Forestry Equipment News

To better meet customer needs, Komatsu is upgrading its XT-5 family of tracked feller bunchers, adding performance and operator improvements, as well as covering the machines with a special 2-Year/5,000-Hour warranty program. The XT430-5, XT445L-5 and XT465L-5 models were introduced in 2018, and these advancements were made based on customer feedback.

Waratah Forestry Equipment unveiled the new H415HD, a heavy-duty harvesting head with new features and options to suit customer feedback and rugged application needs. Standard features of the H415HD include an HD tilt frame with thicker steel plate, expander pins for upper tilt cylinder, feed roller arms, and lower delimbing knives – to improve pin durability and frame longevity. Additionally, HD feed motor and hose guards help improve durability.

Waratah Forestry Equipment has released a new large felling head model, the FL100. The large directional felling head, designed for 30+ metric ton carriers, improves productivity, increases durability and extends uptime for steep slope, shoveling and traditional felling applications.

Tigercat’s new power clam grapple series is now here, designed for use with 875 and 880D loggers and complete with durable, box-style tongs constructed with high strength steel using fatigue resistant welded construction. Additionally, all weld-on tine tips are replaceable and made from abrasion-resistant steel. This model’s jaw profile is made to load logs into the grapple as quickly as possible to obtain a full load, and also comes designed to grip a single 150 mm (6 in) diameter stem when completely closed.

Onatrio, Canada’s Tigercat Industries Inc. has successfully purchased Ragnar Original Innovations (ROI), which is based out of New Hampshire, USA. ROI, which was founded by Anders Ragnarsson, manufactures material processing machinery used in the forestry, recycling, and construction industries. Effective as of September 30th, 2019, the new acquisition will assist Tigercat in gaining a foothold in the material processing sector.

Tigercat has unveiled their new, highly anticipated 1165 wheel harvester, available in both six-wheel and eight-wheel drive configurations. The 1165 is well-fitted for thinning, selective cut, and final fell applications. This mid-sized harvester is perfect for working on steep slopes due to its strong swing and leveling capabilities that rival the competition.

Tigercat has made some upgrades to their 845E and L845E track feller bunchers. New features include a larger main hydraulic pump, a longer reach ER boom system, and increased productivity. Enhancements to operator comfort were also a key focus, which is why these advanced models will have a new, redesigned cab.

Komatsu America has officially appointed Tractor & Equipment Company (TEC) as the forestry equipment distributor for Alabama, Georgia, and Florida’s northwest region. This is a logical next step for Komatsu as TEC is already the distributor for these same regions for Komatsu’s construction and mining equipment. TEC will be handling the full line of Komatu’s forestry equipment, including log loaders, track feller bunchers, harvesting/processing heads, and wheeled harvesters.

Hiab, part of Cargotec, is extending their standard warranty globally to now encompass two years for all LOGLIFT and JONSERED forestry and recycling crane models. Terms and conditions will remain the same as before, with the three year warranty still applying to steel components. The warranty will be valid for any cranes ordered after August 1st of 2019.

Who would have ever guessed that a successful and expanding forestry company would have blossomed out of the simple desire to own a four-wheeler? For Drew Betts, owner of Clay Hill Equipment based out of New Brunswick, Canada, this unconventional progression is exactly what got him to where to he is today. At the age of only 32, Bett’s company, which started with only one employee, now consists of 30 employees, a fleet of seven harvesters working four Waratah heads, three forwarders, and nine trucks. But how did he get here? 

John Deere is now offering their Registered Apprenticeship Program to their Agriculture & Turf and Construction & Forestry dealers. The program was recently approved by the U.S. Department of Labor and is meant to provide dealers with a formalized, on-the-job, technical training plan in order to groom more highly skilled workers. The program aims to address a widespread shortage of service technicians, a problem especially felt in rural areas throughout the country.  

Komatsu Forest is launching their upgraded 2020 product range, featuring mostly new machines, with all of them coming equipped with a brand-new engine installation conforming to the latest emission regulations. Komatsu, working in collaboration with SkogsNolia, will be debuting a number of quality improvements and new functions to their machines to simplify daily tasks for operators with an ultimate goal of increasing profitability. This includes the addition of the new MaxiVision service and the future-proof control system, MaxiXT, which take production planning to the next level.

Vermeer’s new SC382 stump cutter is the latest addition to their professional line of tree can equipment, featuring a 37 horsepower EFI Briggs & Stratton Vanguard engine, an optional blade for more efficient cleanup, and a redesigned cutter wheel to further optimize performance. Enhanced power and maneuverability make this stump cutter the choice machine for all professional tree care contractors. The compact, yet powerful SC382 comes equipped with four-wheel drive and is ready to take on even the most resilient stumps.

The all new Caterpillar 299D2 XHP Land Management Compact Track Loader is a segment-focused machine created to deliver the dual advantages of efficiency and economy. This superior, purpose-built machine offers solutions for customers in demanding vegetation-management fields such as mulching, vegetation control, brush-cutting, and mowing. The 299D2 XHP is specifically streamlined for applications like site preparation, vegetation management for fire prevention, utility right-of-way clearing, railroad maintenance-of-way, forestry, and agriculture.

Vermeer’s new SC70TX stump cutter is a solid addition to their professional tree care equipment line. This new powerful piece of machinery allows the cutter wheel to travel up to 1560 RPM via a 67 hp (50 kW) Cat turbocharged, Tier 4 Final/Stage IIIB diesel engine. These faster travel speeds, paired with new operator presence controls, means performance you can count on.

Morbark debuted their brand new Rayco T415 forestry mulcher and hydra-stumper as a powerful and versatile addition to their lineup. This new model allows customers to change between a Hydra Stumper stump cutter attachment and a Predator forestry mower/mulcher head for optimal adaptability. This is the perfect machine for land-clearing and construction companies, pipeline contractors, real estate developers, and electric utility contractors, as it gets big jobs done swiftly.

Tigercat has released the largest machine in their forestry line-up to date, the 890 logger. This heavy-duty, purpose-built forestry carrier is Tigercat’s highest capacity machine, weighing 105,600 lbs, and can be configured for loading, shovel logging, or processing. The new logger comes equipped with a FPT C87 engine, delivering 245 kW (330 hp) at 2,000 rpm for Tier 2 and Tier 4 emission compliance.

John Deere is releasing an update of their G-Series Swing Machines, meant to improve the operator experience. This update comes as a direct result of feedback from customers, and changes include a new design for improving serviceability and increased productivity and uptime. The eight new models, the 2154G, 2156G, 2654G, 2656G, 3154G, 3156G, 3754G, and 3756G, are built for the toughest of jobs with reliability at the forefront.

Komatsu America Corp. announced yesterday that they have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the forestry machine manufacturer, TimberPro. Komatsu is expected to close on this deal on April 1, 2019, subject to all closing conditions being met.

Waratah Forestry Equipment is celebrating their 45th anniversary this November. The pioneers of mechanized harvesting, Waratah has offered first-class products coupled with unparalleled customer support since their inception. The company is proud to honor four and a half decades of innovation and expansion in the forestry industry.