70 | FORESTRY Murray Logging T T Richard Loader Diversification helping in downturn Phone 03 418 3395 | Mobile 027 265 2846 | Email admin@duffyengineering.co.nz 14 Francis Street Balclutha 9230 Duffy Engineering SPECIALIST IN: • Forestry Guarding • Buckets & Root Rakes • Machine-shop Work • Jetboat Fitouts & Maintenance • Hydraulic Hose Repairs South Otago Cranes CNC Profile Cutting service now available to go with our 250-ton Press Brake & Guillotine 03 215 9460 Invercargill & Dunedin Log Cartage PROUDLY SUPPORTING MURRAY LOGGING The volatility of the log market over the last couple of years has been the biggest challenge for logging crews like South Otago based Murray Logging, says Andrew Murray. But he says being willing to adapt, be persistent and persevere, along with putting in hard work and surrounding himself with a cracking good team has got his business through those tough times. “Am I still passionate about the industry? Yeah, I am. It’s been a tough couple of years and pretty trying at times, but there is nothing else that I would really want to be doing and the industry has a great future. Timber has been majorly underrated in terms of structural engineering. Canada has been building five or six storey buildings with timber laminated beams for years. If we want to reduce emissions we should be using timber as much as possible because it’s storing carbon.” Eighteen years ago, Andrew started with a collection of old logging machinery, and has progressively built the business up, introducing a lot of technology and machinery. “We now have a fully mechanised winch assist tree felling team, and a fully mechanised ground-based forwarder/skidder crew and a grappled swing-yarder cable logging operation. That technology has allowed us to increase production and expand our business while improving the safety standards for the team. As cable logging specialists we naturally get the steeper blocks to log. “Running a cable operation also has huge environmental benefits in that you’re using wire ropes to pull the stems up steep hills without carving tracks all over the hill.” Capable of logging 300 tonnes a day, the market downturn has meant that for the last two years Murray Logging has only managed six months production logging each year. Despite the market downturn, Andrew has worked hard to keep his team busy twelve months of the year through diversification and thinking outside of the square. “We used to solely work through a forest management company but I’m open to direct engagement at the moment. Currently the bulk of our work is farm woodlots either owned by individual farmers or syndicates. “ With the volatility of the industry over the last couple of years we’ve had to diversify and find our own markets to pay the way. “That has also enabled us to offer a bit of a saving to clients too. There is always the less desirable job that farmers are keen to get out
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=