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Vol. 46, No. 9
(Founded in 1972—Our 540th Consecutive Issue)
F E AT U R E S
SEPTEMBER 2017 A Hatton-Brown Publication
Phone: 334-834-1170 Fax: 334-834-4525 www.southernloggintimes.com
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Nichols Logging Three Generations Together
Dewayne Rowe Logging Steep Ground Specialist
Co-Publisher Co-Publisher Chief Operating Officer Executive Editor Editor-in-Chief Western Editor Managing Editor Associate Editor Associate Editor Art Director Ad Production Coordinator Circulation Director Marketing/Media
David H. Ramsey David (DK) Knight Dianne C. Sullivan David (DK) Knight Rich Donnell Dan Shell David Abbott Jessica Johnson Jay Donnell Cindy Segrest Patti Campbell Rhonda Thomas Jordan Anderson
ADVERTISING CONTACTS DISPLAY SALES Eastern U.S. Kathy Sternenberg Tel: 251-928-4962 • Fax: 334-834-4525 219 Royal Lane Fairhope, AL 36532 E-mail: ksternenberg@bellsouth.net Midwest USA, Eastern Canada John Simmons Tel: 905-666-0258 • Fax: 905-666-0778 32 Foster Cres. Whitby, Ontario, Canada L1R 1W1 E-mail: jsimmons@idirect.com Western Canada, Western USA
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Forward Thinkers Embrace Technology
out front:
Change is the only constant, and requires constant planning, according to Billy Corey, right. The owner of Tim Con Wood Products in Jamesville, NC has seen a lot of changes and done a lot of planning in his 50 years in the business. Story begins on Page 10. (Jessica Johnson photo)
Fitzgerald Excavating Urban Logging Family
D E PA RT M E N T S Southern Stumpin’...............................6 Mid-Atlantic Preview......................... 34 Bulletin Board.................................... 38 Industry News Roundup...................56 Machines-Supplies-Technology....... 66 ForesTree Equipment Trader...........70 Safety Focus....................................... 77 Coming Events/Ad Index.................. 78
Tim Shaddick Tel: 604-910-1826 • Fax: 604-264-1367 4056 West 10th Ave. Vancouver, BC V6L 1Z1 E-mail: tootall1@shaw.ca Kevin Cook Tel: 604-619-1777 E-mail: lordkevincook@gmail.com International Murray Brett Tel: +34 96 640 4165 Fax: +34 96 640 4331 Aldea de las Cuevas 66 Buzon 60 • 03759 Benidoleig (Alicante), Spain E-mail: murray.brett@abasol.net CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
Bridget DeVane Tel: 1-800-669-5613 • Tel 334-699-7837 Email: bdevane7@hotmail.com
Southern Loggin’ Times (ISSN 0744-2106) is published monthly by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc., 225 Hanrick St., Montgomery, AL 36104. Subscription Information—SLT is sent free to logging, pulpwood and chipping contractors and their supervisors; managers and supervisors of corporate-owned harvesting operations; wood suppliers; timber buyers; wood procurement and land management officials; industrial forestry purchasing agents; wholesale and retail forest equipment representatives and forest/logging association personnel in the U.S. South. See form elsewhere in this issue. All non-qualified U.S. subscriptions are $65 annually; $75 in Canada; $120 (Airmail) in all other countries (U.S. funds). Single copies, $5 each; special issues, $20 (U.S. funds). Subscription Inquiries— TOLL-FREE 800-669-5613; Fax 888-611-4525. Go to www.southernloggintimes.com and click on the subscribe button to subscribe/renew via the web. All advertisements for Southern Loggin’ Times magazine are accepted and published by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. with the understanding that the advertiser and/or advertising agency are authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The advertiser and/or advertising agency will defend, indemnify and hold Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. harmless from and against any loss, expenses, or other liability resulting from any claims or lawsuits for libel violations or right of privacy or publicity, plagiarism, copyright or trademark infringement and any other claims or lawsuits that may arise out of publication of such advertisement. Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. neither endorses nor makes any representation or guarantee as to the quality of goods and services advertised in Southern Loggin’ Times. Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to reject any advertisement which it deems inappropriate. Copyright ® 2017. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Ala. and at additional mailing offices. Printed In USA.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Southern Loggin’ Times, P.O. Box 2419, Montgomery, AL 36102-2419 Member Verified Audit Circulation
Other Hatton-Brown publications: ★ Timber Processing ★ Timber Harvesting ★Panel World ★ Power Equipment Trade ★ Wood Bioenergy
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SOUTHERN STUMPIN’ By Jessica Johnson • Associate Editor • Ph. 334-834-1170 • Fax: 334-834-4525 • E-mail: jessica@hattonbrown.com
Someone Special I
used to think that women in this business were a rare breed. The ladies who log, I believed, must somehow be built of sterner stuff to operate in a male-dominated industry while still retaining clearly feminine identities: a wife, a mother, a person predisposed to like the color pink. Then we published the “Ladies In Logging” issue of Southern Loggin’ Times in August 2014 and I realized there is more to it than a juggling act. The personalities they retain while getting some grease under their fingernails are fierce in spite of what they do, not because of what they do. To them, it is not particularly notable they are women who work in this business. It is what they love and how they provide for their families. Case in point: when I first met Regina (Red) Blanton at the MidAtlantic Logging & Biomass Expo in 2015, I knew I’d stumbled upon someone I wanted to get to know. A lady running a three-wheel Bell cutter in the mountains of North Carolina is just not something you come across all that often. Still, it wasn’t Blanton’s exten-
Scottie Greene, left, and Regina (Red) Blanton, right
sive knowledge of logging that impressed me. Don’t get me wrong; her knowledge of and love for the industry is vast, so much so that she earned a Master’s in Forestry from NC State. What really intrigued me, though, was her relationship with her boss, Scottie Greene, a fixture in the western North Carolina logging scene for more than 30 years. This is where I think my personal life relates to my professional life,
Among other jobs, Blanton runs this three-wheel Bell cutter...
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because listening to Blanton talk sounded like listening to myself. Sure, her knowledge of operating equipment in some steep ground is going to be better than mine, but her relationship with Greene reminded me of my own relationships with my boss men at Southern Loggin’ Times. We have an easy camaraderie that comes from hard work, dedication and mutual respect. Blanton and I share a similar admi-
ration for the men who took a chance on a girl they thought wouldn’t last. When I visited Blanton earlier this summer on Greene’s job not far from his shop in Purlear, NC, she told me that when he hired her, he would later confess, he didn’t expect her to last a week. It’s been almost 19 years. “I gave him my price and he agreed,” she remembers. “Years later, I would ask him why he agreed to pay my price if he thought it was too high. He said because he thought he could do it for a week and that I wouldn’t last much longer.” Like with most crews I’ve come across, Greene’s is a family in every sense of the word. Greene himself admits that Blanton is the mother hen at the core of that family. Blanton, who often brings homemade treats for the crew to enjoy on breaks, jumps in and does whatever needs doing, except hand felling. She runs equipment, performs maintenance and repair jobs and does all bookwork. At the time of my visit, she was in the process of obtaining her CDL so she could tackle her last in-woods hurdle (other than chain
...and sometimes also hops on the Barko loader.
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saws): over the road hauling. Greene was supposed to teach Blanton how to run a chain saw years ago, but he’s been putting it off. Now, as the years have gone by, she’s somewhat okay with not doing it, figuring it may not be worth the safety risk. Even so, I have a sneaking suspicion that if he’d teach her, she’d jump at the chance. That’s who she is. Greene, who considers himself a semi-retired logger, looks at each job as an opportunity to have fun
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and play with some toys. He doesn’t push the crew to get a certain level of production. All his equipment is paid for, vintage and often tinkered with. He says one of his favorite parts of owning a logging job is playing outside. Blanton says the same: “It’s a good day when you’re outside playing.” Giving her an outlet to “play” has given Blanton the chance to shine, honing her
skills and giving 110% on the job, while still learning something new each day. She is currently the go-to loader woman when the crew cuts ground too steep for her Bell. Greene’s laid back attitude gels well with Blanton, who also juggles a forestry company she co-owns with her husband Christopher, a small logging operator school, and at home, the demands of family Blanton has chronicled her 18 years with Greene Logging & life with a special needs son, Chipping in picture books she assembles. Gus. She works shortened days in the summer while Gus is out of school, but the crew never misses a load. The minute Blanton steps onto the deck she’s ready to work, and work hard, until she climbs back in her pickup. She often takes tickets and other related paperwork home with her to work in the evenings once Gus has gone to bed. Blanton says most everything about what she knows about logging equipment came from “The Scottie Greene School of Logging.” He started her out by teaching her one piece at a time. “Teaching me to drive a skidder taught me how to be a better cutter operator,” she believes. “Teaching me to run the loader taught me to be a better cutter operator.” What Greene didn’t realize when he was taking her around western North Carolina, West Virginia and southern Virginia was that she always had a camera with her. She used it to document life in the “Greene School of Logging.” After 10 years, Blanton compiled the decade of pictures in a book, added her own commentary and made a Christmas gift for Greene, one he says is among his most treasured possessions. Now, Blanton still always has her trusty camera with her, snapping more pictures throughout each year. She takes these photos and makes another yearbook at the conclusion of each year, another reflective look on what the team has accomplished. Her husband jokes that she should do R&D for Nikon after she dropped her small digital camera in an oil pan and somehow got the thing to work again. Blanton says when she made the first book she didn’t intend for it to be an annual thing, but each year she gets as much joy from putting it together as her mentor does receiving it. Inside that first book is a picture of Blanton and Greene on her wedding day; she is wearing a Scottie Greene Logging Co. hat. “She’s the most special person I’ve ever met,” Greene says of his protégé. And I have to admit, three hours on the side of the mountain and a few servings of persimmon SLT pudding later, I agree.
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Ch-ch-changes ■ Forward thinking activist Billy Corey is doing something right at Tim Con Wood Products.
By Jessica Johnson JAMESVILLE, NC pending ★ time with Billy Corey, owner of Tim Con Wood Products, is like a mix of going to church and going to school. After a few hours, you’ve been inspired and renewed, and you’re walking away thinking about something differently than you did before. Corey, 70, has been a logger for 50
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years, and for 32 of those years he’s been buying and harvesting timber for himself. As he puts it, you don’t spend that much time doing something without riding a few changes. The best learn not only how to adapt to changes—in technology, harvesting practices, business practices, available markets and the like—they also learn to thrive in those changes. The key to thriving amid the constant changes faced by a logger, Corey says, is planning. And for Corey that means not only
a plan for tomorrow but a plan for five years from now and for 10 years from now. “You can’t just sit out here and look at the log truck,” he adds. “It’s not just planning where the logs are going to go tomorrow.” He says this constant need for a plan because of change is what makes logging fun for him, and is one of the reasons it has kept his attention for the last five decades. He might not know exactly where his company is going to be in five years, or 10, but as he makes his
plans he says there is one constant: change. Logging methods change, markets change, everything about being a logger means being okay with change, he explains. “We’d be bored if it stayed the same,” he believes. To highlight his point, Corey says to simply look at an average skidder. A skidder from not that long ago did not have a cab. Now it’s outfitted with a computer system that will tell you literally everything about the machine, not to mention a radio, air conditioning—the works. He says that over the last few years especially, the industry has changed dramatically. Before, changes would be intermittent, just enough to keep everyone on top of their game. Now, according to Corey, it is just change after change after change, and he loves it.
Markets
Markets forced Tim Con to switch from a hardwood swamp set up to a less expensive pine job.
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For Corey, part of the challenge is market consistency. Again, Corey points to planning as his driving factor for success with tightening markets. He uses the word “success” very loosely as Tim Con Wood Products battles tight quotas and shrinking markets. “We have to pay attention to the market long-term,” he explains. “If you know a facility is going to be down and you know that’s coming
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One of two loaders, the 234 is used to load trucks with roundwood.
The crew, from left: Sterling Green, Gary Brown McCray, Robby Harris, Curtis Young, Joshua McGowan, Johnny Carter; inset, owner Billy Corey
up, when you’re planning your next cut you don’t need to be moving to a hardwood tract where you were going to carry chips to the facility taking its boiler down. You have to figure out who is going to buy what two weeks from now and move that way.” Planning, he says, is vastly different than it was in the past, and by and large it is also more challenging, but Corey says it is vital to success. As an added layer of challenge when coming up with a plan, Corey purchases his own timber. He says he must pay even closer attention to planning, since the price mills are willing to pay for a given sort of wood affects how he bids on sales. Corey says that having logged for a company and having bought his own timber helps him understand that production quotas hit everyone, but he says he’s noticed it’s the noncontract loggers that struggle a little more when markets are tight. The struggle is in the balance, he says, pointing to often downgraded sawlogs for a lower “blend price.” If markets were wide open, Tim Con could move 25-28 loads a day. However, with current markets, Corey says he can only sell 65 loads per week. Typically, Corey keeps his crew busy with wood he buys via seal bid sales and word of mouth, but the crew will also work with foresters in the area when they have more
timber than they can cut or when Tim Con is short on wood. Corey adds that a good relationship with foresters at Canal Wood means sometimes the two companies will buy tracts together and split or deal with overcut together. That gives him a little better than the straight logging rate without having the larger initial investment. Like most, Corey was used to quota in the summertime, but now battles it year-round. As such, he would prefer to cut “a mixed stand with a pine sawlog on the bottom, a piece of pine pulpwood in the middle
and a hardwood top. But they don’t make a tree like that!” he says, laughing. “Seriously, it is the ideal tree. But it’s also the ideal tract with chips, logs and pulpwood.” Chips, logs and pulpwood are Tim Con’s three main markets: fuel chips to Domtar (a 45-mile haul) and Enviva (50-mile haul), pulpwood to Domtar and logs to Lampe & Malphrus (110-mile haul).
Head For The Hills Over the years, Tim Con has logged every way imaginable,
SLT SNAPSHOT Tim Con Wood Products Jamesville, NC Email: BillyCorey1@gmail.com Founded: 1967 Owner: Billy Corey No. Crews: One Employees: 18 Equipment: Two feller-bunchers, three skidders, two loaders, a fuel chipper, a shovel machine, 11 trucks Production: 65 loads per week Average Haul Distance: 65 miles Tidbit: Billy Corey believes in embracing technology, and makes use of a drone to cruise tracts and keep a bird’s eye view of his equipment in action.
including a stint at swamp logging. “We had a track shovel and man, it was expensive to run that equipment, but you could buy a swamp for very little money, so it would even out,” Corey explains. When the hardwood market bottom fell out, Corey found himself with no outlets and expensive equipment. He joined forces with a few area loggers in the same position and split the cost to ship loads via rail car to South Carolina. Eventually that mill cut the crews off, since the wood being shipped by rail was just so much more expensive than shipping it by truck. At that point Tim Con was producing 150 loads per week, and overnight the production number went to just 25. “We struggled, and then decided it was time to move back to the hills,” Corey explains. The move to hilly, drier land meant the crew was working with equipment that was not only expensive but a mismatch for the terrain, and that combo made competing in the pine market difficult. “My competition could buy a tract and log it cheaper, because we were using big equipment that would cost $3540,000 a year to maintain.” Working in the swamp, he says, yielded enough profit to cover that high maintenance cost, but not so much in the hills, and the equipment still got beat up just the same. When the move was made, Corey had to gradually replace pieces with equipment that was more profitable in the drier terrain. The crew now uses all Tigercat machines, excluding the chipper: two loaders (one very vintage 240B and one 2013 234B), three skidders (’10 610 and two ’13 630Ds), ’16 724G rubber
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Fuel chips, pine pulpwood and pine logs are the main three sorts for Tim Con these days.
tire feller-buncher, ’13 822 track feller-buncher, ’08 shovel machine and ’14 Trelan fuel chipper. Loaders use Rotobec grapples, feller-bunchers use Quadco saw teeth. A skid steer lays mats to build the loading deck. The crew has always used two loaders, one to load trucks and one to feed the chipper. Corey explains that when the second loader’s hydraulics wore out he decided to replace it with a new piece. But between the price of the new loader and the quota situation, he didn’t feel like he’d have enough production to cover the payments. Instead, Corey went to an older loader from his “junk” yard, gave it some love and attention and put it in the woods. “If we got into a good ➤ 54
Except the chipper, all equipment is now Tigercat.
An older 240 loader feeds the Trelan chipper.
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Actions Speak Louder ■ Bobby and Bo Nichols have built a thriving three-generation family business from humble beginnings.
By David Abbott HUDDLESTON, Va. obby Nichols, Sr., and his son ★ Bobby, Jr.—to distinguish them, most folks just call him Bo—have more in common than a name. Both Bobbys seem to be men of few words; they prefer to let their actions speak for them. They share a passion for working in the woods; it’s just about the only thing either of them have ever done or wanted to do. They share a love for family—several members of the Nichols clan, including sons and grandsons, work with them, and others have done so in the past. And, of course, they share the company. Aged 20 years apart, Bobby, 66, and Bo, 46, jointly own and oversee Nichols Logging, Inc., based out of Bedford County and operating primarily within a 40-mile radius from their home in Huddleston. Bobby grew up working in the business from a very young age with his dad Marshall. After dropping out
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of school in the 10th grade, he was still cutting 5 ft. short pulpwood when he went into business for himself in 1969. Bo joined his dad right after finishing high school in 1990, when he was still 18. In 1995 he graduated from employee to partner. Family is of utmost importance to both men. Three generations of their family currently work together. Bobby and his wife Ella have three kids: Bo, obviously, and his two sisters, Kimberly and Sherri. Each of Bobby’s children has given him a grandson who is involved with the business to one extent or another. Bo’s son Dustin Nichols and Kimberly’s son CJ Albach both work on one of the company’s two crews. For now, Sherri’s son Jason Williams helps out where he can around the shop in the summers and after school. He hopes to join his cousins, uncle and grandfather in the woods when he’s old enough. When his day comes, it may not be too many years before Jason is training the fifth generation of Nichols loggers. Bobby is already a greatgrandfather, as Bo’s daughter Chelsea
has made him a grandfather twice so far. Her daughter Savannah is 3 and her son Lucas is 1. With help from Ella, Bo and his wife India handle most of the paperwork at the company office near the shop. They also hire an accountant to help with taxes. The tight-knit crew doesn’t see each other only in the woods. Bobby and Bo also do some farming on the side, with a few hundred head of Cattle under the company B.L. Nichols Logging, Inc. That may be where Bo’s son Dustin picked up his hobby: he rides bulls in rodeos up and down the east coast. Bobby says of his older grandson, “That boy is something else.” Most bull riders are. “He’s probably over there telling tall tales,” he gestures at Dustin taking a break from his loader as the rest of the crew gathers around to listen. “He’s a good boy, but he’s a mess. He can sit around and tell jokes, so there are no dull moments around here.” Beyond that, all of them love to go hunting together. It’s mostly deer hunting locally, but in 2013 they all went to Maine for a bear hunt. “We
had to wait for Jason to get old enough to go with us, and before I got too old,” Bobby says.
Crew Both crews were working close together somewhere between Lynchburg and Roanoke when Southern Loggin’ Times paid them a visit in late July. Bobby and Bo each supervise one of the crews, and both run machines as needed, mostly dozers and loaders. On Bobby’s crew, his grandson CJ runs the loader, and serves as crew foreman when Bobby can’t be on site. Randy Dudley runs the skidder, Mason Richmond is on the cutter and John Hartman is the switchman, moving set out trucks around the deck. On Bo’s crew, he and Dustin run the loaders while Steve Monk mans the skidder. This summer they were short a cutter man, so the others have been filling in. They recently hired a new truck driver whom they’re training to load also. Truck drivers are Bryce Maddox, Charles Moseley, Roger Creasy,
Bull rider Dustin Nichols, son to Bo and grandson to Bobby, is the “Young Gun” manning the Cat loader on his dad’s crew. The Barko usually feeds the chipper, but the crew was a man short this summer.
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SLT SNAPSHOT Nichols Logging, Inc. Huddleston, Va. Email: blnicholslogging@gmail.com Founded: 1969 Owners: Bobby Nichols, Sr. and Bobby (Bo) Nichols, Jr. No. Crews: 2 Equipment: 3 loaders, 3 skidders, 2 cutters, 7 trucks, 7 chip vans, 17 log trailers, 2 chippers, 2 bulldozers Average Haul Distance: 60 miles Tidbit: Bobby Nichols, Sr., was born on the Fourth of July. Bobby’s cutter man Mason Richmond has been with him for 17 years.
William Hawkins, Jr., Robert Brown and two contract haulers. One driver, Thomas Smith, recently retired. “He was good,” Bo says. “He was a logger years ago. He worked for himself and then for us for years.” Another truck driver no longer with the crew was Bobby’s brother, Bo’s uncle, David Harvey Nichols. He was known as Honda Man on the CB, while locals called him Harv. “We don’t really know what happened,” Bobby says. “He wrecked on highway 29 pulling a load of chips, ran off the road and turned it over. We figure either something happened with his blood sugar or he had a heart attack.” Harv was 65 when he died two years ago on February 28. “You know the saying, here today, gone tomorrow,” Bo says. “These boys on the job who found him had just been talking to him 10 minutes before. They came down and he was just gone.” The crews hold safety meetings over lunch. Sometimes they use the Safety Focus found in SLT and supplied by the Forest Resources Assn. Other times they use materials sent by their workers’ comp provider, Forestry Mutual Insurance. Once a year, Forestry Mutual also sends out an inspector who conducts a meeting with all the truck drivers and crewmembers together at once. “We’ll all get together for dinner, and rent out the back room of a local restaurant most of the time,” Bo says. Everybody on the job is CPR and first aid certified with training through Forestry Mutual. The crews keep first aid kits, spill kits, emergency contact information and GPS coordinates in service trucks on each job site. Along with Forestry Mutual, Gaines & Critzer Ltd. in North Chesterfield handles the rest of the insurance for the Nichols. The crews work 7 a.m.-5 p.m. five
Bo’s crew uses two skidders and two loaders, with Bo and Dustin alternating between loaders and skidders.
days a week, and sometimes Saturdays depending on weather and quotas. Employees receive a week paid vacation and four paid holidays after a year on the job. The Nichols used to pay health insurance but had to drop it due to higher fuel prices in 2008. “I used to love to run the chain
saw and watch the trees fall, but I don’t do much of that anymore,” Bobby reflects. “I loved being outside.” In those days, he mostly worked by himself. Now he finds a different reason to go to work every day. “Now I enjoy working with the guys. Mason has been here 17 years
All the loaders on both crews use CSI delimbers and ground saws.
now, and Randy for 12 years. My brother had been here somewhere close to 20 years.”
Machinery Bobby’s crew uses a 2014 Caterpillar 559C loader mounted on a Kodiak trailer and mated with a CSI 264 Ultra delimber with 4400 ground saw package. Skidder is a ’12 Cat 545C pulling from a ’14 Tigercat 724E feller-buncher. The crew also has a ’01 Deere 750C dozer and a ’14 Trelan WRC 23 chipper, though it was sidelined and waiting on a part when SLT was on site. Bo’s crew features two loaders: ’15 Cat 559C and ’12 Barko 595 Magnum, both with CSI 264 delimber/4400 ground saw packages and mounted on Kodiak trailers. The Cat usually sorts wood and loads trucks while the Barko feeds a ’04 Trelan 23RC chipper. A ’14 John Deere 843K fells for two Cat skidders, a ’16 545D and ’13 535C. A ’06 D6N Cat dozer rounds out the equipment on this crew. The loggers use BF Goodrich
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11/R22.5 tires on trucks and Firestone 30.5 and 35.5 on skidders and cutters. They have only dualed up once, in a winter snow a few years ago. Cutters use Quadco teeth purchased from Carter Machinery in Lynchburg. Loaders all have Rotobec grapples. “It was all we ever ran on anything else, and when we started buying Cats it was an option we chose,” Bo explains. The crews use several older R model Macks as set out or switch trucks. A fleet of seven road tractors includes ’16 Kenworth, ’09, ’06 and ’97 Peterbilts, ’00 International and two ’10 Macks, pulling Pitts, Big John and Fontaine log trailers and Dorsey chip vans. The Nichols aren’t too interested in lightweight trailers. “You can go too light,” Bobby says. “When you back up on them they just fold.” They can legally haul 84,000 lbs. on state roads and can go up to 90,000 lbs. with the sticker, though they don’t buy it. They don’t use scales, dash cams or GPS on their trucks. Though they’ve done it both ways, Bobby and Bo say they tend to buy newer machines rather than keep older ones running much past their prime. “I would rather have payments than breakdowns,” Bo says. They typically keep machines no more than five years before replacing a machine or setting it aside as a spare. They usually trade on newer pieces, though sometimes they sell their used pieces. In a few instances their dealers, Carter Machinery and Eastern Equipment Brokerage, have sold pieces for them. They figure their equipment investment at $2 million, adding that they have cultivated healthy long-term relationships with salesmen at each of the equipment companies from which they buy. Dealers include Carter Machinery in Lynchburg for Cat, James River in Salem for Deere, Forest Pro in Scottsville for Tigercat and Jewell Machinery in Rocky Mount for Barko. They bought both Trelan chippers used from Eastern Equipment Brokerage down in Washington, NC, from salesman Charles Willard. Truck Enterprises Lynchburg supplied the Kenworth, while the three Peterbilts and the International came from Powell’s Truck & Equipment in Lynchburg. Excel Truck Group in Roanoke sold them the Macks. They get financing through Deere and Cat and through local banks First National in Altavista and Farm Credit of the Virginias in Bedford. Although financing might have been difficult to obtain 20 years ago, they don’t have a problem with it anymore. Anything under warranty returns to the dealers, and everything else goes to full-time mechanic Troy 18
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Both crews use Trelan chippers, bought used from North Carolina’s Eastern Equipment Brokerage a few years ago.
Bobby’s crew from left: Mason Richmond, John Hartman, Randy Dudley, grandson CJ Albach, patriarch Bobby Nichols, Sr. and equal partner Bobby (Bo) Nichols, Jr.
While Bobby’s crew had some large hardwood to cut this summer, Bo’s found itself on a smaller pulpwood tract.
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Boothe at the company shop. He keeps a stocked inventory of spare filters, oil and hydraulic fluid there. Each crew has its own service truck with air compressor, welder and hand tools to help with repairs and maintenance in the field. Operators track hours and service machines as needed, and everything returns to the shop periodically for a thorough cleaning and once-over. For the chippers, crews change knives daily, keeping 10 spare sets. Reed’s Saw & Tool in Lynchburg handles sharpening, picking up and dropping off at the Nichols shop every Tuesday. Nichols Logging gives away its used oil to a neighbor who works on farm tractors. He burns it in a waste oil furnace. In exchange, he lets the Nichols team borrow tools from his machine chop. Southern States of Bedford delivers fuel to trailers on both crews once a week. Truck drivers pay for refueling with company accounts at several stations in the area. Bobby and Bo figure they spend about $13,000 a month in off-road diesel and maybe $20,000 a month in on-road. With another $13,000 a month in labor, operating costs adds up quickly.
Like his cousin on the other crew, CJ Albach, another of Bobby’s grandsons, runs the loader for his crew.
Supply, Demand
Bo’s crew, from left: Stephen Monk, Dustin Nichols, Bobby (Bo) Nichols, Jr., Bobby Nichols, Sr., and grandson Jason Williams, who plans to join the woods crew when he’s old enough
Bobby’s crew was on a winter tract in July because the landowner wanted it cut sooner.
Forester Todd Goode joined the company to buy timber for the crews two years ago. He keeps tracts purchased and under contract a year or two in advance. They mostly cut private land now, though Bobby’s crew often works for West Rock. “We try to keep a good relationship to WestRock, and keep one crew back and forth on their jobs, to help pull us through the winter,” Bobby says. Suitable tracts for wet weather conditions, he says, are often hard to come by. In the winter, the forester looks for tracts where the crews can cut close to the road, or on high ground with good drainage but not too steep for the equipment to run on it. Otherwise, they have to lay down mats or buy a few dump truck loads of gravel. Crushed rock prices have gone up—$425-$450 per load, at least for the type the Nichols prefer (railroad ballast or surge, Bobby says). “You can’t buy but so much of that or it will eat your profit up quick,” he warns. As such, the crews now have about 100 mats. An average tract size for either crew is 40 acres, which takes about two or three weeks to complete. They usually won’t move onto anything under 20 acres unless it’s very high quality and easily accessed wood with a good spot for setting up a loading deck. The biggest tracts they see are usually in the 60-70-acre range, though one crew was working on 100
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acres when SLT visited. “We don’t have to worry about it being too big around here,” Bobby says. Though job sites are usually 2540 miles from home, they have gone 60-75 miles out. Longest haul distance for the Nichols crews is 115 miles to Covington, and shortest is Alta Vista, at 15 miles. Fuel chips go to Dominion Power in Alta Vista and Hurt. WestRock in Covington takes hardwood pulp, while Nichols sends pine pulpwood to Georgia-Pacific in Gladys, near Naruna. Logs have a variety of des-
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tinations depending on the location of the tract. Each crew typically hauls about 50 loads a week of roundwood and another 75 of chips.
Horizons
Lowered chip prices and higher equipment costs have the Nichols pessimistic about the future.
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“There is nothing good on the horizon that we can see right now,” Bobby laments, noting that the chipping market has diminished due to lower natural gas prices. “They promised chips wouldn’t get under $24 at ton, and everyone bought timber based on that. Then it went down to $19 a ton. It makes it hard to buy timber and make a profit anymore because you don’t know what they are going to pay you.” That relates to one of the biggest problem facing loggers now, Bobby believes: wood companies are cutting prices while equipment costs continue to soar. “The higher cost of machinery causes personal property taxes and insurance to go up, and we are getting no compensation for it from the paper companies,” he says. Bo adds that trucking insurance is another major concern, making it difficult to hire drivers. “One driver just had one speeding ticket that was over four years old and one seatbelt violation,” Bo relates. “The insurance won’t put him on unless we pay an extra $4,000, and that will only last till January. And one a month ago they wanted $10,000 extra to add a driver till the end of the year.” The situation has forced them to use more contract drivers and park some of their own trucks, but contract haulers can’t get insured either. Bobby continues, “Everybody is having driver problems, I don’t care where you go: big trucking companies, everybody. We have too many regulations and nobody is perfect. The lawyers are just running this country and awarding all these people big lawsuits for nothing. Somebody else hits you and they sue you, it’s their fault but they win.” What can a logger do? “There’s not a whole lot we can do,” he shakes his head woefully. If conditions stay like they are, Bobby and Bo can’t see expanding operations. In fact, if the lower prices and truck driver shortage continue, they say they’ll probably have to downsize soon. The Nichols have advice for young loggers starting out: “Go get a good job,” Bobby suggests. Bo adds, “Go be a lawyer, you’ll make a lot more money.” Bobby continues, “I’ve been thinking about running these grandsons off, the way times are. You get good times and bad times, it’s always like that. But it’s got to where the bad times last longer than the good SLT times.”
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Steep Terrain ■ Dewayne Rowe Logging is used to dealing with rough conditions on a daily basis.
New John Deere 650K crawler dozer and JD4000 winch won’t be denied no matter the terrain or the angle of pull.
By Jay Donnell WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. hen Dewayne Rowe, Sr. ★ and his son, Dewayne Rowe, Jr., wake up in the morning they usually have a pretty good idea what the day has in store for them: steep and rough tracts of timber on large hillsides in Tennessee and Kentucky. When people think about loggers in the South they often picture flat terrain with skidders rolling comfortably across the ground at decent speeds. Loggers who work in the hills will tell you quite a different story and I saw it firsthand. I was completely out of breath at the beginning of this interview. Dewayne Jr. and I made the climb from the landing up to where the feller-buncher was working and
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let’s just say it was treacherous hike. Once I was able to catch my breath I had a great chat with Dewayne Jr. and his father. Dewayne Rowe Logging was formed in 1981 and back then crew members were cutting every piece of timber with a chain saw. At one point Rowe ran six dozers and three skidders with the dozers pulling trees down the hills and up to the skidders. In the mid ’90s he traded four of those dozers in and bought a track feller-buncher. While having the cutter made things a little easier and, more importantly, safer, it was still very messy on those rolling, cluttered hills. Rowe has run as many as three crews in his time, but today he runs just one. He likes to keep a watchful eye on his crew even though he’s usually busy running the track cutter. Dewayne Rowe, Jr. has now been with the business for over a
decade and helps his father keep things in order. Together they make a formidable team.
Equipment Rowe, 52, has six employees in the woods and four truck drivers. He has a wide range of equipment including a 2005 Cat 527 skidder and a 2013 John Deere 648H skidder. Loaders consist of a 2013 Barko 595ML and a 2006 Tigercat 220. The company runs two dozers: a 2005 John Deere 650J and Dewayne Rowe Logging’s newest purchase, a 2017 John Deere 650K. The two dozers use John Deere 4000 winches to pull in logs from the hillsides. A 2015 460 Komatsu XT 460L track-feller buncher with a Quadco 24VI sawhead works on some steep terrain for the Williamsburg-based business. Equipment dealers are Meade
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Equipment in London, Ky. and Power Equipment in Knoxville, Tenn. Rowe has a longstanding relationship with Larry Prater of Power Equipment, according to Dewayne Jr. “Larry helps us out with whatever we need and we’ve probably worked with him for 20 years now.” Machines are greased daily and oil is changed every 250 hours. Chevron Delo 15W40 oil is used. Rowe prefers to run Primex tires on the skidders. “We’ve always stayed with the 30.5 in. tire because anything over that doesn’t do well on this type of terrain,” Dewayne Jr. explains. “The narrower the tire in this stuff, the better it runs.” Rowe will use chains on his front tires at times. Rowe runs four trucks including a 1995 Mack, 2002 Kenworth W900 and two 2007 Kenworth W900s. Dewayne Rowe Logging hasn’t experienced many problems with
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Track feller-buncher has a lot of versatility on challenging tracts.
SLT SNAPSHOT Dewayne Rowe Logging Williamsburg, KY Email: RDRLogging2@gmail.com Founded: 1981 Owner: Dewayne Rowe No. Crews: 1 Employees: 9 Equipment: 1 cutter, 2 skidders, 2 loaders, 3 trucks Production: 40 loads a week Average Haul Distance: 60 miles Tidbit: It can take up to an hour for trucks to make it out of the woods on some of the steeper tracts Dewayne Rowe Logging works on.
Shaping up a nice sort of peelers
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It’s pretty much all about hardwood for Dewayne Rowe Logging.
equipment vandalism because they employ a night watchman on about 99% of the jobs they work. “Sometimes they’ll have their own camper or kind of makeshift school bus,” Dewayne Jr. says. “It depends on where we are really, but for the past two years we’ve pretty much had the same guy.” Rowe’s equipment and trucks are insured by First Volunteer Insurance in Knoxville.
buncher while Dewayne Rowe, Jr. runs the Barko loader. Greg Hale runs the Tigercat loader and a Stihl 461 chain saw when needed on the landing. Rowe’s youngest son,
Dustin, who’s been with the company for three years now, runs the John Deere skidder. Gerald Siler, Jody Siler, David Bray and Kelly England drive the trucks. Rowe’s
bookkeeping is done by Dewayne Jr., his wife Amanda and his mother Donna. Employees begin working promptly at 7 each morning. Quit-
Employees Rowe doesn’t have to hire very many new employees. The majority of his crew has worked for the company for several years or longer. Truck drivers have stayed pretty steady as Rowe doesn’t experience the typical turnover you see from many logging companies that run their own trucks. He has hired some guys without any experience in the woods, though they prefer to hire guys that at least someone on the crew knows. James Kemplen and Rodney Hale man the dozers. Dewayne Rowe, Sr. runs the Komatsu track feller28
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Left to right: Greg Hale, Dewayne Rowe Jr., Dewayne Rowe Sr., James Kemplen, Dustin Rowe and Rodney Hale
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This tract was an 80-acre clear-cut. Building landings was a challenge because of so many boulders.
ting time generally falls around 5:30 p.m. depending on how the day is going. Safety is addressed regularly on the jobsite and the company has been extremely fortunate to avoid any major incidents when you consider the type of terrain they typical-
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ly find themselves on. Workers receive an annual Christmas bonus and occasionally they’ll receive a weekly bonus if that particular week goes really well. Thanksgiving and Christmas are generally the only holidays
employees take off and some still prefer to work on those days. “Some of us will work plum through Christmas Eve,” Dewayne Jr. says. “It’s basically up to the crew so if some of them don’t want to work they have that option.”
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Operations Dewayne Rowe Logging cuts hardwood 95% of the time and when Southern Loggin’ Times visited they were clear-cutting an 80acre tract on very steep, muddy and
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heavy growth terrain. What made this particular tract so challenging was the amount of rocks and boulders in the area. “It’s usually steeper than this,” Dewayne Jr. explains. “The difficult thing about this tract is that there are a lot of boulders in the way.” Another challenge that presented itself was finding a good area to build a landing. Crew members spent nearly two weeks building and digging a spot for a suitable landing.
Rowe buys his own timber 90% of the time, but buying tracts has become an increasingly challenging thing to do with the way things have gone in the industry. “Log prices are low when you consider what equipment costs and what fuel costs these days,” Dewayne Jr. says. “There has been a huge jump in equipment prices even since I started working for the business back in 2006.” Rowe reports that his company produces roughly 40 loads a week. On this particular tract sorts includ-
ed white oak, chestnut oak and poplar peelers. The company is hauling to BPM in Williamsburg, Ky., Stephens Hardwood in Huntsville, Tenn., Columbia Forest Products in Old Fort, NC, B&E in Pineville, Ky., and Evergreen Packaging, Pioneer, Tenn. Average haul distance is around 60 miles, but it can take up to an hour for trucks to make it out of the woods depending on the type of terrain they’re on. Dewayne, Sr. hauled one of the
first loads ever to Evergreen Packaging, which used to be known as Champion among other names. The business is not on quota, but reports that it comes in cycles. “When we’re on quota it’s usually about all we can produce anyway so it’s pretty reasonable around here,” Dewayne Jr. says. When Rowe moves on to a new tract he’ll usually have the dozer operators build the roads and the landing. When Rowe leaves a tract he does all the BMP requirement necessary to meet Tennessee and Kentucky state regulations. Unlike most loggers I talk to, Rowe reports that he has a decent trucking insurance rate and that could be due to the fact that he hasn’t had a driver experience an accident since 1996. His drivers are paid by the hour. Company drivers will occasionally experience long lines at a mill, but not very often. Rowe also reports that DOT hasn’t given him any trouble in the area. Trucks are not currently equipped with GPS systems or dash cams, but Rowe’s drivers obviously get along without them considering they haven’t experienced any accidents in over 20 years.
Outlook Rowe has roughly $2 million invested in his operation and usually spends about $10,000 per year on maintenance and supplies. He attributes his success to an excellent crew that’s willing to work hard day in and day out. One of the biggest changes Rowe has seen in the logging industry since he started out is lack of options when it comes to hiring employees. “There used to be plenty of people that wanted to work for you, but nowadays there isn’t a lot of help,” he says. “That’s especially true since you have so much technology involved these days.” Rowe offers some advice for young logging company owners trying to make it in the industry. “Start out small and make sure you put plenty of time in before you try and grow it,” he says. “Make sure that’s what you want to do because it’s not easy and once you’re in it’s pretty difficult to get out. You could get out if you wanted to, but it’s hard just to up and quit once you start.” Dewayne Rowe Logging has been very involved in the Log A Load For Kids program, which provides donations to the University of Kentucky Children’s Hospital. Both Dewayne Sr. and Dewayne Jr. are certified through the Master Logger Certification SLT program. 32
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Mid-Atlantic Expo ■ New location, lots of live action, plentiful static displays, children’s activities, more
North Carolina's Mid-Atlantic show moves to a new location for its fourth iteration, scheduled for September 15-16.
LAURINBURG, NC fter a three-year run on sites near Selma-Smithfield, NC, the fourth Mid-Atlantic Logging & Biomass Expo (MALBE), set for Friday and Saturday, September 15-16, will be held in a mature forest located between Laurinburg and Rockingham and near the South Carolina state line. “This is a premium site, the best we’ve ever had,” says expo manager Jack Swanner. “The live sites are larger than before and those exhibitors can clear-cut the stand, and we’ve worked it so that most static exhibitors will have frontage to the main foot traffic lanes. Clay Creed and his crew with Shoeheel Land Management have done a fantastic job of preparing the site. We’re indebted to them for their over-thetop work and co-operation.” GPS coordinates for the site entrance are: 34.864697, 79.612950. Although all available live demo sites had been taken as of midAugust, Swanner says numerous static lots and tent booths remain available. For lot sizes and pricing and to check out the site layout, visit malbexpo.com. Swanner can be reached at 828-421-8444.
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An impressive array of the latest machines, attachments, trucks, trailers, tires, supplies and services will grab the attention of attendees at the
family-friendly event. Along with the latest high-tech, fuel-efficient skidders, loaders and feller-bunchers offered by Caterpillar, Barko, John
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Deere and Tigercat, six chipper manufacturers—Bandit, Barko, Morbark, Peterson, Terex/CBI and Trelan— will demonstrate their offerings. Peterson will share space with Cat dealer Gregory Poole; Morbark with John Deere dealer James River Equipment and Barko with dealer John Woodie Enterprises. Live demo sites have been secured by Powerscreen MidAtlantic, Gregory Poole, James River, Tigercat and John Woodie Enterprises. Fecon will display its backhoemounted Stumpex stump grinder and Bull Hog mulchers; CSI will show its slashers and pull-through delimbers; LoggerShop will tout the Ryan’s Equipment DS28 sawhead and other products; Quadco will feature its wide array of felling and processing attachments; and harvester saw bars and Eco-Tracks will be showcased by Olofsfors. Tires, trucks, trailers and weigh scales will also be in the mix, as will cleaning systems. As was the case at the 2015 MALB Expo, two loader competitions will be conducted in the live areas. The top three to five contestants will receive prizes that range
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from cash to jackets and trophies. Caterpillar’s loader championship will run both days and raise money for Log-A-Load For Kids, with Cat matching the amount of entry fees collected. John Woodie Enterprises’ competition—a Barko loader will be used—will run on Saturday only. It will require no entry fee but the company will accept donations, which it will pass on to the St. Jude Children’s Hospital. For children, the National Wild Turkey Federation will sponsor an inflatable BB gun range so that kids can shoot targets and become familiar with guns, and the NC Forest Service will provide both a large mechanical version and an animated likeness of Smokey the Bear.
Forestry Assn., NC 811, OlofsforsEcoTracks, Peterson, Pinnacle Trailers, Powerscreen Mid-Atlantic, Precision-Husky, Quadco, Rob’s Hydraulics, Royal Oil, Ryan’s Equipment, Southestern Agency Group, Specialty AG Tuning, Tigercat Industries, Tractor Tracs, Trelan Southeast, Triple T Trucks, U.S. Blades, U.S. Pride Products, Virginia Loggers Assn., Colony Tire, Snider Fleet Solutions, Husqvarna Professional Products, Lilley International, and SLT Nokia Forestry Tires/ASAPH.
Expect a family-friendly event.
Only YOU can prevent wild fires.
In addition, the NCFA Education Committee will have a booth set up to provide kids and parents information about forestry and its importance to North Carolina and the nation. Two-day admission (age 17 and up) is $20 per person. Show hours are 8 to 4 on Friday and 8 to 2 on Saturday. MALBE is jointly sponsored by the Carolina Loggers Assn., NCFA and Hatton-Brown Publishers. As of August 21, exhibitors and brands planning to participate included AID Commercial Tire Division, American Loggers Insurance, Backwoods Logistics, Barko Hyduaulics, Bandit Industries, Big John Trailers, Bullock Bros. Equipment, CTR/CRTS, Inc., CTS Cleaning Systems, Carolina Freightliner of Raleigh, Caterpillar, Commercial Credit Group, Cutting Systems, Diesel Laptops, Fecon, Forestry Equipment Trader, Forestry Mutual Insurance Co., GCR Tires, Geriatric Work Force Education Program, Hatton-Brown Publishers, James River Equipment Co., John Deere, John Woodie Enterprises, Kaufman Trailers, LandMark Spatial Solutions, LoggerShop Equipment Sales, Maxi-Load Scales, Morbark, NC Agromedicine Institute, NC Southern Loggin’ Times
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Thoughts To Ponder —What if my dog only brings back the ball because he thinks I like throwing it? —If poison expires, is it more poisonous or is it no longer poisonous? —Which letter is silent in the word “scent,” the s or the c? —Do twins ever realize that one of them was unplanned? —Why is the letter w, in English, called double U instead of double V? —Maybe oxygen is slowly killing you and it just takes 75-100 years to fully work. —Every time you clean something, you just make something else dirty. —The word “swims” upside-down is still “swims.” —100 years ago everyone owned a horse and only the rich had cars. Today everyone has cars and only the rich own horses. —Your future self is watching you right now through memories. —If you replace “w” with “t” in “what, where and when,” you get the answer to each of them. —Many animals probably need glasses, but nobody knows it. —If you rip a hole in a net, there are actually fewer holes in it than there were before. —If 2/2/22 falls on a Tuesday, will we just call it “2s Day.”
It Matters What You Scatter I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes and I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of fresh green peas. I paid for my potatoes but I was drawn to the display of green peas. I’m a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation between Mr. Miller, the store owner, and the ragged boy. “Hello Charlie. How are you today?” “Fine, thank ya, Mr. Miller. Just admiring them peas. They sure do look good.” “They are good, Charlie. How’s your ma?” “Fine, gittin’ stronger alla time.” “Good. Anything I can help you with?” “No sir. Just admirin’ them peas.” “Would you like to take some home?” “No sir. Got nuthin’ to pay for ‘em with.” “Well, what have you to trade me for some peas?” “All I got is my prize marble here. She’s a dandy.” “Is that right? Let me see it. Hmmm. It’s a fine one. Only thing is, this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?” “Not zackley, but almost.” “Tell you what. Take this sack of peas with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble.” Expressing his thanks, the smiling boy went his way. Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. Smiling, she said, “There are two other boys like him in our community—all three in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn’t like red after all and sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, which they bring on their next trip to the store.” I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Texas, but I never 38
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forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles. Several years went by, each more rapidly than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Mississippi community and while there learned that Mr. Miller had died. I accompanied my friends to his visitation. We fell in line to meet the relatives and to offer words of comfort. Ahead of us were three young men. One was in an Army uniform and the other two wore dark suits and white shirts, all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband’s casket. Each of the young men hugged her, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty eyes followed them as, one by one, each man stopped briefly and placed a warm hand over the cold pale hand of Mr. Miller. As they left the mortuary they wiped their moist eyes. Our turn came to console Mrs. Miller and I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband’s bartering for marbles. She took my hand and let me to the casket. ‘Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about,” she said. “They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim ‘traded’ them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size, they came to pay their debt. We’ve never had a great deal of the wealth of this world, but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in the state.” She lifted the fingers of one of her husband’s hands. Resting underneath were three shiny red marbles. The moral: we will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath. In the end, it’s not what you have gathered, but what you have scattered, that will determine what kind of life you have lived.
Idiot Sighting I handed the teller at my bank a withdrawal slip for $400, saying, “large bills, please.” She looked at me and said, “I’m sorry sir, all the bills are the same size.” When I got up off the floor I explained it to her....
A Treat In Spain A traveler was spending a few days in Madrid, Spain. He was having dinner at one of the fancier restaurants and noticed that the man at the next table was getting a lot of extra service. His entree was delivered with great fanfare, and the foreigner saw two large lumps on the man’s plate. He asked his waiter what was so special, and was told that the man was dining on the testicles of the bull that had been dispatched in the ring that afternoon. The items were considered a great treat. He asked the waiter if he could order that selection the next time, and the waiter told him he would put in the order right away, and they would call him at his hotel when it was his day for the special treat. Two days later, he received the call, and arrived with great anticipation at the restaurant. His entree was brought out with great fanfare, and he ate with much pleasure. When he was ready for dessert, he asked his waiter why his treat was much smaller than what he had viewed two nights earlier. Sighing, the waiter said, “Senor, sometimes the bull wins.”
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Forward Thinkers ■ Four loggers discuss the benefits of using telematics and machine monitoring technology.
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oday many loggers are becoming just as comfortable with a laptop or smart phone as they are with an air wrench or grease gun. A growing number of them understand that in today’s environment, it’s not enough simply to work long, hard hours. They are adopting the latest technology to help them manage their operations. Telematics solutions allow them to easily monitor machine hours and locations, health alerts, productivity, and maintenance schedules from a smart phone or computer. Machineintegrated, digital job site mapping gives owners and operators a clearer view of the land they’re harvesting, Jack McFarland so they can become
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more efficient and productive. These tools help loggers see the bigger picture by connecting them more closely with machines, job sites and support systems. Working with their local dealer, owners and managers can be more proactive with machine maintenance and respond quicker when there is a problem. In a demanding, uncertain industry, this gives them a definitive edge. “Logging is changing,” says Jack McFarland, owner of McFarland Timber, Winnfield, La. “It’s not enough to be a logging company owner; you have to be a businessman. You can’t always focus on harvesting timber. To be most successful, you have to harness technology and
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John Deere’s technology tools include JDLink telematics with remote machine monitoring, and TimberNavi, a job site mapping solution.
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manage the business side as well.” Here’s how McFarland and three other loggers are using technology to their advantage.
Early Adapter McFarland Timber runs two crews, primarily for first time plantation thinning. To keep tabs on his fleet, he uses the John Deere ForestSight™ suite of technology tools, which includes JDLink™ telematics with remote machine monitoring
and TimberNavi™, a jobsite mapping solution. McFarland has always had his finger on the pulse of the forestry industry and was one of the early adapters of telematics. “John Deere has always been a leader in this area. They were the first equipment manufacturer to offer telematics, and now are the first one to offer a mapping solution,” he says. Every morning at 4, McFarland turns on his computer to access JDLink, which he uses to measure
fuel efficiency, idle time, and operator productivity. He prints out reports that he distributes to job foremen and employees at the start of every day. He explains, “I want my employees to see the same information that I’m seeing. This has helped me to become a better manager. Together we can identify our most productive times, as well as problem areas, so we can find ways to more consistently produce throughout the day.” McFarland also receives regular
machine health alerts throughout the day via text messages or email. “As an owner, I need to know if any machine is overheating or is low on hydraulic fluids. I need to be aware of any issues that may damage a machine and lead to more serious problems. JDLink helps me reduce downtime,” he points out. The TimberNavi jobsite mapping solution is fully integrated with JDLink. McFarland’s office can quickly gather site data, create digital maps, and transfer them wirelessly to the machine’s touchscreen display using JDLink. TimberNavi allows operators to view tract boundaries, terrain features, landing and deck locations, key conditions such as power lines, ditches and streams, and the locations and tracking layers for other machines. Using onboard measuring tools, operators can find optimal skidding distances to maximize fuel efficiency. “These tools help us identify areas we need to work on, so we can improve operator productivity and machine uptime,” explains McFarland. “With telematics, we can track idle time. And now with job site mapping, we can actually see it happening in real time, not tomorrow, but right now, so you can do something about it.” JDLink and TimberNavi have helped McFarland get the most out of his machines and operators. “Once you discover them, you can’t go back,” he says. “It makes you realize how inefficient and unproductive you actually are. We can’t control fuel costs. We can’t control mill quotas. But there are many ways we can use technology to become more efficient, minimize downtime, and manage costs.” Local John Deere dealerships help loggers like McFarland use JDLink to monitor the health of their machines around the clock. This allows them to respond quickly and efficiently to critical issues before they can cause downtime. John Deere’s new centralized Machine Health Monitoring Center takes machine monitoring to the next level, allowing data collected from tens of thousands of John Deere machines to be analyzed. John Deere specialists can spot trends that might not surface at a local dealer level, and develop new, improved maintenance and repair protocols or other solutions that dealers can leverage to reduce downtime.
Next Level Like his father, William (Buddy) Lominick, Jr., vice president of Big Pine Logging, Newberry, SC, is passionate about logging. “We’re doing what we love, and we have lots of good times,” says 44
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Buddy. “And of course we work a lot, too.” “Twenty-four seven,” adds his father, Bill. “But who wouldn’t love being out in the woods, being your
own boss?” Bill built the company without the help of a computer or a smart phone. “He did everything the old school way,” says Buddy. “Just a chain saw,
a knuckleboom loader, and a skidder. I’ve done my best to update the operation to the latest John Deere equipment and JDLink machine-monitoring technology. It has really helped us
get to the next level.” Buddy’s father is more of a flip phone guy who prefers to leave the “techie stuff” to his son. “He leaves it up to me, being the younger generation,” says Buddy. “He’s getting there, though. It’s so easy to use.” Buddy is impressed with how easy it is to get machine health alerts using the JDLink app on his smart phone. “I’ve been out of town, gotten an alert about low hydraulic oil or a plugged Buddy Lominick filter, and was able to alert dad or an operator,” he says. Support from the local equipment dealer, Flint Equipment Co., helps minimize downtime. “I can call the dealer with the machine code, and they can help resolve the issue. And if needed, they can remotely diagnose the machine, so they can send a technician out with the right part, right away.” Flint Equipment also keeps a vigilant eye on JDLink. “They’ll call me if they see anything going on with our machines, in case we miss anything,” states Buddy. “Through JDLink, they’ll also send me reminders about periodic maintenance. I can schedule it for a rainy day or a Saturday, so it won’t affect production.” JDLink enables him to track fuel consumption, machine location, and load level. “Monitoring fuel is a big deal. If you see changes in fuel consumption, it can help you understand what is going on. Maybe you have machines working in hilly terrain or wet conditions. Or maybe the operator is running longer skid distances or hauling heavier loads than usual. To reduce fuel burn, you might have your operator avoid certain conditions, shorten skid distances, or change how they run the machine,” he explains.
Not Sitting Idle Idle time is another important metric for loggers to keep an eye on. If the wheels aren’t turning, loggers aren’t earning. “Idle time is the most important thing I watch,” maintains Bry Findley, owner of Bry Logging, Fort Deposit, Ala. “We pay a lot for extended warranties, so I don’t want to lose hours by just idling. Plus you burn fuel needlessly and lose productivity.” Findley is in his late 20s, which makes him the youngest logging customer of Warrior Tractor and Equipment, his local John Deere 46
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dealer. “He represents the younger generation of loggers who are willing to embrace technology to get a competitive edge,” says Jeff Stevenson, Warrior sales representative. “He is the future of logging.” Bry Logging runs two Bry Findley crews, harvesting mostly pine used for pulp. Findley began using the JDLink machine monitoring system in 2013. He can see how often each machine is idling. It also breaks down how much idle time is costing him per hour in terms of warranty and fuel. Findley can monitor idle time using the JDLink app on his smart phone and let operators know when he sees anything that looks excessive. At the end of the year, he provides an incentive to the operator with the lowest idle time. Findley recently began using the TimberNavi job site mapping solution. “I can create maps quickly and send them wirelessly to my machines without having to leave my office. I can also download TimberNavi data to JDLink and remotely monitor my machines’ positions and tracking lanes in almost real time,” he describes. In addition to running his logging
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company, Findley is also a timber buyer, which means he can’t always be at the logging site, so being able to remotely monitor his crew and machines is important to him. Warrior also monitors Findley’s machines and notifies him if they see any alerts. “Bry has great crews who know how to produce,” says Stevenson, “but job site mapping and telematics allow him to take it to the next level of uptime and efficiency. That’s important in today’s environment. You not only must be productive. You can’t have idle periods or downtime.”
Keep It Simple Like Findley, Michael Little is a younger logger who is not afraid of technology. He and his wife, Ashlee, have built a successful chipping operation in Oakboro, NC, by keeping things simple and maximizing efficiency. The Little Logging fleet of equipment comes standard with JDLink, allowing them to monitor their machines around the clock. Little recognizes JDLink’s potential for minimizing downtime and maximizing productivity. “In the
chipping environment, there is a lot “Our technology specialists handle of debris, so you’ve got to stay on hundreds of alerts per day, either contop of heating issues,” he says. “If tacting the customer directly or passyou get an alert, you want to ing the information on to a service address it as soon as possible manager or field dispatcher,” says because of the damage that can be Chris Brooks, JRE’s Forestry Managcaused by overheating.” er, who works with the Littles. “We Both Michael and Ashlee, who have a dedicated ForestSight technolworks in the office, constantly check ogy group at our Charlotte location their JDLink app and email for alerts. who is responsible for monitoring the If they see a heat-related issue, they Littles’ machines.” call a foreman or machine Response time is operator and advise them quick, so many problems to clean out the radiator can be addressed before or clogged air filter. Or if they cause a major hydraulic fluid is low, unplanned downtime they can tell them to event. That kind of dealer check for a blown hose. support is huge. “It “It’s pretty amazing means a lot to catch a that you can look up all problem before it these things about your becomes a major issue machine on your phone,” Michael Little that can cost you a lot of says Little. “Our operator money,” says Little. “It’s might not even know a problem is a lot easier to fix a leak before it occurring, but I can tell him he needs messes up a major component. It’s to do something about it.” great that JRE is also keeping on top Their local equipment dealer netof things and giving us a call. Uptime work, James River Equipment (JRE), and production are everything to us.” works to ensure all customers at their Adds Brooks: “I believe telematics 36 locations in the Carolinas and Vir- and job site mapping solutions like ginia realize the maximum benefit of will become more mainstream,” adds JDLink. The dealership’s seven tech- Brooks. “They really add a lot of SLT nology specialists work with approxi- value for our customers.” This article was supplied by John mately 550 customers who use Deere. JDLink on nearly 3,800 machines.
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Urban Logger ■ Fitzgerald Excavating and Construction clears for residential development in congested metro areas. By David Abbott COVINGTON, Va. ere’s something you don’t see ★ everyday on most logging jobs: suburbanites jogging on a residential cul-de-sac sidewalk. The ones in this neighborhood have to jog around a knuckleboom loading a log truck on the side of the street. For Davey Fitzgerald, Jr. of Fitzgerald Excavating and Construction, Inc., it’s all part of the scenery. The company specializes in clearing timber, often for residential development, in the metro areas around Washington, DC, far east of its home base in
H
Covington, Va. “They call me the urban logger,” Fitzgerald, 35, says of his peers in other parts of the state, who are accustomed to more rural settings. “When they come up here, the amount of traffic is what blows them away. The biggest question they ask me is how our trucks manage to haul in all this.” The answer to that question, of course, is “slowly.” The company’s drivers struggle to get two loads a day, with an average haul distance of 75-100 miles. Davey doesn’t mind. High production isn’t his primary concern. Fitzgerald gets paid for the job, not just for the fiber it hauls; that’s a
bonus. He asserts. “I am more worried about doing the job in the sequence it needs to be done.” The organization’s commitment to quality pays. In times when fewer jobs are available, Fitzgerald Excavating usually manages to stay busy. Davey says he still clears for the same companies under which he contracted when the family first brought its business to northern Virginia in 2004. “The project managers have told me that we are still on their job because we get it done,” he relates. “They don’t have to wait on us; we’re not full of excuses. We keep rolling somehow. We have a 13-year relationship with them because we do what we say we will do and we do a very good
Fitzgerald Excavating clears sites for residential development in metro areas.
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job cleaning up. What we do and what we say, keeping a good name, keeping on schedule, has gotten me more repeat work than anything.” Davey is part of the family behind the company. His father, Dave, Sr., and mother Barbara, both 65, own the business. For the last three years, Dave, Sr. has settled in as a foreman/equipment operator, allowing his son to oversee the business side, a step in their long-term succession plan. The younger Fitzgerald says their company is one of the only land clearing outfits in the area actually marketing the timber it encounters, separating grade logs. Competitors simply chip everything, regardless of value. Property owners hire an
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excavating company to clear land, and Fitzgerald subcontracts under that company to clear the timber and remove all the stumps. The wood is his. He bids lower than his competitors, and makes up the difference on the back end by merchandizing the timber. So, whereas another company might charge $10,000 an acre to clear the timber, Fitzgerald might only charge $6,000 an acre, and haul grade logs out instead of only chips. Though Fitzgerald hasn’t run into much trouble with environmentalists in the DC area, there have been a handful of incidents, including one with a literal tree hugger. “I was ready to push a tree up and a woman walked right up to it and sat down in front of it. She said you won’t push this tree over. I said ‘maam, 15 years ago there were trees we cleared where your house is now.’” That, evidently, had not occurred to her.
Equipment For the Fitzgerald family, forestry machines are mostly Tigercat: three feller-bunchers (’16 Tigercat 720 and ’15 John Deere 843L wheel-type feller-buncher and ’14 859M tracked cutter), three skidders (two ’15 Tigercat 720Es and a ’16 635E); and three loaders (two Tigercat 250Ds, ’15 and ’16 models, and ’16 Tigercat 234D), all coupled with CSI 264 Ultra delimbers. Davey is currently negotiating to add a new Tigercat 630E skidder to the lineup, along with a couple more service trucks.
For skidding, loading and hauling, Fitzgerald goes with Tigercat and Kenworth.
For removing stumps the crews use four dozers (two ’13 Caterpillar D6Ts and two 963Ds, ’15 and ’16 models, all with root rakes) and 10 excavators (a ’16 Cat 329 and the rest John Deere: 200C LC, 300G, 350D, and six 350Gs, from ’10 to ’16 models). John Deere 250D articulated dump trucks move stumps to grinders. After having traded in several pieces earlier this year, Fitzgerald's
SLT SNAPSHOT Fitzgerald Excavating and Construction, Inc. Covington, Va. Email: dfitz86@aol.com Founded: 2000 Owner: Barbara and Dave Fitzgerald, Sr. No. Crews: Multiple, varies from job to job; typically, 4-8 crews active at a time Equipment: 3 cutters, 3 skidders, 3 loaders, 4 dozers, 10 excavators, 4 grinders, 2 dump trucks, 7 log trucks, 10 log trailers, 4 mulch trailers Average Haul Distance: 75-100 miles Tidbit: Fitzgerald is one of the only land-clearing contractors in its area that sorts wood for grade rather than just chipping everything. This allows the company to bid less for jobs than many of its competitors and make up the difference by hauling higher value wood products to market.
grinders now include two Morbark 4600 XLs, one wheeled and one tracked, and two wheeled Morbark 6600s, purchased in 2015 and 2017. The grinders range in horsepower from 780 to 1050. Stumps, tops, limbs and all unmerchantable material goes through a grinder, as burning is banned by law in northern Virginia. For hauling, Fitzgerald has seven Kenworth T800s ranging from 2006 to 2017 models, that pull three Big John and seven Pitts trailers along with four Pitts walking floor mulch trailers, added in March this year. Davey estimates the company’s total investment at close to $10 million. Equipment dealers are Alban Cat in Manassas, James River Equipment in Winchester for John Deere, and Forest Pro in Scottsville for Tigercat. To keep up with all maintenance, Fitzgerald employs just one fulltime mechanic at its shop/wood
yard in Winchester, Va. However, Davey says they buy almost all their equipment with a preventative maintenance plan, so most everything is taken care of by the dealer. This is one reason they keep machines relatively new. “We swap machines in that 4-5,000 hour range, which is about every three years or so,” he notes.
Origins In 2000 Dave, Sr. had a contract to run two Bandit machines to process the oversized wood going into the MeadWestvaco paper mill in Covington. It was thought this would be a cheaper alternative to taking those logs to a company landfill, which was getting full. Unfortunately, the cost of running the grinder was never factored into the mill’s budget, so local management evidently faced some difficulty explaining to corporate where
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takes about 250, 000 yards of that mulch annually, while two other companies, Lowe Products, in Shepherdstown, W.Va., and Remington Mulch, in Fairfax, Va., each took about 150,000 yards last year.
Team
Davey Fitzgerald, left, pauses with his father, Dave, Sr.
that money was going. “We did a few 40-hour contracts and were told that was it; it didn’t work out,” Davey recalls. Around that time the younger Fitzgerald was completing high school and eager to join the family business. Since they already had the Bandits, they decided to put the machines to good use, picking up some smaller land clearing jobs around Salem, Blacksburg and Roanoke, 40-50 miles south of Covington. “That was just spurred by having the grinder,” Davey admits. “We weren’t set up to get into land clearing. My first land clearing job was five acres and I think it took me six weeks to do it. Now we do five acres in a few days, per crew.”
Operations The company separates its assets into multiple crews as required by each job; at times they run as many as eight crews, other times the operations are consolidated into only three or four. “It depends on the job,” Davey notes. “There may be a three or four week hold on one job while the dirt guys create ponds and establish erosion and settlement control (E&S) around the perimeter. We may clear a job and only be in a few days, and then out for a few weeks until the dirt guys call us to come back. But with managing eight jobs, we can always stay busy. If you can’t work here, you might be able to do something on another job.” Usually, one of the jobs is a sizeable one. Last November, for instance, Southern Loggin’ Times visited one Fitzgerald crew working on a 62-acre subdivision project in Woodbridge, near Dumfries and close to DC, right on the Potomac River. A job of that size usually takes more than two months. “No clearing job is a breeze,” Davey warns. “It has to be done right. The county has laws and regulations you have to follow. County inspectors check on it.” The job in November was in Prince William County. The company also fre52
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quently works in Fairfax and Loudon counties, and in the Richmond and Charlottesville areas. Most of the work is for subdivisions and churches, and most of it is in hardwood natural growth stands. Grade logs go to American Hardwood, Waynesboro, Va., and low grade logs to Kessel Sawmills in Kaiser, W.Va., 150 miles away. All pulpwood is delivered to the Winchester wood yard where it is run through a Peterson 5000H debarker and chipper combo unit. Davey reports, however, that the pulpwood market has taken a nosedive in 2017, with low prices and low quotas. The vast majority of ground material ends up at the Verso Corp. paper mill in Luke, Md., with the balance bound for Glatfelter’s pulp mill in Spring Grove, Pa. All transportation to those mills, however, is handled by another company, Grant County Mulch based in Peterson, W.Va. “They own the chipper, they pay me for the wood and it is theirs from there,” Davey says. “They contract with Verso and Glatfelter, so I am not actually trucking to the mills.” As for what Fitzgerald grinds in the woods, Grant County
Fitzgerald Excavating employs 22, with five foremen overseeing operations. They are Jared Whetzel, Keith Gardner, Eddie Loy and Dave and Davey Fitzgerald. Other crewmembers are Edward Akers, Timothy Edwards, Ethan Hargrove, James Howard, Jody Jenkins, Joe Kaiser, Luiz Lopez, Jeff See, Todd Suits, Gary Swisher, Johnny Thompson, Randy Trenary, Howard Whitaker and Charles Whittington. Office workers are Janice Miller, Barbara Fitzgerald and April Fitzgerald. The company holds “lunchbox talks,” as they call it, to discuss safety concerns once a week, usually on Monday mornings. It also conducts an annual safety meeting at a hotel or restaurant in Winchester, usually in January or February when business is slower. These meetings last all morning, through breakfast and lunch. Also, each of the five foremen has undergone CPR and first aid training and is certified under the Virginia SHARP Logger program. Davey and his wife April have three sons: Dave Fitzgerald III (better known as Tripp), 8; Kiptyn, 5, and infant Bryson. Since this spring, April has been running the office. Davey is an avid deep-sea fisher and hunter. He takes trips three or four times a year from Oregon Inlet, NC, and has been taking his sons with him since Tripp was only six weeks old. Dave, Sr., still hunts occasionally, but that is his only hobby. Although the DC area housing market was impacted in 2008, the housing market in the area has
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been more robust than in most of the rest of the country in the years since, according to Davey. “Northern Virginia is in a niche because of the government jobs and a lot of tech jobs, and they make good money, so housing has not been as slow here since 2010. The last three years have been like it was in 2005-2007.” Weather, he admits, is probably one of his top concerns, as it is for most loggers. “The winters in northern Virginia are wet, and the dirt guys can’t move dirt when it’s wet, so they don’t want the land to be cleared. If you have a couple of rainy days, then we probably won’t be able to work the rest of the week, because with the low temperature the ground won’t dry out. We don’t quit, though, we work on through; we just don’t work profitably.” Last winter was mild, he says, and he is hoping this year will be as well. “Sure, I like snow too, but just not too much of it.” As for what keeps him awake at night these days, the younger Fitzgerald can only chuckle. “My wife says I worry when I have too much work and she says I worry just the same when I don’t have enough work.” Davey says work is slower in the winter due to weather, but for seven months a year, from April through October, he has all he can handle. As 2017 heads into its final quarter, he says, he is looking forward to a busy autumn season, with a lot of work on the books. In fact, the year as a whole has been a good one, with several positive new contracts and deals made. Davey says, “We’re looking forSLT ward to the future.” NOTE: A version of this article ran previously in the January/February 2017 issue of Timber Harvesting & Wood Fiber Operations, another HattonBrown publication.
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12 ➤ block with wide open markets and we could move 25 loads a day, we’d be struggling with the old loader,” he admits. “If we could move 25 on a constant basis, we could buy a new loader. But with the quota, the extra 10 loads I miss, I can’t afford to buy a new piece. What happens is you have to just keep going.” The same quota struggle with the loaders is why Tim Con only runs two of the three skidders. He explains further, “Why don’t I run it? I can’t
handle it through the loader and the quotas. It’s not going to be long before it starts stairstepping down the same way it stairstepped up.” Corey says a bump in the market in 2013 allowed him to comfortably make a few trades, but he cautions that the cycle hurts loggers more than it helps. “There are some loggers that are going to have to go out of business because their quota is overpowering their payments. They are going to go broke; that’s the way this cycle works.”
Maintenance Oil is changed in the woods every five weeks, which shakes out to be 300 hours. The crew does smaller maintenance jobs in the woods, led by crew foreman Robby Harris. Tigercat dealer CTW Equipment, does the majority of all work. Corey prefers passing off the maintenance load to the dealer, saying: “I like that I don’t have to have a certified $50 mechanic on the job all the time. I just have to handle oil
changes and hoses, and don’t have to have all the technology.” Corey leans on Colony Tire for new tires, as well as any tire work. He price shops and (usually) ends up with Firestone. The crew keeps a 10,000-gallon fuel tank in the woods, along with a service truck outfitted with hand tools. Corey says that like tires, he price checks fuel, but has found himself using Country Mart for the last 20 years. “They’re very dependable. Prices don’t vary a lot,” Corey says.
Trucking Tim Con runs its own fleet of trucks. Corey says that it’s difficult at times, but it’s still the best way to get wood hauled to the mill. The crew uses 11 trucks (a mixture of Kenworth and International) and all Pitts trailers. Each truck runs with a GPS system. Trucks do not run scales, but do use Fleetmatics, which help Harris and Corey keep up with them. Corey and Harris coordinate the daily truck flow depending on woods production. Lilley International in Williamston, NC or MHC Kenworth in Rocky Mount, NC repair trucks. Corey sends them to the dealership for everything, including greasing. “We have done this for the last three sets of trucks,” he explains. “We think it’s a big plus because I don’t have vendors say ‘if you had done this, this wouldn’t have happened.’” He adds that the initial cost is outweighed by the peace of mind he gets knowing that the trucks’ warranties are still intact. Colony Tire services the trucking fleet, which mainly runs recaps. The trucks do have a shop in Jamesville just big enough for one truck to squeeze in if a quick, simple repair is needed. The shop is mainly used for storage now. Some trucks park at the shop, some go back to driver’s homes, depending on the haul distance.
Staying Ahead Corey says after all his time in logging, he can say with confidence that loggers are the smartest folks in the world. He explains, “They’ve got to be the safety coordinator, their own environmentalist, human resource manager. The mills have six different managers for these departments and [foreman] Robby is six managers all in one. You tell me who is the smartest? Each one of them is perfect in their game; he’s got to be perfect in six games.” He draws a parallel to the saying, “jack of all trades, master of none,” but corrects it: a logger, he be54
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lieves, must be a master of all trades. For example, Harris, as foreman, must coordinate with CTW about getting equipment repaired, as well as running the monthly safety meetings. He also must properly plan for the 60-acre tract to have enough trucks each day to get sorts where they need to go.
Involvement Corey currently serves as the Chairman of the Carolina Loggers Assn. (CLA), having been active and in leadership since the group’s beginning. He believes firmly in the power of the association to work in government on a logger’s behalf—and that includes financially supporting a CLA Political Action Committee (PAC). “If we don’t say anything and just keep on going, we are going to be run out of business,” Corey believes. His strong belief in industry involvement and the importance of supporting associations extends to his role on the board of the new Team Safe Trucking (TST) initiative, which seeks to put together a training program to ensure all log trucks are not only insurable, but safe on the roads. “There’s a huge monster out there that I don’t know if a lot of people understand,” Corey says. “We’re down to just two insurance companies that will insure log trucks and they are talking about quitting. If both were to lay down, what’s going to happen?” Corey says his goal is to have a voice at the table and help come up with a plan to be part of the solution. In his opinion, TST will evolve into an education program like ProLogger, with materials and input from in-woods people, mill people, insurance companies and regulators. “With a little bit of training we could be better,” he believes. Corey says the situation with the government is not totally unlike the situation with the mills. It all goes into the pot and sometimes, we can’t control how the paddle is being stirred. However, we can influence the stirrer. “I’m afraid we don’t realize the magnitude of what’s ahead of us, legislation that is going to be so critical to our industry and we’re not prepared for it,” he warns. “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu, and taxes are coming. Our state needs money—I don’t know many states that don’t need money—and they are looking everywhere to get it.” His biggest concern is legislation on the horizon regarding taxes. “We pay virtually nothing in taxes on equipment,” he points out. “If that goes away, that’s a
heck of a lot of money. It’s not going to be anything for the people in Raleigh to decide that they want that money.” But having a seat at the table and hopefully influencing some of the legislators could stave that off. Corey says that one of the biggest things the logging industry as a whole struggles with is the ability to see forward. And seeing forward, of course, is critical to planning ahead. One way to see forward, according to Corey, is to go to meetings, talk
to each other and figure out what’s coming so everyone can be ahead of the curve—proactively managing their business, not reactively managing their business. “When I look around the only thing that’s been constant my whole life is this wood basket. This wood basket is just as big now, if not bigger, than it was when I got into business 50 years ago. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to say manufacturing has come and gone. Manufacturing has changed, but our
wood basket is still here. That’s telling me that something else is coming,” he believes. “It might not be logging like we are doing today but something is coming. It always has. What makes us think it’s going to quit? It’s not. So what we have to do is get ahead. Rather than just logging and letting everyone else figure it out for us and take advantage, we have to understand where the future is carrying us and get ahead of the SLT curve.”
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INDUSTRY NEWS ROUNDUP As We See It: Representing The Good Of The Whole By Ken Martin As I write my last article as President of the American Loggers Council, I would like to say Martin thank you for the opportunity to serve this organization that will always have the interest of loggers at heart. This past spring, our leaders went to Washington voicing our concerns with issues affecting our industry. We have had success with the introduction of the Future Logging Careers Act (H.R.1454), the Resilient Federal Forest Act (H.R.2936), and other issues that have been brought to the forefront in D.C. this year such as the Regulatory Accountability Act, and state maximum weight limits on the interstates. Thanks to everyone for your efforts and keep on pressing the subjects every chance you get. Ever notice that politics is sort of like wrestling a pig? Each time we think we have something moving
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forward and making progress, the pig squeals, slips, ducks and dodges and the game starts again in unseen and undefined directions. I, like most of you, thought with the last election that the Swamp would be drained, that our elected officials would work together for the good of our country and the American people. It seems like all we have is another version of wrestling the pig in government halls, and haven’t even gotten to the Swamp yet. ALC is a very diverse group of states and situations. Some of us have mill closings as others have new facilities opening. Some of us are restricted on interstate hauling while others can haul limited only by the number of axles they will or can put under their loads. To be successful today, we have to haul farther, plan longer term but still be able to react to those obstacles thrown in our way whether they are weather related, mill related, or local, state or federal government related. We have much faster communications, email and text. Com-
munication used to be personal. Today, we just hit “send.” In light of all of the state-of-the-art equipment and innovations in communication we must never forget that we must know our cost of doing business. Most loggers see their board of directors daily; I do. My board has expectations of living a relatively comfortable life, driving reasonable vehicles, having some disposable recreational money, and have quality time with those we choose to spend it with. Realizing all of us are different, we all have varying expectations of return on our investments, of our sweat equity in our operations. In the end, we should all have a quality of life that we can be proud of. ALC has matured with strong leadership through the years. We, as an organization, can put our regional issues aside and look to the overall good of our industry as a whole—something I have always respected and something not seen in many associations today. Too many times we get caught up in the
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“what’s in it for me?” mindset instead of the long-term good of the industry we all have a stake in. If an issue is important in an area today, chances are, there will be a trickle effect to other regions soon. Having serious discussions on these issues up front can often lead to options developing along the way. As we move forward as leaders in our industry, we must continue to invest our time in finding solutions to these everyday obstacles affecting our businesses. Working together, ALC gives us the opportunity to move forward with a unified voice, representing the good of the whole, across our industry. In closing, I look forward to seeing each of you in Natchez in September as we show you a little taste of Southern hospitality. “Keep on Logging.” Ken, his wife Sandy and sons Brent and Brad own and operate Mar-Cal, Inc. with headquarters in Mendenhall, Mississippi. The American Loggers Council is a 501 (c)(6) not for profit trade association representing professional timber harvesters and log truckers in 32 states across the United States with headquarters near Hemphill, Texas.
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INDUSTRY NEWS ROUNDUP ALC Leaders Vote To Stimulate MLC In a move designed to raise the bar on professionalism and build a standalone marketing brand, leaders of the American Loggers Council (ALC) in late July voted to invest in the reinvigoration of its Master Logger Certification (MLC) program, a third-party chain of custody process that has been adopted in some states and put on the back burner in others. Adopted by the ALC in 2000 and based on a model created by the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine (PLC), the MLC program today is recognized in 18 states and three foreign countries. However, the program has been activated in only a few states, but logger proponents contend it is working in their favor and is the wave of the future in a globally competitive world. Speaking on behalf of the program, Maine Master Logger Andy Irish said he was one of the first loggers to achieve MLC status in the state and pointed out that the distinction works in many positive
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ways for his business. “In the big picture perspective, MLC is more about developing a program (that will enable us) to take back our industry. We can do the same thing the beef industry has done. We’ve got to stand together; we must unite.” Other MLC proponents said it is time for loggers to become “proactive versus reactive,” to get ahead of the anticipated requirement of third-party certification with a logger-designed program. One logger
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Caterpillar in Alabama hosted the ALC meeting on logger certificiation.
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referred to current mill-mandated SFI logger requirements as essentially meaningless. “It was crammed down our throat. It was shortsighted. We go along to get along. SFI has no teeth. There is no punishment for violators.” ALC Executive Vice President Danny Dructor stated: “For too long, professional timber harvesters have had others outside of the timber harvesting realm dictating to them what sustainable harvesting practices should look like. We do not know what the outcome of this program will be, or the benefits, if any, but what we do know is that for the past 100-plus years we have been doing business in the same manner with the same results, and unless we as an industry are willing to make changes, it is a guarantee that nothing will change in the procurement process.” The MLC program was discussed in ALC’s spring board meeting in Washington in April, where it was decided that a proposal to enliven it would be voted up or down at its July board meeting, which took place at the Caterpillar Forest Products Training Center in Opelika, Ala. After much discussion, the board voted to accept a proposal by the PLC designed to grow the MLC and make the brand more accepted throughout the country to benefit loggers—an outgrowth of ALC’s five-year strategic plan adopted in 2016. To do this, the ALC will essentially contract with the PLC and/or its companion organization, the Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands (TCNEF), which will provide administrative support to the ALC with three goals: 1) reformu-
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late the MLC subcommittee to standardize the MLC; 2) standardize the marketing and branding of MLC; and 3) provide technical support and outreach to states. These goals, when completed, will theoretically unify MLC within the ALC ranks and gain MLC recognition nationally as a partner in sustainable forest practices. Participation in the program will remain voluntary, and it is up to respective state organizations to
determine just how they implement the program and what costs, if any, might be incurred, according to Dructor. First year cost of the project to ALC is an estimated $50,000. Caterpillar hosted the meeting, providing facilities, receptions, meals and bus transportation to its forest products machine plant at nearby LaGrange, Ga. and hosting an equipment demo near its training facility.
Memorial Service For Jeff Castleberry A memorial service was held August 12 for Jeff Castleberry, 53, vice president of Castleberry Logging, Inc., of Castleberry, Ala. He died at Jeff Castleberry his home in Brewton, Ala. on August 9 after a prolonged illness. A large crowd of fami-
ly and friends from near and far turned out for the service. Jeff was the son of Earline and Ezell Castleberry, a couple wellknown in logging association circles throughout the country. The family business has racked up many honors over the years, including the Timber Harvesting Logging Business of the Year recognition in 2009. Jeff served as supervisor of Castleberry Logging’s chipping and biomass recovery operation until illness sidelined him. Other than his parents, survivors include his widow, a daughter, two stepsons, and two brothers. The family requests that any memorials be made to Pilots for Christ, 107 Airport Rd., Monroeville, AL 36460; or the American Cancer Society.
Holmes Logging Celebrates 40 Years Approximately 100 family members and guests gathered on June 17 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Holmes Logging Co. of Wallace, NC. A family-owned and operated business, Holmes Logging was founded by the late Elbert Holmes of Teachey. A barbecue meal was held at Cypress Creek Primitive Baptist Church. They also heard from four guest speakers: Larry Batchelor, owner, 360 Forest Products; Sammy Mathis, owner, Mathis Trucking; Collie Wallace, Gregory Poole Territory sales manager; and Dan Kornegay, long-time family friend and owner of Dan Kornegay Farms. Robey Holmes, owner of Holmes Logging, introduced his family members in attendance and paid
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tribute to their parents, acknowledging the important role they played in their upbringing. He then introduced his employees and thanked them for what they bring to the job each day, as well as those who supported him over the years. “Robey Holmes is a natural-born leader who constantly strives to bring out the best in his employees. He is not one to shy away from a challenge and is always looking at ways to make the company better,” his wife,
Kim Holmes, says. “He, along with his brothers, credit their success to God and to their parents and continue to carry on their family heritage.” Holmes Logging Co. was established June 17, 1977. Alongside Elbert Holmes, the company included his four sons: Robey, Ray, Gene and Ben. When Elbert died in 1989, Robey Holmes became the sole owner of the company. Throughout the years, the brothers have continued to work together. In 2013, Ray
Holmes and his son, Josh Holmes, started their own business, Backwoods Logging Co. Today, Holmes Logging is one of many companies that contract with 360 Forest Products. Holmes Logging now employs eight. The family went from buying its first farm tractor used to pull wood in 1979 to three skidders, two loaders, a track feller-buncher, rubber tire cutter and a micro chipper. The company operates eight log trucks. The
company has grown from producing 15 loads of wood per week in 1989 to an average of 110 loads per week presently. In 2009, the company branched out and started fuel chipping in addition to logging. In 2016, the company moved from fuel chipping to micro chipping. Holmes Logging Co. is one of only six companies to micro chip for major wood pellet producer, Enviva.
Dost Went From Ball Diamond To Sawmills
Dicky Dost, at right, with Clark Diehl in 1997
Richard (Dicky) Edward Dost, Jr., who was instrumental in the formation of two sawmill operations, and who pitched in the New York Mets minor league organization, died at his home in Louisa, Va. on August 5 surrounded by family and friends after a brief battle with cancer. He was 69. Born September 13, 1947, Dost grew up in Vienna, Va. and graduated from James Madison High School in 1966 where he achieved All State honors in baseball and football. The New York Mets drafted Dost in 1966 as the 81st player taken in a draft that included Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson. Dost who was listed at 6-3, 195, pitched in the minors for two seasons, and reached A ball with the Mets’ Durham Bulls team in 1967.
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In 1973 Dost began a whole tree chipping operation, Chips, Inc., and later built a stationary chip mill in Troy, Va. in 1983. For several years, Clark Diehl, who worked at Diehl Equipment in Gatesville, NC, tried to convince Dost to build a sawmill to process chip-n-saw logs. They teamed up in 1986 and in 1987 broke ground on a scragg mill. In 1993 they built a new sawmill nearby, which they substantially upgraded in 1997. Dost focused more on log procurement while Diehl handled lumber sales. In 2000 Dost and Diehl launched ArborTech Forest Products in Blackstone, Va. and in 2001 they started up a new high production SYP sawmill. Dost was a vibrant man, deeply engaged in the varied aspects of his dynamic life. He was an avid outdoorsman—hunting, fishing and working on his Louisa farm. He also relished spending time with his friends. Dost was a Past Worshipful Master of Reedville #321 Masonic Lodge and Louisa Lodge #58. He served as president of the Louisa Industrial Development Assn. He was inducted to the James Madison Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.
He was husband of 20 years to Karen Dost of Louisa, brother to Joann Dost of Pebble Beach, Calif. and Jacqueline Lee Dost of Vienna, father of Wally Dost and Heather Moroch of Louisa, and doting grandfather to seven grandchildren.
West Fraser Purchases Gilman SYP Sawmills West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. is acquiring the operations of the Gilman Companies from the Howard Gilman Foundation and other share-
holders for US$430 million. The Gilman operations include sawmills in Dudley, Fitzgerald and Blackshear, Ga.; Lake Butler, Maxville and Perry, Fla.; and a fingerjoint/millwork plant in St. Marys, Ga. These operations employ 900.
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MACHINES-SUPPLIES-TECHNOLOGY Oregon Cutting System
Oregon announced the new SpeedMax XL .404 cutting system, built with a focus on cutting speed, strength and durability. The system delivers maximum uptime through advanced designs across the bar, chain and sprocket. “Cutting system speed and durability are two of the most important factors when it comes to increasing productivity in the forest,” says Derek Vlcko, Business Segment Director for Forestry “We want to help our harvester operators spend more time in the cab and less time changing out equipment.” The new .404 cutting system features a 19HX saw chain and tall chamfer chisel cutters that combine durability with improved chip clearance to deliver faster and more consistent cuts. The SpeedMax XL guide bar is designed to minimize time between cuts by reducing vibration to the cutting system; this guide bar has been widened to improve chain retention. It also features a tail contour to decrease friction, making it less likely to throw chain. The larger 14tooth replaceable sprocket nose features highalloy industrial bearings and requires fewer rota-
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tions to accomplish the same work with less heat build-up – extending the life of the nose. The 404 Rim Sprocket is precision-balanced and machined from durable solid-billet steel. It’s equipped with a raised-tooth design to reduce chain stretch and improved debris ejection with tapered side-ports. Visit oregonproducts.com.
Rotochopper Colorizer Rotochopper launches the Generation 2 Colorizer, which builds on the success of the original Rotochopper patent by increasing throughput capacity without sacrificing single-pass coverage. The original colorizer patent gives Rotochopper grinders the exclusive advantage of injecting colorant directly in the grinding chamber, using the force of the grinding process to evenly coat all mulch particles. The Generation 2 patent enhances this unique color application method by adding a secondary colorant atomization system directly behind the grinding chamber screen. The secondary spray manifold applies colorant to mulch particles while they are spaced apart and travelling at
high speed, ensuring even coverage. The ratio of primary and secondary colorant application can be easily adjusted to match different feedstocks and mulch specifications. The secondary spray bar allows for higher production rates without compromising color integrity, even with darker shades like black and brown. The Generation 2 Colorizer allows high-volume mulch producers to monitor and fine-tune all critical parameters, including colorant usage (by volume and weight), water, throughput, engine or motor load, and infeed speeds. The Generation 2 Colorizer is available for select grinders in 2017, with broader availability in 2018. Visit rotochopper.com.
Tigercat Telematics Systems Tigercat offers RemoteLog, the company’s new telematics solution. RemoteLog was designed after extensive field research that included feedback from customers from around the world. The result is a simple, robust telematics solution that works even in the most remote locations. Now loggers can track key machine performance metrics from their desktop or tablet to maximize machine productivity and reduce operating costs. Telematics project engineer Rob Archibald comments, “RemoteLog is a valuable new tool for loggers to optimize productivity
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MACHINES-SUPPLIES-TECHNOLOGY and minimize downtime by having data that matters right at your fingertips.” Logging sites are often well out of range of cellular phone service providers so RemoteLog uses a satellite data connection that provides global coverage. Data is automatically updated to secure servers on a regular basis. Data includes: machine location and movements; activity timeline to identify when a machine is idle, operating, shut down or refueling; fuel levels and consumption; mechanical performance parameters; critical
machine messages. The data is presented in a simple, easy-to-navigate web portal that runs on all major desktop and tablet browsers so it is available from anywhere with an internet connection. No special operator training is required. The system collects and sends data automatically. Extensive reporting and analytics built into RemoteLog mean owners can see at-a-glance when the machine is working or if there are potential problems developing. Users can also set up alerts to notify service per-
sonnel. Dealers can see error codes and other important mechanical information to help get the right service and parts on the first visit. RemoteLog helps owners address simple things such as filter changes before they become major headaches and lets dealers offer proactive service for spare parts and consumables. The hardware components of RemoteLog consist of a satellite antenna on top of the machine that is well protected by a polycarbonate housing. A telematics computer module is located in the cab. The computer module connects to the machine data bus to read maintenance information and to the satellite antenna for data upload. The module will shut down automatically after three days with no key-on cycle to conserve machine battery. Visit tigercat.com
Oil-Free Lubricant
Swedish company Sustainalube has patented technology for a new type of environmentally friendly oilfree lubricant. To create the lubricant, Sustainalube combines glycerol with new non-toxic additives. Glycerol is a byproduct from biodiesel production. It is edible, drinkable and water soluble. The lubricant has shown excellent performance in both extremely high and low temperatures, as low as -30 °C/-22 °F. Through a combination of specific additives in accordance with their patent, Sustainalube has been able to create a lubricant that is 100% biodegradable. This means that machines and equipment are maintained in a clean condition for a longer period of time compared to oil-based counterparts. “What we have done here is to create a win-win offer by understanding what really drives value for our customers,” according to Christian Olsson, Sustainalube CEO. Tests performed by Swedish forest harvesting companies have given Sustainalube great results. Sustainalube’s research team is working on developing new products that will be on the market soon. Visit sustainalube.com. 68
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PRINT CLASSIFIED AD RATES: Print advertising rates are $50 per inch. Space is available by column inch only, one inch minimum.
Click. Connect. Trade.
DEADLINES: Ad reservation must be received by 10th of month prior to month of publication. Material must be received no later than 12th of month prior to month of publication.
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CONTACT: Call Bridget DeVane at 334-699-7837, 800-669-5613, email bdevane7@hotmail.com or visit www.southernloggintimes.com
Logo indicates that equipment in the ad also appears on www.ForesTreeTrader.com
FOR SALE • 2012 John Deere 843K Feller Buncher, 5,400 hrs., new front tires, back tires-60%, great condition............................. $107,000 • 1995 John Deere 748G skidder, good condition, new motor, spare tire included ..............POR • 1999 Service truck, complete fuel and air ready.......................................... $4,500 • Koehring 20 inch sawhead......... $4,500
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Ready To Place Your Classified Ad? Call 334-699-7837, 800-669-5613 or email class@southernloggintimes.com for print ads.
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Call or email: Charles Woolard
252-946-9264 office 252-945-0942 cell
Washington, NC Email: easterneq@earthlink.net
Go to www.eebinc.com for details and pictures plus other equipment for sale
2012 Tigercat 234, engine replaced in 15, 2008 Tigercat 610C D/A, 6800 hrs. Big John Trailer
03 Tigercat 718 w/5000 saw, new engine & hydrostatics
PACKAGE PRICE FOR COMPLETE LOGGING JOB. OWNERS ARE RETIRING, GO: HTTP://EEBINC.COM FOR A COMPLETE LIST ON TRUCKS AND EQUIPMENT
2008 JD 648H TC, D/A, HD axles, engine replaced, winch.......................... $56,000
2014 Trelan 23WRC, C27 w/800hp, 2013 Bandit 2290, CAT 440HP, 1200 hrs. 3000+ hrs................................ $249,000 ................................................ $145,000
2016 Morbark 2755 w/3-Flail Chiparvestor, CAT C27 w/1050 HP, 230 hrs., Platinum eng. Warranty.................... $Call
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2010 CAT 559B, 7292 hrs., Rotobec 4552 2011 JD 648H S/A, 9800 hrs., 30.5 tires grapple............................................ $95,000 ...................................................... $88,500
2013 Deere 643K Feller Buncher STK# LT656353; 4,872 hrs $69,500
2013 Deere 843K Feller Buncher STK# LU650924; 6,500 hrs $96,000
2011 Deere 437D Knuckleboom Loader STK# LV208627; 8,302 hrs $78,000
2011 OT Chambers Delimbinator STK# LTD10321; 4,412 hrs $46,000
2013 Deere 648H Skidder STK# LU652654; 8,091 hrs $155,000
2015 Deere 648L Skidder STK# LT669159; 3,053 hrs $169,500
2015 Deere 748L Skidder STK# LT669326; 2,492 hrs $202,000
2015 Deere 948L Skidder STK# LT671740; 3,773 hrs $202,000
2013 Deere 748H Skidder STK# LU652669; 8,761 hrs $85,000
Visit ForesTreeTrader.com for online listing opportunities.
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• 21’ 3 Strand Log Deck w/ H.D. Roller Chain mtr & Dr. • 21’ 2 Strand Log Deck w/ H.D. Roller Chain mtr & Dr. • 40’ Endwise Log Through Conveyor w/ Heavy Duty Chain & 10Hp S Drive • Oregon Chain Bar Type Cut Off Saw 15Hp mtr w/ 5 Arm Push Over • 21’ Endwise Log Through Conveyor w/ mtr & Dr • 15 Hp Hydraulic Unit • 4’ x 5’ Control Cab w/ Steps • GE Breaker Box & Starter Box • 12’ x 15’ Slab Slide • 78’ Endwise Log Through Conveyor w/ 4 Arm Kicker mtr & Dr • 16’ Mellott 3 Strand Log Deck w/ 4 Arm Stop & Load w/ Tulsa Winch Hyd. Dr • (10) Spare 56” Saws • Mellott Rosserhead Debarker Type 10 w/ Cab & Controls w/ New Siemens 30Hp mtr. • 15Hp Hydraulic Unit • 58’ Split Level Drag Chain Bark Conveyor To Hog. W/ mtr & Dr • 100’ Patz Bark Conveyor Mtr & Dr • 17’ Mellott 3 Strand Log Deck w/ Stop & Load & Hyd. Dr • Shop Built Bar Type Log Turner • Lane 42” 4 H.B. Carriage Hydraulic 53’ Of Track Laneteck Setwork Panograph & Controls S/N • Tyrone Berry 220 Cable Feedwork 75Hp mtr S/N 2604 • Husk Frame w/11’ Lumber Belt • 56” Carbide Inserted Tooth Saw • Mellott 5’ x 5’ Saw Cab w/ Polaris Heater & AC Unit • 20Hp Hydraulic Unit (Blue) • 200 Lincoln Hp Mtr 780 RPM • 40’ Mellott Live Rollcase 24” Rolls 15’ Section Is A Slab Tilt w/ 4 Arm Tilt To Resaw mtr & Dr • 46’ Patz Dust Conveyor Coming From Back Of Mill mtr & Dr • 77’ Belt Conveyor 18” Belt mtr & Dr • 22’ 3 Strand Lumber Deck To Resaw 3 Arm Stop & Load mtr & Dr • 10’ 4 Strand Transfer Deck To Resaw w/ H78 B Turtle Back Chain mtr & Dr w/ 3 Arm Kicker • 18’ Live Rollcase To Resaw 24” Rolls mtr & Dr • 1995 Stenner Horizontal Resaw Type MSH10 MC #AP 100 48 5” 30Hp mtr. 1770 RPM w/ MuData Setwork & All Controls • (11) Spare Saws
• Mellott 5’ x 5’ Saw Cab • 27’ Outfeed From Resaw 24” Rolls w/ 4 Arm Kicker mtr & Dr • Mellott 4 Strand Transfer Deck mtr & Dr • 50’ Return Rollcase To Resaw 24” Rolls mtr & Dr • 24’ 3 Strand Lumber Deck To Edger H78B Chain w/ Stop & Load mtr & Dr • Reckart Size 642 3 Saw Edger 9’ Infeed Rolls 18’ Outfeed Tailing Belt w/ 75Hp mtr • (8) Starters & Breaker • 8’ 3 Strand Transfer Deck H78 B Chain mtr & Dr • 46’ Live Rollcase 24” Roll (6 Rolls Are Spiral w/ mtr & Dr) • 19’ Mellott 3 Strand Transfer Deck w/ C55 B Rooftop Chain mtr & Dr • 16’ Newman Double End Trimmer 30” Saws 15Hp Mtr w/ Controls & Block Conveyor • (2) Spare New Saws For Trimmer • 43’ Belt Conveyor 18” Belt mtr & Dr • 17’ Belt Conveyor From Trimmer 17” Belt mtr & Dr • Aprox. 25Hp Blower & Pipe • 107’ Belt Conveyor From Edger To Mill 18’ Belt mtr & Dr • 85’ Belt Conveyor 16” Belt mtr & Dr To Vibrator Conveyor • 65’ Mellott Vibrating Conveyor 24” Bottom 8” Sides mtr & Dr • 66” Morbark 6K Chipper 3 Blanks SIN 664 (Nice Chipper) • 250Hp Lincoln mtr. 1775 RPM Electrical Room • Benshaw 300 Hp Soft Start 480V 361 Amps 3Ph • C/H 600 Amp H.D. Safety Switch • (2) GE Circurt Breaker Box • Ge 200Hp Starter Box • Square D Size 4 Starter Box • C/H 600 Amp Safety Switch w/ Breaker Box • Wall w/ (14) starter & Safety Switches • Wall w/ (19) Starter & Safety Switches • Lincoln Welder • Hanchett Size 48 Type DN S/N 8425 Chipper Knife Sharpner • Spare Saws For Edger • Spare Sproket • Bearing • Sullair LS-10 25Hp Air Compressor Hrs 13927 9450828-01085 • Airtek Model TD 170 Air Dryer S/N 9708 Max PSI 150PSIG (Like New) • Brown & Sharpe Milling Machine • Many Electric Mtrs Of All Size
• Many Spear Gearboxes • New Never Put In Mellott 6 Strand Unscramble • 18’ 3 Strand Deck • 18’ 3 Strand Deck • Aprox. 120’ 3 Strand Green Chain Frame • 60’ Weldtec Scale 10’ x 60’ Digital Readout S/N H7435 Model I0700 Sold By Picture • 40’ Flatbed Trailer w/ Straps Sold By Picture • Franklin 2070 Cutter w/ Shear Head Cummin 5.9 Eng Turbo Charge 240 Axles 28L 26’ Tires • Complete Silva Tech Setworks 5/N 384w/ Control Strand • Dich L. 750 Straight Line Rip Saw • Mellott 36” Rosserhead Debarker Model 200 30Hp Mtr On Head 15Hp Mtr Hyd. • 48” Fulghum Top Feed Top Discharge • DeLimber Gate Rolling Stock • 2000 Ford F 150 XLT Triton V8 Automatic Transformer • 1984 International Log Truck w/ Prentice 120 KBL S/N TH786EOCH • 1999 Sterling Dump Truck C12 Cat Eng. 95p. Trans 16’ Bed (11) 24 Tires Tri Axle 330,000 Miles • Case W-14 Wheel Loader w/ Bucket Need Motor • 1974 Fruehauf Closed Top Chip Van S/N HPS517198 Model FG6-F2-40 • 40’ 1977 Fruehauf Closed Top Chip Van S/N HPY583163 Model FG6-F2-40FF • 40’ Strick Open Top Trailer • 1976 Fruehauf 40’ Closed Top Chip Trailer S/N HPX547950 • Fruehauf 40’ Closed Top Chip Trailer • 40’ Strick Closed Top Chip Trailer • 40’ Strick Closed Top Chip Trailer • 40’ Flatbed Trailer Need New Floor • 1987 Barko 275A KBL Mounted Trailer 6.5 Cummins • Vermeer TG 400 Tub Grinder 400 Cat Engine Surplus Equipment Of R.E. Carrol Loggin Inc. • 2000 Tigercat 630 Dual Arch Skidder #6300626 Solid Machine Runs Daily • 2001 Tigercat 630 B Dual Arch Skidder #6301013 New Injection Pump, Runs Daily • 2006 John Deere 848 G Dual Arch Skidder #WC848GX001205 New Center Section, New Craddle Pins & Bushings, Solid Machine
• 1997 Barke 275B Loader #21791 Rotobec Grapple, Saw Buck & Delimber • 1995 Tigercat 726 Saw Head # 7260568 • 1996 Tigercat 720 Shear Head # 7201538 Very Good Machine • 1995 John Deere 648G Skidder #DW648GX551890 Single Arch, Winch • 2000 John Deere 648GII Skidder #569152 Single Arch, Winch • 2000 John Deere 648GII Skidder #570119 Single Arch, Winch • 1999 Tigercat 630 Skidder #6300512 New Rebuilt Engine, New Injector Pump, Single Arch, Runs Daily, Good Machine • 1998 Tigercat 240 Loader #2400178 Sawbuck & Delimber Hookups, New Hydraulic Pump • 1999 Barko 275 B Loader #22367 w/ Tongue Mounted CTR 400 Delimber, Sawbuck Hookups • 2003 Barko 595 Loader #10323306 Rotobec Grapple Sawbuck & Delimber Hookups • CTR 42 IP Sawbuck • CTR 400 Set Out Delimber • 1994 Chevrolet Crew Cab Dually 3500 w/ 9FT Reading Tool Body 1GBHC33K7RJ33619 • 1997 Chevrolet Crew Cab Dually 3500 w/ 9FT Tool Body 1GBHC33R3VF013565 • 1998 Chevrolet Crew Cab Dually 3500 w/ 9FT Tool Body 1GBHC33R2WF011792 • 1999 Kenworth 1XKDD99XXXJ785873 Daycab T800 10 Speed, Air Ride, 11R 22.5 Tires Headache Rack • 1999 Kenworth 1XKDD99X4XJ785884 Daycab T800 10 Speed, Air Ride, 11R 22.5 Tires Headache Rack • 1999 Kenworth 1XKDD99X8XJ785886 Daycab T800 10 Speed, Air Ride, 11R 22.5 Tires Headache Rack • 2004 Ford F250 Crew Cab 4WD 1FTNX21L94EC38797 • 2001 GMC 3G0KC34B51M101344 Single Cab Daully 3500 HD, 8.1L Engine, 11FT Knapheide Tool Body • 1981 14C Fiat Bulldozer #18704 4-Way Hyd Controlled Blade, Manual Angle • 1987 Cat D6D Bulldozer #75W02657 4Way Hyd Controlled Blade, Manual Angle Winch • CTR 400 Set Out Delimber • CTR 400 Remote Delimber , 4 Cyl Cummins Engine Electronic Controls Included • (4) 30.5 X 32 Tires That Are 50% On John Deere Style 14 Bolt Wheels That Are 2 Years Old
13439
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FOR SALE
252-945-2358
566
Carver Sawdisk Repair
912-687-6887
280
13436
The time to straighten a bent sawdisk is soon after it is bent or the disk will rapidly over time be out of balance due to uneven metal loss. Such a disk may require extraordinary means to establish balance. A dial indicator will not give a true reading of a disk's sraightness if that disk has been operated bent for a period of time. Straightening service for all types of feller buncher sawdisks. I use TIG welding exclusively to repair cracks. MIG wire welding is not advised for repairing sawdisks.
WANTED TO BUY
Cat 518 & Cat 518C skidders in TX, LA area Call Kent 936-699-4700 r_kentjones@yahoo.com
2003 Tigercat 822 Feller Buncher New under carriage, trirail and new interior Call Bill
IF YOU NEED
To buy or sell forestry, construction, utility or truck equipment, or if you just need an appraisal, contact me, Johnny Pynes with JM Wood Auction. Over 25 years experience.
Day 334-312-4136 Night 334-271-1475 or Email: johnwpynes@knology.net
770
NOTICE
6209
EUREKA! EUREKA! EUREKA! OWNERS HAVE OVER 30 YEARS COMBINED EXPERIENCE!
N
EUREKA SAW TOOTH CO., INC.
7180
We can save you money on Saw Teeth. Hundreds of satisfied ACC OW EP customers. Rebuilt Exchange or New. We specialize in rebuild- CRE TING DIT ing Koehring 2000, Hurricana, Hydro Ax split teeth and all CARDS other brands. Call Jimmy or Niel Mitchell. Quantity Discounts!
4433
4275 Moores Ferry Rd. • Skippers, Virginia 23879 PH./FAX (day) 1-434-634-9836 or Night/Weekends • 1-434-634-9185
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www.equipmentandparts.com
Office : 903-238-8700 • Jason Bruner: 903-452-5290 Bill Bruner: 903-235-2805 H REDUCED PRICES H
SKIDDERS
MULCHERS
13288
FINAN C AVAILA ING BLE
5569
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FOR SALE
2004 John Deere 437C Knuckleboom Log Loader
13,850 hours ..................................................................$35,000
Babac single ring chains now in stock 28L x 26 3/4" ring chains........................... $2,550 3.5 x 32 3/4" ring chains............................ $2,875 35.5 x 32 3/4" ring chains.......................... $3,100 67 x 34 5/8" ring chains............................. $2,000 FREE FREIGHT when 2 pair bought together
2009- 535C CAT, dual arch & winch, cold air, good tires, nice job ready skidder ..........................................................$65,000
TED SMITH
5840 Hwy 36, Russellville, AL Home: 256-766-8179 • Office: 256-766-6491 Fax: 256-766-6962 • Cell: 256-810-3190
KEVIN MONTGOMERY 256-366-1425
2011 John Deere 648H Skidder – 10,600 hours, Good 30.5 x 32 tires, Cab with air, Winch, Ready to work!. $89,500
2008 John Deere 648H Skidder – 9,300 hours, Good 30.5 x 32 tires Cab with air, Winch, Ready to work!................ $78,000
FELLER BUNCHERS
2012 Cat 573C Mulcher – New FAE 200/U225 Tx Smooth Drum, 2 Speed Mulching Head, New high pressure pump and hoses, 240 Hp Cat 7.1 Engine, Cab with air, Ready to work! 400 hours since conversion from a Feller Buncher. Rent to own W.A.C.............. $185,000
2014 Cat 553C Mulcher – NEW FAE 200/U225 Tx smooth drum, 2 speed mulching head, New high pressure pump and hoses, 180 HP Cat 6.6 tier 3 engine, Cab with air, 30.5 x 32 tires, Ready to work! 0 hours since conversion from a Feller Buncher. Rent to own W.A.C. .......................................................... $185,000
RECONDITIONED DELIMBINATORS!! In addition to new machines, CHAMBERS DELIMBINATOR, INC. now has factory reconditioned DeLimbinators. These units have been inspected, repaired, and updated as needed. Call us and we will help you select a DeLimbinator for your need.
WE ALSO BUY USED DELIMBINATORS Call: 662-285-2777 day, 662-285-6832 eves Email: info@chambersdelimbinator.com
2010- 748H John Deere, dual arch & winch, cold air, SWEDA axles, 35.5x32 tires ..........................................................$87,500
2008- 648H John Deere single arch skidder with winch, cold air, tight & ready to work ..........................................................$60,000
Located in Maplesville, Alabama
Call or Text Zane 334-518-99373939
1123
13189
2015 Cat 573C Feller Buncher – 3,126 hours, SC-57 Saw Head, 30.5 x 32 tires, Cab with air, Ready to work!....$139,500
2012 John Deere 643K Feller Buncher – 5,410 hours, Good 28L tires, Waratah FD22B saw head, Cab with air, Ready to work!..................... Reduced to $95,000
2017 Barko 930B Mulcher – FAE 300/U225 smooth drum, 2 speed mulching head, 320 HP Cummins QSL9 engine, 28L tires. Call for pricing and info about our 6month rental purchase option
2013 John Deere 210G LC Mulcher – NEW FAE UML/S/EX-150 VT mulching head, 159 HP 6.8 engine, Good U/C, Ready to work! Rent to own W.A.C. .................................................$165,000
LOADERS
2004 John Deere 843H Feller Buncher – Wartah FD22 Saw Head, Good 30.5 x 32 tires, Cab with air, Ready to work!..... .............................. Reduced to $52,500 Visa and Mastercard accepted
2012 Tigercat 234 Log Loader - 8,000 hours, Mounted on hydraulic leg trailer with Riley Delimber, Cab with cold air, Tight pins, No leaks, Serviced and ready to work!......................................$92,500
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Hose, Fittings & Crimpers
Visit us online: southernloggintimes.com
Helping Loggers Save Money For Over 20 Years 8309
Contact: Chris Alligood 1-252-531-8812 email: chrisa.cavalierhose@gmail.com
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Tracked Feller-Buncher Slides Downhill, Overturns BACKGROUND: On a sunny spring day in the Appalachians, a tracked feller-buncher was selectively harvesting a timber stand that contained underbrush from past ice storms. It had rained the day before. PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: The 56-year-old logger/feller-buncher operator had many years of experience in the woods and had been a state certified/trained logger approximately 25 years. There was a two-way radio in the machine, and the operator was wearing his hard hat. UNSAFE ACTS AND CONDITIONS: The operator was traveling uphill at a slight angle. With the steep, erratic terrain, part of the front of the tracks was off the ground. The operator was unaware of a small root system just under the surface of the ground from an uphill poplar tree. He had failed to fasten his safety belt and had a tool box in the cab that was not secured.
ACCIDENT: The operator had the boom uphill cutting a small sapling, and the bouncing of the boom caused the tracks to slide on the underground roots. The operator was unable to counter the slide with his boom. The machine continued to slide downhill, and when it dug into the ground it flipped sideways downhill. Since the cab was leveled uphill it created a whipping action of several feet, with extreme force, to the operator inside the cab. Other crew members saw the accident and hurried to the machine to get the door open immediately, but it took a few seconds for the operator to shut off the machine because he was disoriented. After getting the operator out, a skidder operator reached in and used the radio to get help. INJURY: The operator had been thrown from his seat to the top of the cab. A small sledge hammer bounced out of the tool box and broke his nose. He also sustained several cuts and bruises from wrenches.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CORRECTION: l Survey the cutting area to make sure rock outcroppings and root systems do not prevent the tracks from gripping the surface. Understand the effect of slope,
rough ground, and machine position/orientation on equipment stability. l Always wear seat belts. l Provide a means of mutual communication for all employees in remote areas so they can alert someone quickly in an emergency. l Secure or remove all objects that may become dangerous in the cab if a rollover occurs. l Operators should regularly check the secondary escape release mechanisms from the outside and inside. Knobs should only be hand tight and required tools should be readily accessible. Supplied by Forest Resources Assn.
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September 10-12—Alabama Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Perdido Beach Resort, Orange Beach, Ala. Call 334-265-8733; visit alaforestry.org. 15-16—Kentucky Wood Expo, Masterson Station Park, Lexington, Ky. Call 502-695-3979; visit kfia.org. 15-16—Mid-Atlantic Logging & Biomass Expo, Laurinburg, NC. Call 919-271-9050; visit malbexpo.com. 28-30—American Loggers Council annual meeting, Natchez Grand Hotel, Natchez Convention Center, Natchez, Miss. Call 409-625-0206. visit amloggers.com. 29-31—Florida Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Sandestin Grand at Baytowne Wharf, Sandestin, Fla. Call 850-222-5646; visit floridaforest.org.
October 3-5—Arkansas Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Holiday Inn Airport, Little Rock, Ark. Call 501374-2441; visit arkforests.org.
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25-27—National Hardwood Lumber Assn. Annual Conv. & Exhibit Showcase, Omni Downtown Nashville, Nashville, Tenn. Call 901-377-1818; visit nhla.com.
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25-27—Texas Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Hotel Fredonia, Nacogdoches, Tex. Call 936-632-8733; visit texasforestry.org.
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