| 71 FORESTRY Murray Logging Murray Logging has the equipment and manpower to log 300 tonnes a day when operaring at full capacity. 10 HIGH STREET, BALCLUTHA PH 03 4182664 PROUD TO SUPPORT MURRAY LOGGING I , and if you can offer them a no-cost clearing job, get enough out of it to cover your costs and leave it tidy for the farmer then more often than not they’re happy to do that. I take the wood for payment, they don’t get a return, but they don’t get a bill either. That’s predominantly eucalypt shelter belts or some old man pine, but not every job fits that description. We’ve also done some old crop old man pine.” A couple of years ago Murray Logging was given the opportunity to remove old man pine trees down by Manuka Gorge, near Milton, that were shading the road and causing an ice hazard on the highway. “That job was in conjunction with the land owner, the Otago Rail Trail and LTNZ Waka Kotahi. Some of those logs were a hundred years old, and weighed 14.3 tonnes. It was one log per log bolster. “We marketed the wood as export and the owners were happy just to get it cleared and tidied up. We have done some corporate work over the years, and there may be more of that coming up. “It really depends on what their requirements are, the availability of crews and if they need something that we can offer. But being flexible and adaptable is the key.” Andrew acknowledges that finding experienced and skilled loggers can be a challenge and he has worked hard at retaining his team. “Log prices can come back up fairly quick and they can drop just as quick, so you need to be able to respond very quickly and get production out when it is on offer. We normally run a team of ten guys, along with myself. “Most of the team are very experienced and skilled operators, ticketed for the work. We currently have one young fella under training in the apprenticeship scheme, though he is also qualified for task. It’s a good culture within the team.”
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