2018 International Forest Industries IFI April May 2018 Digital | Page 24

LUMBER PROCESSING NEWS
Wood transportation expertise added to Woodflow 2018
As part of the upcoming two-
yearly tech update for forestry,
wood harvesting and transport
companies around Australasia,
the very latest international and
local developments around vehicle
fleet operations, planning and
safety as they apply to the wood
transport businesses are being
unveiled. Included in the line-up for
WoodFlow 2018 are;
Alexander Mastrovito, Head of
Sustainable Transport Solutions,
Scania - Asia & Oceania, Hong
Kong. Alexander is the project
leader for Scania’s autonomous
vehicle development in Singapore
and the head of sustainable
transport solutions for Scania in
Asia and Oceania. He’s responsible
for promoting and implementing
future solutions; electric and
alternatively fueled vehicles,
connected transports and self-
driving trucks and buses. He heads
up Scania’s regional work in Asia
paving the way for electromobility,
autonomous vehicles, ITS and
mobility as a service. Prior to
joining Scania Alexander was
based in Beijing spending 11 years
in the Greater China region working
in the automotive industry.
Max Blatt, Head of Business
Development, LOTS Group,
Sweden. As Head of Business
Development for LOTS Group, a
Scania company, Max has had 17
years’ experience in managing the
implementation of strategic and
operational improvement initiatives
within forest products and other
heavy manufacturing sectors
across North America, Europe and
Asia.
A former Director at Pöyry
Management Consulting and
Head of Western Operations for
Perforex, Max has worked with
over 100 companies in 25 different
countries. Max’s focus with LOTS
Group is in providing transport
solutions that combine technology
and methods to positively impact
costs, safety and sustainability.
Fernando Paredes, Transport
Manager, Forestal Mininco, Chile.
Fernando manages the transport
area for the company CMPC, one of
Chile’s largest forestry companies.
Over the last 10 years, Fernando
has managed the supply chain,
loading and transportation of
timber to the industrial centres
of CMPC and other processing
operations.
Fernando will be outlining
an array of initiatives that have
been employed by the company
to improve efficiencies and safety,
including utilizing technology
available with on-board cameras
being installed across their
trucking fleet.
Andrew Rushworth, Managing
Director, Zero Emission Vehicles,
NZ. Andrew has an extensive
background in new technology
development, commercialization,
manufacturing and sales of
electric heavy vehicles worldwide.
His company, one of just a few
in this region, is designing and
manufacturing EHV’s.
Full details of the WoodFlow 2018
series can be found on the event
website, www.woodflow.events.
The conference programme,
including two workshops around
transport planning the day before
each conference, run in Melbourne,
Australia on 20-21 June then again
in Rotorua, New Zealand on 26-27
June.
Bergs Timber acquires Norvik’s timber
operations in Latvia, Estonia and the UK
Bergs Timber AB has signed an
agreement with Bergs Timber’s
principal owner, Icelandic Norvik
hf, with respect to the acquisition
of a number of companies within
the Norvik group with operations
in Latvia, Estonia and the United
Kingdom.
The purchase price will be made
up of 170 million newly issued
shares in Bergs Timber as well as
a cash payment of SEK 270 million
($32.5 million).
“We have now, for a couple
of months, had the opportunity
to get to know and evaluate
Norvik’s timber operations. These
companies are well managed
22 International Forest Industries | APRIL / MAY 2018
and profitable with an engaged
staff and quality products. I am
convinced that the companies
strengthen each other and that the
acquisition is good both for our
staff and our owners,” says Peter
Nilsson, CEO of Bergs Timber
Peter Nilsson, CEO
of Bergs Timber