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Vol. 52 No. 10

(Founded in 1972—Our 613th Consecutive Issue)

F E AT U R E S out front:

A Hatton-Brown Publication

Phone: 334-834-1170 Fax: 334-834-4525

www.southernloggintimes.com

South Carolina’s Chad Barfield started working for other loggers after school when he was just 13. As an adult he’s started two different logging companies and a road building company, but his most important job has been as a single dad. Now heading multiple crews with dozens of machines, the self-made success has built his own little empire to pass on to his son Conner. Story begins on Page Page 8. (David Abbott photo) Southern Stumpin’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 From The Backwoods Pew . . . . . . 22 Industry News Roundup . . . . . . . . 26 Machines-Supplies-Technology . . 32 Iron Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

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October 2023

Safety Focus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Mid-South Mississippi Equipment Show

Coming Events/Ad Index. . . . . . . . 38

Publisher David H. Ramsey Chief Operating Officer Dianne C. Sullivan Editor-in-Chief Rich Donnell Senior Editor Dan Shell Managing Editor David Abbott Senior Editor Jessica Johnson Publisher/Editor Emeritus David (DK) Knight Art Director Cindy Segrest Ad Production Coordinator Patti Campbell Circulation Director Rhonda Thomas Online Content/Marketing Jacqlyn Kirkland 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 29 Bugelli Dr. Whitby, Ontario, Canada L1R 3B7 E-mail: jsimmons@idirect.com Western Canada, Western USA Tim Shaddick Tel: 604-910-1826 4056 West 10th Ave. Vancouver, BC V6L 1Z1 E-mail: twshaddick@gmail.com Kevin Cook Tel: 604-619-1777 E-mail: lordkevincook@gmail.com International Murray Brett Tel: +34 96 640 4165 Mobile: +34 66 931 5837 58 Aldea de las Cuevas • 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 ® 2023. 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

Other Hatton-Brown publications: ★ Timber Processing ★ Timber Harvesting ★ Panel World ★ Power Equipment Trade ★ Wood Bioenergy

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SOUTHERN STUMPIN’

By David Abbott • Managing Editor • Ph. 334-834-1170 • Fax: 334-834-4525 • E-mail: david@hattonbrown.com

Tomorrow’s Trucking Tech, Today ou don’t need me to tell you that trucking in general has long been tricky for many businesses operating in the forest products supply chain. The cost of owning and operating your own rigs or gambling on reliability with available contractors, the maintenance, the potential lawsuits, the difficulty with finding and keeping qualified and insurable drivers, and the expense of the insurance—it’s all a headache to a lot of people who just need to transport their logs or pulpwood to the mills. And particularly in the last several years, many in our industry have identified the increasingly expensive insurance for log trucks (and log truck drivers) as an area of major concern. Not a few loggers I meet have referred to their hauling side as a necessary evil.

But it is necessary, evil or not; you can’t get paid much to cut trees down if you can’t haul them to a mill. So with the issue so widespread, it’s no surprise to me that many leaders in the forest products community have stepped forward to try to come up with, and share, potential solutions, or at least ideas on ways to make it work a little better.

For example, at the Mid-South show in Mississippi last weekend (see page 18), I met a couple of reps from Vestige fleet GPS/dash cam systems.

They had a table under the tent and were also there to do some of the continuing education sessions, where they extolled the virtues of having such systems in your log trucks. I was aware of Vestige, a company based in North Carolina, because this month’s cover story, South Carolina logger Chad Barfield, mentioned he uses the system and that it had saved him a bunch of money (see page 8). I sat in on their CE presentation, where they cited some interesting stats showing that in the vast majority of log truck-related accidents, the log truck driver is not at fault, but without video evidence, it’s generally assumed otherwise. I know if I had a logging business, no way would I run trucks without dash cams, including rear-facing cameras mounted on side mirrors.

In the spirit of sharing ideas to improve the industry for everyone, another South Carolina company, Swamp Fox insurance agency, hosted a series of log trucking summits this August in Alabama (Montgomery), Georgia (Marshallville) and South Carolina (Columbia). They actually asked me to be among the speakers at their summit in

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Montgomery, at a venue just a few blocks away from HattonBrown’s home office. I was honored to accept, though I warned them that I am a writer, not a speaker; still, I gave it my best try.

Swamp Fox CEO Rick Quagliaroli and his team say their goal for these summits was to show loggers and log truck owners industry trends that can Joseph Parnell, Parnell, Inc., Maplesville, help make fleet operation safer Ala.. and more profitable, such as crash mitigation technology.

“This was new information to many loggers in attendance,” Quagliaroli says. One such logger in Alabama ordered six new trucks with crash mitigation, according to Rick. “He said he didn’t know that was available until we did this summit, which was exactly what the intent was: Rick Quagliaroli, Swamp Fox Agency to showcase changes in manufacturing processes that would enable them to operate more safely and therefore more profitably.”

Importantly, neither the Swamp Fox team nor any of the invited speakers were there to sell their own products or to advocate for one brand over another. Rather, Rick says, he wanted attendees to come away Jacob Gayle, Pitts Trailers better informed as to what technological features are available and what questions to ask in comparing various providers.

Swamp Fox Agency is the captive manager for Forestry Insurance Co. of the South East, and both are based in Moncks Corner, SC. Sarah Stansell, VP of Marketing for Swamp Fox, says they created the summit in response to requests from Jonathan Sturgill, left, and Jay Morrison, Forestry Insurance Co.'s clients right, from Western Star

Bobby Goodson spoke at Swamp Fox's log trucking summit in Georgia on September 1.

and investors that they share what they’ve learned about technological advancements in the trucking industry. “Our team at Swamp Fox has been researching, developing and crafting material that will help our clients get a better leverage compared to their competitors,” Sarah says. Drivers, she points out, used to view GPS and dash camera systems as an invasion of privacy. “After educating drivers and explaining (that) we want to assist them with the outcome that might have occurred at the time of the incident, they feel that we are working as a team. If a company owner is not aware what they are truly paying for, they are missing a key piece that will help them become more profitable.”

Rick, Sarah and their team assembled an impressive list of speakers for each summit, including representatives from Samsara, Western Star, Mack, Peterbilt, and Pitts, along with each state's trucking association president and DOT officers, as well as loggers like Joseph Parnell and Bobby Goodson. Based on what I saw in Montgomery, they succeeded in presenting some really useful information that I have no doubt benefitted those in attendance. “It was everything we could have hoped for and more,” Rick says.

After the success of this summer’s summits, the Swamp Fox team is planning to hold at least two more summits in 2024 in Alabama and Georgia again. So if you get a chance to make it out to one of those, do yourself a favor and check it out.

SLT Excelsior!

Alabama DOT officers answered highway rules questions.

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Family Plan ■ Single dad Chad Barfield has been building a lasting logging legacy to leave his son Conner.

By David Abbott UNION, SC ★ ome of us work to make a living. Chad Barfield, 52, has worked to make a life—a good life, not just for himself, but for his employees and especially for his son, Conner, as well. Having started working in the woods when he was still a kid himself, Barfield as an adult has focused on his own kid, working toward his goal of building a multigenerational family business for Conner to take over when he’s ready.

Barfield wasn’t born into logging, but he has spent much of his life directly in or indirectly connected to it. Today he owns two successful companies fielding multiple logging and road building crews with a combined inventory of more than 50 pieces of equipment.

But Barfield didn’t get here overnight. He had no family roots in the industry; his dad, Freddie, worked on

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Barfield mounts front tires on one cutter backward, to improve traction on declines.

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the railroad for 40 years. Not having the benefit of an existing family business to step into, Chad’s only option was to pull himself up by his own bootstraps. He started working when he was just 13 years old, helping out logger Raymond Crawford. His mom would drop him off in the woods after school if the crew was working close enough; he’d work with them till dark and then they’d bring him home. On that first job Barfield learned to farm, bush hog, and drive a

Barfield now runs only John Deere machines in the woods.

Chad Barfield started his second logging business, Barfield’s Timber, in 2016. He added a second crew in 2019.

skidder. Later, he became foreman of one of Crawford’s crews.

Soon after finishing high school, he started his first company, Chad Barfield Logging, in 1994. He was successful, growing a little too big a little too quick. In over his head on From left: Nick Vassey, Tony Brown, Chad Barfield, Conner Barfield, Cool Hand, John Bobo, John Rochester; Barfield's son Conner (ceninsurance, he decided to switch gears ter) loves the business and looks forward to joining the team as soon as he can. in 2000, shutting down Chad Barfield Logging in favor of a man, when you’re juggling all new enterprise, Barfield Bullthis,” Barfield says, delivering dozing, LLC, building roads possibly the understatement of for loggers and big timber comthe year. panies like Weyerhaeuser, Not surprisingly, Conner, Greenwood Resources and who seems poised to follow John Hancock. his dad’s footsteps, has spent Ever the entrepreneur, Bara lot of his time growing up in field seized a new opportunity and around logging. He can to get back in logging with run a feller-buncher or a skidanother company, Barfield’s der like a pro; he learned by Timber, LLC, early in 2016 playing with the machines on (which, believe it or not, was the weekends and during sumnearly eight years ago). Since mer and spring breaks. then he has continued to run Barfield never has to wonder both Barfield Bulldozing and what motivates him. “My son,” Barfield’s Timber, both of he says without hesitation. which now have two crews Barfield’s Timber has to be suseach. tainable and healthy, for ConAs if building those businer’s sake. “He wants to do it, nesses didn’t keep him busy he loves it, and I’m going to enough, Barfield has also been build it up for him,” the proud a single dad all this time, raisfather says. Some small busiing Conner by himself with full ness owners don’t have a succustody since the boy was three cession plan in place, but BarFrom left: James Cockrell, Jamison Moss, Marshall Worthy, Chad Barfield, Josh Addis years old. “It’s a full-time job, field already has it all set up Southern Loggin’ Times l OCTOBER 2023 l 9

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Logging crews only work Monday through Thursday.

Together they produce 100 loads on a four day work week.

through his lawyer. When the time comes, everything will be turned over to Conner. So, if Southern Loggin’ Times returns to Barfield’s Timber in another few years, Conner may well be the one running the show.

grader and track hoe alongside multiple Deere dozers. He also has a Brice broom sweeper and John Deere, Massey Fergusson and AllisChalmers tractors.

For moving equipment between jobs or back and forth to the shop, Barfield has three lowboys—Pitts, Holden and a Liddell 55-ton detach lowboy.

To keep up with routine repairs and maintenance on all those trucks and machines, Barfield has everything he needs set up at his 110x50 multi-bay shop. They have a computer to check the codes and plenty of spare parts in

Iron Inventory Barfield’s two logging crews use all John Deere machines; he just completed that transition in 2023, with dealer Dobbs Equipment in Simpsonville giving him a good deal, he says. “I just bought $1 million worth this year, with a loader

and two skidders.” Barfield has a good relationship with forestry VP Patrick Andres and salesman Dustin Gardner at Dobbs.

Logging equipment registry includes two 437E loaders, 643L and 843L feller-bunchers, and 648G-III, 648L-II and 748L-II skidders. Barfield says he doesn’t have many problems with Deere machines; for example, one of the loaders has 10,000 hours on it and has thus far given no trouble at all (knock on wood).

The two Barfield Bulldozing crews field a Caterpillar motor

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stock. The building also includes an office, kitchen, and bathroom with shower. Rather than paying someone to dispose of his used oil, Barfield burns it to heat the shop. “That’s been money well spent,” he believes.

Everything in the Barfield inventory passes through here periodically, and trucks in particular undergo a thorough inspection checklist once a week. Every truck returns to the shop every Thursday for any needed maintenance and repairs on Friday (the woods crews finish production for the week on Thursdays).

When drivers turn in their load tick-

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ets at the end of the week, they also turn in a report to let the shop crew know of any problems they have noticed with the truck throughout the week. “It’s a good system,” Barfield says. The shop team maintains detailed records, organized and color-coded, of everything done on every truck and every machine, tracked by mileage or hours.

Barfield sings the praises of mechanics John Bobo and John Kevin Rochester. “John Bobo is the best I’ve ever seen with tires and tire wear; he can get the good out of a tire, which saves me a lot of money.”

Along with his own full-time shop team, Barfield enlists outside help on some repair jobs from local businesses like Garner’s Truck and Equipment and Kent Burns Welding in Jonesville and Allen Davenport at Davenport Willingham in Newberry. For smaller repair jobs in the woods, Barfield’s crews have several fully equipped service trucks, including one with a crane on it.

Brad Moody at GPM Empire supplies fuel in bulk, delivering off-road and truck diesel to fill tanks at the Barfield shop, and the company issues every truck driver a pay-asyou-go credit card for refueling at any of GPM’s five stations in the area, located near mill wood yards.

Hauling Production

The shop crew restored Barfield's favorite truck this year and he couldn't be more pleased with the end results.

GPM emails Barfield every day with a breakdown of fuel purchases and truck mileage (input by drivers) so he can track costs and fuel economy.

All oil products (including DEF and hydraulic fluid) come from Stockman Oil in Greenville, with Stockman rep Greg Stevens taking care of Barfield’s account and coming by the shop periodically to check it all. “We go through a pallet of DEF every two weeks,” Barfield says.

Liability and worker’s comp insurance are covered under Nick Carter at Timber Risk agency.

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Barfield’s fleet of trucks include Peterbilt, Mack, Western Star and Kenworth rigs pulling Evans and Pitts log trailers. Including spares, he has 10 trucks in all, but has six rolling full-time, three per crew, to keep production moving consistently.

This year shop foreman John Bobo has been restoring a 1994 model Peterbilt 379 with 3406B Cat motor and custom designed headache rack built by welder Kent Burns. Bobo’s partner Anna Thompson did the lettering (as she has done for all Barfield’s trucks and machines). It looks so sharp that people have offered to buy it, but Barfield wants to keep it to drive for himself. “It’s the best one to pull the lowboy with,” he says.

Barfield has equipped all his trucks with dash cameras, and he says the investment paid off almost immediately: “I had a terrible wreck two weeks after I got the cameras.”

The dash cam video footage proved that it was the other driver at fault, not Barfield’s truck driver, and that prevented what otherwise would likely have been a costly lawsuit. “I got cameras on the mirrors and one camera pointed out front; the rear facing mirror camera captured the

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footage of the other vehicle causing the accident. That driver was lucky to be alive.”

The woods crews haul 80-100 loads a week on a Monday-Thursday schedule. “We do it all in four days,” Barfield says. Mills hauled to include New Indy Container Board in Rock Hill, Norbord in Kinards, Boise Cascade Plywood in Chester, McFarlane Cascade (Stella-Jones) pole yard, and West Fraser in Newberry for most chipn-saw.

Both of Barfield’s companies work for timber dealer Foothills Forest Products in Whitmire; the logging crews cut their timber, and the road crews build their roads. Barfield has been working for Butch Green at Foothills since 1994, basically since he first started logging. Green, he says, has been like a second father to him (Barfield’s own dad died in 2017). “Butch has raised me like his own son and he makes sure Barfield’s Timber is taken care of,” the logger says.

Tract size and type varies; one crew might be thinning a 400-acre privately owned tract, while the other crew clear-cuts a 50-acre job for American Forest Management.

Either way, Foothills keeps them

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Dobbs Equipment is Barfield's Deere dealer.

Three trucks per crew average four or five loads a day each, four days a week.

busy, and Barfield buys some tracts for himself, too.

Manpower After starting the first crew in 2016, Barfield added his second crew four years ago. Between the two crews, employees include Josh Addis, Nick Vassey, Luther Feaster, Marshall Worthy, Tony Brown, Jamison Moss in the woods and truck drivers James Cockrell, Jeff Wright, Jeff Postles, Tim Campbell, James Hemphill and Terry Mackey. Dozer crew employees are Bobby Hall and Mark Mills. Josh Addis’s wife Dana Addis is Barfield’s secretary.

Barfield says he has little trouble retaining employees; that three-day weekend every week is surely a good incentive. He pays his men on salary plus bonuses. “They have a guaranteed income, I furnish their uniforms, they get a week sick leave, a week paid vacation, plus they get another week when I go on vacation to the beach with my son, I shut everything down.” And they have a big Christmas party for the company every year down at the shop; Dana puts the names of every employee on the Christmas tree.

It’s important to balance making money with making time for family, friends and fun, too, Barfield believes, and when you can bring in members of the crew, that helps the team bond like a family. “Me and Josh and his wife Dana, and Nick and his wife and family, all our families are tight,” Barfield says. “With my brother-in-law and my sister, we all go to the beach; there will be 20 of us. We go camping on the weekends at Lake Greenwood and places like that; I have a big camper that sleeps nine people. John Bobo and Anna got us into going camping with them.” And of course they make time for deer and turkey hunting and other outdoor recreational activities.

“I’ll put my logging crews up against anybody,” Barfield says.

“They cut stuff other people won’t fool with. The men I got out here and the wood I haul, 100 loads of wood in three and a half days, with SLT six trucks? Shoot.”

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Mild, Warm, Sunny ■ Fall arrives with the return of the Mid-South Show in Mississippi in late September.

In stark contrast to the excessive heat, humidity and/or rain of the past few editions, the Mid-South Forestry Equipment Show in Starkville, Miss., greeted attendees with perfect early fall weather on the first day of the show, held Friday and Saturday, September 22-23, 2023.

The South's longest-running live, in-woods equipment demo was, as always, held on Mississippi State University's 8,500-acre John W. Starr Memorial Forest, adjacent the Charles E. Burkhardt Pavilion.

Rotobec knows what season it is, with special grapples for (from left) Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Alabama and Auburn.

The Mississippi Loggers Assn., Mississippi Forestry Assn. and Mississippi State University partner to produce Mid-South.

B&G/Tigercat hosted the loader contest, while Stribling/John Deere hosted the skidder competition.

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Mississippi's own logging social media sensation, "Bubba Rudy", a.k.a. Levi Spring, was on hand with his whole family to sell merch, sign autographs and take photos with fans.

Per tradition, Mississippi Loggers Assn. held its biennial membership banquet (sponsored by Tigercat and B&G Equipment) on the first night of Mid-South; Mississippi state Senator Tyler McCaughn, who has supported legislation favorable to the industry, was the keynote speaker . Among many awards presented, Executive Director David Livingston (far left) recognized MLA's Logger of the Year: Triple Comer Logging, LLC of Philadelphia.

During the banquet MLA held a Log a Load auction. Auctioneer Roy Holder (right) also led auctions at MLA in 2018 and American Loggers Council in 2022, and will return to ALC in October 2023. Board president Brian Smith's son Truitt Smith (center) had the winning bid ($3,500!) on a custom ax made from a dozer blade. Asked how he would pay for it, Truitt answered, "I have $300!"

Pitts had a major presence at Mid-South, in partnership with members of its dealer network, including LMI Tennesse, Waters International, McComb Diesel, B&G Equipment, Thompson Cat, and Trax Plus. Pitts debuted innovative new products designed to move the industry forward; look for more details from Pitts coming in SLT's November issue.

Many loggers earned CE credit hours through seminars at the show.

Live demonstrations drew big crowds of onlookers.

Total attendance was about 5,000 across two days, with 77 exhibitors.

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FROM THE BACKWOODS PEW

Morale Will Drop When the Dr. Pepper Runs Out Let me take a minute to explain pile burning. Not nearly as prevalent as it once was, it is the process of taking all the debris left over after a logging operation, and pushing it into piles to burn. This is done to clean up the site, Antill

and to make it accessible for tree planters to walk across and plant the next crop of trees. Usually, the tractors will push the piles into long rows, so that the site will have long narrow piles running parallel to each other,

and they will stretch the length of the site. The bigger the site, the longer the rows. The more debris, the larger the individual rows, and the closer these rows are to each other. Spread out your fingers, and imagine each finger is a long pile of wood and vines, and now make your fingers

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large enough to cover 40 acres. Each finger would be around a quarter mile. Got it?

Set it all on fire. The best way to accomplish this is to hire someone else to take a drip torch, walk along the piles, and set them ablaze. As the piles ignite, they give off a great amount of heat, so much that it becomes very difficult to walk between the rows due to this heat. It is better to have someone else endure this heat, often in excess of 130°. Certainly, there is something better for you to do. But if you have to be involved, bring plenty of refreshments.

We were burning piles on a property one summer day. It was already 90° without the heat from the fire, so the heat between the rows was brutal. For this reason, I hired some young college kids to help. Good experience, it would help them decide if they really wanted to go into forestry. I had brought a cooler full of ice, full of water, and various sodas.

As these young fellows came out of the flames for a break, one of the burners dug through the cooler to extract an ice-cold Dr. Pepper, his personal favorite. As he finished off the can, he declared the following bit of wisdom: “Morale will drop when the Dr. Pepper runs out!”

Having spent many a day in the smoke, there are definitely times when you begin to fixate on relief, on finding a place out of the heat, a place where you can have a cold refreshing drink. In life, sometimes we are required to go into the heat.

It isn’t pleasant; it isn’t something we signed up for even. Maybe it is a series of treatments, or a legal procedure. Perhaps it is a move from one part of the country to another.

What we know without doubt is that it is uncomfortable and draining.

Before long, our enthusiasm is gone, and we are bearing down with gritted teeth. Our eyes burn with fatigue and sleeplessness. We stumble towards the cooler, looking for refreshment, for something to boost our morale, because we know we are not out of the fire yet.

If we ignore Jesus, then we are left with platitudes, empty words, clever sayings, no promise, no strength, no encouragement.

“Keep up the good work!”

“Tomorrow will be a better day!”

“Stay strong!”

Yes, if we ignore the words of Jesus, we ignore the very source of love and encouragement that he has offered us to survive in the heat and misery of this world we find ourselves in. We ignore his words of hope and promise, and then wonder why our morale

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crashes, and each day brings more despair. Perhaps we need to dig a little deeper in the cooler.

For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”— Hebrews 13:5b

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”—Matthew 11: 29 Protect your soul; refresh it with the word of Jesus. You will be

amazed at how your morale will improve, and the fire will not seem so hot, or the smoke so dense. And one day, you will see the finished product; and you will rejoice in the trial, and how the words of Jesus, not the

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platitudes of the world, brought you SLT through it all.

Brad Antill author, excerpted from Reflections on Rebellion and Redemption. See it and more at www.onatree forestry.com

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INDUSTRY NEWS ROUNDUP

Georgia-Pacific Announces Closure Of Pulp Mill Georgia-Pacific reported that it informed employees at its Foley Cellulose mill in Perry, Fla. in midSeptember that it plans to permanently close the facility.

“Various factors influenced this difficult decision. Ultimately, GP does not believe that the mill can

competitively serve its customers in the long term despite the significant investments and commitment by GP Cellulose since the site was acquired in 2013,” GP stated. “This is a strategic decision that was made prior to Hurricane Idalia and is not a reflection of the hard work and

effort of the Foley team.”

All of the approximately 525 jobs at the mill will be impacted by the closure. Production was expected to continue for a limited time as the site worked to fulfill as many customer commitments as possible.

The closure will have a ripple effect

on the wood supply chain in the region.

“Georgia-Pacific’s focus in the coming weeks and months is to continue to safely operate while supporting our employees during the transition,” the company stated.

“Georgia-Pacific thanks its employees at Foley for their hard work and commitment and will work with them to provide access to local sup-

“The roughly 525 mill jobs from this closure are just the tip of the iceberg. The closure impacts jobs throughout the supply chain including loggers and log truckers, equipment and parts suppliers, forest landowners, and throughout the local economy at gas stations, restaurants, and convenience stores.”

— Mike Beardsley, executive director, Southeastern Wood Producers

port agencies and job placement resources, including available opportunities within GeorgiaPacific or other Koch companies.”

GP will reportedly offer severance packages for eligible salaried employees. As for hourly employees, GP is bargaining with the United Steel Workers to discuss benefits, including severance.

“Georgia-Pacific’s decision to close Foley Cellulose will be felt throughout the supply chain,” comments Mike Beardsley, executive director of the Southeastern Wood Producers Assn. “2023 has been tough—this is the third permanent closure in the region this year. Certainly, our loggers and log truck drivers will be on the front lines of coping with the closure, not just financially but also logistically figuring where to move the wood profitably. The roughly 525 mill jobs from this closure are just the tip of the iceberg. The closure impacts jobs throughout the supply chain 26 l OCTOBER 2023 l Southern Loggin’ Times

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including loggers and log truckers, equipment and parts suppliers, forest landowners, and throughout the local economy at gas stations, restaurants, and convenience stores. The ripple effect of this closure goes beyond our industry to the economies of Perry and surrounding communities.”

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson stated, “I spoke with top executives at Georgia-Pacific to discuss the devastating decision to close the Foley Cellulose Facility in Taylor County.

While there is never a good time to lose a major employer, particularly in a rural county, this news could not come at a worse time for families devastated by Hurricane Idalia.

“The decision is final and cannot be reversed. According to their leadership, the macroeconomic conditions resulted in another business casualty.”

Simpson said that Georgia-Pacific “are willing sellers. I would welcome another investor or company to come in and take over operations.

There are many economic incentives available, and Florida has an excellent climate for business. I challenge anyone to find harder working people than those in Taylor and surrounding counties.”

Simpson asked Georgia-Pacific to do all it can to assist with finding jobs for the hundreds that are displaced. “This will not only impact the direct employees, but the many industries that are a part of the complex network supporting the operation such as loggers, truckers and other essential workers.”

Congressman Neal Dunn (Florida-02) offered a list of “demands” to GP, which he said were based on community feedback: —Extend health benefits, pay, and severance for at least six months.

—Organize food banks for at least six months.

—Provide paid leave for employees to access job fairs.

—Provide and pay for access to job training resources.

—Donate the building to the county after the closure.

Prior to the announcement, GP referred to the Perry operation as one of four world-class wood pulp mills in the Georgia-Pacific Cellulose business. Foley Cellulose has produced specialty and fluff pulp, primarily from slash pine, that is delivered worldwide to customers for a variety of high-end uses and converting technologies and in products such as clothing, tires, shampoo, diapers, filters and towels.

Constructed by Procter & Gamble in 1954, the facility was acquired by a private business partnership in 1993 when P&G sold its Cellulose and Specialties Div. The

partnership evolved into a publicly traded company, Buckeye Technologies, Inc., in November 1995, before being acquired by GeorgiaPacific in summer 2013.

In 2018 the mill completed an $84 million investment to make the mill more energy efficient and to reduce groundwater usage through the installation of new Black Liquor Evaporators (BLE). BLEs evaporate water vapor from byproducts of the pulping process, resulting in improvement in steam economy and reduction in mill emissions.

In 2017, members from the United Steel Workers Union voted to accept a new contract from Foley Cellulose, following a year-long bargaining between the union and GP.

of this year, but there is certainly more work to be done to achieve our goals for the rest of this year.”

The company’s net loss for second quarter 2023 was $55.8 million as compared to $27.3 million for second quarter 2022. The increase in net loss year-over-year was primarily attributable to three factors: (1) higher shipping costs in second-quarter 2023 due to more deliveries into Japan year-over-year, (2) restructuring costs, including severance expenses, related to the corporate reor-

GP Is On Board With Fire Department Georgia-Pacific has long supported fire departments and first responders in the communities in which they are located. The company has three major facilities that employ 1,000 in Polk County, Tex. Recently, Georgia-Pacific donated $100,000 to the volunteer fire department in Corrigan. The Corrigan Volunteer Fire Department, which has close to 25 active volunteers and answered more than 150 emergency calls in 2022, has kicked off a capital campaign to build a new fire station, which will cost $400,000.

The land for the new facility was donated by a local family, and the project will be completed in stages.

The first stage involves building the shell of the facility so trucks can operate there immediately. The second stage will build out the living quarters and kitchen, and the third will finalize the parking lot and second story.

The Corrigan Volunteer Fire Department also plans to allow local schools and community organizations to have access to the facility for functions and fundraisers.

Enviva Initiatives Make Headway “For the second quarter of 2023, Enviva delivered results in line with our expectations, and we are making progress with initiatives underway to reduce costs and improve productivity across our operations,” comments Thomas Meth, President and CEO of the world’s largest producer of wood pellets. “We recently initiated a corporate restructuring that is designed to reduce overhead costs to align our organization with the growth we have ahead of us today. We also reduced our delivered at port cost by $9 per MT in June as compared to the first quarter

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ganization that was initiated during second quarter 2023, and (3) higher interest expense, including interest expense on repurchase accounting, during second quarter 2023.

Enviva announced its first sales into the emerging biomass market in Poland, to a new credit-worthy European customer. Enviva has sold two test shipments for consumption in Poland that are scheduled to be loaded during third quarter 2023.

Construction of the Epes, Ala. wood pellet plant is progressing,

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and Enviva expects that the facility will be operational in mid-2024.

Enviva is moving forward to enter into construction agreements with one or more EPC firms to complete the engineering, procurement and

construction of Bond, Miss. and future similar plants. Enviva has all the necessary permits in hand for the Bond development, and expects to have a signed EPC agreement during fourth quarter 2023.

As We See It: Inconsistent Federal Transportation Policy

By Scott Dane The U.S. Federal Transportation Policy is a disjointed, bureaucratic, hodgepodge of restrictions and requirements lacking consistency across the states, Dane imposed under the extortive threat of federal funding losses.

What weighs more? A ton of milk or a ton of logs?

A ton is still a ton, there is no difference. Why then, can a truck hauling milk carry heavier loads than a truck carrying logs on the Federal Interstate? This is but one example of the vagaries of a federal policy that allows specific commodities exemptions or authorization to carry more weight on the Federal Interstate System.

In many areas there is a wide disparity between the speed and weight limits on state and interstate roadways, even when compared

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with other Interstate Highways. For instance, in New England states trucks hauling timber are authorized to access the Federal Interstate System at 100,000 lbs. Meanwhile on a specific 23-mile corridor of federal interstate in Minnesota trucks are allowed to haul timber up to 99,000 lbs. Other sections of the interstate in different states are grandfathered in at higher weights than the standard Interstate weight limit.

Are particular Federal Interstate Highways in New England or other states built to a different engineering standard than federal interstates in other states?

The answer is no, they are all built to the same standards. Similar bureaucratic manipulation is apparent with the Electric Vehicle push.

The heavier electric semi-trucks would by law have been forced to carry less cargo, thus increasing transportation costs, which would be passed onto the consumer. But EV semi-trucks have now been authorized to carry 2,000 more lbs.

(4,000 in Europe) to accommodate

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the heavier batteries of the EV semi-trucks. So again, what weighs more? Batteries or logs?

Optimum transportation weights are recognized as a major contributing factor in maximizing transporta-

tion efficiency, reducing consumer costs, and improving safety, while resulting in less carbon emissions.

Transportation engineering studies have recognized the opportunity to safely increase truck weights on the

federal interstate system. Congress has established precedent with carve outs and exemptions in select states for specific commodities, routes, and weights. Globally, other countries and regions, specifically Canada and the European Union, allow for heavier weight limits on their roadways.

Why doesn’t Congress and the Administration establish competitive, efficient, and uniform weight standards for the federal interstate system?

It seems that the influence and targeted opposition of the railroad lobbyists are derailing the overriding goals of the Transportation Department to provide safe and efficient avenues for the nation. It would be much better for our national transportation goals if the railroad industry invested in their equipment, tracks, and safety instead of investing in politicians. With the history of accidents and hazardous chemical spills exposing communities to life threatening situations, the railways have plenty to focus on.

This year Congress has the opportunity to put the economy, environment, and public safety above monopolistic railroad interests by supporting the Safe Routes Act of 2023. This Bill has been introduced in both the Senate and House of Representatives. Failure to pass the Safe Routes Act of 2023 will continue to expose the public to unnecessary safety risks, increase consumer product costs, generate more carbon emissions, and contribute to climate change, by requiring the use of more fossil fuels.

The question for Congress and the Administration is simple: Are you going to establish uniform, consistent, and fair Federal Trans-

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portation Policies across the country, or are you going to continue to allow unelected lobbyists to dictate transportation policy at the expense of the general public?

The Administration and many in Congress profess wanting to reduce fossil fuel use, reduce carbon emissions, improve the economy, create rural jobs, and support general welfare and safety. This is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to these priorities by passing the Safe Routes Act of 2023. Choosing not to support the Safe Routes Act of 2023 would be a demonstration of whose best interest is being served by our elected officials.

Scott Dane is Executive Director of the American Loggers Council. ALC is a 501(c)(6) trade association representing the interests of timber harvesting and timber hauling businesses across the United States. For more information visit www.amloggers.com.

Sawmill Accident Kills Child Worker U.S. Dept. of Labor obtained a federal consent order and judgment against a Northern sawmill operator (name withheld) following the death of a child due to an “industrial accident.”

The action follows an investigation by the department’s Wage and Hour Division into a 16-year-old worker’s death at the sawmill, which led to the department invoking the “hot goods” provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act. —The investigation also found that three children, ages 15 to 16, suffered injuries in November 2021, July 2022 and March 2023, one on two separate occasions; and that the mill employed nine children, ages 14 to 17, to illegally operate machinery, such as a chop saw, rip saw and other automated machines, which federal law considers hazardous occupations for workers under 18. “(The company) risked the life of a child by allowing him to operate dangerous equipment in violation of federal child labor laws, and now family, friends and co-workers are left to grieve,” said Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda.

The Fair Labor Standards Act forbids any producer, manufacturer or dealer from shipping or delivering for shipment in interstate commerce hot goods removed from the producing establishment in the 30 days after a child labor violation.

Rather it also applies to any producer, manufacturer or dealer who later receives them.

After the company agreed to pay $190,696 in civil money penalties to resolve its child labor violations and the court executed the order and judgment, the department lifted its objection to shipment of the goods.

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CLASSIFIED AD RATES: Classified advertising rates are $55 per inch. Space is available by column inch only, one inch minimum.

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.

CONTACT: Call Bridget DeVane at 334-699-7837, 800-669-5613, email bdevane7@hotmail.com or visit www.southernloggintimes.com

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Driver Injured By Side Mirror Impact With Oncoming Truck BACKGROUND: It was a clear winter morning in the Southeastern U.S. A logging company pickup truck was traveling to the job site around dawn.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: The logging company pickup truck’s side mirror was struck by the extended mirror of an oncoming dual rear-wheel truck that crossed the center line of the road.

ACCIDENT: The pickup truck was traveling westbound on a state highway when it encountered heavy oncoming traffic. The driver was traveling at the posted speed limit of 55 mph and was wearing his seatbelt. A dark-colored “dually” truck crossed the center line, and the extended side mirror of the truck struck the side mirror of the logging company pickup truck.

INJURY: The collision broke the driver’s side mirror on the pickup

truck. Flying debris from the damaged mirror also shattered the driver’s side window. The pickup driver was showered with broken glass, and a piece of the broken mirror entered the cab, striking the driver in the head. The driver activated his emergency flashers and called his boss to report the accident. The boss was traveling approximately 300 feet in front of the pickup and instructed the driver to safely pull off the road and meet him to assess the damage and injuries. They stopped approximately one half mile from the accident scene. The boss brushed the broken glass off the driver and did not notice any visible cuts, bruises, bumps, bleeding, etc. The driver was emotionally shaken from the incident and claimed that his neck and left hip were sore. The driver informed his boss that he was fine and declined further medical evalua-

tion. He worked his entire shift the day of the accident and informed his boss that he would see him the next morning.

Instead of reporting to work the following day, the employee transported himself to the Emergency Room, citing pain in his head and hip. The employee was provided an “Out of Work” note for two days and prescribed pain medication and a muscle relaxer. He was diagnosed with a possible concussion and was encouraged to seek additional treatment from his Primary Care Physician. Two days later, the driver returned to the Emergency Room complaining of a closed head injury, left ear pain, and left hip pain.

and safe distance from the center line on divided highways. ● Consider installing dash cameras in company-owned vehicles to protect employees and other business assets. ● Encourage employees to seek medical attention after accidents even if they resist and consider seeking legal counsel on ways to protect yourself and your company from injured employees who refuse medical treatment after an accident.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CORRECTION: ● Always maintain a proper Southern Loggin’ Times ● OCTOBER 2023 ● 37

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COMING EVENTS October 18-20—Texas Forestry Assn. annual meeting, The Fredonia Hotel, Nacogdoches, Tex. Visit texasforestry.org.

28—Alabama Loggers Council annual meeting, Marriott Prattville Hotel and Conference Center, Prattville, Ala. Call 334-265-8733; visit alaforestry.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1745682.

November 8-10—Forestry Assn. of South Carolina annual meeting, Wild Dunes, Isle of Palms, SC. Call 803-7984170; visit scforestry.org.

February 2024

20-22—SLMA 2024 Spring Meeting & Expo, Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans, La. Call 504-4434464; visit slma.org.

April 2024 2-4—Kentucky Forest Industries Assn. annual meeting, Embassy Suites, Lexington, Ky. Call 502695-3979; visit kfia.org.

12-13—East Coast Sawmilling and Logging Exposition, Meadow Event Park, Doswell, Va. Call 804-7375625; visit exporichmond.com.

23-25—2024 Virginia Forestry Summit, Boar’s Head Resort, Charlottesville, Va. Call 804-278-8733; visit vaforestry.org.

21-25—Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers annual meeting, Hammock Beach Resort, Palm Coast, Fla. Call 336-885-8315; visit appalachianhardwood.org.

June 2024

23-25—South Carolina Timber Producers Assn. annual meeting, DoubleTree Resort by Hilton, Myrtle Beach, SC. Call 800-371-2240; visit scloggers.com.

Listings are submitted months in advance.

Always verify dates and locations with contacts prior to making plans to attend.

March 2024 12-13—Wood Bioenergy Conference & Expo, Omni Hotel at CNN Center, Atlanta, Ga. Call 334-834-1170; visit bioenergyshow.com.

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4-6—2024 SFI Annual Conference, Loews Atlanta Hotel, Atlanta, Ga. Call 202-596-3450; visit sficonference.org.

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