Forestry Journal travelled to Sweden for the return of ‘the world’s forestry fair’ last month.
The presence of over 270 exhibitors from 22 countries ensured there was an incredible amount to see. Here are a few highlights.
NOTE: This is the fourth and final in a series of articles we will publish over the coming days.
FARMA
Few exhibitors could rival Farma for the amount of news it brought to the show, though one of its most exciting new products did not put in a physical appearance.
The LF8 is the company’s first forwarder, an 8-tonner with a loading ratio of 1:1, meaning the weight of the machine should be the same as the loading capacity, something that is currently only achieved by the smallest 3- to 7-tonne forwarders.
While visitors could not touch the LF8 on the stand, they were treated to a short film (plus popcorn) which told the story of its development and hinted at some of its innovative features.
Fors MW CEO Ulrica Fors-Stenmarck said: “LF stands for ‘Leif’s Forwarder’. Leif was my father, who had an idea for an 8-tonne forwarder back in 2011. We actually started the project and bought an engine from JCB that’s still in our basement. Unfortunately, he got cancer, the project was postponed and he passed away.
“Two years ago, my project manager and I said: ‘Isn’t it time to bring Leif’s forwarder to the market?’ It’s been top secret but now we’re finally able to talk about it. It will be groundbreaking.”
Elmia Wood also saw the debut of the redesigned T6 trailer with C 5.0 crane (featuring a length of five metres and a lifting force up to 560 kg at full range) and the new X-CEL crane series.
Farma was also able to show off its new colour scheme, featuring a more sophisticated olive green.
BIOMASS
Visitors interested in woodchippers and biomass production didn’t need to wander far from the entrance, with a corner dedicated to brands including Bandit, Vermeer Viking, Pronar, Albach and Pezzolato.
Mus-Max was one of the firms demonstrating in the area, showing off the capabilities of the Wood Terminator 11XL.
CEO Robert Urch said: “We are very close to the entrance and have seen an amazing number of people, keeping us very busy. Our new model, the 11XL, has an infeed of 135 x 82 cm, 580 hp, hydraulic roller and is six-wheel drive so it can go into the forest. It has a huge crane, over 10.4 m, and something we’re especially promoting here is a new ejector with a telescope of 1.6 m, to load all trucks and trailers and fill them completely.”
He added it was the brand’s first time with a presence at Elmia Wood, as it sought out a new dealer in Sweden.
Nearby, on the Ufkes Greentec stand, one of the big attractions was prototype large-scale chipper the Panthera.
Sales representative Piet Yntema said: “We brought the complete package to the show – stumpgringers, forest cutters, mulchers and chippers, from 30 cm all the way to 90 cm with our new prototype.
"It has 800 hp and the best quality woodchip. I think it will take another year before it reaches the market, but for now it’s going to a few customers for extensive testing.”
CHAINSAWS, SAWMILLS AND FIREWOOD PROCESSING
Audience participation was a key element of Husqvarna’s pavilion, which offered visitors the chance to compare battery- and petrol-powered tools, alongside demonstrations from professional arborists.
Lasse Strandell, instructor and product specialist at Husqvarna, said: “We’ve brought everything in our forestry range to our stand, from chainsaws powered by both petrol and electricity to brushcutters and safety equipment.”
Other chainsaw brands such as Stihl, Echo and Cramer found themselves in great demand throughout the show, but Champs of Logging put the skills of Swedish chainsaw operators to the test in competition.
Stihl Timbersports organised two competitions at the fair: the Nordic Cup and the Nordic Trophy. More than 20 athletes from Sweden, Norway and Denmark took part, with reigning Nordic champion Ferry Svan winning both races, meaning he will compete in the European Trophy on 3 July.
Enough sawmill and firewood processing brands were in attendance to have branched off into a show of their own. On the sawmill side, Wood-Mizer, Norwood, Trak-Met and Logosol (among others) drew plenty of attention.
For Logosol, the show was an opportunity to showcase a range of new products. Per Karlsson said: “I think a lot of people have been looking forward to this show. We’ve brought our new CH3 planer moulder. We have our F2 and F2+ chainsaw mills, which are fairly new as well. We have our bandsaw mills and we’re also showing the hydraulics we recently launched for the B1001 sawmill. We have quite a lot of new things – and a lot more to come.
“It’s been a very busy time for us. More and more people are looking into the forestry sector in general, with prices going up. The sawn and processed timber sector is getting more interesting all the time.”
Pilkemaster, Japa, Palax and more flew the flag for firewood processing.
A new piece of kit demonstrated on the Hakki Pilke stand was the 55 Pro. R&D chief Timo Jussila said it had been a great show for the brand. “We’ve had lots of sales and seen lots of people and happy faces,” he said. “The newest and biggest machine we’ve been demonstrating is the 55 Pro. 55 cm is the maximum size of the log. It has 40 tonnes of splitting power and it can split into 24 pieces in one go.”
For Forestry Journal, two days at the fair was hardly enough time to scratch the surface of what was available, but the feeling among exhibitors and visitors alike was an overwhelmingly positive one.
Anders Roman, programme manager for Elmia Wood, said: “As a trade fair and event, Elmia Wood had three fantastic days. The fair ran smoothly, thanks in large part to great teamwork, but also thanks to the terrific engagement of the exhibitors and, not least among all the visitors. It’s been fantastic to encounter the joy and energy along the visitor trail. It’s obvious many people have longed for the fair as a meeting place.
“Our exhibitors are very satisfied, in some cases above their expectations. And the great atmosphere testified to the visitors’ satisfaction too. I am particularly pleased the forests’ importance to Sweden and the world from a climate perspective so clearly characterised the fair.”
Elmia Wood will open its gates again in May/June 2025.
This is Pt. 4 of our Elmia Wood 2022 coverage
Pt 1. Sniffer dogs, spruce bark beetles, Neuson and Profi Production
Pt. 2. Vimek's new eight-wheeled forwarder and Kronos
Pt. 3. Malwa's new 'big but agile' harvester and battery-powered combi machine
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