Unit News & Market Reports

 

- latest news - 5th January 2009

Customer Liaison Meeting

Following our letter to you some months ago I wish to remind you of the Annual Trade Liaison Day.

I am very aware that dealing with the economic situation will be taking much of your time at the moment, however I hope you will be able to join us once again at Nant Yr Arian Visitor Centre on the 21^st January 2009.

As in previous years we have tried to provide a business like and relevant agenda whilst at the same time introducing some items of wider interest. The agenda is attached for your information.

We would be grateful if you could confirm your attendance by email to Jeanette Freeman or telephone on 01970 821214 by 9th January 2009.

We look forward to seeing you

Hugh Jones

Head of Unit
Wales Harvesting and Marketing

- latest news - 2nd October 2008

Customer Liaison Meeting

Wales Harvesting and Marketing wish to announce that the next customer liaison meeting will be held on Wednesday 21st January 2009. Please make an advance booking in your diaries. We welcome all our customers and appreciate the opportunity to meet and discuss all aspects of the timber industry.

We have not yet confirmed on a location and will endeavour to have further information in November 2008

- latest news – 29th August 2008

Meeting to brief Trade on LTC plans

The Forestry Commission Wales will shortly be offering around fifteen lots, comprising of standing sales and roadside timber, as long term contracts with a five-year duration. The contract process will begin on 31st October 2008 with a preliminary qualification round.  This will be the last of the current series of LTC offerings from FC Wales. 

As part of our commitment to provide advance information about our LTC programme we are holding a briefing session for forest industry bodies and other interested parties.  You are invited to attend this meeting which will be held at the Dragon Hotel, Montgomery on Wednesday, 24th September 2008. 

Tea and coffee will be served on arrival at 10.00 and a buffet lunch will be served at the close of the meeting at 13.00.  FC Staff will present our plans for the final round of LTCs and be available to answer any questions that you may have.

I would be grateful if you would confirm your attendance to me by e-mail claire.evans@forestry.gsi.gov.uk or by phone 01970 821205 by no later than Wednesday, 17th September 2008.

- latest news - 1st August 2008

WHaM Dispatches new Site Supervisors

Wales Harvesting and Marketing has a new roll call now that the position of Dispatcher has been enhanced to become Site Supervisor.  As part of a restructuring programme, three new positions were created back in June this year.  The new Site Supervisors will be responsible for health and safety standards and contract delivery as well as quality control, quantity control and environmental standards on live harvesting sites.

Following successful applications Dave Price and Graham Thomas, both former WHaM Dispatchers were offered a post in Mid and North Wales respectively.  WHaM also says “croeso” to Tom Blythe.  Tom has moved from our friends in the North where he first joined the Commission as an Apprentice Forest Management Operative in West Argyll Forest District to become the third Site Supervisor covering Tywi in South Wales.  The trio will be working alongside John Mills covering our direct production sites across Wales.

Furthermore WHaM welcomes two other staff members to its ranks.  Our new DP Contract Manager for Mid Wales, Iwan Parry, joins us from Grants and Licences where he was a Woodland Officer for Gwynedd and Anglesey.  And finally Martyn Phillips will take up the role of Biomass Supervisor in August working alongside Marius Urwin in delivering our Biomass programme.  He joins us from Wales Silvicultural Unit where he previously worked as a Works Supervisor in South Wales.

All at Wales Harvesting and Marketing wish each the very best in their new roles.

- latest news - 19th February 2008

Forestry Commission uses in forest (GPS) Satellite Navigation

Getting LOST maybe something you experience on TV, but its not something Wales harvesting fleet have any time for. Not since recent advances in computer technology have allowed real time map positioning to be displayed inside the cabs of our ‘state of the art’ harvesters and forwarders. Anyone familiar with the versatility of GIS software would feel instantly at home looking at the constraints layers and maps that allows our harvesting operators to visualise their position in relation to known hazards on a harvesting site.  Over the coming months, Jack, Steve and Deryck in our Cambrian team are looking to use this ‘TimberNavi’ software in maximising timber processing and delivery to roadside.

- latest news - 21st December 2007

Wales Customer Liaison Day will be held on the 21st February 2008 - Nant yr Arian

A letter to customers has been sent out today to inform of the arrangements for the next Customer Liaison day.  The points in the letter are summarised below.

The Wales Customer Liaison Day will be held on the 21st February 2008 at the Forestry Commission Visitor Centre at Nant Yr Arian – Ponterwyd, Nr Aberystwyth – SY23 3AD.

The event will start at 10am with coffee from 9.30am onwards – lunch will be provided. We intend to finish at 1pm.  After, we will provide an E Sales workshop to all interested customers who wish to stay for the afternoon.

Details and papers will be sent out to all attendees a week before the event, can I ask you to confirm your attendance by January 31st 2008 to Jeanette Freeman - either by phone (01974 821214) or by e-mail.

We have not firmed up on the agenda as yet and would be happy to receive any suggestions for inclusions that you can suggest. We currently have the following provisional items for the day:

06/07 and 07/08 turnout
Sales Plans 08/09 and 10/11
Update on LTCs
Update on E business developments – including E auction facility
Transport and Security Issues

- latest news - 12th December 2007

Overseas Students visit Clocaenog LISS Trials

Bangor University Master Degree overseas students visited Clocaenog Forest on 5th December 2007, topics shown and discussed where on Low Impact Silverculutral System harvesting from 'frame tree selection through to over head cover removal' and other main stream harvesting issues. Students where from Central Asia, India, Africa, Russia and many other European countries. Leading the visit was WHaM's newly appointed Fleet Manager John Williams supported by Production Manager North Roger Nock and Planning Officer Dave Williams from Coed y Gororau Forest District.

- latest news - 2nd November 2007

Ian Forshaw Memorial Service

Please note that a Memorial Service will be held to celebrate the life of Ian Forshaw  - the service will be held at St Michaels Church, Aberystwyth on Monday, 26th November 2007 at 12.00pm.

There will be a tree planting ceremony at the Nant Yr Arian visitor centre afterwards and refreshments will be served.

Customers and contractors are most welcome to attend - if you would like to attend then please contact Sue Fuge by the 9th November 2007.

- latest news - 5th September 07

LONG TERM CONTRACT CONSULTATION

We have received ten responses from customers to our request for their views. We are very grateful and thank all those who took the time and trouble to write to us. The key points in these responses are given in the Digest of comments on LTC consultation process - August 2007 (pdf, 31kb, 6 pages).

Our responses give some indication of where we intend to modify our approach to sales of LTCs. However we have still to take legal advice and so this document should not be read as a definite commitment. In particular customers should not rely on this document in submitting any future bids for any tender.

Following publication of this digest we will write to individual customers who responded and will take final decisions about the structure of future LTC sales. We cannot place a definite timetable on this at present but will put further information on these pages as soon as we can.

- latest news - 22nd August 07

FORESTRY COMMISSION WALES – SEPTEMBER TENDER

Forestry Commission Wales have released details of the third of four sales in the current marketing year.  On offer there are 19 standing sales lots totalling approximately 60,000m3 overbark standing volume.  There are also 20 parcels of logs and bars totalling 26,000m3 underbark and 2 parcels of stakes 500m3 each. Details can be found on the GB e-sales homepage. 

ADDITIONAL LOCAL ROADSIDE LOG SALE

Wales Harvesting and Marketing have released a local tender for 175 m3 underbark of large Douglas Fir logs cut into random lengths with a minimum top diameter of 40cms.  Tender returns must be at the Penrhyncoch office before 13.00 hours on the 5th of September 2007.  For further details please e-mail eira.thomas@forestry.gsi.gov.uk requesting the details and giving your postal address.

- latest news - 20th August 07

FORESTRY COMMISSION POLICY ON BIODEGRADABLE OILS IN WALES CLARIFIED

Hugh Jones (WHaM, Head of Unit) has recently written to the trade to clarify Forestry Commission Wales' position on Biodegradable Oils. Below is a summary of the letter. 

Chain Oil
The use of biodegradable chain oils will be mandatory on all FC land – this is the current policy on all FC contracts and therefore represents no change.  Bio Oil is required in harvester and manual chainsaws.

Hydraulic Oil
The use of biodegradable hydraulic oils in compatible harvesters and forwarders working on FC land will be at contract holder’s discretion.  FC will continue to promote and support the use of biodegradable hydraulic oils and will retain the option to specify the use of bio-hydraulic oil on sites that have high environmental sensitivities. 

- latest news - 7th August 07

- RECRUITMENT - MODERN APPRENTICESHIP MACHINE OPERATOR

Wales Harvesting and Marketing are to recruit a Modern Apprenticeship Machine Operator, the position is to be based with the Forestry Commission harvesting fleet in Mid and North Wales. This will be a fixed year appointment of 2 years of which the successful apprentice will be required to reach a minimum standard of NVQ level 2 and have the option to go forward to NVQ level 3, extension of the contract or conversion to permanency is possible.

This position was advertised in the Cambrian News and is also carried on the Forestry Commission vacancies webpage with a closure date of 16th August 2007.

- latest news - 2nd July 2007

NEW WHAM WEB PAGES LAUNCHED

Today we have published the first version of our new web pages.  These will provide information about our timber harvesting and marketing activities and to publish relevant documents and other information which may be of interest to our timber industry customers.

LONG-TERM CONTRACT CONSULTATION

At a meeting with customer representatives in Montgomery on 28th June, we agreed to carry out a consultation exercise with all customers and prospective customers about our plans for future long-term contracts.  A copy of the presentation given at the meeting is available. 

All customers and interested parties are invited to submit comments in writing to Bill MacDonald.  The closing date for comments is 20th August 2007.