More small-scale machinery that's perfect for forestry work

We have split 2024's guide into two parts. You can read Part I here. 

TREELINE
MALWA

WHEN it comes to thinning and the management of sensitive sites, size really does matter. If you want to minimise the damage done to the remaining crop, to the soil and root structures, to the flora and fauna in and around the woodland and even to the wider environment, then using machinery which is small, light and nimble, yet still productive, is important. Malwa’s design and build follows these core values.

By keeping its machines relatively narrow (1.95 m to 2.2 m), Malwa ensures that forests can be thinned without taking out excess trees, therefore ensuring that the best trees can be retained.

Malwa makes four machines, three based on its popular 560 chassis (a harvester, a forwarder and a combi machine) and the eight-wheeled 980 harvester. All harvester models come as standard with a renowned LogMax head.

All 560 chassis machines are just 1.95 m wide when on 500 mm tyres, weigh around 5.5 tonnes and are powered by a 75 hp Cat engine. The 560 harvester and combi machine come with a LogMax 2000T head, giving a maximum cut of 42 cm.

The 980 harvester has a width of 2.2 m on 600 mm tyres, a weight from 8.85 tonnes, a 173 hp Cat engine and can be fitted with either the LogMax 3000T or 2000T.

treelinescotland.com or call 01968 660 698.

OAKLEAF
VIMEK 470

VIMEK stands as the global frontrunner in crafting lightweight forest machinery tailored for thinning operations.  

Vimek’s latest innovation, the 470 Next Generation Harvester, is a powerhouse within the esteemed Next Generation lineup. The 470 harvester surpasses its forerunners in strength, size, and efficiency while retaining the signature gentle characteristics that define the Vimek brand.

Built upon the same platform as perhaps the market’s most agile forwarder the Vimek 870, the 470 inherits a host of common technical features. When paired with the Vimek 870 forwarder the benefits multiply. Operators benefit from minimal strip road area, empowering them to actively select trees for harvesting or retention, thereby enhancing timber quality and future yield. With its robust Cat C2.2 Stage V 75 horsepower engine, the 470 harvester delivers formidable performance. 

The Next Generation forwarders and harvesters are built to maintain high production. Their smart and convenient functions make work more efficient and allow you to adjust the machine to your wishes. Designed specifically for thinning operations, these machines minimise ground damage and preserve surrounding trees. With a well-distributed weight of 6,100 kg across all wheels and a driver-centric cabin offering superior visibility in young forests, the Vimek 470 sets a new standard for efficiency and environmental stewardship in the forestry sector.

oakleafforestry.com

FUELWOOD

FUELWOOD supplies both large- and small-scale forestry equipment designed to make life easier, safer, and more profitable for its customers. End users involved in smaller-scale woodland management need versatility in their equipment and if a tool can have multiple uses, it can keep costs down while keeping productivity high.
Fuelwood offers various solutions for timber extraction of smaller trailers from FTG Forest, equipped with cranes for loading the timber. Optional trailer sides and bodies can turn these timber trailers into conventional trailers for moving much more than just logs.

For landowners and estate managers with their own woodlands and biomass heating facilities, the Heizohack range of chippers enables self-sufficiency in fuel supply for relatively little cost. Many biomass chip contractors need a huge amount of timber to make a day’s chipping worthwhile, and storage space for a huge amount of chip to last between visits. The versatility of owning your own biomass chipper means you can chip little and often, as and when the need to top up the fuel store arises.  For those lucky enough to own a mini-digger, Fuelwood can offer a range of accessories and attachments including grapples, cone splitters and tree shears. 

Contact 01926 484673 or visit www.fuelwood.co.uk.

JAS P WILSON 
BOTEX 

SMALL-SCALE forestry machinery is often the only viable option to manage a wide variety of urban and rural locations. 

A key piece of the puzzle is solving the collection and extraction of timber in viable lengths to support secondary processing either through a mill or processor. To address this market Botex Machinery, supplied through Jas P Wilson, has a range of trailer and loader options to suit, and what’s more, for 2024, Jas P Wilson now offers a range of new control systems to further improve the items on offer. This includes their new Botex xCrane system, and Hydac valve which have been proving very popular with new and existing Botex owners alike.

One standout option for applications such as these is the GR-8 Forestry Trailer with 360D loader. It is a compact unit offering a well-rounded specification to perform in a wide range of settings; a 6-metre reach, 1-tonne lift and a grab opening to 110 cm ensure the loader is up to the task, whilst the GR-8 trailer offers the ability to load up to 8 tonnes, with a bed length of 3.85 m. 

This compact unit also benefits from a steering drawbar, which helps position the trailer in narrow sites and allows it to pass through a woodland environment with ease. Together these features create a powerful combination for narrow sites, or for use behind smaller tractor units.

Call 01556 612233 and ask for Ian Brown for full details.
www.jaspwilson.co.uk

FIELD AND FOREST
BOMFORD TURNER 

FIELD and Forest Machinery has been at the forefront of developing specialised machinery, tailored to the unique demands of small-scale forestry operations.

Field and Forest Machinery offers a diverse range of equipment for use within every aspect of forestry including small scale forestry operations.

Over the past 24 months, one product in particular that has really taken off is the Bomford Turner Flailbot remote tool carrier.  

Primarily sold with mulching and grass cutting heads, Field and Forest Machinery has developed various attachments to aid the management of woodland plots.  

The 3.5-tonne Holzknecht timber winch has proven to be particularly popular, enabling timber extraction from areas where tractors and ATVs cannot access.  Other attachments include spraying units, stump grinders, toe-tip buckets and custom-built load-carrying platforms.

Putting down only 0.285 kg/cm2, the Flailbot performs exceptionally in wet conditions also. Having the ability to extend its track frame by 500 mm spreads the weight of the machine, and this, coupled with the hi-grip tracks, enables the Flailbot to perform in the most extreme conditions.

Field and Forest Machinery also offers a wide range of timber grabs and grapples, with or without rotation, that can be installed on excavators, cranes and loaders.

For more details, call 01506 862371 or visit 
www.fieldandforestltd.co.uk.  

GREENMECH 
CS100 

THE team at Camel Valley Projects (CVP) Gardening & Property Maintenance admit to being ‘bowled over’ by the power and performance delivered by their new CS100 from GreenMech. The chipper’s ability to handle wood and green waste of all shapes and sizes has resulted in improved efficiency and cost savings on jobs conducted across the west coast of Cornwall – so much so that director Joe Herzberg claims the purchase via Vincent Tractors in early 2024 has ‘transformed his business’. 

Joe established the business in 2016, quickly growing the business from one garden and one operative to six full-time staff and over 100 satisfied regular customers. As the scale of the operation increased, so did the demand for Joe to invest in a machine capable of tackling the waste produced from hedge, tree and woodland maintenance. 

“Now we can process everything ourselves, charging to cover the cost of our investment and producing re-usable chip and mulch at the same time,” he said. “In that sense, it has transformed my business.” 

For chipping in confined spaces, GreenMech’s CS100 is the solution. At just 760 mm wide, access to properties, pathways or hard-to-reach locations is no problem, with its 18 hp electric start petrol-engine providing reliable power for ‘on-the-spot’ chipping. 

www.greenmech.co.uk

KIRKLAND UK
ANTONIO CARRARO MACH 4R

ANTONIO Carraro prides itself on producing versatile and compact tractors for specialised agriculture. By focusing on the importance of having a compact build, low centre of gravity and equal wheel distribution, its machines ensure the operator has increased stability, comfort and traction – especially on rough terrain and steep slopes.

Its extensive selection of tractors is ideal for all forestry professionals. Ranging from 26 hp–110 hp and available in wheeled/tracked reversible/conventional drive, manual/auto transmission, they are all built with impressive features including low centre of gravity, minimal ground compaction and easy access with low footplates, and ultra-compact with maximum performance.

The range includes the impressive Antonio Carraro MACH 4R. The ultimate in traction and weight distribution, this model barely marks the ground even in very wet conditions thanks to its four independent rubber tracks, and it will go just about anywhere.

Built with an ACTIO full chassis with oscillation, the cast iron full chassis hosts the tractor’s transmission with a central articulated joint which allows a longitudinal oscillation up to 15°; the two oscillating ends follow the contours of the terrain independently, thus assuring stability and traction at all times. AC was the first manufacturer in the world to introduce the unique reversible driving system back in 1970. Simply turn the seat/steering wheel/dash/pedal assembly 180° for an identical, but reverse, driving direction, giving the operator optimal vision when using rear- or front-mounted attachments.

For more information on the Antonio Carraro Alpine Tractors contact UK importer Kirkland UK on 01622 843013/
email info@kirklanduk.com.

You can read Part I of the guide here.