21 July 2015, 14:36
The last one of the Komatsu 830 forwarders has been sold in the Baltic countries, which means that a machine model is now being laid to rest. The Komatsu 830 was a machine model in the smallest size segment. The model has been successful and has been a part of our forwarder program for a long time. Per Annemalm, product manager for forwarders tells more about the forwarder model’s history with our company.
In February of 2002, we delivered the first Komatsu 830 to a customer in Vaamakula, Finland. The model quickly gained in popularity and we delivered machines to almost all European markets. The Komatsu 830 had its greatest success in southern Sweden, Finland, Germany and the Baltic countries.
Komatsu Forest has delivered 550 machines of the 830 model. Komatsu 830 became very good with time and had little product maintenance needs after the upgrading to 830.3.
The Komatsu 830 was most appreciated by forest contractors who perform thinning operations in sensitive, wet land, or forest owners with focus on small machines. Customers appreciated it for its low weight, relatively high load capacity, fine crane operation, fast transport speed and agility in the woods. One contractor said about his Komatsu 830 that “it’s so light that it runs on muddy waters”.
After the financial crisis in 2008, it became clear that entrepreneurs with the smallest forwarders started having problems with profitability. Many entrepreneurs took the step up to 840TX when will to pay went down among the clients. At the same time, new, gentle solutions for large forwarders started coming, with larger wheels and bogies, as well as environmental tracks. When the engine legislation and market demands for spacious cabins with cab suspension came, it was natural to replace the 830 model with a larger and more productive model, such as the 835. As usual when a product is about to go out of production, demand rises and the 830 had a sales boost during its last years. True 830 devotees saw the opportunity to put in their last order and we delivered 35 machines in 2014.
As a curiosity it can be mentioned that the 830 was the first forwarder model that had split front frame. This development step was implemented on our next model, the Komatsu 895, only in 2013. It was also unique among our models with its crane mount shaped like a swan’s neck, with very short distance between the rear axle and waist, which made the machine extremely practical for thinning. On the Komatsu 830, most of the construction elements were optimized to get a small, light and versatile machine. Most of it, except maybe the cab, was constructed or chosen uniquely for the 830 model.
What began back in 1988 with the small lightweight forwarder 828, now ends in 2015 with the discontinuation of one of our most popular models. Time has given us new conditions when it comes to environmental demands, economy, capacity and production volumes etc., but one thing is clear: the owners of the Komatsu 830 are some of our most satisfied customers.