[Case Study] Cutting Edge Waratah OM Optimizes Tree Harvesting with Poclain

Nestled in Joenssu, Finland, the forest capital of Europe, Outokummun Metalli released their first harvesting head in 1984. Twenty years later, they sign a joint-venture agreement with John Deere Forestry and establish the Waratah OM brand, a leading name in the forestry industry. Since 2001 Waratah OM has been using Poclain motors to power its harvesting heads. We talk to Joni Turunen, their Managing Director, about the collaboration and their latest developments.

Poclain: What is your main market and what do end users require today from their harvesting heads?

Joni Turunen : Our main market is Europe, and more specifically Finland and Sweden. Northern Europe’s timber industry is mature. Its demands revolve around enhanced productivity, ease of use, durability, high uptime, and low CO2 emissions from harvesting equipment.

Poclain: How have you addressed these requirements?

J.T.: Pressure drop is critical on harvesting heads, as the harvesting head motors are installed 8 to 10 meters away from the pump. We worked with Poclain to mitigate the pressure drop by increasing the motor’s volumetric efficiency, and they designed the High Flow and Optiflow distribution modules. We started integrating them on our medium and large harvesting heads in 2020. We also offer increased circuit pressure as an option on the larger heads. These modifications have enabled us to increase efficiency and reduce emissions.

Poclain: Your harvesting head catalog features two and four-wheel drive models. How are they used?

J.T.: Our two-wheel drive H200 series is designed for handling crooked trees and hardwoods, offering compactness and agility. On the other hand, the firmer grip and faster operation of the four-wheel drive H400 series is preferred in Nordic countries, where straight spruce and birch trees prevail. More sustainable and productive, cut-to-length tree harvesting continues to gain market share globally. Waratah OM’s collaboration with Poclain and their focus on innovation and sustainability demonstrate their commitment to meeting the evolving needs of the forestry industry.

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