Optimizing machine performance

I N T E R N A T I O N A L
F O R E S T R Y
M A G A Z I N E
Issue 2•2006 English
Optimizing
machine
performance
I N N O VAT I O N
STRONG IN SOUTH AMERICA
BIOENERGY AND BIOFUEL
–3
F O R ES T R Y
M A G A Z I N E
Tomi Aho
Bo Bäckström
INTERNAT I O N A L
Happy owner of a 970D
Contractor Aimo Säynäjoki from Central
Finland can’t find anything to complain
about his new 970D harvester.
page 16
Better performance,
better value
Due to service and maintenance agreements operators can concentrate on
logging and making a profit.
Johan Gunséus
page 10
Turning logging residues
into bioenergy and biofuel
Energy and process industries are expected to make major investments
in the production of green power and heat as well as biofuels for
transportation. page 6
From cab to office
A new and improved TimberLink performance and condition monitoring system
is on the way. The productivity analysis
cand be conducted also at the office.
page 18
Editorial
4
From Cab to Office
4
TimberLink provided explanation for
higher consumption
6
Turning logging residues into bioenergy
and biofuel
10
Better performance, better value
12
From excavator to forest machine
15
Happy owner of a 970D
16
The right head for the job
17
Experience – a must in Siberia
19
Stability on the slopes
20
Service is top priority for family-owned
Italian business
22
Looking for a used machine?
23
Silver medallist Mika Kallio moves up to
the 250cc class
24
Trade fairs and exhibitions in 2007
in the forest is a copyright magazine published two times a year in English, French, German,
Portugese, Russian and Spanish. The magazine circulation is about 45,000. The opinions
expressed by the authors or persons interviewed do not necessarily reflect the views of John
Deere. Material may be reprinted with permission by contacting www.JohnDeere.com.
ISSN 1795-2573
publisher John Deere Forestry Group 1515 5th Ave. Moline, Illinois 61266-8806
www.JohnDeere.com Free subscription and address changes See Continental
Divisions on page 31. Editor-in-Chief Timo Salomaa Contributors We would like to
thank everyone who has contributed to the magazine Editors Compositor Oy Lay-out
Neutron Design Printing Libris, Helsinki, Finland COVER PHOTO Johan Gunséus
Strong position in
the South American
forestry market
Disgraf
3
Harvesting is a growing business in South
America today.
Primarily in warm
and humid climates,
eucalyptus plantations are expanding
at high annual rates,
particularly in Brazil,
Chile and Uruguay as
well as in Argentina.
A further contributing factor to
this growth are the
sophisticated genetic programs being developed by most of the large
eucalyptus growers. Pulp and paper companies are the major planters.
Concurrently, the demand for nutrients imposed on the soil is one
of the major challenges to ensure sustainability. Leaving the bark,
branches and leaves in the stand is a solution being sought by most of
the forest companies as a means to recycle important nutrients back to
the soil. John Deere is contributing significantly to this goal by offering
customers a variety of eucalyptus heads that provide excellent processing and debarking efficiency. In addition, the development of more efficient, purpose-built equipment is required and john Deere is responding
by producing new models.
Through our dealers we are also actively participating in the development of eucalyptus and pine thinning projects through advising on
the most economic solutions and by proving the effectiveness of these
solutions to users before major investments are made. The John Deere South America Distribution Center started operations in Alphaville, São Paulo, Brazil in 1996. From the start, the
Center we have been working very closely with major forestry companies in the development of harvesting solutions.
Products are distributed in Brazil through John Deere Equipamentos
do Brasil Ltda., while in Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Venezuela, the
products are distributed by an independent dealership organization. All
dealers have extensive experience in full-service contracts and they are
strategically located close to customers’ operations.
John Deere listens to its customers very carefully. Our employees
have an ingrained sense of ownership and responsibility for the business,
which ensures that customers and dealers receive the fastest response,
with all efforts focused on exceeding their expectations. This entrepreneurial “personality,” combined with the range of value-for-money John
Deere forestry products, is the key driving force in securing the leading
position in South America. In the future, we at the John Deere South America Distribution
Center will continue to offer the most efficient and economic solutions
by offering the most cost-effective purpose-built equipment and tools on
the market.
Emilio Sabetta
Marketing & Sales Director – Latin America
–5
INTERNAT I O N A L
F O R ES T R Y
M A G A Z I N E
Henrik Augustsson at Vormsele Entreprenad AB thought his harvesters were
consuming too much fuel. John Deere
took the problem seriously and drove a
similar machine to the worksite. All values
on both machines were synchronized and
the same driver drove both machines
performing varying tasks. After the
work shift, the values of the two
machines’ TimberLinks were
compared and the conclusion was that there was
nothing wrong
with Henrik’s
machine.
FROM CAB
TO OFFICE
A
ll the new John Deere cut-to-length harvesters are equipped with the TimberLink monitoring system. If the harvester’s performance decreases, the productivity drops or the condition deteriorates, this add-on software application for the
Timbermatic 300 control system knows where the problem is and helps to quickly bring
the machine’s productivity and operating costs back on track.
For a year now, harvester operators have been able to click open TimberLink in the
cab to ensure optimal machine performance. They can also change settings to optimize
the machine’s performance for the specific site.
As of next year, the TimberLink data can also be analyzed at the office.
”Operators must be able to check TimberLink to verify that everything is in order
with the machine, but it is more efficient and natural to carry out the detailed analysis
work in an office environment,” says Development Manager Arto Peltomaa from John
Deere. ”The data can be transferred from the machine to the office by email or with a
USB flash drive.”
At the office, the contractor can compare the
performance of his different machines and verify
that every harvester is operating optimally. Finding the optimal values and settings results in fuel
savings and a longer service life for components.
At the moment, TimberLink is used mostly in
Sweden and Finland, but the reputation of the
new application is spreading around the world
and has reached all the way to the eucalyptus logging sites in Uruguay.
Read on to find out how TimberLink increased
productivity and uptime and cut operating costs
of the Swedish contractor Henrik Augustsson’s
1070D harvester.
At the beginning of next year a
detailed productivity analysis can
be conducted also at the office.
TimberLink
provided
explanation
for higher
consumption
TEXT: Wesa Lehto PHOTOS: Johan Gunséus
TEXT: Tiia Teronen/ Compositor PHOTOS: Johan Gunséus
A new and improved TimberLink performance and condition
monitoring system for forest machines is on the way. Operators
will still be able to check the performance and condition data
from the cab of their harvester, but at the beginning of next year
it will also be possible to conduct a more detailed productivity
analysis at the office.
”T
he explanation for the increase
in fuel consumption was quite
simple. It turns out that we use the machine more effectively than is normal. I
was convinced and it was just a matter of
admitting that there was nothing wrong with
the machine, but that it was the adjustments
that increase power that caused the problem.
Without TimberLink, we would never have
solved this,” says Henrik, fully convinced.
Henrik and his three employees work in
two shifts and the machines are in operation
from 6.00 a.m. until midnight. Henrik works
in a tough branch where profit margins are
continually declining. This means that Henrik’s machines must produce more, without
interruptions and as optimally as possible to
increase profitability. To succeed, he actively
uses TimberLink.
Optimize the machine’s performance
“The first advantage with TimberLink is
that it helps me to optimize the machine’s
performance so that it produces 100 percent
all the time. It detects small changes would
never have been discovered by the naked
eye. For example, there could be a hydraulic
valve with a small leak and could lead to the
machine consuming one liter fuel more per
hour. By using TimberLink, I could see how
the valves worked earlier and in this way
detect the fault,” says Henrik.
“I usually say that TimberLink conducts
health checks on the machine on a regular
basis. It reveals directly if it is not working
exactly as it should. Since profit margins are
small, it is very important that the machine
is always in perfect condition and produces
the maximum. If minor percentage savings
are implemented in several places, it could
add up to a substantial amount of money.
Without Timberlink, it would be easy for
money to run down the drain without anyone noticing,” he continues.
Changes machines frequently
Vormsele Entreprenad AB was established
in 1981 and is owned by Henrik Augustsson
and his father Karl-Gunnar Augustsson. The
company is a subcontractor to the government-owned forestry company, Sveaskog AB,
and is operational within Lycksele municipality. The company has three employees and
two machines, of which one is a John Deere
1070D harvester. Henrik changes machines
quite frequently to always have access to the
most recent technology.
”The machines certainly have a long
ser­vice life, but my philosophy is to change
them every four years. Technology is continually developing, which means that I can
additionally enhance efficiency by using the
latest technology,” says Henrik Augustsson.
–7
TEXT: Auli Packalen/ Compositor ILLUSTRATION: Topi Saari PHOTO: Bo Bäckström
INTERNAT I O N A L
F O R ES T R Y
M A G A Z I N E
Turning logging residues into
bioenergy
and biofuel
Biofuels are starting
to be so competitive
that major investments
in the production of
green power and heat
as well as biofuels for
transportation are
expected from the
energy and process
industries.
V
arious forest biomass and agrobiomass
as well as waste have been used to
produce energy for some time, but
wide-scale use has not been economically
attractive enough. Now the profitability
outlook is more promising than perhaps ever
before.
The energy industry can easily increase
the share of biofuels in power and heat
production and replace fossil fuels and, for
example, peat. Many producers of motor fuels
have reported investments in the production
capacity of so-called first-generation biofuels.
However, it is commonly believed that
the alcohols produced from for example
oil plants and barley and added to today’s
gasoline do not fulfill the criteria of sustainable development. Many would be willing
to leap directly to the second generation, in
which the Fisher-Tropsch process, for example, would be used to produce motor fuels
through so-called synthesis gas. The gasification of biomass is also an interesting method
in the production of electricity and heat.
What alternative biomasses are available?
Forest raw materials naturally include
wood and the residues left behind in logging
– branches, tree tops, needles and stumps
– and the bark and sawdust generated as a
byproduct in secondary industries, as well as
the lignin-rich black liquor waste from pulp
Maximizing the use of logging residues
It is clear that the use of biofuels varies
widely by country. In southern Europe, olive
pits are a promising energy source, while in
the Nordic countries the focus is on how to
use logging residues more effectively.
UPM’s development manager for forest
energy, Christer Backlund, says that in
Finland, which has a large forest industry,
only one-fifth of the logging residues that are
There is a chance that emissions trading,
among other things, could make the burning of pulp wood economically feasible.
production. Crops of barley, energy willow
and reed canary grass are grown for energy
production and straw is another agrobiomass.
The use of municipal waste is also likely to
increase quickly in those countries in which
the majority of the waste is currently dumped
in landfills.
possible to be collected in reality, not just in
theory, are collected.
”Of course, it isn’t possible to collect all
the residues that are theoretically possible to
collect, including needles,” he notes.
If all the potential logging residues in
Finland were collected, it would contain
T O T HE NE X T PA G E
–9
INTERNAT I O N A L
F O R ES T R Y
FRO M T HE PRE V IOUS PA G E
enough energy to cover as much as one-third
of the country’s electricity consumption,
which at the moment is around 90 terawatt
hours. Backlund notes that in 2005 UPM
was Finland’s largest supplier of forest energy,
totaling more than two terawatt hours, that
is, about one million solid cubic meters.
”The use of logging residues is definitely
still on the rise and we are now also seeing
strong growth in the use of stumps. However,
the greatest unused potential is in the small
wood material obtained in the management
of young forests and in first thinnings,” he
estimates.
Merchantable wood and energy wood in
one bundle?
According to Christer Backlund, UPM is
currently developing methods for energy
wood collection and logistics. At the moment, the most promising option seems to be
bundling technology, which UPM believes
is the way to proceed in the collection of
logging residues.
”In my opinion, the slash logs produced
with a slash bundler are absolutely the most
feasible option as the use of forest energy
increases,” he says. ”The dense slash logs are
M A G A Z I N E
easy to transport, store and handle, unlike
loose sticks and wood chips.”
Backlund believes that the basic idea of
slash bundling can be applied in the harvesting of small wood material in dense forests.
”Combining merchantable wood and
energy wood in the same bundle is also an interesting idea. They would be transported to
the mill in the same bundle, and the separa-
tion would take place in the debarking drum.
The merchantable wood would be directed
to the refining process and the energy wood
to the combustion process.”
Without a doubt, the forest industry is
interested in the possibility of using energy
wood more extensively for its own use and
producing green electricity and heat for its
own use and for the energy markets. At the
Many catalysts for bioenergy
Western countries have drafted or are eagerly drafting their own bioenergy strategies. Many are
concerned about the reliability of the supply chain, and renewable energy sources are being used to
build a buffer against the prices of oil, natural gas and coal as well as potential international energy
crises.
In addition to the high price of fossil fuels, the trading of CO2 emissions allowances improves
the relative competitiveness of bioenergy. Fossil fuel users must acquire emissions allowances corresponding to their carbon dioxide emissions, which increases the cost of using them. For example,
forest biomass is classified as a carbon dioxide-neutral energy source, that is the same amount of
CO2 is released when it burns as was absorbed during its lifecycle.
The European Union has engaged in emissions trading for three years now, and at the beginning
of 2008 the trading of emissions allowances will expand to all countries that have ratified the Kyoto
Protocol.
In Europe, the EU directives also have an impact. The so-called RES-E directive obligates
member countries to increase the share of renewable energy sources used in the production of
electricity. Additionally, in a few years the share of biogas and biodiesel of the total consumption of
motor fuels should be at least 5.75 percent.
same time, merchantable wood could be
”protected” and its combustion in power
plant boilers could be curbed. There is a
chance that emissions trading, among other
factors, could make the burning of pulp wood
economically feasible.
Moreover, the paper industry has a
chance to pursue better profitability from
motor fuels. For example, UPM has long
been interested in the so-called biorefinery
model, in which forest biomass is utilized as
efficiently as possible. At the end of October,
the company announced significant investments in the production of second-generation biodiesel. The intent is to build facilities
adjacent to its own paper mills at which
biodiesel will be produced, for example, from
logging residues and black liquor through
gasification.
John Deere’s solution: The 1490D
John Deere’s solution for the collection of logging residues is the slash bundler, which bundles
and compresses the branches, tree tops and small wood material left behind at the logging
site into slash logs.
The dense slash logs are easy to transport by truck or train. They can also be stored
for a few months, unlike wood chips, which start decomposing right away. The bundles are
chopped up either at the usage site or at terminals, and the chopped material is used as fuel
at power plants producing power and heat for industries, buildings and households.
The length of the slash logs produced by 1490D is an average of 3 meters; the length can
be adjusted to accommodate transporting. The slash logs are about 60-80 cm in diameter.
One slash log is the equivalent of about 1 megawatt hour (MWh), which corresponds to
about half a barrel of oil. About 150 slash logs, or 150 MWh of energy, can be produced from
a one-hectare clear felling site. The entire production chain of forest biomass uses about 2-3
percent of the fuel’s energy content.
10–11
TEXT: Maija Piiroinen/ Compositor ILLUSTRATION: Topi Saari
INTERNAT I O N A L
F O R ES T R Y
M A G A Z I N E
BETTER performance,
BETTER value
With service and maintenance agreements becoming
more common, operators can concentrate on their most
important task – logging with a profit.
”T
”The standards for optimization
and cost-efficiency along the
entire wood production chain
are getting tighter and tighter, with the
aim of maximizing the performance of each
link in the chain,” says John Deere’s Maija
Strandberg, Director for the European forest
machine dealer companies.
”Forest machine contractors
are in the middle of the chain
and they are under pressure
from many directions. The
machines must be used efficiently to achieve logging targets – and
contractors, in turn, must achieve their own
financial targets.”
Regular, preventive maintenance is also
becoming increasingly common in the forest
machine sector and is replacing the service
done only after a problem has arisen.
More often than not, these occur
when a machine is in the forest
and, consequently, it can take a
while before assistance arrives. In
the future, John Deere is giving special focus
to developing and diversifying maintenance
services for contractors.
”We have put together a variety of
maintenance service products and collaboration models of varying content. We
can offer a regularly scheduled maintenance package or service package, in which
we assume comprehensive responsibility for
the operating condition of the machine, thus
allowing the contractor to concentrate on
logging.” Continues Maija Strandberg.
Service packages with predefined content
and pricing are being developed for inclusion
in the SAFE maintenance service family.
However, each maintenance service agreement will continue to be tailored to each
customer’s needs. The popularity of service
agreements is definitely on the rise.
Plans for further development include
new features for TimberLink, which constantly monitors the performance of the forest machine. In the future, it may be possible
that an unexpected problem in the machine
is resolved remotely from the service site
without venturing into the forest at all.
Resale value worth the investment
”Purchasing maintenance services and
even outsourcing varies greatly by country,
A used machine that has a
maintenance log is always more
valuable than one without.
although customer expectations are ultimately quite similar regardless of country
and culture. However, the organizational
model for maintenance operations depends,
for example, on the readiness of the markets
to think about maintenance in a new way as
well as the services offered and the scope and
quality of them,” says Strandberg.
John Deere has worked hard to strengthen
its service organization. New maintenance
sites – both the company’s own as well as
those of authorized servicers – have been
established and expanded, and training has
been provided for the personnel.
Regular and preventive maintenance
is important for a contractor’s operational
reliability and productivity as well as the
machine’s resale value. A used machine with
a maintenance log is always more valuable
than one without.
In mature forest machine markets, an
increasing number of machine sales include
a trade-in and machines are traded in more
frequently. ”The average life of a forest
machine is about 10-15 years and during that
time it will typically have three to four owners,” according to Strandberg. ”The first two
owners use it full-time and then it is used for
added capacity.”
Improvements in maintenance operations
have boosted the demand for used machines,
because a machine investment is always a
major issue for the customer. ”There are few
sectors in which livelihood is so tightly tied
to the capital as in the forest machine sector,
where the return on investment demands are
high.”
So it makes sense to invest in the machine’s operability. In essence, the money
invested in a service agreement means less
downtime.
”Machine purchases and machine value
should be analyzed from a long-term perspective to ensure a full return on the investment
– both in terms of productivity and trade-in
value,” concludes Maija Strandberg.
Inspected, Certified, Guaranteed.
– John Deere’s certified used machines
”The quality and longevity of John Deere products exceeds the expectations on many new products,” says Steve Schultz, Marketing Manager for used machines. ”That leads us to believe that
the markets for our used machines will grow considerably. We have many significant advantages
over our competitors – including a strong John Deere brand and a good reputation among contractors.”
To be designated a ”John Deere Certified Machine,” the machine must be in better-than-average condition and have a reasonable number of engine hours. John Deere’s certified technicians
subject the machine to extensive liquid analyses and rigid engine and hydraulics testing. Each
machine is compared to the original factory specifications.
In addition to the Certified Machines being reliable and immediately ready for use, they have
a 90-day warranty on the engine and power transmission as well as better financing terms. A
thoroughly inspected used machine with a warranty, complete product support and economical
financing terms means real value for the owner.
”These machines are not new, but our customers can be sure that the comprehensive warranty
and John Deere’s reliability enable them to handle even the tough jobs.”
12–13
INTERNAT I O N A L
F O R ES T R Y
M A G A Z I N E
FROM EXCAVATOR
to forest machine
The John Deere and Hitachi joint venture in Canada
manufactures machines that are truly multipurpose: excavator
frames are modified into forest machines. This year, the DHSP
machines also gained a solid foothold in Russia.
TEXT: Kaisa-Leena Laine /Compositor
I
n North America,
Australia and New
Zeeland, it is common
for an excavator frame to
be modified into a forest
machine for use in a variety of conditions. In 1988,
John Deere and Hitachi
established a joint-venture
company, Deere-Hitachi
Construction Machinery.
The frames of the excavators it manufactures can
be modified into forest
machines. The production of the machines takes
advantage of Hitachi’s
extensive know-how in
DHSP fulfils customers request for powerful, multipurpose forest machines.
excavators.
Logging conditions differ from typical urban worksites, so the upper and lower sections of the bodies
of the modified machines are reinforced – this way they can lift heavy and long loads of timber. The
machines also feature higher ground clearance as well as a crawler track and cab that are modified for
forest conditions.
Successful launch in Russia
Fitted with a Waratah grapple, the John Deere 2054 is an example of a DHSP machine. The machine
was introduced on the Russian market in the second half of 2005 and was very well received. Customers
are major companies that have adopted new logging methods with the arrival of the DHSP machines.
”DHSP fulfills customer requests for powerful, multipurpose forest machines. The demand is clearly on
the rise, and new agreements will be signed in the near future,” says a delighted Stanislav Bykov, Sales
Manager, John Deere.
In Russia, the DHSP 2054 machines are used as harvesters and timber processors – a John Deere
758-HD harvester head is installed for use in harvesting. Most of the machines load whole trees. The
machines often work in demanding terrain, such as marshlands. In such conditions, the environmentally
friendly features of the DHSP are evident – ground damage remains at a minimum.
”Environmental issues are important to customers. They also value the DHSP machine’s enormous
fuel tank, which saves a lot of time because it doesn’t have to be refilled as frequently,” says Stanislav
Bykov. He adds that the advanced hydraulics of the DHSP outperform its competitors and further improve the machine’s performance.
of a 970D
Working in the forests of Central Finland, contractor
Aimo Säynäjoki can’t find anything to complain about
when it comes to his new 970D harvester.
TEXT: Tiia Teronen/ Compositor PHOTOS: Tomi Aho
HAPPY OWNER
F
Finland is known for its forests, but
it’s equally famous for its thousands of
lakes. For a forest machine, this kind
of equation often means working in claydense or other lush terrain. Some 200 meters
from a lake in the city of Virrat in central
Finland is a stand of birch trees – the work
site for forest contractor Aimo Säynäjoki’s
brand new 970D harvester.
”The area will be clear cut to the river
bank,” Säynäjoki says. ”And it’ll be a breeze
with this powerful, agile, all-purpose harvesting machine.”
T O T HE NE X T PA G E
14–15
INTERNAT I O N A L
F O R ES T R Y
Technical information
JOHN DEERE 970D ECO III
Engine
John Deere JD6068 TIER 3
Displacement 6.8 l
Rated power 136 kW/1 900 rpm
Torque 779 Nm/1 400 rpm
Fuel tank 300 l
Tires
600 x 34 or 700 x 34
Boom
180S
Reach 10 m
Lifting torque 143 kNm
Swing torque 38 kNm
Tilt boom base +/- 15 degrees
Swing angle 220 degrees
Harvester head
John Deere 745
Cab
Side leveling +/- 15 degrees
Dimensions
Length 6 380 mm
Width 2 500–2 780 mm
Height 3 620 mm
Wheelbase 3 500 mm
Ground clearance 650 mm
(with 34-inch tires)
Weight starting at 13 300 kg
Control system
Timbermatic 300
M A G A Z I N E
The new harvester 970D
combines the agility
of the 770D with the
efficiency of the 1070D
(left).
“EcoPull affects fuel
consumption. This harvester doesn’t use a lot of
fuel so it’s a big money
saver,” says Aimo
Säynäjoki satisfied.
FRO M T HE PRE V IOUS PA G E
Robust but agile in rough terrain
Säynäjoki is familiar with the landscape.
His grandfather had a house in the area and
even his last name refers to local waterways
(Säynäjoki means Säynä river). He’s also
familiar with the green forest machines. The
970D is his fifth.
”When the 870 was introduced in 1994,
I was the second person in Finland to buy
one. After three 870s, I bought a 1270D; but
when the 970D was launched, I was ready
to go back to a four-wheeled machine,” says
Säynäjoki.
He was also among the first to buy a
970D – and, after having it for a couple of
months, he has nothing but praise for his
new machine.
”It’s very handy to operate in a stand like
this in which there’s about a thousand cubic
meters of wood, even with the rough terrain.
You can almost turn the machine around in
its tracks. I was surprised at just how robust
this small harvester is on the rocky ground.
The wheels don’t lift off the ground, even
though we replaced the 745 harvester head
with the bigger H754 head – and we don’t
have to use the boom to balance the machine. By the way, the harvester head’s saw is
huge,” adds Säynäjoki. “It takes only one pass
to saw through a tree that’s as big as can fit in
the knives.”
Säynäjoki’s 970D felled spruce trees that
contained more than two cubic meters of
wood right away in the first stand.
If the spruce trees in central Finland are
big, so are also the boulders. With the winter
snow pack on them, they can be a 1.5 meters
high.
”But the 970D climbs right over them,”
says Säynäjoki. praising the big wheels on the
harvester.
EcoPull saves money
Super Thinner
The John Deere 770D and 1070D harvesters are both efficient machines, but for some jobs a
machine that falls somewhere in between would be the best option. The new 970D fits the bill.
Like the 770D, it has the agility to dance around trees, but its performance is as efficient as the
1070D.
Compared with its 1070D big brother, the 970D’s greatest difference is its four wheels
instead of six. Four wheels give the machine agility and a narrower turning radius, exactly what
is needed to wind its way through forest thinnings. The size of the wheels also gives it better
mobility: The 700 x 34-inch wheels have low ground pressure and high ground clearance.
The 10-meter reach boom on both the 970D and 1070D is fast, powerful and easy to use.
They share the same hydraulic system.
The side leveling cab and the 745 harvester head are also standard features on the John
Deere newcomer. The 970D’s strength is based on existing machines. It is made with the same
components, meaning tested in use, as the 770D and 1070D.
John Deere’s 970D models are equipped with
ECO III engines with computer-controlled
Variable Geometric Turbo (VGT). Säynäjoki
has adjusted the settings of his harvester so
that if the operator doesn’t do anything with
the machine for five seconds, the engine goes
to idle. Subsequently, the work RPMs are
automatically resumed when the operator
touches the joystick controls.
”The 970D’s EcoPull also affects fuel
consumption. The harvester doesn’t use a lot
of fuel, and, since fuel is anything but cheap,
it’s a big money saver. A different colored
machine can easily use over 50% more fuel,”
Säynäjoki contends.
He operates the 970D in two shifts with his
oldest son. The forest industry is clearly in the
blood of the Säynäjoki family. The younger
twin sons are also dedicated to forestry. One
is a forestry engineer. The other is studying
to be a master of forestry and is currently an
exchange student in the Czech Republic.
With so much know-how within the
family, they can also handle most of the
forest machine servicing. A well-maintained
machine can produce 40,000 cubic meters of
wood a year.
16–17
INTERNAT I O N A L
F O R ES T R Y
M A G A Z I N E
The right head for the job
TEXT: Maarit Pelkonen PHOTOS: Tomi Aho, Harri Hinkka
Contractors can look at a stand of trees and know which harvester head to use to
ensure the quality every job demands. They know the importance the harvester
head has on the overall outcome of the job.
I
n its product development and its production, there is no compromising when it
comes to John Deere’s three promises to
the customer: productivity, uptime and low
operating costs. Every green forest machine
must offer the operator the highest possible
productivity with the most uptime possible at
the lowest operating costs possible. This way
the contractor gets the best possible compensation for his work without compromising
the quality of the harvest.
Achieving good delimbing quality and
minimal surface damage to the timber
requires a good match between the head
and the stand of trees being harvested. ”The
priorities for harvester heads are reliability,
productivity and ease of servicing,” says Product Marketing Manager Pekka Leppänen
from John Deere.
”There has to be a good grip on big and
small trees alike, the feed must offer precise
measuring, and there has to be as much head
control as possible. Good control helps in
bypassing the difficult branches. And the
speed at which the delimbing knives open
and close is important in terms of harvester
head efficiency. There must be adequate feeding speed for the work to be efficient,” says
Pekka Leppänen in listing the key performance features.
John Deere’s harvester heads have been
designed to give the operator the best possible visibility of the tree. Good visibility
is needed so that the operator can make the right decision about the
quality of the tree at the time of the felling.
H290 has big power for big trees
John Deere offers nine different harvester heads, each designed for
a specific application. The product line has four different harvester
heads equipped with four feed rollers and five with two feed rollers.
The H290 is John Deere’s newest harvester head. It is a two-roller
head manufactured in Joensuu and made for a completely new size
class. The H290 is designed to fell big trees, even as big as seven
cubic meters. The product development of the new head focused particularly on ease of handling of trees and durability
of the head in challenging felling jobs.
“The process of feeding, delimbing and cutting
has been optimized in the H290. The result
is unsurpassed delimbing quality. Additionally, the head’s powerful feeding
force makes it easier to delimb big
branches, and its two-speed feeding ensures sufficient feeding
force,” says Pekka Leppänen.
”Good delimbing quality and
measuring accuracy are the most
important factors for profitabil­
ity, especially for the contractor.”
There’s a demand for the
new H290 heads, especially
for harvesting large trees
in such areas as central and
southern Europe and southern
Sweden. The first products will be
shipped from the Joensuu factory this
year.
John Deere has harvester heads for all types of felling:
H745........first thinning and regeneration felling
H752......... thinning of mid-sized trees and regeneration felling
H754........thinning and regeneration felling
H742......... thinning, also regeneration felling of small trees
H758........later thinning and regeneration felling
H270......... thinning of big trees and regeneration felling
H480........later thinning and regeneration felling
H290......... felling of demanding, large trees
EXPERIENCE
There is a harvester
head for all types of
fellings. H754 suits
best for thinnings
and regeneration
fellings.
AIn Siberia
MUST
TEXT: Kirsi Paloheimo/Compositor
Timbermash Baikal operates in one of the world’s
most challenging market areas for forest machines.
Knowing the local conditions is the key to its ­success.
W
ith an area of operation that spans five time zones in Siberia,
Russia, Timbermash Baikal is an authorized dealer of John
Deere forest machines. The partnership was launched in
2002 and today the company’s product portfolio includes new and
used machines, spare parts, and machine maintenance and other
technical services.
”So far, we’ve sold 100 forest machines, 33 of them during 2006,”
says Victor Boldakov, General Director of Timbermash Baikal.
Siberia has one of the biggest forest areas in Russia and the forest industry’s supply of raw wood is enormous. The area’s potential
harvesting
volume is 200
million cubic
meters – at
the moment,
about one
fifth of it is
harvested.
The full-tree
method is the
primary method used to produce timber to meet industry’s needs.
”Even though the full-tree method is used the most, there’s been
a big increase in the popularity of the cut-to-length method. In
2006 we’ve already sold four machine chains: 1270D harvesters and
1710D-forwarders.”
Continuous training
programs help the
maintenance personnel
sustain its expertise.
Distances don’t stop maintenance
The immense size of the market area and its location pose the biggest
challenges for customer service and maintenance. The most remote
customer is 1,400 kilometers away in Yakutia, in East Russia.
”We do our best to be close to our customers, but our service engineers still have to travel over a thousand kilometers to service some
machines. This is the best way to illustrate just how vast the area is,”
says Kirill Bazhko, Technical director of Timbermash Baikal.
T O T HE NE X T PA G E
18–19
INTERNAT I O N A L
F O R ES T R Y
FRO M T HE PRE V IOUS PA G E
The majority of Timbermash Baikal’s customers are companies specializing in timber
harvesting and selling timber to sawmills or
other refiners of raw wood. The customers
range in size from small companies with 1
or 2 machines to major companies running
dozens of machines.
”Every customer is important to us, and
we work hard to serve them precisely and
flexibly. And our maintenance service works
just as efficiently for all our customers.”
Customers can choose 500- or 1,000-hour
maintenance service agreements for John
Deere machines; these agreements guarantee
professional service to ensure the operating
capacity of the machines.
”Maintenance service agreements are
becoming increasingly important in our
markets. Naturally it’s great if customers also
have some technical know-how, but often
times a problem requires the help of a special
expert.”
Timbermash Baikal’s maintenance
personnel have completed the latest training
programs in Canada and Finland in order to
guarantee first-rate maintenance services for
all its customers.
M A G A Z I N E
”When choosing a green machine, our
customers know that it’s not just a forest
machine; it’s a partnership that supports their
business.”
The first John Deere skidder delivered to Delta
Plus LLC (in Eastern Siberia) launched new
level of productivity, reliability and low daily
operating costs in skidding.
Investing in operator training
The first forest machine simulator was
shipped to Siberia this year. With the growing markets, it is likely that more simulators
will be acquired in 2007 for the area.
”Frequently, the young operators really
don’t have much experience in the actual use
of the machine, so training must start with
the very basics. Simulator training is a great
solution because it allows the young operators to get a feel for the machine controls and
felling work – virtually.
Timbermash Baikal LLC
Timbermash Baikal LLC (previously Timberjack
Baikal) launched forest machine sales and
maintenance services in 2002. Today it has 12
technical experts operating out of three cities
(Irkutsk, Bratsk and Ust’Ilimsk). In the beginning
of 2007 a service outlet in Krasnoyarsk will be
established.
”I feel the simulator training is excellent support for our sales. One of the most
important factors in a successful machine
sale is a motivated operator that has received
thorough training”, praises Boldakov.
A challenge all Timbermash Baikal
customers have faced in recent years is the
changeover to the next generation of operators. The younger generation places a high
value on ergonomically designed working
environments, reliability and productivity
of the machines. These are also motivating
factors when choosing a career.
Boldakov believes Siberia is a good
market area for John Deere forest machines
because John Deere offers forest machines for
both logging methods.
”I think the good reputation is based on
reliable machines and, above all, on functional and efficient maintenance and other
aftersales.
Stability
on the slopes
TEXT: Holly Hildebrandt PHOTOS: Ron Mullins
Through the input of forestry customers, the 909J feller buncher is a
tough, operator-friendly machine. Due to its involvement in product
development, Ed Smith Trucking’s logging operations are benefiting
substantially.
E
d Smith Trucking Limited in West
Bank, British Columbia works in very
tricky terrain – steep slopes, creek
draws and swampy areas. “We changed our
non-leveling machine to one with a leveler
and since then we have been able to bunch
timber better,” says Ed Smith.
That’s just one of the advantages that Ed’s
company is enjoying now with its new 909J.
Ed’s crew had the opportunity to test an early
version of the 909J – their feedback was then
utilized in the product development process.
Ryan Smith, the heavy-duty mechanic
and foreman for Ed Smith Trucking, is
very delighted with the final product they
received. “It’s quiet in the cab, it’s stable and
the head is truly comfortable to use for collecting. All in all, the machine is extremely
smooth,” he says
Power, stability, visibility
The J-Series feller bunchers are teamed up
with the new B-Series felling heads, which
feature increased accumulation capacity by
20%, as well as the optional high-rotation
wrist – qualities that have these operators
smiling. “Due to the rotation, the head is doing more where I used to do a lot of padding,”
says Blake Milligan, equipment operator for
Ed Smith. “I have had it over-extended once,
just to realize how far the stop was.”
As the primary operator, Blake has spent
the most time in the cab of the new 909J. He
commends many features on this machine
– power, stability and visibility, which especially impressed him. “Right from the beginning, I have been pleased with the new floor
window where it is possible to see the ground
and tracks wherever I operate.”
“I think the biggest reason for picking this
machine was stability,” says Ed Smith. “My
operator is not taking chances anymore; he is
stable when he’s cutting. That was really our
main purpose in buying a tilt unit.”
Ed Smith’s employees are also very
content with the low fuel consumption and
serviceability. “Service is very accessible. It’s
possible to get to anything you want in that
thing,” they comment.
Overall, the new 909J seems to have
been relatively trouble-free so far. “Well, we
were able to help develop the machine, so
they built a machine that we wanted,” says
Blake. “Thanks go to John Deere, which is
recognized for listening to customers and
using their input prior to building their
machines.”
Blake Milligan, Ed Smith
and Ryan Smith had the
opportunity to test the 909J
during the product development process.
20–21
INTERNAT I O N A L
F O R ES T R Y
M A G A Z I N E
Service
is top priority for
family-owned Italian business
The John Deere dealership in Italy relies on first-class service.
Monchiero’s customer relations are long lasting and its longest
employee relations stretch back two decades. Monchiero’s
future in the forest machine market looks bright.
TEXT: Minna Kalajoki PHOTOS: Monchiero & C.S.n.c.
I
t’s easy for Massimo Monchiero, the current President of Monchiero & C. S.n.c.,
to crystallize the mission of his familyowned company.
”Our operations are based on a combination of the latest technology in the sector,
first-rate machines and customized service for
customers.”
Today, the forty-year-old company concentrates on forest machines. Nowadays, the
product portfolio also includes machinery
for fruit harvesting. The company acquired
the Timberjack dealership rights for forest
machines in the late 1990s, and the collaboration is still ongoing, these days with
John Deere.
”We chose Timberjack machines back
then because we felt that they were the
absolute best in their sector. The comprehensive product line was sure to have a suitable
machine for every company and for every
need,” relates Monchiero.
Monchiero is the only dealership selling
John Deere forest machines in Italy. This
makes the locally operating company also a
significant player nationwide, because the
Italian market is fragmented throughout the
entire country.
Small machines for small companies
This year Monchiero has sold ten forwarders and two harvesters. There is still time to
make a few more sales before the turn of the
year.
”Forwarders account for the majority of
our sales. The most popular model is the
small and agile 810D. Our customers are
small, family-owned companies like us, so the
solutions that meet their needs are found at
the smaller end of the product lines.”
Monchiero’s product portfolio includes
the 770D, 1070D, 1270D and 1470D
harvesters and the 810D, 1110D, 1410D
and 1710D forwarders as well as the 1490D
bundler (one unit sold in the south two years
ago) and track feller bunchers (two units sold
so far in Italy – one 608S and one 608B)
The company’s President is particularly
proud of the new-generation maintenance
service; the company invested significantly
into this service a couple of years ago.
”The maintenance service supporting
the customer is completely automated, with
dedicated software created specifically for it.
The latest equipment allows us to immediately pinpoint a problem in the machine.
The system searches for any necessary spare
parts from our constantly updated inventory.
Our mechanics can then solve the customer’s
problem right away.
Monchiero’s technical support is backed
by two vans that are outfitted with the equip-
“Maintenance is prompt. Problems are
usually repaired within 24 hours of being
diagnosed.”
From farming to forestry
The company established by Sebastiano Monchiero forty years ago leans on the same
strengths as in its early days, even though the world around it has changed. The Monchiero family-owned company initially sold primarily agricultural machinery. Over the
years, the product selection was supplemented with machinery needed at construction
sites and in fruit harvesting.
Forest machines came into the picture in the mid-1990s. Today, the company
ment and tools needed for maintenance.
Consequently, repairs can also be made at the
customer’s premises or even in the middle of
the forest, if preferred.
Maintenance is prompt. Problems are
usually repaired within 24 hours of being
diagnosed.
Highly skilled employees,
a big competitive edge
”Efficient and competent service is our edge in
an arena that is becoming increasingly competitive. Continuous training helps us to keep
our employees’ skills up to date. Today’s forest
machines are not only more efficient, they are
also increasingly complex. So far, there hasn’t
been a single problem our employees couldn’t
solve,” says Monchiero proudly.
Some employees have been with Monchi-
headed by Massimo Monchiero employs four family members, in addition to the
President, and fifteen other employees.
The company is located in Pollenzo in northern Italy, near the French border. Its
annual net sales total approximately EUR 7 million. The company’s top five customers
are small family-owned forestry companies operating in the vicinity, but Monchiero’s
market area stretches far into northern and central Italy.
ero for twenty years. The longest customer
relationships date just as far back.
”Customer loyalty is an obvious indication of customer satisfaction. Our best
customers have bought as many as seven or
eight forest machines from us – that’s significant for a small family-owned business.”
Having the John Deere dealership for
forest machines in Italy is also an important
factor.
”From the sales point of view, John Deere
brand is associated with top quality and is
also recognized outside the forest industry,”
remarks Monchiero.
Monchiero will continue along its tried
and true practice of continuously developing
its sales and services. As the President points
out, the commitment of the proprietary
family and the employees is obvious. And the
The company headed by Massimo Monchiero
employs four family members, the President
and fifteen other employees.
company’s future looks promising in other
respects as well.
”Commercial utilization of forests is just
in its infancy in Italy. In this respect, the
market outlook differs significantly from, for
example, the situation in northern Europe.
There is a continuous flow of new players
entering the sector, and they are investing in
new machines.”
One third of Italy is forested. The forests
yield about 10 million cubic meters of timber
annually, and most of it is used as firewood.
22–23
INTERNAT I O N A L
F O R ES T R Y
M A G A Z I N E
There’s good news for those in
the market looking for a used
machine. Starting in January,
harvesters and forwarders
will both be available on
MachineFinder.
TEXT: Tiia Teronen/ Compositor ILLUSTRATION: Topi Saari
looking for a
used machine?
A
nyone working in the agricultural equipment industry is familiar with the MachineFinder service
on the Internet. The site for used equipment was established by John Deere’s Agricultural
Division years ago and is now being expanded to include harvesters and forwarders throughout
Europe starting in January 2007.
MachineFinder has a search function to help visitors find the used equipment they are looking for
based on geographical location, manufacturer or model year. Each forest machine showcased will include a photo and basic information: model year, engine hours, accessories,
condition assessment and the seller’s contact information.
Along with the addition of forest machines, the language choices on
MachineFinder will increase from thirteen to sixteen so that John Deere’s
customers in different countries can view the used equipment markets in
their own native language.
MachineFinder lets forest machine contractors survey the used machine
markets centrally at any given time and simultaneously compare the used
machines being offered by other operators in the sector. Additionally, they
can compare their own machine to those available and thus estimate its
market value.
If the enthusiasm of the forest machine users is anywhere near that
shown by farmers, the number of MachineFinder users will skyrocket next
year.
www.machinefinder.com
SILVER MEDALIST MIKA
KALLIO MOVES UP TO
THE 250cc CLASS
Road racing rider Mika Kallio took the silver in the
125cc class of the MotoGP. The season ended with
Mika being crowned the Best Finnish Motorsport
Driver of 2006. But there are plenty of challenges in
store next year
when Kallio
moves up to the
250cc class.
In the first
tests held on
the bigger bike
at the Valencia
track, Mika
Kallio was at
times nearly one
second faster
than his rivals
Thomas Lüthi
and Alvaro
Bautista, and his best times were only a few tenths
of a second slower than his experienced teammate
Hiroshi Aoyama. Mika Kallio is sponsored by John
Deere.
”The drivability of the 250cc bike surprised me.
It was very stable on the corners and fast on the
straights – I found a rhythm quickly,” Kallio commented after the tests.
Trade fairs and exhibitions
In 2007 John Deere Forestry and its dealers will take part in several trade exhibitions and product demos around the world. For
more information, contact your John Deere Forestry dealer. For
detailed dealer contact information, visit www.JohnDeere.com.
North America
January 17-19, 64th Annual Truck Loggers Association Convention & Expo, in
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, www.tla.ca
February 8-10, Sierra-Cascade Logging Conference, The 2007 Forest Products,
Construction and Equipment Exposition, in Anderson, California,
www.sierracascade.org
February 14-16, Sylvicon 2007, in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
February 22-24, 69th Annual Oregon Logging Conference, Heavy Equipment,
Trucking and Construction Expo, in Eugene, Oregon,
www.oregonloggingconference.com
April 26-28, In-Woods Expo 2007 by the Forest Resources Association and the Arkansas Timber Producers Association, in Hot Springs, Arkansas,
www.in-woods-expo.com
Europe
April 19-22, Bois Energie 2007, Wood Heating Exhibition, in Orléans, France,
www.boisenergie.com
June 21-23, AsturForesta, International Forestry Show, in Tineo, Asturias, Spain,
www.asturforesta.com
July 27-August 1, Démo Forêt 2007, Paliseul, Belgium
Contact information
John Deere Forestry Group – continental divisions
Europe and Russia
John Deere Forestry Oy
P.O. Box 474
FIN-33101 Tampere
Finland
Tel. +358 20 584 162
Fax +358 20 584 163
South America
John Deere
Equipamentos do Brazil Ltda
298 Tamboré
06460-110 Barueri
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Tel. +55 11 4196 3999
Fax +55 11 4191 1762
www.JohnDeere.com
North America
Worldwide Construction
& Forestry Division
1515 5th Ave.
Moline, Illinois 61266-8806
USA
Tel. +1 309 765 8000
Fax +1 309 765 1859
Asia Pacific
John Deere Construction
& Forestry (Asia-Pacific) Pte. Ltd.
2 Pioneer Walk #03-03
Singapore 627856
Tel. +65 6262 0778
Fax +65 6262 3678