February 4-6 Lumber & Building Materials Expo 2015. Boston, MA 518-880-6360, www.lbmexpo.com

Lock and Lube 343 Dorchester Road Lyme, NH 03768

ORDER 24/7

LockNLube.com (603) 795-2298

February 5-7 Sierra Cascade Logging 66th Conf. & Forest/Construction Expo, Anderson, CA 530-222-1290, www.sierracascadeexpo.com

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guestcolumnist

Logging in High Heels Ashley Helenberg, External Affairs Manager, Port of Longview

don’t know how you loggers do it. Before most college kids have gone to bed, you get up for work to head out into the cold, dark, wet weather. All you have to eat for the day is whatever you packed or picked up at the mini-mart on your way to meet the crew bus. If you’re lucky to get home at a decent hour, you grab a quick bite of dinner before heading out to the shop to grind chains or ready your truck for the next day. You go, go, go all day long, and if you do manage to rest, every joint in your body cracks as you wrestle your way out of your recliner— that is, if you haven’t fallen asleep in it. It’s tough, dangerous work. But you love what you do, and you wouldn’t trade it for the world. I know… because this is my family. They are the hardest working people I know. My uncles own logging companies and trucks. My grandfather retired from Weyerhaeuser to build GML Trucking from the ground up, and you can’t keep my brother out of the woods. It’s what they were born to do. It’s in their blood. When I came home from college in the summers, I lived with my brother in Castle Rock. I ruined countless outfits in the dirtand-grease-filled washing machine he had gummed up with his work clothes. He would leave for work without turning off his alarm clock, so I would stumble around cursing his name at 3:00 a.m. to turn it off. I watched him collapse on the couch after a day’s work in the woods, sleeping while his friends went out for the evening. Like most teenage girls from a small town, I planned to run away to the big city and never look back. After graduating from Kelso High School, I earned my Communication

Ashley Helenberg degree at the University of Washington with a minor in Political Science. I stayed in Seattle after college, but the long hours in traffic and lack of familiar faces soon wore on me. I found myself missing things like hickory shirts, the smell of diesel, and freshly cut trees. It was time to come home.

I Get It, and I Want to Protect It.

I returned with a new appreciation for my community. It’s unlikely that I’ll take over the family trucking business, but I have found a different way to honor my logging roots. In 2008, I joined the Port of Longview— one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier log exporting gateways. My public relations job at the Port brought the big picture into focus, and I could finally see the connection between the Castle Rock timber cutters and the new construction happening in Asia. Since joining the Port, I’ve moved up the ranks to Director of External Affairs. On my visits with elected leaders in the Washington

Trucks being unloaded at the Port of Longview, Wash.

State Legislature and Washington, D.C., I bring up my logging family background to help illustrate the importance of strong infrastructure such as roadways, highways, and bridges. I tell our government representatives that the more efficient and reliable we can make our infrastructure, the more successful Pacific Northwest timber will be in the domestic and international marketplace. That’s because the faster we can transport cargo, the more affordable it will be to customers. The higher the demand for logs, the more loads will be delivered to the Port. That equals more days in the woods for my brother and uncles (not to mention more work for those connected to the Port). Their paychecks buy homes and pay property taxes. Those taxes support cities’ police and fire departments, schools, road maintenance, and other services. Loggers go out to dinner, buy new tires, and shop locally, supporting many jobs beyond the ports, beyond the woods. For communities like Cowlitz County, freight corridors are lifelines to economic prosperity. That’s why when I’m advocating for transportation projects, I don’t talk about “jobs.” I talk about my uncles, my grandfather, my brother. I talk about what I know— the hardworking people who miss evenings with their kids or skip vacations so they can provide for their families. For a recent project, I’ve spent time with some great local logging companies, rigging their employees and equipment with Go-Pro cameras to capture images of a hard day’s work. These visuals are far more compelling when asking lawmakers for road funding than simply saying the projects “create jobs.” Now, government officials and community members who have never set foot on a logging site can see for themselves the reason all these transportation projects are vital to communities like ours. I want our leaders to be as passionate about protecting loggers’ livelihoods as I am, and that means seeing how all the pieces fit together. Even though I may be wearing high heels instead of caulk (“cork”) boots, I’m doing my part to make that happen. Ashley Helenberg is the External Affairs Manager at Port of Longview, Wash., and can been reached at ahelenberg@portoflongview. com or (360) 425-3305.

TimberWest November/December 2014 www.forestnet.com

THE NEW 625C

It’s everything you had in mind. When we set out to build the most innovative head on the market, we turned to the real experts: you. Input from real-world loggers drove the creation of this high-performance 625C harvesting and processing head that delivers the ultimate in productivity, durability, and serviceability. When it comes to feed performance it easily handles 35” wood and has exceptional tree control and delimbing with twin bottom delimb arms. It’s complemented by a continuous 360-degree rotation option making wasted motion a thing of the past. Other features include a 3/4” main saw with auto tension, a 3/4” top saw, and smart maintenance features that reduce downtime and improve serviceability. This head will help maximize your productivity. So much like you, this Waratah is built to work.

www.waratah.net Waratah USA, Kelso, Washington US 866-636-2650

Waratah USA, Peachtree City, Georgia US 770-692-0380

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