Each of its trucks puts in roughly 130,000 miles on the road per year. That’s a lot of time spent in the truck. And when a jobsite is a remote forest, such as the ones Walker and Walker Logging sees on a regular basis, that truck must be reliable. Walker and Walker Logging, based in Laurens, South Carolina, chose to run Kenworth trucks in its fleet since purchasing four T800s in 2004, only recently selling three with one still in operation. Read below to find out why the company runs Kenworth.
In operation since 1978, the logging company, started by brothers Robert and Billy Walker, expanded its operation in 1998 by investing in a chipping business, hauling chips from the woods to area paper mills. Along with the logging operation, the company runs 17 trucks—all Kenworths. The latest models are eight Kenworth W990s purchased through Worldwide Equipment in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Walker and Walker contracts with private land owners for harvesting trees, then the company transports the logs to mills for processing. Tyler Walker, co-owner and son to Robert, says the land is within a 50-mile radius of the company, and the mills can be as far as 100 miles. That’s how the average truck runs roughly 130,000 miles annually.
WHY KENWORTH
According to Tyler, a key to the company’s success has been reliability—and that rings especially true when the crews are out harvesting. “We can’t afford to be down in the woods, so we need great parts and service support, which we’ve received that from Worldwide Equipment,” Tyler says.
Walker and Walker purchased its newest Kenworth W900s for a couple of reasons. Tyler says, “The new W990 has more comfort features, along with a longer frame … It’s not like driving an old-school truck—it drives more like a car. It’s so quiet, and the ride is smooth. It’s spacious and comfortable. Our drivers like them.”
On the operational side, the Kenworth W900s are equipped with 550 hp engines and 13-speed manual transmissions to tackle altitude gains, differing terrain, and mud. A wide track front axle provides a tighter wheel cut to further assist in navigating remote paths.
MAKING A STATEMENT
Aside from its reliability and capability, Walker and Walker’s trucks also act as rolling advertisements. The company painted all the trucks the same color, and each truck also has the company name on its door with a reflective vinyl. Tyler says the rolling billboards helped contribute to the growth of the business.
Tyler says just within the last two years, 40% of the tracts Walker and Walker has harvested have gone toward residential or commercial building projects in the area, signaling a growing community. He says that also offers plenty of opportunities for Walker and Walker growth, not to mention the different timber markets currently in consideration. Walker and Walker plans to add more trucks to the fleet once it finds qualified drivers, Tyler adds.
Find out more about the Kenworth W900, visit www.kenworth.com.
