GLTPA Hosts 77th Annual Logging, Heavy Equipment Expo

Wed September 27, 2023
CEG

The largest logging and heavy equipment gathering in the Midwest took place Sept. 7 to 9 at the Upper Peninsula State Fairgrounds in Escanaba, Mich.

Hosted by the Great Lakes Timber Professionals Association (GLTPA) and co-sponsored by Fabick Cat, the 77th annual Great Lakes Logging and Heavy Equipment Expo featured more than 300 indoor and outdoor exhibits, which showcased the latest equipment and technology available to those in the forestry industry.

The opening ceremony, co-sponsored by Ponsse, included food, fun and networking opportunities. A silent auction and 50/50 raffles helped raise money for GLTPA's annual fundraiser benefiting Log a Load for Kids.

Attendees were invited to put their skills to the test at the Great Lakes Forwarder Operator Challenge, sponsored by Roland Machinery and Komatsu. Operators were challenged as they navigated a Komatsu forwarder through a course designed to test abilities.

The full list of sponsors includes Alta Equipment Company, AgDirect, Ballantine, BARKO, Brooks Tractor, Cleereman Veneer LLC, Compeer Financial, Fabick Cat, First Bank Upper Michigan, GreenStone Farm Credit Services, Halron Lubricants Inc., Husqvarna, Komatsu, Lake States Lumber Association Inc., Laona Machine Supply, LoggingEncoders.com, McCoy Construction & Forestry, Meekhof Tire Sales & Service Inc., Menominee Industrial Supply, Michigan Center for Truck Safety, Michigan Timbermen, Mid-States Equipment, Midway Rentals and Sales, Miller-Bradford & Risberg Inc., Northern Energy, Operating Engineers 324, Packer City & UP International Truck, Ponsse, Roland Machinery Co., Royal Truck & Utility Trailer, Scandinavian Forestry Equipment, Scott Sanders Agency Farm Bureau Insurance,Spectrum Benefit Solutions LLC, ThermoTraxx, Timber Products Co., Timberwolf Firewood ProcessingEquipment, Truck Country & Stoops Trailers, Vesseer/Wery Agency Farm Bureau Insurance, UPChevy Dealers, Vermeer Wisconsin, Wallingford's Inc., WI Kenworth and Woodland Equipment.

For more information, visit gltpa.org. CEG



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(L-R): Fabick Cat’s Tim Seibel, John Wery, Andrew Beckman, Eric Stoller, Todd Gustafson, Matt Hansen and Mike Lurndal brought this Weiler F888 forwarder machine to the Great Lakes Logging and Heavy Equipment Expo.
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Patrick Mead of Alta Equipment Company is ready to show what this ASV RT-135 tracked skid steer with a Fecon BH74SS mulching head can do to increase productivity.
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At the BARKO booth, attendees saw this 495B log loader demonstrate what it can do. 
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The Roland Machinery Company booth featured this 350 hp TimberPro TN725D feller buncher with a LogMax 700XT harvesting head. The feller buncher has a lift capacity of 17,340 lbs.; an improved debris deflection system; and has various track shoe widths to match ground conditions. The harvesting head has a maximum arm opening of 29.1 in. and a maximum cutting capacity of 31.5 in. 
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The McCoy Construction & Forestry booth attracted a nice crowd. 
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This JCB wheel loader is poised to demonstrate the benefits of a D Rock Grizzly static rock separator.
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(L-R) are Curtis Corbiere of E. Corbiere and Sons; Todd Gustafson of Fabick Cat; and Bruno Gervais of Gervais Group of Companies with a Weiler F888 forwarder.
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Roland Machinery’s Jeremy Boettcher (L) gave the specs on this Komatsu 951 harvester with a C144 harvesting head to Gerald Goettl of Goettl Trucking LLC.
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(L-R): Brooks Tractor’s Paula Ritter, Derek Vanderheiden and Taylor Lutzke talked with John Dittbrender of Dittbrender Logging about this Bandit 21XP woodchipper.
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Midwest Tractor & Equipment of Buckley, Mich., brought this Serco 8500 on a 6-axle log truck. (L-R) are Matt Schaudt, Jeff Cade, Shawn Muma, Larry Cade, Chad Bisballe and Rod Porter, all of Midwest Tractor & Equipment. 
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Jack Soderman (L) and Michael Getzloff looked inside the cab of this John Deere 1510G forwarder.
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(L-R) are Ron Raithe branch manager of Scandinavian Forestry Equipment’s Wausau branch; Goran Stalberg, territory manager of EcoLog; Philip Thums of Scandinavian Forestry Equipment; Randy Klug, territory manager of Scandinavian Forestry Equipment; Lori Kent of Scandinavian Forestry Equipment; and Bob Smith of Smith Logging, with this EcoLog 590F harvester with a 7000 LogMax processor head.
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Looking over this Case Minotaur DL550 tracked dozer loader (L-R) are Dan Soley, vice president of Miller Bradford & Risberg; Pat Sullivan of Sullivan Logging; and Craig Johnson, retired, U.S. Forest Service. 
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(L-R): Clint Amma of McCoy Construction & Forestry; Morgan Miskovich of MM Timber Harvesting; Mike Miskovich of MM Timber Harvesting; and Sam Lulich of McCoy Construction & Forestry, talk about this Waratah H425X processing head.
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