BlockBuster gets the thumbs up Wood Processing Commercial & Farm Limited.

When Arnold Payne lost his thumb while processing firewood two years ago it was crunch time for Wood Processing Commercial & Farm (WPCF).

Another operative had previously lost two fingers and the accident rate meant the company could expect to lose two digits per year during the splitting process. They had to find a safer way to produce firewood.

There was also an economic consideration. From setting up in 2003, WPCF had achieved an optimum output of 10,000 m3 a year with four men using a hydraulic splitter and chainsaws. They were selling the entire lot to merchants and wholesalers, and there clearly was a market for even more wood.

However, month on month, the operation could only break even and it was obvious they needed to produce greater volumes, cost effectively and safely. After exhaustive international research, WPCF located the BlockBuster all-hydraulic firewood processor in the United States and became
BlockBuster’s first export  customer when it purchased the 22/22 model – the largest of the five available versions.  Since delivery in late 2004 there has not been a single accident, output doubled within the first 12 months and WPCF soon
found it could dispense with one operative.

Arnold says output has now reached 30,000 m3, which satisfies the local market. “effectively we produce this in six months of the year and for the remaining six months we contract out the machine and our operatives to work for other merchants.” on top of this, WPCF has developed its relationship with BlockBuster and is now selling machines, on an exclusive basis, to other firewood processors in new Zealand and Australia. Breaking into new territory, WPCF took a stand at the Forest industries 2006 exhibition in March and was staggered by the response.

“We sold five machines during the show and if we had got ourselves properly organised
with finance facilities, etc., we could have sold more. We are now planning to take space at the Australian show in 2008,” says Arnold. Len Drabble of Akatarawa sawmills in Upper Hutt was one of WPCF’s first BlockBuster customers.

“Before we got the machine we were only producing firewood on a small scale – playing at it really. Now we are producing about 15,000 m3 and selling in bulk to merchants. The demand is huge, the machine is high production – the only problem is feeding it!

We source logs from Wellington regional council and local forests, and are splitting a whole range of species including radiata, macrocarpa, Douglas fir and bluegum. “We have had brilliant support from wPcF – they even sent their entire crew free of charge for two weeks when the machine arrived and they worked tremendously hard to help us set up.

“To date we have had no problems with the machine. It is evident WPCF has an excellent relationship with the US manufacturer and the whole approach is very professional.” Simon Vivian in the Bay of Plenty bought a BlockBuster three months ago and currently is working on a small scale producing firewood out of wilding pines on his own 14 ha forestry block, but he intends to gear up production for the next season.

“I am so impressed with the machine’s practical simplicity – it has been extremely well researched and engineered. It’s safe and easy to use – my wife operates it and I load it. We have had very good service and support from WPCF from the start.”

WPCF has adapted some of the standard

BlockBuster specifications to suit new Zealand and Australian conditions. For instance, the splitter stroke lengths have been shortened from 30 to 24 in (Americans have much larger fireplaces and stoves!) and the horsepower has been increased to allow for larger hydraulics and faster saw motors.

“We can tailor specifications to suit the requirements of individual customers. For instance, if you want an air-conditioned cab, that’s fine; if you don’t want a cab at all, that’s no problem,” says Arnold.