State Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” has signed an agreement for the delivery of 11 skidders. This new machinery will be deployed in the forestries of the Carpathian Forest Office branch, where timber harvesting takes place in the challenging conditions of high-altitude terrain.
This year, Slovak-made skidders will be delivered to the following forestry management units: Brusturyanske, Brodivske, Rakhivske, Uzhhorodske, Bolekhivske, Nadvirnyanske, Kolomyiske, Ivano-Frankivske, Vyhodske, Osmolodske, and Verkhovynske.
This marks the enterprise’s first-ever procurement of specialized machinery of this caliber.
A skidder is a specialized forestry vehicle used to transport felled trees from the cutting site to a landing area (upper warehouse).
The Carpathian Forest Office currently operates 350 tractors for timber skidding. However, 285 of these are largely obsolete machines manufactured in the 1980s and 90s. They require constant repair as their service life has long expired. Spare parts for these models are scarce – they are either unavailable or must be imported from distant countries at high costs.
Furthermore, most existing skidding equipment consists of repurposed agricultural tractors. They have limited power for high-altitude operations, capable of transporting only 2–3 cubic meters of wood per trip. This leads to longer harvesting timelines and significantly higher fuel consumption.
Key Advantages of the New Skidders:
Superior Maneuverability and Off-road Performance: Featuring reinforced frames, all-wheel drive, high ground clearance, and powerful engines, these skidders ensure efficient and safe operation in trackless, marshy, rocky, and mountainous areas. Most modern skidders are equipped with articulated frames, which greatly improve maneuverability in dense stands.
Increased Operational Efficiency: The winches on these skidders far outperform the mounted winches on conventional tractors. They provide greater tractive effort, faster log retrieval, and a more robust frame attachment to minimize breakdowns. Many are dual-drum models, doubling productivity. A single skidder can transport up to 12 cubic meters of timber per trip, drastically accelerating harvesting operations and reducing fuel costs.
Operator Safety and Comfort: Modern skidder winches are equipped with remote control systems and smooth speed adjustment for safer operations.
The new skidders will not require significant maintenance costs and will provide stable performance from day one.
Moving forward, we plan to procure additional batches of this equipment, replacing outdated machinery with modern, reliable units that meet the actual demands of forest operations.