A part of forestry that we sometimes forget is the trucks. They are an important link between the forest and industry in the logistics chain. So, when the local truck show opened its gates, I had to go and have a look. 
Truckers’ paradise
Two years ago, I accompanied a timber truck driver from the forest to the mill and made an article and film about that. Otherwise, we don’t write much about trucking here at nordicwoodjournal.com. One exception was the article about moving a forest machine with a truck.
“Elmia Lastbil”, the Elmia Truck show (yes, the same Elmia who makes the forestry show Elmia Wood), is the meeting point for Swedish truckers of all kinds. It normally attracts over 40.000 visitors from the whole country and shows all kinds of trucks. The show runs from 24th to the 27th of August this year. It’s the first edition since 2018. The 2020 show was canceled due to Covid -19, so this is a re-start of the show.
What was there to see?
As mentioned above, all kinds of trucks and truck equipment are presented on this show. I made a short visit to the show and tried to see what was there for forestry. A variety of crane-, trailer and bunk manufacturers were there and, of course, the major truck suppliers.
As I am no trucker, it’s difficult to identify what’s new at such a show. One clear trend, however, is electricity. Already at the entrance of the show, a Volvo truck was displayed with a sign saying that it had run 220.000 kilometers in 11 months. It didn’t say how often it was charged during this time.
Also, Volvo’s Swedish main competitor Scania showed that they are electrified. The Scania timber truck was shown in their stand. That truck is the first of its kind. It is owned by SCA and runs between a terminal and a paper mill in north Sweden. The distance between the terminal and the mill is 15 kilometers. How often the truck is charged is a bit unclear as it seems.
It should be mentioned that the electrical timber truck is a test rig and a part of a research project where SCA participates as one part. You can read more about it in a press release from SCA here.
There is no doubt, however, that electricity is coming and will, perhaps, in the future be the common power source for vehicles that today are powered with diesel.
Beauty contest
There are lots of activities going on at the show. Seminars, debates, and contests. E.g., the Swedish championships in crane operating and truck maneuvering take place at the show. The most spectacular, however, is probably the Nordic Trophy. A beauty contest for trucks takes place on the last day of the show.
I visited the show on the first day, so the Nordic Trophy area was empty. But there were some nice rigs to see among the exhibitors.
I can’t help thinking: “Are they really driving around in the forest with that?” Most likely they are. When they are about to head for the Nordic Trophy, they probably have a lot of polishing to do.
Here you can read about and follow the Elmia Truck show.
Photos: Per Jonsson
