PLC Logger's Voice Winter 2017

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Cover photo: PLC Member John Khiel & Sons job site in Manchester, ME in early December, 2016. Story page 4. President’s Message THE LOGGER'S VOICE A Quarterly Publication of the Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Executive Board Scott Madden President Jim Nichols 1 st Vice President Tony Madden 2 nd Vice President Chuck Ames Secretary Andy Irish Treasurer Brian Souers Past President Board of Directors Greg Adams Kurt Babineau Donald Cole William Cole Tom Cushman Brent Day Wes Dube Steve Hanington Duane Jordan Robert Linkletter Andrew Madden Ron Ridley Wayne Tripp State of Our Union Scott Madden I hope everyone had a nice Christmas and we look forward to having a prosperous new year. It's hard to believe another year has come and gone. Seems like we've had the best weather conditions we've seen in the last five years; also, the worst market conditions some loggers have ever seen. PLC has been very busy this year doing what we do best - helping PLC loggers. I think one of the best things Members can do for themselves and the industry is to become more involved with PLC and its Members. Just think about how many years’ experience we have as a group; especially if we all work together. PLC needs volunteers for the many projects we have going on. Any Members that could spare a little time to contact representatives, senators, insurance agents and/or government agencies to put a personal touch on whatever project PLC is trying to move forward would be greatly appreciated. (Remember the equipment sales tax and the off -road fuel tax). As we head into our winter season PLC Members' priority should be safety. With all the problems loggers are facing, we need to make sure everyone goes home safe. It's easy to overlook safety when times are hard; especially since many of us have a reduced workforce. Many employees are doing different tasks than they typically do, usually for shorter than normal times, and this can increase risk. We all need to remember injuries have many hidden costs that hurt employers such as medical expenses, lost wages, and lost production. And again, most importantly - potential harm to employees. PLC has and will continue to work on safety, but it's up to PLC members to follow through. At the present time, PLC is trying to improve our safety training, making it more than one day a year. With the help of the Cross Agency, PLC will be hiring a fulltime safety person. If we could get a few volunteers to help guide this project with some fresh ideas that would be great. PLC has some safety meetings coming up before spring so please help if you can by contacting Dana or Jess. Have a safe and hopefully productive winter. Log on, Scott Gary Voisine Dana Doran Executive Director Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995 110 Sewall St., P.O. Box 1036 Augusta, ME 04332 Phone: 207.688.8195 2 Professional Logging Contractors of Maine Loggers Serving Loggers Since 1995
Executive Director’s Message New Beginnings Dana Doran 2016 was a year that many in this industry would like to forget. A year of market reductions, lower prices, increased operational costs and too much wood for too little demand. The closures of Old Town and Lincoln and the reduction in capacity at Verso Androscoggin in 2015 bled into 2016 and started a chain reaction that turned a bad dream into a nightmare. As we look to 2017, most are anxious for what the future may hold because of the experience of 2016. I can’t say that I disagree with them at this precise moment, but I’m hopeful that the new year brings a fresh opportunity for greater investment and new beginnings. Winter has always proven itself to be our go time. A time that energizes this industry to exceed expectations and prove time and time again why Maine loggers and truckers are the best in the world. Winter is generally the most profitable time of year since markets have been starved from a fall/early winter slow down and the operating conditions provide an opportunity for peak production. That said, something this winter not only feels different, but is different. There is simply too much wood in yards across the state and some see a very short winter on the horizon; which is too bad since we had the driest summer that any of us can remember and the winter is off to a good start with cold temperatures, snow and frozen ground. As I have been out visiting and talking to our membership throughout the state this fall and early winter, the majority feel that 2017 will bring much of the same and are already predicting a major industry contraction in the spring and summer of 2017. There is probably too much logging capacity for the markets that we have available and inevitably, something must give. Businesses will contract, some will leave the industry altogether and this transition will lead to a major transformation in 2016-17 and maybe beyond. However, in down times we cannot just sit back idly and wait for something new to save our industry. Loggers do what loggers need to do to survive, we know no other way. As I look at the role of the PLC right now, I would like to think that we are taking the same approach as our membership. We need to fight, scratch and claw our way out of this, working smarter and not harder collectively because there is too much on the line. Our membership has payments to make, employees that rely upon them and mouths to feed. The reality of this transformation is sobering and just as loggers and truckers deal with this adversity, the PLC will do the same. I know that many of you feel like you are working harder right now than you ever have to protect what remains. On many a recent day, it has been challenging to find a ray of sunshine that will keep you going. I can empathize with you since it feels that we are doing the same thing. The PLC recognized this market shift in 2015 in a very public way and works every day to protect the future for logging and trucking, trying to find opportunities for cost savings and eliminating impediments so that when new opportunities present themselves, the foundation will be cracked but not dismantled. There are positives that we can point to which will help rebuild our future, and more on the horizon every day. As this issue goes to press, two of our achievements from 2016 are now creating positive change for our industry, saving you money and sustaining important markets. On January 1, 2017, off road fuel used in logging operations became tax exempt in the state of Maine. This crowning achievement was passed in the 2 nd session of the 127 th Legislature in April 2016 and was signed into law by Governor LePage with enthusiastic support. This new tax exemption will provide immediate cost savings and it couldn’t come at a better time. Information regarding how to take advantage of this new exemption has been in our weekly emails but if you need further information, please contact the office and we can help you. On Tuesday, December 13 th , the Maine Public Utilities Commission approved the allocation of $13.4 million to ReEnergy and Stored Solar, LLC for the sustainability of the biomass electric industry and in turn, loggers and truckers. The funding for this subsidy was approved by the Legislature and the Governor after they worked collaboratively with the PLC in the spring of 2016. ReEnergy’s facilities in Ashland and Fort Fairfield will be sustained for the next two years and the former Covanta facilities in West Enfield and Jonesboro, which were purchased by Stored Solar, LLC, are in the process of restarting. This also means that the fuel purchased for these four facilities must come from Maine landowners and must be harvested and trucked by Maine loggers. Good news like this couldn’t have come at a better time and this initiative wouldn’t have moved forward without the PLC and its membership at the table every step of the way. As we all know, there are no quick and easy solutions to improve our floundering markets. To right size our ship and put Maine back on the map for the long term, active planning of a long-term strategy to ensure the health of our industry as well as the entire forest products value chain has never been done before and there is no better time than the present. Now, for the first time, a comprehensive strategy for the state’s forest products industry is in the early stages of development through the efforts of a federal Economic Development Assessment Team (EDAT) task force that the PLC has played a critical role in. At the same time, a special Commission to Study New Beginnings Continued Page 9 The Logger’s Voice ▪ Winter 2017 3
Page 1: Volume 11 Issue 1 | Winter 2017 A Q
Page 5 and 6: many years. That and the adaptabili
Page 7 and 8: PLC Supporting Member Spotlight S K
Page 9 and 10: New Beginnings Continued from Page
Page 11 and 12: The logging industry in Maine is co
Page 13 and 14: PLC Safety Updates Safety Consultan
Page 15 and 16: Biomass continued from page 14 * Am
Page 17 and 18: As We See It—December 2016 “Hap
Page 19 and 20: Information for upcoming tax year f
Page 21 and 22: ELECTRONIC LOGGING DEVICE (ELD) MAN
Page 23 and 24: The Logger’s Voice ▪ Winter 201

PLC Logger's Voice Winter 2017

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?