SPI Well Along In Mill Construction

This fall, Sierra-Pacific Industries, Redding, Ca., will open a new softwood lumber mill in Burlington, Wa.-the first in Skagit County in almost 50 years.

"Construction is progressing well," confirmed SPI spokesman Ed Bond.

Workers at the mill will grade lumber manually, but most of the mill's processes will be computerized. "This is a sawmill that is very modernized," Bond said. "It's very clean compared to the old smoke-belching days."

Computers will scan each log and provide information on the proper length and cut into the wood. Once cut, the pieces will be scanned again to identify defects and determine how to set the saws that will turn the wood into boards.

A final scan will allow the computer to sort the finished boards. From arrival of a log to finished product will take l0 minutes, according to division manager Curt Adcock.

The facility will be self-powered by an onsite cogeneration plant that will burn bark and other wood byproducts to heat boilers. Steam from the boilers will turn energy-producing turbines, with any excess steam going to wood-drying kilns. Filters will remove particulates from the smoke emitted by the cogeneration plant, with the most noticeable emission will be steam.

Excess energy will be sold for commercial and residential use.

Earlier this year, the company acouired 147.000 acres of former

Crown Pacific land that will help feed production at the mill. The mill also rvill use timber purchased on the open market from private land orvners.

The Burlington mill, rvith capacity to produce 300 million bd. ft. annual-

New Northwest Mills Open

In addition to Sierra-Pacific's upcoming sawmill, two other Northwest producen have recently unveiled facilities of their own.

Centralia Sawmill Co. has just begun operating a new stud mill and planer in Centralia, Wa., with an annual capacity of 180 million bd. ft. of green Douglas fu.

SBS Buys Anchorage Stores

Lanoga Corp.'s l4-unit Spenard Builders Supply division has acquired two sister home improvement businesses in Anchorage. Ak.

Curtis & Campbell, Inc.. a provider of flooring and paint. and Wallcoverings North. Inc.. a provider of fabrics and hospitality design services, rvill continue to operate at their current location as a new division that will rvork in conjunction rvith the nearby SBS Design Center.

"Wallcoverings North is the only design center in Alaska where decorators and clients can meet to select fabrics, wall coverings and fixtures." said SBS president Ed Waite. "As Anchorage continues to grorv. the ly. rvill be Sierra-Pacific's fifteenth. The company has l3 in California and a three-year-old random dimension sawmill in Aberdeen. Wa.

After the Burlington mill opens. SPI's next project will be adding a stud mill on the Aberdeen site.

The mill currently employs a single shift, but plans to eventually expand to two.

Earlier this year, Southport Lumber began production at a new mill in North Bend, Or. A sister operation to Southport Forest Products, the plant will produce up to 80 million bd. ft. a year of primarily green fir studs.

Demand For Quality Design Services

grorvs rvith it."

Curtis & Campbell has been orvned and operated by brothers Dale and Bill Campbell since its founding in 1966. Wallcoverings North. founded in 1975. has been led by Bill Campbell's rvife. Sharon.

"The Campbell family has built two very successful companies on the principles of exceptional customer service and quality products." added Waite. "Spenard Builders Supply shares in the Campbells' commitment to customers and employees. We are very pleased that the family rvill continue to play an active role in the store operations."