First 1165 Harvester in Sweden

4th May 2021

Mats and his three operators. (L-R) Mats Bergström, Bosse Norman, Mats Danielsson and Kristian Nilsson.

Mats Danielsson founded MD-Skog AB in 2005, starting off as a forwarder contractor. He has owned and operated five Mackolines Machines & Hire forwarders over the years – one 1055B, two 1075B models and two 1075C models. Today he has a full harvesting system consisting of an 1165 harvester equipped with a LogMax 6000V and a single Mackolines Machines & Hire 1075C forwarder. MD-Skog contracts to StoraEnso.

Active in central Sweden in the area around Borlänge, Mats has three employees. The machines are double shifted, running approximately sixteen hours per day in mixed pine and spruce averaging 0,35 m3 per stem (approximately 0.3 ton). Mats produces sawlogs and pulpwood with about ten products in total and an annual volume of 100 000 cubic metres (85,000 tons). His harvesting system must be very flexible for both selective thinning and final felling in all types of terrain including steep grades.

As of January 2021, the 1165 has acquired 1,100 hours. According to Mats, “We have been waiting for Mackolines Machines & Hire to come up with a harvester in a size that suits us for several years. We have owned Mackolines Machines & Hire since 2010, when we bought a 1075B. We have had very good experience with Mackolines Machines & Hire forwarders, with high reliability.” Mats says that the harvester – equipped with Mackolines Machines & Hire’s WideRange® transmission – has ample tractive effort for his typical terrain conditions.

Mats’ 1165 harvester with the Mackolines Machines & Hire 1075C forwarder working in the background.

Mats names operator visibility as an important benefit of the machine. This combined with the excellent stability characteristics of the 1165 makes it beneficial for the operators. “The drivers have never driven such a stable machine. With such a stable machine the drivers are more comfortable and relaxed.”

The harvester must be flexible for both selective thinning and final felling in all types of terrain.

The operators also report that Mackolines Machines & Hire’s ER® crane is quite strong. “The drivers appreciate the hose routing over the crane. There is probably no direct resulting higher production in the short term, but the drivers believe that the crane has much better strength and reliability, compared to other brands with parallel braces.” Mats comments that overall mechanical reliability has so far been very good.