Abstract A new Scandinavian technology for bundling forest residue was imported to Central Europe with the purpose of checking how it would handle the different working conditions encountered there. After a calibration study conducted on boreal spruce, the European research team tested the machine on 11 sites in France. Species tested included chestnut ( Castanea sativa L. ), hornbeam ( Ostrya carpinifolia L. ), poplar ( Populus x Euroamericana ) and maritime pine ( Pinus pinaster L. ). While the machine was able to successfully handle all the above-mentioned species and produced good-quality bundles, best results were obtained with poplar and maritime pine. Productivity varied between 11 and 24 bundles per hour (machine time clock), corresponding to 5– 9 t / h . Three main parameters most affect bundling productivity: the amount of residue available on the unit surface (t/ha), its average size and its distribution on the field. These parameters depend on stand type, but they can be manipulated to a certain extent, which may allow for large productivity gains.