Parts support from Sennebogen helps log yard meet uptime goals
When an engine fire destroyed a log handler at Cameron River Logistics (CRL), Andrew Moore and his team decided it was a chance to rethink their original purchase decision.
"It had about 10,000 hours on it and it was able to load wood at the pace we wanted," Moore explains. "However, we had issues with parts availability. Wire harnesses were taking 4 - 5 months to deliver; a steering knuckle failed in January and we were told it would be April before they'd have one to ship from the factory."
Parts availability became a key factor in the decision to replace the damaged machine with a new SENNEBOGEN 830 M-T. "With SENNEBOGEN, you're not reinventing the wheel," Moore continued. "It's got a Cummins engine, Bosch-Rexroth hydraulics; all industry-standard components easily sourced nearby or available at the local SENNEBOGEN dealer."
To simplify support for their global customers, SENNEBOGEN engineers have always worked to keep the equipment simple and minimize their use of proprietary OEM components. In North America, the 100,000 square foot SENNEBOGEN LLC warehouse near Charlotte, NC maintains a complete inventory of replacement parts for every make and model currently in service. Cameron River's local SENNEBOGEN distributor, Great West Equipment, also inventories a large supply of common service parts, as well as providing factory-trained service technicians.
Throughput depends on uptime
According to Moore, uptime is critical to the CRL operation. Located in northern British Columbia, CRL is a transload station moving 16-foot CTL logs from truck to rail for the Dunkley Lumber mill, 5 hours to the south. CRL is one of several stations that collect and ship logs to feed the big mill.
"We're doing close to 200,000 m3 of spruce pine logs a year," says Moore. "That's about 2,500 rail cars. We also unload about 40 trucks per day from the forests of Fort St. John and Dawson Creek."
Moore reports that parts availability already had the yard leaning toward SENNEBOGEN, but the ready availability of a purpose-built 830 M-T trailer puller clinched the decision. The 830 M-T is a 91,000 lb., 225 HP (41,400 kg, 168 kW) machine built specifically for log-handling and trailer pulling applications. It features a hydraulically elevating cab and a unique undercarriage designed by SENNEBOGEN to handle the stresses of pulling heavy log trailers through difficult yard conditions.
The 830's dual transmissions, providing 4-wheel traction, were especially appealing to CRL. "We have a really small yard here and haven't had to pull the trailer yet," Moore admits. Most of Moore's yard is packed clay with a gravel top. But Moore expects that, with the new machine, operations will be able to access undeveloped areas that, previously, they were unable to reach. Frost will soon be coming out of the ground soon and the soft areas will become apparent. Operators have said that the SENNEBOGEN has already pulled through spots where, in the past, the old machine would have been stuck. Again, the 830 M-T has improved CRL's ability to keep on moving, and to keep moving wood.
