John Howe Hauled His First

1 48 volume 40 Number 11 To Advertise Call (800) 462-8283 November 2013 2 47 2 From the stump... in general. additional productivity efficiencies and gains one speaker standing can come from additional investment in men and out in this year’s pro - equipment yes, but only, “...if existing businesses gram was Jim hourde - are more profitable and provide a platform for ex - 3 1 quin, managing director pansion and growth.” 0 2 Profitable Logging of The lyme Timber Profitability stems from the pricing. “in short, r company, which is a the price we charged for our services,” he ex - e b “so-called” TiMo (tim - plained, “rather than the cost of providing those m e berland investment services, was the deciding factor on profitability.” v o by Mike Crouse, Publisher management organiza - he talked of the changing dynamics with mills, N tion), and has also been reiTs, TiMos, and its effect on contracts pricing a logging contractor. historically and presently. “i would challenge the “My path is not your consuming side of the industry - mills - to recog - R R ach fall the past 20 years has included trav - e e typical path into the logging business, but the nize that profitable and successful logging contrac - k k eel to the american loggers council annual C C challenge of figuring out how to make money in tors living in rural communities are ambassadors u u Meeting, held in which ever state that year’s presi - R R dent resides, a practice established in that first logging, while also doing quality work, and paying for the industry,” said hourdequin, “and the best T T good wages has become a passion of sorts, and defense against negative public perceptions of log - g g year. This year’s meeting was held in Marksville, o o louisiana roughly 90 miles north of Baton rouge, that’s why i’ve stayed in the business as a co-own - ging and the forest products industry. Successful L L picturesque and lush with greenery, but a real con - er and part of the management team. it should logging contractors are leaders in their communi - trast for those of us from the Pacific northwest come as no surprise to you, however, that i haven’t ties - providing tours to school groups, speaking in who have little experience with the South’s humid - touched a chainsaw in almost 10 years.” legislators, and doing all sorts of things that pre - ity. and according to the locals, the humidity hourdequin’s perspective on logging’s future sent the industry in a positive light. if their busi - wasn’t even serious! (all relative i assure you). mirrors concerns held by many of the “logging ca - nesses are successful and growing, they will be in Many contractors eschew the idea of such na - pacity shortage” facing our industry on the heels of a position to provide a level of positive public rela - tional, or even statewide logging association meet - a prolonged recession. we heartily agree, in that tions that cannot be matched by even the most am - ings as a “waste of time,” yet many successful con - there’s not only a shortage of qualified loggers, but bitious marketing budget. Their investments in tractors, and growing companies, invest their time of equipment. “according a recent riSi/ wood Sup - people and equipment will also make the entire and energy not as a cost of doing business, but a ply research institute study, capital expenditures supply chain more globally competitive.” way to make connections with other contractors, by logging contractors dropped in half during the “i would challenge the environmental communi - discover new technologies, new approaches, chang - period from 2008 to 2010 relative to pre-recession ty to recognize the importance of successful and ing rules and laws, and ultimately find a way to levels. The authors predict that capital expendi - profitable logging contractors as well,” he said. more profitable logging. how many ideas from see - tures on logging equipment will need to increase “These are the businesses that have the capacity ing something new, talking to others about their by 50% in the next three to four years to meet fiber to continually raise the bar and do quality work problems, their solutions, meeting someone who and round wood demand from mills.” that causes the least damage to soils, streams, and shares your interest or curiosity on how to find a and while the conversation on logging capacity habitat.” better solution do you need to make this meeting is a valid concern it, “...obscures a more fundamen - “finally, and perhaps most importantly,” said help build your future? tal issue, and that is logging business profitability hourdequin, “profitable logging businesses will be The alc was formed as a unified voice of pro - - your profitability,” hourdequin said. “when peo - able to pay the kinds of wages necessary to recruit fessional loggers from throughout our nation, ple talk about ‘logging capacity,’ what they really talented young people to the industry and to rural which represents the working logger. in the twen - mean is a lack of incentive for contractors to ex - communities, many of which have lost this talent ty years since its formation in St. louis in 1994, as pand their existing businesses, or for would-be log - and wage base, and are struggling in a variety of was evident through the course of both the Board ging contractors to start new businesses. and this ways.” and general Meeting, in reports and conversation, comes down to that simple issue of profitability. (To see the complete text of hourdequin’s our voice is recognized in the halls of congress, “why borrow hundreds of thousands of dollars to presentation go to Www.lymetimber.com) speaking to members of congress, and respected replace aging equipment without confidence in fu - for their experience and knowledge. we’re the ex - ture business opportunities?” The $11.00 McDonalds BigMac perts, with hands on experience who actually can “Profitability is the deciding factor between con - arly in october we accepted an invitation accomplish on the ground progress. tractors seeking a future in the logging business,” efrom Ponsse (www.ponsse.com) corp. to visit we’ve also formed a number of strategic al - hourdequin emphasized, “and planning an exit their factory in finland to celebrate their 9,000 liances with the equipment manufacturers, both strategy.” machine sold and tour their facilities. The Ponsse large and small that have helped both politically he hits the nail squarely on the head. “and if that’s the case,” said hourdequin, “the next ques - and with a better understanding of our needs in (Continued on Page 19) the woods, a definite plus that’s helped to refine tion is: how do contractors - and the logging indus - and focus our message to legislators and the public try more broadly - become more profitable?” See “From the Stump” 22 Rigging ShACk – by Finley Hays iinn TThhiiss iissssuuee...... Starts on Page 2 of Loggers World LLoogg TTRRuuCCkkeeRR Founded in 1975 by Finley Hays 22 PRofiTAbLe Logging – by Mike Crouse Published by loggers world PubliCatioNs Phone (360) 262-3376 44 Class of ‘62 John howe Trucking • r ed Bluff , c alifornia PuBliSher . .michael P. Crouse ediTor eMeriTuS . .finley Hays How afforable is HealtH Care ? 99 ediTor/wriTer . darin burt adverTiSing Manager . .kevin Core 1100 forward tHiNkiNg office Manager . .Holly larson evenSon logging co. • c laTSkanie , o regon Postmaster: send address changes to: 1177 reader PHotos loggers world PubliCatioNs , 4206 Jackson Highway, Chehalis, wa 98532-8425 e-mail: [email protected] 1188 log truCker New s subsCriPtioN rate (in u.s.a.): $12.00 per year; two years for $20.00 loggerS world PuBlicaTionS cannot and does not assume responsibility 2200 foReCLoSing on D.C. – by Sherrie Bond for the contents of any adver tising in loggers world. The representations made by COVER PHOTO: LOgging TRuCks are part of the equipment pack - advertising is the responsibility of the adver tiser and not loggers world. loggers age that makes Everson Logging a self-sufficient company. newer world does not knowingly accept advertising that is false or misleading. The limit trucks help to bring in the next generation of drivers to the long- of loggers world liability in case of a mistake made in advertising copy by loggers standing company . world will be the charge of the actual space containing the error or less for that See “Forward Thinking” on Page 10 2211 advertisers iNdex particular advertisement 3 4 6 3 Log TRuCkeR November 2013 4 45 4 3 1 0 2 r e b m e 2 v 6 o F ‘ N LASS O R R C e e k k C C u u R R JOHn HOwE T T g g o o TRuCking L L REd BLuff , C aLifORnia by darin burt ohn Howe hauled his first Jload of logs when he was just 10 years old. even more impressive than that is the fact that the 1962 kenworth he drives today is the one he used to accompish the job. “This is how the story goes,” says howe, 40, owner of John howe Trucking, out of red Bluff, califor - nia. “i’d been moving the trucks around the yard and washing them when i was that young. My ‘uncle’ JOHn HOwE’s 1962 kEnwORTH charlie Scheckla was a log truck may look like it belongs in a muse - driver all of his life, and he was al - um, but it’s still out there hauling logs. “This truck separates the (Continued on Page 11) men from the boys,” Howe says.

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