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3 Reasons We Love Our Local Timber Harvesters
What do the Pacific Northwest and the timber industry have in common? Geography. The timber industry is a staple in the Pacific Northwest requiring a number of tools and personnel to maintain this unique career field. With this territory comes the need for highly trained, specialized, and ambitious harvesters. PNW born and raised, we’ve loved our local timber fellers for over 75 years, and here’s why:
The timber industry is filled with ambition.
It’s not every day that people get to work around and with equipment that can move a few ton tree. Forestry suppliers work with log loaders, feller bunchers, and other John Deere forestry equipment on a daily basis. It takes a lot of experience, training, and safety awareness to be able to operate these machines efficiently and effectively – these jobs are not for the faint of heart. Modern lumberjacks are skilled and dedicated workers on worksites filled dangers and hazards. They risk a great deal to provide a necessity to our society.
Timber harvesters aren’t short on innovation.
Those who work with timber must be innovative using the same materials to provide the same service – lumber, paper, and the like. How do you change the primary structure material of a house? How do you make hardwood flooring better? Used in Europe to build high-rise structures and earthquake-proof buildings, cross-laminated timber (or CLT in the construction industry) is becoming a major part of the timber industry in the Pacific Northwest.
The material is lightweight, strong, relatively acoustically sound, and is fire, seismic, and thermal resistant. Because of its performance, versatility, and renewability compared to its masonry-based counterparts, CLT is a preferred material for many construction companies. Kris Spickler, Heavy Timber Specialist for Structurlam Products, lists just a few reasons why it’s an ideal building material:
- More savings can be found in the reduced installation cost, usually 50% cheaper than installing other plate materials.
- With an earlier project completion date, you are open for business sometimes months ahead of schedule.
- The building structure will weigh less than half the weight of other construction types, so the foundation costs less money.
- Job site safety is dramatically increased due to the prefabricated CLT panels and usually the only power tools are pneumatic drills.
The industry connects with their communities.
The logging industry relies on more than the need for innovative products like cross-laminated timber. Community support serves as a foundation for these industry professionals – and they support their communities in return. They connect with people at events like the Estacada Timber Festival in early July. Papé Machinery alone is involved in nearly 20 events specific to construction and forestry every year throughout our footprint.
The synergetic relationship between the timber industry and their communities is part of the reason the timber specific economy is fueled by innovation and ambition. We understand the equipment and training needs necessary to be an efficient logger, which is why we offer a wide variety of John Deere equipment throughout Washington, Oregon, and California. Moreover, that’s why we participate in local and regional events organized and attended by our local loggers so we can continue to be a pillar of advocacy for our customers.
The support for our local loggers keeps them – and their teams – running efficiently. What keeps you moving?
