Harvesting technologies

In Europe, the most popular technique has been a so-called Scandinavian logging method (developed in Sweden and Finland). It is based on the cut-to-length logging and involves extensive use of powerful logging equipment — harvesters and forwarders.

Harvesters (from the English word harvester — reaper, crop gatherer) are multifunctional logging machines intended to perform a large number of operations: fell trees, trim branches, and crosscut and bundle logs during clearcutting and selective cutting, as well as improvement felling.

Forwarders (from the English word forwarder — carrier, forwarding agent) are self-loading machines for cut-to-length skidding. The technological purpose of these machines includes subgrading, cut-to-length shipment from logging sites to a wood track or a warehouse and cut-to-length piling. A forwarder consists of a loading module — a manipulator — and a cargo module — a cart. A forwarder's average productivity, when working after a harvester, is 12 c.m. per hour. One complex including a harvester and a forwarder can substitute around 80 people working at a cutting area on the basis of a traditional technology. Logging volumes are incommensurable with manual labor: using a traditional technique, a crew of seven to eight people can harvest 7 to 8 thousand cubic meters per year, whereas a harvester-forwarder tandem allows for harvesting of up to 60 thousand c.m. and more. Per person logging productivity increases approximately eightfold.

Implementation of the forestry investment plan in 2008-2009 allowed Ilim Group to technically upgrade its forest operations by introducing several hundreds of harvesting, wood hauling, road construction and auxiliary equipment units. This includes harvesters, forwarders, skidders, loaders, refuelers, bulldozers, motor graders, etc.

At present Ilim Group has the largest modern multifunctional logging equipment fleet in Russia, which consists of 157 machines. The performed upgrade enables more than 70% of all timber to be harvested in a highly efficient machine-aided way. Approximately 125 imported high-capacity trucks handle wood hauling operations.

The new equipment allows to significantly enhance efficiency, reduce logging costs and improve the operators' and workers' working conditions and safety.

History of logging