Ireland’s leading supplier of firewood processing and timber harvesting and forwarding machinery, Oakleaf Forestry has carved a niche for itself in the marketplace since its inception eight years ago. We met up with founder / proprietor Joe Litter to get an insight into the day-to-day operations at Ireland’s leading supplier of machinery to the timber industry.
Oakleaf Forestry is a premier firewood production and forestry equipment distribution company which supplies some of Europe’s finest farm and forestry machinery. The County Armagh based operation offers a complete, market-leading product range of modern low–impact forestry machinery – tough, reliable, fuel-efficient and service-friendly machines that are as easy on the operator as they are on the forest.
The range of equipment distributed includes forestry chippers, trailers and cranes; firewood processors; harvesting and processing equipment; mini harvesters and forwarders; log splitters and conveyors; and kindling machines.
Oakleaf imports and distributes forestry machinery from all the leading brands, including Palax, Kesla, Kranman Rexon, Hypro, Vimek, Dorn-Tec, Collino and Rabaud.
Joe Litter set the company up close to Portadown, County Armagh in 2006. “I had always been involved in the agri engineering industry and the company was set up in response to what people were asking for,” he explains. “We started off by sourcing and distributing firewood machinery. In the beginning, we were mainly importing and distributing Palax equipment but the range grew as customers started to ask for other machines. We added bigger, heavier machines to the range, including professional log splitters and timber trailers and cranes.
“From there we expanded to provide a solution to harvesting contractors who were looking for new and more economical harvesting equipment. We have recently taken on two new brands from Sweden – Hypro and Vimek. Hypro specialises in tractor processors, while Vimek specialises in small, lightweight, low-impact harvesters and forwarders. We provide exclusive distribution in Ireland for both and also cover the UK for Hypro.”
Hypro manufactures the fastest and most effective tractor processors on the market – a range of machines designed to appeal equally to contractors and to farmers and self-employed forest owners. Hypro machines combine kindness to the environment with high capacity and reliability while remaining a very affordable solution to smaller scale harvesting jobs.
Vimek, meanwhile, produces a range of mini–forwarders and harvesters which have the all benefits of hydraulic loaders but none of the drawbacks found in their larger counterparts. This type of equipment is attractive because it offers much lower capital outlay with a fraction of the running costs and allows contractors to operate in woodlands that would not permit the use of large conventional harvesters and forwarders.
Mini–forwarders are ideal for serving small woods and estates where low impact systems are preferred. They are easily transported between sites using a 4×4 and trailer yet have terrain capability equal to larger purpose-built units. Vimek’s harvesters boast a dual turning function: they can pivot both in the centre and at the front axle, which gives extreme manoeuvrability that allows the operator to adapt the driving to the forest instead of the other way around.
“There’s a lot of small, private forestry in Ireland and the UK, and Vimek and Hypro machinery is ideal for that,” Joe notes. “These machines are tailored towards smaller harvesters and environmentally sensitive sites. They have low fuel consumption and have minimal impact on the environment and on the ground. This is a niche marker that we have identified and we are servicing it with a fantastic range of machines.
“We also have a range of smaller equipment for farmers operating on a small scale, such as PTO saw benches and log splitters, while Dorn-Tec from Germany manufactures cone splitters to fit on diggers which are a great way of breaking timber down so that it can fit through a processor or wood chipper.”
A nationwide service is provided, covering the 32 counties. “We operate throughout Ireland and would have customers from Kerry to Derry,” says the company MD. “In fact, most of our customers would be in the south.
“We always have the machines in stock here as well as spare parts and we offer a reliable back-up service. We are very, very fussy and selective about what we stock. It has to be the best stuff … otherwise we won’t bring it to the market.
“If there is something I’m interested in, I will go and see it at the supplier’s factory and see it perform there, and if satisfied, we will bring in a sample put it through a rigorous testing in one of my customers’ sites. We test all the machines ourselves in very difficult ground conditions, so we know for a fact that we are only distributing the best equipment that money can buy.
“I won’t sell something that I don’t know everything about. I always try to have the answers to any questions that customers can ask me. We look all over Europe, especially in Germany and Scandinavia, in our quest to find new machines. We think long and hard before adding a new product, but if it’s right, we will introduce it to our product range.”
As for the back-up service, Joe adds: “For most of the products, this is very straightforward and we have a wealth of experience and I can normally diagnose most problems over the phone. If it’s a major problem, we will have a man out the following day or the even the same day if possible and we will have the machine up and running in next to no time.
“We also have very good relations with our suppliers and they will go out of their way to assist us or any of our customers. They give great back-up. With modern IT, it’s not that difficult to provide a strong back-up service and we certainly don’t fall short in this department.”
All in all, Joe is delighted to report that the business is in a good place at the moment. “Things are going well,” he confirms. “We are very particular about the machines we supply. We insist on high-quality products because quality sells. The quality of a machine will be remembered long after the price is forgotten.
“We deliver on time and we provide operator training if necessary. There’s no point just handing a customer the keys to a new machine that they have no experience with – we will also teach him how to operate and maintain the machine efficiently and effectively.”
Looking to the future, Joe says he would like to expand the product range and dealer network: “I will keep looking for new machines to add to the product range,” he concludes. “We plan to expand and maybe get more local dealers in each province in Ireland – as well as in the UK – to give customers local access to sales, service and support.”
Oakleaf Forestry
Portadown,
County Armagh.
Tel: 0044 7977210592
Email: [email protected]
www.oakleafforestry.com
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 2 No 2, June/July 2014
