Programme | Rotorua, New Zealand
Timezone: AEDT
DAY ONE
Tuesday 10 November 2026
10:00am
REGISTRATION & EXHIBITION DISPLAYS OPEN
11:30am
Lunch and Networking for Conference Delegates
Exhibition Stands, Distinction Hotel, Rotorua
SESSION 1
Chair: John Stulen, Director, Innovatek
12:20pm
Conference Welcome and Introduction
John Stulen, Director, Innovatek
12:30pm
Keynote Address | Energy Resilience for Forestry Supply Chains — Learnings from Other Sectors
Mike Casey, CEO, Rewiring Aotearoa
1:10pm
Electrification. PermaPine’s Journey and What We've Learned
Ian Piebenga, Managing Director, PermaPine
1:45pm
KANG2050 – Kaingaroa Tipu’s vision for the Future of Forestry in New Zealand
John Moore, GM Research and Technology, Kaingaroa Tipu
2:15pm
From Reactive Dispatch to AI-Assisted Logistics: The Next Generation of Forestry Transport Planning
Charan Ashokraj, Global Business Leader - Logistics, Forestry, Trimble Forestry
2:35pm
TECH TALKS
- BOA Hydraulics
- ForestLink
- APEX Equipment
2:50pm
Q&A Panel Session
All Session 1 Speakers
3:00pm
Afternoon Tea, Coffee & Networking
Coffee Cart kindly sponsored by:
SESSION 2
Chair: John Stulen, Director, Innovatek
3:40pm
Are We Cutting What We Planned? — Closing the feedback loop between optimisation and actual log recovery. Introduction to TreeTools Logger
David Herries, General Manager, Interpine Innovation
4:10pm
Know on Tuesday, Not Friday: A Connected Week from Harvest Plan to Mill Gate
Pablo Asiron, Chief Revenue Officer, Remsoft
4:40pm
Q&A Panel Session
All Session 2 Speakers
5:00pm
Drinks, Canapés & Networking
DAY TWO
Wednesday 11 November 2026
SESSION 3
Chair: John Stulen, Director, Innovatek
8:00am
Staying Sharp in a Dynamic Industry: The Neuroscience of Focus and Resilience
Lance Burdett, Founder & Director, WARN International
Kindly sponsored by:
8:30am
First High Production, Commercially Available, Autonomous Forestry Machine Globally –
The first autonomous high production skidder. Built for clear-felling and currently operating in NZ
The first autonomous high production skidder. Built for clear-felling and currently operating in NZ
Ian Wilton, Managing Director, FORCO
9:00am
Managing Productivity in a High Production Logging Operation
Scott Saunders, Owner, Trimax Logging
9:30am
Keep your Trucks Moving – How to Unlock Greater Value from Transport Through Improved Efficiency and Effectiveness
Maite Pedulla, Marketing Manager, WoodTech S.A., Chile
9:50am
Q&A Panel Session
All Session 3 Speakers
10:00am
Morning Tea, Coffee & Networking
Coffee Cart kindly sponsored by:
SESSION 4
Chair: John Stulen, Director, Innovatek
10:40am
TECH TALKS
- SGS
- Eagle Technology
11:00am
Solving the Slash Problem at Source: There's Money in that Waste
Raymond Dobbe, Director, BiocharTP
11.30am
Advances in Harvester Head Technologies for Streamlining Operations
Daniel Honore, Forest Operations Manager, Waratah
12:00pm
Semi-automated Cable Yarding
Paul Milliken, Director, Applied Teleoperation Limited
12:20pm
Protecting our Livelihood with AI — FGR and Tui Technology's Solution for Detecting Bark on Export Logs
Nik Moore, Managing Director, Tui Technology
12:40pm
Q&A Panel Session
All Session 4 Speakers
1:00pm
Conference Concludes with Lunch & Networking
2:00pm - 3:00pm (approx)
WORKSHOP: Forest Industry Contractors Association Workshop (FICA)
Collaboration for Improving Harvesting Productivity: Why does it take a WINDTHROW?
Featuring FICA’s Rowan Struthers and industry leaders, they will will share insights on improving productivity, meeting production targets, learning from case studies, and boosting profitability in a challenging operating environment.