English
Early adopter of mechanization — and Doosan log loaders
Winter 2016
Almost five decades ago, in 1967, Frank Chandler Sr. began his logging career and started a new business in the logging industry. With no funding available, plenty of bills to pay and understanding it was a huge risk, he thought he could make it work if he just worked hard. So, he began working from sunrise to sunset, his motto becoming, “if I can get just one more log, it will be okay.”
Once the business — C & C Logging — got established, the company became a pioneer in the use of mechanization in Washington and Oregon.
“That is a big factor in our success,” says Chandler Sr. “As soon as we saw something that might work for us, we wanted to try it. When it comes to equipment, I think you have to be on the leading edge. If there is a product that is going to be good for your industry, you don’t want to be the last one to get it.”
That philosophy recently led to the purchase of three Doosan DX225LL log loaders and a DX300LL-5 log loader. “One of the ways I evaluate equipment is really simple: I ask ‘Does it run every day?’ says Chandler Sr. “These three machines are very dependable and durable. They more than passed the test.”
Family tradition of embracing technology
C & C Logging, headquartered in Kelso, Washington, is one of the most prominent contract logging firms in the Pacific Northwest. Frank Chandler Jr. runs the operations side of the 100-employee company with his father. The elder Chandler’s wife, Lee, has managed the office since 1967, and their daughter, LeeAnne Beech, shares the office workload. All four family members have been partners in the business since 2004.
“Twenty years ago, a lot of people were not looking at new technology,” says Chandler Jr. “My dad, however, embraced mechanization early on and it really has been good for us. By getting as many guys off the ground as possible, we have been able to achieve a very high safety rating and improve our efforts to reduce insurance costs. We currently have the highest safety rating among loggers in the state of Washington.”
Working for large landowners, both private and industrial, the company business model is what Chandler Jr. calls “stump-to-dump: We cut the timber, yard it, manufacture it and deliver. Our specialty is handling the entire process.” With a good volume of regular business, the firm usually has 12 to 14 sides working each day, delivering a total of 160 to 180 loads of logs.
Early adopters choose Doosan equipment
Chandler Sr. says that C & C Logging was among the first companies in the Northwest to use Doosan log loaders. “I was a little concerned at first because we had no experience with the brand,” he says.
“We have a very good dealer — Feenaughty Machinery Company in Portland — and we trust their judgment. Not only have the log loaders been a valuable addition to our equipment fleet, but I like the fact that Doosan is paying attention to the needs of our industry even though as a whole we are a fairly small group.”
Chandler Jr. adds: “It’s kind of exciting that Doosan is taking such an active interest in what we are doing. Not all manufacturers have the same approach.”
Doosan DX225LL and DX300LL-5 log loaders are more than ready to take on the challenging jobs in the timber industry. They have features designed specifically for forestry applications, including a high-walker undercarriage design, tracks that feature heavy-duty links with double grouser shoes, full-length track guiding guards and heavy-duty top rollers with special cleanout brackets.
Standard features include mainframe reinforcement, full under-house plate guarding, integral catwalks, heavy-duty side doors with guarding over the hydraulic pump and cooling system doors, and undercarriage guarding.
“We have had very good luck with our three Doosan machines,” says Chandler Jr. “Very little downtime, no service calls, superior fuel efficiency. They have turned into real good tools for us.”
As Chandler Jr. looks to the future and continuing his family’s legacy in the logging industry, he has much appreciation for the early struggles his parents endured to start the business.
“I don’t think my dad ever had a vision that the company would do so well and grow so big,” he says. “He didn’t think that far out. It was just ‘how am I going to make a buck today? How am I going to pay the bills?’ He was always looking to identify an opportunity and see where that would take us.
“My dad taught me everything I know,” continues Chandler Jr. “He is 74 years old and still out here regularly, checking on how we are doing. He likes nothing better than being out in the woods. And trying something new that will make our company better.”
