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.

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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. 

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

The Scottish Farmer: 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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