Logging is a no-nonsense business, and it’s perfectly suited to Roger Cunningham. The experienced logger doesn't mince words about the essence of his operation.

"The only way we get paid is when the wood crosses the scales," he says. "So it's vital to have productive machines and equipment when we're on-site. If we can produce enough wood to offset our costs, we'll make it."

Cunningham Logging LLC, Millport, Alabama, has been contracted to Weyerhaeuser since 2001. For six weeks this summer, the 18-man crew worked a hilly 345-acre tract near their home base, harvesting 70-percent spruce for saw timber and 25 percent for a chipping mill. The remainder was hardwood fiber and fine pulpwood.

The company averaged 28 loads a day depending on the terrain and weather. This was a considerable increase from last year's daily average of 22 loads. Cunningham gives much of the credit to the addition of a John Deere 2954D Forestry Swing Machine.

"We need to be productive because during the year there are only so many days we can work," Cunningham says. "In our case, we needed to speed up the delimbing process."

A 2554 was demo’d last fall, and in January a new 2954D was delivered equipped with a Waratah HTH 624C Super processing head and the TimberRite™ Control and Measuring System.

Three times faster
"We were using an attachment on a loader to delimb, and felt with a dedicated machine we could increase production. We have good people," Cunningham says, "but we can delimb three times faster with the John Deere 2954D compared to the knuckleboom loader and delimber we used previously. Plus, if we're in a situation where we need a specific size log, the TimberRite system lets us do that. Not having to cut the length of a tree with a ground saw really saves time. We don’t do a lot of cut-to-length, but we do a considerable amount of top-diameter cutting. We tried four or five different setups and found out this works best for us. We want the loader to be working with the trucks all the time."

Representatives from John Deere, Waratah, and the local dealer, Warrior Tractor and Equipment in Northport, Alabama, came out with the machine for about a week to make sure it was operating properly. The only issue was replacing two hydraulic lines. Cunningham likes the new boom design with 12 more inches of additional reach, a larger arm cylinder for additional lifting power, and its exceptional swing torque. He also appreciates the way Waratah rerouted several lines for better reliability.

"The redesigned boom gives the machine better balance and allows the operator to work closer to the machine," Cunningham says. "We chose the wide undercarriage to make the machine more stable. The operator can grab a tree that’s 28 inches in diameter on the bottom, and the 2954D handles it like it was a much smaller tree."

Cunningham's oldest son, Tommy, is a partner in the business and operates the swing machine.

"We needed to speed up the delimbing process, so we looked at several machines," he says. "John Deere was best suited for our operation. It's stable on the ground, and the Waratah head is a big plus. The TimberRite system does a good job. It's efficient, and there is little downtime. It reads everything correctly — the top size, length, and butt diameter. The 2954D does a good job and has really picked up our production. With the cost of wood down, we have to move it as fast and efficiently as possible. This machine does that and is very precise."

Roger says the company made the right move selecting the John Deere 2954D.

"It was a big decision for us because of the size of the investment," he explains, "but we feel John Deere is far superior when it comes to service and technical knowledge, and they have a better machine than the competition. There is no downtime, and we're getting the production we expect. The 2954D is the most efficient piece of equipment we've ever owned."

Not every workweek is a full one because there are days when the mills are closed.

"On the days we’re working, the John Deere machine lets us pump out 28 to 32 loads," Cunningham says. "If the most we can produce is 22 loads, we've lost the ability to make the bank happy. So on the days the mills are open it's important that we put wood into them. That's where we're ahead with the 2954D. If we needed to, we could probably even increase our production."

Efficiency is the rule In challenging economic times with fluctuating wood prices, every step in the harvesting process is critical. Cunningham has dissected each one of them. "One of the keys to productivity and efficiency is hiring the right people," he says, "individuals who are properly trained and want to come to work every day. If one person is missing, it can throw the entire operation out of line." Other critical considerations are limiting the distances skidders must travel and properly routing trucks. "On steep terrain like this we don't want to bring wood all the way down from the top of the hill to a loading set," Cunningham says. "We want to keep that distance to about 600 feet. Before we begin harvesting, we lay out the tract and determine the best places to put our sets. We don't leave a lot of wood on the ground or handle it twice. The more times wood is handled, the more costs that are applied to the load. And limiting skid distances saves fuel, too." Preventive maintenance is critical. Cunningham's fleet includes 10 pieces of equipment, including three loaders, three skidders, a bulldozer, two cutters, and the John Deere 2954D Swing Machine configured as a harvester/ processor. He also runs nine log trucks. To keep his equipment running, manufacturer service guidelines are followed to the letter. "We can't afford not to do the service because it means the life of the machine," Cunningham says. "If we didn't perform preventive maintenance, we'd be OK for awhile, but there would be multiple problems down the road. Instead of logging, we’d be working on the machines. Proper maintenance also adds up to fuel savings." Family operation In addition to son Tommy, the crew includes Cunningham's youngest son, Chris, a loader operator. The office staff consists of Roger's wife, Wanda, his daughter, Crystal, and Tommy's wife, Jennifer. Before starting the family company, Cunningham worked in the engineering department of a material-handling company and logged pulpwood on the side. In 1994 he decided a career move was in order. "We started a small skidding operation using horses," he says. "Things got so competitive that it was hard for two families to live off two or three loads a day. We had no choice but to grow from there. Our productivity has increased as a result of the 2954D." Cunningham Logging is serviced by Warrior Tractor and Equipment, Northport, Alabama.   Back to Stories from the Woods