English - Komatsu Forest

INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE
No 1 • 2006
The colour
of quality
QUALITY
comes in red
6
10
14
Thinning in Europe
Gearing up
Thinning is becoming an increasingly important
part of forestry, but what’s the real need?
Investment in three new production lines for more machines.
READ ALL ABOUT IT
• Having a feel for thinning 16 • Teamwork elevates customer support 9
• The cab – a safe place 25 • Certification benefits everyone 26 • Grapple sales success 32
komatsuforest.com
Valmet ProSelect – an important part of customer relations
All our stores are being made over with the ProSelect concept.
And it’s not just a facelift – it’s intensified efforts in customer relations. We listen to your opinions, ask about your needs, and
gather information in all possible ways to continually improve ourselves to be the most sought after supplier within professional forestry.
Our ambition is to be the natural choice when buying spare parts and accessories for professional forestry machines.
Our sales companies and dealers, our employees, and our products are all parts of the same whole.
Our company-wide profiling underlines this fact. Together with ProSelect we extend you a warm welcome.
komatsuforest.com
A reliable,
long-term partner
F
or a successful company, it’s
important to focus on the customer, to offer the best possible
quality, and – in broader terms
– to function as a good example in society as regards both financial and environmental issues. At the beginning of this
year I would therefore like to highlight
the above-mentioned principles that are a
matter of course for Komatsu Forest and
an important platform if we are to attain
long-term sustainable development in a
highly competitive market.
After an extraordinary 2005 with fantastic sales volumes it would appear
we’re entering a somewhat calmer phase
in some market areas. Despite this, the
number of machines sold globally will
increase during 2006 as mechanization
continues in a number of markets, particularly in Russia, South America, and Asia.
I’m convinced we’ll increase our share
of the growing world market due to the
major investments made in recent years
that will translate into improved product
quality and greater production capacity.
We continue to invest in quality assurance, which means, for example, even
more employees working in this quality
area. I’m convinced our customers have
already noticed the improvements.
Our long-term strategy includes better profiling the Valmet brand and its distinct red color. Customers should be provided excellent service and feel secure in
choosing us. Our products will be further
developed with market adaptations and
given an even more sophisticated image.
By that I mean we will meet the market
demand for a broader offering and better adapt our machines to each individual market. Which means keeping the customer in focus.
Environmental issues are another
high-priority area. In line with this, the
engines in our rubber-tired machines
meet or surpass the new Tier 3 emission
requirements. Here too we aim to be at
the forefront.
Finally, I would like to emphasize that
business ethics are becoming increasingly important in the global market. This
includes, for example, following the SOX
accounting ethics standard established in
the USA. At Komatsu Forest our ambition
is to always be an honest and long-term
business partner. r
Hideki Yamada
Chief Executive Officer,
Komatsu Forest AB
CONTENTS
Rollout for new forwarder
4
Long-term quality assurance
6
Rapid deviation management
7
Teamwork elevates
customer support
9
New production workflows
take shape
10
New dealers in Portugal
and Denmark
12
Thinning gains interest
14
Expert thinning
16
Nunavik – char country
20
ProTec enters new areas
22
Finnish award
23
The cab – a safe place
25
Certification benefits everyone
26
Remote machine diagnostics
28
Time to replant
29
Look up!
30
Grapple sales success
32
INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE
Publisher: Roland Lundqvist
[email protected]
Editor: Anders Pauser
[email protected]
Address: Just Forest, Komatsu Forest AB,
Box 7124, SE-907 04 Umeå, Sweden
Contact: Telephone +46 90 70 93 00,
fax +46 90 19 16 52
Internet: www.komatsuforest.com
Production: AB Nordreportern
Writers: Gunnar Andersson, Anders Pauser
Photographers: Gunnar Andersson,
Anders Pauser, Jostein Skeidsvoll
and Nils Jerling(Skogforsk)
Layout and original: Fredrik Lundell
Printing: Tryckeri City, Umeå, Sweden
Paper: Gotic Silk 130 gram
Circulation: 38,000
Languages: Swedish, Finnish, English, German,
French, Portuguese, and Spanish
The content may be quoted if the source is cited.
komatsuforest.com
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
3
Rollout for
new forwarder
Valmet’s new forwarders have started leaving
the factory. Torbjörn Lundmark from Malå,
Sweden was one of the first customers to get
his eagerly awaited forwarder. Just Forest went
along for the ride.
A Valmet on its way. Deliveries
of Valmet’s new forwarder
series have begun.
4
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
The forwarder makes a pit stop at the workshop for the final settings
and adjustments before transport to the customer.
C
ustomer deliveries of Komatsu
Forest’s new Valmet 840.3, Valmet 860.3, and Valmet 890.3
forwarder series have begun.
Many have eagerly awaited the
.3 models and all the new features. Contractor Torbjörn Lundmark from Malå, northern
Sweden has replaced his Timberjack with a new Valmet
860.3 equipped with a Valmet
LoadFlex f lexible bunk and Valmet ProTec protected hosing.
“I’ve spoken to a number of
people who’ve driven Valmet
forwarders and they only have
good things to say,” explains
Torbjörn. “I think Valmet forwarders are at the technical
forefront and offer many innovations.”
WHEN THE forwarders leave
the factory they are transported
to a workshop near the customer for final setup and adjustments before final delivery.
“Knowing that Valmet has a
good service organization was
also important in my choice of a
Valmet forwarder,” he continues.
Once the customizations are
done the forwarder is loaded
onto a trailer and driven to the
customer. Torbjörn will start
using his new Valmet 860.3
directly, so it’s being delivered
straight to the forest worksite.
“I work with both thinning and final logging, though
I want the LoadFlex bunk so I
can begin gathering forest residues in the future,” Torbjörn
explains. r
Covered trailers are always used for transport to the customer.
INFO
The company is called Torbjörn Lundmark Skogsmaskiner AB and Torbjörn started his business back in 1974.
The company has had as
many as four employees, but
due to difficulties, such as in
recruiting operators, Torbjörn
is once more a lone contractor.
Torbjörn Lundmark is based in Malå, Sweden, but the forwarder
is being delivered to the forest outside Sorsele on the outskirts of
Sweden’s northern mountain country.
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
5
The colour
of quality
Harvesters
New regulators and 145cc
and 190cc hydraulic pumps
Heads
New length measurement
on 350 head
Forwarders
LoadFlex available for 840,
860, and 890 forwarders
Control System
New cross-cutting computer
with greater memory capacity
Forwarders
BE-GE Airvent seat introduced on all forwarders
Control System
Optimized cross-cutting
algorithm for large price lists
Harvesters
New pressure switch
on brakes
Heads
New saw motor
on 330 head
Heads
Longer cable to sensor
bearings on 350 head
Forwarders
Rear camera available on
forwarders
Control System
Optimized default values on
harvesters for professional use
Heads
Improved link pin
hardening on 350 head
Control System
New cross-cutting computer
with greater memory capacity
Long-term
quality assurance
Step by step, Komatsu Forest has improved
its quality assurance. Throughout the
spring our Komatsu-inspired quality
assurance efforts will be intensified. The
aim is to develop a systematic method
to manage deviations. In this project the
twelve employees at our quality assurance
department who handle deviation reporting play an important role.
The new production system at the
plant in Umeå, Sweden, also contributes
to fewer deviations, due in no small part
6
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
to an improved test group. Our long-term
quality assurance commitment does not
solely focus on minimizing the number of
deviations; it even ensures that the right
machine is sold to each customer and
that the machines are used in the proper
manner.
In other words, Komatsu Forest’s
quality concept is about increasing technical performance and ensuring that every
customer’s opportunity for profitable operations is maximized.
Rapid deviation management a must
A deviation must be
handled quickly and
remedied in the right
context. A key function of Komatsu Forest’s
Umeå plant quality
department is deviation
management.
A
t present, Komatsu Forest’s quality department
has a staff of twelve.
One of the most important tasks
is handling deviations reported directly by the sales companies and indirectly by customers. Deviation reports are handled systematically using a new
system, which includes a helpdesk, introduced at the end of
2003. Basically, the system acts
like a funnel to gather all deviation reports.
“Deviations are often reported online to our helpdesk,
where they are quickly adminis-
tered and sent to the appropriate
department or staff,” explains
Jonas Järnö, head of quality
assurance at Komatsu Forest.
If it’s a simple fault, the
response is rapid. However, if
a deviation demands further
investigation, the issue is raised
at one of the regular meetings
between representatives of the
company’s different functions,
namely production, design, purchasing, customer support, and
quality assurance. The departments affected by the deviation devise an action plan. Perhaps changes are needed in the
design or production line; perhaps a particular component
must be systematically replaced;
or perhaps customer support
and the sales companies can
handle the situation together.
Issues are often very complex
with many parties involved.
Customer Support
Production
Design
Purchasing
Quality Assurance
WHEN A deviation is reported,
Jonas Järnö
“For us it’s important
to be able to provide
customers with quick
answers, regardless of
whether it’s a short or
long-term solution.”
a check is made as to whether it’s a warrantee issue, and if
costs incurred by the customer are high, measures are further speeded. Reported problems are assigned different statuses according to how urgently
they need to be resolved.
“Most important are safety-related problems and issues
affecting customer production levels,” explains Jonas. “We
always put our primary focus
on technical efficiency. Then we
take care of issues that have no
real direct impact on customer
Deviation management can be likened to a funnel. The sales
companies report deviations to a helpdesk, where they are
quickly forwarded to the right staff.
production, but which must be
remedied.”
KOMATSU HAS ambitious
goals for further improvements
to the company’s quality assurance work. One goal is to cut
response times for deviations
and this is already underway.
Our goals for 2006 are even
tougher than before.
“Quality is really quite simple,” Jonas explains. “We should
offer the customer a product of
better quality than competing
products.”r
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
7
ne s
ich te st s machi
te st group, wh
w
ne
e
th
s
ad
he
al as sembly.
Björn Norman
rkshop af ter fin
in a separate wo
A test team hard at work. From the left: Mats-Åke Eklund,
Mikael Englund, and Leif Olsen.
New group lifts quality
Björn Norman ensures
that each machine leaving the Komatsu Forest
plant in Umeå, Sweden
is of the same high quality. He heads the new
group for testing and
adjusting.
Q
uality assurance
plays a major role
in Komatsu Forest’s new production line. Two
new functions have been introduced – ‘internal inspections’
and ‘testing and adjusting’.
Internal inspections is in part
a new function engaging three
people who are to record any
machine quality shortcomings
in the pre-assembly and assembly phases of the production
line. The shortcomings are seen
as an opportunity for improvement and are meticulously followed up.
ANOTHER EVEN greater step
towards ensuring all machines
assembled in the Umeå plant
8
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
meet the same high quality level is the introduction of a group
of 14 employees who test and
adjust the finished machines.
The group has its own workshop
where it conducts an extensive
and thorough test program.
“Because the same people always conduct the tests we
attain consistency,” explains
Björn Norman, foreman of
the test and adjustment group.
“Moreover, the machines aren‘t
tested by those assembling them,
so they are seen in a new light.”
achieved so far. The 14 group
members were selected from a
large number of applicants and
are very motivated. Having 14
specialists conduct post-assembly testing instead of the 70
employees working in assembly obviously increases the technical capability and intensifies
the entire process.
Four members of the test
and adjustment group work
solely with harvester heads and
utilize a unique test bench that
allows head pressures and flows
to be tested as if the heads were
attached to a harvester.
“Our test group’s work
allows us to guarantee that every machine leaves the plant in
the best possible condition,”
says Björn. r
THE TESTS FOLLOW exten-
sive documented procedures
and take a day or more to complete, depending on the model. Once any adjustments have
been made oil levels and bolted
joints are tested. This includes
leak tests.
“Testing requires at least
two people – one to operate the
machine and one or more to
make the adjustments,” continues Björn.
He’s pleased with the results
Mikael Englund is one of the 14 people specially recruited
to the new test group.
e colour
Ulf Nilsson
About Ulf
Nilsson
Teamwork elevates
customer support
Good spare parts availability and access to
systematic service.
For Ulf Nilsson, head of
customer support for
Komatsu Forest, these
are two key issues in
shaping his workdays.
an effective customer support
function. Continual on-the-job
training of both service providers and machine operators is a
must – as is good spare parts
logistics.
ustomer support, that
is, spare parts, service, and training, are
becoming increasingly important in the forestry machine
industry. The reality of forestry is that contractors and their
clients can not afford significant downtime. Two years ago,
when Ulf Nilsson took the lead
customer support position, he’d
already underlined the department’s importance in his previous key positions at Komatsu Forest.
“Forestry must be considered a process industry,
so unplanned downtime is
extremely expensive for all
involved in the value chain,”
Ulf explains. Machine complexity, tough forest conditions,
and high work tempos demand
fore ever since he started out
as a controller at the company
in 1989. This team thinking no
doubt stems from Ulf’s years as
an elite ice hockey player for the
top Swedish teams Björklöven
and Frölunda. He emphasizes
that customer support requires
teamwork wherein every stage
functions as intended and manufacturing units, sales companies, and dealers collaborate
to help contractors maintain
machine functionality. This
means, among other things,
that preventative service will
become increasingly important
in avoiding production stops.
“My current work task is
complex and all team members need to help one another,”
explains Ulf. “Moreover, as a
company we must keep in close
C
ULF HAS PUT teamwork to the
contact with end-customers.
This is where the sales companies play an important role.”
Ulf also feels that success
can only be achieved by supporting the sales companies
and dealers with adaptations
based on local market needs.
He emphasizes the importance
of good service with a case in
point, the Brazilian market,
which Komatsu Forest dominates completely thanks to early recognition of the importance
of dependable spare parts availability.
ULF ALSO emphasizes the
importance of company owner Komatsu. Having been a part
of Komatsu Forest’s management during a 15-year period
that saw the company change
owners four times Ulf has the
experience to make valid comparisons. He has no doubts
that access to Komatsu’s knowledge of quality assurance and
machine production is the best
thing that could have happened
to the company. r
POSITION: Head of Customer
Support
EMPLOYED SINCE: 1989
AGE: 46 years
LIVES: House in Umeå,
Sweden
FAMILY: Wife, three children
aged 7, 13, and 16
BEST PART OF THE JOB:
Working for a global company that leads its industry and
working to meet global challenges.
LEISURE: Family and great
interest in sports.
Three quick
questions
1. Favorite Valmet
machine?
The 890 because it’s a global
giant. It’s a machine proven
to cope with all demands irrespective of market. It’s also
the world’s most productive
forwarder.
2. What does the
forest represent
for you?
Relaxation during leisure
time and work during business hours. I also spent many
hours training in the forest
during my years as an ice
hockey player.
3. What does Komatsu
represent for you?
An owner with a long-term
commitment and global presence. Definitely the best
possible owner.
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
9
The new harvester head assembly line consists of two paced
production flows with three
head assembly stations in each
flow. With paced production the
heads change stations at predetermined times thereby ensuring
a certain production rate.
The two forwarder flows just before commissioning. With new overhead cranes each flow can function independently.
Last fall, Komatsu Forest began reorganizing production at its plant in Umeå,
Sweden, and the systemized production flows will increase capacity.
New production flows
T
he dramatic alteration
work at the Umeå plant
has been intensive and
will result in increased forwarder and harvester production. The new harvester head
assembly line was in operation by the beginning of Janu-
ary and a few weeks later the
new harvester assembly line
was commissioned. Just Forest went on a tour of the new
production facilities just two
weeks before the forwarder
assembly line was to be commissioned in mid-February.
A new warehouse for increased raw material storage is under construction to secure on-time production flows. This will allow large
components kept outdoors to be warmed, washed, and stored prior
to assembly.
10
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
The new harvester assembly line consist of a pre-assembly area
and a single line of stations for paced production, with the machines
wheeled between stations. Here the production line is still under
construction.
take shape
The plant reorganization
means two production lines for
forwarders and one for harvesters. New overhead cranes have
been fitted to ensure optimal
f lows in each line. New production methods include fewer assembly f lows and improved
component logistics, such as
increased pre-assembly, for
example, to fully realize the
‘just-in-time’ philosophy.
Harvester heads are assem-
bled in a separate workshop
with two f lows.
The reorganization has gone
smoothly and the schedule has
been kept, despite regular production continuing in parallel.
“We’ve accomplished our
plans and solved the problems
we’ve faced,” says production
manager Jonas Jonsson. “We’ve
even finalized the new forwarder model launches and Tier 3
engine installations.” r
A unique harvester head test bench installed alongside the assembly
line. Built by Saab Aerotech the bench allows new harvester head
pressure levels and flows to be tested as if attached to a harvester.
Here we see Nicklas Hörnberg testing a new head.
Two new automated
storage and retrieval
systems (ASRS) have
been installed in the
warehouse. Another
interim ASRS will be
installed soon. The
new storage systems
make it easy to quickly gather installation
kit components.
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
11
Bernd Rauser, CEO of Komatsu Forest’s German subsidiary Komatsu Forest GmbH, and Miguel Oliveira, CEO of Cimertex, are pleased with
the collaboration that surrounds Cimertex taking over the Valmet forestry machine dealership in Portugal.
New dealers
in Portugal…
Komatsu Forest has
two new dealers in
Portugal and Denmark
– Cimertex and Helms.
Both dealers are wellestablished family businesses with extensive
operations.
I
n Portugal, Cimertex,
under the management of
CEO Miguel Oliveira, has
been responsible for sales of
Valmet forestry machines since
last November. The company
has been a Komatsu construction machine dealer for the
past 40 years and has about 100
employees working out of its
headquarters in Porto and four
service workshops. Cimertex
has employed a new sales representative for the Valmet forestry
machine venture.
Komatsu Forest hopes
the Cimertex partnership
will increase new machine
sales, as the previous dealer
placed a greater focus on used
machines. As a whole, the Portuguese forestry machine market sees sales of some 50 new
machines a year, and Cimertex made a good start by selling its first new forwarder in
January.
“THE GOOD NEWS is that
we’ve been able to partner ourselves with a well-established
Valmet forwarders to Croatia
Komatsu Forest’s German subsidiary Komatsu Forest GmbH has delivered eight new forwarders to Hrvatske Sume, the Croatian stateowned forestry company.
The deal entailed delivery of two Valmet
12
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
860s and six Valmet 840s in January and was
the only sale in Croatia last year to involve
new machines.
Komatsu Forest GmbH will also train about
20 operators as part of the deal.
company. It’s a good organization with new premises and
workshops,” comments Bernd
Rauser, CEO of Komatsu Forest’s German subsidiary Komatsu Forest GmbH and head of
Komatsu Forest’s dealer network in Central Europe. “I’m
convinced we’ll increase our
sales of new and used machines
in Portugal. Moreover, we can
take advantage of the proximity
to our Spanish dealer Hitraf in
NEWS
Reduced import
duty
Helms TMT Centret A/S is Komatsu Forest’s new dealer in Denmark.
…and Denmark
mutual machine demos.”
The Danish dealer Helms
TMT Centret A/S began collaborating with Komatsu Forest at the beginning of the
year. The company has long
been active in the sale of agricultural and construction
machines and is headquartered in Herning, Jylland.
Helms has about 35 employees and in conjunction with
taking over the Valmet forest-
ry machine dealership also
absorbed three employees
from the previous dealer, Valtra Danmark A/S. Komatsu
Forest hopes Helms will help
strengthen its already dominant position in Denmark’s
forwarder market.
HELMS TMT Centret A/S is a
second-generation family business headed by CEO Kristian
Helms. The company is charac-
terized by a long-term perspective and environmental awareness, the latter exemplified by
the sole use of rainwater to
wash machines at the workshops.
“Helms was by far the best
option in Denmark,” says Tobias Ettemo, Komatsu Forest’s
head of sales for the Scandinavian market. “They’re going to
concentrate on increasing Valmet forestry machine sales.”r
The disagreement between the USA and
Canada on import
duty is nearing settlement.
The reason is that the USA
has almost halved import duty
on Canadian pinewood, from
20.15 percent to 10.81 percent.
The reduction is a result of
long, hard negotiations in the
North American free trade organization (NAFTA).
Insect attacks
increase logging
More forestlands in
British Columbia on
the Canadian west
coast are available for logging
due to attacks by the mountain pine beetle. The attacks
have led to a decision to increase logging by 27 to 55
percent in different parts of
the province. The increased
logging will continue until at
least 2010 and is a way to limit the ecological and economic consequences of the ravaging insects.
Cloning the world’s
oldest trees
Komatsu Forest wins large orders in Brazil
Forestry machine manufacturer Komatsu Forest’s Brazilian subsidiary
Komatsu Forest Ltda Brazil has received two new orders from the Brazilian forestry companies Aracruz
and Suzano Pulp and Paper. Aracruz,
one of the world’s largest pulp manufacturers, has bought some 20 harvesting machines and about the
same number of harvester heads.
This major order is the second within a year from Aracruz as Komatsu
Forest supplied some 30 machines
in March 2005.
The order from Suzano Pulp and
Paper is for about 20 Valmet 370E
harvester heads to be used by the
company’s subcontractors.
Attempts are being
made in the USA to
clone the world’s oldest trees in “The Champion
Tree Project”. Some time back
the project received a special permit to gather cones
from the world’s oldest tree,
named Methuselah. Seeds
from the 4,770 year-old tree’s
cones have been used to produce new plants. Attempts
will now be made to clone the
plants grown from Methuselah and other extremely old
trees in order to map their genetic codes.
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
13
Thinning
gaining
interest
Thinning is becoming an increasingly important part of forestry
in many parts of the world, but what is the situation in Europe?
I
n Scandinavia, thinning
has slowly increased over
the past fifteen years.
Mechanized thinning has
improved profitability and thereby increased the interest to thin
stands before final logging. The
same trend has been seen in
Central Europe over the past ten
years, albeit with a faster transition to mechanized thinning.
GENERALLY, the further south
one looks in Europe, the greater the number of times a forest
is thinned. In northern Scandinavia forests are thinned once
or twice before final logging,
while in more southern parts of
Scandinavia forests are thinned
three to five times.
“Forests quite simply grow
faster further south, so there’s a
INFO
greater need to thin,” says Mats
Eriksson at the Swedish offices of Swedish forestry company
Stora Enso.
CENTRAL EUROPE has enor-
mous forest reserves, even in
comparison with Scandinavia.
The majority is coniferous, with
spruce dominating the central
and southern regions and pine
and beech the north. Thinning
also increases the further south
one moves through Europe, and
final logging is seldom seen in
Central European forestry.
“In Germany, for example,
about 95 percent of all harvesting is thinning, so there’s enormous thinning potential,” says
Rickard Arnqvist, Fiber Steering Manager at Stora Enso in
Germany.
Thinning
Thinning is a forest management method that aims to improve the
quality of the timber harvested in final logging. Thinning is not carried
out to gain larger timber volumes in a stand, as the total timber volume of a stand remains the same whether or not the forest is thinned.
14
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
Most thinned forest in Scandinavia is pulpwood, about 70
percent, with the remaining 30
percent being timber. In Central Europe roughly the opposite is true and 80 percent is
timber.
“Forests are thinned very
regularly in both Germany and
France. Initial thinning usually
takes place about 25 to 30 years
after planting, and then every
five to seven years thereafter,”
Rickard explains.
SELECTIVE THINNING is
often used in Scandinavia, with
each tree’s quality determining
whether it is removed. The best
trees are left standing while
poor quality trees are harvested, the aim being to increase
the value of the stand at final
logging.
In Central Europe, on the
other hand, tree quality and
condition is only considered
during the initial thinning.
“At that time, about 430 to
570 cubic feet per acre (30 to 40
cubic ˇmeters per hectare) are
harvested to improve the quality, and this initial thinning may
even be completed at a small
loss,” Rickard continues. “Sub-
sequent thinning, however,
usually provides the forest owner with considerable financial
gains.”
The method used in Central
Europe, as Rickard explains,
FOREST TYPES
Pines
Spruce
Pine/Beech
Thinned once or twice
before final logging
Thinned three to five
times before final logging
Most timber harvested through thinning;
almost no final logging
is low thinning, which entails
removing inferior trees that
compete with more desirable
and healthy stems.
Widespread interest in
bioenergy in Scandinavia, as
well as in Central Europe, may
be a factor that has furthered
increased interest in thinning.
“IT MAY EVEN possibly con-
tribute to major changes in the
timber market,” says Rickard.
The bioenergy market could
make it profitable to remove
thinner stems and brushwood
(such as branches and treetops).
“It may be worth thinning a
little earlier, after 20 to 25 years
instead of the current 25 to 30
years, and to thin purely for
bioenergy and not pulpwood,”
he concludes. r
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
15
Thinning is demanding work, but increasingly
more Swedish contractors are realizing there’s a
market for it and that the need is great.
“I believe the need is greatest among private forest
owners,” says contractor Peter Karlsson, who’s
been thinning since the beginning of the 1990s.
Thinning
requires
feeling
P
eter Karlsson’s forestry machine company is called Gallringsproffs AB,
which roughly translates as
‘the thinning professionals’,
and since the beginning of the
1990s between 50 and 100 percent of the work Peter and his
three employees carry out is
thinning.
“Early on we noticed a need
for thinning and it’s slowly
increased over the years,” Peter
explains.
Gallringsproffs AB is based
in the small village of Tvärålund
outside Umeå in northern Sweden. The thinning is carried out
in forestry company Sveaskog’s
forests and in private forests
bought from Sveaskog.
16
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
“The need for thinning is
especially noticeable in the privately-owned forests. About 15
years ago, before thinning was
mechanized, forest owners had
trouble making thinning profitable,” he says.
However, Peter doesn’t foresee any dramatic increase in
thinning, though the need
for bioenergy is expected to
increase in Sweden, as has been
the case in Finland and Central
Europe.
“There are factors that indicate thinning will continue
to increase, but I don’t think
it will be dramatic. Instead I
think thinning volumes will
remain at current levels, or
exhibit a slight increase, in the
short term. On the other hand,
a new opening may arise that
we could call thinning and
clearing. That’s when you thin
very sparse stands all the way
down to the thinnest trees to
produce wood chips.”
IN NORTHERN Sweden, where
Peter’s company operates, forests are only thinned once or
twice before final logging. Of
the thinned volume, about 30
to 35 percent is small timber,
with diameters of 41⁄2 inches
(11–12 centimeters). The rest is
used for pulpwood.
The rubber-tired Valmet 901
snakes its way nimbly through
the dense forest, although the
undergrowth occasionally proves problematic.
Peter shows how the inroads
are spaced every 27 to 38
yards (25 to 35 meters) when
Gallringsproffs AB thins.
receive many small and varied
assignments,” Peter explains.
In the past six months alone
they’ve completed almost 40
thinning assignments, requiring almost 100 work shifts.
“As we have to move the
machine so much, a rubbertired rather than tracked solution is obviously better. And
we rarely see really deep snow
these days,” he continues.
THE INROADS ARE usually
Peter Karlsson says you have to have the right feel to thin properly.
It takes time to learn to choose the right trees with a fast work
tempo, especially in dark, brushy stands.
As often as not, the forest has
never been cleared, which can
lead to substantial undergrowth.
“It’s a real problem when
thinning. We’ve had as many
as 6,000 trees per acre (15,000
trees per hectare) to clear,
which cuts production levels
and risks hose and cable damage,” Peter explains.
Gallringsproffs AB has a
rubber-tired Valmet 901.2 with
a 945 head. A Valmet 840.2 is
used for forwarding.
“We have to be able to handle most work areas because we
spaced at 27 to 38-yard (25 to 35meter) intervals, although Gallringsproffs AB also uses the areas in-between, the harvester
winding its way between stands.
“You have to have a feel for
thinning; you need to remove
the right trees and the right
number of trees.”
And you’ve got to do it fast
– operators don’t have much
time. The dark is another factor
that complicates thinning.
“Thinning is actually more
of an art,” says Peter. “Of
course, you can thin to please
the eye, with just the right distance between every tree. But if
you want to manage the forest
properly, you need to remove
the worst and leave the best
timber, even if it’s not as esthetically pleasing.” r
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
17
komatsuforest.com
They say the world’s largest and
strongest char are found in the
northernmost Quebec waters.
And when the same char almost
capsize the boat during the struggle, we can assume they’re big.
– char country
T
Speckled trout have a
characteristic camouflagepatterned back.
20
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
he yellow plane f lew
slowly over the short,
uneven runway at
North Camp. The pilot checked
the strip to ensure everything
was prepared for the landing.
Turning the plane on a dime
in a f lash, the wing tip almost
grazing the ground, he brought
her down.
It was July 31st and the camp
had just opened for the season. The next three weeks were
about freshwater and seawater
char and lake trout. The rest of
the season the camp acts as a
base for hunting caribou, a wild
deer found in North America.
Having traveled a full day
and f lown the last leg over the
tundra, dotted with thousands
of lakes, we were itching to wet
our lines. Our fishing fever
peaked when David unfolded a
1:50,000 scale map of the area.
“This is char country,” he
said.
WE’D SOON GOT our tackle
together and boarded the boat.
David cranked up the engine
and our aluminum boat danced through the choppy waters.
After little more than a half
hour we reached the first fishing ground; a few hundred
yards of rapids and deep pools
between two large lakes.
With a trailing wind it was
easy to lay our streamers across
the entire river. Jon got the first
bite, at the edge of the river
on the other side. A powerful
fish that quickly moved into
the strongest current. After a
few minutes it began to come
toward our side, hugging the
bottom of the crystal clear
waters. It tried to get back to
the strong current, but Jon forced it into shallower waters.
“Isjura itaag!” shouted David in the Inuit language as the
fish rolled on the surface, dis-
I was about to land a 5-pound
fish, a giant appeared from the
deep, fast-moving river and
snapped its crocodile-like jaws
around my fish. The giant spun
and disappeared into the rapids.
And there it stayed; I could do
nothing. I felt my hooked fish
trying to break loose, or was it
the giant shaking it? The rod
jerked for a few more seconds,
then the fish were gone – along
with my f ly.
“Lucky you didn’t catch that
one,” David joked. “Live bait’s
not allowed.”
THE NEXT DAY the wind had
playing its sand-colored, speckled side.
“Lake trout,” he clarified in
English.
In these waters they can
weigh as much as 30 pounds,
and although we didn’t catch
any such monsters, we landed
several 7–9 pound specimens.
They were strong, but didn’t
race for any longer periods. We
kept two and released the rest.
WE CONTINUED TO another
short river, and bagged one lake
trout after the other. David said
there were larger fish to be had,
and proved to be right. Just as
picked up, so David had to
rethink the day’s fishing and
took us to other grounds. With
impressive local knowledge,
David captained the aluminum
boat through extremely shallow waters to avoid the gale-force winds and we soon reached a
new stretch of river.
“I’ve never fished in these
rapids,” David admitted. “And
it’s possible that no one else has
fished here either.”
I’ve heard such statements
at other fishing grounds, only
to find an empty beer can and
tossed cigarette packet a little
later. But out in Quebec’s tundra, I believed David.
The stretch contained white
rapids and was full of large
rocks providing great spots
from which to fish. Once we’d
caught and released a few lake
trout, Jon landed the first char
under a small waterfall.
We changed tactic and
moved from streamers to large
stonef ly nymphs. This resulted
in many 1–4 pound fish. The
largest weighed 8 or 9 pounds
and were great fighters.
A few days later we returned
to the same spot, and after no
more than 30 minutes I was
once again forced to grip the
rod with both hands. The fish
felt as heavy as a freight train.
After racing for no more than
ten seconds, it had put 190
yards of line between us. Lucky
it stopped there, as my large
reel held a total of 200 yards.
Another ten minutes passed
and I still had no control over
the fish, although we did get
our first glimpse. It was a char,
with a blood-red belly, speckled sides, and an enormously
broad back.
Two more long runs and the
fish seemed to be tamed. I tried
to edge the fish toward David’s
landing net, but it spun round
and made its way to the shallow
creek, its back high above the
surface.
DAVID REACTED FAST. Like
a mountain goat he hopped
from rock to rock, punched the
net into the water and lifted the
monster fish to safety. It was a
sea trout; one of the migratory trout that arrived last fall, but
not ready to spawn it had stayed
in the river to spawn the coming
fall. The scale read almost 16
pounds.
Air Canada charged me 135
dollars for my frozen hand luggage, but it was worth every
cent! r
Nunavik – char country and the land
of the Inuit in northernmost Canada.
The author with his magnificent
16-pound saltwater trout.
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
21
ProTec enters
new areas
ProTec, Valmet’s
protected hose solution,
has been a success on
forwarders. Now new
application areas have
been found for ProTec.
One of the largest
contract wood chipping
companies in the US is
investing in ProTec.
T
he Price Companies,
Inc., one of the largest contract wood
chipping companies
in the US, has bought a Valmet
ProTec for one of its Log Loaders.
US company The Price
Companies uses Valmet ProTec
on a log loader used to load
and unload timber at one of the
company’s chipping mills.
“When I was at Elmia Wood
in Sweden and saw ProTec I
realized its potential immediately,” says John P Price, CEO
of The Price Companies.
The Log Loader that we have
fitted with Valmet ProTec is
used to load and unload timber
at one of the company’s chipping mills. A widespread problem for The Price Companies
is excessive downtown due to
damaged hydraulic hosing on
grapples.
Price expects ProTec’s fullyprotected hose routing and the
braking function, which reduces grapple swing, to eliminate
the lion’s share of downtime
and speed work.
“If the grapple proves sufficiently strong and reliable, we’ll
most probably invest in 30 to 40
ProTec-equipped Valmet grapples,” John concludes. r
New forwarder software suite
There’s a new software suite for
Valmet forwarders, MaxiForwarder
4.6. Better production reports and an
improved user interface
are a couple of the new
features.
M
axiForwarder
4.6 is the new
version of the
software suite
for the Valmet 840.3, 860.3, and
890.3 forwarders. The new soft-
22
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
ware suite is a standard component and includes a number of
interesting new features.
ONE OF THE MOSt important
new features is that MaxiForwarder 4.6 supports engine control of the new TIER 3 engines.
Another improvement is the
driving mode user interface,
which has an easier to read
and more esthetic design. Production and operational follow-up functionality has been
improved in the new user interface and the software also sup-
ports an A4 printer, a space for
which already exists in the cab.
Production reports have been
improved and MaxiForwarder 4.6 can report both volumes
and weights. Control panel button placement has been optimized to aid navigation. With
MaxiForwarder 4.6 all menu
navigation is carried out using
the right control panel and the
most frequently used buttons
are now nearer the joysticks.
OTHER SMALL details, but still
of great importance, are the
improvements in overload handling. The alarm can now be
canceled and the overload limits
differentiated between driving
and standing still. The differential steering has been refined to
allow the delay before the differential disengages when the
machine comes to a standstill to
be set between 1 and 5 seconds.
THE SOFTWARE suite is not
currently available for aftermarket sales. Operational and production follow-up is, as before,
an optional extra. r
Valmet system honored with
distinguished Finnish award
Contractor Sakari Kulju
has been awarded
Finland’s most prestigious innovation prize,
INNOFINLAND, which
is awarded annually
by Finland’s president.
Sakari received the
prize for the development of the BioEnergy
wood chipper unit,
which is a part of a new
Valmet system.
K
omatsu Forest’s collaborative partner Sakari Kulju is a contractor and CEO of the company Biologistikka Oy. Together with Komatsu Forest Sakari has developed a machine system for wood chips. The system
is based on a Valmet 801 Combi
with a chipper mounted on the
front. Compressed air is used
to transport the chips through
a 12-inch tube to a chip tank
mounted on the bunk, a tank
which can hold almost 1,000
cubic feet (28 cubic meters).
larger stems can be left on the
ground to be picked up by a forwarder. When the tank is full it’s
quickly emptied into a forwarder
by loosening two screws on the
tank bottom.
“I spent a great deal of time
thinking up the best possible design. When the prototype was finally constructed,
it proved to be an unbelievably
good machine right off the bat,”
explains Sakari.
SO FAR INTEREST in the Val-
met 801 Combi BioEnergy is
phenomenal. Several machine
systems have been ordered by
contractors in Finland and two
deliveries have already been
made. Interest has also been
shown in Germany and Sweden. The reasons for the great
interest include the extensive
need for thinning, for which
the machine is perfect, and
European investments in bioenergy. r
THE HARVESTER head has two
cutters – a shear for small stems
and a bar saw for larger stems –
making it possible to saw broader trees and quickly cut thinner trees. The head is fitted with
an accumulator for holding cut
trees in the head while more are
cut. The head can grip up to ten
smaller trees at once. The saw
blades are well protected and
housed in the same head, separated by 1¾ inches (4.5 centimeters). The harvester head
sits on the combi’s 36-foot (11meter) boom and feeds smaller trees into the chipper. Any
Sakari Kulju receiving the
INNOFINLAND prize for innovation from Finnish president
Tarja Halonen.
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
23
TIPS AND ADVICE
Just Forest plans to use this space to publish practical tips and advice for users of Valmet foresting machines.
The editors are happy to publish any ideas you may have. Please submit any tips or questions to [email protected].
Don’t forget the filter
Proper cab air filtering is an important aspect of the work
environment, although knowing exactly when to replace
the filter isn’t always easy. Now there’s an indicator to help
you keep track of when to replace the filter. And that’s good
for both the operator work environment and running costs.
Moreover, if you select Valmet’s high purity air filters even
the very smallest particles and harmful gases are removed. A standard filter removes harmful particles down to
a size of 5 microns while Valmet high purity air filters are
of micro filter quality and can therefore remove particles
down to a size of 0.1 microns.
Valmet’s new automatic indicator measures the pressure
inside the cab. If the filter is replaced too seldom, there’s a
risk of the cab pressure dropping below atmospheric pressure, which can cause operator fatigue. If the filter is replaced too often, it’s an unnecessary expense. With the automatic indicator you gain the optimal replacement interval,
taking advantage of the filter’s full service life.
Valmet’s high purity air filters and automatic indicator
are available for all forwarder and harvester models.
...or oil sample analysis
30
25
EXTERNAL CONDITIONS always affect a machine’s
hydraulic oils. There’s a risk, for example, of the oil being contaminated by water or dirt, which increases
wear and can even cause pump failure. Consequently,
oil samples should be taken every 500 hours and carefully analyzed. The samples are sent to an independent
laboratory for analysis with the results returned to the
customer who, via the Internet, can review the analysis
and laboratory comments together with their dealer.
All to increase technical efficiency and prevent breakdowns and unnecessary service.
ppm
20
15
10
5
0
1000
2000
3000
Running time (h)
24
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
4000
5000
THE
CAB
– a safe place
The cab is the safest
place on a forestry
machine. A Valmet cab
can withstand a force
from above equivalent to at least twice the
machine’s weight.
T
he cab is the safest
place for the operator in
the event of an accident.
All Komatsu Forest machines
are fitted with advanced safety cabs, which means the entire
construction is designed to protect the operator from external
safety risks.
IN TERMS OF SAFETY, the
cab includes three types of protection: ROPS, FOPS, and OPS.
ROPS stands for Roll Over Protection Security and means the
cab will withstand the forces
acting on the top of the cab if
the machine rolls over or is hit
by a falling object. FOPS stands
for Falling Object Protection
Security and focuses on making the cab able to withstand
falling objects. OPS stands for
Object Penetration Security and
means protection against entry
of dangerous objects into the
cab – be it from the front, the
back, or the side.
Valmet harvesters are fitted
with 15 mm (19/32”) thick safety glass manufactured from
polycarbonate while forwarders
are fitted with 12 mm (15/32”)
thick safety glass. During the
safety tests the windows are
subjected to a force equivalent
to a log hitting the window.
Protection against broken chain
projectiles is achieved by a combination of safety glass and a
broken chain projectile guard
fitted to the head. r
VALMET CABS are manufac-
tured in Finland, where rigorous safety tests are conducted by a third party, an independent test institute. The testing includes ensuring the cabs
can withstand the forces arising if the machine rolls over.
This means, for example, that
the cab construction must withstand a force from above of double the machine’s weight. The
tests also ensure the cab can
withstand a direct hit from a
falling object, such as a tree.
The rigorous cab safety tests are conducted by an independent
test institute in Finland. The testing includes ensuring the cabs can
withstand the forces arising if the machine rolls over.
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
25
Certification benefits
In Sweden the major forestry companies
are way ahead in certifying the loggers
they contract. For the loggers certification
means improved business organization
and ensures that they meet the requirements the forestry companies place on
suppliers.
P
lacing requirements on
loggers is nothing new
among forestry companies. Doing so systematically,
however, is becoming increasingly common in Sweden. The
company SCA Skog has gone
the furthest with its own certification standard, ‘SCA Certified Logger’, which it developed
at the end of the 1990s.
“The main driving force
behind the certification program was the reasoning that
if we do not have capable loggers then we cannot live up to
our customers’ expectations
and demands. One example of
such demands is FSC certification, which includes demands
on environmental and social
responsibility,” explains Mårten
Larsson, head of technology &
operations development at SCA
Skog.
CERTIFYING ALL contrac-
tors, however, is a long process
for SCA and so far about 30 percent of their contractors have
been certified, accounting for
about 40 percent of their harvest. As in all such matters, a
few contractors were quick to
adopt certification, some waited to see how things developed,
and a few were simply less favorably inclined. As more and
more contractors have been certified the balance has shifted
and contractors are beginning
to see the advantages of certification. This has been emphasized by the Swedish forestry
Do certified forestry contractors gain an advantage?
MATS DAHLGEN,
RUSKSELE SKOGSMASKIN AB ,
has certified two work teams, a
process he began two years ago.
The company has seven Valmet
machines and sixteen employees.
“We’re much better organized
now, although we haven’t reaped
the full financial benefits yet as
there’ve been some changes in
personnel. I think it was worth the
investment. Although certification
involves a lot of work, I learned a
great deal.”
26
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
JOHNNY DAHLQVIST,
J DAHLQVIST SKOG AB , who was the
first certified contractor at SCA Skog. The
company has seven Valmet machines and
twelve employees.
“The best part of certification is the
structure we’ve gained at the company.
We’ve got a good division of responsibility
among our employees. And certification
has provided financial benefits. At first I
was a little wary, before the process was
finalized, but now I realize we couldn’t
have grown as much as we have if we
hadn’t reworked our operations.”
everyone
contractors’ trade organization
SMF/Skogsentreprenörerna,
which often provides assistance
during the certification process, which can take up to a year.
Certification involves thoroughly reviewing operations, documenting everything, and training staff.
“Certification provides contractors with a better business structure,” says Ulf Sandström at SMF/Skogsentreprenörerna. “It’s about getting
things in order and ensuring
that employees know what they
have to do.”
CERTIFICATION INVOLVES ,
for example, setting production
goals, drafting work instructions, and allocating work tasks.
More simply, it’s about taking
control of operations from start
to finish. The cultural and environmental aspects are important too.
“If a contractor is certified,
meeting other environmental
requirements is not a problem,”
says Mårten. “This is important because we guarantee our
end-customers that we conduct
environmentally responsible
forestry.”
Both Mårten and Ulf emphasize that certification strengthens contractors’ management
INFO
skills and contributes to developing companies toward financially sustainability. Simply put,
a certified contractor should
have better chances of improving profitability. r
SCA Certified Logger
SCA’s certification program was established at the end
of the 1990s. In the initial phase a number of questions
about the company are answered, after which a development plan is prepared. The certification process takes
about a year and certified companies are reviewed every
two years.
ULF SANDSTRÖM,
MÅRTEN LARSSON,
REGIONAL MANAGER FOR SMF/
HEAD OF TECHNOLOGY & OPER-
SKOGSENTREPRENÖRERNA’S NORTH-
ATIONS DEVELOPMENT AT SCA
E rn district, who has assisted forestry con-
SKOG and one of the people behind
tractors in obtaining SCA certification.
“One result of reviewing operations
is an improved work environment. I also
believe that certification leads to better
management. It’s clearly a profitable move
and certified companies gain competitive
advantages, especially in the current market where most work is put out to tender.”
the development of the company’s
certification program.
“A major improvement we see is
in management, and contractors gain
structure in their operations. Generally we also see improved financial
development among certified companies. For us it’s a long-term solution
wherein we too take responsibility and
respect our counterparts.”
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
27
Satellite
Remote machine
diagnostics
New exciting technology has made its
entry into the construction industry, allowing
machines to be monitored remotely. The
technology, in which
Komatsu Forest’s parent
company Komatsu Ltd.
leads development,
could be seen in the
forestry machines of the
future.
I
nformation and communication technologies
are developing rapidly in the machine industry. Komatsu Ltd. of Japan has
developed a system called Komtrax for construction machines.
The system delivers machine
status information such as hour
meter readings, GPS coordinates, and alarm signals without the need for a mechanic
to be onsite. The system comprises an electronic communications unit mounted on
the machine and connected
to a GPS receiver to read the
machine’s coordinates from
GPS satellites and a transmitter
to send operating information.
The unit is also connected to
the machine’s CANbus network
and, since the machine already
has a built-in data network,
very little adaptation is required
– the enormous amounts of
information passing through
the network can simply be forwarded through the system. As
28
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
a comparison, consider a Valmet harvester, which has some
30 sensors feeding the data network with information about
important machine functions.
In principle, only systems development and data management
limit what can be achieved in
the future, and this applies to
the forestry industry as well
where a similar system could be
of interest.
GSM
Server
KOMATSU uses various meth-
ods for sending the information, although satellite communication is the most common and secure method. Cell
phone networks are generally
not a viable alternative as many
machines are used in areas
that lack cellular network coverage. Data sent via communication satellites is picked up by
a receiver and stored in a database somewhere in the world.
A regular PC can be used to
log on to the database over the
Internet to check a machine’s
service status.
THE SYSTEM OFFERS many
advantages for those who can
use the information. Machine
owners gain theft-protection
Client PC
Web browser
through GPS tracking. Service
providers can plan service visits
based on machine location and
operating time, ensure timely preventative maintenance,
and provide better support with
access to detailed machine
information.
“The greatest challenge is
managing the information to
provide the most benefit without crossing the line for personal integrity. We need to consid-
er what we want to achieve and
always view the system from
the customer perspective,” says
Per Annemalm, product manager at Komatsu Forest. “We’re
constantly seeing increased
numbers of service agreements
and remote diagnostics offers
great advantages. Machine service providers can offer improved
support and use remote monitoring to ensure timely maintenance and service intervals.” r
Reforestation of the 320,000 acres (130,000 hectares) of forestland destroyed by the storm that struck
Sweden in January 2005 will soon begin in areas where owners are obliged to reforest.
Time to replant
A safe bet or spread
your risks? The 320,000
acres (130,000 hectares)
of forestland ravaged
by the storm that hit
Sweden in January
2005 are to be reforested; forest that will once
again be at risk from
a major storm. So how
should the landowners
play their cards?
I
n December 1999, one of
the worst storms seen in
Europe caused widespread
damage to forests in Central
Europe. In France, Germany,
and Switzerland some 7 billion cubic feet (almost 200 million cubic meters) of forest were
windthrown or otherwise damaged. The regular combined
annual cut in these countries at
that time was only 20 percent
greater at 8.5 billion cubic feet
(240 million cubic meters). In
France more than three times
the annual cut fell, while in
Germany the figure was 75 percent of the annual cut.
The storm in January last
year brought down about 2.5
billion cubic feet (70 million
cubic meters) of timber in Sweden, the most affected country, equal to the annual cut.
This spring and summer reforestation of the 320,000 acres
(130,000 hectares) of forestland
will begin in areas where owners are obliged to reforest.
“Replanting must start this
spring,” says Eric Agestam,
senior lecturer in silviculture at
the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. “The problems with clearing new vegetation will only get worse the
longer landowners wait.”
AFTER THE STORM in Cen-
tral Europe many landowners
decided to replant with a different mix of trees, adding more
deciduous species. Eric believes
many Swedish landowners will
follow this example.
“It’s a way to spread your
risks in case another storm
hits,” he says. “Deciduous trees
aren’t as susceptible to storms,
in part because they don’t usu-
ally grow as tall as spruce, but
mostly because they are bare in
winter.”
THE SWEDISH government
has decided to earmark SEK
450 million (USD 57 million)
in grants to assist landowners
reforest over a three-year period. Exactly how the grants will
be distributed is as yet undecided, although the Swedish
National Board of Forestry has
proposed that some of the grant
money be allocated to increase
diversity, which means reforestation with more deciduous species.
“This will mainly mean
birch and aspen as the soil in
southern Sweden is generally too poor for more high-grade
broadleaf species,” says Eric.
Spruce will continue to be
(by far) the most dominant species, however, and is a safe bet
for most landowners as it is
more resistant to damage from
wildlife and generates greater timber volumes than other
species.
“It’s a shame more landowners don’t choose to also plant,
or naturally regenerate, pine.
Pine may run a greater risk of
damage from grazing elk and
the like, but it’s also a valuable wood that demands a higher price than spruce,” Eric concludes. r
After the storm that hit Sweden
in January 2005 many landowners decided to replant with a
different mix of trees, adding
more deciduous species.
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
29
Keep your eyes peeled – forestry
machines may soon be sporting head-up
displays. Together with Komatsu Forest,
the Swedish research institute Skogforsk
and Linköping University of Technology
have examined whether tomorrow’s
forestry machines could be equipped
with head-up displays (HUDs).
LOOK UP!
T
he displays on today’s
forestry machines
provide a great deal
of numerical information and are positioned relatively low, which can force the
operator to break eye contact
with the grapple or head to read
the displayed information.
“The operator’s eyes are
forced to refocus from a point at
30
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
about eight to ten meters away to
the in-cab display, which is both
tiring and takes time,” explains
Björn Löfgren at Skogforsk.
TO STUDY POSSIBLE future
display designs Skogforsk,
together with Linköping University of Technology and
Komatsu Forest, initiated a
research project to examine
whether head-up displays projected onto the front windshield
could be an alternative.
“It proved very interesting,”
says Björn. “We believe HUDs
can provide great advantages in
operator comfort and productivity.”
The project focused on a
head-up display that could
present the most essential
information while the traditional display remained in place for
machine and GPS data.
THREE CONCEPTS were test-
ed, each with a different interface. One concept was similar
to the current interface while
the other two replaced numerical information with symbols where possible. Impor-
MAY WE ASK…
…REGIS JUTIER,
head of Komatsu France
forestry machine division
How well did Valmet
forestry machines sell
in France in 2005?
Very well. The market’s expanding and we increased our share
substantially. Taken as a whole,
the French forestry machine market sees about 200 sales a year.
Why is the market
growing?
tant information objects were
placed more centrally and in a
larger format and all three concepts simplified the traditional
interface, as the operator’s field
of vision should not be clouded
with too much information.
THE THREE concepts were test-
ed by a test operator in a forestry machine simulator.
“Overall, the test operator
thought the interface concepts
for the HUD worked well,”
reports Björn. “The operator
found it easier to see changes in the display without losing eye contact with the grapple. He even thought it useful
to have cross-cutting informa-
tion on the HUD with machine
and operator information still
on the traditional display.”
One aspect that the test
operator identified as a great
improvement over the existing
interface was tree assortment
changes and symbols. The test
operator found assortment
changes more easily comprehensible, especially as the actual location and not just figures
is presented.
“We can also note that Valmet’s rotating cabs provide a big
advantage when using a headup display as the driver always
works looking through the same
windshield,” says Björn.
If and when head-up dis-
plays become a reality in forestry machines is difficult to say.
The technology is already used
in some passenger cars, but as
forestry machines are produced
in much smaller numbers the
cost may prove prohibitive.
“We’re going to start a new
project with the same partners
where we’ll take an inventory
of exactly what technologies are
available and which ones could
be of interest for further development,” reports Björn. “We
need to conduct a large number
of user trials as well to document the advantages of headup displays, so it will be a few
years before the manufacturers
make any decisions.” r
France has the third largest total forest area in Central Europe.
At present we’re seeing increased
mechanization, from a relatively
low level of 50-55 percent mechanized harvesting. However, we
do have a great deal of deciduous
forest, with massive oaks, for example, which means there’ll always be a combination of manual and mechanized felling. I’d estimate that mechanization will increase to 70 percent of all harvesting within ten years.
Another interesting element is
plantation forestry, for which we
sold a Valmet 941 to harvest poplar stands.
What can you expect
this year?
We believe sales will continue to
increase. And we expect to sell
roughly the same numbers of forwarders and harvesters, which
has been the trend in France in
recent years. Previously, forwarders represented about 60 percent
of sales, but now we’re even seeing great interest in smaller harvesters like the Valmet 901.
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
31
Flaws in windthrown
timber
More than half the
trees blown down
in the storm that hit
southern Sweden in January
2005 are affected by a new
type of crack. Researchers at
Växjö University in Sweden
discovered heartwood cracks.
Such cracks are normally
found in timber from old forests. The cracks are difficult to
discover, but can affect timber
strength.
Grapples are one of the fastest growing ProSelect products.
Decline in interest in
forestry jobs in USA
Fewer and fewer people are applying for
state forestry jobs in
the USA, according to Today’s
News. The decline isn’t only
in the number of applicants
for openings. Fewer people
are studying vocational courses within forestry and game
preservation. The recruitment
problem is set to worsen in
conjunction with large numbers of state employees retiring over the coming years.
Indonesia increases
logging
Indonesia plans to increase logging by 30
percent in 2006 compared with 2005. The idea is
to improve the health of the
country’s forestry industry, to
reduce illegal logging, and to
increase exports revenue. Until now, many industries have
been forced to use lower quality timber than desired, which
increased logging will help
rectify. Despite this, there’s a
risk that as many as 30,000
will be put out of work at sawmills, furniture manufacturers, and the like as the forestry production apparatus can
not keep up with manufacturing industry demand.
32
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
Grapple sales
success
Komatsu Forest’s
grapple sales have
increased 30 percent
since they were added
to the ProSelect product
group. Valmet grapples
are being purchased by
owners of many equipment brands as replacements for worn, less
productive units.
K
omatsu Forest has
long developed
load handling systems with cranes
and grapples of different sizes for the various Valmet for-
warders. Cranes and grapples
were previously marketed under
a different brand name, but as
of last year’s Elmia Wood convention they’ve been marketed
under the Valmet brand.
“The addition of our Valmet
grapples to the ProSelect range
has been a great success. Targeted marketing efforts have
increased sales by 30 percent,”
reports Jörgen Nilsson, head of
ProSelect at Komatsu Forest.
HE EMPHASIZES the high
quality of the Valmet grapple
series, which offers seven dif-
ferent models from the G20
to the G40 HD. Komatsu Forest has gained a larger share of
the grapple market by emphasizing the quality of ProSelect
products.
“Customers feel more secure
when they fit a Valmet grapple
on their forwarders,” continues
Jörgen. “It feels good to sell the
grapples with our own branding
as Komatsu Forest has always
owned the products and is
responsible for the designs. And
these are extremely reliable grapples completely up to the task no
matter what the size class.” r
ANECDOTAL
Under this heading, Just Forest will print anecdotes and stories from then and now. The editor will be happy to receive
ideas for publication. Send your tips or stories to [email protected].
Newly
bathed
THERE ARE NO right or wrongs ways. Or are there?
There are certainly plenty of ways to clean your forestry
machine, but a dip in a lake probably
isn’t too common. This bathing beauty, a Valmet 941, belongs to Alve Leonsson Skogsmaskiner AB and was
captured on film in a lake a few miles
outside Torsby in central Sweden.
Personalized
machine
THIS BEAUTIFUL SIGHT met Swedish Valmet mechanic Leif Olofsson when
he stepped out of the woods to give UGB Skogsservice’s new Valmet 840.2 its
100-hour inspection. Keep sending your pictures of well-decorated Valmet machines to [email protected].
Change of address
Is your magazine delivered to the wrong address? Has your magazine failed to turn up? Or do you simply
know more people who wish to receive Just Forest? Please contact your nearest sales office.
Australia
Joanne Johnson
[email protected]
Fax +61 2 9647 2540
Finland
Antero Siuro
[email protected]
Fax +358 32658324
Spain
Cesar Sanchez
[email protected]
Fax +34 986 58 23 89
Brazil
Marilia dos Santos
[email protected]
Fax +55 41 3667 31 00
France
Martine Thuriault
[email protected]
Fax +00 33 130 905 144
Sweden
Veronica Kjellen
[email protected]
Fax +46 171 41 67 80
Chile
Alfonso Solar
[email protected]
Fax +56 41 92 53 55
Italy
Fabrizio da Fré
[email protected]
Fax +39 0438 430115
Germany
Silke Brückner
[email protected]
Fax +49 7454 960218
England
Stewart MacGregor
[email protected]
Fax +44 1228 792388
Norway
Mona Andersson
[email protected]
Fax +47 62572954
USA
Nate Burton
[email protected]
Fax +1 715 524 7833
JUST FOREST NO 1 • 2006
33
Komatsu Forest AB
Box 7124,
SE-907 04 Umeå
Sweden
New Valmet MaxiHarvester 3.8
– gives your harvester superior measurement precision
MaxiHarvester 3.8 is a completely new program suite with many new and innovative functions. One of them is regression
calibration. Valmet is the first machine manufacturer to offer faster calibration with greater precision. The entire diameter interval is calibrated with a minimum of calipered trees. Another new feature is a function to quickly and simply edit
pricelists. Simply click in the menu to edit a pricelist. The file is then saved and the cross-cutting computer is automatically updated. MaxiHarvester 3.8 also supports the new procedure for quality-assured harvester measurement which
improves the accuracy of harvester measurement data created by the machine and its operator. Naturally, the new software suite follows the standard for .pri files. But more than that. With MaxiHarvester 3.8, handling .stm files for control
measurements has never been easier. Two clicks and the stem profile is saved to the hard drive.
komatsuforest.com