McHale Plant Sales has predicted a growth in sales for Komatsu's Forest range in 2019, following a successful full year distributing the products in Ireland.

The unit sales of the timber harvesters and forwarders reached double digits in 2018, with forward sales indicating a further growth this year.

The Birdhill and Rathcoole-based distributor is celebrating the popularity of the 901, 931 and 951 harvester series, and their hard wearing 835, 845 and 855 forwarders whose ability to work in difficult forest floor conditions has been noted.

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McHale director, Michael McHale has also predicted a future of sustained growth and job creation, seeing forestry as having the potential to outpace many others in terms of the overall contribution it can make to Ireland's economic progress, north and south.

He said: "With more land going to forestry each year, and increasing evidence of growth and productivity in planting, harvesting and downstream processing through sawmills and end-user product manufacturing, the outlook for forestry and timber production is positive."

(CM)