2018 International Forest Industries IFI April May 2018 Digital | Page 55

I get good service from Forestry
21,” says Marvin. “Ricky is always
there to help when we need him.”
Forestry 21 took Colton to visit
the Tigercat factory two years ago
in 2015. “I was already a 100%
Tigercat fan but after visiting the
factory I was at 200%. Everyone
was so nice and helpful. Tigercat
runs its business like we run ours,
valuing its employees and their
hard work. It really meant a lot
when the owner took us around his
steel factory where it begins, which
was very cool to see. Everything
seemed to work like a well-oiled
machine,” Colton expressed.
Hard work
Marvin believes his business has
stayed steady and successful over
the years from working hard and
fi nding hard-working employees.
“I try to take good care of my
employees and help them out,”
he says. The company employs
fourteen people, including truck
drivers. Employees are supplied
with health insurance, good
vacation pay and uniforms.
Marvin makes sure his
operators are versatile and can
operate all equipment on the
jobsite. This allows them to rotate
over the lunch break to keep the
fl ow of the operations moving.
“This way nothing ever comes to
a complete stop during the day,”
Colton explains.
“My father always taught us to
work hard and don’t quit. I think
our success boils down to hard
work and making hay when the
sun shines. Whenever you have the
opportunity to get a bunch of logs
out, you got to seize it and stay
until dark if you need to.” The crew
won’t leave for the day until a load
of logs is ready to go for the next
morning.
The company harvests primarily
softwood and some mixed tracts
with softwood and hardwood. The
thinning crew hauls 50-60 loads
per week and the clear fell crew
hauls an average of 80 loads per
week but has reached up to 160
loads. “We have been off and on
quota but it seems like right now
things are steady,” says Marvin.
We want to work in the
woods with Daddy and
Big Daddy!
– Marvin’s grandkids
(seven-year-old Cam and
six-year-old Cooper)
Marvin, 49, is content with the
size of his operations with no plans
to add a third crew. His son Colton,
who will take over when he is ready
to retire, is currently taking more
M.T. Sykes had its 724G arrive on-site in February 2017. Since then the company added a new 620E skidder to the line-up
International Forest Industries | APRIL / MAY 2018 53