Brad Smith of Brookhaven, Mississippi, likes to keep his fleet of forestry equipment within three or four years old. Owner of BJ Smith Logging Inc., Brad has purchased two new John Deere 848H skidders in the last year or so, a 2007 and a 2008 model. Previously, Mr. Smith owned three GIII John Deere skidders, but upgraded to two 848Hs.

It was worth it to upgrade. With his two new skidders, Brad has seen an increase in productivity, despite having one less machine, and yet his overall operating costs remain low.

“I had three 648GIIIs,” Brad begins, “and I’m doing the same work now with two 848s as I was doing with three of the 648s.

“You’re looking at about a thirty percent increase in productivity per skidder over the 648. It’s increased in stems per gallon… Overall we’re spending a little more per day on fuel, but we’re gaining 30% more productivity... You’re using say 15% more fuel, but you’re gaining 30% more productivity… I believe it’s going to be worth the investment.”

John Deere’s H Series Skidders lead the industry in power and productivity – all at very reasonable daily operating costs. The 848H skidder exclusively features a lock-up torque converter, which stays engaged between gearshifts. This significantly improves fuel efficiency and productivity, offering a smooth, steady shift. When locked up, the skidder has the efficiency of a direct drive. The Powershift™ torque converter transmission utilizes Smart-Shift technology to continuously evaluate speed and load conditions, and adjusts the machine to suit. It all works out to more productivity with minimum effort.

The H-Series skidders’ Fuel-efficient Tier 3 PowerTech Plus™engines deliver power without compromise in all conditions. This big brother of the H-Series skidders has a peak gross horsepower of 224 hp (167 kW) compared with 202 horsepower on the 748H. The 6.8L six-cylinder engine meets emissions requirements without sacrificing performance. This allows the Smiths to fit right in to any job and application.

The H-Series skidders also provide unmatched stability with a long wheelbase and wide stance. For better efficiency, the power-to-weight ratio has been improved, up to 5.6 percent in the 848H. Brad has his 848H skidders configured with dual tires for better traction in all kinds of terrain.

Brad is a third generation logger and works for the Plum Creek Timber Company, the largest and most geographically diverse private landowner in the nation. He cuts a wide variety of wood, and needs a machine that can handle that kind of diversity.

“The 848H skidder is bigger, but it’s not too big,” says Brad. “It’s big enough to do what we want it to do, but it’s not too big to limit me to what kind of timber I need to cut. I can cut basically anything, whether it’s a clear cut, plantation thinning, or just whatever. I do it all.”

Brad has been a customer of Stribling Equipment L.L.C. based in Jackson, Mississippi since he started on his own in 1995. Brad is very satisfied with the service he gets from his John Deere dealer, and from the sales manager at Stribling, Jack Muirhead.

“They pay attention to what the customer says,” says Brad. “They treat the customer respectfully. They listen, and they’ll try to help you for whatever the need is.”

Brad Smith owns a variety of John Deere equipment, including a 2006 643J feller buncher and 650J dozer. He has tried other brands of equipment, but according to him, John Deere is “definitely on the top.”

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