November 2026
ISSN 2703-6251
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Filming in the forest
Case study creator
Iron Test
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The John Deere 959 and Waratah FL90 open and ready for inspection at Razors Edge Contracting’s Willow Flat operation.
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: Ti Story & photos
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Focus on Forestry
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OU’VE GOT TO THINK IVAN TURDEICH’S brain seldom switches off. He seems to somehow fit creating forestry related video content, developing apps, live streaming rugby and designing clothing into his life, while at the same time having a family and a successful forestry career. “I’ve found being creative helps my brain,” he says. Ivan has been working for Ron Thomassen, owner of Thomassen 26 NZ LOGGER | November 2026
Logging, for over 20 years. Running a crew in Lake Taupō Forest for about six years, he then became one of two operations managers. While he is still operations manager, he says he is backed by plenty of support from his wife Amanda and the company, with good foremen and good staff in the crews and others including Ron and Thomassen Logging’s lead mechanic, all supporting him in his role. “It’s a team effort,” he says.
The first video “Ten years ago, Ron sent me to the Tigercat factories in Canada,” he says. The group he was with visited a couple of logging operations and spent four days at the factories. “So we got to see some cool sh*t. I took a heap of footage on my phone when I was there so the boys could see everything, because it’s not often you can get to a Tigercat factory.” He ended up creating a video.
T OF SOMETHING BIG
Story and Photos: Stuart Whitaker
Above: Ivan Turdeich has established ITPV Production. Below: Ivan Turdeich In the operator’s seat. Opposite left: Image taken for Waratah Forestry of their FL95 Felling Head at JDL Contracting.
“That’s when we started up the Thomassen Facbook page. I put it on there, and it went gangbusters. I think it got about 90 odd thousand views which was pretty cool.” After that, he began taking more photos and exploring various ideas. “At first I was just using a phone, then it became the iPad because the iPad took really cool photos – better than the phone.” Next he borrowed his mother’s camera
and took it out on the job. “People were going ‘what the hell’s going on there?’ At that stage nobody took a camera out in the forest.” He bought his own camera, a Canon M50 mirrorless digital camera, then another and branched into Go Pros and drones, eventually setting up media company IPTV Production. “Starting to take footage with a drone took things to another level because when people started seeing things from a drone,
it gives them a totally different perspective.” He says the response to the Tigercat video got him thinking. “Just about, I suppose, exposing the industry more. It’s not really out there, it’s not really seen. “People with family, they want to know what their family members are doing. Back then it was definitely seeing what their dad did or what their husband was doing – that was a little bit of a driving force at that stage. November 2026 | NZ LOGGER 27
ANOTHER KOMASTU AT H&H
PEACE OF MIND FROM NEW LS857
H&H Logging has another Komatsu, a PC300, joining the fleet. It arrived on a wet and wild day, but the weather didn’t stop Operator Jason throwing some logs around. Thanks to Terry and Denise for the continued support and Heavy Equipment Repair for the guarding package. Sold and supported by Komatsu Forest.
South Waikato’s Central Coast Harvesting has a new Tigercat LS857 purpose-built feller buncher. The Tigercat LS857 is designed with safe steep slope operations in mind giving the operator peace of mind on any slope. Big thanks to Blair and Danny of Central Coast Harvesting for choosing CablePrice and Tigercat. Machine sold and delivered by Brent Van Der Burg, Sales Specialist – Forestry.
JOHN DEERE IN MANGATO FOREST Forest Pro Gisborne has taken delivery of a new John Deere 2156G. This machine has been setup as a shovel machine with an Ensign 173C grapple with Hamish and Lukas adding to their fleet of green machines.. This one will be working in the Mangatu Forest and was sold by the Hastings Brandt Equipment team with Nick Clark the Territory Manager.
WINCH PACKAGE FOR G WHITE LOGGING
KOMATSU-SATCO COMBO AT BLACKLAWS
The team at G White Logging has taken delivery of a brand-new Sany SY245 DC winch package. Light and easy to move around the cutover, the SY245 offers excellent mobility without compromising on winch performance. Sold and serviced by Shaw’s.
Bryn, Julia and Dean Blacklaws of Blacklaws Contracting, Dannevirke, in front of their new Komatsu PC270HW with a Satco 630H felling head. Thanks for your business from Paul Roche and the team at Komatsu Forest NZ.
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A NEW MACHINE CALLS GLENBURN HOME Dean Blacklaws Contracting has taken delivery of a new John Deere 959MH and Satco 630E felling head. This machine will call the rugged Glenburn area home. Dean, Julia and Bryn, we appreciate your business. Sold and serviced by the team at Brandt Hastings. Pictured are, from left Tom and Aaron from Brandt Hastings with Dean and Bryn.
TIGERCAT 180 IS GOING BUSH Gone Bush Logging’s Crew 50 has added the second Tigercat 180 Swing Yarder to its operation in Mohaka Forest. Set up with an Apex grapple carriage and re-purposed Tigercat LH855E for the backline has added to the versatility of this set up.
SIX-WHEEL SKIDDER FOR MCCORMICK LOGGING Another Tigercat six-wheel skidder has gone to Rotoruabased McCormick Logging. Owner Connor McCormick said the decision to buy the latest H Series 635 came down to its proven performance. Even when pulling logs from more than 300m, the Tigercat 635H continues to deliver the productivity needed to meet target outputs. Sold and delivered by Brent Van Der Berg, Sales Specialist – Forestry.
RAZORS EDGE GET REPLACEMENT SATCO Out with the old and in with a new Satco 630H for Razors Edge Har vesting working in the Gwavas Forest for Pan Pac. This trusty 630H replaces an older model head that had clocked up a few miles. Thank you to Guy and the crew for choosing Satco.
INNOVATIVE HOSE ROUTING FROM ENSIGN An Ensign 2430C grapple recently went to Richmond Contracting in Taupō for log handling duties, fitted to a Fuchs MHL 340 material handler. Ensign modified the Fuchs dipper arm to allow the grapple supply hoses to run internally all the way through to the grapple. Ensign believes this hose-routing arrangement is not currently offered as a standard solution by any material handler manufacturer worldwide. November 2026 | NZ LOGGER 45