Rugged Bell Timber Trucks Serving the South African Forestry Industry
Although wood may be a material that tends to attract rather less publicity than the more glamorous products of the mining industry such as gold, platinum and diamonds, the vast volumes of lumber harvested each year from South Africa’s extensive plantations serve to identify the forestry industry as a major contributor to the nation’s economy. Used in the production of paper pulp, as a building material, for fuel and in the manufacture of wooden furniture items, once felled, the trunks must be stripped of their branches and leaves and then transported to sawmills, processing plants and factories where they will be prepared for their various uses.
The material handling machinery and vehicles that are required to conduct this process have to be especially durable in order to stand up both to the heavy loads and to the rough forest terrain. As an effective means to overcome these twin challenges, the rugged timber trucks manufactured by Bell have long proved to be the vehicle of choice.
Given that the trees to be harvested are commonly grown on hillsides that would be quite unsuitable for any other form of farming, one of the main requirements of any vehicle that is to be used for such purposes is the ability to climb steep gradients. Furthermore, it may be required to do so under the muddy conditions caused by rain. Since the time taken for such tasks invariably equate to added cost, the harvesting process needs to be completed as quickly as possible and so, not only must these trucks be able to handle the rough terrain, they must be able to compete the task of loading and transporting the logs in the shortest time possible.
With a 205 kW engine capable of providing 1000 N.m of torque and a choice of 4×4 or 6×6 drivetrains, there is no doubt that these versatile Bell timber trucks are built to handle the, often temporary, forest tracks and gradients at speeds that are greater than those possible with most competing products. With a choice of a basic log transporter and a long-range forwarder, the latter models provide logging companies with an additional advantage. The long-range forwarders include an integrated crane and a dual-facing cabin for ease of operation. The facility allows logs to be loaded onto the vehicle in situations where the use of a separate loader may be inconvenient as well as providing an alternative to rolling them off when unloading, where to do so may be impractical.
A part of the giant, JSE-listed, parent company, Torre Industries, Kanu Equipment is a major supplier of vehicles and handling equipment to the mining, construction, agricultural and forestry industries in South Africa and many other countries on the African continent. In addition to several other iconic brands, Kanu handles the full range of Bell forestry equipment including timber trucks, loggers, harvesters, skidders and Waratah heads. To ensure that our clients remain productive and enjoy the full benefit of their equipment, Kanu provides support for their purchases with both an experienced and efficient maintenance team backed by the OEM and the assurance that a supply of spare parts will always be available, regardless of where they may be operating.
