Successful partnership
Mensink Bosbouw BV, based in Neede, grew out of the passionate one-man initiative launched by Johan Mensink in the late 1990s. Over 25 years ago, he made the switch to the forestry sector, and since then Mensink Bosbouw has developed into a professional family business with a solid reputation.
The company gained new momentum with the arrival of his son, Sander Mensink. Together, they continued to build on a solid foundation, with craftsmanship, reliability and innovation at its core. This growth is evident not only in the increasing number of employees but also in the ongoing expansion and modernisation of the machinery fleet.
Today, Mensink Bosbouw positions itself as a leading full-service provider within the forestry sector: from harvesting operations to complete project execution. Characteristic of the company is its long-term vision and strong partnerships within the sector. For instance, Mensink has been working closely with Hencon Forestry for many years, a partnership that contributes to the quality and continuity of their services.
In this interview, we speak with Johan and Sander Mensink about their specific technical request to have a new John Deere H212 harvester head built onto a Volvo crawler crane. A challenging task made possible by the close collaboration between Obbink Volvo Service in Winterswijk and Hencon Forestry in Ulft.
What made you decide to opt for this bespoke solution from Hencon in collaboration with Obbink Service?
Sander Mensink smiles: “We work in different types of woodland, so we have to deal with both thin and thick trees, as well as varying terrain. This constantly requires mechanical adjustments. That’s why we were looking for a versatile machine. We were enthusiastic about the John Deere harvester head, so we rang Hencon Forestry to ask if they could also fit it onto a Volvo crawler crane. They weren’t averse to the idea, so we sat down with them to discuss our wish list.”
What did your wish list look like?
“Firstly, the H212 harvester head and various attachments on a single machine; secondly, we wanted control via a CAN bus (Controller Area Network) and Timbermatic maps.”
What does this mean for you in practice?
“You can carry out multiple tasks at a single location. The machine is operated via a single type of joystick and responds immediately. In addition, there is less cabling, which means that changing the head is quick and efficient, and the whole system is naturally less prone to faults.”
And what about using Timbermatic maps? How does that work in practice?
Johan Mensink: “The use of Timbermatic maps has also been made possible in this setup, thanks to the design of the Timberrite system combined with the fitting of the H212 harvester head onto the crawler crane. Naturally, we were keen to make use of this. We use the system extensively; the routes are fixed and you can see the direction of travel, so you don’t leave any timber behind. But even more importantly: you can load data on flora and fauna into the system so that you can carry out the work with minimal disruption to the area.”
The control via the CAN bus in the crane is an important technical aspect. How user-friendly is this system for the operator?
“Several operators have now used it and they are all very satisfied. We owe this, incidentally, to the dedication and expertise of Obbink-Volvo Service in Winterswijk. They put a lot of effort into the CAN bus control.
Another aspect was the crane’s reach. This did cause us a few headaches at the start, as we were determined to be able to bridge a minimum distance of 10 metres. Fortunately, that worked out perfectly.”
What are the practical benefits of working with a single base machine on which you can use various attachments?
“In practice, it saves us a lot of time, and we’ve noticed that our clients are enthusiastic about our increased flexibility,” says Johan. “What’s more, the whole process—from the initial idea to the final implementation—has taught us a great deal from a technical perspective,” adds Sander. “Kudos for the constructive collaboration between Obbink-Volvo Service and Hencon Forestry.”
