Eugene, OR Ð Loggers from across the West converged on the Lane Events Center in Eugene, February 19-21st. Billed as one of the nation's top-100 largest trade shows, the 3-day 'Oregon Logging Conference & Equipment Show' (OLC) brought an estimated 6,000 participants to view over 320 exhibitors at the fairgrounds exposition.
The 71st annual OLC conference has long been a mainstay of Eugene's economy. This year, the Lane Convention & Visitors Association estimates that the logging conference injected $2 million into the community, up slightly from last year's estimate of $1.88 million. For years, the logging conference has ranked as Lane County's largest trade show.
The conference featured acres of outdoor and indoor displays, packed with fascinating logging, construction and trucking equipment. Each year, the show draws America's largest assembly of modern forest technology in heavy equipment and logging supplies. Forest industry professionals attended from as far away as Montana, Alaska, and New Zealand to view the latest mechanization and "kick the tires." Because seeing big machinery is popular with most anyone, the event always opens its doors to the public for a "Family Day" on Saturday - including free exhibits and a high school forestry skills competition.
This event is about more than machinery and hardware. The conference included a full agenda of programs, educational seminars and hands-on training. This year's OLC theme, "New Faces, New Ideas, New Technologies," spotlights the continuous innovation for which the logging sector is renowned. Keynote speaker, John Carpenter, president of Caterpillar Forest Products Inc., opened the event on Thursday. Carpenter encouraged delegates to weather today's economic recession by looking toward tomorrow's emerging technologies. He illustrated several examples of improvements that would make heavy equipment more energy-conserving, cleaner-operating, safer, incredibly-efficient, and more ergonomic for workers.
Throughout the 3-days, several key messages were evident, as common themes among the many OLC programs and technology on display. Although the nation's economy - and Oregon forest sector alike - is being buffeted by today's economic recession, loggers at the conference remained determined in their outlook toward better days ahead for Oregon's logging industry. Walking though the displays, or attending a seminar, you'd never suspect the tough times were here, because the following common themes kept loggers optimistic about their future.
Mechanical, computer & electronic technology. The heavy equipment innovations showcased at this year's OLC paved the way to the future of logging in the coming decade. After twenty years of electronic advances in forestry, still more new technology was on display, including: machine control by dual joy sticks, wireless data links, satellite communication, radio-controlled carriages, electronic chokers, and a camera-monitored grapple.
Sustainable forest harvest. In the past decade, Oregon's forest sector has continued to harvest a sustainable volume of timber statewide. Delegates at the OLC talked with pride about how Oregon's private forests are managed to sustain wood and natural resources for current and future generations. There were seminars that focused in-detail about Oregon and Washington's forest practices regulations - rules that assure enhanced environmental protection during forestry operations.
Energy efficiency & wood utilization. In an industry renowned for continuous improvement, each year the OLC demonstrates to loggers better ways to reduce energy use, and how to get more wood from every tree. Loggers saw and heard about innovations that spark the imagination, and offer a more profitable bottom line, such as: electronic emissions control, fuel efficient diesel power, job costing, electric machines, integrated worker processes, safe cab design, and optimizing processor heads.
Job opportunity. Employment opportunities are rapidly accelerating in the logging, forestry and forest product manufacturing jobs. Studies have projected that today's forest sector labor force will lose 30-50% of its skilled workers by 2014, as the baby-boom generation retires. Attendees heard how the Pacific Logging Congress, an OLC sister organization, has commissioned a career recruitment project to attract young job seekers into rewarding logging and forestry careers.
Strong industry will rebound from recession. Oregon's forestry sector has always been a global leader in forest product output - the US leader in softwood lumber. We have here abundant & productive forests, a world-leading logging and milling infrastructure, modern skilled workforce, superior academia & research, top environmental standards, and access to domestic and export markets. Although the state's forest products sector shares in America's economic downturn, Oregon forest professionals at the conference spoke with optimism about their industry poised to recover with tomorrow's growing housing sector and US economy.
"The Oregon Logging Conference is packed with unique opportunities for forestry professionals to network and learn more about their trade. The 2009 conference certainly lived up to its reputation as being one of the best logging equipment shows in the world," says Joel Olson, 2009 OLC President.
Rex Storm is a forester, employed by Associated Oregon Loggers, Inc. - a Salem-based statewide trade association that provides business services to logging and other forest contractors.
