Devon manufacturer Loglogic named international finalist for Swedish Steel Prize 2025

From timber harvesters to a world-leading undercarriage

Loglogic was originally formed to build computer-controlled timber harvesting systems — which is where the company's name comes from. The Softrak itself has its roots in 1998, when a nature conservation organisation approached Loglogic looking for a machine that could work on ground previously considered inaccessible to heavy machinery. The brief was demanding: ground pressure had to come in under 1.5 psi. For comparison, an average human footstep exerts around 8 psi.

The result was the Softrak, an ultra-low ground pressure, high-mobility tracked vehicle that has gone on to become Loglogic's best-known product, now working in wetlands, peatland and conservation sites across the UK, Europe and the Americas.

Built on high strength steel from day one

The engineering case put to the Swedish Steel Prize jury centred on material choice as much as design. Loglogic has used SSAB's high strength steels in the Softrak since it was first developed, allowing the undercarriage and structure to be built with significantly less material without compromising strength.

"We used high strength steels from SSAB from day one," said Marcus Frankpitt, head of Design and Development at Loglogic. "It allows us to use considerably less material, making the vehicle lighter. That is why we go places where others can't."

That lighter build is central to how the Softrak achieves its low ground pressure, and in turn why it can be used on sites where a heavier machine would cause damage or simply get stuck.

A bigger role in wetland restoration

Wetland restoration and management in Britain is Loglogic's largest market, but Softraks are at work throughout the year — outside nesting season — in wetlands across Europe and the Americas. Loglogic estimates its vehicles are contributing to saving tens of thousands of tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually, through the habitat and peatland work they make possible.

"We're not just here to make a profit, we're here to make a difference," said Frankpitt.

Recognition on an international stage

The Swedish Steel Prize, run by SSAB, has recognised innovative products, methods and processes using high-strength steel for nearly 20 years. Being named one of only four global finalists — and the sole UK company on the shortlist — places Loglogic's engineering approach alongside major international manufacturers including Volkswagen Group.

For a company of Loglogic's size, based in Cullompton, Devon, the recognition underlines a point the business has made for years: that specialist, low-volume engineering can hold its own against much larger manufacturers when the material science and design are right.

About Loglogic

Loglogic is a Devon-based manufacturer of ultra-low ground pressure vehicles for forestry, conservation, utilities and specialist engineering applications. Best known for its Softrak and Tooltrak ranges, the company also engineers bespoke integrations — including woodchippers, drilling rigs and other machinery — mounted on its undercarriages. Loglogic vehicles are used in some of the world's most environmentally sensitive sites, including the Norfolk Broads, the Somerset Levels and wetlands across Europe and the Americas.