In this series of articles, we will be sharing exclusive coverage from all aspects of APF 2022. 

WHILE Merlo will be a name known to forestry professionals on the continent, APF was the first time many in the UK will have come across it.

The Italian brand has been involved in the sector for the best part of 15 years and is a mainstay of the British construction industry. Now it has big ambitions to break into forestry – and it’s brought some big machines to do just that. 

Top of that list are its Treemme MM 250 X and MM 350 X forestry tractors. Designed to offer operators 360-degree visibility and manoeuvrability, they also feature front and rear hydraulic handler, six-cylinder engines, and hydrostatic transmission with electric control. 

“This is a forestry tractor,” said Owen Buttle, national sales manager at Merlo. “It is a bespoke machine, built from the ground up.

Forestry Journal: Owen Buttle Owen Buttle (Image: FJ)

“Mulching is primarily what it does, and post-harvest clearances. We have the shredder on the front of the machine. It is a multi-tool. It has a three-point linkage on the front, and it is hydraulically driven.” 

When asked where he sees the MM 250 X and MM 350 X working, Owen said: “It is both urban and woodland forestry. I also think it can be used on highway maintenance. Every customer we speak to has a different idea of how this machine will be used.” 

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