Celebrating 10 years in business, Jamun Ltd is a leading forest thinning and clearfelling specialist based in Crossmolina, Co. Mayo which works for Coillte and private clients across the West and North-West.
Plantations as they mature and develop require thinning and ultimately clearfell at maturity. Thinning of a conifer crop is usually carried out from 15 years onwards depending on the performance of the crop. Jamun Ltd provides a complete harvesting service that ensures a plantation is thinned to optimum levels of thinning intensity and will not be over-exploited for instant volumes. This practice ensures the crop is managed to best silvicultural practices and future thinning and clearfell yields will be safeguarded and protected.
Clearfelling is also practiced to encourage the growth and proliferation of tree species that require high light intensity.
“It’s very specialised work which requires specialised equipment,” says Jimmy Munnelly, who established Jamun Ltd in July 2014 and has almost 25 years’ experience in the sector.
“We carry out thinning and clearfelling work for Coillte and also thinning for a small number of private customers. In addition, we’ve undertaken some clearfelling for private customers who have been affected by ash dieback.
“We’re delighted to celebrate our 10th anniversary. It’s a great milestone to reach. We wouldn’t have made it this far without the support of our customers or the hard work and expertise of our staff. It goes without saying that our people are our greatest asset.
“As with all of our clients, Coillte demands the highest standards. The work has to be top quality or you won’t be considered for it. We’ve built up an excellent relationship with them which we hope will continue for many more years to come.”
Committed to providing a top-class service and complete customer satisfaction, Jamun Ltd’s ongoing success can also be attributed to the quality of its machinery. Jimmy is currently running two state-of-the-art forwarders and three harvesters, two of which are dedicated to an eight-year Coillte contract in the Mayo and Sligo area. This contract commenced in January 2023 and involves harvesting and clearfelling mostly pine timber.
The forwarders are a John Deere 1110G with IBC (Intelligent Boom Control) and a John Deere 1010E, while the harvesters are a Komatsu 951, a Komatsu 941.1 and a Komatsu 931.1. Purchased from John Deere Forestry Ireland in Glenealy, Co. Wicklow, the 1110G forwarder boasts precise and efficient boom control, a strong and powerful FT4 engine, 4.1% more torque than its predecessor and a clear and simple electrical system. The 1110G’s FT4 engine meets the latest emissions regulations. TimberMatic Maps is also a standard feature in new John Deere forest machines.
The compact 1010E is a highly versatile thinning machine with extra engine power and tractive force. It features an 11-tonne load capacity and a strong CF5 boom. The E-Series operating environment offers high-quality comfort and ergonomics.
The 951 is Komatsu’s largest six-wheeled harvester. It is both productive and powerful, optimised as it is for final logging. It offers high performance and has a sturdy crane that can carry extremely large heads. Purchased from McHale Plant Sales in Dublin, the 941.1 is a giant specially adapted to handle demanding logging in really thick forest. It boasts optimum engine control, reliability and raw power. A combination of agility and strength makes the Komatsu 931.1 a powerful all-round machine. It works equally well for late thinning and final felling.
All of the harvesters have LogMax head attachments. The 951 has a new 6000-Twin, the 941.1 also has a 6000-Twin and the 931.1 has a 6000-V. The LogMax 6000-Twin is a lightweight head suitable for low branches featuring a twin bottom knife for optimal delimbing from the lowest part of the truck to the top. This head combines low weight with high power and is specially designed for large wheel carriers. The LogMax 6000V is an amazing head! Super fast, very reliable and lengths and diameters are always 100%. The LogMax heads were supplied by LB Gremo in Tullamore. Co. Offaly.
Most of the pine that’s harvested by Jamun Ltd is shipped to the Coillte-owned MEDIT and SMARTPLY manufacturing sites in Clonmel and Waterford. MEDITE SMARTPLY is a market-leading manufacturer of sustainable timber construction panels. The manufacturing facilities feature the latest production technology to deliver straighter, flatter and more consistent boards than ever before, in a range of sizes and thickness unparalleled within the industry. MEDITE SMARTPLY pride themselves on their sustainable supply chain and manufacturing processes, meaning their products are as environmentally conscious in their make-up as they are in their application.
Pulpwood is transported in 10ft lengths by rail and by local hauliers Jimmy Barrett and Padraig Thomas. Jimmy also cuts 8 ft pallet in pine which goes to Balcas Timber in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh and spruce which goes to ECC in Cornamona, Co. Galway.
As Jamun Ltd continues to go from strength to strength, its affable managing director would like to take this opportunity to thank his customers and suppliers for their continued support as well as his small but dedicated crew for their skill and dedication.
Here’s to the next 10 years of this thriving operation!
Jamun Ltd
Rathbane,
Crossmolina,
Co. Mayo.
Telephone: 086 864 3667
Email: [email protected]
First published in Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 12 No 3, September/October 2024
