East Brothers Timber was so impressed with its new JCB 416 HT, that it bought a second one.

The family-run sawmill and timber merchant, which processes imported hardwood and home-grown softwood, had used other handling equipment for several years but, after trialling the JCB, found it was just the machine for the job.

“Our old machine kept up,” said manager Mark Gilbert, “but this is more useful.”

East Bros processes around 22,000 tons of logs per year, mainly for non-standard specifications ranging from pallet timber and fencing, to strength-graded softwoods for construction and hardwoods for high class joinery. It cuts a range of species including larch, Corsican and Scots pine and Douglas fir on the softwood side, and European oak, and opepe from West Africa on the hardwoods side. However, it has diversified away from just straight sawmilling to include a merchanting operation which now covers 12 species including sapele and iroko from West Africa, oak, ash and cherry from North America, and European oak, in all around 400m3 each month.

Demonstration vehicle

The company made the decision to purchase the machine after JCB provided a demonstration vehicle. “Not many offer that,” said Mr Gilbert. “They let us have it for a few days so we could see if it would do the job we wanted it to do.”

And the East Bros team found that the JCB 416 wheeled loading shovel did do the job – or rather variety of jobs – required by the sawmill. The three attachments – a log grab, forks, and a high-tip bucket – enable the company to handle all logs, including hardwoods, transport and stack pallets and, using the high-tip bucket, load the company’s co-products onto an awaiting lorry. This versatility, said Mr Gilbert, has improved efficiency.

Another plus is the HT arms which provide better sight to the fork tip and log grab, improving all-round visibility and safety around the mill. “Most other trucks have a Z bar inbetween the lifting arms. The JCB doesn’t – it has cylinders on the lifting arms themselves so there’s better vision.”

In addition, the high torque of the 416 makes it a powerful machine with good roll back and tear out when handling heavy hardwood logs.

“For the money we paid, it offers a lot,” said Mr Gilbert.