Designed to serve as an additional mulching resource for a wide range of consumers, the new Drum Mulcher DC Pro is differentiated by its lighter weight of just 1,350 pounds and its 63 CC, two-speed, bent-axis piston motor. Larger than others in its class, this high-torque hydraulic motor allows the DC Pro to spool-up faster and deliver greater force to power through more and larger material.

“The Drum Mulcher DC Pro is more productive than other options in its class based on processing capacity and speed,” explained Dan Stachel, executive vice-president. “Its lighter weight design provides versatility for tackling a variety of common land maintenance tasks from managing overgrowth and maintaining fence lines to creating defensible space. The streamlined profile also affords good operator visibility and maneuverability, while the chassis positions the center of gravity close to the loader for optimal stability – even on steep slopes.”

The DC Pro is engineered with a 50” cutting width to slice through trees and brush and mulch material up to 8” in diameter. The depth control drum features a forward exposure that allows for optimum tree engagement and maximum cut width relative to weight. A rugged chassis guards the motor from ground impact and allows the operator to manipulate downed material and position vegetation for effective mulching. A multi-position push bar features extended serrations for industry-leading material control while the optimized infeed system achieves a complete and high-quality mulch on the first pass, producing an aesthetically desirable chip size and greatly reducing the need for back-dragging and reprocessing.

“This new offering embodies efficiency and allows owners and operators to optimize the utilization of their compact loaders and adapt to different environments without needing to switch equipment,” noted Stachel. “Customers who add this attachment to their arsenal aren’t just getting a new tool; they’re getting a machine that maximizes productivity, minimizes hassle, and sets a new standard for mulching excellence.”

The Drum Mulcher DC Pro comes standard with Diamond’s exclusive twin chisel planer teeth that generate fine mulch quickly and efficiently. The attachment also accommodates other teeth options for tackling different types of terrain, including Twin Maul® Carbide Teeth ideal for use in rough, rocky terrain, and four-point hardened steel teeth well-suited for work in high-production environments.

Like all of Diamond’s drum products, this new attachment is backed by a two-year warranty. Additionally, customers have access to the company’s industry-leading customer service resources, including an experienced team of care experts and a dedicated parts team readily available to address any needs that may arise.

“At Diamond, we’re constantly innovating and enhancing our products and processes to cater more effectively to our customers’ needs,” added Stachel. “We are committed to being the best possible partner, from creating industry-leading attachments that simplify work and enhance productivity to our dedicated customer care experts and the ongoing support we provide.”

Aethera’s 6.78 MHZ and 13.56 MHz generators are over 90 per cent efficient (AC-RF), with no user-serviceable or replaceable parts inside. The generators reduce operational downtime and wasted products. APGs are installed and hard at work in veneer heating systems, finger-joint lines, and beam presses at facilities across North America. Typical installation and initial setup is done without impacting processes.

The horizontal arbor profiler consists of one right and one left side profiling module assembly, each housing two chip heads and mounted to a solid base. Each carriage shifts in/out to properly position the chip heads horizontally for the width of the log; each chip head also shifts up/down via hydraulic cylinders.
The profilers remove the wane found at the corners of the cant. When a tapered log is processed boards can be recovered at an angle. As the log is being transported through the profiling heads, the heads can adjust in/out while at the same time moving up/down. This capability allows greater volume and value to be recovered from each log.

It uses smart anvils for precise positioning against sideboards, which can be cut at any angle, to reduce defects and improve chip containment while still allowing flexible cutting on angled solutions. With a feed speed of 225-675 fpm and a 200 hp motor on each side, it’s the ideal solution for even the most demanding operations.

The lumber guide is nested against the profiler heads to eliminate head and tail end defects and can be adjusted remotely.

On top of this, the new VFM uses rolls with an updated fine knurl pattern proven to provide more holding force than other knurl patterns. These rolls are backed by an 8” bore air cylinder and are mounted on a 20” diameter slewing bearing to offer higher holding forces on missed-face logs to maintain total control.

“Our saw teeth models have been rigorously tested on real logging jobsites, helping us deliver ideal solutions made to tackle any forestry application head-on,” said William Borrenpohl, aftermarket product manager. “This remains the case for our new beaver saw tooth option, which was strategically designed to offer increased durability in the woods.”

As the latest addition to the John Deere saw tooth lineup, the beaver saw tooth is one of four options available to customers and can be purchased in boxes of 18 or 20 teeth. Designed for maximum durability while lowering operating costs, the full line of John Deere saw teeth for wheeled and tracked feller bunchers are made to help support daily logging operations and applications.

The Sidewinder accommodates smaller log gaps than other turning systems and provides accurate log rotation with a precise transition control system. Capable of handling logs between 3″ and 24″ in diameter, the Sidewinder has a turn accuracy within 4.5 degrees at 700 fpm, which is 36 per cent more accurate than other systems. And on top of that, you’ll see reduced maintenance and upkeep costs, as well as easier maintenance thanks to the open framework.

Learn more at usnr.com.

With its wide throat, the chipper can accommodate large pieces making it ideal for handling trim blocks, small diameter logs, lily pads, overs and cores. The single piece tapered knives process material across the full width of the drum, providing even wear and longer life.

The contour of the drum creates a clamping force between the material to be chipped and the anvil, preventing the material from tipping up towards the drum.

The drum chipper is equipped with a clam shell opening operated by a hydraulic cylinder to give an ergonomically friendly working area for knife changes, which can be done quickly and easily by one person.

The combination of an angled drop feed, single flat knives and excellent cutting geometry for short wood ensures a superior chip quality with minimal maintenance costs.

The chipper is available in various sizes and both drop feed and horizontal configurations.

According to Vermeer product manager for environmental equipment Jeff Bradley, the Vermeer HG4000 horizontal grinder is ideal for professionals looking to expand their service as well as for bulk landscaping material producers. “It’s a great unit for tree care professionals looking to minimize dump fees on bulkier material and turn waste into a useful end product. It’s also a productive machine for small to midsize mulch producers with limited space for the material. The size of the HG4000 also makes it efficient to transport in congested urban environments making it an ideal machine for small land-clearing operations. And while this horizontal is smaller than other machines in the Vermeer grinder product line, it still can handle a variety of materials ranging from loose, bulky materials like leaves, branches and yard clipping to hardwoods, pallets and logs.”

The HG4000 has a feed table capacity of 4.6 cubic yards (3.5 m3). It features the proven cutting performance of the Vermeer patented Series III duplex drum with reversible hammers and tips for extended wear life compared to single- sided designs while offering bolt in replacement parts. The hard-faced anvil on the HG4000 delivers impressive cutting action with the drum, and a redesigned robust anvil-mount structure helps ease the hard-faced wear edge replacement process.

The HG4000 benefits from an updated feed roller with aggressive teeth and down pressure to maintain control of the fed material. A fully enclosed feed roller drive planetary helps provide protection and a tight clearance between the roller and mill housing to optimize material feeding while minimizing material catch points.

A wireless remote control comes standard with the HG4000, allowing operators to run most machine functions from up to 300 feet (91.4 m) away. “With the remote, operators can adjust infeed settings, engine speed droop, conveyor height and more, which means maximum time grinding throughout the day,” explained Bradley.

The redesigned Vermeer HG4000 incorporates several service and maintenance enhancements, including a drive belt tensioning system that does not require the engine to be moved when adjusting, large hinged side shields for optimal maintenance access, added power rotation to the screen hoist for changing screens, and a CAT engine with worldwide support. It can also be outfitted with an optional cross-band magnet and magnetic head pulley to pull metal from the top and bottom of material on the conveyor after it has gone through the machine for clean finished material.

The company said the gear can easily process cedar bark, green spruce bark, all kinds of mill wood waste, demolition debris, butt ends, railroad ties and stringy bark, and the resulting product is of high quality and suitable for hog fuel or mulch.

“Superior ergonomic design makes the Grizzly Mill extremely safe, easy and inexpensive to maintain. Typical maintenance costs for the Grizzly Mill are much lower than for conventional wood waste grinders,” the statement said.

The rugged heart of the Grizzly Mill Hog is an extremely heavy duty, solid-steel, offset helix rotor that shears material from two directions against an anvil and grate. The rotor turns at half the speed of a conventional hammermill rotor resulting in substantial savings in maintenance costs. The Grizzly Mill is also very tolerant of rock and metal.

The Grizzly Mill is used worldwide in these industries:

• Sawmills
• Pulp and paper mills
• OSB plants
• C&D recycling facilities
• Log merchandising systems
• Land clearing operations
• Compost facilities
• Co-gGeneration plants

As with all FPT Industrial’s PowerPacks, it features a single layout for Stage V and Tier 4 Final, making it the perfect solution for markets with different emissions standards. The compact ATS pack mounted on the engine, including the urea injection system and all required sensors and manifolds, eliminates the need for a dedicated exhaust system development.

A range of options such as alternators, starters, water and air preheating, and different urea tank sizes provide further flexibility for customer installations.

After evaluating the OptiBoost’s effect in their nursery last spring, CMPC entered in a long-term partnership with the Swedish company behind the technology. The parties have entered into a commercial agreement for OptiBoost for cuttings that runs over six years. The focus in 2024 is on the treatment of high-yielding cuttings and on developing the concept together with CMPC towards their annual production of 20 million cuttings.

The Optiboost technology is a symbiosis of two technologies: vacuum impregnation and nanotechnology. Cuttings are impregnated with a functionalized nutrient solution based on the third generation of patented nanotechnology. The process is executed in a small vacuum chamber that can manage up to 15,000 cuttings per hour.

The OptiBoost vacuum impregnation  is done with the purpose to improve the rooting and growth of cuttings and thereby decreases losses of eucalyptus and tropical clone cuttings propagation.

CMPC is one of the world’s largest pulp and paper companies, planting around 20 million cuttings annually.

“We have created a good relationship with CMPC, who see great value in OptiBoost. We will be able to work closely with a customer to further develop and optimize the technology. Of course, this will also affect other forestry companies that are currently considering OptiBoost for their operations,” said Thomas Lundqvist, CEO of OptiCept Technologies.

OptiCept’s ambition is to help forestry companies transition from seed propagation to cuttings.

“We not only help the industry to increase yield and get more plants out from nursery – but also, we add a quality step. We ensure that 100% of cuttings are filled with nutrition, giving optimal conditions for new plants. Forestry companies often face significant losses with unrooted cuttings, particularly the best clones. With the OptiBoost method, we add a quality step needed to ensure optimal conditions for new plants,” said Lundqvist.

“The exit of Lenox Woodmaster C from the market presented us with a big challenge. We wanted to provide an alternative for the market, and specifically for Lenox customers, which is not only as good as Lenox Woodmaster C, but which is a massive improvement. We invested huge resources into R&D, innovation, new technologies and rapid prototyping. In independent tests, Quantum lasts twice as long as Woodmaster C and three times as long as the nearest competitor. We have patented the new technology and the product, and really look forward to working with our partners to help them grow their sales and market share,” Oliver Garside, Managing Director, Dakin-Flathers.

Produced in aerospace-controlled temperature conditions using the world’s first gaseous phase control: The new heat treatment process results in exceptionally low levels of oxidization producing a near-perfect grain structure for exceptional longevity and cutting performance. Dakin-Flathers is the world’s largest manufacturer of carbon bandsaw blades dedicated to delivering innovative, high-performance bandsaw blades.

Ripper37 Quantum is currently available in 1 in. x 2 hook to cater predominantly for pallet manufacturing with multi-head sawmills, though it is suitable for many other resaw applications. Customers can order the product through our authorized global network of distributors.

“We’ve been dedicated to providing customers with innovative, high-quality site-clearing attachments for more than three decades,” said Mark Middendorf, Fecon’s executive vice-president of sales. “We understand how to optimize both performance and durability and have a loyal customer base because of it. This skid steer mulching attachment is a smart investment for those looking to increase utilization and expand the versatility of their fleet.”

A bite-limiting 60-inch split-ring rotor holds 26 reversible knife tools providing a longer service life and ease of use for even inexperienced operators. The reversible knife tools feature 70 to 100 hours of use per edge and can be flipped to extend the total life of the tool to 140 to 200 hours, enabling optimal performance and longevity. Optional carbidetype cutting tools provide added durability for ground clearing in extremely hard or rocky conditions.

Operating at 2,400 rpm, the RK6015 can shred brush and small trees up to five inches in diameter, making it an excellent tool for general vegetation management, fire prevention lines, clearing fence rows, lot and land cleanup and more. An adjustable bolt-on push bar with serrated ears effectively directs thick and heavy material to the mulching rotor.

The RK6015 mulcher head requires a dedicated hydraulic flow between 17 and 27 gpm and a carrier machine able to accommodate the 1,465-pound attachment weight. For operator safety, the carrier must include a fully enclosed cab protected with the appropriate polycarbonate guarding.

Fecon backs the unit with its standard 12-month/1,000-hour warranty.

Featuring a rigid mount, the Stump Ax offers a practical, reliable design capable of working faster than articulating stump grinder attachments by simply repositioning the power unit instead of swinging the cutting wheel. It has an angled hitch and forward-reaching boom to give the operator exceptional visibility and control on the job.

The Stump Ax includes the Phantom Wheel with Tomahawk teeth from Leonardi, which are highly regarded by vegetation management professionals for their high strength and fast cutting performance. The Phantom Wheel also has cut-outs to create a see-through effect for further improved visibility. A chain deflector provides excellent containment of the wood chips.

A 200cc high-torque radial piston motor on the Stump Ax is compatible with power units that have 30- to 60-gallon-per-minute hydraulic flow ratings. A reversible design allows the motor to be mounted either forward- or rear-facing.

The ARC pusher is engineered to provide a single acting and balanced design, containing a robust and simple structure, an electric drive, oversized drive components and a complimentary hopper.

The log contacting surfaces are radial to easily withstand impact loads from dense logs. The lifting arms are balanced by utilizing an internal counterbalance, to efficiently lift and discharge the load of log(s) onto the built-in tail end of the take-away log deck.

The ARC design contains a drive and actuating mechanism external to the Bin Walls.

A robust infeed hopper is integral to the design, to ensure the optimal log presentation to the pusher face.

GCAR Design has a team with approximately 50 years of practical mill experience, including critiquing pushers and singulators across North America and Australia.

This experience has taught that outstanding performance, a long & reliable operating life with minimal downtime, low and easy maintenance requirements, the correct control system, plus convenient and minimal internal debris cleaning, are the major requirements for both sawmill and plywood operations.

All ARC Pushers & Hoppers are custom designed for both new & retrofit projects.

For more info: www.gcardesign.com.

A recent report indicates that the market for used construction equipment in Canada, valued at US$511.3 million in 2021, is predicted to escalate to US$644.4 million by 2028. This represents a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 3.36 per cent from 2021 to 2028. The driving force behind this growth is the increased government expenditure on redevelopment, maintenance, and infrastructure projects such as roads, hospitals, and bridges across the nation.

Nestled in the heart of Redwater, Alberta and Vernon, British Columbia, Evolution Mechanical reigns as the top repair destination for heavy equipment and trucks. Founded in 2013 as a family-owned and operated business, Evolution Mechanical has grown from a single service truck to a dedicated staff of 50 and counting. Despite their expansion, they have never lost sight of their core values: the safety and well-being of their employees and an unwavering dedication to exceeding customer expectations.

“This partnership with Menzi Muck is not just about expanding our reach. It’s about joining forces with a company that shares our commitment to innovation and excellence. Together, we’re not just changing the landscape of excavators; we’re shaping the future of the Canadian equipment industry,” said Josh Caouette, president of Evolution Mechanical.

When equipped with the Tilt Hitch, a mulching head can be tilted up to 45 degrees to the left or right. Compared with competitive units, which typically have restricted movement in one direction, the Loftness hitch offers one of the highest ranges of motion in the industry. Other advantages include a light weight and low cost, thanks to its practical, simplistic design.

Tilting the mulching head allows an operator to fully expose the knives when cutting into trees. Additionally, trees can be held in place for faster mulching performance by tilting and positioning the head so that the shear bar rests against the tree to prevent it from wobbling. When ground mulching, the head can also be tilted in a way to keep material from ejecting out the back or to help pick material off the ground for further processing.

The 20 and 30 Series Battle Ax attachments from Loftness are compatible with excavators ranging from 10,000 to 36,000 pounds. The Tilt Hitch will eventually be made available for the 40 and 50 Series Battle Ax models, which are designed for 36,000- to 88,000-pound excavators.

Consisting of three models – 7MWR, 9MWR and 11MWR – the series features a range of benefits to help meet the needs of operations in the construction, landscaping and forestry industries, as well as municipalities and utility construction. The MWR Series of wheeled excavators are purpose-built to allow for maximum maneuverability in tight working areas, offering the flexibility and versatility of a skid steer or compact track loader in one machine and delivering higher speed and mobility than tracked excavators.

“Traditionally, wheeled excavators have enjoyed less popularity in North America because the open spaces and greater distances to travel favored larger equipment. That is no longer the case. As supply chain challenges continue and trucking costs increase, hauling equipment is becoming more expensive. Compounding that is the fact that jobsites are getting smaller and labor shortages plague nearly every industry and business. These trends make it easy to recognize that the North American market needs compact equipment and the specific advantages that the wheeled excavator offers,” said Peter Bigwood, general manager of Mecalac North America.

“Mecalac has more than 40 years of experience building and fine tuning our wheeled excavators; and we believe the North American market is ready for this new approach to work.”

Each of the three models in the MWR series offers speed in a compact footprint. The smallest of the three, the 7MWR, offers variable speed between 0 and 19 mph. Two of the larger models, the 9MWR and 11MWR, provide contractors standard travel speeds between 0 and 12 mph with an option for enhanced speed up to 22 mph on the 9MWR and up to 19 mph on the 11MWR. The speed in combination with the versatility of these machines provide operations with substantial benefits in productivity and efficiency by significantly reducing travel time on the jobsite and between jobs.

With a 47-net-horsepower and conventional tail swing configuration, this model is ideally suited for navigating tight, congested jobsites and urban areas. Part of the next-generation 7 Series mini excavator lineup, the DX42-7 offers impressive features such as fast cycle times, efficient torque-limiting piston pumps that respond to load demands, and a larger counterweight for improved balance and durability.

“Weighing in at four metric tons, the DX42-7 delivers the power, maneuverability and versatility our customers have come to expect from DEVELON mini excavators,” says Thomas Lee, director of product management at DEVELON.

“Whether it’s utility work, landscaping, construction or site prep, the DX42-7 boasts an impressive lifting capacity, enabling effortless movement of pipes, boulders and various materials. With its powerful digging forces, customers can accomplish more tasks in less time.”

This new combination attachment will allow excavator operators to split big logs and clean up the split material with the grapple for staging or further processing using one machine. To allow the dual function splitter and grapple to work on standard excavator hydraulics, U.S. Pride Products developed a new hydraulic valve controlled by an electric solenoid. A flick of the switch allows the operator to instantly change between splitting and grapple functions.

“This new combined grapple and HF-800 cone splitter is a game changer for users. Operators should be much more efficient because one operator and machine can now do what it took two pieces of equipment to do previously,” said Charlie VanDusartz, president of U.S. Pride Products.

Customers may purchase the complete cone splitter with grapple attachment or upgrade their existing HF-500, HF-600 or HF-800 cone splitters with the new grapple upgrade package.

The new 318 MK2 saw unit of the 5000V will make work easier. The need for maintenance will be minimised, and durability will increase. The changes make it easy to change the bar, maintain the saw unit easily, and increase the durability to its maximum. The 5000V measurement unit has received mechanical, electronic and hydraulic updates. The construction of the measuring wheel cylinder is updated, the hydraulic circuit is new, the measuring wheel arm and its attachment are reinforced, there is a new contactless encoder in the measuring wheel, and two conical roller bearings that are lubricated from the outside. Altogether, the changes will allow the measuring wheel to follow the contour of the stem even better and provide the best measurement result.

The contour of the saw box is changed, and the position of the saw unit has been optimized to handle trees with larger root bones and thus increase production significantly. The saw box also has a root bone plate to protect the chain and bar. The saw box has also been extended and is now adapted for saw bars of 82 cm (32 in). The new 5000V easily handles large trees, both when felling and processing. The maximum cutting diameter is 74 cm (29 in).

The Log Max 5000V has new feed roller motors with hoses without banjo fittings. The new engines are of a high-flow model with increased efficiency, generating better performance for the harvesting head. The changes provide a better and higher flow, which reduces heat development and thus reduces energy losses. It also increases the unit’s feed speed. The feed wheel arms have also received an updated design to be able to process both coarse and thin logs better.

The hoses for the multi-stemming unit and the rotator control are on the left side of the felling link at 5000V. The updates make the hoses run inside the protective bar, less exposed and will make them last longer. The attachment for the hoses for stump treatment and grease lubrication also has a new design, which means that the hoses are exposed to minimal wear and have increased durability.

To simplify service, facilitate transport and increase safety, a “Safety Pin” has replaced the safety chain, which forms a locking mechanism between the frame and the felling link. One can now link a bracket under the rotator to a stand in the frame with the help of a locking pin. To increase durability and productivity, the frame construction of the 5000V has received several updates. In order for all lubrication to be done when the head is in the tilted position, the head has accessible lubrication points. The lubrication points are brought forward on the saw box so that they are easy to get at. It increases safety, facilitates maintenance work, and shortens downtime.

To improve the frame’s durability and life span, Log Max have changed the design of the measuring wheel hole. We also reinforced the stoppers for the roller arms, when in the closed position, at the inside of the frame to increase the frame’s strength and stability. To increase durability and reduce the risk of cracks in the frame, Log Max have created a reinforced attachment for the upper delimbing knife. The frame is reinforced at the mainline, where the upper delimbing knife slides on the frame to increase durability and extend its life span.

But there’s good news. Air Burners partnered with the USDA Forest Service to boost the environmentally-friendly technology while adding power and speed to the new self-contained CharBoss. The fully assembled above-ground air curtain burner system is an advanced pollution-control device scientifically proven to eliminate wood waste 40 times faster than open burning and significantly reduces particulate matter, like black carbon smoke, to help mitigate climate change.

The CharBoss accepts whole trees, logs, root balls, slash piles, invasive shrubs, and other unwanted biomass debris. It burns 1 ton per hour, leaving behind 20 per cent biochar, a valuable carbon-rich residual to sell or return to the soil. The towable CharBoss is ideal for hard-to-reach remote areas, like forest thinning, land clearing, and disaster cleanup (recovery). Orchard growers and farmers turn to the CharBoss to maneuver in and out of tight spaces without damaging crops or equipment.

After a successful debut at the University of Idaho Experimental Forest in January 2023 and last month’s biochar production demonstration in Harrisonburg, VA, the world’s first mobile onsite biochar production system is ready, willing, and more than able to tackle even the most challenging, most demanding jobs with no grinding, hauling, or permanent facilities.

But there’s good news. Air Burners partnered with the USDA Forest Service to boost the environmentally-friendly technology while adding power and speed to the new self-contained CharBoss. The fully assembled above-ground air curtain burner system is an advanced pollution-control device scientifically proven to eliminate wood waste 40x faster than open burning and significantly reduces particulate matter, like black carbon smoke, to help mitigate climate change. The CharBoss accepts whole trees, logs, root balls, slash piles, invasive shrubs, and other unwanted biomass debris. It burns 1 ton per hour, leaving behind 20 per cent biochar, a valuable carbon-rich residual to sell or return to the soil. The towable CharBoss is ideal for hard-to-reach remote areas, like forest thinning, land clearing, and disaster cleanup (recovery). Orchard growers and farmers turn to the CharBoss to maneuver in and out of tight spaces without damaging crops or equipment.

After a successful debut at the University of Idaho Experimental Forest in January 2023, and last month’s biochar production demonstration in Harrisonburg, Va., the world’s first mobile onsite biochar production system is ready, willing, and more than able to tackle even the most challenging, most demanding jobs with no grinding, hauling, or permanent facilities.

Learn more: airburners.com/maypr/

This compact, robust and energy-efficient equipment allows for on-site production of wood fibre. The patented technology applies high pressure to the raw materials, generating heat above 100 C, which produces and sanitizes fibre, meeting RHP standards.

With a production capacity of up to 12 cubic metres per hour, and an expansion ratio of up to 1:3, it consumes 30 per cent less energy per cubic metre produced than typical refiners, resulting in significant cost savings.

Various wood by-products can be used, including white softwood chips, forest residue, and compost wood. The produced fibre maintains its volume when mixed and has excellent water dispersion capacity for root development.

For more information visit, www.ptchronos.com.

Emil Forsblom, head of product development at Eco Log, is certain that the crane tip control system will be welcomed by the customers and that it will be a big asset in their daily work.

“It feels great to be able to offer our customers crane tip control on our forwarder models. That way we can facilitate and make their working day easier and more comfortable and at the same time give them the conditions for a more efficient and productive work,” says Forsblom.

The strengths of ETC are several, where Eco Log has focused on optimizing the function and placement of the sensors to make sure that the system works in the best possible way for the operator and to ensure a smoother and more precise crane movement and position. As an operator you can easily choose if the crane tip control should be activated or if you rather operate the crane manually with your regular settings.

“This is a big advantage that allows the operator to be flexible and to adapt the work to different situations and conditions. Also, you can avoid unnecessary down-time, for example if the crane tip control system is in need of servicing. Then you can operate the crane manually just as usual until a service technician arrives,” Forsblom explains.

The Komatsu 951XC is a new harvester for final logging in steep terrain and on soft ground. The eight-wheel design, combined with the stable Komatsu concept, ensures a machine with great stability, excellent manoeuvrability, and low ground pressure. The Komatsu 951XC is also optimised for use with the Komatsu C164 – a harvester head specially designed for logging large trees – although naturally it works just as well with a range of other heads.

For demanding conditions

The Komatsu 951XC is part of Komatsu Forest’s product series of machines specially designed for challenging conditions.

“Now we have a complete range of eight-wheeled machines, specially designed for demanding conditions,” Joakim Johansson, product manager harvesters at Komatsu Forest says.

Compact yet strong

The machine design is much like that of the Komatsu 951, although there are some differences. The Komatsu 951XC has the same wheel size as the 931XC, lending the machine a more compact design and giving the 951XC a total machine length that is shorter than that of the Komatsu 951.

The Komatsu 951XC has 242 kN of underlying tractive force and unique interaction between engine, control system and power transmission. The hydrostatic transmission enables engine power to be fully utilised, providing considerable advantages in difficult terrain as well as excellent climbing ability. This is much due to the machine’s large hydrostatic pump, which can maintain higher speeds at high tractive forces.

“What is special about the 951XC is that it combines the strength of a 951 with an extremely compact design. Since it has about the same dimensions as the 931XC it can be used in denser stands,” Johansson explains.

951XC is also equipped with hub reductions. They provide an advantage when working in challenging conditions, such as steep, snowy, or wet terrain, as they increase the life of the bogie and thereby machine reliability.

The Komatsu 951XC has new working hydraulics to better utilise the diesel engine. The new hydraulics also provide faster feeding from start to maximum speed and allow the saw motor to work even more efficiently.

“The new working hydraulics contribute to a feeling of an even stronger engine according to the test operators that have been working with 951XC,” Johansson states.

Although the working hydraulics are new, in all other respects the Komatsu 951XC shares the same proven design as other Komatsu harvesters, meaning 3PS.

“This enables several crane and head functions to be used simultaneously with retained maximum hydraulic power, all thanks to the machine’s hydraulic power coordination,” Johansson continues.

Powerful crane

All Komatsu harvesters are equipped with parallel cranes, this has been the case since 1999. With the Komatsu Forest design concept, the lifting booms and outer booms are linked, thereby eliminating an entire aspect of crane control. This concept simplifies crane operation by ensuring that the head is always in level regardless of crane cycle stage. The parallel crane is also cleverly designed to be fast in its outward movements, when the head is unloaded, and powerful in its return movements, when the head is heavily loaded.

Compared to the 951, the Komatsu 951XC has a significantly shorter distance from the centre of the crane to the front wheels. This creates a larger working area in front of the machine, that enables the operator to work at shorter reaches.

“The new larger working area in front of the machine means more powerful crane movements. And for those who equipes their machines with Smart Crane they get an even more easily manoeuvred crane with excellent precision,” Johansson explains.

Operator environment

The Komatsu 951XC, just like all other Komatsu harvesters, features a high-performance operator environment. Examples of the many advantages include the spacious cab, good visibility and comfortable cab climate.

Thanks to the machine’s stability and levelling cab, the operator is always seated level without the need to stretch and strain to maintain a good seating position. The 951XC is, as all Komatsu harvesters, based on the tried-and-tested Komatsu concept that offers favourable weight distribution and has a low centre of gravity. In addition, the eight-wheeled XC series harvesters have a double oscillating bogie on the rear frame giving the machines completely unique handling characteristics.

“Our double oscillating bogie on the rear frame is an innovation of which we’re very proud. As well as increasing stability by lowering the machine’s centre of gravity, the machine follows irregularities in the terrain in a forgiving manner while delivering excellent manoeuvrability in challenging terrain conditions,” Johansson ends.

The work to develop a new machine is a massive team effort. Before a new machine model is launched prototypes are thoroughly tested first with Komatsu’s own test operators and then by contractors working in environments suitable for the specific machine model. One of the contractors, Henrik Lysebäck at Lysebäcks Skogsentreprenad, tested a prototype of the 951XC in the fall of 2022 and concludes the test like this;

“The 951XC is a good machine, stable and comfortable to operate. It is a machine you can trust, and you feel secure working at a long reach. This is definitely a machine I would like to continue to work with.”

The basis for the upgrade is requests from users of the harvester head and the response to the improvements has been positive from customers who have tested.

“Continuous improvement is part of our DNA. One of our most popular heads, the Komatsu S92, will be even more reliable and productive in the forest,” says Mikael Forsberg, product manager for harvester heads at Komatsu Forest.

Among the new benefits, the improved measurement characteristics stand out. The new design enables the measuring wheel to follow the contours of the stem more closely, providing excellent measurement characteristics.

A major new feature is also the new intelligent saw motor controller, Constant Cut, which now becomes standard on the S92, and ensures that the head maintains a constant and high chain speed without the risk of overspeeding.

The Find End function now has a new design and together with new mechanical stops at the rear knife this extends the service life of the head. The new feed system reduces energy losses and enhances the head performance, and an improved hose routing simplifies servicing the feed system. For even better service friendliness, all lubrication points are now easily accessed with the head in an upright position.

The colour marking tanks have been redesigned to provide easier access for filling and the multi-tree handling function has a new, more durable design which results in a lower and more agile head.

“The response from customers who have tried the upgraded head has been positive only with comments such as that the feed speed is really good, the geometry of the saw box and the position of the saw bar makes the cutting much faster and increases production significantly, the new knife control on the lower knife is very good and the clamping of the stem is perfect, and that the entire head is much improved compared to previous versions,” says Forsberg.

In addition to the above and several other improvements, the head has also been equipped with a new head computer that enables future development opportunities.

Learn more: Komatsu Forest.

“Here at Eco Log, we are in constant dialogue with our customers and we try to listen to them and learn more about their requests and what they need to make their operations work as optimal as possible,” said Eco Log’s Emil Forsblom, head of product development.

“The development work is really a team-effort and the result of this is a spacious harvester cabin with good ergonomics, effective sound insulation, great visibility and a whole new system for cab climate and a well-planned work lightning. Also, we have put a lot of effort into the cabins interior, in everything from smart storage and broad charging options to modern palettes and a great sound system.”

The G-series pendulum arm harvesters includes the models 550, 560, 580 and 590. The new Eco Log 580G has now raised to yet another level and shares the same platform as Eco Log 590, which means it is an even stronger machine than before.

During the fall, Eco Log introduced several, large updates on the pendulum harvesters – from a new control system, new rear wheel transmission and anti-spin system to a simplified hydraulic system and several improvements regarding serviceability and safety through improved access. All of these updates are now implemented on the new G-series.

Learn more: Eco Log.

Many forestry companies struggle to prepare post-harvest sites for replanting with modified ag tractors. These machines are not up to the task, often suffering from insufficient power, cooling capacity and structural durability. The 630H was launched to address these deficiencies.

Based on Tigercat’s skidder platform, the machine is equipped with hydraulic connectors and several drawbar receiver variations to adapt to a variety of plow or mounding implement connection points. In addition, the carrier can be equipped with an optional winch and bolt-on fairlead system. The whole package is factory-equipped and ready to work.

Initial studies conducted by Mexican forestry company, Proteak indicate that the 630H carriers are quicker, more productive, and more fuel efficient than the ag tractors that they are replacing. Operators are safe and comfortable in a climate controlled cab equipped with an air ride suspension seat and ergonomic armrest mounted controls.

Tigercat, a company that has contributed significantly to increased efficiencies in timber harvesting operations, is putting focus on gaining efficiencies in the silviculture side of the forest industry.

Microtec’s CT Log is a worldwide unique computed tomography scanner in the wood products industry, allowing J.D. Irving to scan and digitally reconstruct the internal features of their logs in 3D. Delivering the optimal cutting solution in real time, this technology is consistent with J.D. Irving’s mission to ensure the use of 100 per cent of every tree.

The computed tomography scanner provides a complete reconstruction of the internal features of the logs, allowing the logs to be graded and sorted by quality and optimization. The CT Log solution developed by Microtec’s engineers provides quality grading and virtual grading information in addition to the full 3D log description. 

Integrated with Microtec’s Maxicut Pro, Winlog, and Microtec Connect, the CT Log communicates with the Logeye Stereo, providing the head rigg operator the exact degree of log rotation to provide maximum value. Working with the CT Log, Microtec’s Maxicut software optimizes cutting patterns based on value. 

The newest investment is part of J.D. Irving’s continued partnership with Microtec. Beginning in 2014 with a Lucidyne scanner installation at their Dixfield, Maine, location, J.D. Irving has since installed Lucidyne scanners at their Doaktown and Kedgwick, N.B., locations, with another Wanescan installation at their Dixfield facility in 2023. Their recent investment of the CT Log is accompanied by a commitment of five Microtec Logeye Stereos, which execute 360° scans during rolling, adding to the information gained before the log is sawn. 

Speaking to the solutions provided by Microtec, Jerome Pelletier, vice-president of J.D. Irving, sawmills division says, “We are very excited to further grow our partnership with Microtec. We firmly believe that this strategic investment in the newest scanning technology will allow us to maximize log yield as well as improve the value of the products offered to our customers.” 

The CT Log solution and Logeye Stereo applications will be installed in early 2024. 

Designed to offer the highest productivity, durability, visibility and ease of maintenance for the operator, the BL4/SSL features the most powerful bite limiter system currently available in the market, complete with the new, ultra-high performing BL MAX blade.

This head delivers high productivity and unmatched shredding capacity in vegetation management and is ideal where the agility and compactness of a skid steer is required.

The BL4/SSL is available in VT version and with FAE’s exclusive Sonic technology, which optimizes performance by up to 30% and offers easy calibration, setting and monitoring through a dedicated FAE App for smartphones.

Main applications for the new BL4/SSL include heavy vegetation management in woods and forests, roadside and railway vegetation maintenance, canals, rivers and pond overgrowth cleanup, wildlife habitat protection & food plots, orchard & vineyards maintenance and restoration, maintenance of commercial and residential green areas, parks, trails and green recreational areas.

• For skid steers from 90-135 hp
• Available in 2 working widths: 62” and 72”
• 12” shredding diameter
• Bite limiter technology with BL MAX blade
• Available in VT and Sonic versions

The new ERP solution has already been successfully implemented in Ponsse’s Swedish and Norwegian subsidiaries. Particular attention has been paid to the user experience, and all functions can be used anywhere in the world, with any device.

“With the new solution, we have streamlined our customer service in Sweden and Norway, and made the day-to-day work of Ponsse people more efficient and easier. The new solution will enable continuous improvement and gives us greater transparency throughout Ponsse’s operations – which in turn helps us to serve our customers better in the future,” says Miika Soininen, chief digital officer at Ponsse.

The new ERP solution is being used for a number of things, such as material and stock management, procurement, sales, deliveries, field work control and maintenance, invoicing, and financial management and reporting. The ERP solution will also be used for aftersales processes, such as spare parts sales and maintenance.

Single platform for managing entire life cycle

Following a thorough selection process, Ponsse chose the Microsoft Dynamics 365 complemented by the Annata 365 designed for the manufacturing and distribution industry of vehicles and heavy machinery. The solution will be delivered to Ponsse by Fellowmind, which has plenty of experience in ERP solutions for the manufacturing industry.

With the Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management solution, Ponsse can manage the entire production and the life cycles of products and services with a single digital platform. The Annata 365 industry solution based on the Dynamics 365 environment also enables Ponsse to have a structured process for registering and monitoring all asset items with a serial number throughout the products’ life cycles. The solution also supports all aftermarket processes, such as warranty management, maintenance agreements, and spare parts management.

TRUMARK-EVO operates in conjunction with Wellons’ computerized control system (Winkiln-Evo) to develop precise drying schedules to automate the drying process and achieve consistent results. MC is continuously measured while Winkiln-Evo monitors and adjusts the drying process. TRUMARK-EVO in a batch kiln will determine the end-point of a drying schedule and in a CDS will determine push rate adjustments using real-time data.

Installation of TRUMARK-EVO systems require minimal down time and are available for both new and existing drying systems.
Benefits include:

• Accurate MC measurement above and below fiber saturation.
• Seamless Integration with Wellons Winkiln-Evo control software.
• Automatic push rate adjustment in Continuous Drying Systems (CDS).
• Automatic end-point determination in batch kiln systems.

Count on TRUMARK-EVO for truly accurate drying results and to achieve your target MC.