Forest Products Industry

Komatsu Forest has launched a new generation of forestry machines, where both harvesters and forwarders have been comprehensively updated to meet the evolving demands of modern forestry. Source: Timberbiz The new range combines improved productivity with reduced environmental impact, focusing on efficiency, operator comfort and long-term reliability. The launch includes a complete update of Komatsu’s harvester portfolio as well as a new generation of six-cylinder forwarders. Across both segments, the upgrades are centred around a new engine platform, enhanced driveline performance and a more refined operator environment. At the core of the new generation is the AP Core engine, designed to deliver higher power and torque while enabling more efficient operation. The increased engine performance makes it possible to operate at lower engine speeds while maintaining – or in many cases improving – productivity. In the harvester range, all seven models have been upgraded. New crane designs play an important role in this development. The cranes feature a more robust design, with additional cast components and increased dimensions in key areas. This improves durability, particularly in demanding operations, while maintaining high performance and precision. The hydraulic system has been optimised to reduce pressure losses and improve overall efficiency, while a revised hydrostatic transmission enables high performance at lower engine speeds. Together with the engine updates, these improvements contribute to reduced fuel consumption and lower CO₂ emissions, while supporting efficient performance in a wide range of operating conditions. “We have focused on delivering more performance where it matters, while also improving efficiency,” said Joakim Johansson, Product Manager, Harvesters. “The new generation gives operators more capability in demanding conditions, while enabling lower engine speeds and more fuel-efficient operation in everyday work.” The new forwarders – Komatsu 855, 875 and 895 – benefit from similar core upgrades, including the same engine platform and an updated transmission. These changes enable higher transport speeds, improved traction and increased productivity in challenging terrain. “We continue to develop our forwarders with a clear focus on productivity and usability,” says Daniel Grabbe, Product Manager, Forwarders. “The improvements in engine efficiency, driveline performance and serviceability all contribute to lower cost per cubic metre and a more reliable machine in daily operations.” Additional updates in the forwarder range include flexible load configurations, improved crane performance and several design changes that simplify service and maintenance. A redesigned access system and improved component layout also enhance operator safety and daily usability. With the Next Generation range, Komatsu Forest continues its focus on delivering machines that combine productivity, operator experience and environmental consideration – supporting forestry operations both today and in the future.

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Water is essential to making pulp and paper. Domtar’s Water Reduction Capex Fund sets aside a portion of capital spending solely for projects that help conserve water. Domtar’s mill teams submit competing proposals, and since 2023, the company has saved 2.3 billion gallons of water per year through the program. Source: Timberbiz Since 2023, employee-led projects at 10 Domtar mills have reduced the company’s water use by more than 2.3 billion gallons a year — enough to fill 3,480 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Twenty-four projects, designed and driven by the people who know the mills best, are helping Domtar’s paper and packaging mills reach the company’s water target: a 20% reduction in water-use intensity by 2030, compared to 2020 levels. The program works like a competition. Through the Water Reduction Capex Fund, Domtar sets aside a portion of capital spending solely for water-reduction projects, and mill teams submit proposals for a share of it. There’s one unusual rule. “The projects didn’t need to provide a financial return. The priority was saving water,” said Brian Kozlowski, senior director of environment and sustainability for Domtar’s Paper and Packaging business unit. “That gave our employees the chance to think beyond the bottom line and they really did.” The best water-saving ideas didn’t come from headquarters. They came from operators, engineers and maintenance teams who saw where water could work harder, often in places most people never think about. Some projects put used water back to work. When a new sheet of paper is made, the water that drains away (papermakers call it white water, because it’s cloudy with wood fibre) can be captured and put back to use instead of being replaced with fresh water. The same goes for cooling water, which carries heat away from equipment: instead of running it through once and letting it go, teams rerouted it to cooling towers, where it sheds its heat and goes back to work again. Other projects stop the draw before it starts. Many industrial pumps run a constant trickle of water (called “seal water”) to keep their moving parts cool and sealed tight. A trickle sounds small, but run it around the clock across hundreds of pumps and it adds up to millions of gallons; swapping older-style pump packing for modern mechanical seals cuts that trickle to nearly nothing. Flow regulators help deliver only the water the job actually needs. And converting open-loop cooling, where water passes through once and leaves, to closed-loop systems that recirculate the same water can eliminate that demand entirely. The first year of the competition alone produced 10 projects at seven mills, saving more than one billion gallons annually. The program has since grown to 24 completed projects at 10 mills and the healthy competition between mills that leaders hoped for is real. This spring, Domtar’s Nekoosa Mill in Wisconsin earned the company’s internal Water Reduction Award for a series of conservation initiatives projected to save more than 129 million gallons. The results are showing up on the company scoreboard. According to Domtar’s Q2 2026 sustainability strategy update, the Water Reduction Capex Fund has now completed its third year of projects, and water use across the Paper & Packaging business unit is down 10% from 2020 levels through the first quarter of 2026, halfway to the 2030 target. The program earned the American Forest & Paper Association’s Leadership in Sustainability – Water Management award in 2024.

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Finnish forest investments had a better performance during the first half of 2026 compared with their counterparts in Sweden. Finland’s H1 return reached 5.9%, supported by a Q2 gain of 7.1%. In Sweden, H1 returns fell to -6.6% as Q2 declined by -7.3%. On a twelve-month basis, returns remained negative in both markets, with Finland at -11.7% and Sweden at -15.0%. Source: Timberbiz However, despite recent negative returns, Sweden continues to outperform Finland over the medium term. Strong quarterly returns in Sweden following Q1/2024 have resulted in substantial value accumulation for forest owners. By Q2/2026, the index level was at 127.4, corresponding to a cumulative return of 27.4%. In Finland, the corresponding index reached 109.4, representing a cumulative return of 9.4%. Both index levels declined sharply from the peak levels reached in Q2/2025, as shown in the figure. Changes in stumpage revenues, calculated as the sum of changes in timber prices and harvest volumes, continue to be the main factor explaining return fluctuations in both countries. In Finland, pulpwood prices diverged from sawlog prices recently, as pulpwood has seen a relatively larger decrease in price. Furthermore, the prices have decreased since June, while biological growth continued to provide a stable positive contribution to returns. Indufor’s Forest Investment Return Index now covers both Finland and Sweden, representing almost 30% of EU wood market and nearly one million forest owners. The index measures private forest returns using public market data on timber prices, standing stock volumes, harvests and forest management costs. The methodology is based on the Montgomery-Vartia index, allowing the total return to be consistently decomposed into its underlying components. Founded in 1980, Indufor Oy is an internationally recognised forest sector consultancy headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, with experience in more than 100 countries.

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When Forest Growers Research (NZ) launched its 2025 Youth Micro Innovation Challenge, it set out to unlock the ingenuity of young forestry professionals working at the frontline. For Establishment Forester Tessa McCarthy, the spark for her winning idea came from working in blackberry as a graduate. Source: Timberbiz “I started working with pruning crews in May last year,” she says. “We had a really warm autumn and we were in quite a tough blackberry block. I was watching the guys push their way through. They either chose to have no arm protection to manage the heat, or they wore two hoodies and overheated.” Neither option sat well with her. Bare arms meant scratches and thorns. And in forestry, blackberry scratches aren’t minor inconveniences – they can become infected, layered on top of old cuts, day after day. Hoodies reduced the scratches but created a different risk. “If they’re not keeping up hydration, that exposes them to heat exhaustion,” Ms McCarthy said. “Sometimes you can push through it, but it hits you later. Or the next day.” For Ms McCarthy, it was clearly a health and safety issue, but also a wellbeing issue. “It’s mentally challenging too. It’s an environment where you just have to push through,” she said. One simple question emerged: If we’ve got leg chaps, why don’t we have arm chaps? Before the challenge even opened, Ms McCarthy had begun experimenting. In true upcycling style, she salvaged old car seat covers destined for the bin to use as canvas. When the Youth Micro Innovation Challenge was announced, it felt like the right pathway to take her idea further. Unlike traditional funding rounds, the process was deliberately simple. No lengthy business case – just a clear explanation of how the innovation would improve forestry. With up to $10,000 available and a fast-track timeframe, it was designed to move ideas quickly into proof-of-concept. Ms McCarthy’s concept, Forestry Arm Chaps, was selected as one of two winners. The funding allowed her to purchase an industrial sewing machine and materials to build a robust prototype. But as with most forestry projects, the timeline had to flex around operational realities. Planting season was intense, and Ms McCarthy negotiated an extension so she could give the design the attention it deserved. She completed her first field test in early December with a volunteer from a crew working in Murupara. “I was a bit nervous,” she admits. “At first, they looked at me like … what is this? But once I showed them, they were really encouraging. They said it’s something they would use and wanted to be part of the trial.” That response mattered. “If you design PPE that’s more of a hindrance than a help, it just won’t be adopted.” Arm protection isn’t entirely new in forestry. But Ms McCarthy is clear that her design targets a very specific user group: pruners operating in high-intensity, high-movement environments. “With plotting, you’re putting your arm around the tree and breaking through blackberry. With pruning, there’s so much more movement. You’re bending your arms all day, stretching your back, climbing ladders. Your joint movement can’t be impacted.” That insight shaped every design decision. While other arm chaps she’d seen were full canvas, Tessa introduced flexible neoprene panels at the elbow to allow natural movement and reduce pinching. “Full canvas would just pinch all day.” She also added a soft cuff at the wrist for comfort. She has also replaced Velcro closures with adjustable buckles for durability and longevity. “Velcro wears out. I want this to last.” Back straps were redesigned to accommodate the wide variation in men’s body shapes. This year, a full-size range, from small to XL, were produced for trials involving crews in dense blackberry blocks where the benefits were expected to be the most evident. Feedback to date has been overwhelmingly positive, with users reporting they “love them”. Contractors R & L Contracting are providing feedback from the field and KT’s Tree Establishment Manager Rob Brown has been a sounding board for Tessa during trials. OHS Partnering General Manager Ian Barrett applauds Ms McCarthy’s efforts. “Tessa has taken a real frontline challenge, listened to the people doing the work, and developed a solution that has the potential to reduce injury risk, improve comfort and support better wellbeing in tough operating conditions,” he said. Ms McCarthy is now working on a name for her product, but she says the goal isn’t commercial success. “I’m not money driven. I’m people focused. If I can improve the working environment of the workers out there, that’s what matters,” she said. Ms McCarthy also recognises the potential beyond forestry. Farmers, lifestyle block owners, conservation workers, even search and rescue volunteers could benefit from flexible arm protection in thorny environments. In five years? “If there’s demand, it could go further,” she says. More than anything, the journey has reinforced her belief in backing your ideas. “Don’t let doubt deter you,” she says. “People will tell you it’s already been done. I’ve had that. But you can’t let that stop you from giving it a go.” The process has also equipped her with practical innovation skills she’ll carry into her forestry career – understanding design, testing, iteration, and the importance of end-user feedback. In a way, the project has brought together two of her passions. “I was almost going to study fashion design,” she said. “It came down to fashion or forestry.” Forestry won, but through the Micro Innovation Challenge, the two have merged in an unexpected and impactful way.

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A senior Indonesian forester whose work focused on his country’s native forest species, Dr Anto Rimbawanto likes to joke that he was destined for the field. Part of his surname, rimba, means ‘lush forest’ in Indonesian. Source: Timberbiz For more than four decades, Dr Rimbawanto has dedicated his career to advancing the understanding and sustainable management of Indonesia’s forest resources as a researcher with the then Ministry of Environment and Forestry’s Agency for Forest Research and Development and, later, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). Through much of that journey, collaboration with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) connected him and his team with Australian researchers through joint research, training and capacity development. Having stepped back from a lifetime devoted to forestry, Dr Rimbawanto reflects on a partnership that has connected researchers, strengthened scientific capacity and delivered lasting benefits for Indonesia’s forestry sector and the communities that depend on it. ACIAR’s forestry partnership in Indonesia spans more than three decades, bringing together researchers and institutions from both countries to address shared forestry challenges and deliver practical benefits for forest-dependent communities. The partnership has also deepened Australia’s understanding of tropical forestry systems and plantation species across the region. Dr Rimbawanto was at the centre of many of these collaborations. A specialist in forest genetics and tree improvement, Dr Rimbawanto played a leading role in eight ACIAR-supported forestry projects over 25 years. His work tackled plantation forest diseases, improved cajuput varieties (Melaleuca cajuputi) and applied DNA technologies to strengthen plantation productivity and resilience. For Dr Rimbawanto, the research was never just about trees. ‘It is about ensuring plantation forests continue to provide materials and economic opportunities for communities across Indonesia.’ Over the years, Dr Rimbawanto collaborated with Australian researchers from universities, research agencies and industry on a wide range of forestry challenges. One of ACIAR’s greatest strengths is its ability to connect Indonesian research institutions with leading research organisations and universities in Australia. Working together allowed us to share knowledge, learn from different approaches and address challenges that affect both our countries. One recent example is a regional forest biosecurity project that brought scientists and communities together to detect threats early, strengthen surveillance and protect forest livelihoods. By combining Indonesian expertise and local knowledge with Australian innovation and regional networks, the project contributes to regional preparedness for emerging forest pests and diseases that cross national boundaries. In the project, Dr Rimbawanto tested acacia and eucalyptus species that are shared by Indonesia and Australia and widely grown in Indonesia to supply the pulp and paper industry. The work identified varieties better suited to disease-prone areas, supporting productivity and giving communities access to more resilient planting material. Some of Dr Rimbawanto’s most widely felt impact came through his work on cajuput, a tree species native to eastern Indonesia, Timor-Leste and northern Australia. Its oil has been a fixture in Indonesian households for generations as a trusted natural remedy. As demand for cajuput oil grew, his work on improved planting material and practical guidance contributed to more productive plantations and more reliable incomes. The research also became an important part of his partnership with ACIAR, which supported his team’s breeding program through specialised training, technical expertise and tools, including analysis of leaf oil content. The impact of this work extended well beyond the laboratory. In 2022, the Kofarwis farmer group in Biak Numfor Regency that he supported received the Kalpataru Award, Indonesia’s highest environmental accolade. Their experience has since become a model for community-led, environmentally responsible forestry in other villages. Two years later, Dr Rimbawanto received Satyalancana Pembangunan, Indonesia’s Medal of Honour for Development, recognising years of work with farming groups and communities, including supporting the shift from illegal logging to sustainable cultivation. Dr Nick Hogarth, ACIAR Research Program Manager for Forestry said Dr Rimbawanto’s generosity and commitment to supporting others had strengthened relationships, knowledge and capability that would continue benefiting Indonesia’s forestry sector into the future. Through ACIAR-supported capacity development programs, 10 researchers and academics from Indonesia’s forestry sector whom he mentored completed John Allwright Fellowship and postgraduate studies in Australia, returning with new skills, professional networks and strengthened research expertise.

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WorkSafe New Zealand has confirmed that the Workplace Exposure Standard (WES) for softwood dust will remain at its current level of 2 mg/m³. The decision follows a recent consultation on proposed WES values for softwood dust, hardwood dust, flour dust and welding fumes.  Source: Timberbiz As part of the outcome, WorkSafe has also confirmed that the WES for hardwood dust will increase from 0.5 mg/m³ to 1 mg/m³, and that it no longer intends to combine the softwood and hardwood dust exposure standards in the future. The Wood Processors and Manufacturers Association of New Zealand Chief Executive Mark Ross said the decision reflected a practical and evidence-based approach that considers the realities faced by New Zealand softwood (Radiata Pine) manufacturers and wood processors. Alongside confirming the revised WES values, WorkSafe has released a range of new plain-language resources to help businesses better understand workplace exposure standards and manage risks associated with harmful airborne substances. The resources include educational videos, practical case studies, and guidance on working with occupational hygienists. These resources are available on the WorkSafe website at: https://www.worksafe.govt.nz/topic-and-industry/monitoring/ Workplace Exposure Standards are guideline values used to help assess worker exposure to airborne substances such as dusts and fumes. They are not mandatory limits or regulatory targets. Businesses should continue to focus on eliminating exposure wherever possible, or minimising exposure so far as is reasonably practicable using effective controls. Mr Ross said the outcome demonstrates the value of constructive engagement between industry and regulators. “We thank Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden and the WorkSafe team for listening to industry concerns and taking a common-sense approach to setting workplace exposure standards for softwood dust,” he said. “This outcome provides greater certainty for businesses while maintaining a strong focus on worker health and safety.”

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UNSW Sydney and Fire and Rescue NSW have launched iFire 2.0, the world’s first AI-driven scenario-modelling system that allows firefighters and communities to experience and prepare for megafire conditions before they occur. Source: Timberbiz The technology will be demonstrated at AFAC26 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Combining artificial intelligence, immersive visualisation and advanced simulation, iFire 2.0 is designed to strengthen emergency response capability and community resilience as fire seasons become more extreme. Building on iFire 1.0, showcased at UNSW earlier this year, the new system uses advanced machine-learning trained on a large fire-behaviour data sets to model fast-moving, unpredictable fires like those seen during Australia’s Black Summer and current European seasons. iFire provides an immersive environment where users can navigate simulated firegrounds, practise decision-making under pressure and rehearse response strategies safely. “Megafires can behave in ways that defy established expectations and response procedures,” Scientia Professor Dennis Del Favero, Director of the iCinema Research Centre at UNSW Sydney said. “iFire 2.0 lets users rehearse their response to these unpredictable conditions in a safe, immersive environment. By selecting variables such as wind speed and temperature, users can generate and explore extreme fire scenarios, rehearse their preparedness and develop the confidence and resilience needed when conditions become catastrophic. “The partnership demonstrates the value of collaboration between emergency services and academia in driving innovation and developing next-generation capability for firefighters and communities alike.” The technology can support operational planning, incident management training, community preparedness and post-event review. It is intended to complement established practical training by providing a safe, repeatable environment to rehearse responses to uncertain and rapidly evolving fire conditions. The iFire program is part of a five-year partnership between UNSW and Fire and Rescue NSW. Watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1woqOLfV8wM

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