This piece is an extract from our A View from the Forest (previously Forestry Features) newsletter, which is emailed out at 4PM every Wednesday with a round-up of the week's top stories.
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THERE FJ was, Biblical quantities of rain thundering from the sky and one small river threatening to become a flood, when it dawned on us – there was no place we would rather have been at that moment.
You might think we're describing a few days of Scotland's summer, but instead this rather dreich scene was taking place in the forests of Schwarzenborn, central Germany.
For the first time in eight years, FJ found itself at KWF Tagung, the biggest forestry show in Europe, possibly the world, and the current editorial team understood what all the fuss was about.
At every turn, there was something to marvel at. Be it ProSilva's J20 eight-wheeled forwarder, tilting at an angle that looked unintentional (but very much was), John Deere's new H Series of machines, or Pfanzelt's impressive range and demonstration area, this was very much a show for the forestry fanatic.
We are currently putting in the hours to collate all of our coverage for July's edition – as well as working our way through video interviews for our YouTube channel – but to whet the appetite, here's a very small snippet from our time at KWF.
We already can't wait for the next one!
VOSCH
Control was very much the buzzword on the stand of Dutch/German attachment manufacturer Vosch, which placed its 50 Series grapples front and centre. Featuring a large demonstration area (shared with partner Fuchs, which was showing off its MHL420), both the new RSG 1650 WS and RSG 1650-7T VC were put to the test – and certainly impressed.
Equipped with the “innovative Vosch Control hydraulic system”, the grapples’ own valve block operates from a CAN BUS control link directly from the carrier’s electronic systems, meaning the common problem of adding a third hydraulic circuit to the machine is avoided.
“The main difference is the control system; how you control the grapple,” said CEO Aloys van Osch. “In the old days, we needed three hydraulic lines. Now we only need the hammer line. We run all functions proportionally off the grapple, and more functions on the saw bar. We can cut off a limb, move the saw in and out, all without moving a chain.
“While we work with the hammer line, we have more oil flow available for our rotation function. We have more speed and more momentum.
“It’s immense, and no other provider can provide that.”
ESCHLBÖCK
A BRAND that could be spotted at almost every turn was one that might not be so well known in the UK – at least for now.
On the continent, Eschlböck is one of the major players when it comes to woodchippers, large and small. From manually-fed disk-style and drum-style chippers to large-scale crane fed machines, the brand does it all. That much was clear throughout the KWF site.
As well as having its own stand and demonstration area (with the tractor-powered Biber 92 and its 75cm capacity a highlight), its woodchippers could be found impressing visitors to the Pfanzelt and Mercedes-Benz Unimog stands.
In the UK, Eschlböck has yet to really make an imprint despite previous attempts, with Brexit and COVID putting paid to earlier plans. But, as sales manager Alexander Eschlböck-Kumschier explained, the manufacturer is hoping to put that right as it returns to these shores with a vengeance later this year.
“The quality of the machines are very high," he said. "The woodchips our machines produce are very uniform in size, and that is very important for heating systems. It means the quality of burning is better. Customers can use trust us for a really good service for spare parts.
“We are proud of that, and this is a high quality made Austrian products. You can see us at the APF later this year.”
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