The Logger's VOICE - Fall 2018

From the President

By Jim Nicols

Hello everyone,

I hope everyone’s summer went well as it winds down and we turn towards fall. It certainly was hot and dry, although in my part of the state we have started to get some rain. Hopefully we don’t have a rainy fall.

I know it has been a busy year for everyone but if you have a minute, take the time to thank your local legislators for their support on different issues from the past year. Write them a note or give them a call to let them know that you are around to help answer any questions they may have on issues pertaining to our industry. It does make a difference. We certainly will have more things up for debate over the next year and could use their support.

I would like to congratulate the newest class of MLOP students. These eight students and their families should be very proud of successfully completing the 12-week training course. Thanks go out to program coordinator Don Burr and his instructors for helping to keep things organized and running smoothly on a daily basis, and adapting as needed.

Thank you to the equipment dealers Milton CAT/CAT Forest Products and Nortrax Inc./John Deere for donating the equipment used in the classes. Thank you to Prentiss and Carlisle for donating the use of their land as a classroom and also providing a donation back to the program for the value of the wood that was harvested. Thank you to additional donors, United Insurance in Fort Kent, Labonville Inc., Katahdin Fire Co. and Pro Pac Inc. for their contributions. And thank you to the Maine Legislature for supporting this program.

Last, but not least, thank you to Northern Maine Community College for organizational structure and helping set up the classes. Without all of the combined efforts of everyone involved, it would be difficult to run the school and have success in doing so. This training is so very important to the future of the logging industry. I believe these students will have a bright future ahead of them in the forest industry and all will have good jobs in our industry if they so choose.

One thing that I want to write about this month, which ties in to the graduating class, is labor. As the economy strengthens I see contractors facing many pressures from within but mostly from outside in finding qualified labor to run these expensive machines and trucks. With the low unemployment rate, it is difficult for contractors to find qualified employees needed. I feel we must continue to find ways to train and retain employees. I believe it is one of the contractor’s most difficult tasks moving forward at times and does hold back investment and growth, not knowing who is going to be sitting in the seat of the machine.

Our industry is not unlike others in the struggle to find employees, whether it be CDL drivers or equipment operators. We all face the same dilemma. These are good paying jobs and we must promote them so we can train and retain these employees as our aging workforce retires or moves on. This is critical to many of our company’s successes and ability to harvest and truck wood. It is also critical to supply mills and meet the landowner needs across this state. We must all work at this together to ensure success. It will take time but we must continue to work at it.

Have a great fall.

Thank you Jimmy

Herbert L. Hardy & Son Inc. of Smyrna, ME joined the PLC as a new Logging Contractor in June 2018. The company has a professional staff of 5. For more information contact Derrick Hardy at (207) 757-8550 or email fmhardy@fairpoint.net.

Hillside Logging & Trucking of Patten, ME joined the PLC as a new Logging Contractor in Sept. 2018. The company is Master Logger certified and has a professional staff of 3. For more information contact Scott Willett at (207) 267-0825 or email sgwillette86@gmail.com.

Pelletier Timber Harvesting Inc. of Fort Kent, ME joined the PLC as a new Logging Contractor in June 2018. The company has a professional staff of 1. For more information contact Joe Pelletier at (207) 316-6592 or email joepelletier321@yahoo.com.

Perley's Logging Inc. ofAshland, ME joined the PLC as a new Logging Contractor in June 2018. The company has a professional staff of 7. For more information contact Ryan Burby at (207) 435-6155 or email ryan.burby@gmail.com.

SJS & Son Logging of Patten, ME joined the PLC as a new Logging Contractor in June 2018. The company is Master Logger certified and has a professional staff of 2. For more information contact Kim Savage at (207) 267-7694 or email sjslogging@gmail.com.

Whites Land Management LLC of Dixfield, ME joined the PLC as a new Logging Contractor in June 2018. The company has a professional staff of 2. For more information contact Lance White at (207) 562-9024 or email ellogging@yahoo.com.

White Oak Inc. of St. Francis, ME joined the PLC as a new Logging Contractor in June 2018. The company has a professional staff of 20. For more information contact Mike Nadeau at (207) 398-4130 or email mikenadeau@fairpoint.net.

Looking Back to Look Forward

By Dana Doran

In the fall of each year, in preparation for its participation in the American Loggers Council Annual Meeting, the PLC looks in the rearview mirror to thoughtfully review its impact upon the logging industry in Maine over the past year. In retrospect, the last twelve months have been very successful for the PLC organization and its membership. The PLC has experienced unprecedented growth in its membership and programmatic offerings while the industry appears to be in a period of stability and optimism.

The size and scope of logging contractors and their operations have been in a period of reduction and stagnation for the last three years as a result of a fourmillion-ton reduction in market consumption throughout the state. However, with markets for pulpwood in a period of relative stability with an upward trajectory, a red-hot log market, interest in exports and recent announcements for growth in softwood pulp, softwood log manufacturing and cross laminated timber, PLC members have reached a point where their future is looking more secure. Members are also looking to reinvest and grow slightly in the future. However, to do so, workforce availability and rates of pay to attract new entrants to the industry will have to be addressed. As of now, both are barriers to growth, despite an optimistic

market outlook.

The past year has also been one of growth and new offerings for the PLC. The organization has added 25 new contractor members in that timeframe. The growth in contractors has taken place as a result of PLC’s decision to diversify its membership criteria in 2016 by providing an opportunity for a broader range of contractors to join in addition to the value that contractors are seeing in the work that the organization is doing. This diversification includes opportunities for those that are involved with chipping, grinding, trucking and other components of the process to harvest and truck wood from stump to mill to take advantage of all that the PLC has to offer.

In March 2018, the PLC voted to allow Master Loggers, that have a current letter of self-determination from the Workers Comp. Board to join the PLC as affiliated contractors. The PLC is poised to continue its position as the only organization in Maine that represents the interests of loggers and truckers and grow the organization in size, stature and diversity, but it will not lose track of its core mission.

In late 2017, the PLC, as a result of its collaboration with Acadia Insurance and the Cross Agency, was able to create a position for its first Safety and Training

From the Executive Director

Coordinator. In March 2018, Donald Burr joined the PLC to take on this role. Mr. Burr was a logger for 22 years, working primarily as a feller buncher operator for Madden Timberlands (Scott Madden, PLC Immediate Past President). He was also the lead instructor and coordinator for the very successful Mechanized Logging Operations Program in 2017 - a role he returned to this past summer, in addition to his new role as our Safety and Training Coordinator. Safety, training and loss control are major priorities for the PLC. Mr. Burr’s portfolio includes oversight of the PLC’s training program development and coordination, including our Spring safety series, but also developing additional resources and series including online options. He will be developing and distributing safety resources for operations and trucking fleets for owners, supervisors, and operators. He will also handle loss control and safety consulting for our members.

In 2017-18, the PLC continued its strong record of offering professional development for its membership. In December 2017, the PLC hosted its second management training series in two locations that provided continued leadership and communication training for more than 50 members. In March and April 2018, the PLC offered its annual safety training for its membership and their employees. The PLC provided training at eight locations throughout the state and in May 2018, it began offering fleet safety training for is member’s truck drivers, mechanics and

loader operators. With 12 trainings, the PLC provided training to 120 of its members and over 1,000 of their employees in 2018.

In June 2018, the PLC, in collaboration with the Maine Community College System, kicked off the second year of its Mechanized Logging Operations Program (MLOP) in Ashland, Maine. The program was created thanks to a partnership between three Maine community colleges, the PLC, and industry partners including Milton CAT and Nortrax/John Deere. MLOP gives 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 also includes a strong emphasis on safety. The program graduated six highly trained students in September 2017 and another eight students in September 2018. All 14 graduates had employment offers in the industry prior to graduation. The PLC also created a video to help with student recruitment in January 2018 that has been viewed over 20,000 times. The PLC also had another successful run at the Maine Legislature during 2018. In 2018, our efforts were focused on wood energy market stabilization and growth, unemployment, tax reduction, contractor protections, transportation regulatory mitigation and road infrastructure improvement. With the longest session in state history officially in the books, the PLC did manage to get one major accomplishment through the

Doran Continued Page 12

Reese Greaney, of Western Maine Timberlands Inc. loading logs. Story page 10.

Fryeburg, ME - Most Maine loggers will tell you they got into the business because they grew up in a logging family or had relatives who were loggers, but not Marc Greaney.

Marc grew up on Munjoy Hill in Portland, but for his 8th grade year he moved to Rumford to live with his father, and it was there that he first cut wood.

“

Most of my family is educators, teachers, but I’ve always had an interest in logging and the equipment,” Marc said. “I first started cutting wood for a logging contractor sawing on the landing a little bit, then helping my step brother who logged and built log cabins, I ran an old Oliver bulldozer with a winch. Ran the old Partner chainsaws and Jonsered saws.”

“I ended up going to Fryeburg Academy as a dorm student and back in those days everyone had firewood dropped off so I was working sawing up firewood, I worked for a small logger on the weekends doing a lot of firewood and house lots. When I graduated, Diamond Match owned a lot of land around Fryeburg and they were liquidating everything and I was making decent money with a chain saw, so that’s kind of where it all began.”

Things have come a long way in the three decades since that small beginning. When Marc began logging fulltime he started off alone with a cable skidder and a chain saw. He eventually cofounded Maine Custom Woodlands in a partnership, and was involved in the startup and the early days of the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine (PLC). When the partnership ended, he and his wife, Jennifer, founded Western Maine Timberlands in 1998. The industry at that time was transitioning from cable skidder and hand crew logging to mechanized logging, and Western Maine Timberlands grew slowly in size and capabilities over the years. Today the company employs 16 people including Forester Darren Riggins who is licensed in Maine and New Hampshire. It has a whole tree and chipping crew, a cut-to-length crew, seven trucks, a firewood processor, and two excavators.

The company logs in Maine and New Hampshire primarily with John Deere and Tigercat equipment and a mix of Western Star and Kenworth trucks. It operates a Morbark chipper and Multitek firewood processor.

Western Maine Timberlands offers all varieties of timber harvesting, forest management and consulting

Western Maine Timberlands Owner Marc Greaney on the job in Hebron, NH.

Western Maine Timberlands Inc.

services, timberland assessment, Maine Tree Growth and New Hampshire Current Use Plan services, boundary line identification and maintenance, timber marking, firewood, and some road building services.

The region where the company works provides many challenges, both in terms of a diverse mix of landowners and changing markets, as well as some rough terrain.

On a hot day in mid-August, Marc is in Hebron New Hampshire checking in on his cut-to-length crew. Western Maine Timberlands only got into cut-to-length harvesting in early 2017, but with a couple of good operators running new equipment - a 2017 John Deere, 853 MH Harvester with a 623 Waratah processing head and a 2017 John Deere 1510 Forwarder - the crew quickly became productive and is giving the company more options to serve a wider range of customers, Marc said.

On this day, the harvester can be heard growling in the hills above Groton Road in the John K. Gemmill Forest, a 79-acre parcel of timberland owned by a New Hampshire land conservation organization. Marc hikes up the hill toward the sound, it’s rugged ground and the forwarder is registering a 30-

“This is a wildlife management cut and where the lot is pretty steep and they wanted to manage for wildlife I think they really wanted a cutto-length crew for it, it does make pretty good sense for this job,” Marc said.

“We’re leaving some brush cover and some really big trees with cavities in them for critters, meeting the objectives the landowner has for the property while managing for the health of the stand.”

Eventually Marc reaches the harvester, which is rolling uphill, efficiently dropping and processing trees against a backdrop of mountains, the engine whining at the steep grade. Inside, it’s a rough ride but quieter and cool, as operator Zane Hart quickly assesses the terrain and the trees and keeps the operation moving smoothly as the forwarder with Brian Downing at the controls rolls up for another load of logs to be taken to the landing below. After speaking with both his operators on the hill, Marc hikes back to the landing, where a Western Maine

Timberlands truck is now waiting to be loaded. His oldest son, Reese, is on the loader, swinging logs onto the trailer. His son and his wife are critical to the family business, Marc says. Jennifer runs the office, the trucking, the firewood business, and, “really does the work of three people,” he says. Reese is in school at the University of New Hampshire studying forestry, but he has been working in the business for years now, can run several pieces of equipment, and is close to getting his Commercial Driver’s License. He represents the future of the company. It was largely his idea to get into cut-to-length harvesting, and he and his mother were really the ones who brought that operation from the concept stage to reality. New ideas are important to the future competitiveness of the business, and so are professional standards, Marc says.

Western Maine Timberlands has been a Master Logger certified company since 2002, and the company maintains high standards in every aspect of its work. The company also takes part in outreach to landowners and the public on the benefits of professional, responsible logging. A week earlier, this job was the site of a workshop organized by the New Hampshire Timberland Owners length harvesting and timber harvest road layout for mechanical harvests. The workshop placed special emphasis on quality timber marking for cut-to-length harvest systems, best management practices, and operational safety and efficiency. The workshop may have been a week ago, but Marc is still monitoring the job closely for impacts on the terrain and the appearance of the site, and you can tell this is something the company takes seriously no matter what the job is.

These days those high standards are helping Western Maine Timberlands remain competitive in a market with many challenges. The chip market is high on the list of those challenges, with biomass generators in Maine and New Hampshire struggling. The shutdown of the Pine Tree Power biomass plant in Tamworth New Hampshire was particularly problematic for the company as it was one of the top suppliers for the plant and must now

Western Maine Continued from Page 11

divert chips to more distant plants. Like many professional loggers, Marc believes the biomass market is important because of the options it provides for better forest management.

“I think chipping is a good operation to slide into most stand types and you can make a go of it, whatever the prescription is,” Marc said.

The Greaneys credit much of Western Maine Timberland's success to their high-quality employees, and feel fortunate to have such a great group of workers at a time when logging companies are facing shortages in skilled workers.

Like other logging companies, Western Maine Timberlands also faces increasing equipment and operation costs.

The PLC is an organization working hard on those challenges, and Marc said he has no regrets about Western Maine Timberlands becoming a member of the organization. He sees the benefits of the PLC on many levels. It is a marketing force for the industry, the advocacy it does on behalf of loggers is important, and so is the outreach and education to the public.

The PLC’s Mechanized Logging Operations Program training new operators is a great initiative for the industry as it deals with a shortage of qualified operators, Marc said.

Doran Continued from Page 9 16 legislature this year, despite the Governor’s veto, by creating a permanent work search waiver of up to six weeks for employees of contractors that must file for unemployment benefits each year.

At the federal level, the PLC also had a strong impact. We have built a very strong relationship with our entire delegation and it is paying dividends.

Congressman Poliquin and Senator King reintroduced the Youth in Logging Careers Act again in 2017. Senator Collins and Congresswoman Pingree also signed on to both bills as original co-sponsors. We are hopeful that this important legislation passes in 2018 and is signed by the President.

Congressman Poliquin took the lead on fighting efforts against the implementation of a national park on land east of Baxter State Park in the north Maine woods. Despite the decision of President Obama to declare the land a national monument, the PLC has continued to work with Congressman Poliquin and the other members of the Congressional delegation on efforts to ensure that this declaration does not harm our industry. This work has paid dividends as the Secretary of Interior, Ryan Zinke, recommended that commercial timber harvesting should be

There are real financial benefits to PLC membership as well - Marc recently got a $5,000 discount on his latest truck, a Western Star from Freightliner of Maine, thanks to his PLC membership. Western Maine Timberlands is also with Acadia Insurance, and so benefits from the Acadia Insurance PLC Safety Group dividend program.

Marc has been in logging long enough to know there are ups and downs in the industry, and while there’s been plenty of down in recent years, his son believes logging has a strong future, and he has come to agree with him that things will eventually improve.

“I think things are going to turn around for the better,” Marc said. “It might be 20 years from now, but my son believes its coming and I think he’s right.”

In the meantime, logging may not be the easiest profession, but he still likes it after all these years, though at times he wonders how he went from cutting firewood on weekends to managing two harvesting crews, a fleet of trucks, multiple employees, and jobs in two states, Marc said.

“I still enjoy it in spite of the trials and tribulations today, but looking back sometimes I kind of miss the old being by yourself in the woods with the cable skidder,” Marc laughs.

allowed in the Monument in the future and his recommendation is now awaiting final action by President Trump.

The entire Congressional delegation was successful in including language in the FY 2018 federal budget to ensure that the carbon benefits of forest-based bioenergy are recognized at the federal and state government levels. The Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall: (1) ensure that federal policy relating to forest bioenergy (A) is consistent across all Federal departments and agencies; and (B) recognizes the full benefits of the use of forest biomass for energy, conservation, and responsible forest management; and (2) establish clear and simple policies for the use of forest biomass as an energy solution, including policies that (A) reflect the carbon-neutrality of forest bioenergy and recognize biomass as a renewable energy source, provided the use of forest biomass for energy production does not cause conversion of forests to nonforest use.

Earlier in March, the PLC also participated in the annual American Loggers Council Washington, D.C. fly-in to educate our Congressional delegation on the issues that

Operator Zane Hart changing the chain on his harvester’ s processing head.

impact the industry both in Maine and across the country. Lastly, the PLC has continued its leadership role as the state sponsor of the Log-A-Load for Kids Campaign. At our Annual Meeting in May 2018, our initial fundraising goal of $20,000 was quickly surpassed as loggers, suppliers, and family members purchased items through our Live Auction. In all, the auction raised just over $46,000 for Log -A-Load for Kids. When added to the $72,000 in proceeds from our annual fall Log-A-Load for Kids Golf Tournament, the PLC of Maine will donate $118,000 to Eastern Maine Healthcare and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in 2018.

The past year has been an exciting and successful one for the PLC but the future is bright and the strength of the loggers voice is certainly making a difference.

With the past behind us, what is on the horizon for the organization and our membership?

The Maine logging workforce is aging with an average age of 55+ and there are few, if any new contractors, let alone employees, that are getting into the business. The risk in this business is extremely high and the reward is low in many respects as compared to similar industries (general construction, fishing, farming). Markets have stabilized, and we are seeing growth in wood demand, however, contractors cannot recruit and hire the workforce that they need to stay competitive. They also struggle to meet payroll and reinvest in their businesses because the rates that they are being paid for the service provided are in many respects similar to that which they were paid in 2000. As costs increase annually for employees, benefits, fuel, insurance, equipment, etc., logging companies struggle to survive. Profit margins for logging businesses now hover at 1-2% annually and most contractors operate on equity rather than profit.

As this article goes to print, we are in the midst of an election season that will inevitably lead to major changes in the Blaine House, the State House and quite possibly even in Congress. The PLC has been spending considerable time educating the gubernatorial candidates and existing/new legislative candidates on what is important to our industry. We have accomplished a great deal, but there is still much to be done and our relationships with the future Governor and Legislature are key to this progression.

To increase opportunity for loggers and truckers, it is clear that Maine needs a comprehensive strategic plan to sustain and grow its forest products economy. To date, state government has never developed that plan and has been reactive rather than proactive. If Maine is going to reinsert itself as a global leader in the forest products industry, grow its rural economy and sustain its rural character, Maine needs a policy platform that will encourage market diversification and investment based upon the full utilization of its greatest natural resource for all three legs of the forest products stool.

Since 2016, the PLC has worked with our Congressional delegation and other industry partners to develop this plan. What is now known as the Forest

Opportunity Roadmap Maine coalition, released its recommendations on September 25th to the public calling for a 30% increase in the value and production of forest products, moving an $8.5 billion economic impact to $12 billion by 2025. However, before that can happen, a policy and implementation strategy must be developed to bring these recommendations to fruition over the coming days, months and years.

As important as this plan is to the future of Maine’s forest products economy, it pales in comparison to the availability and preparation of a workforce that will be required to implement it. At the present time, the logging and trucking capacity is not at full production because there simply aren’t enough people available to do the work. Logging equipment and trucks sit idle as a result. From each end of the state and all points in between, there is a consistent message I hear from members who want to grow, want to harvest more wood, but simply cannot because of a workforce shortage. This has happened for a myriad of reasons, including, but not limited to a booming economy, a tight labor market and logging rates that aren’t competitive to recruit contractors and employees into the industry. Thus, we are at a crossroads in a boat without a paddle unless things change in the future.

A goal to increase production and the value of the forest products economy is noble, but if there isn’t a logging and trucking workforce available and ready to do the work, the work cannot get done and the goal will not be met.

As this process moves forward, it does not change the fact that more needs to be done on a policy level for loggers and truckers in Maine. The PLC is also trying to determine its policy platform for its membership for 2019. Currently, there is a growing list of ideas related to state harvesting contracts, parity with farmers and fisherman, wood for energy, workforce development, trade, posted roads, and infrastructure improvement. We are looking for your ideas as well to add to this list. If there is something that needs to be changed that will help your business, please get in touch with us so we can add it to our list. In the end, we work for Maine’s loggers and truckers and our success in many respects only comes from solving your issues.

The PLC is also taking a look at its continued efforts to provide value for its members. We are looking at health insurance options, cooperative purchasing opportunities, training and education for 2019 and other ideas that are on the table. I would encourage you to reach out and provide your ideas and suggestions. The PLC is always looking to do more for its membership to ensure loggers and truckers are profitable now and in the future so please let us know what we can do to better serve you.

The road ahead has many challenges and opportunities to help our logger members as a result of our work here in Maine and with our partners across the country, and we look forward to our continued work on your behalf. Thanks again for all you do to make this profession the best in Maine and we are so proud to represent you.

FORT KENT - TNT Road Company started in 1987 in an old barn on Charette Hill Road where horses had once been stabled. At first the small trucking business was only father and son Richard and Steve Theriault, but those years are far behind it now. Today, TNT is a diversified trucking, logging, chipping, and grinding company with extensive timberland holdings and over 50 employees. It is still at the same location, but now there is a 15,000 square-foot garage, a modern separate office building, large parking lots, and other facilities on the site. There are still “stables,” behind the garage, but they are filled with 25 Western Star trucks.

Steve

Theriault has operated TNT with his wife, Terry, since his father’s retirement more than a decade ago, and while the company is much larger than he or his father ever thought it would be back when it started, he recalls growth was slow

in the early years.

“

For quite a while we stayed small, just a few guys, we continued to truck forest products, road construction was more in the summer, and then the biomass industry began to develop,” Steve said. “That allowed us to work year-round and develop biomass contracts, and then by having better jobs we were able to hire more full-time employees and continue to grow the business.”

TNT at first capitalized on the rapid expansion of the biomass market in northern Maine by hauling biomass for various woods contractors, but eventually the Theriaults saw the benefits of producing biomass as well. By the late 1990s, TNT was chipping and grinding biomass as well as hauling it, and they continue to do so today.

“We’ve kind of worked with all the different landowners around, becoming more or less their cleanup specialists, I call it turning nothing into something,” Steve

said.

In the last few years TNT also got into timber harvesting, adding a whole tree logging crew to further diversify. The crew harvests private lots as well some of the roughly 6,000 acres of timberland TNT has acquired over the years. With the biomass industry facing many challenges and an uncertain future, TNT may look to acquire more of its own lands to harvest now that roundwood markets seem to have strengthened, Steve said. There are many challenges for the business in addition to biomass uncertainty. Costs of operation and equipment continue to rise. Trucking regulations continue to be a strain, particularly since they often do not seem to be designed with the needs of the forest trucking industry in mind. Trucks and equipment get more and more complex and increasingly difficult and expensive to diagnose and repair. And of course, the national shortage of truck drivers is as real in northern Maine as everywhere else in America.

“We’re okay, because of the fact that we’ve got great drivers and we’ve had a lot of them for over 15-20 years, but our challenge is going to be in the next five years, when these guys begin to retire and we need to replace them,” Steve said.

On the plus side, new technology has made many aspects of the business easier and more efficient. Communications are far ahead of where they were before cell phones and smart phones came along to connect every employee in the business. There are signs of new markets for wood emerging, and the recent strength of the softwood markets is something Steve hopes can continue.

TNT joined the Professional Logging Contractors

of Maine to support the organization’s work on behalf of the logging and trucking industry, and is an Affiliated Contractor Member that has hosted several PLC Safety Trainings including one this year. The company is a strong supporter of initiatives and efforts of the PLC.

Steve said the representation and voice the PLC provides in Augusta is of great value to an industry that often has a difficult time speaking effectively for itself. Likewise, raising the public’s awareness of challenges and issues the industry faces is a very important piece of what PLC does to aid the success of logging and trucking businesses in Maine’s woods industry.

Steve attributes the success of TNT primarily to its employees, and to the good companies it works with that have persevered alongside TNT through tough economic times.

Thirty-one years into the business, Steve has not forgotten where he started, and he gives a lot of credit to his father who remains a resource despite his retirement.

“He’s still around, we see him daily,” Steve said. He still continues to be a big part of it, his feedback is still worth a lot.”

His father’s generation had different challenges, Steve said, but in many ways the things that mean the difference between success and failure in business seem to have remained the same: Hard work, business sense, but something more as well.

“The willingness to persevere through your challenges is probably the main thing that we all need to still do to continue in business,” Steve said. “If it was easy everybody would be doing it.”

Opposite top: TNT’s Fort Kent facility.

Opposite bottom: Chipping operations underway.

Above top: Steve Theriault, middle, on the job.

Above bottom: Claude Collin inspects a TNT rig at the company’s Fort Kent garage.

Trucking Industry News...

FMCSA Drops Exemption Process for InsulinTreated Diabetic Drivers...

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a final rule that will allow certificated medical examiners to decide whether truck drivers with stable diabetes are qualified to drive, eliminating a requirement that the drivers seek an exemption from the agency before being allowed to get behind the wheel.

Previously, drivers with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus were prohibited from driving commercial vehicles in interstate commerce unless they obtained an exemption from FMCSA, a process that can keep drivers out of the cab for up to six months.

The action removes major administrative and financial burdens for diabetic drivers while maintaining a high level of safety, the agency said in a Sept. 18 announcement.

Learn more at: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/ newsroom/fmcsa-streamlines-process-allowing-individuals -properly-managed-diabetes-operate-commercial

FMCSA Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Support Information...

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has updated their website to provide a centralized location for its ELD Support email inboxes. The update includes the centralization of the following email inboxes:

*General Information: For general information regarding electronic logging devices (ELD) or automatic on-board recording devices (AOBRD), please review the frequently asked questions (FAQs). If your question is not addressed in the FAQs, submit your question to FMCSA at ELD@dot.gov.

*Agricultural Operations: For additional information on agricultural operations, including new agricultural commodity compliance diagrams, please visit our website or email us at agricultural@dot.gov.

New Report Finds Trucking Industry Revenues Topped $700 Billion in 2017...

American Trucking Associations (ATA) released the latest edition of its annual compendium of trucking industry data – ATA American Trucking Trends 2018 – on Aug. 20, highlighting the industry’s dominance over the freight market.

“Information, when presented properly and accurately, tells a story,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “The information in these pages highlights exactly what I tell elected officials, regulators and key decision-makers every day: Trucking is literally the driving force behind our great economy. Safe, reliable and efficient motor carriers enable businesses throughout the supply chain to maintain lean inventories, thereby saving the economy billions of dollars each year.”

Among the findings in this year’s edition of Trends:

▪ Trucks moved 10.77 billion tons of freight, 70.2% of all domestic freight tonnage;

▪ The industry generated $700.1 billion in annual revenue in 2017, 79.3% of the nation’s freight bill;

▪ The industry moved 69.1% of all trade between the U.S. and Mexico, and 57.7% of Canada-U.S. trade;

▪ Roughly 7.7 million people were employed in jobs related to trucking activity, including 3.5 million drivers;

▪ Of those 3.5 million drivers, there were 1.7 million heavy and tractor-trailer drivers.

▪ Minorities account for 40.6% of all drivers and 6.2% of truck drivers are women.

Saint-Côme Linière - The Carrier family needs no introduction in the business world of the Northeast United States. Its members left Canada to pursue opportunities in logging, trucking and other industries in the U.S. decades ago, eventually founding successful companies from Connecticut to Maine.

Those businesses have thrived, but it was many years before a Carrier returned to Canada to found a business. That business was Pro Pac Industries.

Mario Carrier was already a successful businessman and owner of Jackman Equipment Inc. when he founded Pro Pac in 1985. The business was not one he planned, but rather an opportunity he recognized, according to his son, Dave, who manages the company.

“He was a Husky Brute dealer before he became a Hood dealer, and he ordered two Husky Brute log loader bases to install delimbers on because he wanted to get into delimbers,” Dave said. “He had them delivered to a little company called CB Delimber (Ébrancheuses CB) and they started working on them and just as they are about to finish the first one they go out of business.”

Mario Carrier already had a customer lined up for the nearly completed delimber, and even though it was not quite done the customer inspected it, liked it, and wanted it. So Mario purchased the machine from the bank handling the bankruptcy of the company and sold it to him.

After some consideration and talks with his brothers, Noel and Jake, Mario and the brothers purchased

the bankrupt company’s intellectual property, equipment, and remaining inventory and went into the business of manufacturing delimbers, launching Pro Pac - the name short for “Professional Package.”

The new company began with less than 10 employees, and grew slowly at first, but within two years the first part of the current Pro Pac factory was built, a 10,000square foot building raised in a field next to an old dairy farm on Route 173 in the small town of Saint-Côme Linière, only 25 minutes from the border of Maine.

At first, Pro Pac built only stroke delimbers and slashers. Over the years, the company added many other products including pull through delimbers, feller buncher saw heads, selfpropelled carriers for log loaders and - most recently - log grapples.

Today, Pro Pac has nearly 50 employees and the factory has grown to 43,000 square feet.

From Highway 173, the blue and gray Pro Pac facility appears modest, with a stroke delimber and a feller buncher parked at the entrance, parking for customers, signs, and a main entrance.

Once inside the facility however, the offices and design engineering areas at the front lead to a vast manufacturing space containing dozens of work stations and employees operating precision machining equipment, welders, painting bays, and more. Shiny, newly machined parts are everywhere, several machines are under construction or in

the process of undergoing modifications, and the factory is clearly operating at high capacity.

Quality and service has built the brand up in popularity, making Pro Pac a common sight on logging jobs across New England and portions of Quebec. From the early days of limited product lines, Pro Pac has grown into an important manufacturer and innovator in the industry.

“We control all aspects of the production of our equipment. Basically, we make Pro Pac’s, we don’t just assemble them, the vast majority of our parts are designed, cut, welded and machined here.” Dave said. “Pro Pac owners are a key part of the development and improvement of our products. We speak with them, we travel to meet them in the woods. Many improvements we have made over the past years can be traced to specific customers.”

Pro Pac recognizes its success depends directly on the success of its customers in the woods, and the company puts great effort into maintaining relationships with those customers, getting them parts and service quickly wherever they need it.

Pro Pac added a new 4,000 square foot parts warehouse to its facility in the fall of 2017 which is improving the speed and efficiency of response to customer needs.

More so than many other heavy industries, logging demands modifications to meet the requirements of

Cell: 207-233-4801 www.labonville.com

Ask about special PLC of Maine member only discounts!

Alex Labonville, Sales Manager

Opposite: Pro Pac delimber at the Pro Pac facility in Saint-Côme Linière. Opposite, inset: G6 Twin Saw Head in action.

Above, middle: Dave Carrier and employee on the factory floor.

Above, bottom: Screen shot of design underway in the engineering portion of the factory.

Pro Pac Continued Page 20

consumers and the variances in forest and terrain. This has made the versatility of Pro Pac when it comes to adapting machines for customers a major strong point for the company.

That versatility has also led to innovations like the new delimber G6 Twin Saw Head with a second saw located behind the front grapples. This allows an operator to remove butt rot and flare without dropping the tree, and to trim the minimum necessary from a log, thus increasing efficiency and reducing waste.

While Pro Pac’s bread and butter has always been stroke delimbers, the company has invested heavily in recent years in developing and producing feller buncher heads.

As its product line has grown, so has the market. Pro Pac has a strong customer and dealer base in Maine, and is using that as the model as it explores new markets.

You can find Pro Pac’s equipment in 20 states in the U.S, the provinces of Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick, and the company even has two feller buncher heads and a slasher in Europe.

Dave was sent by his father to manage the factory “temporarily” 11 years ago, and he loves what the company is accomplishing and the relationship it has with loggers.

“Loggers are hardworking people who deserve to work with reliable equipment. In addition to this loggers are loyal by nature and when treated fairly treat you fairly in return. The Pro Pac team is aware and very sensitive to that and we work extremely hard to design and build attachments which are easy to use and simple to repair,” Dave said.

Pro Pac joined the Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of Maine after learning about the organization from its sister company in Skowhegan, Canadian Chains, managed by Dave’s brother, Jason.

“I really wanted to get closer to the end users, to hear what their concerns are. We want to make our equipment work for them. And I also want to be proactive and PLC has created a very effective communication line between all aspects of forestry,” Dave said.

The future of the company looks bright as Pro Pac’s sales team works to expand its market to western Canada, the southern and western U.S. and more distant markets including Asia and Latin America.

The company has a vision for the future and the talent to achieve it, and Dave wants to make sure what his father started remains successful and grows.

“My dad’s been in business 40 years, and I want to make it last,” Dave said. “A lot of times second generations, third generations they’re the ones that kill the company when the first generation actually built it from zero, and that’s not what I want for Pro Pac.”

Pictures clockwise from top: Painting bay at Pro Pac factory. Work underway on the factory floor.

360° rotation system frame for PP-22 feller buncher heads being machined on Kuraki CNC horizontal boring mill.

Dave Carrier with Pro Pac feller buncher head.

$72,000 Raised!

LINCOLN – The Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of Maine raised $72,000 at the 22nd Annual Log A Load for Maine Kids Golf Tournament

Friday, Sept. 21 at JATO Highlands Golf Course. The tournament, which benefits Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) hospitals in Maine, is the PLC’s largest annual fund-raiser for charity.

Combined with a record $46,311 raised at the PLC's annual meeting in May, the tournament’s success means PLC has raised more than $118,000 for CMN hospitals and the families they serve in 2018.

“The generosity of the PLC’s members, friends, and supporters who attend this event never ceases to amaze me,” PLC Executive Director Dana Doran said. “This group reaches deep each year for these families and continues to devote an incredible amount of time, effort, and resources to the Log A Load cause.”

The PLC and the Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems (EMHS) Foundation have raised more than $1 million 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. Last year’s tournament raised $71,547.

Tickets to the 2018 tournament sold out. Forty teams competed in the event. A highlight of the Log A Load Auction held at the end of the day was bidding for an official New England Patriots football signed by Patriots

quarterback Tom Brady and donated by PLC Supporting Member Cross Insurance to benefit Log A Load.

Presenting sponsors for the event included American Forest Management; Nortrax/John Deere; BBC Land, LLC; and Cross Insurance. PLC also wants to thank the more than 40 other companies that sponsored and/or donated to the tournament for their exceptional generosity. The South Carolina Forestry Association started the Log A Load for Kids program in 1988. Originally, the concept was for loggers, wood-supplying businesses, and other industry supporters in various states including Maine to donate the value of a load of logs to their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Nationally, Log A Load for Kids is a leader in CMN Hospitals’ fundraising, raising more than $2 million annually through golf tournaments, fishing events, dinners, truckloads of log donations and other events.

Noah Tibbetts, at left, and Scott Hanington at the tournament.

Noah is a Children's Miracle Network Hospitals State of Maine Champion Child, and he was there to thank his friends at the PLC and the tournament for their Log A Load efforts over the years.

Ted Clark, CLCS, Loss Control Consultant, Acadia Insurance

Quarterly Safety Meeting: Eye Injury Prevention

Introduction

For the last few years I have written an article on a quarterly basis for this publication. The articles have ranged significantly in topics, some geared towards management, and others geared towards your workforce. After talking with several logging contractor members, as well as some colleagues, I have made the decision that, rather than writing a traditional article, it would be more beneficial to provide you with a safety meeting or a “toolbox talk”. These will still be timely and real-world, but will be written in a format that allows you to tear the article out and read it to your employees for a quarterly safety meeting. Once you have read the article to your employees, I encourage you to address your own company’s stance around that quarter’s topic. It will also be important to have a simple, dated, sign in sheet to track that you had the meeting and who was present for it. Hopefully, you find this new format beneficial to your efforts at reducing employee injuries and losses.

Quarterly Safety Meeting

During the spring safety training this year, I was chatting with a driver who had lost the sight in one of his eyes due to an accident that occurred years ago. While we were discussing the incident that led to the loss of his sight, he noted that most people don’t realize how much loss of sight, even if only one eye, can affect your work and personal life. It’s hard not to take your eyesight for granted. Most of us wake up every morning, open our eyes, and maybe with the help of corrective lenses, we see perfectly fine. But I want you to try to imagine how much your life would change if you couldn’t see out of one eye? How about both eyes? The change would be dramatic and it would last a lifetime. At a minimum, your hobbies, your job, and your family life would likely change dramatically.

Eye injuries in the workplace are very common and can range significantly in severity. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimates that every day about 2000 U.S. workers sustain an eye injury that requires medical treatment. Even a seemingly minor eye injury can have a major impact on your life. According to the American Optometric Association, 3 out of 5 of those workers who were injured were not wearing any eye protection at the time of injury. According to the same article, those injuries can be reduced by 90% by simply wearing the right eye protection and using it correctly. Luckily, this is an easy problem to fix, and it starts with understanding the hazard and knowing how to reduce it.

OSHA requires that eye and face protection is worn when there is a reasonable probability of injury.

Ask the crew: What are some eye hazards we see in the logging industry?

Typical hazards may include projectiles from dust, metal, wood, or brush. We also see eye hazards whenever we

deal with chemicals such as, diesel, hydraulic fluid, oils, cleaners, etc.

Safety glasses should be worn to protect your eyes from general hazards. When there is a high probability of projectiles such as wood debris and metal from grinders, or there is a possibility of chemical splash, a face shield or goggles should be considered. It’s important to recognize that safety glasses are not one size fits all. Therefore, it is important to make sure that the glasses you purchase fit properly and comfortably for the conditions you will encounter. Adjustable temples, eyewear retainers and, tint can all make the glasses more comfortable to wear. Glasses that do not fit snug around the face, will leave gaps where debris can enter.

When selecting a pair of safety glasses, you should start by looking for the imprint “Z87” or “Z87+”. Typically, this will be on the frame, but occasionally it will be on the lens. This rating confirms that the glasses have been tested to withstand a barrage of impacts and meet a list of requirements set forth by the American National Standards Institute, also known as ANSI.

Typical prescription eyeglasses or sunglasses will not meet these requirements and, therefore cannot be counted on to protect your eyes from hazards common to the workplace. If you require prescription glasses, you need to verify that the glasses you wear meet the same ANSI Z87.1 standard. If your glasses do not meet this standard, there is a risk of them shattering due to impact, or allowing debris or splatter to get into your eyes through openings.

I was a firefighter in Pennsylvania for 4 years prior to moving home to Maine. My first call out with the fire company was for an auto accident where we had to cut the vehicle apart to extricate one of the people involved in the accident. When I exited the truck, I was quickly pulled aside by one of the more experienced firefighters who told me to put my safety glasses on and, “don’t let Pat catch you without your glasses.” Pat was the captain of the fire department and was known to take calculated risks while on the scene, but one thing that he did not mess around with was eyesight. At a young age he had lost the sight out of one of his eyes while working in a mill and after that, he began taking eyesight safety extremely seriously. Learn from this lesson and don’t get caught up in the all too easy trap of not wearing your safety glasses. A simple step to help reduce this hazard is to wear glasses that are designed and tested to protect your eyes. Assuring the glasses fit properly and are intended to suit the environment you are working in will help make sure they work when you need them and help ensure good eye health into retirement.

Acadia is pleased to share this material for the benefit of its customers. Please note, however, that nothing herein should be construed as either legal advice or the provision of professional consulting services. This material is for informational purposes only, and while reasonable care has been utilized in compiling this information, no warranty or representation is made as to accuracy or completeness.

*Meeting sign-in sheet on the back! Cut along dotted line to left to detach this section.

*This sign-in sheet is intended to be used with the quarterly Safety Training Topic on page 23. Refer to the cutline on page 23 when removing it from the magazine.

Maine Gubernatorial candidates meet with PLC Board

Thank you to Maine gubernatorial candidates Shawn Moody and Janet Mills for taking the time to meet with members of the PLC’s Board of Directors in August to answer questions and share their views on Maine’s logging industry and how to address challenges facing that industry while building a strong future for Maine loggers.

SCOPAN LAKE - Graduates of Maine’s only postsecondary training program for operators of mechanized logging equipment were recognized Friday, Sept. 14 at a ceremony held in the woods southeast of Ashland where they have spent weeks harvesting timber using sophisticated state-of-the-art machines like those they will encounter in the logging industry.

The Mechanized Logging Operations Program (MLOP) was launched last summer thanks to a partnership between three Maine community colleges, the Professional Logging Contractors (PLC) of Maine, and industry partners including Milton CAT and Nortrax/John Deere. This is the second class to complete the program.

Friends and family members of the students joined logging contractors, representatives of the community colleges, state lawmakers, and industry sponsors to share a proud day with the students who completed its rigorous requirements.

“We could not be prouder today to see these newly trained forest technicians enter our industry,” Jim Nicols,

President of the PLC said in his remarks. “Each one of you has a great opportunity to enter this industry at just the right time. There are great things on the horizon for this industry and with the training you have received here, you will always have a job.”

Students completing the program included: Evan Burgay of Caribou, Deric Buswell of Rumford, Jack Houtz of Stillwater, Logan Johnson of Presque Isle, Parrish Lovely of Westfield, Ralph Nichols of Wallagrass, Ben Shaw of Pittston and William Shufelt of Gray.

Houtz, who addressed the crowd on behalf of the students, said the opportunities and experiences they had to operate multimillion dollar machines in the woods for weeks were unprecedented, and credited Milton CAT and Nortrax/John Deere for stepping up to give them access to the equipment that made the hands-on learning possible. He also thanked the instructors, organizations and individuals who contributed so much time and effort to the success of the program.

“This was a wonderful opportunity that would not have occurred without a lot of people,”

MLOP Continued on Page 28

Opposite: Students and instructors for the 2018 class.

Houtz said, adding to his fellow graduates, “I hope you guys are as excited as I am. Stay safe, I hope to see you in the woods.”

While the logging industry has seen some contraction in recent years due to the loss of pulp and paper mills, the demand for skilled operators of the feller bunchers, harvesters, grapple skidders, forwarders, delimbers, and other mechanized logging equipment that now harvests more than 90 percent of all timber in Maine is strong. Many current operators are reaching retirement age and the steep costs of training new operators is driving up demand and wages.

The hands-on experience students gained operating equipment for weeks in the woods is something unavailable anywhere else in Maine and neighboring states.

The new program is working 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 are being trained similarly to other advanced trade occupations with a high school and postsecondary approach.

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 was 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. The Maine Legislature also provided strong bipartisan support for the program.

Donors recognized also included Prentiss and Carlisle, United Insurance in Fort Kent, Labonville Inc., Katahdin Fire Co. and ProPac.

“Without the donors and their support, there is no way this program could have gotten off the ground,” Nicols said.

More information on the program is available online at http://www.nmcc.edu/industry-customizedtraining/mechanized-forest-operations/

Questions and Answers: Milton CAT and Weiler Inc.

In August, it was announced by Caterpillar Inc. that they have entered into a preliminary agreement with Weiler, Inc. to sell their forestry product business which includes Wheel Skidders, Track Feller Bunchers, Wheel Feller Bunchers and Knuckleboom Loaders. The sale is subject to a final agreement and Caterpillar will continue to fulfill orders until that time, expected to be early 2019.

As part of the proposed sale, Weiler will take ownership of the Caterpillar manufacturing plant in LaGrange, Georgia, the training center in Auburn, Alabama and the parts distribution center in Smithfield, North Carolina. It is anticipated that the approximately 270 employees working at these facilities will become Weiler employees.

Milton CAT has been and continues to be a strong PLC Supporting Member, and we sat down with Peter Collins, Forestry Industry Manager, to ask a few questions about the intended sale.

Question: What portion of Caterpillar’s forestry business did Weiler buy?

Answer: Weiler will be manufacturing track feller bunchers, skidders, rubber tired feller bunchers, and knuckle booms. The machines we mount delimbers on will still be manufactured by CAT.

Question: Where will the product be manufactured?

Answer: The CAT Forest Products facility in LaGrange, Georgia will remain the point of manufacturing.

Question: Will Milton CAT be a Weiler dealer?

Answer: Yes. Milton CAT has a 15-year relationship with Weiler in the paving business. We will remain the source for sales, parts and service on CAT forestry products as well as Weiler forestry products and we will remain the source for parts and service on Prentice product as part of the deal as well.

Question: Will Milton CAT and Weiler continue to support the Mechanized Logging Operations Program as Milton CAT has done for the past two years?

Answer with the assistance on the training program.

Question: in the forest products industry?

Answer: products industry and all phases of road building and mill yards and harvesting, it is an important part of our business.

As We See ItAugust 2018

“Loggers Working for Loggers”

By Danny Dructor

About once a year we like to remind loggers and log haulers why they should, if not already, be involved with a State and/or Regional Association representing loggers and log haulers. Perhaps the biggest reason is the question, “if loggers are not representing the best interests of the timber harvesting profession, then who is?”

When you step back and look at some of the benefits that both State and Regional Associations have worked on covering both the political and working landscapes, you can’t help but wonder where our industry might be if you did not have these organizations out there working for you.

Let’s start with an issue that brought many of our associations together, worker’s compensation insurance. Many state associations have successfully petitioned their state insurance boards to create a tiered structure for logging insurance rates based on mechanized versus nonmechanized jobs.

Let’s talk about truck weights, many state and regional associations have been able to see an increase in gross truck weights on State and County roads as a direct result of having their associations lobby their respective legislative bodies to allow tolerances over and above the 80,000 pound gross weight limit found on the Interstate Highway System, simply because we are hauling an agriculture commodity that is subject to many variances in weight, both physical and weather related.

Let’s talk about taxes. There are many states that have exempted timber harvesting equipment from ad valorem taxes and either reduced or completely eliminated sales tax on logging equipment and parts being used in timber harvesting operations.

These are just a few examples, and there are other ideas that have been brought to the table in state and regional logger organizations, saving millions of dollars for the logging sector through greater efficiencies and cost cutting measures.

With all of the regulations that are currently burdening the industry, it is good to know that you have an association working for you that can keep you up to date on changes that can save your business from unwanted fines and penalties for non-compliance.

If you are reading this and not supporting your local state and/or regional organization, then you need to realize that the efforts of those that are is probably one of the reasons that you are still in the business. While it is preferable to be an active member of an organization, your donation through membership dues will go a long way in supporting the organization that is out there supporting you and your livelihood.

The American Loggers Council is the National Association of State and Regional logging associations. We will continue to bring the logger’s voice to

Washington, DC, but we need healthy State and Regional logging associations that can participate with us to make that happen. If you are not already, please consider supporting your state associations, it is an investment in your future, and ours. We are “Loggers Working for Loggers.”

Danny Dructor is the Executive Vice President for the American Loggers Council with offices near Hemphill, Texas.

The American Loggers Council is a 501 (c)(6) not for profit trade organization representing professional timber harvesters in 33 states across the United States. If you would like to learn more about the ALC, please visit their web site at www.amloggers.com, or contact their office at 409-625-0206.

We Support Maine Loggers

As We See It September 2018

By Mark Turner

I think it is high time that we had some serious discussions in this country, about how our federal forests are being managed. For far too long, environmentalists have been the ones setting the agenda, with very poor results. For over 20 years now, the most common way of dealing with issues on our federal forests, has been to do nothing. Now, that might have been all fine and dandy, 300 years ago, when there were hardly any people living here. However, with millions of people living and working near our federal forests, it’s not really a viable option any more. About a year and a half ago, I was in Southern Colorado. There, I had a chance to visit one of the few remaining mill owners/loggers. He showed me how they were removing dead and dying trees off private lands, to improve forest health. He also explained how the bug infestations got started in that area. He said that he was at a meeting, many years earlier, about addressing bug infestations that had gotten started on Forest Service land. He told me that, at that meeting, a well-known biologist told the Forest Service that, “if they didn’t get the bug infestation under control then, that it was going to just keep spreading”. You can probably imagine what the Forest Service’s response was. They responded by doing nothing. So, subsequently, the infestations got worse and started to spread to adjacent private lands. This mill owner convinced me to drive up into the forest service ground and see for myself, what the conditions were like. The contrast was very pronounced. The surrounding private forest lands were reasonably healthy, however, the federal forests were in very poor health.

The Forest Service, however, is not the only Federal agency that are poor stewards of our public forests. Here in Oregon, the Bureau of Land Management is responsible for a considerable land base. These are called the “O & C Lands”. In 1937, there was an Act of Congress that set these lands aside for, primarily timber production. Now, I always thought that an Act of Congress was something pretty important. Something that you couldn’t just ignore? However, over the years, environmental types have managed to chip away at timber harvest levels, on these O & C Lands. So much so, that the BLM has adopted the same type of “hands off approach” that the Forest Service uses, for managing much of their land base. To the point now, that, I believe, that they are no longer even coming close to fulfilling their mandate through the O & C Act. Subsequently, these forests are becoming just as unhealthy and fire prone as those managed by the Forest Service.

It doesn’t have to be this way. I think we can look to other parts of the world that have learned how to manage their forests for the long run. Last year, at The American Loggers Council annual meeting, Ken Swanstrom, a former president of the ALC, gave a very fine presentation of a tour he had taken through the forests of Southern Germany.

For me, it was rather eye opening. He said that during his tour, he saw some of the most beautiful forests he had ever seen. And the entire time he was there, he only saw three dead trees. There, they have been managing their forests for over 500 years. Foresters there explained that absolutely nothing was off limits to logging. They also explained how important of a tool logging was for forest health. His tour included a visit to the City of Munich’s water shed. One of the largest untreated water systems in the world. The forester there told him that “well, everyone knows that if you want healthy forests and clean water, then, of course you are going to log”. I wish more people in this country could understand that. Ken also told us that this part of Southern Germany produces the equivalent of 7 billion board feet of forest products annually. Contrast that with the Forest Service, in this country, who struggle to produce 3 billion board feet from all of their federal forests, throughout the entire United States. In fact, I was very surprised to learn that the country of Germany, because of their aggressive forest management policies, produces the equivalent of 21 billion board feet of forest products annually. While the entire United States produces 40 billion board feet. That, despite a land base that is 28 times larger. Clearly, when it comes to forest management, we have a lot of room for improvement. One of the goals of the American Loggers Council, is to advocate for better management of our federal forests. I believe that the lack of management of our public forests is not only costing us in lost resources. But is also bad for the environment. In my opinion, the biggest losers from our failing Federal Forest Management Policies, are the forests themselves.

Mark Turner is the President of the American Loggers Council. Mark and his brother Greg operates Turner Logging out of Banks, Ore. Mark is an active leader with the Associated Oregon Loggers.

“Public deserves an honest debate over logging and wildfires”

The American Loggers Council (ALC) has announced it has retained former United States Congressman Steve Southerland and his firm, Capitol Hill Consulting Group, to represent them on legislative and regulatory affairs in Washington D.C.

ALC is a coalition of state and regional logging associations from over 30 states across the U.S., and is the

“I consider it a great honor to represent such a time -honored industry, made up of some of the hardest working people in America,” Southerland said. “American Loggers provide such an incredible value to our society. They are frontline conservationists, delivering wood, fiber, and energy resources for the world. I’m proud to represent ALC and share their story directly to policymakers and their staff in Washington, D.C.”

Southerland and his firm will work with ALC on a variety of issues, including regulatory reform, transportation, federal forest management and biomass. ALC's priorities include workforce development and recruitment, increased timber harvesting on National Forest System lands, uniform and predictable truck-weight standards, and the alignment of timber harvesting with agriculture under federal laws and regulations.

The American Loggers Council is a 501 (c)(6) not for profit trade organization representing professional timber harvesters in 33 states across the United States. If you would like to learn more about the ALC, please visit their web site at www.amloggers.com, or contact their office at 409-625-0206.

only organization dedicated to serving independent contract loggers at the national level.

"We are pleased to bring Steve Southerland on board to promote and protect the interests of America's loggers," said ALC Executive Vice President Daniel Dructor. "Since it was established in 1994, ALC has continued to grow and gain effectiveness in impacting issues affecting professional timber harvesters and their businesses. We are loggers working for loggers and our members are frequent visitors to Capitol Hill, but Southerland and his team will provide consistent and strong advocacy for our industry."

Steve Southerland serves as Senior Vice President of Capitol Hill Consulting Group. He was first elected to Congress in 2010 to represent Florida’s Second Congressional District and was its first elected Republican since Reconstruction. While in office from 2010-2014, he served on the Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Transportation and Infrastructure committees. Southerland was chosen by the class of 2010 to be its representative at the Republican Leadership Table for the 113th Congress and he also served as a Republican conferee for reauthorization of both the Transportation and Farm bills. Prior to serving in Congress, Southerland helped operate his family's mortuary business.

As We See It October 2018

“

Former Florida Congressman to RepresentAmerican Loggers Council on Capitol Hill ”

Steve Southerland

Changing our image with performance based certification

By Ted Wright, Executive Director, Trust to Conserve Northeast Forestlands

Loggers are a proud group of hardworking individuals, and nothing makes a careful and conscientious logger cringe more than seeing sloppy work, hearing stories of landowners being cheated or being treated with skepticism by people inside and outside the industry. Those loggers know that this damages their reputation just as much as it does the reputation of the logger that is responsible.

Logging is not the only profession that has good caring professionals along with bad apples that can ruin the bushel. Physicians, attorneys, electricians, mechanics, plumbers and many others all have ways to distinguish the good from the bad.

There was a time when physicians could simply go to medical school and then go into practice. There was no performance assessment for the specialty they chose to practice. Bad physicians were getting into practice and were making people sick or making critical mistakes that made people fear seeking the help of a physician. In the early 1900’s the majority of physicians knew they needed a profession-led certification to move forward and crack down on those within the profession that were not holding up their end of the bargain. Through the creation of board certification, they were able to remove the bad actors but also improve their image.

This was not done through training programs. It was done by board certification. It was undertaken for many reasons, but improving image, distinguishing excellent practices and driving continuous improvement were all part of it.

The analogy of physicians can be directly related to the logging profession. Logging contractors that invest millions of dollars and run clean businesses are lumped into the same group as loggers who are only there for a short term or as long as they can hack it. Today a person can simply buy a chainsaw and a skidder, take a training class and then they are considered a ‘qualified’ logger.

Many of these “loggers” do harm to the industry because they have a short term window of operations, but the damage they can do to the industry is long term. We cannot continue to operate this way. The time has come for a performance-based certification to truly separate the loggers that care, are invested heavily and want to see a future of responsible forest management.

There have been many people who are skeptical of Master Logger because they believe it will somehow inhibit their business, add cost and cause harm, when in fact its purpose is to recognize those of you who are doing things

right and separate you from those who don’t.

Training alone is a great equalizer when it comes to responsible and irresponsible logging contractors. Anyone can attend a training and be recognized for that. It is not enough. What matters is what happens in the woods. Our industry simply can’t move forward because everyone is “trained”. Training programs have improved safety and opened up new ideas, but they also cost valuable time if they are taken simply to meet a required mandate. The logging profession cannot be judged on attendance at training programs alone. Better to judge the profession on performance standards that drive continuous improvement.

I think what has been lost over the last twenty years is the understanding of the terms: “qualified” and “certified”. This has confused those working in the industry as well as the general public. As a result, these terms are comingled and used without understanding, allowing those who have attended a training program to call themselves certified even though this doesn’t meet the definition of the term.

For context, I think it’s extremely important to differentiate between 1st party (company) , 2nd party (qualified) and 3rd party (certified) assessments. 1st Party assessment is a conformity assessment performed by the individual that provides the service, where the 1st party can establish, “I am good”. 2nd party assessment is a conformity assessment performed by an organization (Trainer, instructor) that has an interest in the service provided, “we are good” otherwise known as “qualified”. 3rd party assessment is a conformity assessment that requires an entirely independent party to provide the conformity assessment. “They are good”. 3rd party is the only assessment that can be called certification. Training has been important and will be important for growth for ourselves and our employees, but it should not be the deciding factor in measuring a logger’s commitment to the industry.

Many of you have years of experience, serious investments in machines, employees and your local communities. These successes that you have worked so hard to achieve can be undermined and minimized by a recognition system that is mandated by others, and that’s not fair. Performance based certification recognizes your good work and commitment to the logging profession and is that recognition that will lead to an image of our professionalism that we all desire.

I hope this article mobilizes conscientious logging contractors towards voluntary logger certification. We need all of you on board going above and beyond to help weed the bad out from the good. The industry and our profession will be better because of it.

Congressional Delegation Update

Throughout Maine’s history, our forest products industry has helped drive local economies and sustain rural communities. As the economy evolves, we are working together to meet the challenges of the 21st Century.

The exciting new opportunities presented by mass timber are one example of how we are meeting those challenges. These innovative engineered wood products are ushering in a Timber Age that will help to reinvigorate our forest-products industry, our economy, and our rural communities through the production of renewable, sustainable, carbon-neutral building materials.

Following the closure of several Maine paper mills in 2016, I, along with Senator Angus King, requested a federal Economic Development Assessment Team to develop strategies to redevelop former industrial sites and support the viability of affected mill communities to grow Maine's rural economy. This process resulted in the establishment of the Forest Opportunity Roadmap, or FOR/

Maine, which is a unique collaboration of industry, community leaders, and government partners that are ushering in the next generation of Maine’s forest economy. FOR/Maine recently issued a strategic action plan that includes five goals on ways to support the economy, including through forest products innovations and preparing our workforce.

Based on the original recommendations of the EDAT report, I also championed a $454,000 federal grant awarded to the University of Maine last year to establish the Mass Timber Commercialization Center. This initiative is housed within the University’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center, which is a world leader in the development of cost-effective, high-performance hybrid composite materials. The Composites Center and our forest-products industry have the vision and expertise to discover innovative ways to develop new products from our natural resources. The expansion of two CrossLaminated Timber companies in our state confirms that Maine is the place to be to further these advancements. The potential of mass timber demonstrates that the possibilities are exciting when new technology is combined with Maine’s timeless values of hard work and ingenuity.

Working to Advance Maine’s Forest Economy

Maine’s vast forests are an integral part of our identity and an economic engine for our state’s economy –particularly in rural Maine, where communities have long benefited from forestry and its related industries. For generations, Maine people have harvested and created products from our plentiful trees, but as market demands for forest products shift, it is important that our industry look for new, innovative ways to utilize one of our state’s greatest natural resources while continuing to support the forest-based industries that have been so integral to Maine’s economy in the past.

These new forest opportunities are of vital importance to Maine, which is why I have made this one of my top priorities in the Senate, including cofounding the Senate Working Forest Caucus with Senator Jim Risch (RIdaho). That’s why I’m a proud cosponsor of the Timber Innovation Act, which would provide funding to research and develop uses of cross laminated timber (CLT) and other engineered wood for use in construction projects. We’ve made important progress on this front: earlier this year, the Senate Farm Bill included many key provisions from the Timber Innovation Act, and closer to home, two companies have recently announced their intention to bring CLT facilities to Maine. This is the type of forwardthinking solution that can make a real difference in our

communities, and power the forest economy for generations. At the same time, I’ve also worked to support our future workforce in this field by introducing the Future Logging Careers Act, a bipartisan bill which would give loggers who are training their older children the same regulatory waivers that farming families receive.

Of course, there is still much important work to be done to grow our forest economy – and that work can’t be done alone. Collaboration is key, and fortunately, it’s already happening – particularly with the Forest Opportunity Roadmap/Maine (FOR/Maine) Initiative, an industry-led effort funded largely by the Economic Development Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture that draws on expertise from industry and community leaders, local and state government and multiple federal agencies. The Initiative is working on several strategies to strengthen the forest economy, emphasizing sustainability, focusing on workforce, and continuing to coordinate with public sector entities. This ongoing partnership gives Maine the vision it needs to take steps to ensure the forest products industry

and the rural communities it supports

will continue thriving.

Sen. Susan Collins

Sen. Angus King

It’s a pleasure to offer my greetings to the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine. First, I’d like to say how much I appreciate your incredible contributions to the state’s economy. Forest products make up a huge share of the state’s economy, but none of it would be possible without the hard-working men and women who harvest and steward those natural resources. Thank you for what you do.

We can’t deny that it has been a challenging time of transition for the state’s forest products industry, with several pulp and paper mills closing in recent years. That’s why I was proud to work with other members of Maine’s Congressional Delegation to bring a federal Economic Development Assessment Team to the state.

This effort has already returned significant federal investment and assistance. I’m encouraged by the work of the coalition this initiative has brought together and the Forest Opportunity Roadmap it has just released. The report’s concrete recommendations offer a clear path to capitalizing on the many opportunities before the state. I appreciate all the partners who contributed, including PLC.

The industry has a lot to build on including forest resources widely known for their sustainable management, excellent resources at the University of Maine for developing new forest products, and a business community ready to adapt to new growth opportunities, as exemplified by a number of recent investments to adapt mills for new kinds of production. It will take a lot of work, but I’m confident that we can emerge from these challenging times in a much stronger position.

The private sector is obviously central to these efforts, but I believe the federal government also has a role to play. For my part, I will do whatever I can in Congress to ensure that Maine has access to federal investment. With my seat on the House Appropriations Committee, I’ve fought for two agencies in particular that are important partners the Economic Development Administration and USDA Rural Development. Protecting funding for key programs at these agencies is crucial for economic investment, rural infrastructure improvements, and product research.

Before I go, I’d just like to congratulate the latest graduates of the Mechanized Logging Operations Program. I applaud PLC for introducing young people to good careers in logging, and for everything this organization does to ensure the industry’s continued success in the future.

The tens of thousands of Mainers who work in our forest products industry are a vital part of Maine’s community, economy, culture and heritage, and I am honored to work in Congress on your behalf.

There’s a lot of exciting news in our forest products industry, like the expansion of cross-laminated timber, and it’s important we put the policies in place to continue to support these new developments.

I am fighting hard to include legislation, called the Timber Innovation Act, into a larger bill, known more commonly as the Farm Bill, that will help support Maine’s forest economy.

As you know, cross laminated timber products are strong and flexible and can be used to frame, floor, and wall large buildings and structures, which have conventionally been made with concrete and steel. In addition, cross laminated timber and other mass timber products are an environmentally friendly option that can help communities achieve their sustainability goals.

The provision I am fighting for creates a grant program to research and develop mass-timber technologies, such as cross laminated timber, and instructs the U.S. Forest Service to provide technical assistance to this emerging industry. The bill has strong bipartisan support in

the House of Representatives and was included in the Senate version of the 2018 Farm Bill.

Multiple businesses have expressed interest in establishing cross laminated timber manufacturing facilities in the Pine Tree State that would employ hundreds of Mainers. Research and technical assistance from the U.S. Service would be a major boost to this up and coming industry.

While the Maine forest economy has faced challenges in the past couple of decades, like the timber industry nationwide, we are now moving in the right direction, and I’m proud to continue to fight for our forest workers.

As your Representative in Congress, I, along with Maine Senators Collins and King, will continue to push for the Timber Innovation Act to be included in the 2018 Farm Bill. It is an honor to represent you

Rep. Chellie Pingree

Rep. Bruce Poliquin

FOR/Maine (Forest Opportunity Roadmap), a broad coalition including the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine (PLC),working to diversify the state’s wood products businesses, attract capital investments, and develop greater economic prosperity for communities impacted by recent mill closures, is pleased to announce an action plan to grow Maine’s forest economy from the current $8.5 billion (annual) to $12 billion by 2025. This growth would position the state to compete in and take advantage of substantial global market opportunities.

The Roadmap Action Plan outlines how the industry will achieve the projected 40 percent growth, much of it coming from new markets for the state. The sector will build on traditional strengths like saw logs and paper, and add new layers of innovative products – including eco-friendly chemicals, biodegradable plastics, and medical and technical products made from nanocellulose – many of which can be made from the residuals of other wood manufacturing processes.

The Roadmap is the culmination of two years of coordinated research and strategy development, informed by extensive data, global benchmarking, and industry expertise. It reveals Maine’s competitiveness in new global markets, and outlines five goals and 17 matched strategies to realize the opportunity, and build a more diverse $12 billion forest economy annually:

Goal #1: Sustain and grow Maine’s existing and emerging forest products economy, reaching $12 Billion in economic impact by 2025. This includes attracting investment in the forest products industry, marketing Maine’s bioeconomy to national and global audiences, and accelerating innovation in forest products and applications to leverage Maine’s leadership position within the industry.

Goal #2: Manage the wood resource using sustainable and responsible forest management practices. This is informed by accurate and current data about Maine’s forests.

Goal #3: Prepare workforce for the future of the forest products economy. This entails making sure that current workers have the skills they need, and that Maine is positioned to attract and prepare the necessary workforce for emerging products and new opportunities.

Goal #4: Increase prosperity in Maine forest economy communities, especially those in rural Maine, including those affected by mill closures. This involves coordinated efforts across local, regional, state, and federal entities to attract capital investment.

Goal #5: Organize the forest products industry with committed public sector partners, including the University of Maine, to implement the vision and goals. This requires sustained, collaborative and coordinated effort across local, regional, state, and federal entities.

The benefits of a strong forest products sector extend far beyond the companies and workers directly in the industry. Indeed, 1 of every 24 jobs in Maine and an estimated $1 out of every $20 of Maine GDP come from the forest industry. In addition to economic benefits, working forests provide environmental benefits including carbon sequestration, filtration of the water supply, and habitat for wildlife, as well as recreation and quality of life for Mainers and tourists.

The opportunity to create the next great era of Maine forestry is available, but to seize this economic growth for Maine, we must all work together to create the conditions to attract new investment here. This will include ongoing coordination and cooperation between industry, state and federal government, and forest communities, supported by the Maine public and non-profits.

For more information, and to read the full Roadmap report, please visit: www.formaine.org. You can also follow us at: https://www.facebook.com/ForestOpportunityRoadmapME/