In April 2016, EcoLog’s newest generation of 550, 560, 580 and 590 harvesters will be launched with Volvo Penta D8 engines inside, ranging in power from 160-235 KW. Stage IIIA and Stage IV compliant models will both be available.
EcoLog harvesters are known for their innovative pendulum arms, and for their ability to tilt 25 degrees sideways and 17 degrees to the front or rear — allowing them to work in hilly environments. In order to work at such tricky angles, EcoLog needed an advanced engine: the D8s, coupled with the machine’s innovative body design and pendulum arm, enable the harvesters to operate safely and at maximum capacity, even when the machine is on an incline.
EcoLog equips its machines with highly efficient double pump hydraulics systems — one to operate the harvester head and one for the crane. The Volvo Penta engine provides power to those pumps, running at a low rpm, and can easily handle all necessary work without overloading the engine. Designed like an excavator, the cab swings along with the head and can turn 350 degrees so the machine needs to move less frequently — saving operators on fuel costs, even beyond the efficient Volvo Penta engine.
Uptime is important in the forestry industry, and EcoLog customers can rely on Volvo Penta’s proven SCR technology in combination with the VODIA diagnostic tool that helps a mechanic to determine whether maintenance is needed — ensuring machines work efficiently for as long as possible.
The right choice
Volvo Penta was an easy choice for EcoLog, in large part because of the company’s emphasis on environmental care, as well as its Swedish heritage; EcoLog, which is based in Söderhamn on Sweden’s eastern coast, places a high premium on using locally made components and frames. The companies’ close geographic proximity also promotes better support and a closer partnership.
“When we design our harvesters, we don’t have the luxury of lots of space under the hood. Volvo Penta has been instrumental in helping us fit the engine in with the other components, like the selective catalytic reduction system and the AdBlue tank, in order to optimize space and promote longer engine life,” says Philippe Wion, Sales and Marketing Director at EcoLog. “It’s nice to receive such personalized attention to our needs. Volvo Penta very obviously cares about the applications of all its customers, whether they work in the marine world or in forestry.”
An EcoLog prototype machine is currently being tested in the Swedish woods before the new generation harvesters hit the market in the spring. “The test has been really promising,” says Wion. “The power and responsiveness are fantastic, the fuel consumption to output ratio is excellent — which is something we deeply care about as an environmentally conscious company.”
The EcoLog 550, 560, 580 and 590 harvesters, equipped with Volvo Penta 8-liter engines, will be unveiled at a dealer day in Sweden in April, before making their exhibition debut at the KWF Expo in Germany in June.
