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Supplier Newsline
Caterpillar to acquire Blount’s Forestry Division
Caterpillar Inc and Blount International, Inc have announced that Caterpillar is acquiring the assets of Blount’s Forestry Division. Under the agreement between Caterpillar and Blount, Caterpillar will acquire two Blount manufacturing facilities, a sales office and a service parts warehouse and product support operation in North America, as well as an assembly operation in Sweden. These operations will join Caterpillar’s global facilities that produce and support forestry equipment. Since 2003, Caterpillar and Blount have had an agreement to jointly produce and market products globally under the Caterpillar and former Timberking brands. “Caterpillar and Blount have worked closely together since our initial agreement, leveraging Caterpillar’s unmatched worldwide distribution and long forestry heritage with Blount’s legacy of product excellence,” said John Heller, Caterpillar vice president with responsibility for forestry.
“This acquisition will provide greater opportunities for integrating Caterpillar’s state-of-the-art design and components into the forestry products that previously have been manufactured by Blount.” Blount International, Inc, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is a diverse, highperforming industrial company. For more than 50 years, Blount’s Forestry Division has manufactured market-leading products such as timber harvesting and processing equipment, loaders and attachments.
“Caterpillar recognizes the value of our experienced workforce and our long history of market-leading products,” said Dennis Eagan, president of Blount’s Industrial and Power Equipment Group. “Our dealers and customers can expect a smooth transition of ownership and will be well served by Caterpillar.”
Setting a new standard in chairs
The Ultra Seat Corporation Supervisor office chair represents a new standard in intensive use 24-hour office chairs. These seats have been used as an operator seat in the most strenuous conditions in off highway industries such as forestry, agriculture, and construction. The chairs have gone through extensive testing and each is equipped with standard features such as: side tension adjustment; adjustable air lumbar; adjustable headrest; infinite tilt lock; heavy-duty height adjustment; urethane treaded wheels; and seat back angle adjustment. www.ultraseat.com
CMI adds to mulching equipment with the Twister C125
CMI has added to its full line of mulching machines with the Twister C125. It’s equipped with a John Deere 4045 T 125 hp engine and weighs 14,650 lbs, with a lower ground pressure of 4.3 psi. The crawler offers easy access to the engine and cooling components without the use of tools. The innovative tilting cab design allows easier maintenance and service.
The mulcher is driven by a 2500 series PTO shaft and CV joint for the most efficient power transfer between the engine and the mulcher. The cab is enclosed and is equipped with a heater, air conditioner, deluxe seat with suspension, half-inch Lexan glass around the cab and a front windshield grid. www.cmimulching.com
Joral Devices introduces non-contact encoder
Joral Devices has patented a revolutionary new rotary encoder, called the Hockey Puck. It has no contact with the measuring surface and compensates for mechanical misalignment. Being noncontact, vibration and shock from the mechanics are not transmitted directly to the electronics in the encoder.
It has no shaft or bearings, so the problems of drag, endplay, corrosion, side loading, and push-out have been eliminated. The user mounts a magnet on the rotating object and locates the encoder close by. Precise mounting is not required, as it will tolerate changes in distance, centring and planer tilt. This is important as the machine wears over time. www.JoralDevices.com
Caterpillar Correction
In the June 2007 issue of Logging & Sawmilling Journal, the magazine published an incorrect photo with information on the Cat 500 series tracked feller bunchers. Below is the correct image, with product information on the bunchers below: Promoting sustainable forestry and profitable logging, the new Caterpillar 500 series track feller buncher machines have a complete line of Cat disc saw attachments to meet felling needs. Whether loggers are thinning in a plantation or select cutting in large diameter timber, a wide selection of single post models are available with standard 40 degree partial lateral tilt, or an optional 220 degree full lateral tilt. These range in cut capacity from 20” to 24” for zero tail swing models (511/521/522/532) and 22” to 24” for full tail swing models 541/551/552) with the standard felling front linkage. The HF 181 felling head (20”cut capacity) is also available only on the full tail swing models when the long reach feller buncher linkage option is selected.
Designed to allow maximum visibility of the cutting area, all saws utilize high pressure hydraulics for fast saw recovery and quick arm speed. This provides a positive impact on production and better tree control. www.forestpro.com