Founded in May 2021, DT Forestry Ltd has already established itself as a leading specialist in clear felling, thinning and laying of forest roadways. Tree shears and mulching services are also available.
Based in Kilcogy, Co. Cavan, the company employs four people and is a joint partnership between Derek McKeon and Tomás Nannery, who also owns Nanno Plant & Agri. Working mostly for Western Forestry Co-op, it can clear a wide range of sites, from harvesting to mulching scrubland. DT Forestry provides a professional, prompt and value-for-money service for clearing sites across a wide range of terrains.
The contractor uses modern, specialised machinery to carry out site clearance, and can extract and move timber quickly and efficiently with careful consideration for the site with regard to environmental obligations and its future use. The timber is transported to sawmills such as Balcas in Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh, Murray’s in Ballygar, Co. Galway. John McHale’s Sawmill in Sligo, ECC Timber in Corr na Mona, Co. Galway and McHugh Timber Products in Killashandra, Co. Cavan.
“Tomás and I go back a long way,” Derek explains.
“I drove a harvester for another company for 19 years and Tomás ran his own plant hire business – which he continues to do – before we decided to join forces and set up this company. We had both worked for Victor Barber of Western Forestry who we continue to enjoy an excellent working relationship with. The services we provide to Western Forestry and their customers include clear felling, thinning and forest roads.
“We also work for other forestry companies, one of which we recently cleared a wind farm site for in Co. Offaly.”
DT Forestry runs two PONSSE forwarders and two PONSSE harvesters which were purchased from Ponsse Machines Ireland in Emo, Co. Laois. “I had previously driven John Deere and was therefore very familiar with them, but couldn’t buy them nearly new so we tried PONSSE instead. We started with a Scorpion harvester and a Wisent forwarder, and have since added a Fox harvester and a Buffalo forwarder. They’re good machines which we are very happy with,” Derek says.
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.
The Buffalo is PONSSE’s best-selling forwarder. Its technical systems and reliability in all conditions, combined with its broad range of customisation options, makes it a dependable tool built to meet the individual needs of each customer. The PONSSE Wisent treats thinning sites gently. Its agility and excellent visibility in all directions from the cabin reduces damage to standing trees. Being lightweight, it causes less damage to the terrain, but still offers an excellent load-carrying capacity and power that never runs out.
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 environment. Good visibility, high stability and excellent ergonomics make the Scorpion a popular choice with forestry experts. The eight-wheeled Fox is tailor-made for thinning and soft grounds. The crane is powerful and easy to use, and is positioned close to the cabin to ensure excellent visibility of the working area.
Derek is full of praise for his small team of drivers, one of whom doubles up as a sawman: “We’d be nothing without them. Their hard work, skill and versatility have been key to our steady growth. I can’t be on two different sites at the same time and Tomás devotes most of his time to Nanno Plant & Hire. But the lads can always be relied upon to get the work done.
“We have plenty of work ahead of us and long may that continue to be the case.”
Also based in Kilcogy, Nanno Plant & Agri is a well-established plant hire company which provides a range of services, including land drainage and reclamation, groundworks and house foundations, rock breaking, mulching and stevedoring, which involves loading and unloading ships at Dublin Port.
The company has an array of machinery to cater for every need, including Volvo EW 150E and EW 60E rubber ducks, Takeuchi mini diggers and Volvo diggers ranging from three to 25 tonnes, a Komatsu bulldozer, three Valtra tractors (T234, T174 and N174), two JCB 512 telehandlers and a Volvo FH500 articulated truck. The tractors pull Broughan and Herron dump trailers, while the artic pulls a low loader and a forestry trailer with crane attached.
One of Nanno Plant & Agri’s current projects includes removing ditches / hedging and supplying drivers / labourers to Clare Civil Engineering Ltd who are undertaking the construction of 3.7km of a route improvement scheme on the N55 for Cavan County Council.
As DT Forestry continues to go from strength to strength, Derek and Tomás would like to take this opportunity to thank their clients and suppliers for their support to date.
DT Forestry Ltd
Glan Hill,
Kilcogy,
Co. Cavan,
N39 PF96.
Telephone: 086 835 9666
Email: [email protected]
First published in Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 11 No 4, August/September 2023
