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Metsa Limited are a technology-led company which provides a comprehensive range of timber harvesting solutions that minimise environmental and ecological impact. Their services are designed to deliver high-quality results that effectively address landowners' specific needs.

They have made significant investments in technology and machinery to build in-house capabilities to support their field operations effectively. This includes their own logistics system for transporting equipment to and from required locations, as well as utilising drone overflight technology for precise mapping and surveying. 

Numerous forests are situated on steep terrain, where cable logging remains the sole method of timber extraction; however, integrating traction-assist winches enables mechanical harvesting on less severe slopes while increasing safety and minimising soil disturbance.

There is some negativity on social media about the use of traction-assist winches on steep hillsides; many people express opinions without comprehensive knowledge of the relevant facts. A significant portion of the commentary addresses operator safety and concerns about post-harvest landslides.

Land and Water are the UK’s largest independent marine civil engineering specialist, operating in the complex environment where land and water meet. The company is dedicated to delivering effective solutions for maintaining and managing the UK’s costal, canal, and river networks. The company reached out to organise a meeting at our workshop in Llandovery to discuss an idea they wished to explore further. We were eager to learn more as we couldn’t see any forestry connection, and it is always exciting to face new challenges. Land and Water had viewed our social media posts on the CE approved M3 Innovations Winches that we design and manufacture. The company thought that this could offer an effective solution for their dredging operations.

Chris Holmes is a well-established timber harvesting contractor based in the East Sussex area of southern England. He works alongside his father, Victor Holmes, specialising in the selective thinning of mixed-species woodlands and in removing mature ash trees affected by dieback disease. A considerable portion of his professional activities pertains to smaller volume parcels, reflecting the characteristics of the woodlands in the region, which are comprised of a mix of private and public ownership. Typically, most of his contracts average a few hundred tonnes.