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| Cat Forest Products showcased equipment for wide spectrum  Cat Forest Products featured machines and work tools for every step of the wood flow process from road building to harvesting to millyard at Demo International 2008, September 18-20. The event was sponsored by the Canadian Woodlands Forum and hosted by Ledwidge Lumber on gently rolling, forested land near Halifax, Nova Scotia. Over 6,100 loggers and their families came to see machine demonstrations and learn about related forestry products presented by 115 companies. About half way through the 1.8-mile loop, a huge banner with the black and Caterpillar yellow logo announced the site. The pathways leading up to Cat's tent brought visitors past a Cat D4K XL track type tractor, the Cat 287C multi terrain loader, the Cat 420E backhoe loader, the Cat 924H wheel loader and the Cat 303.5C CR mini excavator. A vintage 1942 Caterpillar 22 tractor provided by dealer Atlantic Cat was a special treat for all the machine buffs. Behind the tent, visitors gathered in the bleachers for the cut-to-length (CTL) and full tree harvesting demonstrations — on one side, a Cat 501HD track harvester with the PD-57 dangle head and a Cat 574 forwarder and on the other side a Cat 521 track feller buncher with the HF201 felling head and the Cat 545C wheel skidder. Every hour the machines moved into the forest behind the tent for the demo. While the harvester and forwarder worked as a team, the narrator described the process and key benefits of the Cat equipment, including the harvester's visibility and the maneuverability and loading speed of the forwarder. The narrator then directed everyone's attention to the full tree process. The feller buncher went into action, demonstrating its strength in multi-functioning. The skidder, dragging a full grapple load of trees at full speed across the demo area in front of the viewers, was a real crowd pleaser. After the harvested trees were processed, the tops and limbs were fed into a grinder by a Cat 320D FM with the new GLC85 combination logging grapple. The grapple is specially designed for loading or decking short wood in the forest or in millyards. After each demonstration, viewers were invited to come down and take a closer look at the machines. Caterpillar and Cat dealer representatives were on hand to answer their questions. The CTL equipment especially generated a lot of interest, with many asking questions about the fuel economy of the Caterpillar C6.6 engines with ACERTTM technology. In addition to the machines, displays inside the tent conveyed in words and pictures Cat's mission to help loggers profit and work safely and comfortably. A Cat Finance representative was on hand to discuss the flexible purchase options that are available. Representatives from both local Cat dealers, Hewitt Equipment Ltd. and Atlantic Tractors & Equipment Ltd. (Atlantic Cat), were also on hand to talk machines and Cat service. Hewitt is the local Cat dealer for Quebec and Western Labrador, while Atlantic Cat covers Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Construction News :: home page |