Spotlight on Promac Equipment: 45 Years of Canadian Innovation in Forestry Attachments

At Van-Ed Equipment, we take pride in offering the best excavator attachments to our customers—and Promac Equipment is a shining example. Based right here in British Columbia on Vancouver Island, Promac has been a trusted name in the forestry and brush cutting space for decades.

To learn more about what makes Promac stand out, we sat down with Brent Brudge, OEM Sales at Promac, for an in-depth look at their flagship products and the innovations driving their success.

A True BC Legacy

Promac’s roots go all the way back to the 1970s in Port Alberni, where the company—short for Provincial Machine—started as a machine shop and fabrication outfit. In 1980, they built their very first brush cutter for an excavator, and they haven’t looked back since.

Today, Promac Equipment is part of the larger Promac Group, which also manufactures sawmill equipment. But when it comes to excavator-mounted forestry cutters and brush mulchers, Promac stands tall as a leader in the space.

The R Series: Promac’s Flagship Forestry Cutter

The R Series Cutter is the product that started it all—and over 45 years later, it’s still turning heads.

“This was the first model we designed back in 1980, and we’ve refined it ever since,” says Brent. “It’s still our flagship product, designed to take down trees quickly and efficiently in forestry and wildfire mitigation applications.”

Unlike many competitors who focus on drum-style mulchers, Promac’s R Series features a disc-style cutter—built for speed, versatility, and serious cutting power. The disc can be outfitted with a range of flail blades or fixed tools depending on the job, and customers love the ability to switch between three different disc types using just eight bolts.

Versatile by Design

So what makes the R Series so versatile? It comes down to smart engineering and a commitment to customer feedback.

From removing ladder fuels and low-hanging limbs to clearing entire trees, the R Series does it all. The interchangeable disc options include:

• XM (Extreme Mulching): Features aggressive saw teeth and a staggered tool layout that pulls material in and mulches it before it hits the forest floor.
  
• Blunt CED Bits: Ideal for work near the ground or in rocky terrain.
  
• Bullet Bits: Best for splitting larger trees into coarse debris.

Operators can further customize performance with bolt-on options like a left-hand chute for finer materials, a right-hand door to control debris, and a nose cone to protect bolt heads.

Built to Last—And Then Some

With four and a half decades of development behind it, the R Series is built with reliability in mind. It features a direct drive system—no belts or pulleys—which minimizes maintenance and maximizes uptime.

“Our bearing housing is on its seventh or eighth iteration since 1980,” Brent explains. “The current version has been in production for 15 years and is practically bulletproof.”

For customers managing fleets, that means fewer breakdowns, less maintenance, and more time on the job.

Expanding the Line: The LDM Series

While the R Series is the crown jewel, Promac also offers other standout attachments like the LDM Series—a light-duty drum-style mulcher designed for smaller excavators (8 to 15 tons).

Like the R Series, the LDM features a direct drive system with an isolation coupler that protects against costly damage to the motor shaft. Initially built with a 55cc motor for lower flow carriers, it’s now available with a larger motor for machines with up to 37 gallons per minute.

The drum-style head is especially popular with municipalities and contractors who need better control over debris direction—such as when working near roads, fences, or livestock.

Innovation Driven by Customer Feedback

What sets Promac apart is how closely they listen to their users.

“We’re a boutique manufacturer, which means we can react quickly,” Brent says. “A lot of the features you see on our machines came directly from customer requests. If it makes sense, we build it.”

From reimagining tool patterns to developing new protection options, Promac’s R&D process is fast, flexible, and always grounded in real-world feedback.

At Van-Ed Equipment, we’re proud to carry Promac Equipment and support this incredible local manufacturer. Whether you’re tackling wildfire mitigation, roadside clearing, or forestry work, Promac has the tools to get the job done—efficiently, powerfully, and reliably.

Looking for the right attachment? Get in touch with Van-Ed Equipment today. We’ve got the machines, parts, rentals, and service you need to keep working smarter.