In this series of articles we will be sharing snippets from the Swedish Forestry Expo.
At Tigercat’s stand, most attendees had their first opportunity to get up close and personal with the Canadian manufacturer’s 1165 wheeled harvester.
A relatively new product, comparable to something like the John Deere 1270G, this mid-sized wheeled harvester is capable of up to 11 m reach and handling, fitted at the show with the manufacturer’s 534 harvesting head.
One of its key features, making it ideal for work in steep, unforgiving terrain, is the ability to level the cabin 18 degrees forward and 24 degrees back.
READ MORE: Paperwork delays 'to blame for Scotland's planting slump'
Matt Roberts, international sales manager, Europe and Russia, said: “This is basically our foray into the bread-and-butter sector of the harvesting business, the largest volume class size.
“We’re expanding into the cut-to-length market more and more. We’ve been building tracked harvesters and processors for a long time now, but the wheeled machines are starting to grow in popularity outside of the European marketplace. That’s why we’re getting into the development of these products for Europe and elsewhere.
“Our approach is the same as with all our other products. It’s not a light-duty machine. We’ve taken a lot of the design elements from our heavier skidders and track-based equipment and put it into a wheel-driven platform, so things like our centre joint, frame structures and boom designs are all elements that come from those heavy-duty applications.
“A lot of the wheel-driven machines tend to be lighter in weight, but sacrifice durability and strength. Ours are heavy, but we’re building the durability into the machines at the factory. In our traditional market areas, our customers want something stronger, so this is what we designed.”
The 1075 20-tonne forwarder was also on display, another heavy-duty design built for high-production applications, a machine that is especially popular in North America, but often sold in Sweden as a scarifier. Matt hinted some smaller models were currently in development.
Keep an eye across our channels for much more content from the first Swedish Forestry Expo.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here