Forestry work needs high-performance equipment that demands a lot from both the operator and the machine.

German forestry contractor Harald Kaltenbach from Müllheim, in Baden-Württemberg, opted for a specially adapted Doosan DX210W-7 wheeled excavator.  The machine was supplied by Doosan dealer Ummenhofer and converted by Wirkstoff Technik in Bodman.

When it came to the specification, this new forestry excavator had a lot to do: delimbing, measuring and sorting the trees, pulling the felled trees from the stand, and stacking them on the side of forest roads. Thomas Firner, managing director of Wirkstoff Technik, recommended the Doosan DX210W-7 with an articulated boom, blade and outriggers. "Doosan machines are very well suited for conversion and thus adaptation to individual requirements,” he says. “The DX210W-7 also scores with a modern design that is both clean and clearly organised.”

Thomas Firner also cites the robust and well-dimensioned hydraulics of the excavator as another feature in its favour. Harald Kaltenbach agrees: "The combination of the high-torque six-cylinder engine and the high hydraulic performance, combined with the excellent price-performance ratio, convinced us."

The base of the excavator was adapted for forestry work, with a forest protection structure and puncture-resistant Nokian tyres with a wider 710 mm contact area.

In addition, a radio-controlled cable winch with a cable reel from Schlang & Reichart was installed on the boom to move felled trees directly from the stand. An auxiliary Hafo winch is used to support the cable pull. At the heart of this mobile tree handling machine is a newly installed Koller P 60 processor head. It enables delimbing, cutting to length and sorting of the trees in one operation. Its gripper is used to stack the tree trunks.

The converted forestry excavator has more than proved itself on the job, Harald Kaltenbach says. "The entire machine makes a very robust, high-quality impression. It is very convincing in action. Advice and handling of the purchase and conversion was also top notch.”