The culmination of three decades of hard work, Uniforest’s new advanced manufacturing plant was opened during a lavish ceremony in July. Forestry Journal was among the 500 guests in attendance on the day.
THE funny thing about chance meetings is you never know where they will take you. When Forestry Journal ambled onto Uniforest’s stand at KWF Tagung, little did it know that just a matter of weeks later, it would be standing inside the manufacturer’s brand-new production facility in the centre of Slovenia.
But there it was in mid-July, rubbing shoulders with local politicians, an Olympic snowboarder, and forestry professionals from as far afield as Bhutan as the company officially opened the site.
And it did so in fine style. The beer flowed, the band played, and a good time was had by all; given the significance of the moment for Uniforest, it was easy to understand all the fuss.
“Today, I am filled with feelings of pride, happiness and joy that I cannot even describe, because they can only be felt,” said Uniforest director Drago Pintar during a passionate opening address to 500 guests. “I am touched because I have devoted practically my entire professional life, more than 30 years, to developing Uniforest.
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“But all that we see today would not have happened without you, dear colleagues, who, with hard work, perseverance, ingenuity, and a great deal of initiative, make Uniforest a successful business.
“I am truly glad that I have been able to pass this on to you.”
‘We were looking for this independence’
Located in the small town of Latkova Vas – around 40 miles from the Slovenian capital Ljubljana – and just a stone’s throw from its existing plant, the advanced manufacturing facility stretches across 4,500 m2, is said to be a “high-speed” automatic warehouse (with 420 pallet places to store parts) and can even be expanded by a further 1,000 m2 should demand dictate.
That all sounds good on paper, but what is it like in reality? The first thing FJ noticed as it stepped inside its pearly gates was just how spacious it all was. Its ceiling stretched up into the sky, its floor provided ample room, and at every turn it felt like a building fit for the 21st century. On the July day in question, the mercury hit the mid-30s but you’d never have known, thanks to cold water running underneath the plant’s floor to keep the site cool. Even the toilets could only be accessed by tapping a futuristic-looking button.
But it became clear that the site is more than just clever gimmicks (even if the gimmicks are particularly clever). Featuring areas for laser cutting, bending and sheet metal processing, the plant provides Uniforest with one thing that it has craved since it was launched in 1992 by Drago; freedom. In the past, the manufacturer relied on others supplying its parts (which it then welded together), but the new site takes out that middleman almost entirely.
“We were looking for this independence for a very long time,” said Jernej Jesenicnik, sales engineer at Uniforest. “This is one of the biggest moments for Uniforest in its recent history. By building this facility, we will achieve that independence from other suppliers.
“In the past, our production and delivery times strongly depended on them. They were producing parts for us, we were then welding them and assembling the machines. Now, we will start production by ourselves. We will be laser cutting, sheet metal bending, all by ourselves.
“For the customers, this will lead to shorter delivery times. At any moment, we can decide what we need to do.
“We can adapt to the needs of the market. If we need more winches, we can start producing more winches the next day; because we are not depending on other companies.”
‘A door to a better future’
It is hard to overstate just how big a deal this is for Uniforest. The company’s first forestry winch only came out in 1995 and, in 2003, this was followed by its maiden log splitter. Today, its winches and firewood splitters are used around the world. In the UK, dealer Fuelwood (represented on the day by Jeremy Slatem, Bonnie Slatem, and Ben Billing) has enjoyed great success with its products, despite having only taken the brand on in 2021.
The significance of this progress was underlined by just how much of a show the manufacturer put on for its assembled guests, which also numbered every single one of its employees.
A free bar (always a good start), a buffet of Slovenian produce, and music from local performers, including the Uniforest band, entertained visitors either side of an official opening presentation, which culminated in Drago ‘switching on the lights’ as he was joined on stage by several local politicians. A parish priest was even on hand to bless the building.
“As if it were today, I remember in 1998 how we were looking forward to opening our first premises in Dobriša Vas,” Drago said in his speech. “26 years later, we are opening the doors of a brand-new advanced manufacturing facility that I am convinced is ushering in a new, modern era for the company.
“It opens the door to technological development, to advanced, digital, and sustainable processes. A door to a better future for all.
“This facility will allow us to achieve maximum productivity and a high level of flexibility, which is crucial for a successful business today.”
Paying tribute to Uniforest’s employees, he added: “I always say out loud that the greatest added value of the company is you, all the employees, and all your knowledge and other competencies.”
‘Working in the forest is difficult’
When the party was over (which, FJ is reliably informed, lasted into the wee small hours), Uniforest wasted little time in putting the site to work. It’s been a big year for the company in terms of its facilities, but also with regards to products. Its new X-Power range of professional gear winches with proportional brakes – the very item that took FJ onto the brand’s KWF stand in the first place – are due on the market any day now, and, as Drago explained back in July, all of its machinery is designed with one thing in mind.
“Working in the forest is dangerous and difficult, and the development of safe and compact machines in this sector is anything but easy,” he said. “It is a challenge that we are overcoming together. That’s why we strive for innovations that make forestry machinery even safer and more user friendly.”
How it works
So how will it all work in the new site? While it was a little tricky to tell on the day of the official opening – given tables and a stage were set up instead of the production line itself – Uniforest later described the process as such:
“The northern part of the facility will be used for laser cutting, bending, and sheet metal working, as well as manual and robotic welding. Depending on the cutting plan, the sheet metal will automatically arrive from the warehouse to the laser for sheet metal cutting. After cutting, the sheet metal will be sorted and subsequently bent on two bending machines operated by an employee. During the afternoon or night shift, when there are fewer people in production, the automation on the laser will be able to send the cut sheet metal back to the high-speed warehouse.
“The cut material can be taken out of the warehouse at any time and the heavier pieces will be bent on the robotic bending cell.
“When the material is ready for welding, it will be brought into the welding shop by the commission agents in racks with pull-out shelves prepared for this purpose. The entire welding shop is covered by overhead cranes, which will allow for easier and faster material handling. In the welding room, the items will first be manually joined and then robotically welded on six Yaskawa robotic cells.
“The fume extraction needs will be taken care of by an Aigner ventilation system.
“Fresh air will be blown into the hall utilising floor diffusers, which will lift the flue gases, which will be extracted using an extraction system. On hot summer days, the same system will also be used to cool the hall. If this is not enough, the new facility also has a ground-cooling system, and heating in winter.”
Watch our video feature on the new facility below
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