Continually striving for excellence in forestry and providing a professional, prompt and value-for-money service, Brophy Timber Services Ltd in Mountrath, Co. Laois is a leading specialist in timber harvesting and extraction.
Brophy Timber Services was established in 2008 before becoming a limited company in 2015. A fitter by trade, managing director Damien Brophy is joined by a 12-strong team which boasts a wealth of experience in the industry. The family business offers an unrivalled service to both private and public clients, including Coillte, Standish Sawmills, ECC Timber Products and Coolrain Sawmills.
“Our business is split evenly between the private and public sectors,” general manager Cathal Carroll says.
“Our biggest customer is Coillte who we have two five-year contracts with. We have a standard long-term contract in the Woodford, Co. Galway area and a specialist contract on the Wicklow / Wexford border. We enjoy an excellent working relationship with all of our customers and treat them all the same regardless of their size. Everything in this business depends on the weather and the demand for timber.”
Adhering to the highest Health & Safety, quality control and environmental management standards, the contractor prides itself on its modern and specialised machinery and top-class team, which includes Damien’s father Paddy. Brophy Timber Services is currently running two harvesters and three forwarders. The harvesters are a PONSSE Scorpion King and a PONSSE Scorpion, while the forwarders are a PONSSE Wisent, a PONSSE Elk and a John Deere 10106.
“We purchased the four PONSSE machines from Ponsse Machines Ireland in Emo, Co. Laois. They are all 2022 models. The John Deere was bought new from John Deere Forestry in Glenealy, Co. Wicklow this year,” Cathal explains.
“We only use the best equipment to harvest, extract and move timber quickly and efficiently with careful consideration for the site with regard to environmental obligations and its future use.”
Agility, power, ergonomics, weight distribution and economic efficiency are the features that set PONSSE forwarders apart. All forwarder models have more than enough power for changing conditions and difficult terrain types. The excellent weight to load-carrying ratio, the smallest turning radius in their size classes and dimensions that distribute loads evenly to all wheels are unrivalled features. The extreme tractive force of PONSSE forwarders guarantees excellent comfort and efficiency, also over longer distances. They are the most productive forwarders on the market both for thinning and regeneration felling.
PONSSE’s forwarders are the only forest machines in the world that use a continuously variable transmission (CVT). It enables higher fuel economy and tractive force, particularly in difficult terrain. The forwarders are equipped with ultimate tractive force which guarantees efficient timber transportation while saving the environment as much as possible.
PONSSE harvesters quickly cut and sort both energy wood and sturdier trunks. Their versatility and efficiency guarantee the best productivity, and they adapt easily to all kinds of environments. Good visibility, high stability and excellent ergonomics make the Scorpion a popular choice with forestry experts.
In addition to the forwarders and harvesters, Brophy Timber Services operates a John Deere 6215R tractor, a Fendt 926 tractor, a Pezzolato wood chipper, an assortment of dump trailers and low loaders for tractors and trucks, two Hyundai excavators and a Doosan 235 24-tonne excavator. Attached to the quick hitch of the 2018-registered Doosan is a Timbermax T10 traction assist winch which was purchased from RJ Fukes Forestry Services in the UK and is a robust, powerful and reliable solution designed for working on slopes.
“We’re using the traction assist winch on our Coillte site on the Wicklow / Wexford border. We trialled it on three other sites and Coillte were happy for us to use it. It’s of great benefit from a Health & Safety and environmental point of view.”
Brophy Timber Services also specialises in roadside tree removal, landscaping and firewood as well as offering a maintenance and repairs service to local contractors. Last November, the firm invested in a new bespoke EMS firewood machine which was manufactured by Ross Robinson of Portnahinch Products in nearby Portarlington.
“We sell a lot of firewood in the winter time. It’s another side to the business. We supply wrapped pallets of firewood to DR Fuels in Dublin and also sell directly from the yard here in Mountrath,” Cathal adds.
Asked what gives Brophy Timber Services the edge over the competition, the affable Laois man replies: “We are one of the few companies that can offer a start-to-finish job in forestry.
“We do the haulage, we come in and we look at the timber and we give a very good price because we’re backed up by good companies as well as those who are buying the products off of us.
“We deal with very good outlets on other sides of it. We’re dealing with good companies; we’re giving good prices and we like to stay in our local area. We’ve very good integrity in our business. That’s something that is hugely important to us and we don’t sacrifice that for any reason.”
As Brophy Timber Services continues to go from strength to strength, the midlands forestry specialist would like to take this opportunity to thank its clients and suppliers for their unwavering support as well as its staff and subcontractors for their hard work, dedication and expertise.
Brophy Timber Services Ltd
Drim,
Mountrath,
Co Laois.
R32 AW60.
Mobile: 087 223 6454 (Damien) / 087 064 0161 (Cathal)
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.brophytimberservices.ie
First published in Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 12 No 2, July/August 2024
