The Logger's VOICE - Summer 2017

Executive Board

Scott Madden President

Jim Nichols

1st Vice President

Tony Madden

2nd Vice President

Chuck Ames Secretary

Andy Irish Treasurer

Brian Souers

Past President

Board of Directors

Greg Adams

Kurt Babineau

Donald Cole

William Cole

Tom Cushman

Brent Day

Wes Dube

Steve Hanington

Duane Jordan

Robert Linkletter

Andrew Madden

Ron Ridley

Wayne Tripp

Gary Voisine

Dana Doran Executive Director

State of Our Union

Scott Madden

Hopefully this article finds the rain has at least slowed down enough for everyone to get back in the woods.

With the exception of a very few saw mills, it seems like pulp mills still have plenty of inventory. Moving biomass also seems to still be a struggle.

Thanks to all who helped out with our spring training sessions. Every year our safety program has increased the number of people going through the classes. It is always a struggle to come up with new topics, but our committee never ceases to amaze. Thanks to our Safety Committee for a job well done. As always, we need members with fresh ideas – please volunteer and get involved. Later this summer, we will hire a safety program coordinator and the value we add to our membership is only going to increase. The involvement of our membership is an absolute must.

By now, barring any final issues, our new mechanized logger training program should have started. I would like to thank all those involved with the operator training program. Especially MiltonCat (Peter Collins), and Nortrax (Kevin Fowler). A down economy is exactly the time we want to start this new program and I can’t wait to see the first group finish in September.

Even though it’s underway, there is still plenty that can be done to help out. Maybe some of our members can volunteer a day to go spend with the class; give a short talk on their expertise on a given topic; or give some one-on -one time with individual students. It is important to our industry that this program succeed. I am sure there will be plenty of people and agencies looking this program over. We will need our members to pull together; especially at the end of this program. I am sure we can generate an employment ad through our website for the students to apply for jobs. We as members can give these students the first chance on any job we might have. At the very least, we can give them an interview.

And lastly, the PLC and its importance continues to grow by leaps and bounds. It is times like these that make this organization more important than ever to our industry. The generosity of our membership was overwhelming at the annual meeting back in May as we raised over $44,000 for Log A Load. Additionally, our voice is being heard at the state legislature and it is gratifying to know that legislators look to us for our opinion on so many things related to our industry.

I couldn’t be prouder to be President at this point in our history and I know there are so many more good things on the horizon. Stay involved, stay in touch, and advocate for loggers because if you don’t, no one else will!!

Log on,

Scott

Members, supporters, and friends of PLC, you should all be very proud of the funds we raised for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals at the Annual Meeting. Our Log A Load fund-raisers are hugely important to CMN. Thanks to all for your generosity. Story page 14.

Cover photo: Gavin McClain, co-owner of PLC Member CTL Land Management Services, leads a harvest tour in the Sewall Woods Preserve in Bath. Story page 4.

Adding Value

Dana Doran

One of the things that I enjoy the most in this position is helping our members reduce cost, increase their profitability and protect family based businesses so the next generation can continue on. Even if this is simply getting someone an answer to a question by navigating the bureaucracy in Augusta, it means that the PLC is doing its job and empowering loggers to do theirs.

At the end of the day, it’s about eliminating barriers and making this industry more sustainable for the long term. Every day, I think I’m one of the luckiest people in the world to have this job and work on behalf of the best loggers in the world.

One of the greatest responsibilities that we have is advocating for our industry right here in Augusta and in Washington, DC (with the help of the American Loggers Council).

As I write this article, the legislature is just across the street negotiating a budget and preparing to argue a laundry list of bills. The current session of the legislature is nearing its statutory adjournment and there is still much to be done in the next two weeks.

Over the course of a typical legislative session (two years), we track and participate in the disposition of almost 100 bills. If you review our weekly email updates on current legislative happenings, you probably have a good idea what we are involved with.

This session is no different. As of this writing, we are tracking 47 bills and there may be one or two more before all is said and done as the Governor has the authority to introduce a bill at any time while the legislature is in session.

Many of these bills could directly impact loggers and truckers throughout the state, adding cost and creating more regulatory hurdles. As much as we try to educate the legislature on our industry and ask them to do no harm, there is always the law of unintended consequences.

While it is a daunting task each year to stay on top of these issues, it has represented such a strong opportunity for our membership and our industry. With each one of these bills and the process that unfolds for their disposition comes an opportunity to spread our message and inform a large community about our impact. While it is easy to get wrapped up in the politics of the moment, this is a marathon and not a sprint, and we should value each opportunity to tell our story because of its long-term impact. In the end, the legislature does value what you do every day and the more we tell them about what you do, the more impact we can have to ensure long-term success.

This session has proven to be no different. With each one of the 47 bills, we have had a chance to tell our story and inform not only the legislature, but those from the public, about the impact these bills have on this industry.

This session, we have focused the bulk of our

attention on five legislative committees because of the subject matter presented by each one of the bills: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry; Energy, Utilities and Technology; Labor, Commerce Research and Economic Development; State and Local Government; and Transportation. After spending the last three years here in Augusta, it is easy to see that if the PLC was not involved in issues related to logging and trucking, you would have much more to deal with out there than just depleted markets. As the old saying goes, if you’re not at the table, you’re on it.

Our efforts have been focused on logger training, logger protection, biomass, trucking and unemployment. With only two weeks to go in the session, much of what we pushed for a legislative agenda this session has been carried over to 2018, due to the complexity of the issues, but there are still four primary bills alive that we are involved with that we expect to be in play until the very end.

Here is a quick summary of our primary legislative agenda efforts to date:

LD 131 An Act to Protect the Biomass Industry. This was the primary vehicle for the recommendations of the 2016 biomass commission. Because of the complexity and late introduction of the bill, the sponsor, Senator Saviello, asked the committee to carry the bill over to the 2nd session of the legislature in 2018.

LD 194 An Act to Ensure Equity in the Awarding of Compensation for Tort Claims. Joint and several liability adds significant cost to insurance for companies that have any kind of transportation exposure, because Maine law provides that if a defendant is 1% liable for an accident, they can be held responsible for 100% of the damages. This bill provided that, if two or more defendants are found to be liable for a plaintiff's injury, then the defendants are jointly and severally liable for the plaintiff's pecuniary damages, but each defendant is only severally liable for nonpecuniary damages proportional to the percentage of fault attributable to that defendant. If the defendants acted in concert, they are jointly and severally liable for the nonpecuniary damages as well. The bill was defeated in committee on a 7 to 6 party line vote.

LD 586 - An Act to Implement the Recommendations of the Commission to Study the Public Reserved Lands Management Fund. The timber revenue generated from harvests on Maine Public Reserved Lands could help our high school logging programs purchase newer and better equipment to train students for the professional logging industry of today. The bill provides the opportunity for schools with logging/forestry programs to apply for

Adding Value Continued Page 23

BATH – It’s a late spring morning in the forest north of the city, and this close to the ocean the fog is still lifting as a group of all ages gathers on a woods road next to freshly cut pine logs and a Ponsse Scorpion King harvester.

This is the Sewall Woods Preserve, a recreation area for many in the group, and while it’s not the sort of harvesting site most people think of when they picture logging in Maine, it is becoming an increasingly common type for contractors like PLC Member CTL Land Management Services of Washington.

CTL is co-owned by Kyle Overlock and Gavin McClain. Kyle has an appointment elsewhere today, so Gavin is handling this walking tour of the harvest site organized by the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust (KELT) to show the public what is happening on the property and why.

Talking to landowners about a harvest is nothing

new for loggers, but this sort of event where the logger becomes an educator and an ambassador for the logging industry was once rare. Now, for many, it’s expected, as more and more professional loggers are finding themselves logging in areas unfamiliar with timber harvesting, and under close scrutiny by a public not always comfortable with it.

“I think the awareness that this is a good thing for the forest is becoming more and more prominent with these types of groups,” Gavin said. “This is a pretty positive group, they’re willing to be open minded and put the effort into understanding what you’re doing. We as loggers sometimes need to be more open minded, and figure out ways to make these jobs work.”

On this day where KELT is showing the public the new Sewall Woods Preserve Demonstration Forest, Gavin describes the advantages of cut-to-length harvesting on a

Firewood rolling off the production line at Hobby Hill Firewood, CTL’s kiln dried firewood business.

Kyle Overlock at the controls of a Ponsse Scorpion King harvester

CTL Land Management Services

Gavin and Kyle first met working for a landscaping 1990s. At that time, Kyle was cutting wood in the winters and landscaping in the summers, and following his example Gavin began cutting on his own land in the off-season to make additional money. By 1996 the two had begun logging together, each with their own cable skidder, but it was in 1998 that they officially joined forces and went into cut-tolength harvesting, which was being encouraged by some of the larger wood buyers in the market and becoming popular among landowners.

CTL joined the PLC about 15 years ago as part of its drive to become a more professional operation.

“We joined to become more involved overall and to be better informed on what’s going on politically,” Gavin said.

this one is slim with many of the high value trees left standing, and working around hiking trails is challenging, but Gavin is optimistic about the benefits the job offers in terms of good exposure for the company and a better image for loggers.

It took that kind of optimism to bring CTL from its humble beginnings in 1998 to the company it is today, with five employees running two cut-to-length operations, plus a kiln-dried firewood business, Hobby Hill Firewood, that is anything but a hobby – the business churns out hundreds of cords of perfectly seasoned stove wood using advanced and efficient cutting and drying systems.

CTL also subcontracts portions of some jobs out to logger Jeff Moran, who runs a traditional one-man cable skidder operation, for difficult terrain and large diameter, high-value veneer timber where cutting by hand is the best way to ensure no damage to the wood.

It all adds up to a company that can handle almost

CTL became a Master Logger company in 2003. coast Maine area in which CTL is based has a great deal of untapped logging potential with many private landowners uncertain about whether to harvest their lands and wary of logging. This makes it a competitive area in which to operate, with a mix of independent logging companies vying with others organized and backed by industry buyers. A logging firm has to remain adaptable and professional to succeed.

Handling jobs like the one in Sewall Woods Preserve are one way CTL finds new clients while building a professional image for the company. In the process, companies like CTL are leading the way in educating the public about the value and importance of logging to Maine’s forests and economy.

“

The idea is to look at the long term, maybe a client like this leads to a client with harvest objectives that are more profitable for the logger,” Gavin said. “As loggers, I think that we have that outward appearance of being gruff and uncooperative and doing only what we want to do, and that’s the image that we’re trying to dispel.”

Gavin McClain leading a harvest tour in Sewall Woods Preserve in Bath.

Kyle Overlock, at left, and Gavin McClain, coowners of CTL Land Management Services.

PLC Members

Johnny Castonguay Logging and Trucking of Livermore, ME joined the PLC as a new Member in May of 2017. Johnny Castonguay Logging and Trucking is a Master Logger company and has a professional staff of six. For more information contact Johnny at (207) 897-5945 or johnny@jclogging.com.

Morneau Logging Inc. of Chapman, ME joined the PLC as a new Member in May of 2017. Morneau Logging Inc. has a professional staff of one. For more information contact Carl at (207) 768-6505 or morneau78@live.com

Morris Logging Inc. of Fort Kent, ME joined the PLC as a new Member in May of 2017. Morris Logging Inc. is a Master Logger company and has a professional staff of 11. For more information contact Sherbey at (207) 834-6210 or sherbey@pivot.net.

Northeast Tree Harvesting Inc. of Easton, ME joined the PLC as a new Member in May of 2017. Northeast Tree Harvesting Inc. has a professional staff of two. For more information contact Steve at (207) 316-3356 or stevenadeau274@msn.com.

PLC Affiliated Contractor Members

Corey Harper Logging Inc. of Mattamiscontis, ME joined the PLC as a new Affiliated Contractor in May of 2017. Corey Harper Logging has a professional staff of two. For more information contact Corey at (207) 478-8912.

PLC Preferred Supporting Members

Maine Trailer Inc. of Hampden, ME joined the PLC as a new Preferred Supporting Member in May of 2017. With more than 35 years of experience serving professional drivers in the Northeast, Maine Trailer is your local problem solver. Maine Trailer is the recognized expert on Maine trailer registration, trailer sales and leasing, trailer

parts and trailer service. The company has locations in Hamden and Auburn. For more information call Rod Hathaway at 207-848-5718 or email rod@mainetrailer.com.

PLC Enhanced Supporting Members

Maine Biomass Exports, Inc. of Searsport, ME joined the PLC as a new Enhanced Supporting Member in March of 2017. The company is an exporter of forest products to the European Union for biomass use and for MDF or paper manufacturing. The company is also an exporter of logs to various countries via Searsport. For more information contact Arthur House at 207-930-5168.

PLC Supporting Members

Katahdin Trust Company of Presque Isle, ME joined the PLC as a new Supporting Member in April of 2017. Katahdin Trust Company provides community banking at its best and is a locally owned and managed Maine bank working for the financial success of individuals and businesses since 1918. Katahdin Trust offers checking accounts and savings; loans of all types and for all purposes plus the convenience of 24/7 services with online banking, bill pay, mobile banking, Apple Pay and more. For more information contact David Cambridge at (207) 764-2361 or email d.cambridge@katahdintrust.com.

PLC Supporting Members

Pine Tree Safety of Brewer, ME joined the PLC as a new Supporting Member in May of 2017. Pine Tree Safety has been providing monthly onsite safety meetings and trainings since 1995 to logging contractors all over the state of Maine. Trainings that bring you into compliance with OSHA and that are required by your insurance company. Benefits include less workplace injuries, lowered insurance rates and OSHA compliance paperwork. The company has been mentioned in several logging magazines throughout

New England in articles about PLC Members. For more information call Scott Lowell at (207) slowell813@hotmail.com.

PLC Nonprofit Members

Acadia Federal Credit Union

the PLC as a new Nonprofit Member in April of 2017. Acadia FCU was created through the merger of smaller community credit unions over the past century, and the company has five branch locations, over 10,000 members, and assets totaling over $152 million. For more information call Brian Stoliker at (207) 834 bstoliker@acadiafcu.org.

PLC Individual Members

Donny Reaves of Virginia joined the PLC as a new Individual Member in May of 2017. For more information, call Donny Reaves at (434)-660 email nanareaves1@aol.com.

Scott Morrison of New Sharon, ME joined the PLC as a new Individual Member in April of 2017. For more information, contact Scott Morrison at (207) 592-1544 or email s.morrison@myfairpoint.net.

Woods

Savings

BURNHAM, ME – Only one place in the world manufactures Lincoln Logs for children today, and it is right here in Maine.

The place is the Pride Manufacturing Co. LLC facility on Route 100, where Pride – a global American corporation headquartered in Tennessee –manufactures tens of millions of Lincoln Logs, golf tees, and cigar tips each year and employs 140 workers.

That kind of employment and economic impact is a huge benefit to Maine, but for Maine loggers the bigger benefit is Pride’s demand for timber, as its production lines in Burnham consume 8.5 million board feet of wood each year. Scott Taylor, wood purchaser for Pride, said the company depends on good relationships and communication with Maine loggers to get the quality, types and size logs it needs to keep production

going. Joining the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine as a Supporting Member in 2016 was one way Pride sought to support those loggers and an organization fighting for them and the forest economy in the state.

“We need to support the loggers to get the logs to the mill,” Taylor said. “There’s all sorts of associations out there, but you’ve got to pick the ones that are going to help you the most and have the most impact.”

Pride started in Tampa, Florida in 1930 as a manufacturer of wooden cigar tips. It expanded over the years, and by 1956 the company moved to Maine to get closer to the white birch trees used to make the cigar tips. The clear white wood from the birches went into cigar tips leaving the red or “heart wood” available for other uses, which Pride soon utilized for golf tees. As time went on Pride expanded into other

Pride depends on experienced employees and advanced technology to achieve its production speed and product quality.

golf products including cleats, and today is a world leader in all these products, Randy Dicker, senior director of manufacturing at Pride, said.

The Burnham mill is located in what was once an Ethan Allen facility before Pride purchased it in 1992 and moved its Maine manufacturing there from Guilford. The Pride shop where the custom machines to manufacture everything from Lincoln logs to cigar tips are built remained in Guilford, and Pride has warehouses and other facilities in Wisconsin, Canada, Europe, and Asia.

From the road, the Burnham facility looks smaller than it is. Inside it is a vast well-lit space humming with activity and surrounded by log yards, storage, and shipping facilities.

The contract to produce Lincoln Logs for the company licensed to distribute them has made the facility even busier than it already was, and pushed the company into new areas of manufacturing.

“We felt we had tight tolerances with golf tees and cigar tips, but then we had to deal with toy standards and that was a totally different ball game,” Randy said. “Rock maple proved to be the best species, it’s harder to cut, we had to really work hard on feed speeds and saw designs, but it doesn’t splinter as much. Being made out of rock maple these Lincoln Logs are gonna last awhile, kids will be a long time breaking those.”

Pride is always innovating and seeking new products and efficiencies to remain competitive. The company is near to marketing a new line of attractive wainscoting manufactured from excess birch red heart wood, has undertaken major energy efficiency upgrades, and generates nearly all its heat from burning biomass waste. Pride also guards its trade secrets carefully, and constantly seeks ways to produce higher quality products at greater rates of speed with fewer people to compete with Chinese manufacturers.

Buying high quality logs cut to the most efficient lengths for manufacturing is one way Pride is working to maintain its edge and become a better company, Scott said.

“Relationships with loggers are important to achieving that,” Scott said.

Finding good workers, holding down energy costs, and maintaining a solid wood supply are all challenges for the company, but in a state where headlines often talk about the demise of the wood products industry, Pride is an example of how good companies and good workers in Maine can compete globally, and this is a message the company promotes whenever it can. “I’ve started doing some career days in schools and that’s part of what I’ve been trying to do is sell the fact that the forest industry isn’t dead, the state of Maine still has over 200 wood related businesses,” Randy said.

The vast interior of the Pride Manufacturing facility (opposite page and above left). Cigar tips being sorted for quality control (at right).

Lincoln Logs Golf tees

Ted Clark, CLCS, Loss Control Consultant, Acadia Insurance

Rome wasn’t built in a day

When I was new to the construction industry, I participated in many trainings similar to the PLC Spring Safety Training as a student. At the conclusion of these trainings, I typically found myself feeling more frustrated than educated. The information was always useful and relevant but I always found myself leaving the class saying, “Wow, my company is so far behind with our safety program that we will never come into compliance.” This would result in my knee-jerk reaction of developing an action plan that involved making drastic changes to operations overnight. These changes, that looked so good on paper, would last a week (at best), and we would wind up going right back to doing things the way we had always done them.

Rome wasn’t built in a day

It took me taking on the task of dismantling and rebuilding a safety program before I realized that, like so many other projects worth doing, you can build a safety program quickly or you can build an effective safety program that will last, but you cannot do both. Even the best companies out there with seemingly unlimited budgets don’t build their safety programs overnight. The fact is, good safety programs take years to build and require that you not only change policies but also change human behavior.

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time

Human behavior tends to be rooted in years of habit and therefore is tremendously challenging to change. Where I fell short at the beginning of my construction career was this: I wanted to change things immediately. I encourage you to learn from my mistakes. Take the time to evaluate your program, and then select two to three areas

where your biggest exposures lie and SLOWLY implement SMALL changes to affect those. When implemented over time, small changes will typically yield much more effective results for the long haul. Then, as those changes start to become habit, add a couple more small changes and continue this pattern until you have developed a safety program that is effective and lasting.

Conclusion

In the wake of the spring training sessions, it’s easy to get caught in the trap of trying to implement major changes quickly. While it may seem that this is the only way to improve upon company safety programs, I believe the most effective programs will be built through a series of small changes accomplished over a period of time.

The opinions expressed in this article are personal to the author and may or may not express the views of Acadia Insurance. This material is for informational purposes only, and readers should utilize their own individual professional judgment in implementing sound risk management practices and procedures.

2017 Safety Training

Presented by:

77 Member companies participate in PLC

A record 77 Member companies took advantage of the PLC’s 2017 Safety Series, held at eight locations around the state in April and May. This free training is a benefit of membership and provides practical, hands-on instruction to improve individual and company safety.

A total of 620 employees participated in the training this year, on topics including truck inspections, logger injury response, OSHA shop inspections, cab ergonomics, evaluating non-routine tasks, and common violations and consequences.

Responses to the training and the instructors who provided it were overwhelmingly positive.

Thanks to all who donated their facilities for this year’s training series: William A. Day Jr. & Sons Logging; JL Brochu Inc; Elliot Jordan & Son; Madden Timberlands; Richard Carrier Trucking; W.C. Tripp Forest Products; Treeline, Inc.; and TNT Road Company.

Thanks also to Presenting Sponsors Acadia Insurance and Cross Insurance, Lunch Sponsor Barry Equipment Co., Breakfast Sponsor Chalmers Insurance Group, Safety Prize Sponsor GH Berlin Windward, and Safety Contest and Prize Sponsor MEMIC.

Interested in future trainings or sponsorship opportunities? Email jessica@maineloggers.com or call (207) 688-8195.

Safety Training gets underway at JL Brochu Inc. April 14th.

Logger Injury Response training.

Your 2017 Safety Ideas

▪ Turn the track so you can use the track as an extra step to get down to the ground when exiting the machine. C. Jones , Elliot Jordan & Son.

▪ Maintain total safety awareness at all times - at home and at work. R. Pembroke, Sappi.

▪ Take five minutes every morning with the whole crew and go over the plan for the day. E. Ridlon, William A Day Jr. & Sons.

▪ When welding on equipment always have a spotter standing by with water or extinguisher. J. Blair, Chopper One.

▪ Have an escape plan (with longitude and latitude) on every job site, machine and vehicle. C. Daigle, Big Timber.

▪ Never use air to break cylinders apart, they can become a projectile. N. Simon, Randall Madden Trucking.

▪ Install grip tape or expanded metal on areas that are often slippery to prevent slips and falls. J. Grady, Grady Forest Products.

▪ Provide reflectors on uniforms, jackets, hats and gloves. S. Cahill, Seth McCoy Trucking & Excavating.

▪ Logging roads should have mile markers and good turn outs. R. Woodard Sr., Randall Madden Trucking.

▪ Use a pneumatic torque multiplier to loosen tight bolts to avoid injury with breaker bars. D. Knowles, Irish Family Logging.

▪ Collapsible ladder that drivers keep on the headboard to avoid climbing up the side of a load of wood to dislodge chains, straps or cables. A. Morin, Gerald Pelletier, Inc.

▪ Put a picture of your family up to remind you to slow down and think before you act - to ensure you get to return to your family. J. Lewis, Dean Young Forestry.

▪ Collaboration on any safety issues will help to prevent further injury. PLC safety trainings are a great start to the discussion. D. Wakefield, Madden Timberlands.

▪ Invest in quality ice

We asked for your safety ideas during our 2017 PLC Safety Training Series, with prizes awarded for the best ones at each training site. Here are the top safety picks of 2017

creepers for boots. F. Briggs, Sappi.

▪ Put a truck tire between two chains when pulling to prevent the chains from flying if they break. D. Qualey, Qualey Logging.

▪ Add skid bars to trailers so you don’t slip when you are sweeping them off. M. King, Treeline, Inc.

▪ If you see someone doing something in an unsafe manner take the time to tell them. Use thicker safety glass on slashers with a circular saw. S. Sanborn, William A. Day Jr. & Sons.

▪ Don’t throw straps while sitting under tree limbs or power lines and wear your hard hat while throwing straps. J. Rowe, LA Ridley, Inc.

▪ Use metal sheets over chain hangers to ensure no one slips and falls on the sharp chain hangers. Mix speedy dry with paint and use it on cat walks to prevent slips. A. Jipson, Treeline, Inc.

▪ Use pole saws to trim limbs off loads to prevent climbing on the load. S. Lowell, Pine Tree Safety.

▪ Use an oversized hoe to clean off trailers, pull not push. Ensure the ground is not slippery around the trailer. B. Bethune, Treeline, Inc.

▪ Use a satellite communicator if there is no cell service. J. Grady, Grady Forest Products.

▪ Use a chain that is bigger than you need to pull and also use a crane to lift a truck that has rolled over. C. Pepin, Pepin Lumber.

▪ When pulling a truck or piece of equipment – one person should be in charge of hooking and unhooking chains to keep the number of people involved to a minimum. D. Long Jr., Irish Family Logging.

▪ Everyone on the site have a 2-way radio for constant communication, especially when working around hazards. A. Jordan, Elliott Jordan & Son.

Congratulations to Adam Jordan of PLC Member Elliot Jordan & Son Inc. of Waltham on winning a NE Patriots football autographed by Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski, donated by Cross Insurance, as winner of the Best Safety Ideas drawing during PLC Annual Safety Trainings this spring! Adam's name was drawn in a raffle from those contributing the best safety ideas during the training. PLC Executive Director Dana Doran presented the football to Adam at this year’s Logger's Expo while his father, Duane looked on.

PLC Forest Contractor Member: W.W. London & Son Trucking

MILO – Loggers will tell you that without truckers, they’d soon be out of business. Talk to the Londons of W.W. London & Son Trucking LLC and William W. London & Son Inc., and they will tell you the opposite is just as true for them.

London said recently at the High Street office and garage not far from the town center where the businesses are based, on a lot with the space and road frontage to easily handle the big rigs rolling in and out.

London contract to plow snow. London and Bill joined the business straight out of high school.

Eventually, Bill bought his father out in 1980 and London’s Garage became William W. London & Son.

Over the years, the company expanded in size and in the jobs it took on, from plowing to forest road building to grading to woods bridge construction. Trucking was one of the areas the company expanded into, and it grew to the point that in 2016 the Londons established a second company, W.W. London & Son Trucking LLC, run by s son, Alex London, who has been working in the business since he was 15.

Last year, Alex’s wife, Molly, joined the company after several years as a forester for American Forest Management (AFM), and it was her familiarity with the Professional

London Continued Page 19

From left to right: Bill, Molly, and Alex London.

BREWER – The Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of Maine held its 22nd Annual Meeting Friday, May 5 with guests including U.S. Representative Bruce Poliquin, and raised a record $44,000 for the Log A Load for Kids Foundation to benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

The event also included the presentation of awards to Congressman Poliquin, Maine State Senator Paul Davis, former Maine State Representative Jeff McCabe and many PLC members for their outstanding contributions to the logging industry over the last year.

Congressman Poliquin welcomed the crowd of more than 170 Maine loggers, supporters, forest products industry business owners and representatives, lawmakers, and family members attending the evening dinner and awards ceremony that followed a day of meetings, presentations, and the auction in support of the Log A Load for Kids Foundation.

Congressman Poliquin noted how important the $8 billion forest products industry is to Maine, accounting for 34,000 jobs including more than 7,000 tied to logging, and pledged to continue fighting for the logging industry and small businesses in Maine. He also noted the opportunities in the emerging forest economy for companies that can adapt and invest, and vowed to work toward a business climate that can help those companies succeed.

The Congressman praised the work ethic and generosity of Maine loggers, noting the funds raised in the Log A Load auction.

“I know how hard you folks work, I know what good people you are, and I know this has been a tough patch for your businesses,” Congressman Poliquin said. “To see the generosity and the love in this room for these kids at a time when it’s tough like this - I am really proud to represent you.”

PLC members are well known for their generosity in supporting charitable causes benefiting children and are strong supporters of the Log A Load For Kids annual campaign which encourages loggers and others in the forest products community to donate the value of one load of logs, or any amount, to local Children’s Miracle Network hospitals. Log A Load For Kids is a national leader in CMN fundraising.

The PLC and the Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems (EMHS) Foundation have raised nearly $900,000 since 1996 for children in Maine. Donations have gone to support research and training, purchase equipment, and pay for uncompensated care, all in support of the mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. EMHS is a CMN hospital.

The Annual Meeting is one of the PLC’s major fund-raisers for Log A Load, and last year raised more than $36,000 in support of the cause at the auction. PLC Members were determined to exceed that this year, and they succeeded, setting the new record of $44,000.

“

The generosity of this group despite difficult times in logging never ceases to Dana Doran, Executive Director of the PLC, said. “Our members rise to and above any challenge, and continue to devote effort, time and resources to the Log A Load cause.”

“Our annual meeting is a time to reflect, a time to celebrate and a time to plan for the future. The PLC has made significant strides on behalf of loggers, forest contractors, and forest truckers in the past 22 years and stands ready to continue its work on behalf of the industry for years to come. Our members should be proud of what they have accomplished this year, and especially proud of what was accomplished here for the children tonight,

” Doran added.

Henry Mallett onstage with his mother, Katie, and sister, Rosie, shaking Dana Doran’s hand. Gabe and Noah Tibbetts at left. PLC President Scott Madden at right.

Congressman Bruce Poliquin

individuals for this award.

U.S. Representative Bruce Poliquin, Maine State Senator Paul Davis, and former Maine State Representative Jeff McCabe

Acadia Insurance Safety

Award: This award is given to a company that continuously demonstrates safety throughout their business. The winner is:

J.L. Brochu, Inc.

presented to an individual or organization within the PLC which has had a significant and positive impact on the PLC and the logging industry in Maine. The winner is:

Sappi

PLC Community Service Award: This award is given annually to a PLC Member, Supporting Member or affiliated organization that has demonstrated a significant commitment to giving back to their community. The winner is:

Dean Young Forestry

Congratulations to all 2017 Award Winners

As We See It May 2017

“Opportunity Knocks ”

By Ken Martin

It is said that opportunity knocks. We have new leadership in Washington with the election of President Trump. As this new, pro-business administration moves forward putting appointments in place, we are very hopeful that many of the issues we have talked about and lobbied for, may finally be heard and acted upon.

We see the opportunity for improving the management of our forests, including setting new policy that directs timber harvest, reducing hazardous fuels, and thinning to keep our forests healthy and vigorous for those who enjoy hiking, fishing, hunting and other forms of recreation. We have seen, for far too long, the effects of not having active management of our National Forests and other Public Lands. The result is the astronomical cost of fighting wildfires which has skyrocketed the last few years. The U.S. Forest Service is forced to spend much needed forest management funds on fighting wildfires. It is actually pretty simple – the lack of forest management is contributing to increase in wildfires and the cost of fighting them. As President Trump’s choices unfold, we are mostly encouraged by a change in philosophy from preservation and setting aside to conservation. We all want to enjoy the beauty of our vast natural resources, fully expecting that our forests be managed.

For many years we have seen how interconnected our industry is with transportation. We now have the opportunity to address an aging and crumbling infrastructure system. We must continue to fight for funding for rural roads and bridges that are so vital to the transportation of our forest products. We need a safe, reliable highway system on the Federal, State and Local level. We need reasonable trucking regulations as they pertain to logging transportation issues. Our interstate system as built to a higher standard to transport heavier loads for a better flow of traffic through congested areas. We need a federal standard for the transportation of forest products on our interstate system that takes out local politics. Everyone is seeking revenue. We must step up and speak of the impact that the neglect of rural roads and bridges is having on the forest products industry.

With the change in administration, opportunity will hopefully come with leadership understanding the consequences of overregulation. It has been said that government regulations are the biggest obstacle and cost to business growth and expansion. Put simply, regulations cost businesses millions of dollars each year.

Take advantage of this new opportunity to let your thoughts be heard. America was once a world leader in technology, manufacturing, and military strength. Today we stand at the threshold of a new day with an opportunity to step forward and renew our leadership in the world. This is our chance to stand up and be heard. Opportunity has knocked. Become proactive for issues affecting our forest products industry. Do not let opportunity pass you by.

Ken Martin is the President of the American Loggers Council. Ken, his wife Sandy and sons Brent and Brad own and operate Mar-Cal, Inc. with headquarters in Mendenhall, Mississippi. Brent and Brad having much of the day-to-day management of the family-owned timber management/ harvesting operations.

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.

“Future Logging CareersAct: Training the Next Generation, Safely and Legally”

By Danny Dructor

The American Loggers Council has made passing the Future Logging Careers Act a top priority in the 115th United States Congress. We're very pleased with the bipartisan support it is receiving in both the U.S. House and Senate. This is a credit to the hundreds of loggers who have contacted their representatives in support of the legislation. We need to keep up the calls and emails to Congress. In a moment I'll tell you how you can get involved.

It's become clear over the past several weeks that some in the news media, and some who follow ALC's Facebook page, don't have a clear understanding of what the Future Logging Careers Act actually does, and what it doesn't do. For example, a Washington D.C. reporter wrote a story last month attempting to link our bill to a very tragic accident involving an 18-year-old logger in Washington State.

Simply put, the Future Logging Careers Act is intended to give 16- and 17-year-olds hands-on training in mechanized timber harvesting in a safe and legal setting, under parental supervision. The bill is aimed at helping family-owned logging companies that wish to keep their sons and daughters in the profession. The Future Logging Careers Act, as its name suggests, is all about recruiting and retaining the next generation and to help families continue to run professional logging businesses.

The text of the legislation is straightforward. It extends an existing agricultural exemption now enjoyed by family farmers and ranchers specifically to family-owned logging companies.

For the purpose of amending the Fair Labor Standards Act, the bill defines logging as "the felling, skidding, yarding, loading and processing of timber by equipment other than manually operated chainsaws and cable skidders; the felling of timber in mechanized operations; the bucking or converting of timber into logs, poles, ties, bolts, pulpwood, chemical wood, excelsior wood, cordwood, fence posts, or similar products; the collecting, skidding, yarding, loading, transporting and unloading of such products in connection with logging; the constructing, repairing and maintaining of roads or camps used in connection with logging; the constructing, repairing, and maintenance of machinery or equipment used in logging; and other work performed in connection with logging."

Now for what the bill doesn't do: the Future Logging Careers Act does not permit 16- and 17-year-olds "the manual use of chain saws to fell and process timber and the use of cable skidders to bring the timber to the landing." Unfortunately, this important point was missed in the news story that misinterpreted our bill.

Safety is an issue that should unite all professional timber harvesters. ALC is deeply committed to promoting safety in the woods, and on the roads, in the hope that someday logging is not included in the annual list of "America's Most Dangerous Professions." Nobody wants to put young and inexperienced loggers in dangerous situations. The Future Logging Careers Act is one solution to promote safety for the future, and help young loggers learn the trade in a supervised

setting.

The Future Logging Careers Act is gaining support as more members of Congress learn about the bill, and understand why supporting family-owned logging businesses and recruiting and retaining the next generation of loggers are so important. If you haven't already, contact your House and Senate members and ask them to sponsor and support the bill.

Danny Dructor is the Executive Vice President for the American Loggers Council.

As We See It July 2017

“Making Biomass Viable for the Future”

By Danny Dructor

As professional timber harvesters we understand the importance of biomass energy to the future of our industry. Not only does it help open and expand markets for our businesses, it helps makes operations and logging jobs more economical.

Yet the future of the biomass industry is uncertain given the current regulatory environment and the fluctuating costs of natural gas and other energies. As companies consider making large investments in new or existing biomass facilities, they need stability and certainty to ensure those investments pencil out.

Earlier this year the U.S. Congress took the first step toward providing that needed stability and certainty. The 2017 Omnibus Appropriations bill included language clarifying federal regulatory policy to reflect the carbonneutrality of forest-based biomass, a policy that ensures biomass plays a part in government energy standards.

But that is probably not enough. The Biomass Power Association wants to go further to make this renewable energy more viable, as well as promote and protect the development of facilities throughout the country.

At the ALC Spring Fly-In BPA's Bob Cleaves asked us to support the reintroduction of legislation to extend the Renewable Electricity Production Credit (“PTC”) for existing "open loop" biomass facilities for the 10 year period that was originally granted for new facilities. The legislation is expected to be brought forward by U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey with bipartisan co-sponsors.

The PTC works as an income tax credit allowing for the production of electricity from qualified energy resources at qualified facilities, which can be used by the facility or the power purchaser. Those that commenced construction prior to December 31, 2016 were eligible to claim the PTC for 10 years after the qualifying facility is placed in service, but that provision has now expired with no extension.

The PTC also offered different benefits for certain open- and closed loop facilities, which only served to favor some industries over others. A multi-year deal would help correct the tilted policies that have awarded some renewable technologies billions of dollars – helping them become independently successful – and others a small fraction of the PTC.

Many biomass facilities began production decades before the PTC began – meaning that they haven’t had the opportunity to qualify for the full 10-year credit received by newer technologies. Additionally, low natural gas prices are making it difficult for utilities to sign new contracts with biomass facilities. The extension of the PTC to biomass facilities would help offset the cost of fuel, keeping the supply chain operating. It would also help keep loggers employed by preserving an important revenue

stream.

Stay tuned for more updates on this proposed legislation. Here at ALC, we are looking forward to seeing the language of the bill, and we will keep you informed of the bill’s status and other opportunities to support the biomass sector.

Danny Dructor is the Executive Vice President for the American Loggers Council.

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Logging

Contractors of Maine that led the Londons to become PLC Forest Contractor Members in 2016.

“I like knowing we’re supporting an organization that is working hard for us,” Molly said.

The Londons have 16 full-time employees including themselves, with additional seasonal help as needed. They operate nine trucks – Peterbilts and Kenworths – in addition to the many excavators, the two graders, the dump trucks, and other equipment rolling on the construction side of the business.

W.W. London trucks spend almost all their time hauling wood and woods-related material. That includes plenty of roundwood, bark, and increasingly; logging equipment on low beds.

The closure of pulp and paper mills has hit the Londons just as it has most forest-related businesses in

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) on June 9 announced two proposals that would take steps toward responding to a national shortage of qualified truck and bus drivers. These proposed processes would simplify obtaining a commercial driver’s license (CDL) for qualified veterans and active duty personnel and reduce administrative expenses to both the driver applicant and state driver licensing agencies.

Maine, but their central location has helped them weather the ups and downs. They’ve also begun operating across the Canadian border in the past year, which has added business.

Forest trucking is a challenging business at the best of times, due to liability, regulations, seasonal road conditions, and rising costs. Finding experienced professional drivers can also be difficult. But the Londons have been able to keep veteran employees and attract newer, younger workers as well, including younger drivers. They place an emphasis on treating their employees well, including providing benefits and competitive wages.

The quality of their employees and the effort they put into running a professional operation makes a big difference in getting and keeping business, Alex said.

“I think it’s the employees,” Alex said, when asked what makes the companies special.

Mechanized Logging Operations Training Program begins June 26

First of its kind program will rotate to locations around Maine each semester

Maine’s first post-secondary training program for future operators of mechanized logging equipment launched this summer thanks to a partnership between three Maine community colleges, the Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of Maine, and industry partners.

The 12-week certificate program began June 26 in Millinocket in space provided by PLC Member Gerald Pelletier Inc. The program will rotate to other locations around the state as each class completes it. The supervised training will be hands-on, putting students in modern equipment, in the woods, under actual logging conditions to better prepare them for good paying careers in the logging industry. Land for operations is being provided by Katahdin Forest Management and training space will be provided by PLC founding member Gerald Pelletier, Inc.

“This program is critical to the future of Maine’s logging industry and it is equally critical to let young people know that despite the transition of the forest products industry, there is in fact a future for this industry,” PLC Executive Director Dana Doran, said. “Most skilled

equipment operators are now at or nearing retirement age and there is a shortage of skilled operators despite the market retractions that have taken place recently.”

The new program will work in tandem with the state’s current vocational training system and is expected to draw many of its students from within the logging industry itself as well as from Maine’s four high school vocational logging programs. For the first time, logging operators will be trained similarly to other advanced trade occupations with a high school and postsecondary approach.

The training will give students a broad overview of the most common mechanical systems found in modern timber harvesting equipment, and an understanding of the variables of timber growth, tree species, and markets. It will also include a strong emphasis on safety.

Approximately 95 percent of logging in Maine now relies on mechanized equipment including feller bunchers and harvesters, delimbers, grapple skidders, and forwarders. It generally takes at least a year of training and experience before an operator becomes skilled enough to run this equipment safely and efficiently. The cost for companies to train these operators themselves is approximately $100,000 each.

It was for this reason that the PLC partnered with the Maine Community College System and industry to create the program. It has been jointly developed by the PLC and Northern Maine Community College (NMCC),

Eastern Maine Community College (EMCC), and Washington County Community College (WCCC) with generous support from Milton CAT/CAT Forest Products, Nortrax Inc./John Deere, and other industry partners.

Milton CAT has donated the use of a Caterpillar 521B feller buncher, a Caterpillar 525D grapple skidder, and a Cat 324D FM delimber as well as a one-year repair warranty for each machine for a total value of $230,000.

“Milton CAT and Caterpillar are excited to support this program and ensure the next generation of loggers has the skills needed to operate the sophisticated logging equipment the industry is dominated by today,” Peter Collins, Forestry Industry Manager for Milton CAT, said.

Nortrax Inc. has donated the use of a forwarder/ harvester machine operations simulator, a JD853MH tracked harvester, JD1270E rubber tired harvester, and JD 1210E forwarder for a combined value of $205,000.

“Nortrax serves professional loggers and shares their dedication to Maine’s forest products industry. The new mechanized logging operations training program is important to the future of the region’s forest products industry and will benefit our regional economy,” Kevin Fowler, General Manager of Nortrax, said.

The program would not have been possible without the support of Maine’s lawmakers, who made funding available for it through the ‘Put ME to Work Program’ to support creation of new job training programs at Maine’s

community colleges. The program enjoyed bipartisan support, with former Maine Speaker of the House Mark W. Eves (D-North Berwick) and Senate President Michael Thibodeau (R-Winterport) speaking at the press conference where it was announced in late 2015.

PLC Board Members like Steve Hanington and Gary Voisine say the program will be vital for replacing retiring operators.

“

At some point there’s going to be this huge dropoff of experienced and trained loggers that are very costeffective for the industry, they’re going to disappear and if we don’t have a program in place to fill that demand when it happens, we’re going to be in a lot worse shape than what is being predicted right now,” Steve, President of Hanington Brothers Inc. in Macwahoc Plantation, said.

Those who complete the program will come to companies with enough skills to greatly reduce the time it will take to bring them up to speed as operators.

“It’s going to save us a lot of money in the long run,” Gary, of Voisine Brothers Inc. in Fort Kent, said.

For more information on the program contact:

WABI Telethon: PLC presents check for $117,105 to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

PLC on June 3 presented a check for $117,105 to the EMHS Foundation Children's Miracle Network Hospitals during the WABI TV Telethon for CMN! The funds raised in 2016 will go to help children and families served by CMN right here in Maine. PLC's contribution is hugely important to this annual effort and the generosity of our members and supporters is truly incredible. Thanks to all who contributed and a special thanks to the Madden family for their generosity and their presence at the Telethon.

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funding

each biennium to support their programs. At the time this article went to print, this bill was tabled for action in the House.

LD 897 An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Encourage Efficient Biomass Thermal and Power Projects in Maine. The funds provided by this bond issue would be used to provide low interest loans for the construction of steam piping from existing stand-alone biomass generators to adjacent manufacturing facilities, construction of biomass combined heat and power generation boilers for manufacturing facilities and converting fossil fuel boilers in public buildings and commercial facilities to biomass boilers. At the time this article went to print, the bond bill had not yet been taken up by the Appropriations Committee.

LD 1147 An Act to Modernize the Renewable Portfolio Standard. This bill attempts to open the hood regarding the existing statute for the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and to continue the RPS at its current percentage beyond 2017 for ten years. The sustainability of the RPS is very important to the pulp and paper industry as well as to the stand-alone biomass electric producers and it could be very important to any future project developers that seek to use Maine’s RPS to assist with wood to energy related projects. At the time this article went to print, this bill was tabled for action in the Senate.

LD 1464 An Act Regarding Unemployment Compensation for Full-time Seasonal Workers This was the PLC’s bill to amend the unemployment compensation laws to provide that an individual who is laid off from work, but has both a return to work date and is attached to their employer with full time benefits, is not required to engage in work search efforts or training while they are collecting unemployment. The bill was carried over to the 2018 session and a work group will be put together this summer to analyze the amount that is paid into the Trust Fund, whether tax changes are required, and whether online training can be provided instead of time intensive training that is required now. The PLC will be part of the working group that will begin its work during the summer of 2017.

LD 1573 An Act to Encourage Development in the Logging Industry by Requiring State and Local Government Agencies to Give Preference to Lumber

and Solid Wood Products Harvested in the State. This bill requires that a state agency that contracts for timber harvesting or acquires wood chips or round wood give preference to Maine based contractors. It also states that any entity that receives a subsidy (tree growth) and conducts a timber harvest, must utilize a Maine based contractor to conduct the harvest. At the time this article went to print, this bill had not yet come up for floor action.

While it is nearly the end of the session and there is still a lot of unfinished business, it is clear that without the work of the PLC and the involvement of our members, the logging industry would not have a seat at the table here in Augusta. We would not be looked to as the voice of Maine’s logging industry and we would not have the connections that we have to protect and grow one of Maine’s legacy industries. These connections and respect are vital, regardless of whether it’s when we seek relief from the legislature or if we must make a phone call to a state agency to get clarification on a regulation, tax filing or other issue.

I am often asked what are the benefits of membership in the PLC. While it is very important to talk about all the things that we do which give back to our membership, the training, the dividends, the member discounts and the publications we produce, there is one thing that we do which I think adds the most value not only to our organization, but to this industry. That is the work we do to advocate on behalf of this profession.

When an issue comes up here in Augusta, the first call I receive is about whether an issue will benefit or harm loggers and truckers. This is happening because legislators have taken the time to learn about our industry and have garnered deep respect for the work you do out there every day. It is also because our members have taken the time to reach out to a legislator, introduced them to what they do and ensured that the decisions they make take the best interests of our industry into account.

In the end, this is the value that the PLC adds to our industry. The PLC is the voice for loggers in Maine and will continue to work on your behalf so the legislature and the public understands how important you are to the fiber of the state of Maine. The PLC will continue to speak on behalf of this industry and we hope you do too. In the end, if we don’t speak up, then no one will.

Stay safe out there,

Dana

Next Issue: Fall 2017 to feature Mechanized Logger Training Program, 2017 PLC Golf Tournament coverage, and more.

Professional Logging Contractors of Maine

110 Sewall St.

P.O. Box 1036 Augusta, ME 04332

2017 Meeting Schedule

Professional Logging Contractors of Maine and Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands Executive Board and Full Board

July 2017: No Meeting

August 17, 2017: Executive Board, HO Bouchard/Comstock, Hampden

September 21, 2017: Full Board, Augusta - TBD

October 2017: No Meeting

November 9, 2017, Executive Board, PLC, Augusta

December 14, 2017: Full Board, Bangor - TBD