Oregon Logging COnference Review

The 82nd Oregon Logging Conference (OLC) held February 20-22, 2020, was a great success, with wonderful weather and thousands of people in attendance.

“The Oregon Logging Conference is always an opportunity for everyone to get to know who we are and what we do,” said OLC Conference Manager Rikki Wellman. “We are the largest show in North America,” she added, referring to over 325 participating vendors, with both outside and inside exhibits and displays.

This year’s theme was Working Forests: Carbon Keepers, and 2020 OLC President Greg Stratton said, “This theme highlights the fact that our industry, the products we produce, and the forests we manage are some of the best natural carbon keepers available to the world. While this sounds good with the modern buzz words like carbon sequestration, the truth is this is what our industry has been doing for generations.”

Show Highlights

Below are just some of the highlights of this year’s show.

• The Annual Oregon Women in Timber dinner and auction raised over $93,000 to benefit its award-winning Talk About Trees program.
• As for students, the 3rd Annual Future Forestry Workers Career Day included more than 775 high school students and educators representing 36 schools, who learned about a variety of career opportunities in logging, forestry, and natural resource businesses. And more than 868 students and teachers from 14 schools visited the conference to learn more about the forest industry.
• The High School Skills Competition included more than 100 high school students from 10 schools in Oregon. The top four teams received awards, as did the top individual in each category. The relay team award winners, first place through fourth, were Clatskanie Middle/High Schools, Waldport High School, Philomath High School, and Crook County High School.
• The Oregon Logging Conference Foundation auctions, held during breakfast Thursday and Friday mornings, raised more than $29,000 from generous supporters.
• There was again an amazing lineup of conference seminars and panels. Topics included Your Voice and Vote Count; the Oregon and Washington Forest Practices Acts; drone use to protect resources and improve efficiency; and effective communication.
• This year 33 people from six states demonstrated their skills in the 11th Annual Log Loader Competition. First, second, and third went to Zane Bryant of Bryant Logging, 2:35:56; Ross Cribbs of Van Well Timber, 2:56:50; and Bryan Chipps of Green Diamond Resource Company, 3:09:35.
• OLC First Lady Cathy Stratton’s Desserts for Dreams luncheon raised more than $10,000 for Our Backyard, a nonprofit anti-human trafficking organization.
• Of 800 entries, Ric Levanen of RJL Forestry LLC won the Guess the Net Scale contest.

New Equipment

Each year companies debut a variety of new machinery, and this year attendees had the opportunity to see:

Alliance – The new 643 III and 644 III Forestar were on display. The 643 III is engineered for ultimate track compatibility. Even without tracks, it provides exceptional grip under critical forestry conditions.
It also features outstanding stability, excellent self-cleaning, and a unique shoulder buttress design. The 644 III is specifically designed for forestry applications. The variable lug angle provides enhanced hillside stability, versus a standard 23-degree lug angle tire. It too boasts excellent self-cleaning, high traction, and low soil compaction. www.atgtire.com

Cannon – On display was the Superbar, with a classic solid steel bar with flame-hardened rails and precision honed groove. Power plus profile maximizes cutting power and chain speed while reducing damage from loose chain. Large Ventrui Oil Hole increases lubrication for longer bar and chain life and also reduces oil hole plugging. It’s available in lengths from 12” to 84” and motor mounts for most makes and models of chainsaws. It’s available in .325”, 3/8”, and .404” pitch, and .050, .058, and .063 gauge. www.cannonbar.com

Cascade Trader – The ELTEC FB277L feller buncher on display at the OLC was the first one in America. This ELTEC short tail swing tracked feller buncher is designed and purpose-built to deliver high productivity. The ELTEC 270 Series is powered by a fuel-efficient Cummins diesel engine and hydraulic system enhanced for forestry. Better stability is ensured by the chassis-carrier with a very long wheelbase. The boom system allows the machine operator to extend and retract the boom on a horizontal plane smoothly and quickly using a single joystick. www.cascadetrader.com

Diamond Mowers — The company’s Skid-Steer Drum Mulcher was new to the OLC. It mulches up to 9” diameter continuously. It has a 72” cutting width, 2-speed variable displacement piston motor protected within the low-profile frame, 41 hardened steel teeth, patented depth control rings to control bite size, and anti-warp plates to protect the drum while preventing material from wrapping. www.diamondmowers.com

Komatsu – On display was the new 331 HP XT465L-5 track feller bunch featuring gull-wing engine hood service access, increased lift capacity, modern cab with superior visibility, new rugged undercarriages, KOMTRAX telematics system, powerful and fuel-efficient Cummins QSL9 engine, heavy-duty 4-way leveling system that maximizes slope productivity, new hydraulic pump system for faster cycle times, and Komatsu CARE. www.komatsuforest.us

Maxam Tire – The new Maxam MS931 tire is designed for extreme applications. It offers extra shoulder and sidewall protection, maximum protection from cuts, impacts, and punctures, cut-resistant compound specifically engineered for forestry, steel reinforced undertread, extra-wide footprint that provides exceptional flotation in muddy and wet ground conditions, and nylon-wrapped beads that prevent unwinding. www.maxamtire.com

Modern Machinery – The company’s new Falcon Claw 1750 motorized grapple carriage comes standard with a large heavy-duty grapple with a maximum opening of 80 inches and a payload of up to eight tons. It has a 360-degree continuous grapple rotation and a Hatz 1D90 air-cooled diesel engine. Other key features include led flood lights, easy access panels for maintenance, anti-swing grapple breaks, purpose-built bunching grapple, and tandem 2-stage high/low-flow pump hydraulic system.
www.modernmachinery.com

PAT Attachments – On display were the new TH-70 and TH-86—fully hydraulic, radio controlled, non-motorized grapple carriages. Both can be run on 5/8-1 1/8" diameter cable. The unique grapple carriages require no engine and instead use traction on the skyline—otherwise wasted energy—to store electric and hydraulic energy. That energy  operates the carriage radio control system, hydraulic controls, work lights and camera system that allows the operator to log without a spotter day or night. The stored hydraulic energy operates the grapples open/close function as well as the 360-degree deg L/R rotate. [email protected]

Ponsse – It was the launch of the PONSSE H9 harvester head, capable of processing, felling, and multi-stemming even large trunks. Thanks to the felling feature, the new harvester head has a great tilt function, and the top saw option allows for more efficient tree handling. The PONSSE H9’s solid structure, firm grip, and powerful feed guarantee a high efficiency ratio and reliability from one logging site to the next. www.ponsse.com

Southstar – The QS600 head with four rollers and 29.5” capacity is designed for medium to large-sized stems. It features a wide frame design for structural strength, magnetic touch-less encoders for better accuracy, extended delimb tips, pop angle for ease of picking from the stack, and extra-wide measuring wheel to allow operators to accurately measure both single and multi-stems, as well as bidirectional drive teeth designed for optimum grip in both forward and reverse. www.southstarequipment.com

Summit Attachments – Introduced at the show, the new SY45 Hydraulic Swing Yarder is engineered with a 400+ hp closed loop regenerative hydraulic drive system and three high-capacity drums to deliver high production and long reach whether logging uphill or downhill. The 45’ live hydraulic boom delivers excellent lift and control logging with a grapple or choker carriage. A powerful hydraulic blade delivers machine stability without guylines. The spacious cab delivers comfort, convenience, and unmatched control of all machine functions. Designed for long life and easy service, all components are North American sourced. www.summitattachments.com

Tigercat —The 6050 Carbonator is the first product offering from Tigercat’s new material processing equipment lineup. Unique, cost-effective, and eco-friendly, the 6050 carbonator reduces wood debris volume onsite through an environmentally friendly carbon sequestration process with no material pre-processing required. Clean wood-based debris can be reduced by 90-95%. The remaining carbon-based output (commonly called biochar) sequesters the captured carbon. There is no resulting organic decay or release of greenhouse gasses. www.tigercat.com

Timbermax — The T20 series Traction winch was new to the OLC. The Timbermax T20 traction-winch package consists of the winch unit, hydraulic components, and the iWinch Control System. The winch is compact and features a built-in spooling device — making it compatible with a wide range of carriers. The T20 winch pull is 19-22 tons, and it has a capacity of 1,380 to 1,770 feet. It has a maximum speed of 4.5 feet/second and weighs in at 10,340 pounds. www.timbermax.ca

Weiler Forestry – Weiler debuted both the B458 track feller buncher and the S350 wheel skidder. The 298 hp B458 is a leveling machine for steeper terrain and excels in select or clear-cut logging. It provides a leading combination of lift capacity, swing torque, and drawbar. Multi-function performance is achieved through dedicated pumps and optimized circuit configurations. It has an extended track roller frame option that includes two additional bottom rollers for a total of eleven, enhancing overall machine stability on steep terrain.

The 225 hp S350 wheel skidder delivers greater reliability and durability with improved transmission and axles along with a refined electrical system. The lock-up torque converter powershift transmission and independent front and rear differential locks deliver powerful pulling while strong multifunctioning hydraulics improve overall performance.  www.weilerforestry.com

Final Notes

OLC Manager Wellman sums it up best, “We couldn’t put on this successful show without the support of all of our sponsors and the participation of all of our vendors. We are proud to promote and showcase the logging industry and contribute to its continued growth and expansion.”

Mark your calendars now. The 83rd Annual Oregon Logging Conference will be held February, 25-27, 2021.

Exhibitors

Cascade Trader

Cascade Trader specializes in new and used logging and construction equipment. Over the past twenty years, our business has expanded to include sales, parts as well as service for Doosan Construction and Forestry Equipment. For the past ten years, Cascade Trader has been one of the top five machine dealers in the USA for Doosan Excavators, Wheel Loaders plus purpose Built Log Loaders.
www.cascadetrader.net

Brake Systems

Brake Systems Inc. displayed their complete line of Williams Control air valves, air cylinders, shifters, air throttles and Blue Ox exhaust brakes. All are manufactured in Portland, Ore., for logging and the heavy duty industry. Brake Systems is Williams’ largest stocking distributor and a Haldex Superstore, with a complete line of air compressors, air valves, brake boosters, converters and electronic throttle controls. BSI also remanufactures air valves, roto chambers, air compressors and brake boosters for heavy duty applications, and is ISO 9001-2008 and ITAR certified. For your air control specialist count on Brake Systems Inc.

[email protected], www.brakesystemsinc.com

Peterson

Peterson designs and builds state-of-the-art equipment, which makes it possible for our customers to supply their clients with industry leading results profitably. For our customers, we will continue to be the most innovative company in our industry offering the world’s most advanced, productive, durable and environmentally friendly products, coupled with training, education, service as well as support that is far beyond anything offered by the competition. 

www.petersoncorp.com

Komatsu America Corp.

Modern Machinery showcased a wide range of Komatsu Forestry equipment including CTL, a PC290-11 Processor and the Komatsu XT-5 Series Track Feller Bunchers during the 2020 Oregon Logging Conference. The XT-5 Series line-up includes the XT430-5, XT445L-5 and XT465L-5 models which feature a more powerful and fuel efficient engine, gull-wing style engine hood, redesigned and relocated cab with superior visibility, increased lift capacities, rugged new undercarriage, new higher capacity hydraulic and cooling systems, forestry-specific guarding, KOMTRAX® telematics system technology, and Komatsu CARE® complimentary maintenance program.  

www.KomatsuForest.us

Joral/Loggingencoders.com

LoggingEncoders.com produces a rugged duty pulse generator specifically for the logging industry, increasing the lifespan of the sensor from months to years. At the OLC, Logging Encoders.com shared information on replacement sensors that fit Waratah, Valmet, Risley, Quadco, Log Max, Denharco, John Deere and Fabtek (CAT) harvesting heads.

www.LoggingEncoders.com

Quadco Group: Southstar

Southstar Equipment Ltd is a world-leading forestry attachment manufacturer. We come with a simple mission; to be industry leaders in forestry attachments by providing world-class products for global conditions. This is achieved through progressive design thinking, service and listening to our customer requirements as we create low maintenance heavy-duty machinery that displays efficient, high quality performance while remaining affordable. 

www.southstarequipment.com

Pape Machinery

Thank you for visiting the Papé Machinery display at this year's Oregon Logging Conference. We're proud to have served the needs of loggers throughout the West for 80 years with superior products and superior support. Learn more about our promise of consistent, quality customer

service at any of our 23 locations or papemachinery.com.

Morbark

Morbark is a leader in the biomass market, building Industrial drum chippers, Chiparvestors, flails and brush chippers, as well as tub grinders and horizontal grinders to meet all of your chipping and grinding needs. In a market that is reliant on the processing of materials, it is crucial to own a piece of equipment that adds to your success and helps you create opportunities better than anyone else. On display at the Oregon Logging Conference 2020 was the Morbark 40/36 Whole Tree Drum Chipper, a compact, affordable, productive drum chipper designed with the biomass industry in mind. For more information visit www.morbark.com.

Quadco Group: Log Max

Log Max engineers products that promote healthy forests, providing harvesting, as well as processing solutions, to its clients, big or small and in any type of forestry application. The 7000XT and 10000XT continue to be popular with the PNW loggers. However the demand for smaller heads has become apparent in the industry’s changing markets. Log Max has a wide variety of harvesting heads as well as processing heads for all applications, from the little 928 to the 10,000XT and 12,000XT. 

www.logmax.com

Pierce Pacific

The 2020 OLC contained heavy concentration of Pierce products throughout…steep slope forestry fronts, shovel conversions, forestry grapples and forestry cabs. Pierce’s exhibit also consisted of the newly refined GP ProSeries, as well as Pierce’s family of industry leading forestry grapples – plus the unveiling of Pat Attachments new grapple carriage. Thank you to all that joined us. For more information on Pierce’s full line of forestry attachments, contact 800.760.3270.

Alliance Tire

Alliance Tire Group chose the Oregon Logging Conference to introduce its 643 and 644 CTL tires to western loggers. Engineered specifically for use with bogie tracks on forwarders and harvesters, the design greatly reduces rubbing and wear between tracks and tires. Both the 643 and 644 tires feature Alliance’s chunk and chip-resistant compound and shoulder-to-steel belts for extra durability. In addition, ATG’s new hexagonal bead completely eliminates slip between the tire and rim. 

www.atgtire.com

Rapid-Span

Rapid-Span has been serving the forest industry for over 35 years, providing modular bridge systems to keep road networks open. We offer a full line of solutions from short-span portable bridges to long-span permanent structures. Our systems are fast and easy to install and are virtually maintenance free. Contact the bridge experts at Rapid-Span for your next project: 1-800-661-2047

Maxam Tire NA

MAXAM has engineered the MS931 LogXtra to provide the forest industry with the best solution for abusive applications. The LogXtra design components and tire construction have displayed increased efficiency, durability and traction compared to industry benchmarks. The steel belt stabilized construction along with heavy duty shoulder and sidewall thrives in harsh environments while also resisting cuts, cracks, impacts and punctures. Visit us at maxamtire.com

Triad Machinery

Triad Machinery is your forestry, excavation, and crane equipment leader in the Pacific Northwest. With six full-service dealerships locations scattered throughout Oregon, Washington and into Idaho as well as Montana, Triad Machinery offers sales, rentals, service, parts, and product support.

Triad Machinery is focused on providing exceptional customer service and has continued to adapt and serve our customers varied needs for more than 25 years. www.triadmachinery.com

Quadco Group: Quadco

As a true visionary and pioneer in the forestry industry, Quadco embraces quality craftsmanship, business relationships, and loggers needs. Incorporated in 1989, we are recognized worldwide for revolutionizing the forestry industry through development of the Quad Tooth System® as well as other valuable products used by loggers every day. Browse our selection of forestry cutting tools, saw discs, and attachments to complete your QUADCO cutting system at Quadco.com

Tigercat

Tigercat and its dealer Triad Machinery displayed over 20 pieces of equipment at the conference. Of note was the new Tigercat 6050 Carbonator. The 6050 Carbonator is the first product offering from Tigercat’s new material processing equipment lineup, reduces wood debris volume by 90% through an environmentally friendly carbon recycling process. Logs, limbs, brush, stumps, yard waste, pallets and other wood based debris can be reduced with no pre-processing required. Learn more about innovative Tigercat harvesting systems and off road industrial products at www.tigercat.com.

Ponsse DEDICATED TO CUT-TO-LENGTH LOGGING

We are a Logger´s Best Friend – and for a very good reason! Our innovative harvesting solutions that follow the principles of sustainable development are always produced specifically for each customer: our mission is to help to improve our customers’ business by providing reliable products and services.

Our R&D activities never stop – this ensures that we remain number one. Ponsse designs its machines together with their users, catering to the needs of every customer in all conditions. This is why Ponsse’s products are also tested constantly. We want to keep earning our customers’ trust. Contact us! 

www.ponsse.com

John Deere

John Deere and its dealer Papé Machinery, again brought a massive display of construction and forestry machinery to the conference. Attendees got to see an amazing line up of both full tree and cut to length equipment. Inside the tent John Deere forestry specific simulators were on display, these simulators are a state-of-the-art tool for efficient, safe and cost-effective operator training. In addition updates to the TimberMatic™ Maps and TimberManager™ Technology Solutions were available for all to see. To find out more about John Deere forestry solutions, please visit www.papemachinery.com or

www.deere.com/en/forestry

Gem Chain Bar

A global leader in manufacturing, GEM Chain Bar has over 30 years of experience proudly making harvester products in the USA. Through innovative design, advanced technology, extensive field testing, and cutting-edge materials, GEM is able to deliver maximized runtime, unmatched durability and consistent productivity. GEM offers harvester bars, sprockets, chain, chain loops, measuring wheels, and bar repair. 

www.gemchainbar.com