DIRTY CHIPS GET IT DONE

By Patrick Dunning

COMMERCE, Ga.

More often than not, logging is a profession passed down from one generation to the next, and usually when the next generation is still young. That only happens because men like David McClure, 83, serve as mentors to those who come after them. The veteran logger says the lifelong relationships he’s cultivated with equipment dealers and mill personnel over the decades of his career are second only to watching his adopted son, Shane Cape, 49, owner of D&S Logging, Inc. develop a love for logging at an early age and follow in his footsteps.

In the early ’80s, McClure married Cape’s mother, Patricia Anne, and raised her son like his own. “When Shane was 12 years old, he went with us to the woods one Saturday,” the elder logger recalls. “I was running a chain saw and he came down to where I was and asked if he could get on the loader and move some sticks around. I said be careful. Then he asked me if he could do a couple drags on the skidder.”

As Cape got older, his fascination with tractors and woods equipment grew and he never wanted to pursue anything else. His stepdad continued to log under the McClure Logging banner until 1991, when Shane came of age. At that point he dissolved McClure Logging and from it formed D&S Logging for David and Shane. “Shane and I knew it was always going to be me and him side by side,” McClure says. “He was crazy about the woods and if he wasn’t in school he was with me.”

Chipping Operation

McClure and Cape purchased their first Bandit whole-tree chipper at the end of 2009 to diversify the company’s portfolio and take advantage of the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). A program where the government incentive matched payments at a rate of $1 for each dry ton paid by qualified biomass conversion facilities up to $45 per dry ton to inject liquidity into U.S. biomass markets. With U.S. housing starts lacking following the ’08 Recession, D&S says its chipping business saved the company.

“The main reason we decided to get a chipper was the Obama Administration,” Cape says. “There wasn’t much

30 Wood Bioenergy / April 2022 D&S Logging averages 50 loads per week production of 5/8 in. dirty chips for biomass outlets.

“The main reason we decided to get a chipper was the Obama Administration,” Cape says. “There wasn’t much else to do. Building was terrible and we couldn’t get rid of anything, but energy was in constant demand,” Cape says.

Shane Cape, left, and his father, David McClure

else to do. Building was terrible and we couldn’t get rid of anything, but energy was in constant demand,” Cape says. “It was great, but didn’t last but three months. Paper mills were BCAP-ing their black liquor and scraps; handled so much volume they sucked the account dry.”

The recession may have ended, but D&S still runs a chipper, now a ‘17 Bandit 3590, dealing directly with Bandit Industries, Inc. and their southeastern salesman, Kevin Wood. The company also utilizes a ’16 CBI 484 drum chipper on its second crew.

“Our Bandit chipper was almost brandnew when we bought it; only had 300 hours logged,” Cape says. “It’s got close to 2,000 hours now. When we replace the CBI we’ll probably get a Bandit. Our first Bandit was a ’09 model, then we downsized with a ’13 model. Had an opportunity to sell them locally at a good price and updated.”

Chipper knives are replaced every 50-60 loads when chipping pre-merchantable pine pulpwood and every 2530 loads when chipping hardwood. The company sources its brush knives from Smith & Turner and its grinder is from The KnifeSource LLC, Fountain Inn, SC.

Approximately 50% of D&S’s production is currently dirty chips, with 50 loads per week on average hauled to biomass outlets. Cape says they tried delivering clean chips before but that it’s hard to satisfy the mills and the haul was long so they reverted back to 5/8 in. dirty chips and haven’t had issues since. Iron Registry

On both crews, D&S runs exclusively Tigercat machinery. Woods equipment inventory features a ’17 and ’21 Tigercat 250D loader, ’17 and ’20 632E skidder and ’16 724G feller-buncher. Cape and McClure like to run their

Cape and McClure currently run a ’17 Bandit 3590 and ’16 CBI 484 drum chipper across two crews. equipment 10,000 hours before trading for newer iron. D&S owns seven trucks and maintains one contract hauler. An ’07 Freightliner is the oldest in the fleet and driven by their oldest employee, 77-year-old Kenneth Arrant, otherwise known as Hacksaw. “Someone asked Shane how long he’s going to keep that Freightliner before retiring it. He said ‘I hope I retire the driver first,’” McClure laughs. Other trucks include a ’15 Mack and three (’18, ’19, ’20) Kenworths. A mix of McLendon and Pitts trailers and eight ITI chip vans haul near 100 loads weekly to seven mills. D&S delivers woody biomass material to Georgia Renewable Power (GRP), Franklin’s renewable energy facility, Carnesville, and GRP Madison in Colbert. Both biomass plants were constructed 32 miles apart and opened mid-2019. D&S also hauls chips to Georgia’s first biomass fueled generating plant, Rabun Gap biomass facility, which utilized an old textile mill and boiler and came online 2010. “The plant in Rabun Gap was a Fruit of the Loom facility forever,” Cape says. “It’s changed hands so many times I don’t remember who started it but the boiler is still there. When they rebuilt it we started hauling there.”

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13 ➤ and experience will accelerate Peak’s projects and optimize operations.”

Forest Resource Consultants, Inc. (FRC) announced the acquisition of Land Management Group, LLC (LMG). LMG is a forestry consulting, appraisal and brokerage services company based in Statesboro, Ga. Since 1974, LMG, previously known as Lanier-Brookins, Inc., has managed a client-owned land base located primarily in Georgia and Alabama.

As part of the acquisition, FRC will continue to operate LMG’s Statesboro office and will maintain the company’s existing staff.

Canfor Corp. is selling its Mac kenzie, BC sawmill and site to Peak Renewables. Canfor also announced it is selling its forest tenure in the Mackenzie region to McLeod Lake Indian Band and Tsay Keh Dene Nation.

Chief Pierre of the Tsay Keh Dene Nation states, “First Nations in BC have been relegated to marginal roles in the forest sector for far too long. The Letter of Intent signed with Canfor has the potential to dramatically change this imbalance within the Mackenzie timber supply area.”

Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board’s Tamarack Timberlands LLC, an investment vehicle owned by Ontario Teachers, has assumed ownership of 870,000 acres of timberland in the U.S. South from Resource Management Service (RMS).

The large-scale timberland portfolio of high-quality loblolly pine is spread throughout the U.S. South and is third-party certified to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative standards. The timberland portfolio provides significant diversification benefits to Ontario Teachers, including diversity of locations, customers and tree age classes.

The transaction gives Tamarack Timberlands LLC full control and governance of the assets. RMS will continue to act as the timberland investment manager for the asset.

Resolute announced an agreement for the purchase of a cogeneration facility in Senneterre, Quebec. The purchase of the 34.5 MW facility, adjacent to Resolute’s Senne terre sawmill, builds on its significant investments in the region, including the ongoing project toward a new planer and associated equipment announced last summer, as well as operational improvements recently completed at the Comtois sawmill. With this cogen, Resolute will maximize the use of biomass from regional operations, generating green power and providing a platform for future growth and enhanced competitiveness in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region.

In response to trucking capacity issues that include labor concerns and lack of qualified young drivers, the Alabama Forestry Assn. (AFA) is promoting legislation to increase weight limits for certain axle configurations and for rigs that are weigh ed when they’re loaded with either on-board scales or in-woods systems.

The Rural Logging Support Act would increase weight limits for qualified trucks with a gross vehicle weight increase from 80,000 lbs. to 84,000 lbs. for 5-axle trucks and from 84,000 lbs. to 90,000 lbs. for 6-axle trucks. The legislation provides a single axle weight increase from 20,000 lbs. to 23,000 lbs. and tandem axle weight increase from 36,000 lbs. to 46,000 lbs. A long-established 10% weight enforcement tolerance applies to increased weight limits.

To qualify for higher limits, trucks must be weighed when loaded using on-board scales or inwoods platform scales. The legislation also sets up a system of grants to non-profit groups that would pay for scale installation.

Nuveen Natural Capital, a globally diversified investment and asset management company specializing in the acquisition and stewardship of forestry assets, completed the sale of 66,800 acres in Texas and Georgia to Rayonier, a timberland real estate investment trust. The purchase price, before transaction costs, was $124.2 million. The sale completes a successful investment cycle for Nuveen Natural Capital, capitalizing on a unique opportunity for a high quality, scale owner in the region. Nuveen Natural Capital began investing in timberland in the region in 1998, on behalf of TIAA, acquiring the Texas and Georgia properties between 1999 and 2005.

David Nunes, President and CEO of Rayonier says, “Located in high ly productive areas of Texas and Georgia, with a mature age-class distribution that complements our existing portfolio, these properties help Rayonier grow scale in strong timber markets.”

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FLAMEX Inc. announced Tony Thomas as its new president, succeeding Allen Wagoner after 13 years at that post. Thomas has been with the company for almost 32 years and has been serving as vice president.

Ed Pridgen assumes the role as vice president in addition to his position as MINFOG product manager.

“This change in leadership will no doubt prove to be a very positive step for FLAMEX as these highly capable gentlemen will bring a new vision and direction to our company,” comments Wagoner. “It has been my honor and privilege to have been able to play a role in the management of our company and I look forward to remaining with the organization for an indefinite period of time to serve at the pleasure and in support of the new management.”

Evergreen Engineering announced the transition of its company leadership from President Gordon Yutzy to existing principals and partners, Justin Price and Danielle Daniels.

Yutzy, who has served as president since 2009, will continue to serve as a principal and liaison for his longstanding clients as he prepares for retirement in the coming year.

Justin Price, a longtime Evergreen principal, will serve as Evergreen’s new co-Chief Executive Officer. Price began his career in the wood products industry more than 30 years ago and most recently served as Evergreen’s Director of Project Management.

“Evergreen has a culture defined by our mission statement, to move our client’s vision to reality,” Price comments. “We remain committed to being an organization marked by high energy, a strong performance orientation, and confidence in our continued success.”

Danielle Daniels will join Price as co-CEO. She has led the Evergreen office management team as Director of Operations and Finance since 2014. Her career in the engineering world has spanned the better part of 20 years, providing leadership in an accounting and human resources capacity.

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Valmet will supply a Valmet DNA Automation System to Turun Seudun Energiantuotanto’s biomass-fired heating plant in Oriketo, Finland. The system will replace the existing automation system that has reached the end of its life cycle. The system will also provide a remote-control connection to the central control room at the company’s Naantali power plant. With a full heat production capacity of 40 MW, the Oriketo bioheat plant is one of the largest of its kind in Finland.

Valmet’s delivery includes a Valmet DNA Automation System, installation, commissioning and training.

Turun Seudun Energiantuotanto Oy produces district heat and electricity for the city of Turku and its neighboring cities. It also produces process heat for the nearby industry. The company is owned by Fortum Power and Heat Oy, Turku Energia Oy and the city Naantali.

Integrated transport company LOTS Group has acquired Bellwether Forest Products based in Camden, SC. Bellwether is a full-service timber transport company working throughout the state, with the aim of inspiring a new generation of loggers and building long-term partnerships with wood markets and timberland owners. The acquisition will enable the company to extend its service offering to new and existing clients, leveraging Bellwether’s extensive experience in the region. Officials with both companies say the transaction reflects the future of forest products transportation in the Southeast, which has a huge but highly fragmented market served primarily by a trucking capacity that lacks technology and professionalization. The LOTS Group is offering a model that improves efficiency, says Max Blatt, CEO.

Sellick Equipment Ltd. has announced the appointment of Colin Sellick as President. A member of the third generation

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of the family, Sellick has a wealth of knowledge as he has worked in most areas of the company including assembly, parts, product support, sales and implementation of the EPR system.

Dan Rankin, CPA, CA has been appointed as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Greg Buckley will become Director of Engineering and Procurement.

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Legna Software, a software developer in the wood products industry for more than 30 years, announced the launch of Angel, a software-as-a-service platform developed to manage timber procurement and inventory management in one, easy-to-use, cloud-based interface.

“Angel ensures that all stakeholders in the value chain—loggers in the field, truck drivers transporting lumber to the weigh scale and executives in the sawmill’s central office—have access to the same data in real time, eliminating wasted time and costly errors while increasing transparency and log security,” says Woody Rich, CEO of Legna Software.

Accessible anywhere, Angel is a SaaS platform that consolidates data from three mobile applications used in the field by loggers, scale operators, and log yard managers. Angel improves workflow by capturing data at the source, preserving data integrity for all stakeholders in the supply chain. —Angel Loader enables loggers to create an e-ticket in the field, providing immediate visibility into what products are being loaded and where they’re being sent. —Angel Receiver allows scale operators to easily match electronic tickets generated in the field with an arriving load. —Angel Unloader enables log yard operators to capture load attributes and sync them to existing e-tickets in real-time.

Visit legnasoftware.com/angel

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