The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology

Bruks Siwertell Asia first

(Posted on 18/10/19)

Bruks Siwertell, part of the Bruks Siwertell Group, has delivered a mobile wood chipper to the Korean Forestry Cooperative, a forest-owner association in South Korea. It is the first Bruks delivery to Asia and ensures the high-capacity production of fuel chips, suitable for bioenergy generation.

“Bruks Siwertell was originally approached by the Korean Forestry Cooperative as it had researched what it needed, but could not find within the country; at that point it decided to contact Bruks Siwertell for its expertise,” says John-Erik Eriksson, senior engineering consultant for Bruks Siwertell.

“This delivery was dependent on a lot of elements working,” explains Mr Eriksson, advisor on the project because of his lengthy experience with this type of application. “The conditions in the forest had to be right for extracting timber as a biofuel and there had to be a road network capable of transporting the large, heavy machinery. We also needed to ensure that the customer had sufficient training to handle the operation and ongoing maintenance of the machine’s relatively complex electrical and hydraulic systems, which make them so effective.

“Bruks Siwertell makes sure that its machines are right for the jobs they are ordered for,” he continues. “It is in no one’s interest to sell equipment that is not able to perform to the best of its capabilities, for whatever reason. Therefore, to make sure that we had the full picture, we conducted site visits before the order.

“The evaluation showed that the machines, which were initially of interest to the cooperative, would not fit local conditions. Instead, a wood chipper, with its own engine and mounted on a Volvo truck with a crane, was considered the ideal solution for these circumstances,” Mr Eriksson notes.

Prior to the wood chipper’s delivery, Bruks Siwertell arranged for representatives from the Korean Forestry Cooperative to receive specialist training at its site in Arbrå, Sweden. “It was an intensive training course over several days,” highlights Mr Eriksson. “They received instruction in driving the machinery and also practical exercises in maintenance and care, as there is no technical expertise in the region. Spare parts packages were included from the outset of the order and if needed, Bruks Siwertell will work closely with a local service company for more complex issues should they arise in the future.”

During the visit, the Korean Forestry Cooperative not only focused on the machine, but also on the wider potential of the biofuel market for the country. “Decades of war devastated the country’s forests and meant that they have grown back unmanaged, which is not the most efficient for fuel production,” explains Mr Eriksson. “Owners now want to be able to sell their current forests for biofuel to get some value from it, which then enables them to plant new forests that can be cared for in a different way.”

The Bruks 806.2 ST mobile chipper was delivered to its new owners in September 2019 and is planned for deployment in the country’s north-west region. It will offer the Korean Forestry Cooperative the ability to efficiently and reliably process tree tops, branches and logs up to a diameter of 50cm for softwood and 40cm for hardwood.