Dutch company Ufkes Greentec specialises in the engineering and production of woodchippers, from 12 inch to 36 inch, 75hp to 900hp, PTO and excavator stump grinders, wood cranes and forest mulchers. The company’s machines are custom built for professional use and will meet the demands of even the hardest working contractors.
Ufkes Greentec’s production site boasts welding robots, a well-equipped testing area and a modern stock-management system, and the company works hard at sustainability in its careful use of both energy and personnel. The building is heated with wood chips obtained from machine testing, for instance, and the whole process from design to production is handled within the company itself.
In Australia
Ufkes Greentec arrived in Australia when Dutch-born arborist Jor Boogaart started his own company, The Climbing Dutchman, here in 2010. After a couple of happy decades in the tree-care industry, Jor was surprised it was not a common sight to see chippers with cranes. His time as an arborist in Europe had taught him the rig made for efficient, safer and less-strenuous work, and after three years of careful planning he set up Ufkes Greentec Australia, based in Somerville, Victoria. In Jor’s own words, “A big dream comes true.”
Catalogue
Ufkes Greentec Australia offers all machines listed on the website, and all chippers are custom built to customers’ specs. But here’s s selection of models:
• 12-inch Cheetah disk 75hp Kubota or 140hp Doosan
• 16-inch Jaguar 140 Doosan with quickchange knives on the drum
• 22-inch 942 275hp John Deere
• 22-inch to 26-inch 952 MEGA 400hp John Deere
• 30-inch 962hp, 400hp, 600hp or 780hp, and
• 36-inch Panthera 900hp.
All these chippers are available in a PTO version, and some are electric PTO with their own chip bin. The chippers also have wear plates under the knives on the drum, in the chute and behind the rollers – all the spots where the most wear happens. It’s a great feature and extends machine life.
Service backup
There are two service locations. Ufkes Greentec works together with Chipstar Australia in Kilsyth and Ufkes Greentec Australia Somerville. Jor himself ensures there’s a good stock of parts and consumables available – that’s aside from the locally available parts like bearings.
Ufkes Greentec – timeline
• 2004 – Ufkes Greentec was founded in 2004 by Jippe Ufkes. It started with selling and servicing forestry and landscaping machines. Woodchippers, stump grinders, wood cranes, tree shears and so on from renowned brands where sold. To meet the standards of the customers, a start was made at developing its own Greentec machines.
• 2009 – The company grew fast and soon there was the need for more space. In 2009 the first location in Drachten was opened: 2000m2 with a large workplace, warehouse, showroom and offices. The development of Greentec machines went on and the range of Greentec machines grew: Wood chippers (compact hand- and crane-fed machines suitable for towing behind a car), wood-chipper combinations. stump grinders suited to a three-point hitch and excavators, and forestcutters.
• 2017 – Because the emphasis became more and more the production of new machines, in 2017 there was a new production location built near the existing facility. The site measuring 4400m2 and has all that might be expected of a modern machine factory: a nicely decorated area with lots of light and space, a new welding robot, a well-equipped testing area and optimal stock management, allowing the employees to do their job unobstructed and safe. Fast forward to 2024 Ufkes has dealers in Australia, USA, New Zealand, UK, Madegascar and all over Europe.
To learn more of Ufkes Greentec Australia, go to ufkes.net and select the Australian flag on the right-hand side. Also check out the 3D configurator where you can build your own chipper!