Linfox International Group (LIG) has formed a new partnership with Burapha Agro-Forestry, as Linfox expands its operations in the Mekong Delta region. Linfox International Group (LIG) is pleased to announce the recent partnership with Burapha Agro-Forestry – a sustainable Lao-Swedish plantation and wood products manufacturing company.
All Burapha plantations are established on degraded land where the primary forest has been cut down years ago and the land has then been used for shifting cultivation.
LIG will offer plantation forests harvesting with automated forestry machines – a safer and more productive alternative to hand harvesting – with specialised fleet to carry out haulage and manage logistics for the warehouse and log yard.
“Our main focus is to deliver exceptional services to our customer while keeping the forest healthy and ensuring safety and compliance in the forest operations,” said Greg Thomas, Chief Executive Officer, Linfox International Group.
“The partnership between Burapha and Linfox represents a significant investment in the region in terms of technology, resources, innovation and safety. This will also create employment opportunities for local communities.”
This project will be the first fully-mechanised timber harvesting operation in Laos. The 3-month intensive training program will be provided to our Linfox-Burapha operations team – including initial training with a simulator and in-field practical training.
The new virtual reality forest harvesting simulator is an efficient and safe way for our operators to gain experience before moving to the actual forest environment.
This modern training system will cover machine operations, harvesting, log handling and crane controlling from both the harvesting and log forwarding machines. The customised practice sessions will also be provided to improve the skills of the operators.
“Linfox is dedicated to assuring our operators are appropriately skilled, have good coordination and are able to operate the machinery safely. This virtual training allows us to minimise the impacts on forest plantation, increase productivity and ensure the safety of operators at the same time,” said Scott Morgan, Country Manager, Linfox Laos.