NEWS RELEASE June 14, 2025
Stability and comfort make John Deere a ‘no brainer’ for NZ forestry contractors
Crestmead, Queensland (14 June, 2025) — When a massive storm tore through the top of New Zealand's South Island in 2008, it left a legacy that was more than just devastation — it encouraged 22-year-old Scott Reed to step into the forestry industry.
Within a year he was on the ground working to recover fallen timber in a corporate estate, and setting the stage for what would become a thriving family business built on resilience, smart decisions, and dependable gear.
By 2010, Scott had progressed into harvesting in Council forests and private woodlots within a two-hour radius of Nelson, in the heart of the South Island's timber region, and Reed Contracting Nelson Ltd has gone from strength to strength since.
Eighteen years on, Scott and his wife Chelsea employ 11 staff and two harvesting crews working across the top of the South Island, cutting radiata pine which is destined for domestic timber in the shape of pruned, sawlogs, Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) and peelers, as well as feeding the export market that ships out of Port Nelson.
The crews have been working in some difficult terrains over the past six months, Scott said, which makes the reliability and comfort of their plant and equipment critical.
The Reeds have invested in three new pieces of John Deere forestry kit, a 648L-II Grapple Skidder, a 768L-II Bogie Skidder and a 959MH Tracked Harvester, and Scott has been impressed by the stability and ease of use of the new machines.
The Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) of the 648L automatically senses its load before delivering more torque, and eliminates the need to shift gears, shortening the learning curve for new operators and helping experienced drivers to maximise productivity.
The 768L features balanced bogie axles that deliver outstanding traction and flotation in wet and muddy terrain, while the long and wide undercarriage of the 959 combines with a levelling system that maximises stability on steep slopes, with a standard 9.12m boom.
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Scott Reed is impressed with the stability and ease of their new John Deere Forestry machines (768L-II Bogie Skidder pictured)
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Scott is happy they decided to finance their machines with John Deere Financial, he says 'It sort of feels as if they’re in it with you.”
"We're really enjoying the new skidder and the operator comfort, especially the latest one, the six-wheeled bogie. It's great to drive and the stability is unreal, just the ability to work on uneven slopes with it is excellent," Scott said.
"The levelling machine, the 959, obviously articulates off the base and levels the top half of the machine out, so it's ideal for working on steep slopes. A lot of our work is winch-assist with a felling machine and the 959 has been a very capable machine for what we've done."
To finance their investment in new machinery, Scott and Chelsea approached their local dealership, Drummond & Etheridge in Nelson, about making an application through John Deere Financial. They were pleased with how straightforward the process turned out to be.
"At the time we were purchasing equipment, some of the other creditors and finance companies were quite expensive but a lot of the machine companies were putting out some really good rates.
"It was literally a no brainer to go with John Deere Financial, and they were super competitive in subsidising our purchases. It definitely fitted our operation and it's been a real advantage," said Scott.
"We applied online and the process was reasonably straightforward. They may have asked for a bit more detail in parts, but I think it's definitely beneficial to go the extra mile and provide enough information to get the more competitive rate."
Also reassuring for the Reeds is John Deere's reputation for reliability in the local industry.
"John Deere's got a strong foothold in the forest industry here. We purchased our first John Deere skidder in 2012, a 648H, and it was a really reliable machine. It's now owned by a local operator and still goes well with 15,000 hours on it! So they really stand the test of time," said Scott.
"Obviously going down the route for the harvester we did a lot of research and heard a lot of good feedback on the 959s and the previous model, the 909s. I can't fault it, and the backup's been really good throughout, both with the skidders and the harvester."
And while the forestry industry is in "a bit of a lull" at the moment, with fluctuations in export markets and local sawmills doing it tough, Scott still enjoys the problem solving and challenges that the industry presents.
"We enjoy the sense of achievement from harvesting timber. You need to be resilient, but the work and the people are really good. And choosing the right equipment has been a game changer for us," he said.
He's also happy they decided to go with John Deere Financial.
"It sort of feels as if they're in it with you," he said.
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Media enquiries:
Matt Wordsworth
matt.wordsworth@bluehillagency.com.au
0404 029 241
