Following In Their Footsteps

Glenn Trexler & Sons Logging has embraced cutting-edge technology, enabling them to provide superior logging services that meet today's demands.

6 MIN READ

Imagine what it was like running a logging operation in the early 1990s. Loggers worked in isolation. Most people still called each other on landlines, as cellular phones were only just becoming popular. Most households didn't even have a home computer, and people were just starting to discover the World Wide Web using dial-up modems.

Loggers lacked smartphones and the wireless connectivity we take for granted today. Planning the day meant walking the site before chatting with the crew. As in face-to-face, not by texting. A breakdown meant a drive into town to the local dealership to fetch a part or find a mechanic.

In 1991, Frank Trexler was finishing up high school and started logging for his father Glenn, owner of Glenn Trexler & Sons Logging in Wadesboro, North Carolina. A year later his brother Bryan joined them in the woods. Their father ran the chain saw and log loader while Bryan operated a skidder and Frank ran a John Deere 664 Front End Loader converted to a pincher feller buncher, which would later be replaced by a purpose-built feller buncher.

"We saw how hard Dad worked, and he taught us a lot," says Bryan. "We're following in his footsteps."

COMMUNICATION REVOLUTION

Fast-forward to over three decades later. The company has grown to two crews (one large and one small), and Frank and Bryan now run the company, with the help of their four sons.

Everyone is in constant contact using their smartphones. During a break in the action, they often jump on the same phone call together to pass the time. It's a great way to build camaraderie. But it also helps everyone get the job done right.

"We were on a shoveling job in Latta, South Carolina, about a year ago," says Bryan. "We were all communicating together trying to stay on the same page and be efficient and productive. Communication is key out here in the woods."

TimberMatic™ Maps, John Deere's map-based production-planning and -tracking system, has revolutionized how loggers communicate with one another. "It's a great piece of technology that helps us plan our day," says Bryan. "It really helps us map out the location of our decks and skidder pulls."

Live production data is shared wirelessly among John Deere forestry machines, so operators can view all equipment locations and the logging situation in real time on a monitor in the cab. "It makes it easy to see where everyone is," says Frank. "The skidder can see what the buncher is doing. The processor and loader can see where the skidder is working. We can see where loads are located and optimize skidder routes."

Production data and logging routes are updated continually, displaying the up-to-the-minute status of the jobsite. "We can see what we've cut during the day, which helps us plan the next day," explains Bryan. "Estimating the tonnage helps us to streamline deliveries to the mill."

Using the Areas of Interest and Points of Interest functions, operators can easily highlight hazards, obstacles, soft ground, and challenging terrain. "We can mark off areas such as cemeteries, which are common in our area," says Frank. "The system will also alert us when we get too close to property lines."

"NEVER QUIT"

Frank's and Bryan's sons have quickly picked up on TimberMatic Maps. They embrace technology in ways only the younger generation can. Frank's son Tripp uploads drone footage of logging to social media during breaks in the workday. It helps pass the time, but it also creates awareness about the industry. One of his friends recently posted a logging video that went viral.

Technology evolves and changes. But the lessons of hard work that are passed down from generation to generation remain the same. "Dad always taught us to stay on task and never quit," says Frank. "I'm proud of this company. Everybody works hard."

At a logging site near Mount Gilead, Glenn watches his grandsons work. Like his father Frank, Tripp is a cutter operator. And just like his father Bryan did for 15 years, Dylan runs the skidder. Following in their footsteps.

"It's a blessing to have them out here," Glenn says. "I tell them I just want them to keep the company going. I don't want it to go away."

These days Glenn occasionally drives a logging truck or moves a piece of equipment on a lowboy. But he prefers to cut hay and tend his 90 head of beef cattle. Sitting on the tailgate of a pickup truck, he shares tales of how he started out with a John Deere 440A Cable Skidder in 1970, later buying a 440B Cable Skidder in 1972 and a 540B Skidder in 1980. And how back in the day he was quite the pool shark.

Today the company runs John Deere 848L-II and 948L-II Grapple Skidders as well as a 2154G Processor with a Waratah 622B head, 843-II Wheeled Feller Bunchers, and an 853M Tracked Feller Buncher. The 853M is used as needed in wet conditions, steep terrain, and hardwood applications. The company is also demoing a 2156G Swing Machine from their local John Deere dealer, James River. It may be a future purchase.

"We grew up with John Deere machines," says Frank. "John Deere is in our blood."

"We like the horsepower, the cab, and the service we receive from James River Equipment," adds Bryan. "They're great to work with. You call them, and they're on it right away. They can often remotely diagnose and troubleshoot issues before they become bigger problems."

Glenn Trexler & Sons Logging began running processors in 2008. Processors aren't common among the full-tree operations in the region. "Keeping up with mill quota is our biggest challenge," says Frank. "We try to maximize production while minimizing fuel use and machine wear. The versatile 2154G gives us enormous flexibility."

The processor can be set up by the loader for processing at the landing, or it can be set up in the woods. A number of factors are weighed to determine where the processor is positioned, including the layout of the tract, the size and type of wood, and whether conditions are wet or dry. Positioning helps optimize skid distances and maximize productivity.

"It's a great machine," says Bryan, who runs the processor. "We use it for all kinds of applications. It cleans up the wood and produces a lot of loads. You can shovel wood with it. It's quick, fast, and efficient."

Despite all the technology and other advances in productivity and cab comfort, Frank fondly remembers the old 1972 John Deere 440B Cable Skidder: "My dad ran it. My brother ran it. I ran it. I wish we had it sitting in the shop, so my dad could see it every day. It's more of a sentimental thing, but I'd love to have it back."

Not that Frank would go back to skidding wood with it: "We've come a long way in logging, just in the last ten years. With the maps and updated cab features on John Deere machines, the changes have been tremendous."

"We started out small and have worked our way up to where we're at now," adds Bryan. "I'm proud of how far we've come with the equipment we have. "It's great to be out here. I love what we do."

Glenn Trexler & Sons Logging is serviced by James River Equipment, Mount Gilead, North Carolina.

A John Deere 948L-II Grapple Skidder rolls down the ridge, clutching freshly cut tree trunks.
The John Deere 848L-ll Series Skidder equipped with a Grapple squeezes timber as it moves to the landing.
The John Deere 2156G XD grabs logs while the 843L Feller Buncher cuts a tree with its Felling Head.