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The Seppi H3 flail mulcher has been a reliable partner for excavators weighing between 2 and 5 tons for years. The new H3 direct version offers even more efficiency with lower hydraulic power requirements, along with increased operational safety and flexibility for your excavator. Source: Timberbiz The H3 direct has been specifically developed for excavators with a hydraulic flow of 25-60 l/min. The main difference from the standard H3 mulching head lies in the direct drive: the gear motor of the H3 direct is directly coupled to the rotor, ensuring higher operational safety and less maintenance. No breakdowns due to wear-related belt failure! Additionally, the H3 direct features the drainless system, meaning no oil return line is needed. This makes machine conversions easy and simplifies usage on various mini excavators in the fleet. Robust construction: The housing of the H3 direct is made of wear-resistant AR400 steel, ensuring durability and resilience. The reduced weight and robust design relieve the excavator’s hydraulic system, concentrating hydraulic power on the mulching tool for better work results. Versatility and flexibility: The H3 direct is ideal for occasional mulching or use on multiple excavators without the need for complex modifications. The DRAINLESS system ensures no oil return line is required, making it perfect for businesses using multiple mini excavators. Clean cut: The SMW flail ensures a very clean cut and mulches grass and shrubs with a diameter of up to 3 cm effortlessly. Comfortable operation: The direct drive of the H3 direct ensures particularly high operational safety. The motor is directly coupled to the rotor, eliminating breakdowns caused by wear-related belt failure – ideal for more intensive applications in remote locations. Compact and lightweight: The H3 direct mulching head is lightweight, reducing the load on the excavator. This allows efficient work without overloading the hydraulic system and stability of the excavator. Easy handling: The floating mounting system and the reinforced, adjustable support roller ensure precise ground guidance, allowing for accurate mulching work in various operational areas. Working width: 60-85 cm [25”-33”] – ideal for mini excavators and tight work areas Hydraulic requirements: The H3 direct model requires a hydraulic flow of 25-60 l/min and is powered by a gear motor.

Germany’s tissue industry is at a crossroads. While technological advancements have driven capacity growth at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11% since 2007, the sector is grappling with a volatile economic and energy landscape. Unlike other German manufacturing sectors that dominate headlines such as the auto industry tissue production faces its own unique challenges. Source: ResourceWise With higher energy costs, inflation-driven labour demands, and the costly transition to green energy, German tissue manufacturers are redefining their approach to production, trade, and market positioning. But where does the industry stand today? And what does the future hold? The German tissue market is shaped by an evolving consumer base. While there is a growing preference for high-quality, soft, and hygienic tissue products, economic uncertainty has led many consumers to shift towards private labels and value-driven purchasing. This results in a contradictory demand for both high-end and budget-friendly products, complicating demand forecasting. At the same time, Germany’s population growth is slowing, with a projected decline of 0.12% in 2024, raising long-term concerns about sustained domestic consumption. However, GDP per capita is on the rise, signalling increased spending power at least for some segments of the market. Despite the challenges, Germany’s tissue trade has remained stable over the past 17 years. Poland has emerged as the largest source of tissue imports, with key suppliers located near Germany’s borders, including Austria, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Sweden. On the export side, many of these same countries are also key destinations for German tissue products. Germany’s tissue industry maintains a near-balanced import-to-export ratio, with trade volumes making up about 40% of the sector’s total capacity. Yet, with rising operational costs, this balance could shift in the coming years as neighbouring producers gain competitive advantages. Unlike some of its European counterparts, Germany has taken a cautious approach to tissue production expansion. Instead of rapid capacity increases, the industry has focused on incremental machine upgrades and optimization of existing mills. By 2027, only two net new machines are expected to be added, with no new mills on the horizon. While Germany benefits from a high proportion of fibre integration, its energy-intensive production model and carbon emission challenges put it at a competitive disadvantage. Sweden, for example, enjoys lower production costs due to its reliance on biomass energy, while Germany continues to face high electricity costs and emissions penalties. In a competitive European landscape, German manufacturers must balance cost pressures with sustainability goals. The industry is already exploring alternative energy sources such as hydrogen, but without improvements in electric grid costs and carbon efficiency, Germany risks losing ground to lower-cost producers. For a deeper dive into Germany’s evolving tissue market, its competitive positioning, and what’s next for the industry, download our report, “Understanding Trends and Challenges in German Tissue Production.”

US Forest Service Chief Randy Moore will retire effective 3 March, according to an email sent to agency staff Wednesday and viewed by POLITICO. Source: Politico Mr Moore wrote in his staff email that the past several weeks have been “incredibly difficult” due to the Trump administration’s mass layoffs, which have led to 3,400 Forest Service employees or 10% of agency staff being fired. “As you have likely read in the news or are personally experiencing, the federal government is undergoing a significant transformation,” Mr Moore said. “As part of a broader effort to reduce the size of the federal government, we parted ways with colleagues we worked alongside, who successfully contributed to our mission, and who were valued members of our Forest Service team.” Mr Moore, who has led the agency that manages 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands since 2021 and became the first African American to serve as chief, is capping off a 45-year career with the Forest Service. He took over the agency from Vicki Christiansen, the Forest Service chief during President Donald Trump’s first term. Lawmakers and officials from Western states have warned that President Donald Trump’s cuts to agencies like the Forest Service and funding freezes will threaten critical prevention and mitigation work, leaving the region woefully unprepared for the coming wildfire season. Mr Moore told staff Wednesday that their work protecting communities, enhancing small businesses, providing drinking water and issuing energy permits is “vital to the American way of life.” “I have been silent these last few weeks because these decisions are being made at a level above our organization, and I was and am learning about the changes the same time as many of you,” Mr Moore wrote. “Our focus now is on how we respond and adapt to new priorities and continue delivering on our mission with the workforce we have.” Before serving as chief, Mr Moore served as regional forester in the Pacific Southwest region in California, where he oversaw 18 national forests. He also served as regional forester for the Eastern region headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His career started in conservation in 1978 with the Agriculture Department’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in North Dakota. President Trump has nominated Michael Boren, an Idaho investment consultant and GOP donor, to serve as USDA’s undersecretary for natural resources and environment a position that requires Senate confirmation and oversees the Forest Service.  

The largest wooden beam by volume in Australia arrived in Adelaide at the new aquatic centre worksite. Source: Timberbiz, photo Dept of Transport and Infrastructure Twenty glulam beams and 32 glulam columns manufactured by Hess Timber, weighing more than 143 tonnes combined, arrived in Adelaide this week. Police escorted the beams, for the new $135m Adelaide Aquatic Centre, through Adelaide’s streets late at night to avoid causing traffic disruptions. The State Government said the materials were so large they had to be specially milled in Austria because the Australian timber industry was unable to manufacture such massive beams. They were transported to Belgium and shipped to Melbourne, before being transported by trucks to Adelaide under police escort in early February. The Advertiser reported that biggest beam was 22.85 cubic metres and weighed 10,282kg – the largest by volume in Australia. Several of the beams are 37m long. The longest glulam beams ever brought into Australia, again produced by Hess, at 42m were brought into Australia in 2021 for the Wulanda Recreation and Convention Centre in Mount Gambier. Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis told The Advertiser the government had been at pains to build the centre with locally sourced, low-carbon emission materials, but there was not local capacity to produce such large beams. Construction at the North Adelaide centre will increase next week while the timber is installed along with more than 200 roofing panels. The centre will be powered by 100% renewable energy. It will include water slides, a gym and fitness centre, and a sauna and steam room.

The Tairāwhiti Forestry Action Group (TFAG) in New Zealand met for the fifth time last week and members had one of their most important conversations yet. TFAG was created in August 2024 by Forestry Minister Todd McClay to accelerate the woody debris clean-up in Tairāwhiti after Gabrielle and look at ways to mitigate future risk. Source: Timberbiz Members include representatives of Gisborne District Council (GDC), forestry contractors, farmers, iwi and Eastland Wood Council, represented by chair Julian Kohn. Mr Kohn said some of the conversation last week was whether TFAG should contribute financially to the harvesting cost of forestry companies, who have pine trees on land that’s been classed as 3B Overlay by GDC (steep erosion-prone land that has a connection to a waterway). The intention is these areas have a land use change away from forestry to permanent native tree cover, or a mixture of exotics and natives. But until then, some of this steep hill country land is already covered in pine trees that should be harvested. There are increased costs of getting the wood out of these areas as it takes crews longer to extract the trees and they must be more careful. “TFAG helping to get these trees down is something to seriously consider.” Mr Kohn said the idea was posed to see if there was an appetite for TFAG to work with forest companies who have upcoming harvests on areas marked as 3B Overlay (provided there were no existing enforcement orders in place). “The issue is that harvesting these 3B areas, would create a bit more slash and sediment for a period of time. “And if the forestry company thinks they will get penalised for it by Council under resource consent conditions, then the forest company could decide to walk away and not harvest the pine trees. “Those pine trees would then be there until we got another Bola or Gabrielle. One day some of those trees would fall, and they would clog the waterways. “This is a situation nobody wants. “If we want to see land use change and improve vegetation on the whenua then it makes sense to get rid of those trees where we don’t want them now, while we’ve got the roads in there and the contractors.” Kohn said aerial mapping of the region had been completed with the imagery of “exceptional quality”. “Ultimately these images will be available to the public, however right now GDC is processing the raw data so it can be analysed.” From there TFAG would be able to zoom in on the images and have the detail to identify where the woody debris, trees and logs in the waterways are, as well as other areas seen as risky, and then the work would be prioritised, along with discussions with landowners. Logic Forest Solutions has been appointed as the Operation Manager to carry out the woody debris removal work led by Bill Wheeler and Ben Williams. Mr Kohn said part of the kaupapa from Minister McClay for TFAG was they get inside the forest gate, work with the managers of the forestry companies when the time comes and get upstream to have a look. “There’s no point cleaning up the bottom of the stream if the top has more wood and sediment to come down in the next extreme weather event.”  

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) has published a new draft Code of Practice, to assist industry to improve safety outcomes in the transport of logs from forest to mill or port. Source: Timberbiz The new Log Haulage Industry Code of Practice (LHC) provides guidance for businesses involved at every level of the forest log haulage task. Acting Chief Safety and Productivity Officer Paul Sariban said the draft LHC was developed in collaboration with the Australian Forest Products Association and the Australian Forest Contractor’s Association, along with industry representatives and stakeholders who contributed their resources, experience and expertise. “The LHC is a practical guide of interest to anybody who conducts business in the forestry sector. It supports parties in the Chain of Responsibility to understand and meet their primary duty and other obligations under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL),” Mr Sariban said. “Consulting with industry associations and stakeholders in the creation of the new LHC was key in allowing us to properly understand how the industry’s operations are conducted, identify any hazards and document or develop effective control measures to eliminate the risks they may cause.” The new Code will be available for public feedback for the next 8 weeks. All feedback received from any stakeholder within the logging sector will be considered by the NHVR as part of the assessment process to determine whether the Code is suitable for registration. Mr Sariban said the new LHC was relevant to anyone who or whose business: owns a forestry area where logs are harvested harvests or stockpiles logs for transport loads, operates or contracts heavy vehicles to transport logs or manages a facility such as a mill where logs are delivered.   “The code also assists businesses to assess training needs for drivers and other workers,” he said. “Like all heavy vehicle drivers, drivers of log haulage vehicles must comply with numerous obligations under the HVNL, including loading requirements, mass and dimension requirements, and fatigue management. “Additionally, log haulage drivers confront particular challenges operating off-road or on primitive dirt roads, in all weather and with vehicles loaded near to their maximum capacity. High-quality on-going training must be provided to ensure that drivers are sufficiently skilled to carry out these operations safely and efficiently.” However, Mr Sariban made the point that businesses cannot “pass the buck” to drivers when things go wrong but must have in place robust systems that ensure safety. “The HVNL makes it clear that the Primary Duty is shared by all the parties who have a role in the transport task, acknowledging the opportunities that different parties have to eliminate or reduce risks to public safety from the use of heavy vehicles,” Mr Sariban said. “For example, forestry managers can reduce driving hazards through road design, signage and traffic control, while loaders can improve vehicle stability by careful selection and placement of logs.” Heavy vehicles and equipment used for hauling were also often exposed to rough and uneven ground, and to damage caused by the heavy equipment used for loading and unloading. “The environments these heavy vehicles are subjected to can damage vehicle components, so the new LHC provides in-depth guidance and control measures, so that all parties in the supply chain can work together to minimise damage to vehicles, and to identify and address vehicles and loads that may pose risks to public safety,” Mr Sariban said. The LHC outlines the range of transport activities that are involved when logs are transported from the forest. It identifies some hazards and effective measures to control them that can be implemented within each of those activities. Some of those measures relate to equipment or training or procedures, but in preparing the LHC, it became apparent that many of the hazards can only be effectively managed when businesses share information and cooperate. “I would like to extend my thanks to the forestry and haulage industry members and other parties who have given their time to helping to improve the log haulage transport task for all road users,” Mr Sariban said. “By collectively embracing a safety-first approach, we can protect lives and infrastructure and maintain a productive industry.” Industry can access the draft Log Haulage Industry Code of Practice. The Code is open for feedback for the next eight weeks. Feedback should be provided using the feedback form on the Log Haulage Code Consultation page and submitted to codes@nhvr.gov.au

Private Forests Tasmania is inviting all stakeholders and community members to contribute their valuable feedback on its newly drafted 2026-2028 strategic plan. Source: Timberbiz Following extensive engagement with stakeholders across Tasmania, CEO Elizabeth Pietrzykowski said the plan had been endorsed by PFT’s Board of Directors, marking a crucial milestone in PFT’s commitment to sustainable forest management into the future. “Your feedback is instrumental in ensuring that PFT’s strategic plan reflects the diverse perspectives and priorities within the Tasmanian private forestry, including farm forestry, sector,” she said. “Whether you are involved in plantation forestry, actively manage your native forests, farm forestry, industry, or simply passionate about Tasmania’s natural environment, we encourage you to review the plan and share your thoughts. “Input will help PFT refine its projects and shape a future where Tasmania’s forests thrive sustainably, benefiting both our community, economy and environment. “Thank you for your continued support and engagement in this important process.” To participate, please email your feedback to admin@pft.tas.gov.au before 5pm on Friday, 14 March 2025.

Forest & Wood Communities Australia is calling on the New South Wales Government to postpone any decision on the proposed Great Koala National Park until reliable and accurate data on koala populations can be verified. Source: Timberbiz According to Executive Officer Steve Dobbyns, a veteran forest scientist, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water has managed to let down both the Premier Mr Minns and communities across the State by grossly exaggerating the number of koalas within some “koala hubs” by using a count of scats (koala poo) found during surveys, instead of actual koalas. “A look under the hood at the data shows that numerous koala sightings within the koala hubs have impossibly high numbers of koalas, literally hundreds of koalas recorded at a single site, because the Department has not vetted the data,” said Mr Dobbyns. “That is the quality of maths and science being used by the Department to provide advice to the Minn’s Government about which areas of the proposed Great 1414 National Park are important to koalas.” While the NSW Government described koala hubs as “areas where there is strong evidence of multi-generational, high-density populations” of koalas, FWCA notes there is no published, peer-reviewed research to support these claims. FWCA has also identified multiple data entries of the same koala sighting and questioned how the Department could determine if some of the koala hubs had “strong evidence of multi-generational” koala populations. “Despite koala sightings across the landscape dating back almost a century, the only records of koalas in some of the hubs were from the same point in time. There is no evidence of multi-generational use,” said Mr Dobbyns. “With more than 8900 jobs and $2.9 billion injected into our economy each year from our sustainable native forest industry in NSW, it is critical for our State’s future prosperity that the Minns Government makes its decision on the Great Koala National Park based on credible, up to date information.”