Small Scale Forestry Demo

[rovers90]

Attended a demonstration of small scale forestry equipment on Thursday on the Barningham Estate near Richmond. The event was run by the Forestry Commission and had a number of dealers exhibiting as well as working demos.

 

Whilst a lot of the machines are quite impressive, the cost is eye watering. The Vimek was £60k - for a machine that has a 22hp Kubota engine and will carry at best 3 ton. I know the answer is they don't sell as many as Ford sell Fiestas and they have to get their R&D costs back but prices are staggering.

[rovers90]

More pics

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Red truck (last pic) looks interesting. Road legal?

[rovers90]

Not sure Kevin. It had lights and indicator units on it and was badged as a Caron.

[HertsWood]

The Caron is an impressive bit of kit with articulated axles.

Imported by BSG Machinery at Marks Tey, in Essex.

Not cheap either

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

I have to agree re prices; Vimeks at £60k is completely ridiculous and yet there are those who can rustle up justification for such; not that I'd ever agree with such. A bit of homework and you can get an FMG / Valmet et al small and economic forwarder that will be right side of £20k. My 36 year old Bruunett cost a tenth of the Vimek and is 1000% the better machine. The Irish Falcon Forwarder or Malwa are better propositions...

[Gray git]

It's a shame that the demo wasn't better advertise as I only found out about it as was working in next village on Friday but by the time we got over everyone was packing up at 3 as very few visitors compared to what they hoped but still got to have a chat with riko about a oniar trailer and crane.

[caledonian bob]

I attended the same type of demo run by FC at Falkland Estate and have to say I was less than impressed. OK they had 4 machines "working " in a forest setting but how you can ever make any of these machines pay in that setting is beyond me. You seem to have had more toys to look at.

[rovers90]

Yes, the working demo was less than enthralling - watching a £60k Vimek load and then unload a ton and a half of timber; a £250k harvester fell a few trees; a Valtra/Hypro combo probably best part of £120k process a few trees; and a Valtra with Igglund pull a tree.

 

It was a poor demo of the Hypro in particular and the lad who owned it had travelled up from Essex!

 

I'm not sure how the even was advertised Gray but we were informed about it as we had expressed an interest in the grants available.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Yes, the working demo was less than enthralling - watching a £60k Vimek load and then unload a ton and a half of timber; a £250k harvester fell a few trees; a Valtra/Hypro combo probably best part of £120k process a few trees; and a Valtra with Igglund pull a tree.

 

It was a poor demo of the Hypro in particular and the lad who owned it had travelled up from Essex!

 

I'm not sure how the even was advertised Gray but we were informed about it as we had expressed an interest in the grants available.

 

That's interesting! Linked to LEADER by any chance? Similar 'grant funded' demo in Cornwall recently. It was alright but not that special. I wonder if it would even have happened if it hadn't been grant funded. Maybe that's where all the money that should be going into increasing productivity / efficiency is going? Giving shiny ass office wallas a reason to go into the office each day???