Forest Talk

This month our Iron Test team visits the Mangatu Block to test Hill Logging's new Sany 245F fitted with a Falcon Winch Assist financed by TDF Solutions.
 
 The 245F is powered by a 6.37 litre, 147kw/297HP Mitsubishi engine with two Kawasaki hydraulic pumps, pushing 260 litres per minute each pump.  Agility and fuel efficiency are two of the standouts noted so far by its owners.
 
 The geography of the test site under th..... more

Just four months after being declared clinically dead, Kiwi axeman Kahu Woolley is back on the chopping block this weekend – literally.

Australian-based Woolley makes an emotional return to home soil this week - at the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS® New Zealand Nationals - for the first time since suffering a near-fatal heart attack mid-competition in Victoria last November.

The 44-year-old mechanic was brought back to life multiple times after collapsing..... more

This month’s Environmental Forestry conference will focus on the immediate, practical needs of forest managers and planners.

While previous discussions in the sector have centred on the broad shift toward “applied solutions”, the 2026 event – taking place in Rotorua on 23-24 March – is specifically designed to answer the operational question: “What will you bring back to the office from this event?”

The programme addresses four critical pillars..... more

With decades of experience designing and building transport solutions for New Zealand conditions, The Patchell Group continues to focus on what it does best — producing robust, New Zealand-built trailers engineered to last.

The Patchell Group has always been at the forefront of design and technology, but recognises the benefits of aligning with other like-minded companies to be able to offer products that suit a range of transport solutions. It’s the..... more

The Forest Industry Safety Council has released an important Safety Alert following a yarder stabilising ram failure incident.

The Safety Alert relates to Thunderbird TY50/70 Towers and rope retrieval.

The forestry sector has long relied on Thunderbird TY50 and TY70 tower yarders—machines designed to be light, transportable and efficient. However, a serious harm injury has highlighted a critical safety concern that demands immediate attention. ..... more

Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 highlighted concerns around the impact of slash on waterways – especially around New Zealand’s East Coast.  In November 2024, global forestry company Rayonier authorised the design and build of a large-scale grapple to help with the tidy-up. Blain Cox and his Hawke’s Bay-based crew, Cox Forestry Services, agreed to give it a test run.

The six-man swing-yarder crew uses an EMS Tether Winch machine, a John Deere 859 Felle..... more