Australian Forests & Timber - September 2020

September 2020

Timber in tassie Doing things differently ROUND TABLE Tasmania’s role in the national timber story VAFI TO BE REPLACED New body to take over in New Year

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In the news

Victorian Government’s ‘sham” timber transition plan exposed T

H E Andrews Government’s native timber transition plan has been labelled a sham after Labor walked away from establishing hardwood plantations.

During State Parliament this week the Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath pushed Minister for Agriculture, Jaclyn Symes for answers.

Ms Bath cited the former HPV plantation at Maryvale which has only been replanted with blue gum, a pulp species.

“Since Labor’s $110 million announcement in 2017 to establish plantations, not one new hectare of land has been planted or an additional hardwood tree put in the ground,” Ms Bath said.

VicForests had recently confirmed the Andrews Government was only planting 250 hectares of blue gum during 2020.

Ms Bath said the industry was only 10 years away from the end of native timber harvesting and Labor’s ‘Victorian Forestry Plan’ was bogus and insulting.

“Hardwood trees take 60 years to mature. Simple maths shows there will be no available hardwood plantation timber in 10 years, risking Victoria’s high grade timber sector in flooring, furniture and joinery markets,” Ms Bath said.

“The Andrews Government’s native timber transition plan will kill jobs and lead to increased imports at a time when every job is absolutely critical in regional Victoria, Labor is pushing timber workers further towards mental and financial ruin.”

The Victorian Hardwood Sawmillers Association spokesperson Leonard Fenning said they were committed to fighting the Victorian State Government’s decision to close the native timber industry.

Mr Fenning said the Andrews Government’s timber policy was wrong and must change.

“Only four trees out of every 10,000 are harvested annually in Victoria, with every tree replaced and regrown by law, while sawmillers operate modern innovative businesses using high-tech equipment manufacturing goods for all Victorians,” Mr Fenning said.

“There is no need to acquire agriculture land to establish plantations, the physical locawww.timberbiz.com.au

Key Points

ictorian State Government • Vaccused of failing to plant enough hardwood to meet future needs.

rees that are being planted • Tare not the species which the hardwood timber sawmills rely on.

plantings are not • Ifincreased, it could see

Victoria ‘transitioning’ to 100% imported hardwood.

tion is inconsequential.”

Ms Bath said the Victorian native timber industry was highly regulated and sustainably managed compared to overseas industry models.

“Under the Andrews Government planned closure of Victoria’s native timber industry, Victorians will be using unregulated imported rainforest timber,” Ms Bath said.

“Labor must admit its timber transition plan has failed and won’t deliver a suitable alternative for our sustainable native timber industry.

“The Nationals are calling on Daniel Andrews to abandon his diabolical native timber transition plan.”

The Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) Ross Hampton commended Ms Bath for uncovering that the Andrews Government has only planted a very small area and is not using the species which the hardwood timber sawmills rely on.

“Ms Bath revealed that the 250 hectares of plantation seedlings are all fast growing bluegums. Bluegums provide important pulpwood for paper and packaging – but not the timber the sawmills need,” Mr Hampton said.

“Plantations are a vital part of forest industries in Australia.

“The pine species provide our house frames and there are several sorts of fast growing eucalypts which supply the type of timber which can be woodchipped to go into the important work of replacing plastics with recyclable packaging and paper products,” he said.

“These trees however cannot provide the sawlogs for the hard and beautiful, appearance-grade timbers Melbournians love. This timber we obtain from slow growing Australian native forests.

The Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath and Victorian Hardwood • Sawmillers Association spokesperson and Fenning Timber CEO Leonard Fenning.

“If the Victorian Government was fair dinkum about ‘transitioning sawmills to plantations’ they would need about 60 years to grow the right trees and many tens of thousands of hectares to accommodate them. The cost to achieve this is many times more than the $110 million the Andrews Government has committed for new plantations.”

Mr Hampton said that the State Government’s plan, if it remained unchanged, would

actually amount to Victoria ‘transitioning’ to 100% imported appearance-grade hardwood.

Some of this would almost certainly come from areas being deforested for palm oil and other land uses in south east Asia.

“It is scarcely believable that the Victorian Government believes this is a better approach than creating these products at home where we use just four trees out of 10,000 and every

tree used is regenerated and the areas regrown,” he said.

“In a post-COVID 19 climate when every job will be precious, there is still time for the Andrews Government to change course and discuss with the industry a plan which will ensure a supply of home grown, sustainable, architectural timber products, keep regional communities employed and address any environmental concerns,” Mr Hampton said.

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3

In the news September 2020 Issue 6 – Volume 29 Established 1991

News Tasmania Round Table Loaders Harvesters Feller bunchers Mill Profile

3-4 5 - 15 14 - 15 18 - 19 22 24 33

Front Cover: The Muskett family at work in the Tasmanian bush.

Publisher and Chief Executive: Hartley Higgins General Manager: Robyn Haworth Editor: Bruce Mitchell b.mitchelll@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9512 Advertising: Gavin de Almeida g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9517 Publication Design: Peter Frezzini Trader classified: g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9517 Subscriptions: subs@forestsandtimber.com.au Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9522 Subcription rates One-year (8 editions) $55 Two-years (16 editions) $95 Accounts: Adelaide Office (08) 8369 9555 Postal Address: 630 Regency Road, Broadview South Australia 5083 Phone: (08) 8369 9555 Fax: (08) 8369 9501 Melbourne Office: Suite 2262, 442 Auburn Rd, Hawthorn VIC 3122 Phone: (03) 9810 3262 Website www.timberbiz.com.au Printed by Lane Print, Adelaide, SA

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4

New body to replace VAFI within the next 6 months T H E newly formed Victorian Forest Products Association will replace the Victorian Association of Forest Industries possibly within six months.

The VFPA announced its 23 foundation members and elected its Interim Governing Council in early September.

The new Association will span Victoria’s forest industry value chain including plantations, native forestry operators, sawmills and pulp and paper making.

“VFPA will replace VAFI but there will be a transition,” the interim chairman of the VFPI Tony Price said.

It was unknown how long that would take, but Mr Price indicated it would take three to six months.

“There will be a transition away from VAFI and the VFPA will be the industry body in Victoria.”

An interim steering committee has been formed to manage the process.

“There was a need to get greater alignment between our Federal lobbying and our State lobbying activities,’’ Mr Price said.

“There is an acknowledgement that the plantation guys will have some issues and the native guys will have issues.

“The idea is to bring back a more cohesive timber industry.

He described the recent creation of the Victorian Hardwood Sawmillers Association as being “unhelpful”.

“So what we want to do is bring the whole industry back

Key Points

FPA will replace VAFI but • Vthere will be a transition. n interim steering • Acommittee has been

formed to manage the process.

he new body will be • Tadministered through the Australian Forests Products Association

together under the VFPA banner.”

The new body will be administered through the Australian Forests Products Association, but there will be a delegation to Victoria and Tasmania to ensure State teams manage the State related issues with a higher level of co-ordination to ensure everyone is on the same page.

“VAFI is still there but there has been some parties who have chosen not to continue with VAFI and gone off and done their own thing.

“But that has not been helpful,” Mr Price said.

“The idea is to try to welcome them back into the tent under a new structure that is aligned with AFPA.” The eight members of the Interim Governing Council are: • Sarah Harvie: Opal Group • Rob Hescock: Hancock Victorian Plantations • Paul Heubner: Allied Natural Wood Exports • Mike Lawson: SFM Environmental Solutions • Phil Mason: New Forests • Darren Sheldon: Australian

Iterim Governing Council Members, from left to right; Mike • Lawson, Owen Trumper, Paul Heubner, Phil Mason, Rob Hescock, and Tony Price. (Absent, Sarah Harvie and Darren Sheldon.)

Bluegum Plantations • Tony Price: Midway Limited • Owen Trumper: AKD Softwoods The CEO of VAFI Tim Johnston said VAFI had been the voice of the industry for many years, “like the Victorian Sawmillers Association before it, and the Hardwood Millers Association of Victoria, before that”.

“This new peak body is being formed on the strong foundation laid by VAFI through the contribution of its members,” he said.

“In the short-term, VAFI operations will remain the same,” he said.

“VAFI will continue to operate in parallel until the VFPA is up and running to make sure there are no gaps in industry advocacy and representation.”

VAFI would continue to keep members updated on new developments.

AFPA CEO Ross Hampton said forest industries emploed thousands of men and women in Victoria.

“At a time when so many

jobs are being lost, our industries can play a big role in Victoria’s post – pandemic economic recovery if they are enabled to,” he said.

“This new body will turbocharge representation for all our industries and help make the case to policy makers that now more than ever our sustainable, renewable forest industries should be backed to deliver vital growth and prosperity.”

The Chair of the Victorian Association of Forest Industries inc Craig Dunn said this new peak body was being formed on the strong foundation laid by VAFI through the perseverance of its members.

“We are entering a new era for the Victorian forest products industry,” he said. “VAFI has been the voice of the industry for many years.

“The VFPA will bring a new approach and broader industry representation during these challenging times.

VAFI will continue to operate in parallel until the VFPA is up and running to ensure a seamless transition,” Mr Dunn said.

A hardwood solution far too hard for Labor It’s one thing to offer a solution to a problem.

It’s another thing to deliver the solution.

And the Victorian Government has been caught out failing to deliver to the state’s native timber industry, again.

This time it’s the revelation that rather than planting hardwood timber to compensate for the end of native timber harvesting in 2020 – just 10 years away – the Victorian Government has apparently only been planting blue gums.

When pushed on the issue by the Nationals Member for Eastern Victoria Region, Melina Bath, the Minister for Agriculture, Jaclyn Symes for answers.

She was met with silence.

It’s bad enough that Victoria is going to be hit with a billion dollar bill from the CoVid-19 pandemic it will be paying off for generations.

But faced with that, for the State Government to then retain a policy to end native

timber harvesting in Eastern Victoria costing thousands of people their livelihoods as a sop to the Greens for helping to get them elected is outrageous.

The opposition to this foolish strategy is growing.

The recent formation of the Victorian Forest Products Association and the Victorian Hardwood Sawmillers Association will provide strong voices in taking the battle up to the Victorian Government.

Meanwhile the bushfire ravaged areas of South East New South Wales is continuing to suffer.

The family-owned 138-year-old Hyne Timber company is continuing to call for

Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

government support to direct Australian saw logs destined for China to their mill in Tumbarumba.

The company has fears for the mill’s future.

Hyne Timber has confirmed at least 441,000 cubic metres of sustainably grown, plantation pine can be made available to the mill over the next three years. But, with no Australian customer, the timber is headed for China.

Hyne wants Federal Government support to ensure that timber is diverted to its mill to be used in housing. The company says this would secure 181 jobs directly and ensure $70 million in wages and salaries continued to flow into the local economy.

It is a similar story in many ways to the situation in Victoria. Both need immediate attention.

Both need that attention now. www.timberbiz.com.au

Timber in Tassie

TFPA lobbying to close technical loopholes New body wants political leadership to balance economic, environmental and social outcomes

T

HE TFPA was formed in June 2020 and is a Committee of the Board of AFPA under a special delegation. We have 14 founding members whom are leading forest growers and processors in Tasmania and I am proud to be appointed as the inaugural Chair of the Governing Committee of TFPA. Despite the restrictions imposed by COVID-19 measures we have recruited an impressive CEO in Nick Steel who joined us on 24 August having previously held senior roles at the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association. Nick has hit the ground running with the able support of Terry Edwards whom is progressing the winding up of FIAT. TFPA is fundamentally a policy development, lobbying and advocacy organisation for our members interests.

We will collaborate strongly with other industry bodies to ensure the best outcomes for the industry generally and

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MY VIEW Bryan Hayes Chair, Tasmanian Forest Products Association

our members more specifically. Our Charter provides autonomy to manage State issues and we cooperate with AFPA on any issue that transcends State borders and has National implications.

We have established a subcommittee structure to ensure the range of issues affecting the industry in Tasmania are actively managed and that the workload is shared across the membership.

Our most pressing current issue is the green lawfare be-

ing conducted by the Bob Brown Foundation to challenge the Tasmanian RFA and which is an existential threat to any natural forest harvesting – State and privately owned - in Tasmania.

The RFA was entered into between the State and Commonwealth in 1997 and provides a framework underpinned by Tasmania’s world class Forest Practices Act and Code which prescribes forest management practices that ensure best practice environmental outcomes, including the conservation of endemic species and habitat. This system was developed expressly to be more specific, locally relevant and to a higher standard than provisions of the Commonwealth EPBC Act because it applied only to the forest industry.

TFPA is lobbying our State Minister to urgently work with the Commonwealth to close the technical loopholes and to strengthen the RFA Act and, if necessary, to also

amend the EPBC Act to clarify that any forestry conducted in a region that has a current RFA is exempt from the provisions of the EPBC Act. We are calling for strong political leadership to implement legislative solutions that appropriately balance economic, environmental and social outcomes as intended by the RFA Act. The jobs of many thousands of Tasmanian forest industry workers and hundreds of millions of dollars worth of investment are too important to our small economy to lose.

As usual local media, led by your ABC, is promoting the legal manouevre as some sort of strategic genius that will cause the industry to transition to a plantation raw material base.

Ironically the industry has been quietly doing that for more than 3 decades and the transition has been market led rather than imposed by political process. Today, more than 80% of our wood fibre is

Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

sourced from plantations and that is highly appropriate for softwood sawn timber and fibre and for hardwood fibre.

Plantations cannot provide mature hardwoods and special species timbers that are sourced from natural forests and which are used to produce high quality flooring and appearance joinery, furniture and specialty veneers.

We know from experience that if these products are not sourced and manufactured from our own natural forests then they will be imported from regions where environmental and social outcomes are very poor compared to what we do in Tasmania.

Ultimately it seems our politicians or the Courts, or both, will resolve this latest challenge to our natural forests sector.

We will be doing all we can to achieve a positive outcome in the best interests of our members, our rural and regional employees and their communities and our State.

5

Timber in Tassie STT’s forest management backed by TFPA Tasmania’s Forest Products Association has backed Sustainable Timber Tasmania’s sustainable forest management practices following the public release of its Forest Stewardship Council Australia audit report, which found STT met almost all FSC indicators applicable to it.

The Chairman of the TFPA, Bryan Hayes said STT was already accredited by the world’s largest forest certification scheme, PEFC (known in Australia as Responsible Wood), and TFPA supported STT’s significant progress towards attaining FSC as well.

“STT’s forestry operations are regulated to very high environmental standards and underpin a vibrant, world-class timber industry that employs thousands of people across the state and is vital to Tasmania’s economy,” Mr Hayes said.

“The audit report confirmed that Sustainable Timber Tasmania has a high degree of compliance with the newly created FSC National Forest Stewardship Standard of Australia, meeting 93% of the indicators applicable to it, and STT has committed to working through the remaining indicators needed to secure FSC certification.

“It is pleasing to note that STT have already commenced the process of improving their management practices through the execution of the Swift Parrot Public Authority Management Agreement which sets aside an additional 10,000 hectares of public native forest as breeding habitat for the swift parrot.”

Mr Hayes said the audit report clearly demonstrated where work was required for compliance to be achieved and STT would now be able to clearly see what they need to do before going to a future audit.

“We commend STT and the Tasmanian Government for their openness and transparency in releasing the audit report and for their persistence in pursuit of the additional certification in order to ensure the fullest range of markets are open to the Tasmanian forest industry,” Mr Hayes said.

6

• Centre for Forest Value PHD candidates, Rose Brinkhoff, and below, Vilius Gendvilas.

Research centre leading timber industry in forestry and wood research

T

H E Australian Research Council’s (ARC) Centre for Forest Value has become a leader in Tasmania’s timber industry through forestry and wood research, thanks to its high calibre of higherdegree-by-research students and postdoctoral fellows.

Established in 2015, the Centre is celebrating outcomes of recently graduated students as they embark on the next step in their careers and continue to contribute to the development of the forest industry both in Australia and internationally.

The Centre has three broad themes operating across the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Tasmania: forest production, restoration and certification (Biological Sciences), product development (Architecture and Design), and supply chain and information management (Information and Communication Technology).

Centre Director Associate Professor Julianne O’ReillyWapstra said in the past five years the Centre achieved what it was designed for, to provide opportunities for candidates and fellows to pursue industrial training, build research capacity within the forest industries and wood products sector and provide evidence-based solutions to industry identified problems.

Associate Professor O’ReillyWapstra said the Centre has been made possible through $3.6 million funding from the Australian Research Council, with additional funding from our industry partners and the University of Tasmania.

“It’s been an exciting time for everyone at the Centre, as we focussed on one of our main aims to produce industry-ready higher degree by research graduates and post-

ling it between each plot,” Rose said.

“We have discovered that by using a 360-degree camera with an ‘invisible selfie stick’, we can walk through the plots while taking photos and then select the relevant part of the photo later. This new method means each photo takes about five seconds rather than five minutes.”

Centre for Forest Value PhD to use our natural resources Candidate Vilius Gendvilas’ more sustainably and her project aims to examine silPhD research is helping her vicultural effects on plantation grown Eucalyptus do that.

While her research is a nitens wood properties and small piece of a much larger product quantity.

The PhD project consist of puzzle, Rose believes it’s an important one as the Centre four parts: Drilling resistfor Forest Value student’s the- ance (IML Resi) technique doctoral fellows with broad sis looks at the determinants improvement to measure perspectives of the forest in- of optimal leaf area in euca- wood density, thinning effects on wood properties of dustry,” Associate Professor lypt plantations.

“We know that fertiliser standing trees, thinning efO’Reilly-Wapstra said.

“The Centre combines a makes trees grow faster, but fects on log wood properties diverse set of partners from we don’t know a lot about and longitudinal and radial forest growers, to restoration the mechanisms behind that variation in wood density managers to wood producers. response. Untangling these and stiffness, and competiOur PhD candidates and post- mechanisms will help in tai- tion and dominance class efdoctoral fellows work closely loring fertiliser regimes to fects on wood properties of with industry and other stake- specific sites or conditions, standing trees.

“It’s been an exciting jourholders across the forest man- and therefore allow us to use agement landscape and verti- fertiliser more efficiently and ney as UTAS continues to be leaders in improving current cally along the forest products effectively,” Rose said.

“My project is a good mix of and developing new technolsupply chain. Such experiences and skills are in demand in the things I like most about ogies, which can be used in research. It aims to address the forestry industry; it’s also the sector.

“Our valued industry col- some interesting theoretical about creating new products laborators have been com- questions, while also having which can be competitive in mitted to supporting our important practical applica- market,” Vilius said.

Industry collaboration has candidates and fellows for the tions. It’s a nice mix of ecolpast 4-5 years, to help drive ogy and physiology, and it is been a key driver in the PhD the Centre’s research activ- also the perfect balance of candidates being able to acity. Outcomes will enhance field and lab-based work for cess research trials and conduct industry applicable and productivity, profitably and me.”

One interesting and unex- useful research. sustainability along the forest “Industry collaboration is industries supply chain and pected outcome of her PhD drive innovation in forest res- is the development of a new so important as it allows us toration and environmental method for taking the hemi- to gain the material for study spherical canopy photos and also gain up-to-date planting activities.” technical advice. I have acused to estimate leaf area.

Centre for Forest Value PhD “Normally, this requires cess to novel technologies to candidate highlights: carrying around a camera test wood properties at SCIRose Brinkhoff is passion- and a tripod, packing it away ON’s facility in Rotorua, New ate about finding better ways and setting it up and level- Zealand,” Vilius said.

Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

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Timber in Tassie

Timberlink on a mission in Tasmania T imberlink is on a mission to do things better, and if that means spending money then that is what the company will do.

In Tasmania alone it has invested $32m alone in upgrading its Bell Bay facility.

Timberlink has the only large scale, forest integrated plantation softwood sawmilling company located in Tasmania.

It directly employ 200 people at Bell Bay as well as using local contractors and businesses wherever possible. Last year Timberlink estimated the indirect economic impact of its Bell Bay mill on the local economy to be $150M. At Bell Bay sawmill Timberlink produces the company’s widest range of products with a mix of structural framing, outdoor structural framing, fencing, landscaping, decorative and industrial products.

“We have had a very clear focus on upgrading our two mills – Bell Bay and Tarpeena in South Australia - from when we acquired them,”

• Timbelink’s Bell Bay facility in Tasmania.

“It has been an ongoing focus to build world-class facilities.”

The upgrades at Bell Bay are Timberlink’s David Oliver largely completed with one last scanner to go into place in said.

“When Bell Bay was ac- this phase up upgrades.

As part of the upgrades quired we invested $1m just Timberlink has installed new on safety upgrades.

crossflow kilns which reduces electricity usage by about 30 per cent, a new Lucidyne scanner – the only one in Australia with artificial intelligence – which learns from every scan that it takes, and new strapping and packing equipment with robotic automation.

“It has been a very exciting transformation to a business that produces timber to make our planet more sustainable and liveable,” Mr Oliver said.

“In time it is likely there will be more investment in Tasmania.”

He believes that one of the challenges in the industry across Australia has been periods of significant investments and then long periods of no investments, which have ultimately led to decline.

“Our view is that we want to keep our facilities operating at peak performance using the latest technology.

“It is a technology business now.

“In a lot of cases we are creating a lot of jobs that didn’t exist before.”

And the future for Bell Bay? Mr Oliver said there wasn’t a specific project he could point to.

“But we do have some irons in the fire,” he said.

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Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

6/08/2020 2:35:45 PM

7

Timber in Tassie

BRIEFS New Hub head

MOUNT Gambier-based mill owner Ian McDonnell is the new chair of the Green Triangle Forest Industries Hub. The NF McDonnell and Sons director was elevated from his role as deputy chair, nominated at last week’s board meeting following the resignation of inaugural chair Linda Sewell, due to her departure as CEO at OneFortyOne. OneFortyOne executive general manager Cameron MacDonald has assumed the role of deputy chair, joining the board as the company’s representative.

KI port contract A CONTRACT for the construction of the Kangaroo Island Seaport at Smith Bay has been signed.

The contract partners in the Early Contractor Involvement Agreement (ECI), led by Maritime Constructions (MC) from Port Adelaide, include KBR and WGA, two global leaders in the field of civil and marine construction.

The ECI Agreement establishes an innovative Alliance Agreement model, under which the Contractor will build a deep-water wharf at Smith Bay, Kangaroo Island. The Alliance Agreement itself will now be prepared under the ECI Agreement terms and conditions.

Inquiry recommendations THE NSW Government has agreed that the summer’s devastating bushfires in the south east of the state were caused by mix of climate change, drought and high fuel loads on the ground.

In doing so, it has accepted all 76 recommendations of the independent NSW Bushfire Inquiry, which examined the causes, preparation and response to the bushfires.

Any issues not covered in the report that are still relevant to the protection of property and life will also be further examined.

• Robert, Kevin, Nicholas (Tiny) and Geoffrey Muskett.

Creating a logging legacy Muskett family part of Tassie timber for over 70 years

T

H E Muskett family has been part of the Tassie timber industry for more than 70 years now.

From crosscut saws and bullock teams, to Kenworths, Tigercat and Komatsu equipment, the family has built one of the most professional forest operations in the country.

When Brian Muskett started the company which became BR & KF Muskett & Sons Pty Ltd he started out logging the southern Tassie forests.

Days in the bush were long, back-breaking and, more often than not, wet and bitterly cold. Anything that promised to make the job faster, easier or both was solid gold.

Brian embraced mechanisation, new harvesting ideas and innovative forest management to improve his business and industry.

From pulling logs with horses and bullocks, Brian and wife, Kathleen were the first contractors to use a skidder in southern Tasmania, the first to use a tree shear and feller buncher and

Key Points R & KF Muskett & Sons • BPty Ltd were the first contractors to use a skidder in southern Tasmania.

he company now • Temployees 55 staff

supplying timber to Norske Skog Boyer and Forico.

he company runs 14 • Ttrucks, with 12 of them on

a 24-hour five days a week rotation, carting 360,000 tonnes of softwood.

first to use a feller buncher in cable logging.

He and Kathleen were partners in a venture that came to include sons, Kevin, Geoffrey and Robert, and daughter, Helen. As well Kevin’s two sons, Matthew and Andrew, and Geoffrey’s two sons, Nicholas and Cassidy are now part of the Muskett logging family enterprise.

In all the company now employees 55 staff including family supplying timber to Norske Skog Boyer as the principal customer and Forico.

BR & KF Muskett & Sons Pty Ltd first truck was a secondhand 1941 ‘Flathead’ Ford, which they set to work in 1950. The V8-petrol engine put together around 35 hp on a good day and towed a pole jinker loaded up with 14 tonne of logs.

Now the company runs 14 trucks, with 12 of them on a 24-hour five days a week rotation, carting 360,000 tonnes of softwood.

Kevin said the company also harvests 175,000 tonnes annually for Norske with surplus logs exported to Asia and Europe.

Harvesting is mainly done using Tigercat equipment, but he also has some Komatsu and John Deere gear.

Geoffrey routinely deals with some highly challenging working conditions in the Florentine Valley in southwest Tasmania where limestone sinkholes litter the 30-year-old pine plantations.

He works closely with the Forestry Practices Authority and Norske Skog who map and mark every sinkhole.

Muskett & Sons was recognized in 2015 with an award

for exemplary performance related to the sinkholes and shovel logging on steep slopes.

A major challenge of the pine operations is that the wood can’t stand at roadside for more than two weeks.

According to Kevin, the ability to meet just in time harvesting and delivery requirements is highly dependent on machine availability.

“Reliability of the gear and planning is very important,” he said.

“The buncher can’t get very far ahead of the rest of the system or the wood will sit on the ground too long and we can’t stockpile at roadside for too long, so everything has to be working with a very high availability rate.”

CoVid19 has naturally thrown a totally unexpected curveball at the industry as a whole.

Kevin says he has seen a 40 per cent drop in transport for Forico because sales are down.

“We’ve just got to deal with the challenges as they come along and adjust as we go,” he said. “It is difficult to plan.”

Firewood shortage EAST Gippsland firewood merchants and timber harvesters are warning this winter’s firewood shortage is likely just a foretaste of a permanent shortage should the government proceed with its plans to Continued on Page 24 8

Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

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Timber in Tassie

Tasmania’s timber industry is unique in so many ways U

nlike the industry in other States, privately-owned forests play a huge part in its makeup.

Tasmania’s forests cover about 50 per cent of the total area of the State, with private forests making up about 33 per cent of the forest area – the highest proportion of any state in Australia.

In total Tasmania’s private forests cover more than one million hectares and more than 200,000 hectares is plantation estate and the balance is native forest on private land.

Of the total volume of timber coming out of Tasmania 75 percent is generated by the private estate, and of that 97 per cent is coming off plantations.

And it has been increasing, jumping from less than 50 per cent eight years ago to its current levels.

Hardly surprising that in 1994 Private Forests Tasmania (PFT) was established as a statutory authority under the Private Forests Act (1994).

Figures for last financial year indicate over four mil-

10

lion tonnes of timber – both native and softwood - coming off private forests.

And that also makes Private Forests Tasmania unique.

“We are not aware of another organization that is the same as us,” PFT CEO Penny Wells said.

“We are not aware of any other State having an independent statutory authority dedicated to facilitating growth in the private forestry sector.”

The PFT Board oversees strategic direction, and a staff of permanent and fixedterm officers undertakes the functions of the authority.

Staff are located in Burnie, Hobart and Launceston.

Its legislated role is to facilitate and expand the development of the State’s private forest resource in a manner which is consistent with sound forest and land management practices.

It seems to be Tasmania’s way; there are lot of things done in Tasmania that are done well and that are not done anywhere else.

“Sometimes we can do things a bit differently, yes,” Ms. Well said.

“I’m sure there are many factors that contribute to Tasmanians doing what Tasmanians do.’’

Ms Wells is ideally suited for the job. She has more than thirty years’ experience in the forestry sector in Tasmania, having been involved in forest planning, policy and management with both the Tasmanian Government and forest industry since the late 1980’s.

During this time she has been joint owner of a small family sawmill (processing special species timbers), has worked with land management and development agencies within the Tasmanian Government, and worked

with Forestry Tasmania as a forest planner.

She concedes being an island industry, has both challenges as well as opportunities.

“We have challenges getting material to market at the same price as other states,” she said.

“But there are positives as well in terms of biosecurity.”

And in the current pandemic situation it has been relatively easy to isolate the state from the mainland.

But the key issues relate to maintaining scale.

“We’ve already got a global undersupply of timber and there is a projected global demand that is likely to quadruple by 2050,” Ms Wells said.

“So to meet our domestic needs and to be able to participate in meeting global needs we have an issue of maintaining our own scale and expanding the resource.

“Private Forests Tasmania has a very specific legislated role to play in facilitating that growth and expansion.”

Ms Wells said that that the private forests sector had not seen expansion in the state since late 1990s and early 2000s.

Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

“In fact the plantation estate has actually shrunk since then as the less productive plantations have not been replanted.”

As well there has been the legacy of the MIS era, and some landholders have been reluctant to replant or get involved in planting. ”Landowners tell us that their greatest hurdles in making a decision to plant trees are the perceived costs and complexities of establishment”.

“There are lots of positives in terms of integrating trees within agricultural properties. There are considerable productivity gains through the sheltering effect alongside the economic gains at harvest.

Advances in the carbon market are also seeing some opportunities for payments for storing carbon during the life cycle of the forest crop, while that same crop can act as a form of superannuation.

“We certainly are working with landowners on providing better information around the financial and other benefits of planting trees over the longer term.”

www.timberbiz.com.au

Timber in Tassie

Forging a new industry culture TFFPN helping set a collaborative agenda

W

H EN Therese Taylor arrived as the convenor of the newly formed Timber Forests & Forest Product Network, she found an industry fragmented.

“Until that time the forest industry in Tasmania I think had worked well within its own sectors but there hadn’t really been a culture of that whole-of-sector collaboration and cohesion,” Ms Taylor said.

The Timber Forests & Forest Product Network arose out of the State forest strategic plan - A Strategic Growth Plan for the Tasmanian Forests, Fine Timber and Wood Fibre Industry - that there Timber Forests & Forest Product should be an umbrella organNetwork convenor Therese Taylor. isation over the forests and forest products industry.

“Some stakeholder consultation Key Points was undertaken around what an umbrella organisation could look The Timber Forests & Forest like and there was an appetite for it Product Network arose out of the across the industry,” Ms Taylor said.

State forest strategic plan.

She was brought in as the convenor a little over two years ago to put a Membership of the TFFPN is free. framework together about how that The TFFPN does not get political. may operate.

Previously, Ms Taylor had worked across government, private and com- not to be an instrument of governmunity sectors and had held a num- ment - provided seed funding.

The sustainability of the organisaber of senior executive roles in Govtion has been through partnering ernment.

TFFPN was created as a company with companies across Tasmania limited by guarantee with a constitu- which have seen the benefits of being associated with the network to tion and a number of directors.

The current directors Steve White- build the financial capability of the ley (Chair), Bryan Hayes (Treasurer), network.

This has included Forico, SustainAndrew Morgan, Tony Stonjek, Julianne O’Reilly-Wapstra, Tim Bates able Timber Tasmania, Timberlink, Private Forests Tasmania, TasPorts, and Brodie Frost.

Membership is open to anyone who SFM, AKS Forest Solutions, Artec, has a genuine interest in the contin- Reliance Forest Fibre, CapitalCorp ued future development of a sustain- and Neville Smith Forest Products able and profitable forest and forest (NSFP).

“In the two years that the network products industry.

Membership of the TFFPN is free has been established we’ve built coand gives member access, as part of hesion, we’ve got 650 members, we the mailing list, to the website, social are a self-sustaining organisation and media, newsletters, notice of events we work on projects and strategies to bring together the whole of the inand networking functions.

“We want to be an inclusive organi- dustry,” Ms Taylor said.

“There was a whole range of insation across the supply chain,” Ms dustry issues which needed to be Taylor said.

That includes nursery growers discussed but there was no way of through to architects and people who bringing the players together in a work in design. To help foster that, neutral space, and the network promembership is free and open to any- vided that.”

Issues included skill development, one who has a genuine interest in the continued future development of a bushfire response, communications, sustainable and profitable forest and involvement in AgFest in Tasmania, and last year hosting the inaugural forest products industry.

It is very much a bottom-up organi- Tasmanian Timber Awards.

And then in March last year when sation rather than a top-down set-up.

“We made a conscious decision to the Federal Government announced work towards increasing profitabil- the creation of nine forestry hubs ity, sustainability, and social licence across Australia, Tasmania and the of the Tasmanian forests industry,” TFFPN became, Ms Taylor believes, the only vehicle which could host Ms Taylor said.

The Tasmanian Government – that project.

The TFFPN does not get political. which made it clear the TFFPN was

•

• • •

www.timberbiz.com.au

“The board and the strategy of the organisation is very clear on that,” Ms Taylor said.

“We are a communication hub and we are about bringing people together in a cohesive and collaborative way.

“Now that the Tasmanian Forest Products Association has been formed we will dovetail our activities in with them, but it will under-

Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

take industrial relations and policy responses.”

For now, and into the future the TFFPN will continue to work across the value chain to build pride within the forest industry, building pride about the industry and have people work together in a way they haven’t before about the community attitude towards forestry in Tasmania.

11

Timber in Tassie

First timber hub setting the pace

C

orporate lawyer Monika Winston has made the ultimate tree change.

The trained lawyer who now runs Tasmania’s Northern Tasmania Regional Forestry Hub worked in corporate law in Melbourne for a number of years before moving into corporate strategy, business growth and development. She worked for Mars Incorporated, both in Melbourne and in London and more recently, Monika worked in corporate strategy in the wine industry.

Now it’s the Tasmanian timber industry that she has set her sights on. In the last six months Monika has extensively consulted with industry and government stakeholders to establish key areas of focus for the Hub. The Hub is the result of a grant agreement between the Commonwealth Department of Agriculture and Water Resources and the Tasmanian Forests & Forests Products Network in April 2019 last year.

The agreement established the Regional Forestry Hub

• Monika Winston

Pilot in North-northwest Tasmania under the National Forestry Industry Plan.

The objective of the threeyear Agreement is to support the capacity of the forest industry in north and northwest Tasmania to meet long term increases in demand for timber, by consulting extensively with stakeholders across the forest value chain

to identify and progress industry and regional priorities to meet that demand.

“Tasmania’s sustainable forestry industry contributes around $1.2 billion to the Tasmanian economy and more than 5,700 direct and indirect jobs,” Ms Winston said. “It is a really significant contributor to the Tasmanian economy.”

“The Australian Government recognised the importance of the forestry industry to Tasmania and that is why it was chosen as the pilot.”

Ms Winston said there was very good collaboration within the forestry industry in Tasmania.

“What I have noticed is that it is a very cohesive group with everyone working together towards the same goals,” she said.

“That has really enabled us to move quickly in terms of what we are trying to achieve.”

The Hub is currently undertaking strategic assessments into priority themes for the industry.

The first assessment is around access to land and

land use policy for plantation forest investment. The second is around supply chain and infrastructure, the third covers climate change and carbon policy and the fourth culture, skills and training.

“The objective for us is to strategically assess the priority themes and provide recommendations and opportunities to improve and grow the sector,” Ms Winston said.

“For us success would be having those opportunities and recommendations put into action and continued stakeholder engagement.”

The Hub has appointed both Tasmanian and National experts in each of these fields and they are currently working through each of these strategic assessments with the aim of producing recommendations by the end of the year.

“The assessments will enable us to understand the key drivers of growth in the industry and to prepare for the future. We are pleased to be partnering with leading Australian industry experts to drive this impactful work,” Ms Winston said.

Northern Tasmiania Regional Forestry Hub Steering Committee Penny Wells, CEO, Private Forests Tasmania (Chair) Steve Whiteley, CEO, Sustainable Timber Tasmania Darren Davis, COO, Forico Philip Lloyd, General Manager Resource, Timberlink Owen Hoffman, General Manager, Reliance Forest Fibre Shawn Britton, General Manager, Britton Timbers Therese Taylor, Convener, Tasmanian Forests and Forest Products Network (Observer) Alastair Morton, Director Resources Policy, Department of State Growth (Observer) Andrew Wilson, Director Plantations and Innovation, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (Observer)

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Round table

Tasmania’s vital role in national conversation

T

he timber industry in Tasmania is very different the rest of the industry across Australia. It is a huge employer, an important producer and is almost solely reliant on privately grown timber. It is also the home of some amazing research being undertaken into timber, from silviculture to furniture.

And that is just the tip of the iceberg; Tasmania’s timber industry is unique in so many ways. In this Round Table three experts in the field discuss the role Tasmania’s timber industry can have in the future management of the environment as a whole both now and into the future.

Q&A Panel

Q

Andrew Morgan

Bryan Hayes

Penny Wells

Managing Director SFM Environmental Solutions Pty Ltd

CEO Forico Pty Ltd

CEO Private Forests Tasmania

hy will forestry be important to the community — both on a W state and national level — in the future?

Andrew Morgan I think broadly that forestry will continue to provide stability to regional economies across the country into the future which is particularly important to communities during the uncertain times we are facing.

I think climate related aspects, demand for sustainable, renewable, biophilic products and maximising land capabilities to its highest and best use will all drive forestry within the state and federal narratives.

Climate change will likely continue to increase the frequency and intensity of bushfires, on a local level well managed forests around towns and cities will help mitigate fire risk, lower fuel loads resulting in lower intensity fires. We may see the amalgamation of fire and production forest management in some regions, thinning materials being utilised for fibre or potentially a “bio” product.

The 21st century will likely continue as the century of wood as demand for renewable, sustainable products with a high level of embodied carbon is specified in residential, commercial and government buildings across the nation - the competition for the world’s tallest wooden build will continue!

Wood First or Wood Encouragement policies will continue to be rolled out across the country as the benefits of wood are better understood and utilised.

Maximising utilisation of land for plantation development will be need to be considered and I think we will see more integration of plantation forestry into the agricultural landscape which will be driven by a mix of planting for production, carbon offsets and biodiversity/conservation management.

Bryan Hayes Forestry as an industry has a very important role in the future at both State and National levels.

14

From a traditional perspective forestry will continue to provide essential products such as timber for housing, building and construction; wood fibre for pulp, paper and hygiene products; and biomass for fuel such as domestic firewood and industrial boilers.

Forestry provides many jobs and economic activity in rural and regional economies where there are often few alternatives. The industry makes a positive contribution to our first world standard of living and delivery of sensible, science-based environmental outcomes.

In future forestry has the potential to attract significant new investment into growing commercial tree crops which will be essential in the global objective of reducing carbon emissions and ameliorating the impacts of climate change. This will require adoption of best available technology to support cost efficiency and optimal productivity and the recruitment, training and retention of a highly skilled, contemporary workforce that is valued by our communities.

Penny Wells By 2050 the human population is forecast to expand from 7.5 to 9.6 billion people.

We will require 70% more food (United Nations), 50% more fuel (International Energy Agency), and 50% more water (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development). We also need to reduce CO2 emissions by over 80% (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). All of these will have to be achieved to ensure economic, social, political, climate, food, water and fuel security (Institute for Molecular Bioscience 2019).

One common element that can assist with all of these challenges is trees. Trees, integrated in our agricultural landscapes and managed under sustainable forestry systems, can deliver increased primary production productivity while simultaneously delivering biofuel, improving water quality

Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

and efficiency, and improving the carbon balance.

Tasmanian case studies conducted by Private Forests Tasmania, UTAS and the CSIRO have found that farm systems that included trees were more productive and profitable than agriculture only enterprises with internal rates of return typically around 8%.

Growing trees under sustainable forestry regimes can improve the carbon balance.

The 2019 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Climate Change and Land indicates that: “Sustainable forest management can maintain or enhance forest carbon stocks, and can maintain forest carbon sinks, including by transferring carbon to wood products”, and “Where wood carbon is transferred to harvested wood products, these can store carbon over the long-term and can substitute for emissions-intensive materials reducing emissions in other sectors.’’

The IPCC also advocates for the use of tree residues as bioenergy feedstock. Utilising tree residues for bioenergy can displace the use of fossil fuels such as coal, LPG and LNG. In Tasmania we are seeing projects to develop new industrial ‘green’ chemicals, such as solvents made from renewable product created from wood biomass. Solvents such as Cyrene are highly sought after by international customers who are in need of nontoxic ‘green’ chemicals.

Tasmania, and indeed Australia as a whole, is fortunate to have significant forest resources, both native and planted, currently managed under sustainable forestry systems. This provides local wood and fibre product for our nation’s domestic needs, benefits our local economy and minimises our dependence on imported products with a higher carbon footprint and often produced in less rigorous regulatory systems.

www.timberbiz.com.au

Q

Q

Round table ow will the forestry industry meet predicted increasing demand H for wood and fibre over the next generation (20-30 years)?

Andrew Morgan That’s a very good question. We need to be planting more trees now!

Over the next 20/30 years I think we will see better utilisation of existing forest resource through new developments with engineered wood products and possibly the crystallisation of ideas centred around biomass and cellulosic products as government policy allows it to be economically competitive against mainstream products such as coal and plastics.

Plantation management will focus around precision forestry supplying more data than ever before which will yield more fibre per hectare and the optimisation of which species should be planted where, something we have got wrong in some areas in the past.

With increasing frequency and intensity of bushfires, fire protection is going to be needed to be amplified in order to protect the country’s growing stock, sensor technology and drones are two areas I see as being critical in this performing this task into the future.

timal cleared agricultural land into plantations in designated wood production zones.

Plantation productivity and yield must also be improved through advanced tree breeding and genetics, better silvicultural practices and next generation harvesting technology that enables log and forest product optimisation.

The value of plantation tree crops as an investment opportunity would be greatly enhanced if Australia were to adopt a carbon trading scheme and the current ownership of carbon stored in existing plantations was repatriated from the National Accounts back to the tree owner.

It is essential to also maintain access to existing multiple-use natural forests where harvesting of wood fibre is permitted under sustainable environmental practices that are accepted in the broader community.

The positive impact of the above measures can only be realised with strong Government and legislative support and the forest industry presenting a unified and collaborative approach on industry policy and research and development initiatives.

Bryan Hayes

Penny Wells

In order to increase production the forest industry must grow more commercial trees in plantations. That can be in partnership with agricultural enterprises where tree plantations are integrated into farming activity, or it may be by conversion of sub-op-

The global demand for timber is expected to quadruple by 2050 (The World Bank, 2016). In Tasmania, and Australia generally, demand is being driven through the construction industry (particularly the home building market) along with the com-

munity’s desire to replace carbon intensive materials and plastics (derived from nonrenewable fossil fuels) with natural, recyclable and renewable products.

Australia’s National Forest Industries Plan (Australian Government 2018) sets out strategies for growing a billion more plantation trees, focussing on planting the right trees at the right scale in the right places.

The strategies include greater integration of forestry and farming, improving use of forests on indigenous and privately owned lands, driving innovation, research and development across the native and plantation forest sectors and creating regional forestry hubs to drive continuous improvement in the supply chain, infrastructure, and underpinning regulatory and policy frameworks.

In Tasmania there is unlikely to be any major increase in area of industrial scale plantations or public land managed for production native forestry. However improvements in growing systems and enhanced productivity will deliver some additional supply of wood and fibre from these estates in the future. In terms of area, farm forestry provides a key to securing a wood bank to meet projected future demand.

However this cannot be achieved with forestry directly competing against other productive agricultural pursuits. Integration of forestry with agriculture provides material opportunities for growing the wood and fibre resource.

hat will forestry look like over the next 10-20 years? Across W areas such as supply chain, planning, harvesting, transporting, processing, and product diversity.

Andrew Morgan Technology and innovation will continue to drive supply chain developments in the across the forest sector. Precision forestry will be driven by big data collected by technology such as LIDAR on drones and satellite-based platforms.

I think drone platforms will continue to develop with offering a suite of options to a forest manager from aerial applications of fertiliser or weed control, fire fighting through to under-canopy drone producing incredibly accurate 3D models of forest areas.

Autonomous harvesting and even driverless trucks will start to permeate into the sector particularly in the plantation sector where ground conditions are relatively benign, large flat forestry regions where there is a good road network. As these vehicles and machines become more prevalent, supply chain workers will increasingly be required to understand and operate advanced computer systems, with onboard software likely to provide real time data to operators and foresters related to everything from operator efficiency to value recovery against pre-loaded, inventory driven expectations Bryan Hayes Technological advances and artificial intelligence applications will proliferate and underpin improvements in productivity, safety, efficiency and quality control. Satellite imagery,

www.timberbiz.com.au

drones, LIDAR, 3 dimensional imaging and in-field electronic sensors will be commonly deployed into forest management systems.

Autonomous harvesting and haulage vehicles will complement next generation harvesting and haulage equipment utilising on-board computers for log optimisation, machine operating efficiency, GPS tracking and boundary definition and central scheduling for truck fleet optimisation.

Log drying and volumetric measurement by laser scanners will substitute for green tonne weighing over weighbridges and processing facilities will become more automated , bigger in scale and produce more diverse engineered wood products that the community prefers over other non-renewable alternatives such as concrete and steel.

Small to medium bio-refineries will emerge to utilise the vast hardwood plantation fibre resource and capitalise on the bio-economy that will shift consumers to renewables and cellulose fibre products.

Penny Wells Forestry in Australia is an ever-changing sector. The industry is founded on principles of sustainable forest management, which in turn are underpinned by the principle of continuous improvement. There is a long history of forestry science, research and development in Australia which drives this continuous improvement. In Tasmania there is a strong forestry R&D capacity with the University of Tasmania’s ARC Centre for Forest Value and

Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood, the CSIRO’s Land and Water Unit, the National Institute for Forest Products Innovation, and research programs embedded within private forest management companies, the Forest Practices Authority, Sustainable Timber Tasmania, Private Forests Tasmania and various government entities.

Through these continuous improvement mechanisms the forestry sector will continue to build its productive capacity over both plantation and native grown forest estates, maximise supply chain efficiencies, stimulate regional economies, and minimise environmental footprint. This includes being a significant player in minimising the nation’s carbon footprint - through carbon sequestration, storing carbon in solid wood products and replacement of emissions-intensive materials and activities.

Forestry will become more integrated within our traditional farming systems, with trees returning a valuable and diversified income for landowners and enhancing the productive capacity of associated cropping and grazing regimes. More sophisticated planning, e-logistics and remote sensing technologies will enable a more integrated matrix of forestry systems to develop across public and private land tenures. This will in turn improve regional scale and inter-operability between small farm forestry operations and larger commercial estates and also deliver improvements for on-ground forest management, particularly capacity for forest fire management across all forest land tenures.

15

Road transport

Keeping an eye on the roads But TTV’s role now goes beyond roads and bridges.

T

IMBER Towns Victoria had an obvious opening gambit.

The organisation, which represents 21 councils with an interest in the development of the forest industry in Victoria, sprung into life to help councils manage roads and bridges in timber areas.

It is headed up by Glenelg Shire councillor Karen Stephens who was elected to the Glenelg Shire Council in March 2002 and served as Mayor in 2004-2005 and 2012-2013.

She is also on the Green Triangle Regional Plantation Committee, Green Triangle Region Freight Action Plan Implementation Planning Committee and the National Timber Councils Taskforce.

The shire, based in Portland, makes up a large slab of the Victorian side of the Green Triangle.

Timber Towns’ history goes back to the former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett’s decision to sell off the state’s 170,000ha of soft and hardwood plantations in 1998 to US investment company Hancock Timber Resource Group for $550 million.

“The government used to look after all the internal roads in those plantations,” Cr Stephens said.

“So it came down to the road funding between the

Glenelg Shire councillor • Karen Stephens.

‘first mile’ and the ‘last mile’.”

The ‘last mile’ that timber trucks take to the mill or a port is the most used because it is a funnel; the ‘first mile’ is the one out of the forest.

“It’s no good if you can’t get the product out of the forests,” Cr Stephens said.

“In essence Vicforests used to have really good road infrastructure.

“When they sold off Vicforests the contractors who took over the land then had

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• Fully laden timber trucks heading to the Port of Portland in Victoria.

to maintain the roads, which they wouldn’t do to the State Government standards.’’

With that change of ownership, many of the roads they were accessing were local government roads “So the councils got together because this wasn’t going to be very good for us because we will have bills for road maintenance coming out of our ears,’’ she said.

An agreement was reached whereby each year the State Government would allocate funds to the Timber Roads and Bridges Fund.

Timber Towns was therefore formed to advocate for the interests of local governments with a substantial amount of timber harvested in their area.

But TTV’s role has changed over the years and now goes well beyond roads and bridges.

TTV now sees its primary focus is to provide a forum in which councils can represent the views of their communities and discuss timber industry matters which affect their municipality.

TTV also plays a pertinent role in persuading leaders in political life, public service, business and the community to follow policies which will assist in the development of communities with a timber industry and promoting timber as a continuous and renewable resource. It believes social and economic impacts should also be factored into the development of forest industry related policies.

As a coordinating body with a local government membership, Timber Towns Victoria serves to protect the interests and well-being of the municipalities it represents. TTV recognises that for a number of rural and regional communities, the timber industry plays an important role in supporting their economies. In many cases, the timber industry is a major employer within a township.

“Timber Towns will advocate on behalf of its member bodies,” Cr Stephens said.

“And Timber Towns is guided by our member councils.’’

Of concern to TTV is the Victorian Government decision that the native forest industry would close by 2030.

Cr Stephens said that decision “totally sideswiped us”.

“It’s fair to say that our councils in Gippsland have had the full whammy of drought, bushfire and the Victorian State Government decision last year,” she said.

“Roads is one aspect of Timber Towns but the other aspect is supporting local councils in their economic development.

“We are there as a voice, as an advocate and to provide a leadership role for the interests of local government on timber related matters.

“But it has always been particularly around roads and bridges because that has always been a big impact for us.”

When it comes to the native timber decision Cr

Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

Stephens said that Timber Towns needed to show leadership “But they are areas which can be really tricky for us to get into,” she said.

“We would love to see the native forest decision reversed.

“It’s around 2500 jobs. You take a few families out of some of these communities; you take the kids out of the schools, and then there is no schools, no sport and everybody loses.

“And towns disappear,” Cr Stephens said.

“There is massive amounts of skill in there.

She would like to see the State Government recognise the efforts of the timber industry in helping battle the January bushfires.

“It was the timber industry that got in there and helped with their machinery and their know-how.

But roads will continue to be a major issue for local government.

Timber Towns’ Timber Industry Roads Evaluation Study of council-managed roads assess the roads, calculates the volume over those roads, and where their feeders are onto State roads.

Council use that data to leverage funding for roads and bridges.

“It gives a really good overview,” Cr Stephens said.

“It is a five-year plan.”

TTV was looking to update the plan but the bushfires in Gippsland put the brakes on that.

“We’ve just parked it for now.” www.timberbiz.com.au

CABIN The most comfortable cabin ever seen in the forest provides unmatched operator efficiency and productivity.

H7 Harvester Head

KING SCORPION The award winning PONSSE Scorpion King is already one of the most successful products ever produced by Ponsse. Right now, over 700 units are working in more than 20 different countries including Australia.

INTELLIGENT STABILISATION system monitors the position of the crane and continually presses the rear frame in the direction of the weight, offering the

Recent improvements have taken the Scorpion King to a new level with increases in productivity and fuel efficiency, hydraulic performance and a range of other subtle upgrades. Now more than ever the PONSSE Scorpion King is an Operators dream.

best stability.

HYDRAULIC SYSTEM 62% larger hydraulic lines make the Scorpion King even more productive with lower fuel consumption.

ENGINE Powerful and cost-effective Mercedes Benz/MTU engine

Randalls Equipment Company Pty Ltd 8 Wallace Ave Point Cook, Victoria, 3030 Phone: 03 9369 8988 Sales: 0437 54 11 54 Email: randalls@randalls.com.au Web: www.randalls.com.au

Wheel loaders

Volvo L220H Loader spearheads efficiencies in Tasmanian Timber operation

E

nhanced safety with increased productivity and outstanding fuel economy gains are key reasons why Timberlink, Tasmania, have chosen Volvo wheel loaders to manage their high throughput log yard operation.

Timberlink’s modern Bell Bay operation is the only large scale, forest integrated plantation softwood Sawmilling Company located in Tasmania where they produce their widest range of commodities. The product mix includes structural framing, fencing, landscaping, decorative timbers and industrial supplies. They directly employ over 200 people and engage predominantly local contractors and businesses to support their Bell Bay operation. The indirect contribution to the local economy is estimated at $150M. Timberlink Bell Bay in conjunction with their treatment supply partner Lonza, developed their innovative “Low Odour Timberlink Green” range of products. The new patent pending product is a world first with 30 times less odour, which creates a more pleasant workplace for customers and end-users while still retaining the superior strength, stability and appearance of traditional LOSP products.

it says on the tin’. The overall capable of lifting an entire bay package was very competitive of logs off a truck in one lift.

“The power of the L220H too so all in all this prompted us to choose Volvo once gives us greater efficiencies through increased productivToday timber in Australia is again.”

Dean Smith and his team ity and fuel economy gains in high demand.

At Timberlink’s Bell Bay saw- are no strangers to operating because the machine isn’t milling operation, Log Yard Volvo equipment, having pre- working beyond its capability,” Supervisor, Dean Smith believes that adopting new technologies and specifying components according to need rather than tradition, will lead to higher profits for the company, despite timber prices almost remaining static for the last decade, due in no small part to cheaply imported products.

Smith monitors the processes and movements in the log yard with the sharpened pencil of an accountant. Combining a broad knowledge of the sawmilling industry and his understanding of production practices with Volvo wheel loaders hard at work at Timberlink's Bell Bay facility. consideration for future demands, he configures his viously run an L180C wheel operator Scotty Harris said. loaders to safeguard the high- loader in another sawmilling “We can unload and stack a operation, where they were B-Double load of logs in under est interests of the company.

“We found the CJD team to impressed with the reliability eight minutes with either mabe very proactive in working and economy of the Volvo ma- chine.

“We’re very pleased with with us to agree on the speci- chine.

Specifying the L220H as the our turn around time for unfication of the L220H and L180G and checking all the main loader in the log yard loading, on average, from the details were correct to ensure increased productivity consid- time a log truck arrives at the the machines would do ‘what erably because it is more than weighbridge, they can be un-

VICTORIA - HEAD OFFICE 8 Wallace Avenue, Point Cook Victoria, 3030 Peter Randalls 0418 356 306 Davin Frankel 0437 541 154 Phone (03) 9369 8988 Email randalls@randalls.com.au Web www.randalls.com.au

18

loaded and back on the weighbridge within 15-mintues,” Scotty added.

“The L180G is used as a secondary machine in the log yard,” Dean explained. “Its more than capable of keeping the mill fed with fresh logs and

•

equally at home unloading log trucks. Being a little smaller gives it the agility to perform other tasks around the mill and the simplicity of the quick hitch attachments makes swapping from the log grapple to a bucket a quick operation and adds to the machine’s versatility.”

TASMANIA 2/5 Legana Park Drive, Legana Tasmania, 7277 Anthony Williams 0487 700 306

NEW SOUTH WALES 14 Wembley Place, Bathurst New South Wales, 2795 Jake Graham 0417 725 092

NEW ZEALAND STH 28 Paterson Street, Invercargill New Zealand, 9810 Brett McIntyre 0272 014 149

SOUTH AUSTRALIA 17 Bodey Circuit, Mount Gambier South Australia, 5290 David Herrewyn 0419 594 043

QUEENSLAND 715 Kandanga-Imbil Road, Imbil Queensland, 4570 Adrian Hartwig 0409 785 536

VICTORIA-GIPPSLAND 9 Rovan Place, Bairnsdale Victoria, 3875 Mike Cooper 0409 459 870

Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

www.timberbiz.com.au

Wheel loaders The new L220H model is powered by a 13-litre Stage IV Final engine (373hp) and benefits from Volvo designed and manufactured driveline components, including the company’s Optishift system with torque converter lock-up and reverse-by-braking features – all designed to deliver better fuel economy.

Meanwhile, a 13-litre D13FC engine (334hp) powers the L180G, a mere 39 horsepower less than the L220H. In addition to the produc-

Operator Scotty Harris cites the rear view camera as a great asset and safety feature especially with the addition of the blue light for night work.

He adds that the dash panel clearly displays all the vital machine information including fuel and oil levels along with warning messages even in bright sunlight all at a glance without hindering forward vision.

Volvo’s load-sensing hydraulics are said to be at the

tivity gains, the Volvo wheel loaders also have an ROPS/ FOPS operator’s cabin with a fully adjustable suspension seat. The cab is fully air conditioned, and all critical machine functions are displayed on an LCD screen located within the operator’s field of vision.

forefront in artificial intelligence, by supplying power to the hydraulic functions according to demand, further lowering fuel consumption.

The powerful hydraulic system ensures fast response for shorter cycle times while delivering smooth operation through superior control of

tions. Forward, reverse and kick-down functions are included on the console.

As you’d expect on a loader working in a log yard, Volvo’s unique Torque Parallel (TP) linkage is a huge advantage, delivering high breakout torque and excellent parallel movement throughout the entire lifting range.

Timberlink specified the optional Boom Suspension System (BSS) that enables faster and more comfortable work cycles to further increase productivity and safety while at the same time extend the machine’s life. That’s because Volvo’s unique BSS absorbs shock and reduces the bouncing that occurs when operating on rough ground such as a log yard.

Scotty Harris believes that the cabin environment is one of the best he’s experienced. “It’s certainly one of the more spacious cabs in this class of loader yet all the controls are sensibly positioned within easy reach. It is also very quiet in the cabin and the smooth ride means I’m not exhausted at the end of the shift. One thing these Volvo loaders do Scotty explained. “I’ve found well is remove the dust in the this gives good economy air,” Scotty revealed.

Volvo has located the cabin while still achieving maxiair intake high on the machine, mum productivity.”

For ease of operation, Tim- where air is cleanest. There berlink specified the option- is an easy to replace pre-filter al, multi-functional joystick, that separates coarser dust which gives their operators particles before the air passes simultaneous and precise through the main filter and control of the hydraulic func- finally enters the cabin. The both the load and the attachment.

Volvo’s unique eco pedal applies mechanical push-back force when the accelerator is used excessively and engine RPM is about to exceed the economic operating range.

This encourages the operator to ease off the throttle, reducing fuel consumption.

“I normally run the loader at 1400 RPM around the log yard, but increase the revs to 1600 RPM when going up the ramp with a full grab of logs,”

design of the Volvo air system allows 90 per cent of the cabin air to be recirculated through the main filter for continuous dust removal.

The engine bay features a hydraulically driven reversible cooling fan that is electronically controlled to regulate the temperature of the vital components. It automatically activates only when it’s needed further reducing fuel consumption and noise. The reversible functionality which blows air in the opposite direction, allows for self-cleaning of the cooling units.

Both the front and the rear axle feature an axle oil circulation feature that allows the axle oil to flow and cool inside the axle protecting vital components.

“Our two Volvo loaders are enrolled in the CareTrack program and CJD monintor the machines via satellite,” Dean Smith explained. “They (CJD) know how each machine is going at any given time and when servicing is required which allows us to focus on what we are good at and that’s sawmilling.”

“Our decision to invest in Volvo Construction Equipment was essentially based on a productive, economic and reliability package with on-going back up support,” Dean concluded.

“Those two machines average 90 hours each per week and in their first 12 months had each clocked up almost 5500 hours.

Consequently, we’re certainly pleased with the partnership we have with CJD in Launceston which includes onsite service and maintenance.”

NEW ZEALAND NTH 41 Lee Martin Road, Hamilton New Zealand, 3283 Jason Donaldson 0274 488 693

www.timberbiz.com.au

Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

19

Product support

• Komatsu's new service centre in Mount Gambier.

ProAct 2.0 makes also machineery more productive, • allowing owners to gain full control of the whole situation by

the way of production files, machine information, and access to the associated data.

Komatsu Forest Australia Updates ProAct to 2.0 K

omatsu Forest has always been a leader when it comes to Product Support which was clearly illustrated when the “ProAct” support program was first released at Aus timber 2000.

The aim of that program was to provide logging contractors with a formal product support program that gave them the confidence in their on-going operating costs. ProAct was very successful and well received by all the KF customers

at the time.

Then in 2006 KF decided to change over to the more common Komatsu support program called EPTW. This support program had very similar features to ProAct when it came to support but the customers have always preferred ProAct. Therefore, this year Komatsu Forest has decided to re-

launch “ProAct” in the form of ProAct 2.0.

This updated support program is more user friendly to meet today’s competitive environment when it comes to supporting the Komatsu Forest products.

The new program will incorporate many of the features that were associated with the original ProAct program including a comprehensive support program with a 3 year / 6000-hour component guarantee.

Komatsu Forest Australia ProAct 2.0 increases peace of mind for owners knowing their • machine is in good hands. This is achieved by carrying out regular inspections by a factory trained technician. The use of genuine filters and parts also ensures better reliability.

The new system will also make life easier, with the help of MaxiFleet, Iqan Connect, and Komtrax, to easily see the status of machinery from a service and maintenance point of view. These tools will help simplify a company’s day-to-day planning, finances, and administration.

•

ProAct 2.0 will increase the overall profitability of machinery by the way of proactive maintenance and scheduled downtime.

With a machine under this service program it will receive the right level of service in relation to the machine engine hours and as per the scheduled maintenance. This allows operators to minimise downtime and maximise more machine efficiency.

20

2020 Machine Warranty Komatsu Forest wishes to advise the introduction of its new After Sales Support Program for Komatsu and Timberpro machines delivered from 1st January 2020.

This new support program means each machine will be covered by a comprehensive Factory Component Warranty Program for 3 years / 6000-hours from the point of delivery. To qualify for this warranty program customers will be required to follow the general terms and conditions of this program.

• All filters and oil sampling kits must be purchased from Komatsu Forest. These will be provided in 1,000-hour kits at the beginning of each 1,000-hour period with pricing guaranteed to be at a market competitive rate.

• All Komatsu rubber tyre products will be delivered with MaxiFleet as standard. KF will cover the monthly cost of the subscriptions for MaxiFleet during this initial 3 year or 6000-hour Warranty period.

Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

• The Komatsu products will be managed via Maxifleet for the rubber tyre products and via Komtrax for the excavator products. Timberpro products will be managed remotely via the “Iqan Connect” system.

• A ProAct 2.0 inspection will be completed on each machine every 1,000 hours by a KF representative. The cost of these inspections is included in the purchase price of the machine so there are no additional charges.

• The scope of this 3 year / 6000-hour Factory Warranty Program covers the whole machine warranty with the exception of attachments and grapples, these will be limited to the normal 1 year / 2,000 hours • Travel to complete the inspections and warranty repairs under this program will be covered up to a 200km radius from the nearest KF workshop or service agent. Remote areas will be advised accordingly.

www.timberbiz.com.au

OUTRUN™ THEM ALL. ELIMINATE GUESSWORK WITH REAL-TIME PLANNING AND MONITORING WITH TIMBERMATIC™ MAPS AND TIMBERMANAGER™.

Available on nearly all models of John Deere forestry equipment, both cut-to-length and full-tree-length, our TimberMatic™ Maps and TimberManager™ software platform will revolutionise how you plan, implement and monitor your logging operations. With this map-based production planning and tracking system, you can view all machine locations and the current logging situation in real time from anywhere via PC, tablet, mobile phone or using the TimberMatic Maps display in the machine cab. As the job progresses, production data and logging routes are updated, displaying the actual, up-to-the-minute status of the jobsite, easily marking hazards, obstacles, soft ground and challenging terrain for optimum jobsite awareness and productivity.

See your John Deere forestry dealer for details.

JohnDeere.com.au/Outrun

TRACTAJCF62995_AU_TimberMaps_ATFN

Harvesters

Built to tackle the big jobs

Swing Machines backed by dealer support and state-of-the-art technology

B

UI LT on 180 years of ground breaking innovation, backed by over a half-century of experience in the woods, and designed with proven components to withstand rugged environments, all John Deere harvesters, either wheeled or tracked, were made to tackle the most demanding tasks.

Featuring powerful and intuitive machines designed to handle tough harvesting jobs, the G-Series wheeled harvesters, M-Series tracked harvesters and G-Series Forestry Swing Machines are backed by dedicated dealer support and equipped state-of-the-art technology, saving customers both time and money.

The powerful G-Series harvester line, including the 1270G and 1470G models, features the standard Processing Power Control (PPC) system.

PPC optimizes fuel efficiency by coordinating the accurate processing level with the current work conditions and tree size. By selecting the Energy Saving, Normal or Boost Mode options, the system can foresee the engine load and adjust accordingly. This improves fuel economy, saving time and money due to less fill ups. Additionally, the Twin Pump Hydraulic System on the G-Series harvesters provides operators with strong and steady control of the boom and harvester head. This precise control enables the operators to be more productive and less fatigued during long workdays.

All G-Series harvesters feature standard Adaptive Driveline Control, a system that improves the machine drivability and productivity by automatically adjusting engine RPMs to correspond with the engine load. Adaptive Driveline Control ensures that the engine runs smoothly and efficiently giving the maximum tractive force available during highload situations.

22

Key Points ohn Deere’s G-Series • Jwheeled harvesters,

M-Series tracked harvesters and G-Series Forestry Swing Machines are backed by dedicated dealer support and stateof-the-art technology.

270G and 1470G models • 1are equipped with

Intelligent Boom Control which increases operator accuracy and productivity.

ptional fully adjustable • Osuspension seats provide exceptional daylong comfort in the climatecontrolled cab.

Further enhancing operator efficiency and productivity and an industry first, the 1270G and 1470G models are equipped with Intelligent Boom Control (IBC). IBC increases operator accuracy and productivity. IBC allows the driver to control the harvester head, while the system directs the movements of the boom.

Designed for the unique work cycle of the harvester, the movement and operation of the boom automatically adapts as it is taken to a tree and when the tree is in the grapple. With the addition of IBC, the 1270G and 1470G harvesters have more controlled movements, decreasing the learning curve for new operators and improving productivity.

The G-Series cabins are another example of how John Deere designs their machines with the operator in mind. The

cabin is mounted on the rear frame away from the boom mounting and automatically adjusts to the boom movements, while the leveling functions absorb any terrain changes substantially reducing impacts on the operator while felling and processing the stems and traversing uneven ground. This decreases machine vibration by as much as 50 percent during operation, increasing operator comfort.

A new standard feature for all wheeled harvester and forwarder cabs is the front window is now 19mm polycarbonate. These new windows are thicker than the old ones and have a super-hard coating. They offer better heat and noise isolation, better optical quality and higher resistance for mechanical wear and they tolerate chemicals well. They fill the new standards ISO 21876 for saw chain shot, EN 1063 BR1 and ECE R43 Class L, which are required for forest machines.

The company’s latest 800MHand 900MH-Series machines are the result of what customers told us operations can’t do without. Including long and wide undercarriages for greater stability, standard and long-reach boom options with choice of multiple attachments to match your unique applications and dual swing drives, for more productivityboosting power. Large fuel tanks to keep running — and producing — longer, and more powerful John Deere PowerTech™ 9.0L diesel engines that deliver low total fluid consumption and high reliability.

Operators will find their comfort zones and be more productive in the roomier operator station. Controls are ergonomically designed, and the view has to be seen to be believed, with significantly improved visibility. Fully adjustable armrests, including mount-

ed keypads, provide fingertip control of all machine functions. Optional fully adjustable suspension seat provides exceptional daylong comfort in the climate-controlled cab.

Sealed-switch module keeps out dust, moisture, and debris, for longer switch life. Proven marine-grade control center eliminates rocker switches, numerous wires, and unsealed connections, and lasts up to 10 times longer than standard switches. Expansive visibility Floor-to-ceiling front and large side windows plus an overhead skylight significantly expand the view of the cutting

Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

area and the work at hand.

Combine the power of reliable John Deere engines with the industry- leading, patented levelling system that expands overall working capability, and you have machines that are ready to tackle a wide range of jobsite challenges. Add an industry-exclusive slope-monitoring system, with 33-deg. fore/aft and 14-deg. side-toside total range of motion displayed on the in-cab monitor, to confidently operate in tough conditions and boost overall efficiency (available as an option for 859MH and 959MH models only).

www.timberbiz.com.au

Forest contracting best practice Training developed and customised for the leaders of forest contracting businesses.

Strengthening business management capabilities to respond to the demanding and complex requirements of the industry.

www.forestfit.com.au

The future of training and certification for forest contractors

Feller bunchers

BRIEFS

Continued from page 8

end native timber harvesting in the state.Nationals Member for Gippsland East, Tim Bull, says the suspension of timber harvesting after the bushfires is the major reason for the current firewood shortage in some areas, with a number of suppliers and consumers reporting only ‘green’ (recently cut) wood is available.

Softwood boost for WA THE Western Australian Government is seeking proposals from the private sector to invest in expanding the Western Australia’s softwood estate and safeguard the future of the State’s plantation industry.

The State’s Forest Products Commission currently manages approximately 78,000 hectares of softwood plantations.

While the McGowan Government has invested $23 million in expanding the estate since 2017, previous years of neglect mean that without significant investment, the estate will diminish to 40,000 hectares within 20 years.

Private sector investment is being sought, through an advertised Problem and Opportunity Statements process, to support a 50,000-hectare expansion which will result in more than 60 million trees being planted over a period of up to 10 years.

Transport boost WODONGA-based national transport company SCT Logistics will transport millions of tonnes of plantation timber burnt in NSW during the summer bushfires that would otherwise go to waste, thanks to support from the Victorian Government.

Minister for Regional Development Jaclyn Symes confirmed support for SCT Logistics’ $3.65 million expansion of their Wodonga operations through the Regional Jobs Fund, which will enable the company to process and transport the burnt timber to Melbourne for export.

The expansion of SCT’s Wodonga site will increase capacity at its terminal so that up to 11,700 tonnes a week of bushfire-affected softwood can arrive from NSW, where the timber was burnt.

24

Tilbrook Contracting Pty Ltd with the last feller buncher produced by Caterpillar and, below, the 60 autographs on the rear • engine hood from the Caterpillar employees in LaGrange factory in Georgia USA.

Lucky last in WA’s forests a slice of history T I LBRO OK Contracting Pty Ltd is a Western Australian Logging business which took delivery of the very last Cat 521B Track Feller Buncher near Collie WA in January this year.

This machine and delivery was extra special to Caterpillar, WesTrac WA and Tilbrook for many reasons, apart from being the very last feller buncher ever produced by Caterpillar, it also had over 60 autographs on the rear engine hood from all hard working and passionate Caterpillar employees in LaGrange factory in Georgia USA. This was a nice surprise to Quintin Tilbrook when he saw the hood!

“Wow. This is something I wasn’t expecting to see on my machine, nice touch,” he said.

Quentin Tilbrook, the owner of the company, knows the history of Cat Forest Products quite well as he used to work on Cat machines many years ago.

Back then, when his business entered a new contract for harvesting and processing woods near Collie, he chose to go with Cat 521B. This machine currently runs a Waratah HTH623C Harvester Head with feed roller options for handling both hardwood and softwood logs in South West area of WA. Although this purchase coincided with Caterpillar ceasing the production of forest-

ry purpose-built products but the agreement between Weiler Forestry and WesTrac in WA to support the industry and customers was the deciding vote of confidence for Quentin to go with this machine. Weiler has acquired Caterpillar’s purpose-built forestry product line consisting of wheel skidders, track feller bunchers, wheel feller bunchers and knuckle boom loaders, and operations facilities in LaGrange (Geor-

gia), Auburn (Alabama), and Smithfield (North Carolina).

Now after logging a few hundred hours of operations, Daniel Nock an allrounder operator who has been working in the logging industry for decades is quite happy with the machine performance. He is looking forward to the next stage of the project where he could use the machine in full force and longer hours.

Caterpillar and WesTrac remain committed to supporting forestry customers and the forestry industry, Lawrie Hayles says.

Lawrie is WesTrac Cat territory manager based in Bunbury branch in WA. “Caterpillar and WesTrac have an established relationship with Weiler that spans many years,” he said.

“The process of developing

Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

this partnership has given us confidence in Weiler’s ability to deliver support for next generation of purpose-built forestry machines, while Caterpillar continues to offer forestry excavators and other core equipment, allowing us to provide a complete product portfolio and the optimal solution for forestry customers in Western Australia.”

Founded in 2000, Weiler currently produces an extensive portfolio of products and has a long-standing history of successfully manufacturing purpose-built equipment distributed through the Cat dealer network. Weiler Forestry will design and manufacture purpose-built forestry products, which will continue to be available through the Cat dealer network, providing Tilbrook contracting and other customers with the same outstanding sales and service support they’ve come to expect.

Caterpillar has been involved in the forestry industry going back to its formation in 1925. In fact, Caterpillar’s history in logging goes back even further - over 100 years - back to the time of Daniel and C.L Best. Today is a new generation in logging—one that trusts traditional methods but supplements them with advanced technologies.

A generation of customers like Quentin Tilbrook are redefining what it means to be a successful logger. www.timberbiz.com.au

Tyres

Titan bringing cost effective performance and quality A

S tyre specialists Titan Australia are more than just tyre dealers or suppliers - wherever you are and whatever your vehicle or fleet, they are your total tyre services team.

Titan Australia’s knowledge of the Australian market and global tyre brands is second to none. They also understand the unique challenges of the Australian environment, whether you own a passenger vehicle, or you are responsible for an entire fleet of forestry equipment.

When you combine this with their range of tyre products and services it sets the benchmark for quality, performance and responsiveness.

One of the major factors for Titan Australia’s success in the forestry market is their partnership the Qingdao Qizhou Rubber Co. Ltd. and their Marcher tyre brand offerings.

Qingdao Qizhou Rubber Co. Ltd. is a professional tyre manufacturer established in

Key Points

archer branded logger • Mand forestry tyres have

been distributed into markets all over the world.

itan Australia understands • Tthe unique challenges of the Australian environment.

major factor for Titan • AAustralia’s success in the forestry market is their partnership the Qingdao Qizhou Rubber Co. Ltd.

1998 and a major supplier in the global Off-Highway tyre market.

Since 2012 the Qingdao Qizhou Rubber Co. Ltd. R&D department has developed a full range of LS-2 for logger and forestry applications, based on customers feedbacks and market demand.

At present LS-2 Forestry pattern is available with full series and another new pattern will be designed and made available to the market soon.

Once released, the forestry tyres performance has earned customers affirm and trust. The costeffective advantage has attracted more and more praise, which offered customers an additional option to the top priced tier brands of the market without compromising on quality or performance.

As of 2020 Marcher branded logger and forestry tyres have been distributed into markets all over the world including Europe, South Africa and Middle Africa, Canada, USA, South America, Russia and Australia.

To learn more about the advantages Titan Australia’s partnership with Marcher tyres can bring to your logging and forestry operation and the capabilities of Titan Australia, contact Titan direct on 1300 791 672 or email sales@titanaustralia.com

D TE Y IT R M ST M RE CO FO TO

RENEWING OUR COMMITMENT TO FORESTRY WITH MORE PARTS By continually reinvesting in the future of the forest industry in Victoria and Tasmania, William Adams remains committed to you and your business.

For your piece of mind we are now carrying over 1 million dollars worth of specialist parts for Cat and Weiler forestry machines. We are here, committed as ever, to help your Track Feller Bunchers, Harvesters and Wheel Skidders stay up and running in the bush.

Furthermore, as the exclusive distributor of Cat and Weiler forestry products, we offer both parts ordering assistance and field service support across the entire territory. Don’t forget, when you buy Cat parts online at parts.cat.com free delivery is included.

Order online or discuss your part needs with one of our dedicated forestry specialists today.

Get in touch to find out more

w: williamadams.com.au | e: enquire@williamadams.com.au | p: 1300 923 267 (WADAMS) © 2020 Caterpillar. All Rights Reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, “Lets Do The Work.™”, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow”, the “Modern Hex” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

26

Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

www.timberbiz.com.au

THE NEW FL95

STEEP-SLOPE SPECIALIST

Intimidate any steep slope with this specialist – the new Waratah FL95.Boasting Boastinganan extreme Intimidate any steep slope with this specialist – the new Waratah FL95. extreme downslope tilt angle, auto tension saw, extra-large cutting and grapple capacities, and weight in in thethe downslope tilt angle, auto tension saw, extra-large cutting and grapple capacities, and weight right place for maximum carrier stability, it will help you get more work done faster. Plus, its optional right placesaw for box maximum carrier you stability, help you or getout more work done faster. retractable is just where need it it will when felling, of the way when shovel logging.

With the FL95, you’ll see challenging work dominated from a new angle.

With the FL95, you’ll see challenging work dominated from a new angle.

www.Waratah.com

www.Waratah.com

For information contact: For more more information contact:

Waratah at 03 9747or4200 0800 4WARATAH 0800 492 728

Tyres

Leading the pack in the forest

TRS 2+ delivers brings true next-generation for six-wheel forestry machinery

F

OR years, Nokian Tyres has been a global forerunner in forestry tires.

The latest addition to the product line is Nokian Forest King TRS 2+, an advanced tire that brings true next generation features for sixwheel forestry machinery – such as soil-friendly grip, durability and excellent support for chains and tracks.

What’s more, the new sizes for Nokian Forest King F2 and Nokian Forest King TRS 2 tyres make them available for a broader range of forestry machinery.

Avoiding damage to the soil has become more and more important in forestry work all around the world.

At the same time, mechanized harvesting of timber must be carried out even on the more challenging terrain, making the use of chains or tracks more common.

The new Nokian Forest King TRS 2+ tyres are designed to provide the widest possible ground contact,

Key Points ew sizes for Nokian • NForest King F2 and Nokian Forest King TRS 2 tyres make them available for a broader range of forestry machinery.

Forest King TRS • N2+okian tyres are designed

to provide the widest possible ground contact, providing superb traction.

Forest King TRS • N2+okian maintains backwards

compatibility with Nokian Forest Rider components such as chains, tracks, tubes and rims.

a true next generation forestry tire,” says Teemu Vainionpää, Product Manager at Nokian Tyres.

“I’m sure the users will like the improved mobility and providing superb traction versatility in their forestry without tracks as well as imwork.” proved support for chains For harvesting operations, and tracks. stability is an important fea“The new Nokian Forest ture for a tire.

King TRS 2+ tyre certainly “Good tyres give your work looks new, and indeed it is a solid foundation, improving precision and efficiency,” Teemu Vainionpää says.

“Nokian Forest King TRS 2+ features a 24PR bias structure that’s very efficient in absorbing swings and shocks.”

For long operating life, the Nokian Forest King TRS 2+ tyres have extra rubber on the shoulder area.

The tread pattern itself is

WORLD LEADING FORESTRY CHAINS

www.chaffeychains.com.au

03 6491 1686

26 Claude Road, Sheffield TAS 7310 28

• Nokian's Forest King TRS 2+ on the job in the forest.

protected with steel reinforcements.

These add to excellent cut and puncture resistance, making the tire a safe choice for the most demanding terrains as well.

When designing the Nokian Forest King TRS 2+ tyre, special attention was paid to best possible track support.

The tyre’s deep tread pattern with track grooves and extra wing bars create optimal surface for track contact, minimizing track slipping and tire damage.

“For use without chains or tracks, the tyre features sharp rib edges, extra wing bars and wide contact area to maximize grip even on demanding terrains,” Vainionpää says.

“This enables maximal grip

with minimal damage to the soil.”

An important economical factor for both OEM and replacement tyre users is that the new Nokian Forest King TRS 2+ maintains backwards compatibility with Nokian Forest Rider components such as chains, tracks, tubes and rims.

The tyres come in 600/65-34, 710/55-34 and 710/70-34 sizes.

There are some new sizes as well. Nokian Forest King F2 is the tyre of choice for heavy forestry machinery using tracks, while Nokian Forest King TRS 2 boasts the lug tread design for extreme grip.

Both tyres are available in the size 800/40-24.5 making them suitable to a wider range of uses.

Alliance growing through R&D ALLIANCE Tire Group established in Israel in 1951, has grown dramatically through research & development by high tech engineers.

Alliance manufactures tyres of outstanding quality efficiently and costeffectively,making them outstanding value for money for forestry in 65 countries worldwide.

There is a full range of Alliance Forestry tyres imported to Australia & NZ by Tyres4U (www.tyres4u.com.au & www.tyres4u.co.nz) including Skidder and Flotation tyres for Forestry Forwarders and Harvesters which minimise soil compaction.

Alliance have now introduced the world’s first “ELIT” [Engineered Low Inflation Technology] Flotation tyres, the tyres have proven to be extremely durable with

super low tread wear rates on machines testing them over the last two years in WA forests.

The Tyres have the lowest ground pressures of any forestry tyres making them the first choice When working in forests sensitive to external intervention.

Alliance also produce an extensive range of Agro Forestry steel belted tractor tyres.

Alliance is now owned by The Yokohama Rubber Company of Japan, with a mission to deliver superior value to customers through the lowest total cost of ownership achieved through a focus on innovation, technology and cost-efficient manufacturing and distribution practices.

Alliance tyre designers spend a significant amount of time in the field, testing performances under a

Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

wide variety of conditions.

They talk to equipment operators and study the design improvements and custom made adjustments, including in Australia & NZ. 4% of Alliance’s workforce is employed in R&D, keeping pace with the most up to date developments in the market, using innovative chemistry, innovative engineering and skilled manufacturing.

Alliance farm, forestry & OTR tyres are designed and engineered in world-class R&D centres in Israel, United States and India, for Original Equipment (OEM) & replacement tyre demand.

For free advice on tyre selection, conversions and after sales service contact your local Alliance tyre dealer, any Tyreright service centre or free call Tyres4U head office in Australia on 1800 788 688. www.timberbiz.com.au

Harvest heads

Tigercat 575 Harvesting Head now available in Australia T he 575 is a heavy-duty harvestWith independent knife arms, the available for easier picking in roading head specifically designed 575 harvesting head excels in tough side processing applications. to match the high-performance timber with large limbs and poor The 575 harvesting head is procapabilities of Tigercat carriers. stem form. Optional timed knives are ductive and reliable in a variety of demanding applications and tree profiles. An extremely durable allaround harvester head, it is well suited to in-stand harvesting, roadside processing, multi-stem pulpwood processing and eucalyptus debarking.

Tigercat’s patented Autoshift™ drive system provides extra power and positive grip when feeding large trees, fast speed in smaller trees, and full manual control when required. The 575 starts in 3WD, maximizing feed force for faster acceleration and to quickly power through bigger trees.

As the load drops, it automatically shifts to 2WD, improving efficiency and increasing feed speed. The system shifts back and forth seamlessly with no operator input required, all while maintaining precise and accurate length measurements.

The Tigercat 575 made its debut in Australia recently at an in-field live demonstration in New South Wales. The 575 was fitted to Tigercat’s LH822D Harvester which is one of the popular harvester models in Australia. The demonstration was held at a pine site performing fire salvage recovery following the bush fires in the region earlier this year.

Glen Marley, District Manager at Tigercat Australia & New Zealand said “This is one of the machines destined for AUSTimber 2020 that was postponed to 2021. This unit has the shorter 8.2 metre (27’) boom option for better stability & lift capacity in larger trees and is working in the Green Hills region of southern NSW www.continentaltrucktyres.com.au State Forests where approximately 52,000 hectares of plantation Radiata

Two worlds. One solution.

Tackle the forest and the highway with the on- and off-road Conti CrossTrac tyre range.

30

Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

pine was burned by bushfires earlier this year”.

Phil Turnbull, Territory Manager at Onetrak said “The 575 head has been performing very well at our recent demonstrations. We received some very positive feedback from everyone in attendance and they were all impressed with the performance of the head”.

Below is a summary with feedback from three local operators.

First up is Callum Lonergan from P & T Lonergan.

When asked to review the demo Callum stated: “Overall it’s a very good head. It took me 1-2 hours to get used to the different geometry and straight away it was excellent. The main saw has heaps of torque & cutting speed through the log was very consistent.

The automatic saw limiter only allows the bar to go out as much as it needs to, so cutting in rocky ground is easy, and stump height can be lower.

Twin tilt cylinders of the hanging frame give it a strong feel and the head’s balance when it is standing up to cut the next tree is excellent.

Painter system worked exceptionally well and was easy to adjust in the Tigercat D5 computer for each type of log you want to paint.

Delimbing and twin cylinder synchronisation was good, and it cleaned the logs well. Tigercat geometry on the 575 allows the tree to flow through the head very easily.

The Tigercat D5 computer was easy to navigate. The end of shift PRI & www.timberbiz.com.au

Harvester heads KTR data file transfer was easy & accurate”.

Callum concluded by saying “the combination of the 575 and the LH822D base made the head feel quite light and well balanced. One stop support for the base and attachment from Onetrak and Tigercat is also a massive advantage”.

Next up was Lee Worley from G & J Groves Pty Ltd and his report was similar: ”The Tigercat 575 has plenty of feed power and processing speed. It holds the trees up into the head well and has plenty of drive motor torque. The Tigercat automatic 3WD to 2WD was seamless and I experienced very little feed slippage even in heavily limbed trees.

Optimiser was excellent with automatic log selection was quick and faultless. It made operating this head a breeze, and I was noticeably less fatigued at the end of my working shift.

Auto tensioner on both main saw and topping saw worked very well and re-

duced saw chain maintenance. Saw torque and power was great and fast to cut, especially when felling.

Bar lube oiler worked very well and used less oil than my current head.

Through the tip hosing was excellent and neat and made felling much easier and quicker, as I wasn’t watching for my hoses to get tangled in the lower limbs of the standing trees.

Automatic colour marking system was excellent, especially on felling cuts. The butt marking was clear and worked without fault.

Data reporting was simple and all the PRI & KTR files easy for end of day reporting.

The caliper calibration was also easy and accurate.

Daily servicing was much smoother than what I’m used to, and the grease nipples were accessible and easy to get to, so end of day maintenance was quick.

All the guarding & hoses were neat yet easy to access.

Tigercat have really thought of the operators when they built this head.

In parting, Lee said enthusiastically “I would love to operate the 575 full time, as the Tigercat head was really easy to operate, and with the optimizer working so well I

just didn’t feel as tired at the end of the shift”.

Last but not least, Tyson Edwards from Oldina Logging operated and reviewed the 575 & LH822D combination.

“I found the Tigercat 575 head performed really well.

The main saw and top saw performed outstanding with both power and speed on demand. I would have to say they were the best saws I have used out of many heads. It really was in a league of its own.

The drive wheels also performed well with good power and manoeuvrability and the speed about right for pine.

The knives held and delimbed well.

The balance of the head was well thought through, tilting slightly front knife down.

Paint and bar oil both strong and worked well, with a goodsized bar oil tank.

The valve bank and hose layout were excellent, and again well thought through for the mechanical side and it would be quite easy for hose changes”.

Final verdict from Tyson: “I think it would be a great head to work on from a maintenance point of view. I also loved the two head tilt up cylinders making it stand with ease. The optimiser worked well and the Tigercat D5

screen was good to use. I never seemed to have any measuring issues which was great to see”.

Glen Marley adds “The feedback from these operators is excellent and gives us great confidence in this head and its suitability for Australian conditions. We are particularly happy with the performance of the StanForD end-of-shift data reporting PRI and KTR file transfer and reporting. As a matter of fact, the reviews we have had for the 575 from local operators are generally the most positive reports we’ve had on a demo unit which is very encouraging”.

Key benefits of the 575 • Larger diameter hoses and larger capacity valves than similar class heads to match the greater hydraulic flow and power of Tigercat harvester carriers • Robust design, high quality components for high duty cycles and long life • Precise diameter and length measuring • Efficient hydraulics for high performance, efficiency and improved carrier component life If you would like to find out more about the 575 contact your nearest Onetrak branch or call 1300 727 520.

Looking Back 2019 THE two interrelated factors impeding future growth in the Green Triangle region are the availability of land and restrictions over water licenses currently in place on the Limestone Coast, according to OneFortyOne. And the forest grower and forest products company believes the mater licensing condition faced by plantations in South Australia are the biggest threat to the supply chain in the region and that under current water allocation limits there may be a loss of more than 25,000 hectares on plantation area in the region.

2015 PAPUA NEW Guinea is to host the third APEC Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Forestry in October.

It will be the first time PNG hosts an APEC Ministerial Meeting and comes as the country prepares for hosting the major APEC leaders summit in 2018.

PNG’s Minister for Forests, Douglas Tomuriesa says the meeting will provide an opportunity for PNG to chair discussion on future directions in forestry.

He says forestry-related economic activity makes up a vital part of PNG’s economy and it is essential to ensure this sector remains sustainable.

Mr Tomuriesa says important issues to be discussed at the meeting include technical cooperation between economies to ensure best practices, the prevention of illegal logging and engagement with local communities.

2010 A $38 MILLION Victorian Government investment will drive the development of further last-resort options in high bushfire risk communities and support local Councils to prepare their communities for the threat of bushfires.

“Our Government firmly believes that people in bushfire prone areas need a range of options for safety if we are to best protect human life when bushfires strike. We also understand that Local Government is a willing partner in making communities safer, that’s why we are providing additional funding to Local Government to help carry out this important work,” said Premier John Brumby.

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Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

31

Mills

$1.25 million expansion goes live Alberton Timber’s post peeling facility to increase efficiency, create jobs

T

HE Alberton Timber and Treatment Plant is nearing the end of a two-year $1.25 million dollar expansion to install a post peeling facility to increase efficiency and create local jobs.

The new post peeling facility, built at the plant on the South Gippsland Highway in Alberton, is expected to be operational in September.

Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester said the project was boosted with a $550,000 grant from the Federal Government.

“This is an important investment for this region. It’s created around 20 construction jobs, three on-going positions and a fourth on-going job when the plant is commissioned,” Mr Chester said.

“Alberton Timber has been producing treated pine products for nearly 30 years. This upgrade

will allow it to double current production, produce a larger range and volume of pine post products, and to supply new markets beyond Gippsland.”

The family-owned business supplies pine poles, construction timbers and other timber products, such as fence pickets and farm gates.

The business is owned and operated by Luke and Angela Olarenshaw in partnership with Luke’s parents, John and Judy.

Luke and Angela said construction of the new facility had taken longer than anticipated.

“But that’s always the case in a job as big as this one,” Luke said.

“The upgraded mill will provide us with scope to source new markets from outside of the region, and also maintain and increase the existing volumes supplied to our customer base in Gippsland.”

Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester is pictured with Luke and Angela Olarenshaw in the • new post peeling facility, which is expected to be operational in September.

Caboolture Sawmill back at work after fire

Share your expertise with the industry ForestWorks will shortly commence three new skills standards projects: • Career paths to attract people to our industry • Developing our experienced workers and managers • Safety mindsets in remote operations

To register your interest or for more information contact forestworks@forestworks.com.au or 03 9321 3500.

32

AKD’s Caboolture Sawmill will recommence operations on September 14 following a storage shed fire in June.

The company says the reopening had been made possible due to the rebuilding of the fuel handling system which will make for a safer and more sustainable business in the long term.

AKD has also announced new growth and investment plans for the Caboolture site.

“AKD is incredibly proud of the team that have worked hard together to get us to this point, and they will now lead us through this period of growth”, AKD CEO Shane Vicary said.

Through key investment in additional processing capacity and people, AKD intends on at least doubling the log intake.

Working collaboratively with and supported by its log supplier, HQPlantations, this will secure the current jobs as well as provide additional permanent roles.

The company says the investment re-affirms its commitment to the Queensland market and will more than double the volume of timber available for their customers, pro-

Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

viding security of supply.

To support the doubling of sawmill capacity, AKD will be purchasing and installing a new Continuous Drying Kiln (CDK) to lift drying capacity. AKD currently has this technology deployed at its Colac mill, where it has proven to be most effective at producing a stable and consistent product for the market.

“AKD would like to thank our loyal Queensland customers for their ongoing support during the fire related closure, and we are very proud that we were able to maintain consistent supply from our southern mills,” Mr Vicary said.

This next step of growth and investment for AKD will be aligned with increased supply availability from AKD’s southern sawmills.

AKD has the capability to increase supply to meet responsible market demand and growth, and service customers seeking supply security.

AKD recognises that its mills need to be internationally competitive and this investment is consistent with reaching that standard.

The company is focussed on improving the long-term viability of its Queensland site and meeting market demands.

www.timberbiz.com.au

Finding the sweet spot

Mill profile

Tassie family mill weathers the storms to achieve excellence Keith Smiley

A

ROUND the time our dollar was worth 90 US cents, with the passing of Sir Robert Menzies, Graham Barber begins a new venture in his life, for family, state and the nation. Although a lot older at 79 today, his legacy as a business man and negotiator are storied.

His 54-year old son Michael, no slacker either, reminisces how it all began and where it is today.

Barbers Sawmill employs 25 people, including Michael’s brother John who manages throughput in the mill, sales and managing an able crew.

Michael’s wife Kylie, although tending to the needs of their three small sons, helps out in the office when a spare moment appears. They have a turnover of $4,500 million each year, sawing 16,000 cubic metres of

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log, mainly green timber products, pallet timber, and building-grade framing timber.

Tasmania has no shortage of timber but because of competing demands by various groups, it has often been an uphill battle for saw millers to source logs.

The Barbers have avoided buy-outs or closing of their gates, by bidding competitively for contracts with Forestry Tasmanian, a state-owned enterprise.

“We won some tenders a few years back because we put in a reasonable price, knowing that we Michael and wife Kylie Barber and, below, inside the Barner's sawmill workshop. would value-add more than most,” Michael said. “In our gear and found a sweet spot. It his boys competes in motocross and past years we were unsure of was a big move for us as a family busi- wife Kylie is a committee member, log supplies. We survived off ness but we came out the other side.” keeping the family together.

Despite the spectre of diminishing Michael Barber oversees the mill private saw logs, mainly green hard wood. Nowadays we can’t but likes to ‘go hands-on’ operating resources, the Barbers believe they source private logs due to certifi- the wheel loaders and general log can marshal a new plan to match cation and Chain of Custody ar- handling. He had to master every ma- their innovative past, which might rangements.” Michael said it was chine, to be able to train others. While include a switch to pine timber sawillegal to use private suppliers he does not have any qualifications, ing apart from native timber. ”We can unless they are protected under and apart from a stint at Jim’s Mow- change the different scenarios,” says ing, Michael spends family time with Michael, on a cool day from the heart strict licensing.

Under the Chain of Custody, the boys riding motorbikes. One of of Tasmania. unique to their island state, these timbers and veneers are made into objects of excellence, from document boxes to dining tables, guitars to pianos, turned objects to corporate gifts and lighting.

From a ‘pretty ordinary industry’ there is a struggle for supply which will continue to 2028 when log quotas cease to exist. Meanwhile, the Barbers are flexing with the times by working with plantation pine. This involvement is likely to increase as hardwood forests go into lock down. The future is uncertain but the resolve of the family is to ‘push forward’ with a ‘positive attitude’.

“When treated pine came on the scene, we bought from Forestry Tasmania, cutting the higher quality product used in flooring, dressed timber, architraves and moulded wood. We only cut it green and on-sell it to companies like Neville Smith, Merriwa and to Bunnings who take our mouldings,” Michael said.

In a bold but calculated move, they shifted from their original base in Launceston, up river to Exeter, where a mill had lain for a few years.

They bought the buildings and the land: “We re-jigged to meet our requirements; to produce our high grade visual hardwood. We changed

•

Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

33

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For rates and deadlines call Gavin de Almeida on (08) 8369 9517 or email: g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au

Get your digital edition today timberbiz.com.au/AFT/current

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Classifieds

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For rates and deadlines call Gavin de Almeida on (08) 8369Â 9517 or email: g.dealmeida@ryanmediapl.com.au

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Australian Forests & Timber News September 2020

35

The INNOVATIVE Leader…

Komatsu 931 & 951 The current Komatsu harvesters are well proven in Australia with their unique and innovative rotating cab and boom concept. Contractors have the choice of the two largest models with the options of an 8WD 931 and six Komatsu heads to meet their thinning and smaller clear fall operations. Komatsu’s latest technology provides increased production capacity and operator comfort through features such as; • New 3-pump hydraulics regulated with the engine for more power and work capacity • New power-optimised transmission and bogie for improved climbing and crawling speeds.

• New noise reducing cab with superb visibility, media hub and auto level.

• New Stage 4/Final engine engine with low emissions and fuel consumption.

(Stage IIB for Aust & NZ) The Komatsu harvesters are leading the way in Australia.

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Komatsu Forest Pty Ltd. 11/4 Avenue of Americas Newington NSW 2127 Australia T: +61 2 9647 3600 E: info.au@komatsuforest.com