International Forest Industries April - May 2013 now on-line. Book into June July LIGNA / ELMIA WOOD / SFPA Review Edition

The John Deere 75G and 85G excavators are the latest models to join the successful, customer-driven G-Series line. Both models feature reduced tail-swing configurations to maneuver and work around congested jobsites in efficient fashion. The machines feature a wide variety of improvements, to increase visibility, operator comfort, and productivity.

“The 75G and 85G were designed to handle a variety of jobs, including landscaping, light residential excavating, site development or underground work,” said Mark Wall, product marketing manager for excavators, John Deere Construction & Forestry. “Their compact size and pinpoint metering combined with the reduced tail-swing design allow the machines to rotate freely within a small radius, increasing productivity in confined spaces and around obstacles.”

The 75G and 85G boast a 53 hp (39.6 kW) Final Tier 4 diesel engine outfitted with a diesel particulate filter (DPF) that cleans automatically without impacting the machines’ productivity. The FT4 design is based on John Deere’s IT4 strategy that has a track record of exceptional reliability.

Optional rubber track pads or heavy-duty rubber belts let the new models work on paved surfaces and even cross curbs without causing damage. Numerous track-widths, arm, bucket, and other options allow contractors to customize the excavator to the way they work. The 85G brings additional maneuverability to the jobsite with an independent swing boom that allows contractors to work closer to curbs, around structures, or in the midst of traffic.

Like all G-Series excavators, the 75G and 85G include an unsurpassed operation environment with spacious, comfortable cabs and easy-to-use enhanced LCD monitors. A simple turn and tap of the rotary dial allow operators to select work mode, access to operating info, check maintenance intervals, source diagnostic codes, adjust cab temperature, and tune the radio. The cab includes a comfortable, fabric-covered adjustable suspension seat with ample legroom. The wide expanse of front and side glass, narrow front cab posts, large tinted overhead hatch, and numerous mirrors provide all-around visibility.

Two productivity modes (power and economy) allow the operator to choose the digging style that fits the task at hand. Power delivers a balance of speed and fuel economy for general excavating and economy reduces engine speed and noise to help save fuel during lighter digging jobs.

Another benefit of the 75G and 85G is the ability to reduce daily operating costs. Daily and periodic maintenance is quick, easy, and convenient. Large hinged doors provide wide-open access to service items and lube banks, filters, and checkpoints are grouped together for added convenience. Large fuel tanks and 500- and 5,000-hour engine and hydraulic oil-service intervals decrease downtime and expense.

Fleet managers, owners or operators looking to get the most out of their equipment can rely on John Deere WorkSight™, the most comprehensive, easy-to-use suite of technology available for increasing uptime and productivity while lowering operating costs.

www.JohnDeere.com.

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When Bandit Industries unveiled the enhanced line of XP-series hand-fed chippers in the early 1990s, they completely reset the bar for efficiency, production and longevity in the hand-fed chipper industry. Now, the legendary line of Beast® Recyclers will carry the XP badge to reflect over 35 specific enhancements and add-ons in eight different categories, making the world’s best line of horizontal grinders even better. 

“Our customers are facing new challenges every day, so we are constantly working to develop and implement the changes they need to stay competitive and profitable,” said Bandit Industries President Jerry Morey. “This has been the case since the first Beast Recycler in 1995, and with so many enhancements added in just the past year, we knew it was time to christen a new line of Beasts. XP stands for extra power, extra performance, extra production and extra profit, and that’s exactly what our customers can expect with the new XP-series Beast.”

Model 2680XP, 3680XP and 4680XP Beast Recyclers now feature angled front infeeds with larger infeed drive chains. Track Beasts feature height-adjustable pans for adjusting feed angle. A new rail system on the return side of the infeed replaces the roller system, significantly reducing load on the tail shaft. These machines also offer a new “Big Mouth” option that increases the height of the opening into the mill. An extra-large 32-inch diameter feed wheel is optional and includes a brush deflector to better direct material into the machine.

Changes continue inside the mill housing. Base door openings are now larger for easier removal of the cuttermill. Replaceable wear plates are now standard on the left side (radiator side) of the mill base, and optional on both sides. A convenient trap door allows for cleaning in the auger area, while the auger itself is redesigned and easier to change.

Several new teeth styles are available, and they are subjected to a new proprietary strengthening process delivering longer tooth life. Two-inch wide sizes are available for most teeth, allowing operators to run a 30-tooth setup. New teeth mounts are now compatible with knife cutterbodies, eliminating the need to change cutterbodies when switching between chipping and grinding. Freeze-hardened teeth, screens and wear items are also optional. For customers exclusively chipping with the Beast, a new chipping drum is available. 

For engines, adjustable pitch fans are now standard, enhancing engine cooling and fuel efficiency. Mill shafts are larger on the Model 1680XP and 2680XP to accommodate higher horsepower engines, which are now available for these machines.

Numerous convenience options and enhancements include redesigned fuel tanks on track machines for better steep-terrain performance, with increased fuel capacity on the Model 1680XP. Warning lights for clutch and engine operation are relocated for easier monitoring. On-board air compressors are repositioned for more convenient operation, and upgraded impact wrenches are standard. An over-band magnet is optional and recommended for both shingle and pallet grinding.

These are just some of the enhancements found in the new XP-Series Beast Recyclers.

“We have customers all around the world using Beast Recyclers, and there isn’t an application where the new XP-Series won’t make a big difference in performance and production,” said Morey. “Beasts will easily handle everything from waste wood to shingles and plastic, and there isn’t a better machine on the market for turning bulky chunk wood into a quality, saleable product. Whether you are grinding or chipping, the new Beast XP-Series can make a big difference in your operation.”

 Model 4680XP

 Model 1680XP

For more information on the Beast XP-Series or to schedule a machine demonstration, contact Bandit Industries at 800-952-0178 or visit online at www.banditchippers.com.

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A Gunns woodchip mill in northern Tasmania has reopened two years after it closed, on the back of new contracts with Japanese customers reports the Australian. The Gunns mill at Long Reach, near the fallen company’s proposed pulp mill site in the Tamar Valley, will supply 500,000 tonnes of plantation woodchips by March next year.

In a rare piece of good news for the ailing Tasmanian forestry sector, receivers KordaMentha have hired more than 100 contractors to work the plant. KordaMentha’s Bryan Webster says 10 shiploads to Japan have been locked in and up to AU$3.5 million will be injected into the state’s economy.

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For the first time in this region, Australian and New Zealand wood products companies are getting their LIGNA, Atlanta or Portland Wood Working Show “down-under”.

When have you had the opportunity of meeting with all major technology and equipment providers for sawmilling, wood manufacturing and wood panels from around the globe – in this region – and at the one time? Sure, there have been other shows. The focus though has been across the forest products sector – or it has had a community focus – or it has been aimed at another part of the sector.

“WoodEXPO 2013 running in three months’ time is purely a business-to-business event” says the Forest Industry Engineering Association (FIEA) Director, Brent Apthorp. “It’s also the first event of its type in Australasia”.

“Buy-in by the programme participants on both sides of the Tasman has been fantastic” says Brent Apthorp. “For the Australian and New Zealand wood producers who have – and still are – going through some painful adjustments to their operations– the opportunity of meeting with these world leaders in sawmilling, wood manufacturing, wood panels and timber machining equipment at one location over just a couple of days is also real shot in the arm”.

The list of participating companies from Austria, Germany, Finland, Italy, the US, Canada, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand signed up to date is impressive. Check out the latest listing on the event website, www.woodexpo2013.com.

As well as the opportunity of meeting with the global leaders of wood processing equipment and new products, a world class series of technology workshops have been set up for local companies over the two days that the exhibitions are running. Two hour workshops covering everything from; new generation log and lumber scanning systems, developments in high performance saw-lines, improving automation in the mill, adhesive developments and application systems for finger-jointing, plywood, MDF and particleboard, new developments and troubleshooting for high speed planer operations, changes in saw design to improve sawing performance and productivity and veneer drying developments are being covered in over 25 presentations.

A one-day conference, a Wood Processing Summit, will also provide something quite different for wood products companies in both countries. Rather than small incremental steps to improve how we’re currently processing our wood resource, the one-day summit is going to provide a unique look into some of the more innovative technologies out there at the moment that potentially will change our current operations. Additive manufacturing, automated and robotics systems, CT scanning, new building systems for design, construction and delivery and new chemical extractives using wood are just some of the technologies being covered.

It’s a new opportunity to learn, to be inspired, to network, to meet and discuss your own company’s plans with global equipment suppliers – in your own country. Check out WoodEXPO 2013 on www.woodexpo2013.com

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Rimba Raya, the world’s largest REDD+ project, has finally been approved by the Indonesian government and verified under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), a leading certification standard for carbon credits.

The 64,000-hectare forest carbon project in Indonesia’s Central Kalimantan Province on the island of Borneo is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 119 million tons over its 30-year life-span. The emissions reductions will come from avoiding drainage of area’s carbon dense peat lands and conversion of its forests to oil palm plantations.

According to SCS Global Services, the auditor that verified the project’s carbon accounting, Rimba Raya reduced emissions by 2.1 million tons between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010, resulting in the largest-ever number of Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) generated in a single year.

Now approved, Rimba Raya may provide a green light to other REDD+ project developers in Indonesia. Meanwhile, Rimba Raya’s backers, including Russian energy giant Gazprom and the insurance firm Allianz, can now sell tradable carbon credits in the voluntary carbon market. Credits in the voluntary carbon market are typically used by companies to “offset” their greenhouse gas emissions for corporate social responsibility programs, rather than complying with climate regulations.

Source: The Guardian

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For the first time in Australia in 2011-12, the volume of logs harvested from hardwood plantations has exceeded the volume harvested from native hardwood forests.

In releasing Australian forest and wood products statistics, Executive Director of the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES), Paul Morris, said plantation logs (both hardwood and softwood) now comprise 81 per cent of Australia’s total log harvest, compared to 56 per cent in 2000-01.

“The volume of logs harvested from the hardwood plantation estate has grown at an exceptional rate since 2000-01, increasing from 975 000 cubic metres to 5.2 million cubic metres in 2011-12,” Mr Morris said. “This growth was historically driven by strong overseas demand for Australian woodchips.”

Hardwood plantations continue to be grown predominantly for pulpwood in Australia, with 98 per cent of logs harvested from these forests used for paper manufacturing and woodchip exports in 2011-12. Overall, the supply of logs harvested from both hardwood and softwood plantations in Australia was 19.2 million cubic metres in 2011-12, compared to 4.5 million cubic metres harvested from native forests. “Although exports of most wood products fell in 2011-12, woodchips remained Australia’s largest wood product export by value, but at the same time recorded the largest decline in export value,” Mr Morris said.

The report, Australian forest and wood products statistics is available on the ABARES website.

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