IS FIREWOOD A WORTHWHILE BUSINESS?
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Are you an arborist, contractor, or tree doctor with a yard of wood you need to turn into cash? Firewood is a valuable resource that is very often generated as a by-product of vegetation and tree-management operations. Producing firewood allows you to utilize tree waste for profit and maintain productivity in your operation. By processing firewood, you can avoid dumping fees and chipping costs while adding significant value to what would otherwise be wasted. If you already have trucks, excavators, loaders, yard space, and staff, investing in firewood processing can generate a lucrative income stream. According to the ABS, around 10-13% of Australian households use wood as a source of energy in their home. Considering an average household consumes 3 tonnes per year (although this varies from 1.3 tonnes in QLD to 5.8 tonnes in TAS) this means that Australians domestically burn 7.5 million tons of firewood annually. When considering industrial use, this number jumps to 8-9 million tonnes. Most of this consumption occurs in the cooler south-eastern regions of the country, with over half being consumed in New South Wales and Victoria. |
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IS FIREWOOD A WORTHWHILE BUSINESS? Since 2005, we have worked closely with wood yards, arborists, and commercial firewood wholesalers in regional Australia, servicing blades and supplying firewood cutting machinery. The growth in the firewood industry over this time has been remarkable, with demand for firewood for domestic and industrial use continually increasing particularly in southeastern states. When selling firewood to consumers in Australia, prices can vary from $300 to $500 per tonne, subject to the timber species and region. While there is some variation in weight per cube, as an approximation we estimate that 1.6-2.0 cubic meters equals one tonne of firewood. Arborist and tree management operations can very easily generate well over 1,000 tonne of tree waste in a year, giving ample scope for healthy profits if converted to firewood. |
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PTOSBS36- 900mm |
SBS30- 750mm |
SBS36- 900mm |
SBSE36- 900mm |
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INVESTMENT |
$9104 inc GST |
$9796 inc GST |
$10,853 inc GST |
$11,642 inc GST |
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OUTPUT (per Hour) * |
7.2m3/4T |
7.2m3/4T |
7.2m3/4T |
7.2m3/4T |
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Tons/hours to Recoup Cost ** |
30 tons (7.5 Hours) |
32 Tons (8 hours) |
36 tons (9 hours) |
40T (10 hours) |
| *This is based on an average of 1.8 Cubic Meters per Ton. Note this varies with species ** This is based on an average price of mixed hardwood rounds/cut sleepers at $300 per ton. Varies with species. |
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WHAT IS THE BEST FIREWOOD PROCESSOR? AND WHAT SHOULD I USE? How you should cut and split your firewood depends a lot on the timber available and existing machinery you own. The SAWQUIP Firewood Bench Saw range (SBS36, SBS30, PTOSBS36) is ideal for limb timbers on Rural properties and small commercial operations as it allows you to tow the machine to the timber, perfect for cutting on site and contract work. Utilising these machines eliminates the need for carting timber as it can be cut wherever it is lying. From client feedback, these machines have the capacity to cut a b-double load (roughly 40t/64m3) of hardwood firewood per day. |
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The SAWQUIP Excavator Attachment range (X18, X15, X12, X09 & SELS450) enables you to take the processing to the larger timbers, so you can dock and split on site without having to do more handling than required, saving time and money. Enabling you to perform the whole process from the comfort of your cab, these attachments allow you to handle larger bulker logs with ease eliminating manual labour. |
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SHOULD I BUY AUSTRALIAN MADE EQUIPMENT? Australian Timbers are some of the hardest and densest timbers in the world, and consequently some of the best and longest burning Firewood. The SAWQUIP Saw Bench & Attachment range are manufactured in Australia to handle Australian Timber and are backed by a 2-year manufacturer’s warranty. The Honda and Kohler powerpacks come with a 3-year manufacturer's warranty. Our machinery is built using readily available components, ensuring quick replacement times should spare parts be required. |
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Products
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| SAWQUIP LogRipper | SAWQUIP Firewood Bench Saws |
SAWQUIP SplitEx Log Splitter |
SAWQUIP PTO Bench Saw |