Peterson 4310B ignites microchip revolution
Plantation Logging deploys Australia’s first Peterson 4310B drum chipper, creating new
premium microchip revenue opportunities.
A handful of premium, ultra-fine five-millimetre microchips; the high-quality product that has opened an exciting new potting mix market for Plantation Logging.
MAIN PIC: The powerful Peterson 4310B drum chipper in full flight, blasting out a steady stream of microchips and delivering game-changing performance for Plantation Logging. All images: Komatsu Forest
Founded more than 30 years ago, Plantation Logging has grown into one of southern Western Australia’s leading forestry contractors. Today, the business employs more than 100 staff and subcontractors, managing harvesting, haulage and resource management operations across the region’s plantation estate. Processing more than one million tonnes of material each year, the company has also diversified into road construction, farming and pastoral enterprises.
Wood chipping has long been a major part of Plantation Logging’s operations, supplying biomass and export markets with high-volume production. As market demand has evolved, the company has continued investing in equipment and technology that improves both efficiency and operational flexibility.
That commitment to innovation led to the latest addition to its fleet, a Peterson 4310B drum chipper supplied by Komatsu Forest Pty Ltd. The investment has made Plantation Logging the first company in Australia to deploy the machine for commercial microchip production, opening the door to a new market in potting mix manufacturing.
The opportunity arose after a customer approached Managing Director Dave Hughan seeking a woodchip product suitable for potting mix. While Plantation Logging had extensive chipping experience, its existing equipment was unable to consistently produce the fine uniform five-millimetre chip required for the application.
Traditional chippers are designed primarily to produce larger chips for export, biomass and other bulk markets. Producing microchips commercially required a different solution.
After evaluating the available technology, Plantation Logging selected the Peterson 4310B. Its 12-pocket drum provide significantly more cutting points than conventional chippers, enabling it to produce a much finer and more consistent woodchip from whole logs.
The machine quickly exceeded expectations.
Although there were initial questions about whether it could achieve both the required chip specification and commercial production rates, the Peterson 4310B soon demonstrated its capabilities. Whole logs are now processed into chips small enough to pass through a five-millimetre screen while maintaining strong production volumes.
Rather than the 30 tonnes per hour originally forecast, the operation is consistently producing around 45 tonnes per hour, making the process both practical and commercially viable.
The new capability has expanded Plantation Logging’s product offering while complementing its existing operations. The Peterson 4310B can also be configured with a six-pocket drum for larger export and biomass chips, allowing the business to switch between products as market demand changes.
That flexibility has already proven valuable. While the company’s existing chipper has been undergoing maintenance, the Peterson 4310B has continued processing export material without interruption.
In export applications, the machine has processed reject power poles at rates exceeding 100 tonnes per hour, demonstrating its ability to efficiently handle both specialised products and high-volume workloads.
As biomass demand continues to grow, the ability to move between multiple product streams provides Plantation Logging with greater operational flexibility. The company can now service the emerging potting mix market while maintaining its established export and biomass production.
The successful rollout has also been supported by Komatsu Forest with local service agent Matt Pratico, whose responsive technical support and reliable parts availability have helped minimise downtime and keep the machine operating efficiently.
For Plantation Logging, the Peterson 4310B represents more than a new piece of equipment. It is an investment that has transformed a customer enquiry into a profitable new business opportunity, strengthening the company’s position today while creating new opportunities for the future.
Finally, the Peterson comes in both track format 4310B, or wheel format 4300B options.
