SA Forestry magazine|seedling to sawmill

Hitachi/Waratah strategic forestry partnership

The Hitachi with Waratah HTD 316C head processing timber in Zululand.

Hitachi has forged a strategic partnership with Waratah to provide forestry in South Africa with practical and versatile options for timber harvesting.
   SA Forestry magazine's editor visited a recent field day in Zululand where a Hitachi/Waratah combo was put through its paces in a eucalyptus pulpwood compartment, and appeared to be performing extremely well.
   The machine on show was a Hitachi Zaxis 200 fitted with a Waratah HTD 316C. The head weighs 1.3 tons, fits any excavator and is ideal for processing smaller size trees. Maximum feed roller opening is 660 mm and delimb opening 520 mm.
   According to Waratah’s rep, Darren Pike, 55 of these heads are running very successfully in Indonesia.
   Harvesting contractor Mike Hunter of Siyeza Forestry has been using this system to de-limb and de-bark the tree lengths in-field. He said the machine is processing around 200 trees an hour, utilising 17 litres/hour of fuel. The trees are felled and cross-cut with chainsaws.
The field day was organised by Afrequip, the Zululand agent for HCSA.

Minimum wage increase for forestry workers in South Africa

With effect from 1 April 2010 the minimum wage applicable to forestry workers will increase by 7.3%. This increase, as shown in the table below, is derived from applying the December 2009 CPI figure (excluding owners’ equivalent rent) of 6.3% plus 1%.

Period	1 April 2009 – 1 April 2010	31 March 2010 – 31 March 2011	Increase %
Per Month	R 1 138.71	R 1 221.83	83.12
Per Week	R 262.80	R 281.98	19.18
Per Hour	R 5.84	R 6.26	0.42

Please note that an employer must pay a forestry worker who is 15 years of age or older, and who works for 35 hours per week or less at least the new hourly rate of R6.26.

Information courtesy of Roger Godsmark, Forestry SA

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Hitachi/Waratah strategic forestry partnership

Minimum wage increase for forestry workers in South Africa

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