The Northern Logger

Earlier in September, The Northern Logger attended the Great Lakes Logging and Heavy Equipment Expo in Escanaba, Michigan. The show is organized by the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association (GLPTA) and alternates between Escanaba and Green Bay, Wisconsin every year. Thousands of loggers, foresters, and others attended the show, and there were over 163 exhibitors selling all kinds of equipment, from skidders and forwarders to feller bunchers and cut-to-length harvesters.

It’s not too often that you get so many forest industry professionals gathered all in one place, and we took advantage of that. To get a sense of the show and the current business climate of the Great Lakes and mid-west region, we interviewed several attendees and exhibitors, from Menominee Tribal Enterprises to the Director of Forest Sales and Marketing for Komatsu Forest, who talked about the Forwarder Operator Challenge. 

Interviews are with: 

1. Bob Edwards – Resource Manager, Timber Products Company 

2. Dan Maruszczak – independent timber hauling owner-operator

3. Rainer Shooter and Jason Swartz – Menominee Tribal Industries 

4. Aaron Beishlag, independent logger, and John (Jusse), retired power saw operator 

5. Marcus Stiegerwaldt – Director of Forest Sales and Marketing, Komatsu Forest 

Read our article in the October issue of the Northern Logger entitled “Great Lakes Logging” for more information. To subscribe to The Northern Logger and Timber Processor magazine or become a member of the Northeastern Loggers' Association (NELA), visit https://www.northernlogger.com/

In this episode, Part 2 of our series on vertical integration, we interview Jason Brochu, who along with his brother and co-president Chris Brochu, have revived their family’s logging business after a 20-year hiatus under the umbrella of Pleasant River Lumber Company in central Maine. We’re also joined by Toby Pineo, the general manager of A&A Brochu logging. 

For more background on vertical integration, and to hear my discussion with Lyme Adirondack Forest Company’s general manager Eric Ross about their decision to add an in-house logging and a road-building crew to their working forest conservation easement, check out our previous episode, Vertical Integration Part 1. 

Read our article in the August issue of the Northern Logger entitled “Vertical Integration: A Tale of Two Operations,” for more on the LAFCO and A&A Brochu crews.

To subscribe to The Northern Logger and Timber Processor magazine or become a member of the Northeastern Loggers' Association (NELA), visit https://www.northernlogger.com/

In recent years, in large part due to a lack of logging capacity and also other regional factors including available wood and changing weather patterns, the forest products industry has seen some mills and large forestland management companies bring logging and road crews in-house — examples of taking direct ownership of various stages of a company’s production process rather than relying on external contractors, i.e., vertical integration.

In this episode, The Northern Logger speaks with Eric Ross, general manager of Lyme Adirondack Forest Company (LAFCO), about their recent foray into in-house logging and road crews. LAFCO manages 235,000 acres of land in the Adirondacks, the largest private ownership in New York State.

For more on this topic and to see photos of LAFCO’s crew, read our article in the August issue of the Northern Logger entitled “Vertical Integration: A Tale of Two Operations.”

To subscribe to The Northern Logger and Timber Processor magazine or become a member of the Northeastern Loggers' Association (NELA), visit https://www.northernlogger.com/

From May 19-20, The Northeastern Loggers’ Association hosted the Northeastern Forest Products Equipment Expo, also known as the Loggers’ Expo, in Bangor, Maine. We had amazing weather and attendance of over 5,000 people. Around 180 exhibitors promoted their products and services to an enthusiastic crowd of loggers, truckers, saw millers, and others who make their living in the Northeast’s forest products industry. At the show, The Northern Logger magazine interviewed some of the exhibitors and attendees. Listen to find out what they had to say.

NELA is looking forward to next year’s Loggers’ Expo in Essex Junction, Vermont May 3-4, 2024.

To become a member of the Northeastern Loggers' Association or subscribe to The Northern Logger and Timber Processor magazine, visit https://www.northernlogger.com/

Check out our July issue (The Loggers’ Expo Review Issue) for an Expo recap and to read our Faces of the Industry Feature, where we recognize industry professionals for their outstanding contributions to the industry.

On this episode of the Northern Logger Podcast, I speak with photojournalist George Bellerose, from Weybridge Vermont, about his new book Portrait of a Forest: Men and Machine. Bellerose has spent 50 years as a writer, journalist, and photographer, and the last 20 years as a photojournalist documenting the lives of everyday people. In his own words, he says that he is interested in people who are essential to community well-being but who are often overlooked or understood only superficially. Portrait of a Forest: Men and Machine embodies those beliefs. The 304-page book, published by Vermont Folklife, documents how logging has shaped Vermont and examines the economic and environmental challenges facing the forest today.

The book can be purchased from The Vermont Bookshop in Middlebury, VT in-person or online.

We’ll also be selling the book at the Northeastern Forest Products Equipment Expo (also known as the Logger’s Expo) in Bangor, Maine, held from May 19th to 20th. Stop by The Northern Logger booth to purchase a copy.

As a listener of this month’s podcast, we’d like to offer you a discount for attending the upcoming Loggers’ Expo in Bangor. To register, go to our website – www.northernlogger.com/loggers-expo-2023/  and click on the registration link. Enter the Attendee Discount Code – POD3333 – to get 50% off the entry fee. See you at the Expo!

To become a member of the Northeastern Loggers' Association or subscribe to The Northern Logger and Timber Processor magazine, visit https://www.northernlogger.com/

Magazine preview

One of the biggest challenges for forest products businesses is finding good workers and retaining them. The labor shortages across many industries in the US these last few years have made it even harder to attract and retain exceptional employees – essential to running a successful company. On this episode, five leaders in the industry share their thoughts, personal experiences, and the various things they are doing to attract and retain top-quality workers. We hear from Sam Lincoln, Brian Souers, Eric Kingsley, Jed Whiting, and Andy Irish.

To become a member of the Northeastern Loggers' Association or subscribe to The Northern Logger and Timber Processor magazine, visit https://www.northernlogger.com/

Magazine preview

Procurement forester Paul Snider talks to The Northern Logger about Baillie Lumber, a major hardwood lumber producer in the northeastern US. Paul speaks about Baillie’s Boonville operation, his experiences as a procurement forester, how the industry has changed in recent years, and the current economic climate. He also offers some advice for young people who are interested in getting into the forest sector. 

This episode is sponsored by John Deere. Raise your game with Intelligent Boom Control. With IBC, loggers take control of the forest with easy-to-learn functionality and enhanced productivity.

To become a member of the Northeastern Loggers' Association or subscribe to The Northern Logger and Timber Processor magazine, visit https://www.northernlogger.com/

Magazine preview

Do you ever feel like a crooked tree? You’re not alone. In this episode, Steven Bick introduces his Vermont Forest Business School (FBS) program by sharing a recording of an alumni session from earlier this year. During the workshop, participants discuss the lyrics to the song “Crooked Tree” by Molly Tuttle and use them as a jumping-off point for conversation around their personal experiences as professionals in the logging industry, including owning their own business, forestry best practices, and perceptions of the industry. Steven also gives a brief introduction to FBS, how it all got started, and how you can apply.

Molly Tuttle’s “Crooked Tree” lyrics

Listen to Molly Tuttle’s “Crooked Tree” on YouTube

More information about the Vermont Forest Business School: https://vtfbs.com/

To become a member of the Northeastern Loggers' Association or subscribe to The Northern Logger and Timber Processor magazine, visit https://www.northernlogger.com/

Magazine preview

Learn how Thompson Native Lumber, a mid-sized mill in Hopkinton, RI, has thrived for over six decades. The mill has maintained a healthy balance sheet through diversification and finding niche markets amid the ever-changing forest products industry landscape. You'll hear Jim Thompson discuss the evolution of his family-owned and operated mill since the mid-1950s, his diverse range of products, agile production methods, and more.

Thanks to this month's sponsor, John Deere. Unlock your potential and experience a new level of innovation with Intelligent Boom Control (IBC), John Deere's latest operator assistance feature.

To become a member of the Northeastern Loggers' Association or subscribe to The Northern Logger and Timber Processor magazine, visit https://www.northernlogger.com/

Thank you to our fabulous sponsor, John Deere!