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John Deere has developed a new digital tool designed to enhance how equipment owners use, maintain, diagnose, repair, and protect their equipment. Operations Center PRO Service delivers new, industry-leading support capabilities for both connected and non-connected machines across John Deere’s agriculture, turf, construction, and forestry equipment portfolio. Source: Timberbiz New and enhanced features include the ability to install software when replacing electronic components or controllers, also known as reprogramming. Operations Center PRO Service was developed with customers at the centre and adds to the suite of existing digital support tools available to John Deere equipment owners today including the John Deere Operations Center, Equipment Mobile, and Shop.Deere.com these provide customers even more control over how they use, maintain, diagnose, repair, and protect their machines. The increased functionality of Operations Center PRO Service also replaces John Deere Customer Service ADVISOR™, which will be phased out over the next year. “The launch of Operations Center PRO Service is a significant milestone that adds to John Deere’s existing tools, and it reaffirms our longstanding commitment to empowering customers to choose how they repair their equipment,” said Denver Caldwell, Vice President of Aftermarket & Customer Support. “Importantly, our development of these tools reaffirms John Deere’s support of customer self-repair. We view continuously enhancing self-repair as consistent with our mission to ensure John Deere customers have the best machine ownership experience possible.” In addition to equipment owners, a local service provider can also use Operations Center PRO Service. With a John Deere equipment owner’s permission, independent providers can gain access to diagnostic and repair information to support the equipment owner’s needs. “Our message to our customers is clear,” continued Caldwell. “Whether you want the support of your professionally trained and trusted John Deere dealer, to work with another local service provider, or to fix your machine yourself, we’ve created additional capabilities for you to choose the option that best fits your needs.” Operations Center PRO Service is based on foundational capabilities that are available at no additional cost upon purchase of John Deere equipment through Operations Center Service Overview and Equipment Mobile, including: Operator’s manuals Active and stored diagnostic trouble codes Secure software updates JDLink™ information Warranty information. The new Operations Center PRO Service delivers digital repair content filtered by year and model number, providing users with additional relevant machine information to help efficiently and accurately troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair their equipment. It’s designed to be intuitive and deliver actionable support in real-time. The service capabilities of Operations Center PRO Service are available through an annual license starting at just $195 USD per machine for customers. Specific features now brought together in a single customer interface include: Machine health insights and diagnostic trouble codes PIN-specific machine content, including manuals Software reprogramming for John Deere controllers Diagnostic Readings Diagnostic Recordings Interactive diagnostic tests Calibrations. Equipment owners can access Operations Center PRO Service through the John Deere Operations Center. Once connected to the platform, owners will add their equipment into their account using the machine’s serial number. Use of an electronic data link may be required for more advanced features within Operations Center PRO Service, including software reprogramming. Certain interactive tests, calibrations, and reprogramming limitations will exist at initial release. John Deere will deliver additional capabilities in future updates. Operations Center PRO Service is available only to John Deere customers in the US and Canada.  

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The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has announced a US$5 million investment in eight projects aimed at creating jobs, training the next generation of forestry workers, and helping small businesses play a greater role in protecting forests and communities from wildfires. Source: Bioenergy News The funding comes through CAL FIRE’s Business and Workforce Development Grant programme, which supports innovative approaches to reducing wildfire risk while promoting economic growth in rural areas. Since its launch in 2022, the programme has distributed over US$100 million to more than 100 projects across the state. “From hands-on training opportunities for young adults to new mass timber production within California, these initiatives are helping to build a more resilient future for both our forests and communities,” said Assistant Chief John McCarthy of CAL FIRE’s Wood Products and Bioenergy Team. “We are proud to support efforts that expand the workforce, improve forest health, and make use of woody waste instead of burning it.” The latest round of grants will fund a variety of initiatives, including job training programmes for youth and entry-level forestry workers, mentorship schemes connecting college forestry students with experienced professionals, and web-based courses to prepare candidates for the state’s Registered Professional Forester exam. High school students will continue to gain hands-on experience in forest science and management through long-running educational programs. The grants also provide business expansion support for companies to purchase equipment to treat more land for wildfire risk reduction and forest restoration. In Humboldt County, investment in mass timber production will create new jobs while encouraging the local use of sustainably harvested wood in construction. Altogether, the projects are expected to train more than 300 individuals, create or retain dozens of jobs, and expand the capacity to manage thousands of acres each year. These investments are in line with California’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan, which sets out strategies to improve forest health, protect communities, and deliver climate benefits through sustainable forestry practices. Funding comes from California Climate Investments and General Funds, helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while strengthening the forestry sector.

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The largest and most modern consumer packaging board production line in Europe was inaugurated on 18 August in Oulu, Finland. Stora Enso’s Oulu unit serves the growing demand for renewable packaging globally and contributes to the transition to a circular bioeconomy. At the same time, the production site supports Finland’s competitiveness and increases exports with products of higher added value. Source: Timberbiz Stora Enso has invested EUR 1.1 billion in this production line together with other developments on the site area, amounting to a total of approximately 1.7 billion investments in the entire Oulu mill in 2019–2025. The investments made it possible to convert former paper machines into board lines utilising the latest technology, while the environmental impact has been reduced by cutting fossil carbon dioxide emissions by 90%. The mill produces folding boxboard, kraftliners, paper bag material, and unbleached softwood pulp. Board materials are suitable for direct contact with food. Almost all of the Oulu mill’s production is exported. “The Oulu production site is a strategically significant investment as it strengthens our leading position in high added value renewable packaging materials and increases Finland’s export revenue significantly. “Consumer packaging made from wood fibers has great potential to replace plastic packaging and our materials are designed for existing recycling streams. The nearly carbon-neutral production site in Oulu is a prime example of an investment in bioeconomy, and it concretely contributes to the transition from fossil materials to renewable and recyclable packaging,” said Hans Sohlström, Stora Enso’s President and CEO. The Oulu mill’s new production line utilises Stora Enso’s patented FiberLight Tec fibre processing technology. Technology enables the production of lighter, yet robust and durable boards. End products include, for example, different cardboard packaging for frozen, cold and dry food products, medicines, and beverage multipacks. “Our folding box board can be up to a third lighter than traditional boards, the material is efficient and durable and helps our customers to reduce the consumption of packaging material and at the same time reduce their transport emissions. This means also that they have very high added value. “Our mill’s location next to the deep port enables efficient logistics worldwide throughout the year. It is important for us to be involved in mitigating climate change,” said Matti Lielahti, Head of Stora Enso Oulu Business Unit. “We mainly use pulpwood purchased from private forest owners in Finland, small-diameter wood, and wood chips from our sawmills for board production. We also utilise bark and sawdust for energy production. The bioenergy produced in the mill is used for district heating in Oulu.” Stora Enso’s Oulu site has a long tradition in the region with the mill dating back to the 1930s. Today, it employs more than 900 people directly and indirectly many times more in the entire supply chain, wood transport, logistics, maintenance and service providers in the area. “Stora Enso’s billion-euro investment in Oulu will improve export operations, the vitality and competitiveness of the region and also of Northern Finland and bring more permanent jobs. We are pleased to actively contribute to the implementation of significant green transition industrial policy investments in accordance with our growth strategy,” said Ari Alatossava, Mayor of Oulu. Stora Enso’s new consumer packaging board line in Oulu is expected to reach its full capacity of 750,000 tonnes latest by 2027, when its annual sales are anticipated to be approximately EUR 800 million.

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Every year, around 400,000 tonnes of treated timber waste ends up in New Zealand landfills. Much of this is timber treated with copper, chromium and arsenic (CCA). But what if the solution isn’t about managing this waste better, but preventing it altogether? Source: Timberbiz A Marlborough sawmill is showing how the industry can break this cycle by combining arsenic free timber treatment, with renewable energy generation. It’s an approach that turns the traditional waste-to-landfill model on its head. “New Zealand’s construction and agricultural sectors have been grappling with this issue for decades,” says Sam Lees, Sales Manager at OneFortyOne Kaituna Sawmill. “With MCA treatment, we have a practical solution that works for everyone.” The shift centres on micronised copper azole (MCA) treatment – a copper-based preservative without arsenic. MCA timber is a tried-and-true solution that offers the same resistance to decay and mould as traditional treatments but opens up possibilities that CCA never could. Most significantly, it can be safely burned in Kaituna’s biomass boilers. This changes everything – it means timber offcuts and end-of-life MCA timber are now being repurposed in a boiler that runs on wood to create renewable energy. “Because MCA doesn’t contain arsenic, it changes the whole equation around disposal,” Lees explains. “Material that would’ve ended up in landfill now gets a second life, helping power our operations.” The sawmill has resource consent to include MCA-treated timber waste in its biomass fuel – combining it with sawdust and other wood residues to generate energy for kiln drying, creating a closed-loop, circular economy approach. Local builder Mark Thompson has seen the difference firsthand. “We’ve been using Kaituna’s MCA timber on decks and outdoor projects, and it’s really changed how we think about waste,” he says. “As builders, we generate a lot of timber offcuts, and honestly, it never felt great just dumping it all in landfill.” The environmental benefits have become a selling point with clients. “Now I can tell families that our waste timber goes back to Kaituna and gets turned into clean energy instead of rotting in a tip somewhere,” Mr Thompson said. The practical benefits matter too. “The offcuts get collected at no extra cost to us or the client. It’s doing the right thing environmentally without any financial penalty, which is pretty rare in construction these days,” Mr Thompson said. The shift is already making waves in the viticulture industry, where approximately 500,000 vineyard posts are replaced in Marlborough each year, many of which are currently dumped in landfills. Beyond vineyards, MCA-treated timber is gaining traction in residential and commercial construction. It qualifies for points under green building certifications like Green Star and Homestar, giving builders, developers and homeowners an alternative that doesn’t compromise efficacy or performance. Mr Lees, the next step is about shifting industry and consumer demand. “We’re seeing more builders and merchants asking about alternative timber options,” he said. “It’s about recognising that every project decision makes a difference – for our customers, our communities, and the environment.” Watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7aT9zZTNrI&t=69s

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New Zealand’s largest Glulam timber manufacturer Techlam has been awarded the structural timber package for the Tonga Parliament redevelopment project by Westland Construction. Source: Timberbiz The contract includes the supply and fabrication of glulam timber components for the new NZ$60 million Fale Alea that will replace the original building destroyed by the 2022 tsunami. For Techlam, this represents an opportunity to once again showcase New Zealand-made engineered timber on the international stage, particularly in a building that will serve as the democratic heart of the Kingdom of Tonga. “It is not every day you get to contribute timber solutions to a building that will serve as the centre of a nation’s democracy,” Brett Hamilton, Techlam’s managing director, said. The project, which had been delayed after the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption, has been collaborative from day one. Techlam was part of the design conversation from early on, working alongside Westland Construction, Holmes Consulting and Warren and Mahoney. This early contractor involvement is core to how Techlam operates on every project. By engaging during the design phase, the team can influence the layout, structural approach and detailing decisions, all of which significantly impact both cost and buildability. “The value engineering sessions were incredibly collaborative,” Mr Hamilton said. “We brought our manufacturing expertise to the table early, suggesting approaches that would work better from a fabrication perspective, while the architects and engineers pushed us toward solutions that served the building’s cultural and functional requirements.” For the Tonga Parliament project, this meant Techlam could optimise the timber design from their Levin facility’s capabilities in a controlled environment, while ensuring components would integrate easily on the construction site in Nuku’alofa. The architectural requirements include curved and complex glulam structures. This is exactly the type of challenging work that gets the Techlam team excited. “Our Levin facility is set up perfectly for this kind of work,” Mr Hamilton said. “With over 7,500m² of production space, we can handle the scale and complexity. More importantly, our team has the experience with curved glulam that makes these challenging shapes possible.” The fabrication process will soon be underway to meet both the structural demands and the architectural vision that will define Tonga’s new parliamentary home. For a New Zealand company, working on projects across the Pacific is about strengthening regional connections and demonstrating what Kiwi manufacturing can achieve. “The parliamentary building isn’t just infrastructure; it’s where important decisions about the country’s future will be made. We are proud that New Zealand engineered timber will be part of that story,” Mr Hamilton said. As procurement and fabrication continue through 2025, the Techlam team is focused on delivering components that meet the exacting standards this project demands. “Every project teaches us something new,” he said. “Building on our experience across the Pacific, from Cassidy International Airport in Kiribati to the EFKS Saleaula in Samoa and Lomani Island Resort in Fiji, this project brings its own unique challenges around precision and cultural significance. It’s exactly the kind of work that keeps us passionate about what we do.” The project is expected to be completed by 2027, with the parliamentary complex opening to serve Tonga’s legislature processes for generations to come.  

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One of Australia’s most important climate change fighting, job providing, cutting edge manufacturing and essential product creating sectors, was celebrated yesterday on National Forestry Day. Source: Timberbiz It was Australia’s 4th annual National Forestry Day – a day to celebrate the enormous and positive contribution Australia’s forestry and forest products sector and supply chain makes to Australia and the world. “National Forestry Day also aims to raise awareness about our industries among policy and decision-makers, elected representatives and the general public about the many and varied benefits the sector provides,” Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) Richard Hyett said. “Everyone remembers the shortage of toilet paper during COVID – just look around your home and you’ll see and realise how important forestry is to everyday life. Timber house-frames, floorboards, furniture, benchtops, tissues and paper products. Even the cardboard box or wood-fibre packaging your latest delivery came in. It’s all around us and it’s critical that we keep growing and manufacturing in Australia,” he said. “Unlike many other everyday products, those made from timber and wood-fibre are environmentally friendly and fight climate change by locking up carbon. Think recyclable paper and packaging over single-use plastics or structural timber over steel and concrete.” Australia’s Former Chief Scientist Professor Ian Chubb on the release on the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) review said that “the only pathway known to science that has immediate capacity – to remove greenhouse gases, particularly CO2, from the atmosphere is photosynthesis”. So growing trees removes CO2 from the atmosphere and then using timber in houses instead of other materials that emit CO2 in their production means timber provides a double benefit for the environment. Some quick benefits to keep in mind: Our full supply chain, from tree growing and forest management, through to harvest, haulage and transport and the manufacture of different sustainable products is responsible for 80,000 direct and 100,000 indirect jos The total economic output from across the sector totals around $24 billion annually Carbon storage measurements vary, but to give an idea, your typical timber house frame absorbs 9.5 tonnes of CO2-e from the atmosphere. When you include other timber and wood furnishings like floors, decks and furniture items, the figure can grow to 25 tonnes of CO2-e Our national plantation estate stores 258 million tonnes of CO2-e – equivalent to the emissions avoided by 56 million cars driven for one year United Nations science recognises that native forests managed for sustainable timber production generate the largest carbon mitigation benefit. CEO of the Australian Forest Contractors Association Tim Lester said timber and wood fibre is so ubiquitous in our lives it often goes unrecognised. “In our houses and offices, we are surrounded by forest products. There’s the timber you don’t see in the frames, the timber you do see in the furniture and features, and the timber that has been transformed in paper and cardboard,” he said. “National Forestry Day gives us a chance to talk about and celebrate these wonderful products, where they come from and the terrific people and businesses involved right along the supply chain. “In particular we celebrate the forestry services businesses who maintain an essential and critical workforce with specialist skills and equipment to undertake high risk and complex operations in challenging circumstances. “They are true environmental defenders driven by long-term sustainability and a desire to protect the resource for the long term. Every fire season we see forestry services businesses called into action because of their capabilities and knowledge. “Forestry provides high quality jobs in rural and regional areas, ensuring security and stability for thousands of families. The social infrastructure supported by forestry means build communities as well as houses. “National Forestry Day is a great chance to recognise the contribution of this sector in its many forms,” Mr Lester said.

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The Housing Industry Association has welcomed the Federal Government’s $300 million to support Australia’s future wood supply to meet increasing housing needs across the country. Source: Timberbiz “Australia’s forestry industry is a key part of Australia’s national economy and is critical to supporting our local manufacturing sector and delivering more housing in both our cities and across regional Australia,” said HIA Managing Director Jocelyn Martin. “Timber is a valuable resource, widely used in Australia’s construction sector, with over 70% of all house frames constructed with timber framing. “Demand for timber in housing construction is expected to grow by about 50% by 2050 as the population increases, therefore, it is critical to set the plans in place now to meet this future growing demand. “The housing industry needs certainty to plan out for the future, and a key part of this is delivering a secure ongoing supply of locally grown timber matched to increasing demand. “We know that with a growing population it will mean an increased demand for use of timber and wood-fibre, and it is essential for Australia to have a steady supply of sustainably sourced timber and wood-fibre resources.” Ms Martin said the announcement was timely given it was made on National Forestry Day and folloewd the recently released Timber Fibre Strategy, which sets out a pathway for the future growth of Australia’s forestry industry. “HIA remains committed to working with the government in delivery of the Timber Fibre Strategy which will play an important role and key input into tackling our national housing challenges,” she said.

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The Victorian State Government is fast tracking the establishment of timber plantations in Victoria, helping to boost local timber supply for construction and manufacturing and create more jobs. Source: Timberbiz Minister for Agriculture Ros Spence this week announced $10 million as part of the Victorian Plantation Support Program to establish new long-rotation timber plantations. “Demand for timber is expected to quadruple globally over the next 50 years, and we’re making sure Victoria has a secure supply,” Minister Spence said. “Victoria is already home to the nation’s largest plantation estate, and this funding will continue to strengthen our thriving and resilient timber industry.” This additional funding will be for projects approved under select rounds of the Commonwealth’s Support Plantation Establishment Program. Victorian growers looking to develop new plantations can receive up to $1000 per hectare under the program to assist with plantation establishment activities. Combined with the Commonwealth program, new plantations of 20 hectares or more in Victoria can receive up to $3000 per hectare, with a cap of up to $200,000 per project. As the winter planting season draws to a close, approximately 2.4 million tree seedlings have been planted this year through the Gippsland Plantations Investment Program by Hancock Victorian Plantations. This year’s planting has brought the total number of trees planted to more than 3.5 million. This program is the single largest investment in plantation establishments in the state’s history and will see up to 16 million trees planted over a 10-year period. The timber will create wood supply that will build Victoria’s future homes, create regional jobs, and produce paper and packaging products to replace single use plastics. “The planting of 2.4 million trees this year through the Gippsland Plantations Investment Program is a clear demonstration of what’s possible when government and industry work together,” Victorian Forest Products Association CEO Andrew White said. “This is a terrific new initiative that will help overcome the upfront barriers to new plantation establishment. This investment is critical to securing the timber required to build more homes for Victorians.” The government’s $190 million investment to expand Victoria’s plantation estate is delivering its goal of creating new plantations across the state.

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