A Tigercat mulcher at Speirs Logging is the subject of the July Iron Test. The Tigercat 4161-15 mulcher head is running on a Tigercat L870D, a 370HP 38 tonne leveller. The Tigercat FPT (Fiat Powertrain Technologies) engine is specifically designed to deliver high power density, quick load response and excellent fuel economy for heavy-duty forestry applications.
Blake and Caree Speirs are the owners of Speirs Logging Ltd, based in Gisborne. Blake’s father, Murray Speirs, founded the company in Waitārere Beach on the lower North Island, near Levin, around 1998. The business began as a small family operation focused on harvesting and processing trees from the family farm. In its early years, Speirs Logging worked primarily on woodlots, servicing various sites across the lower North Island.
As demand grew, the company expanded its operations to include two hauler crews and one ground-based crew, servicing the Wellington and Wairarapa regions. In 2010, a significant transition occurred when one crew was relocated to Gisborne and Blake and Caree took ownership of the company, marking the beginning of a new chapter for Speirs Logging.
The company processes approximately 200,000 tonnes of wood annually and employs a dedicated team of 16. The Tigercat fleet is comprised of a Tigercat LS855E shovel logger, a newer LS857 shovel logger, two Tigercat 635 series skidders and the new Tigercat L870D track carrier, fitted with the 4161-15 mulching head.
To read more, get your copy of the May 2026 edition of NZ Logger magazine, on sale from 4 May. Check the link on this page to subscribe to either a printed or digital copy (or both).
