Meath engineering firm Falcon Forestry, a division of Hand Engineering from Oldcastle, has launched the first ever Irish-designed and manufactured compact forestry forwarder this week. The machine is designed to bring a four-tonne load across difficult ground conditions for forestry thinning operations.

The new Falcon Forwarder has a narrow 2.3m track with 500mm ground clearance and has been designed for Irish conditions in association with a number of timber growers.

The machine is powered by a 40hp Kohler engine with two-speed hydraulic drive to six of the eight wheels.

The midlands-based Forestry Cluster Group bought the first launch machine, which was funded with Leader support. At the launch were Darragh and Marcia Hand, with the new Falcon Forwarder launched by Euro MEP Mairead McGuinness at Reyenella House, Turin, Delvin, Co Westmeath, this week.

We will have a full report on the machine in next week’s Irish Farmers Journal.