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Tilhill Forestry, the UK’s leading forestry business and a member of BSW Group, is delighted to announce the acquisition of the business and assets of specialist timber harvesting company Duffy Skylining Ltd.

This strategic acquisition allows Tilhill Foresty to further expand its technical harvesting capabilities, following significant investment in its core fleet over the past couple of years.

Duffy Skylining specialises in harvesting on steep and challenging terrain, utilising advanced skylining techniques and operating with three highly skilled crews.

Founded in 2018 and based in Inverness, Duffy Skylining predominantly works along the west coast of Scotland and has been instrumental to various projects, including on the A82.

Graeme Kemp, harvesting director at Tilhill Forestry, said: “We are thrilled to further enhance our steep ground harvestings operations with the acquisition of Duffy Skylining.

“The specialist fleet will allow us to harvest in some of the UK’s most complex forests, and the expert knowledge of the team is second to none. We have a great working relationship already and are very excited to build on this as we look to lead the timber harvesting sector.”

Calum Duffy, founder and owner of Duffy Skylining, added: “This is a very positive move, both for our business and the wider industry. Our team are the very best at what they do, with safety top of the agenda, and joining forces with Tilhill makes for an incredibly compelling service offer.”

Duffy Skylining and its assets, including 12 employees and 12 machines – consisting of skylines, harvesters, forwarders and an excavator – will be integrated into the existing Tilhill Forestry business and brand. Calum Duffy will continue to manage and direct all operations in the specialist division.

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EXO Canter is the culmination of decades of experience building complete primary lines. It reflects everything we’ve learned, what works, what doesn’t, and what’s next. Designed for mills that demand performance without compromise, EXO Canter offers a fully modular, highly configurable platform that adapts to your specific production goals and site constraints.

Every element of EXO Canter is shaped by the five core values of the Paragon Design Standard, including safety.

We have integrated safe work practices into every stage of the process, starting with the design. We use appropriate engineering measures to improve the safe use of the equipment and also reduce the time needed to perform the tasks necessary to keep these complex systems running reliably.

This, along with adherence to the established safety agency standards, ensures best in class results. In choosing EXO Canter you are prioritizing safety conscious designs. This allows organizations to minimize their exposure to risk, prevent accidents, and foster a culture of safety awareness among all team members.

Contact your USNR representative for more information.

USNR – EXO Canter

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Remus, MI – 8/19/2025 – Bandit Industries, an employee-owned global leader in wood processing equipment, recently announced the production of its 100,000th machine. This historic milestone will be celebrated with a special giveaway of the commemorative unit at the upcoming TCI Expo, held November 6–8, 2025, at the America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

The milestone machine, a Bandit Model 12XC hand-fed chipper, is equipped with a Kohler diesel engine generously donated by Superior Diesel. This giveaway underscores Bandit’s long-standing partnership with the Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA), where Bandit has been a proud member since 1987.

Bandit’s story began in 1983, when founder Mike Morey Sr. and six employees built the first Brush Bandit chipper in a small Mid-Michigan pole barn. Today, the company operates from over 560,000 square feet of manufacturing space, employs a dedicated workforce, and serves customers in more than 56 countries worldwide.

Bandit’s product line has grown to include hand-fed and whole tree chippers, stump grinders, horizontal grinders, and ARJES slow speed shredders. Yet while much has changed since 1983, the company’s mission statement and core values remain the same—guiding Bandit’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and the success of its customers.

“Reaching 100,000 machines is a milestone we are incredibly proud of,” said Jason Morey, Marketing Manager. “It represents decades of hard work, innovation, and the trust of the tree care professionals who rely on Bandit equipment every day. We are grateful not only to our employees, but also to the dedication and hard work of our dealer network, whose efforts have been instrumental in reaching this achievement. We can’t think of a better way to celebrate than by giving back to the tree care industry.

Attendees of the TCIA Expo will have the chance to see the 100,000th machine on display and participate in the giveaway event at Bandit’s booth #303. The giveaway will be on Friday, November 7th at 3PM CST.

For more information about Bandit Industries, visit www.banditchippers.com.

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WAYNESBORO, Miss. — Hood Industries, Inc. has announced a major brownfield expansion to the existing facility in Waynesboro, Miss. This strategic $245-million-dollar upgrade will enhance the facility’s capabilities and reflects Hood Industries’ continued investment in operational performance and innovation across its manufacturing operations.

Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance through the Mississippi Flexible Tax Incentive, or MFLEX, program. MDA also is providing assistance for road and infrastructure improvements. Wayne County and AccelerateMS are assisting with the expansion, as well. The project is powered by Dixie Electric and Cooperative Energy.

“This nearly quarter-billion-dollar investment by Hood Industries is the latest win in Mississippi’s record-breaking economic development efforts. The things we’re accomplishing in the state are truly impressive, and our momentum is real. Mississippi is a wise investment—that’s why more and more companies are choosing to do business and expand here. It’s another great day for our state.” Gov. Tate Reeves said.

Built in multiple phases on the existing site, the project will be executed in close collaboration between the Hood team, Comact and Piche to ensure the existing facility remains operational throughout the construction process. This phased approach is designed to keep production losses to a minimum, providing as little disruption to employees, timber suppliers and customers as possible. Operations at the modernized mill are set to begin in early October 2026, after which demolition of the existing facility will commence.

“We have partnered with both Comact and Piche on a successful modernization project at our facility in Bogalusa, Louisiana,” says Jay Galloway, President of Hood Industries. “As we began to explore our options for upgrading the Waynesboro facility it became obvious to continue the partnership with these two companies. Their technical expertise, collaborative approach, and proven ability to deliver cutting-edge and reliable solutions made them a natural fit as we continue to invest in the future of our operations.”

The Waynesboro facility will feature a fully integrated sawmill provided by Comact along with two new continuous dual path kilns and a new gas burner installed on the existing continuous dry kiln will increase drying capacity and energy efficiency.

The planer mill will be upgraded with lumber handling equipment from Piche to include a planer infeed system, trimmer and sorter line with a lumber stacker.

In addition, Comact will provide a Miller planer and GradExpert system in the planer mill. Comact’s AI-powered Smart Vision tools will be integrated throughout the process to continuously monitor operations and optimize throughput.

The Comact team is proud to continue working collaboratively with Hood on this critical modernization project in Waynesboro. “Building on the strong relationship and trust we’ve developed over previous projects, our team is fully committed to delivering an integrated solution that enhances reliability, performance, and long-term value of their Waynesboro facility. We have set clear goals to deliver this project on-time and on-budget, ensuring Hood Industries can count on Comact for excellence and accountability at every stage,” said Simon Potvin, CEO of Comact.

The team at Piche is also pleased to partner once again with Hood Industries on this important modernization project in Waynesboro. Since 2020, this is the third major project with Hood Industries. “Building on the trust and successful results achieved together at Bogalusa and Silver Creek, our team is committed to delivering lumber handling systems that combine efficiency, reliability, and innovation,” said Jean-Benoît Piché, President and CEO of Piché. “We look forward to supporting Hood with solutions that ensure smooth installation and startup, and that create long-term value for their operations and their people.”

“This investment is about more than a new mill—it’s about building a sustainable future for our company, our employees, and the Waynesboro community,” Galloway said.

ABOUT HOOD INDUSTRIES

Hood Industries is a blend of wood manufacturing and distribution concerns that includes two plywood and three lumber manufacturing plants and 23 specialty wood product distribution operations, located in 18 states serving the northeast, southeast, midwest and southwest United States. From our corporate headquarters to our facilities, we employ over 1,300 people in communities where our operations are located. Learn about our current career opportunities and how we are making a difference in our communities by visiting us at hoodindustries.com and following us on LinkedIn.

ABOUT MISSISSIPPI DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

Mississippi Development Authority is the state’s lead economic and community development agency. MDA focuses on new business recruitment, existing business expansion, workforce training and tourism promotion. For more information, go to mississippi.org.

ABOUT COMACT

For over 100 years, Comact has been a leading OEM in high-caliber wood processing equipment, digital technologies, cutting solutions, project services, and aftermarket support. Driven by innovation and excellence, we are dedicated to helping our customers address their most pressing operational and business challenges in today’s industry. Whether for brownfield or greenfield projects, Comact’s expertise provides wood processing facilities with the confidence that their investments will yield superior performance, throughput, and ROI. This ensures they remain competitive and achieve sustained growth in an ever-evolving market. Trust Comact to deliver exceptional performance every time. For more information, visit www.comact.com.

ABOUT PICHE’

Founded in 1983, Piché has been a trusted partner in the wood products industry, specializing in the design, manufacturing, and installation of complete lumber handling systems. From machining and welding to turnkey project execution, Piché has earned a reputation for delivering reliable, efficient, and innovative equipment to sawmills across North America. Recognized industry-wide for its advanced trimline, sorter and stacker systems as well as the speed and professionalism of its installations, Piché ensures high-value results for its customers. Through its close collaboration with Logitex, an automation and controls specialist, Piché integrates cutting-edge technology to optimize performance on every project. For more information, visit www.picheinc.com.

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