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A Hatton-Brown Publication
Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. Street Address: 225 Hanrick Street Montgomery, AL 36104-3317 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2268 Montgomery, AL 36102-2268 Telephone: 334.834.1170 FAX: 334.834.4525
Volume 47 • Number 2 • March 2022 Founded in 1976 • Our 482nd Consecutive Issue
Publisher: David H. Ramsey Chief Operating Officer: Dianne C. Sullivan Editor-in-Chief: Rich Donnell Senior Editor: Dan Shell Senior Associate Editor: David Abbott Senior Associate Editor: Jessica Johnson Associate Editor: Patrick Dunning Publisher/Editor Emeritus: David (DK) Knight Art Director/Prod. Manager: Cindy Segrest Ad Production Coordinator: Patti Campbell Circulation Director: Rhonda Thomas Online Content/Marketing: Jacqlyn Kirkland Classified Advertising: Bridget DeVane • 334.699.7837 800.669.5613 • bdevane7@hotmail.com Advertising Sales Representatives: Southern USA Randy Reagor P.O. Box 2268 Montgomery, AL 36102-2268 904.393.7968 • FAX: 334.834.4525 E-mail: reagor@bellsouth.net
Renew or subscribe on the web: www.timberprocessing.com
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NEWSFEED
New Sawmill In The Northwest
DRYER INNOVATION AT BROCHU
Maine Operation Takes A Different Approach
LOG MERCHANDISING
Setting The Table Up Front
NEW FINGERJOINTING LINE NewLife Forest Products Gets Going
LOG HANDLING
New Machines Meet The Challenges
MACHINERY ROW
Schilliger Holz Invests In CLT Line
AT LARGE
Atlanta Conference Has Something For Everybody
COVER: Pleasant River Lumber starts up a Valutec TC (cross circulation) continuous kiln at its sawmill in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, representing the company’s second Valutec kiln startup with a third one gearing up at the Enfield location. Story begins on PAGE 18. (Jessica Johnson photo)
Midwest USA, Eastern Canada John Simmons 32 Foster Cres. Whitby, Ontario, Canada L1R 1W1 905.666.0258 • FAX: 905.666.0778 E-mail: jsimmons@idirect.com
VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.timberprocessing.com Member Verified Audit Circulation
Western USA, Western Canada Tim Shaddick 4056 West 10th Avenue Vancouver BC Canada V6L 1Z1 604.910.1826 • FAX: 604.264.1367 E-mail: tootall1@shaw.ca Kevin Cook 604.619.1777 E-mail: lordkevincook@gmail.com
International Murray Brett 58 Aldea de las Cuevas, Buzon 60 03759 Benidoleig (Alicante), Spain Tel: +34 96 640 4165 • + 34 96 640 4048 E-mail: murray.brett@abasol.net
Timber Processing (ISSN 0885-906X, USPS 395-850) is published 11 times annually (monthly except Jan./Feb.) by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc., 225 Hanrick St., Montgomery, AL 36104. Subscription Information—TP is free to qualified owners, operators, managers, purchasing agents, supervisors, foremen and other key personnel at sawmills, pallet plants, chip mills, treating plants, specialty plants, lumber finishing operations, corporate industrial woodlands officials and machinery manufacturers and distributors in the U.S. All non-qualified U.S. Subscriptions are $55 annually: $65 in Canada; $95 (Airmail) in all other countries (U.S. Funds). Single copies, $5 each; special issues, $20 (U.S. funds). Subscription Inquiries— TOLL-FREE: 800-6695613; Fax 888-611-4525. Go to www.timberprocessing.com and click on the subscribe button to subscribe/renew via the web. All advertisements for Timber Processing magazine are accepted and published by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. with the understanding that the advertiser and/or advertising agency are authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The advertiser and/or advertising agency will defend, indemnify and hold any claims or lawsuits for libel violations or right of privacy or publicity, plagiarism, copyright or trademark infringement and any other claims or lawsuits that may arise out of publication of such advertisement. Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. neither endorse nor makes any representation or guarantee as to the quality of goods and services advertised in Timber Processing. Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to reject any advertisement which it deems inappropriate. Copyright ® 2022. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Ala. and at additional mailing offices. Printed in U.S.A.
Postmaster: Please send address changes to Timber Processing, P.O. Box 2419, Montgomery, Alabama 36102-2419 Other Hatton-Brown publications: Timber Harvesting • Southern Loggin’ Times Wood Bioenergy • Panel World • Power Equipment Trade
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THEISSUES
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Rich Donnell Editor-in-Chief
OUR FATHERS AND THEIR CHILDREN
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y father-in-law, Dr. Woodward D. Lamar, best known as Woodie, died on Thursday morning, February 24, after a brief illness. He was, as the obituary stated, “99 years of ageless.” It takes a sharp mind to come up with a line like that, but Woodie’s daughter and my wife, May, as anybody knows her knows, is very sharp, and she was the one who wrote her dad’s obituary, which wasn’t a surprise because she, too, is a lifelong journalist and author and has written hundreds of obituaries through the years. Following Woodie’s death, up until his burial, it was four days of mostly great food, great companionship, great memories and mostly at our house in Montgomery, Ala., the city where Woodie was born and died, and where he practiced dentistry. Several people commented to me that Woodie’s death was the “passing of an era,” and the main reason they said that was because he served during World War II as a U.S. Navy pilot and Lieutenant. He was the last living of seven siblings, all boys except one, many of them serving during World War II, including a brother, Claude, a First Lieutenant who flew bombers in the U.S. Army Air Forces and was shot down late in the war in the Pacific. His name is on the Walls of the Missing in the Manila American Cemetery. American journalist Tom Brokaw popularized the term, The Greatest Generation, with his book of the same name, referring to those who experienced the Great Depression and either went into military service during World War II or honorably served the war effort in others ways on the home front. My dad, Thomas Marshall Donnell, was part of this “greatest generation.” He served as a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Army Air Service Group, was stationed three years in the Pacific and received two bronze stars. My dad died at 65 back in 1982, still a young man upon his death compared to Woodie. But they shared similar traits. Both great family men, including wonderful, lifelong spouses. Both great sports fans, having played a lot of ball during their youth. Both with successful careers (my dad was in finances with Ralston Purina). Both rarely talked about their experiences in World War II. Both could get a little political, but put more worth in a good round of golf with their wives followed by a Scotch and water. My father-in-law was blessed to be able to experience nine grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. It was several of those great-grandchildren, including my daughter’s two daughters, who naturally commanded much of the attention at our house during the visitation, and who preciously intercepted any of our slips into sadness and turned it into gladness. Woodie had been able to celebrate his 99th birthday last Halloween with many of them, and in some days before his death was able to talk briefly with his grandchildren. I know that Woodie did, and my dad would have appreciated the depiction as “the greatest generation,” but they also shrugged off such glittering generalities. I also know that they had confidence that the generations that followed them, in particular the members of their families, would live their lives just as completely TP and also with the best of intentions.
Contact Rich Donnell, ph: 334-834-1170; fax 334-834-4525; e-mail: rich@hattonbrown.com TIMBER PROCESSING
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NEWSFEED NEW SAWMILL BOUND FOR FORKS Phil Johnson, who was one of the principals and helped to build sawmill operations called Lewis County Forest Products in Winlock, Wash. and Mason County Forest Products in Shelton, Wash., is in the mix again with Spencer Forest Products and its proposed softwood sawmill near Forks, Wash. The sawmill will be built off Highway 101 near the Hoh River, about 20 miles south of Forks, at the site of the former Allen Logging Co. mill operation, with Spencer FP recently purchasing 138 mostly forested acres in the vicinity. Johnson made a name for himself building and operating sawmills with used equipment. Timber Processing magazine featured both of his previous
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sawmills, which called upon Johnson’s “used equipment formula supported by his sawmill equipment mechanical skills, timber procurement connections and lumber marketing experience.” Once again the majority of equipment in the mill will be used. Production of Douglas fir and hemlock dried lumber is anticipated at 100MMBF annually on a single shift. Construction is expected to start almost immediately at the site, which has a usable mill building. Startup is planned for the final quarter of this year. Johnson clarifies, “I am not an owner. At my age I don’t want the responsibility. The fun is building them!” Green end machinery will include a 44 in. A2 Nicholson debarker, 17° tilted USNR 42 in. carriage, 7 ft. L&B tilted hi-strain bandmill, 6 ft. twin
L&B horizontal resaw, USNR 4x42 optimized board edger, USNR 6 in. top arbor 42 in. gang saw, 39 bin sorter, Lunden stacker, MPM controls and optimization, while the planer mill has a Kimwood planer, Newnes trimmer, 49 bin sorter and Newnes stacker. Dry kilns will be Coe. Florida-based Spencer Forest Products owner Ralph Spencer was the owner of Ohio-based Mulch Manufacturing, one of the largest mulch manufacturers in the U.S. and which sold to National Storm Recovery in 2020.
OREGON COUNTIES CASE CONTINUES Oregon Court of Appeals heard arguments in late February on a 2019 jury decision, subsequently appealed by the state, that awarded $1.1 bil-
lion to 13 counties and 151 local taxing districts after the counties sued the state of Oregon and Oregon Dept. of Forestry, claiming officials reduced timberland management goals and violated the law that created much of the state’s forest system. Legal language from 1941 when many counties returned timberland to the state required that the lands be managed for the “greatest permanent value.” The counties claimed the state reduced timber harvests in favor of other values and owed the counties for 20 years of missing timber revenues—and for future lost revenues through the year 2069. According to the counties, the Oregon Dept. of Forestry adopted a rule in 1998 that redefined “greatest permanent value” to mean managing for sustainable ecosystems and environmental benefits in ad-
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NEWSFEED dition to economic revenues. The rule change violated the original law, the counties’ legal team argued, and cost the counties $674 million since 2001 and a projected $392 million in future damages through 2069 if the rule isn’t changed. A Linn County jury agreed. The verdict has been under appeal since. A three-judge panel heard oral arguments from the two sides. The counties claim that timber production was the main objective in 1941 and remained so until the late 1990s. At that point, they say the state breached its contract with the counties when it adopted new administrative rules that included a broader definition of greatest permanent value. Since then, they contend, the state has shortchanged them by under-harvesting on state forests and undercutting their revenues. The state appealed the ver-
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dict on a variety of grounds. The chief argument was that the statutory term in question—greatest permanent value—is not contractual, and even if it is, does not mean what the counties assert: that they have a right to maximum revenue.
CANFOR SELLS SAWMILL TO PEAK Canfor Corp. is selling its Mackenzie, BC sawmill and site to Peak Renewables. Canfor also announced it is selling its forest trenure in the Mackenzie region to McLeod Lake Indian Band and Tsay Keh Dene Nation. “We are very pleased that the sale of the Mackenzie tenure will provide an opportunity for the McLeod Lake Indian Band and Tsay Keh Dene Nation to grow their leadership in the forest econo-
my and advance Nation stewardship values for the benefit of their communities,” comments Don Kayne, President & CEO, Canfor. Chief Pierre of the Tsay Keh Dene Nation states, “First Nations in BC have been relegated to marginal roles in the forest sector for far too long. The Letter of Intent signed with Canfor has the potential to dramatically change this imbalance within the Mackenzie Timber Supply Area.”
CHUNK OF TIMBER SOLD IN SOUTH Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board’s Tamarack Timberlands LLC, an investment vehicle owned by Ontario Teachers, has assumed ownership of 870,000 acres of timberland in the U.S. South from Resource Management Service (RMS).
The large-scale timberland portfolio of high-quality loblolly pine is spread throughout the U.S. South and is third-party certified to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative standards. The timberland portfolio provides significant diversification benefits to Ontario Teachers, including diversity of locations, customers and tree age classes. The transaction gives Tamarack Timberlands LLC full control and governance of the assets. RMS, one of the world’s largest providers of timberland investment services, will continue to act as the timberland investment manager for the asset. The timberland will continue to be operated using bestin-class management practices to ensure the sustainability of the forest over a longterm horizon, and to preserve the ecosystems and biodiversity of the forest.
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NEWSFEED IT’S PELLETS GALORE FOR ENVIVA IN SOUTH Enviva, already the world’s largest producer of industrial wood pellets, is accelerating its plans to double its production capacity over the next five years, from 6.2 million metric tons per year (MMTY) to 13 million. To capitalize on this momentum, Enviva is broadening and deepening
its development capabilities and leveraging relationships with key equipment suppliers and construction partners to enable it to build and commission two plants per year, up from its historical rate of one plant per year. Enviva plans to continue utilizing its “build and copy” approach to plant design while increasing the nameplate production capacity of its new plants to 1.1 million, up 45% from the previous standard of 750,000.
Meanwhile Enviva expects its plant in Lucedale, Miss. to ramp production throughout 2022, exiting the year at its designed run-rate of 750,000. Additionally, in the first half of 2022, Enviva plans to commence construction of the fully contracted plant in Epes, Ala., the second plant in the company’s “Pascagoula Cluster.” Enviva plans to accelerate the construction of a third wood pellet production plant in its Pascagoula cluster in 2023, along with other proposed plants in the Savannah and mid-Atlantic regions. Additionally, Enviva plans to commence and complete a 300,000 MTPY expansion of its Lucedale plant during 2023. In 2024, Enviva plans to place both the proposed third and fourth Pascagoula cluster plants in service and begin construction on two additional plants expected to be located near Savannah, Ga. and Wilmington, NC. In 2025, Enviva expects all of its Pascagoula cluster plants will be operating at their full run-rate, in addition to having the new Savannah cluster plant in service. In 2026, Expects expect to have both proposed Wilmington and Chesapeake plants in service, with the proposed Savannah plant and Lucedale expansion ramping to full run-rate by the end of the year.
PEAK RENEWABLES HIRES SCOTT BAX AS CEO Peak Renewables Ltd. has appointed Scott Bax as CEO. Bax is responsible for Peak Renewable’s hydrogen and OSB activities throughout North America, including the recently announced One Sky Forest Products OSB plant to be built in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, a partnership between Peak Renewables and 12 Indigenous Nations. Prior to joining Peak, Bax spent eight years with Pinnacle Renewable Energy, most recently as COO, where he grew the business three-fold to more than 2.5 million MT of annualized wood pellet production and revenue in excess of $400 million. A leader who prioritizes people, relationships, accountability and results, Bax brings more than 25 years of experience in forestry and wood manufacturing operations throughout Canada and the U.S. “I am excited to be joining a talented and committed team engaged in the vital economic growth and renewables space,” Bax says. “Under Brian Fehr’s visionary 10
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NEWSFEED leadership, I am focused on safely and sustainably growing a business that yields benefits to workers, communities, indigenous peoples, the environment and investors.” Fehr, who is Peak’s founder and Chairman, adds, “Scott brings experience, passion and leadership to help elevate Peak Renewables as a difference maker and major player in the renewable forest economy. A relationship-oriented
leader with proven results, his approach and experience will accelerate Peak’s projects and optimize operations.”
ALABAMA SEEKS NEW WEIGHT LIMITS In response to trucking capacity issues that include labor concerns and lack of qualified young drivers, the Alabama
Forestry Assn. (AFA) is promoting legislation to increase weight limits for certain axle configurations and for rigs that are weighed when they’re loaded with either on-board scales or in-woods systems. The Rural Logging Support Act would increase weight limits for qualified trucks with a gross vehicle weight increase from 80,000 lbs. to 84,000 lbs. for 5-axle trucks and 84,000 lbs. to 90,000 lbs. for 6-axle trucks. The legislation provides single axle weight increase from 20,000 lbs. to 23,000 lbs. and tandem axle weight increase from 36,000 lbs. to 46,000 lbs. A long-established 10% weight enforcement tolerance applies to increased weight limits. To qualify for higher limits, trucks must be weighed when loaded using onboard scales or in-woods platform scales. The legislation also sets up a system of grants to non-profit groups that would pay for scale installation. The AFA notes the legislation would result in as many as 185,000 fewer truckloads of logs on Alabama roads each year.
SFPA EXPO PLANS MOVE TO NASHVILLE
The biennial SFPA Expo is moving from Atlanta to Nashville.
The stage is set. 2023 will mark a new tour for the successful Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Expo, bringing the show for the first time ever to Nashville, Tenn. and its Music City Center convention center located in the heart of downtown. The date is August 23-25, 2023. The facility has the technology and equipment to ensure all needs are met for both exhibitors and attendees, according to SFPA. Located adjacent the Bridgestone Arena and the Country Music Hall of Fame, there is plenty to do after an ex12
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NEWSFEED citing day on the trade show floor. SFPA will soon announce more information about exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities.
LOTS ACQUIRES BELLWETHER FP Integrated transport company LOTS Group has acquired Bellwether Forest
Products based in Camden, SC. Bellwether is a full-service timber transport company working throughout the state, with the aim of inspiring a new generation of loggers and building long-term partnerships with wood markets and timberland owners. The acquisition will enable the company to extend its service offering to new and existing clients, leveraging Bellwether’s extensive experience in the region. Officials with both companies say the
transaction reflects the future of forest products transportation in the Southeast, which has a huge but highly fragmented market served primarily by trucking capacity that lacks technology and professionalization. The LOTS Group is offering a model that improves efficiency, says Max Blatt, CEO.
TEXAS LOG THEFTS SUSPECTS INDICTED Three suspects were indicted in Liberty County, Texas for Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity, a second degree felony, accused of conspiring to steal $102,776 of timber revenue through their employer, Alvin Laird Logging. The indictment follows a two-year investigation that determined the defendants, all drivers for Alvin Laird Logging, were selling timber, harvested from Laird’s logging sites, to a mill under a third-party contract then obtaining the revenues in cash without the consent of Laird or the landowners. The three suspects could face from two to 20 years of imprisonment and a fine not to exceed $10,000 if convicted.
SPI NAMES PAYNE AS PRESIDENT, GM Sierra Pacific Industries named Todd Payne as President and General Manager of the Lumber Business. Payne joined SPI last year following the company’s acquisition of Seneca. Since 2016, Payne had served as Seneca CEO and President. Throughout his 31 years with Seneca, he held various leadership roles including Vice President-Timberlands and Vice-President/General Manager. “Todd exemplifies Sierra Pacific’s values,” says CEO Mark Emmerson. “I have great confidence in Todd’s leadership and commitment. Having recently joined us from Seneca, he brings to SPI a deep knowledge of our industry.” “Todd understands the key to our success in providing a safe, positive and rewarding work environment where every crew member has the opportunity to thrive and grow,” adds Chairman George Emmerson.“He also understands the importance of building better communities and the stewardship responsibility that comes with owning timberland.” “I have the utmost respect for the Emmersons and Sierra Pacific Industries,” 14
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NEWSFEED Payne says. “They have remained true to their company values, while strategically and successfully growing their business. I am very excited to join the SPI team in this capacity and look forward to helping lead SPI’s core vision built around a foundation of communities, employees, and sustainability.” Payne earned a Business Degree with a minor in Forest Products from Oregon State University. He has also held leader-
ship positions with the Softwood Lumber Board, Western Wood Products Assn. and Oregon Forest & Industries Council. Additional leadership changes are also being made. George Emmerson was named SPI Chairman, stepping aside as President. Mark Emmerson, who has recently served as CFO and Chairman, was named CEO. Red Emmerson continues his role as Chairman and President Emeritus. “I want the best for Sierra Pacific, our
crew and communities where we operate,” says George Emmerson. “These changes provide the opportunity for our leaders to grow and prosper. And I remain totally committed to the business, looking forward to working closely with the SPI leadership team and my family members to position the company for continued success and growth.” Sierra Pacific Industries is a third-generation, family-owned forest products company based in Anderson, Calif. SPI owns and manages more than 2.3 million acres of timberland in California, Oregon and Washington and is one of the largest U.S. lumber manufacturers. The company also produces millwork, windows and renewable energy.
ROSEBURG ADDS COO POSITION Roseburg has appointed Stuart Gray to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer. The company’s ongoing growth in a complex and fast-paced business environment drove Roseburg’s executive team to create the new role to leverage Gray’s skillset and experience. “As we continue to expand Roseburg’s business, our business context and related challenges are also increasing,” Roseburg President and CEO Grady Mulbery says. “Adding a COO to our leadership structure is a very effective way to help continue our success.” Roseburg’s executive team will remain intact and move forward with their current roles and responsibilities. As COO, Gray will assume oversight for operations, sales and HR/EHS. With deep roots in the construction and building supply industry, Gray joined Roseburg in 2017 as senior vice president and general counsel, overseeing the company’s strategic business development, compliance and environmental teams.
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BRINGING
THE HEAT By Jessica Johnson
Pleasant River Lumber doubles drying capacity—and brings Valutec continuous dry kilns stateside with two installations in Maine, and they aren’t stopping there.
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DOVER-FOXCROFT, Me. umber drying is one of the most nuanced elements to the manufacturing of dimension lumber while simultaneously one of the most critical for mills. For Maine’s Pleasant River Lumber, drying was the single greatest bottleneck the company had across its five locations. One of Pleasant River’s facilities, located in Dover-Foxcroft, Me., was drying 95MMBF of spruce annually using three kilns. The kilns were starting to show age—the aluminum was cracking. They weren’t energy efficient. Chris Brochu, who serves as Co-Presi-
dent of the company with his brother Jason, says the company was ready to make an investment to up drying capacity but didn’t want to do so via boiler expansion. So, instead they began looking at alternative options. In 2018, the pair along with others in the operation made the trip to Sweden to see Valutec dry kilns in operation in extreme cold weather climates not unlike that of Maine. Not long after the trip, the Brochus made the decision to invest in two Valutec kilns, one for the mill in Jackman, Me. and one for Dover-Foxcroft. “The reason we chose it, to put it frank,” Chris Brochu says, “is it has doors. We’re a cold climate, and in all
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the other continuous kilns we’ve seen heat just billows out because there are no doors.” Valutec calls their technology progressive continuous dry kilns, which as he points out have doors that completely seal, so there is no heat loss, no steam billowing in the wind. The technology is somewhat widely used in Europe, but the Brochus were the first to bring it to North America. Valutec has since completed installations in both Western Canada and New Brunswick, Maine’s close Canadian neighbors. Brochu says he didn’t buy it to be the first; he bought it because the technology was sound, boiler upgrades weren’t necessary and the upped capacity to 120MMBF of dried spruce annually with one kiln, where the company was previously using three kilns to get 95MMBF, speaks for itself. But it wasn’t just the upped capacity that caught the Brochus’ eyes. Valutec builds with an intended 40-year lifespan, far longer than the Brochus had experienced previously. “It’s a significant investment, but Valutec has a premium over the others,” Chris adds. “But it is not a premium that is reflective on the 40-year life span. It’s
Pleasant River Lumber was the first to install Valutec’s “progressive continuous” dry kiln in North America, in Jackman, Me. The first worked so well, the Brochu family bought three more.
worth it in our opinion.” While shopping the project, the Brochus did engage with another Austrian manufacturer, but ultimately the all stainless steel Valutec won out. Leaning on Director of Sawmill Operations Burley Higgins, Pleasant River Lumber has now had two successful Valutec installs and is a go for a third later in the year 2022 and a fourth in early 2024.
WHY VALUTEC For the facilities, the biggest reason Valutec was chosen was the heat efficiency without the desperate need to make investments at the boiler or in infrastructure. Now, the Dover facility was able to shut down one of the track kilns completely, and let the others handle production from Pleasant River’s Enfield site, while the Valutec takes the entire Dover load. Higgins says that 95% of the Dover mill’s production is spruce, which takes approximately 24 hours to dry in the Valutec. Fir, the company’s other main product out of Dover and Enfield, takes 65 hours. “There’s a significant difference,” he emphasizes, “Both in the track kilns took significantly longer. In the warm months, it would take 80 hours to dry fir. Cold ones, even longer.” Higgins notes that Enfield has begun cutting more fir, and the mill’s production
Chris Brochu TIMBER PROCESSING
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is steadily increasing all the time—which is creating a bit of a pinch in Dover where the kilns are. “We’re running out of kiln capacity in Dover, which is why we are putting in Valutecs in Enfield,” he says. “Since we’ve had such great success with them in Jackman and Dover. We’re going to put in another sawline, a single pass HewSaw, effectively double the capacity here. The Valutec makes sense. With fir, we’re going to dry 100% fir here and then spruce will be sent to Dover.” The timeline of the Enfield projects are mainly controlled by the weather. With as complex of a floor as the Valutec kiln demands, the foundation is also equally complex. With that in mind, the goal is to have concrete work done in the spring, with the hope of a construction startup of the first kiln in July, with it fully operational in November of this year.
ROADBLOCKS The thing every facility has had issues with if they’ve had any sort of project in that last two years also haunted Higgins— COVID. Chris Brochu says that without Burley Higgins, the Dover mill’s kiln would not have started up. Using the Valutec startup team, the Pleasant River folks were able to start the kiln in Jackman (October 2019), but unfortunately, the Dover kiln came at exactly the same time as the onslaught of the pandemic in Europe (April 2020). So, Higgins had to get creative and do the startup 100% remote, without the presence of Valutec on-site. Brochu notes even though Valutec didn’t have representatives on-site, they shipped literally every needed component for construction and startup from Sweden—so their presence was definitely felt.
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“When I say everything I mean everything,” he laughs. “The catwalks even came from Sweden. They were concerned about quality control of the materials; they wanted to make sure everything was 100%. So, every component came from suppliers they were comfortable with. Shows how serious they are about the quality of Reducing the bottleneck at the kiln allowed companythe construction.” wide capacity to shoot through the roof—currently The teams mainly relied 240MMBF of fir and spruce. on emails back and forth. Valutec provided Higgins with a list of started running the kiln I would come in all the things that needed to be done; and look at the charts and see that it was Higgins says he went through the items paused for four hours and they would say methodically, and while a few issues they didn’t have it loaded. And we had to here and there cropped up the Valutec tell them, no that’s not how this works.” team was able to assist by logging into Once everyone got on the same page the system and observing kiln operations about the new kilns needs, things really from Sweden. turned around in Dover and the kiln (and “They can adjust parameters and the operators) got the production numbers change things in the controller— sure it is expected. common now,” Higgins says. “But for us, their techs were really excellent. It didn’t OPERATIONS matter if we were bugging them at 2:00 in Annually, Pleasant River lumber cuts the morning or whatever, they would get 30MMBF of eastern white pine, and out of bed and get on for us.” 240MMBF of spruce and fir. With It was a “Hey, whatever it takes” menplanned upgrades at the Enfield and Jacktality, Brochu says of the operators for both companies that really impressed him. man sawmills, Higgins says by 2024, Pleasant River capacity should be around Higgins adds that often operators in 325MMBF of spruce and fir. All will be Maine would reach out to the Swedes dried through Valutec kilns. using Facebook Messenger. While the Valutec kiln has many hallFor the Pleasant River team it was hard marks of a traditional continuous kiln, jumping in feet first, but on the other side, with it fully operational, Higgins says he’s Higgins says it’s more of a progressive continuous kiln, as opposed to a just autothe biggest proponent of the kiln in the company. “I am a big advocate of the kiln, matic continuous with the open ends. Pleasant River loads the carts, the carts I love it,” he continues. “It is really well built, well designed, the controls are excel- get pushed in, the doors shut on each end and the heat is trapped inside. lent. But, we also had to switch the The kiln moves in stages automatically, mentality of our operations. They have to have the kiln loaded because instead of moving continuously a little bit at a time. All Higgins’ team on-site has to the kiln does not stop.” do is make sure it is properly loaded onto Recognizing the difference bethe carts; clear all the safeties by hitting tween what the track kilns needs the button, and then the kiln from there were versus the Valutec has been a knows the cart is loaded and will automatlearning curve. Operators were used ically set. Once the kiln gets ready to do a to moving a bit at their own pace, shift, it stops, opens the doors, pulls in the and if a charge was finished, it new cart, kicks out the old cart and pulls wouldn’t be unheard of for the kiln to sit idle for a little while. That’s not down the doors. Higgins estimates this shift takes 10 minutes, and the kiln is back the case anymore. Higgins is firm up to temperature within 20 minutes. that if the kiln doesn’t have a cart in The kiln takes lumber from green to it, there’s a production issue and he KD15. In addition to increased capacity, will hold his people accountable. “It changes the mentality that every five Brochu notes that overall lumber quality hours make sure that unload that end has greatly improved. For example, at the Jackman facility, which cuts a heavy mix and load this end,” Higgins says. of fir and spruce, Pleasant River began “It is just a full 24-hour cycle, running 100% fir in the Valutec—2 and whereas before they weren’t under better percentage went up significantly as intense pressure. When we first
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a result of less warp, the better drying process meant less wood was damaged. Higgins emphasizes, “If you don’t dry it properly, in a measured way, at the end of the day you lose wood and create downgrades. For us, the Valutec has paid for itself with increased lumber quality.” Using five zones, with two rows per zone, the kiln has pressure plates that hold down the top row and keep lumber straight as it advances through the kiln. Once a cart has advanced an entire charge the pressure plates drop back down and the entire process starts again. Using a heat recovery system on the first six of the 10 heating zones within the kiln makes the process more energy efficient, Brochu notes, which is critical in a cold climate like Maine. The recovery system sends moist air outside, creating a vacuum that brings the air back in, though during the winter the air runs through a radiator first. Coolant is circulated through the heat exchanges bringing the cold air coming in up to temperature as it re-enters. Higgins explains that basically it’s a recapturing process: “Instead of losing all that heat out into the atmosphere we’re capturing the heat, bringing it back to this radiator and the cold air gets heated and saves energy, which allows the boiler to run steady and not fluctuate as much. That alone is what gave us access to an Efficiency Maine grant, because we are saving a lot of energy.” In addition to a computer in the control room of the kiln, there’s also a remote station in the boiler control room, so boiler operators know what the kiln is doing. Higgins says this aids greatly in troubleshooting if issues crop up. The kiln is designed to where all routine maintenance can be done above and out of the kiln—including greasing the motors. This speeds up downtime for Pleasant River, while also keeping Higgins and everyone else abreast at all times of the performance of the kiln. Water from the kiln wicks up into a sleeve, and then a probe measures wet bulb temperature from above the kiln. “We never have to go into the kiln to check temps or really anything other than quarterly maintenance,” Higgins says. Quarterly maintenance includes thoroughly cleaning the kiln, checking the machine deck where the fans are, and checking dry bulbs.
micro-turbines, a second HewSaw saw line, a MoCo automatic stacker line and Piché planer mill. The MoCo will stack green and dressed lumber. At the Jackman facility, where the first Valutec cut out a drying bottleneck, the existing HewSaw line isn’t keeping pace. It’s slated to be replaced with a high-speed version from HewSaw in 2023. For the flagship mill in Dover, Higgins and his teams are in the process of making more upgrades, thanks to the excess drying capacity and the ability to shift smaller logs to the Enfield mill and focus on larger logs in Dover—which will inherently in-
crease production there. Brochu says the long-term plan is to hopefully have two Valutec kilns in Enfield, reaching an annual capacity of 120MMBF at that site. None of the future plans, or growing capacity, would be possible without the new partnership with Valutec and the addition of the kilns. For Higgins, it is his biggest point of pride. “We have better quality lumber coming out of the new kilns; we produce more out of the new kilns, and it has made our operation smoother. For me, to see our operation grow and prosper as a result of putting those kilns in is my point TP of pride.”
THE FUTURE What’s next for Pleasant River? Enfield is getting the biggest capital infusion with the third and fourth Valutec companywide, a new boiler facility with in-line TIMBER PROCESSING
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FRONTEND EDITOR’S NOTE: The following companies submitted these editorial profiles and images to complement their advertisements placed elsewhere in this issue. Please refer to those advertisements for web site and contact information. All statements and claims are attributable to the companies.
BID GROUP Every time we install a BID Group optimized log bucking system, it is configured according to the sawmill priorities. We ensure the bucking executes optimal stem cutting by considering the anticipated value of the pieces as well as yield. The configuration of each installation combines “L” shaped scanners equipped with 3D Pro laser heads for fast and efficient optimization of logs on the V-belt conveyor. The system also includes a split transfer to improve performance and flow. The latest generation of BID Group’s optimized log bucking systems offers several options to maximize efficiency and sawmill flow. l Reduced sawing time The distinctive feature of this new generation of bucking systems is the saw sequence. Unlike previous generations, the saws position themselves while the stem is approaching. Then, the stem is pushed Optimized log bucking to suit your needs from BID Group toward the saws to be cut. The required sawing time is reduced while maintaining the same accuracy as with the previous generations. A camera now detects stem presence during positioning. As opposed to photocells, which could sometimes fail at detecting small diameter logs, the camera ensures reliable, accurate stem positioning. The two-way outfeed conveyor also allows diverting logs meant for the manufacturing of special products from the standard production line. l Solutions for veneer Optimized veneer solutions, based on new algorithms, are also among the latest bucking options. Once a stem is scanned, the software assesses both its shape and roughness to anticipate the presence of large knots. If the surface and shape meet the criteria, the optimizer attempts to position the veneer patterns at various places on the stem. The veneer solution is retained only if its value is greater than the standard sawing solution. l Detection of metal in stems The bucking optimizer can now receive PLC input when metal is detected in the stem. Therefore, the optimizer will avoid cutting the metal and it will find an optimized solution to reduce loss. If you value the quality of your logs and better recovery, contact BID Group to find out more about our bucking optimization options.
CARBOTECH (AUTOLOG) Carbotech is a specialist in the manufacture of sturdy equipment for sawmills, planer mills and other businesses that need reliable, long-lasting technical solutions for their operations. It strives to provide optimal equipment and solutions that contribute to their clients’ success. Thanks to its 30 years of experience, Carbotech is renowned as an innovator in the manufacture of lumber handling solutions. The company constantly invests in R&D to make its equipment more efficient and reliable while continuously improving the industry. l The STREAM FEEDER: assuring efficient log flow Recently, Carbotech has used its solid expertise to enter a new market, log handling, with the recent addition of the Stream Feeder to its lineup. Designed to improve efficiency, productivity and ultimately, profitability, it is ideal for any process that needs to unscramble logs before they head to a log merchandiser, log sorting system, debarker infeed, or primary breakdown infeed. What’s more, it’s suitable for both softwood and hardwood logs, with or without bark. Carbotech and Autolog comprehensive material The company consistently works to bring new solutions to boost perforhandling solutions mance and provide comprehensive wood handling solutions to cover the process from start to finish. l Autolog: optimization and automation of the wood-processing industry When Carbotech acquired Autolog, which has more than 30 years of knowledge and expertise in sawmill optimization/automation technologies, it took a big step toward offering a truly comprehensive range of turnkey solutions for the industry. Autolog provides solutions to the wood transformation industry for businesses of all sizes, from large corporations to small entrepreneurs. Autolog started its journey by offering industrial controls such as log and lumber sorters to reduce head count and streamline 24
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FRONTEND operations. It has since become recognized worldwide as a pioneer in wood processing optimization. It offers solutions for every part of the sawmill process, including log merchandisers, log sorting systems, breakdown equipment, board edgers, trimmers, sorters and stackers. It also offers innovative solutions for optimizing planer mills and automating their processes. l A comprehensive solution for the lumber industry For Carbotech, acquiring Autolog was a natural choice. The companies both share values such as offering optimal solutions and excelling in customer service. It was simply the logical next step to providing an all-encompassing solution for the industry. At Carbotech and Autolog, we care about your success.
CLEEREMAN INDUSTRIES Cleereman Industries came out with their 848 rosserhead debarker in April of 2018. Cleereman Industries has built their business model with the concept of providing top quality machinery, the best customer service with reasonably priced equipment. Beginning in 1955 with the sale of the first Cleereman carriage, the product line now includes carriages drives, resaws, bandmills, edgers, log turners, Stave Mill equipment, the revolutionary Lumber-Pro and all configurations of material handling equipment. The 848 debarker is no different. It is built extremely heavy Cleereman expands product lineup with rosserhead debarker. duty, over 32,000 lbs., with many features other manufacturers don’t offer. Improvements include: cast alloy steel bull wheels, keyless 3-15/16 in. stress proof alloy shafts, Cleereman HD carriage wheels with oversized Timken tapered roller bearings, riding on replaceable rail. The 848 comes standard with the “Lift and Shift” kick off arms which allows to operator to move the log to get abnormalities off of the bull wheels before debarking or to just even-end logs before kicking off the machine. The 848 comes in either our single head design or our dual head design for butt reducing with either hydraulic or electric style machine. Cleereman deluxe operators cab comes standard with palm flat joystick controls mounted in the arm rest of a deluxe high back seat. The cab can also be mounted remotely from the machine itself so no more sitting at the end of debarker. Cleereman also uses a pantograph similar to the carriage line which eliminates the cables hanging all over. Remote machine grease plate lets the operator grease the debarker from one spot instead of climbing all over the machine. See the biggest leap forward in rosserhead debarkers for yourself at Richmond Expo in May.
FULGHUM INDUSTRIES Fulghum Industries offers chippers from a 48 in. diameter sawmill chipper to a 120 in. diameter wood yard chipper. The standard for Fulghum chippers is a horizontal or vertical feed with a top or bottom discharge, but our customization doesn’t stop there. In the photo shown here is a horizontal feed chipper with a rear/side discharge to fit a customer’s existing sawmill. This is essential when replacing an odd, angled discharge chipper and when height clearance is limited. We strive to meet all our customers’ needs. Contact us to help you customize and design your chipper to fit your mill!
MELLOTT Mellott Manufacturing, known for its brand of log and lumber handling equipment, has been expanding its product line to offer more complete systems. Mellott offers several models and sizes of rosserhead log debarkers. Like the rest of the company, over the years Mellott debarkers have continued to evolve. The company’s most popular models are the LMR 48 in. and LMR 36 in. debarkers. Mellott debarkers are ruggedly built and are of heavy-duty construction. Features include cast steel alloy bull wheels, 3-7/16 in. shafts with urethane lined bearings and replaceable inserts, and remote lubrication system. The shock cord arrangement on the head and proportional joysticks allow smooth control to follow the contour of the log. Mellott is now offering the Model 70E Log Flare Butt Reducer. It is Mellott log flare butt reducer designed and built with the same rugged quality as the LMR debarkers 26
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Fulghum customizes chippers to meet your needs.
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FRONTEND and as all the Mellott product lines. The log flare butt reducer is designed to be added to a mill infeed system to reduce log handling problems and improve productivity. The butt reducer has an automatic control system with the option of a wireless remote control. With the ring debarkers gaining popularity due to their increased production, the Mellott LMR debarker as well as the butt reducer are being used in conjunction with some ring debarkers. Installed ahead of the ring debarker the removal of butt flares and oversized knots provides a more efficient debarking system. Then the log is transferred through Mellott heavy duty log decks to infeed and outfeed log troughs specifically designed to work with the ring debarker. A belt conveyor with a MDI metal detector system is an option that can be added to the conveyor line. Mellott engineers design a custom layout for each project. Whether your company is replacing a machine or putting in a completely new system, Mellott Manufacturing can supply quality, rugged equipment that is designed and built to provide reliable, durable performance. All Mellott equipment is designed and built by Mellott with an experienced staff of sales, mechanical and controls engineering along with a knowledgeable customer service team.
PORTER ENGINEERING Porter Engineering was founded in 1971 to offer specialized equipment engineering services for the forest products industry. Now, we are a leader in sawmill optimization and automation control. We focus on log merchandizing, primary, and secondary breakdown systems. Our systems include band saw variation monitoring and face checking software for quality control. We have systems in greenfield installs and machinery replacement. One of our specialties is upgrading older machines and we have a great track record of improving production, recovery and uptime that extends usable life of in-place machinery. We have worked with nearly all manufacturers in the past and are working with new ones. From older custom merchandisers to new curve-saws with profilers, short Chip-N-Saws to double length profiling quad band four sided canters, we have optimizers and controls in nearly all types of front-end machinery. Our startups are always on time with some of the shortest startup curves in the industry. We have customers running at new top speeds in as little as five days after shutdown. We provide leading edge hardware and custom-built software for each client in every installation. Our staff is primarily degreed electrical engineers and computer scientists. And our service and installation technicians have years of experience. We test all equipment and software in-house before shipping. Our service department will answer the phone 24/7. Phone and online help are free, no que, no ticket, just help when you need to get back up and running. Porter systems have a proven track record of improving value, recovery, and piece count. Our systems maximize productivity by minimizing log gap and set times, while maximizing recovery and value through real-time optimization and advanced AI setwork control. Our systems include diagnostics for quick troubleshooting to maximize uptime and easy setwork tuning. Porter’s reputation for improving recovery, productivity and superior service is one of our most valuable assets. We would like to show you how you can leverage that asset to improve your value, recovery and productivity. Give us a call to schedule a demonstration or a visit.
PROMAC One of the most considerable advantages of Promac singulators is that each rotary assembly is individually driven, resulting in empty steps being rare. Photo eyes provide a confirmation of logs in the trough enabling perfect sequencing of the rotary arms. The lower arms can constantly rotate to ensure a log has been passed up to the trough above. It is rare, if ever, that the top rotary does not have a log to drop onto the conveyor. Another significant advantage is the minimal moving mass as compared to other solutions such as step feeders and wave feeders, thereby eliminating that “built-in” operational abuse. This adds up to significant savings in potential maintenance and repair costs over the life of the machine. Optimum-sized gaps between the rotarys allow loose material to fall through, ensuring a true self-cleaning singulator. The lower rotary pocket can often hold five to seven 8 in. diameter logs. This singulator will feed logs to your conveyor just as fast Promac rotary log singular as you can take them away. The weight of an average three-stage singulator, designed for 20 ft. logs, is approximately 40,000 lbs., making it the most robust singulator on the market! 28
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FRONTEND
TS MANUFACTURING From the very start 50 years ago, log handling and merchandising has been a big part of TS Manufacturing’s product line. TS has been manufacturing sawmill equipment in all areas of log and lumber breakdown, including log decks, belts, chain log troughs, log sorting systems, log merchandising lines, step feeders and log singulators. “Our latest log merchandising project was an optimized system for 65 ft. stems,” says Riley Smith, Sales Manager for TS Manufacturing. “A single operator oversees dual merchandising sawlines completely optimized and automated.” Logs are scanned by an Automation & Electronics log optimizer after exiting the debarker, they are then kicked left or right to one of the two merchandising saw lines. A log singulator places the stems onto the merchandising saw infeed chains and proceed towards the saw. The feed chains have servo motor control to position the logs for saw cutting following the optimized solution TS Manufacturing log bucking optimization from the A&E optimizer. This is done without any mechanical stops; all PLC servo-controlled positioning. After exiting each saw, the logs are singulated back into a center belt and proceed to the TS sharp chain twin canter band saw primary breakdown system. Their product line only starts at log handling and merchandising, and also includes a robust line of automation and optimization for carriages, edgers, gangs, trimmers, sorters, stackers, and automatic stick placers. With the sawmill industry facing labor shortages, optimized and automated systems are becoming more and more prevalent; TS Manufacturing is at the forefront of this category. TS Manufacturing offers a complete line of machinery, controls and software to fit your mill and is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
USNR USNR has completed its comprehensive offerings with a new log merchandising system. The total solution includes a debarker, infeed conveyor, timber kickers, timber pusher, inclined lug chain conveyor, traveling saw carriages, and outfeed belt conveyor. USNR has designed and manufactured debarkers for decades, offering a range of sizes and configurations. USNR’s merchandiser system cuts timbers into logs according to an optimized solution. Lineal and transverse configurations offer a fully integrated solution to maximize the value and volume recovery from each timber. USNR’s vast experience with technology for integrating mechanical, PLC conNew USNR merchandising in transverse and lineal orientations trols, and bucking optimization is second to none. The merchandiser uses several pivoting circular saws, each mounted on a carriage that positions the saws along the length of the merchandiser using the optimized solution to recover the optimum value and volume of logs from each timber. Kickers are pivoting steel paddles that smoothly and rapidly kick logs and timbers off lineal conveyors toward the merchandiser or decks. USNR’s new Pinnacle Feeder comes in two configurations for logs and timbers. Both are dual-action step feeders that smoothly and consistently singulate, feeding logs and timbers to the outfeed conveyor. The Timber Pusher is an all-electric reciprocating pusher that accurately locates the leading end of a timber that’s been kicked into the merchandiser push pocket. It’s designed to ensure the cut locations do not coincide with the lugged chains. l Scanning/Optimization Lasar2 is a unique and rugged, full-coverage high-resolution 3D scanner ideal for transverse bucking applications. Immune to high levels of ambient light, Lasar2 rapidly captures unparalleled resolution and data density. BioLuma 3900L delivers the highest-speed UHD laser profiling for the most demanding lineal applications. With modern componentry and system architecture, it’s sawmill-ready, easy to install, and easy to maintain. USNR’s bucking optimizer features full 3D modeling capabilities letting you capture maximum value from every stem. It’s fully customizable, offering more features and functionality than any other system, and completely models downstream machine centers.
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FINGERJOINT LINE BOOSTS NEWLIFE Timely design, delivery allowed production to begin.
BELLEMONT, Ariz. oving its flagship sawmill operation from a greenfield site near Williams, Ariz. to a near turnkey 425,000 sq. ft. building in Bellemont, NewLife Forest Products officials were eager to get output moving. In late 2020 they decided on a high-tech fingerjoint line to begin producing fingerjoint lumber and engineered wood products (EWPs) from locally sourced cants while the new sawmill was being built. Familiar with Conception R.P. (CRP) equipment and technology, NewLife CEO Ted Dergousoff selected the company to supply the system to produce fingerjointed and edge-glued 1 in. lumber products. To deliver on the project, CRP’s challenge was to design, manufacture and deliver a fully automated, high-tech fingerjoint system within three months. By agreeing on a two-phase delivery and three-phase installation, the team was able to initially concentrate on delivering the core of the line, a CRP 2000 fingerjointing system. Sawmill personnel were able to initiate manual operations sooner and become more familiar with and trained on the core equipment as it arrived. Many of the operators were quite experienced, having worked with paper finishing equipment with the building’s former owner. Six weeks later, CRP shipped and installed the second phase, including precision end trim saws (PETs), an automatic stacker CRP 580 able to stack three bundles simultaneously, a short block feeder
M Short blocks turn into long lengths.
Automatic stacker...
...prepares multiple bundles. 36
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CRP 180, a glue detection device and various belt and chain conveyors. The CRP 2000 fingerjointing system is designed for operations up to 200 blocks/min, and up to 15 press cycles/min. depending on option New fingerjoint line begins an ongoing expansion of wood products operations at the facility. selected. The whole line is designed for automatic operations, allowing operators ning by April 2021. and small logs when completed and to concentrate on performing quality conThe Bellemont mill is a major converwill be seeking to upgrade and trol activities, monitoring overall operasion and manufacturing facility for extract value from as much smaller diamtions and maneuvering the forklift to unNewLife Forest Products, which owns eter material as possible. load finished bundles of fingerjointed and operates the Phase 1 Four Forests The fingerjoint line is a key part of the products. Restoration Initiative (4FRI) stewardship mill’s engineered wood products operaAnother technical challenge for CRP contract. The facility will handle large tion that includes production of edgewas to switch adhesive type glued product up to 12 in. during the manufacturing prowide. According to officials, cess from a PVA system to a the mill will produce both PUR glue system. Excellent structural and non-structural coordination between CRP lumber. and personnel from adhesive When completed later in supplier Henkel was critical to 2022, the 100% ponderosa ensuring this phase of the propine facility will include a ject was a success, with CRP two-line sawmill, dry kilns providing a new glue system and planer mill to go with the for PUR with new glue pump, EWP operation. The mill is viscosity controller, piping and projected to produce around water spray with the assistance 120MMBF annually once it of Henkel. A curing conveyor goes into full production later TP after the press was added to this year. help ensure product quality. (Article information and phoPhases of installation allowed employees to become familiar with The line was fully up and run- the new line. tos supplied by NewLife.)
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PABST HOLZ SORTS IT OUT A
tree reaches for the sky. Pabst Holz (Holz translates to timber) and its three Sennebogen 735s do the exact same thing. The purpose-built pick and carry machines with the high reach allow for logs to be stacked up to 32 ft. (10 m) safely without any trouble. The sawmill in Obdach, Austria is where the company began for Johann Pabst, Holzindustrie GmbH. In the heart of the Styrian timber route, the familyrun company began more than 80 years ago. Today, Pabst Holz processes 350,000 metric feet of round timber annually. This is almost exclusively spruce roundwood from the Styrian Murtal, which is locally harvested within a radius of around 75 miles (120 km). The three Sennebogen 735 E machines handle the logistics at the log yard. This includes unloading up to 60 trucks a day and feeding the sawmill. In fact, 98% of the timber is delivered by truck. The sorted logs, which are between 13-16 ft. (4-5 m) long, are then stacked on piles up to 32 ft. (10 m) high by the three pick and carry specialists with a timber grapple. The main plant in Obdach is located in a heavily wooded part of Styria: the Mur Valley. Surrounded by spruce forests and mountains, the company’s history began here in the early 1940s. This was a good starting point for the development of Pabst Holz because Austria is one of the most densely forested countries in Europe and around 34 million yd3 are harvested there annually. For almost 65 years, the company grew steadily, like a tree, until a second location was built in Zeltweg in 2005. Today, the company generates an annual revenue of more than $113 million
The Sennebogen 735 is agile and efficient when working in narrow aisles.
USD (€ 100 million) with around 280 employees. The headquarters in Zeltweg, managed by Reinhard and Johann Pabst, are home to two engineered wood beam plants as well as the Pabst Pellets and AlpenSpan productions. The molding plants as well as the sawmill are still located at the Obdach site. The big challenge at the main plant has always been the limited availability of space. Due to its valley location, it is not possible to spread out and therefore every square foot has to be used in the most optimal way. On site at the log yard, the challenge for the operators are the high stacks and narrow aisles This is where Sennebogen enters the picture. All three 735 E handlers were individually adapted to the needs of the operation by the Sennebogen engineers. The material handlers Maxcab has a fixed cab elevation of 5 ft. (1.5 m). The elevation of the cab makes it possible to stack the piles to a height of up to 32 ft. (10 m) even with narrow aisles. In addition, the mobile undercarriage with 70 t special axles in reinforced super wide gauge design and with an extended wheelbase of 12 ft. (3.6 m) forms the strong foundation of the pick and carry machines. With their three-shift operation, at least two of the A real all-round machine that is also suitable for unloading timber material handlers trucks and feeding the saw line. are always in use. As part 40
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of the company philosophy, the drivers regularly alternate with the operator of the saw line. The Pabst team is fully trained on all aspects of the operation and can be deployed at any position, if required. This includes Managing Director Reinhard Pabst and his son Reinhard. With his hands-on experience gained from working in all aspects of the operation, Reinhard Pabst uses that knowledge when selecting his machines. Pabst understands the advantages and safety aspects for his team theoretically, as well as practically and operationally. The choice of additional features for the three Sennebogen 735 E Series such as the load stabilizer to dampen load and equipment vibrations during travel as well as a comprehensive package of additional LED lights for working in the dark were decisions that could only be understood by someone who sat behind the wheel. Bernhard Grantner, responsible for the maintenance and servicing of the machines at the Obdach site, explains, “We have gradually switched to Sennebogen. We currently have three 735 pick and carry machines in operation with around 2,000, 8,000 and 10,000 operating hours each. We expect each machine to run for around 30,000 hours. In our limited space and narrow aisles, our Sennebogens allow us to work faster without time-consuming maneuvering. This makes our operation TP extremely efficient.” Article and photos submitted by Sennebogen.
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GORDON TIMBER: A MERE 160 ing’s really changed, the fundamentals remain the same. And yet everything’s changed. Through an ongoing intensive program of investment, we have progressed from our fleet of schooners and Burrell steam traction engine of the 1800s to the excitement of our first foray into 21st century robotics in our 160th year.” Founder Mackintosh’s granddaughter, Eileen, who retains a keen interest in the firm’s progress, comments, “Since my grandfather founded a Generations aplenty: RD, Eileen, Scott and Rod very small coal and timber business in 1862, the ounded in 1862—at a time when Mackintosh/Gordon partnership has Queen Victoria reigned and the flourished both in business and friendAmerican Civil War raged—Gordon ship. How thrilled my grandfather would Timber is celebrating its 160th anniverhave been to see the outstanding and exsary. Scotland’s 15th oldest family-run panding firm that John Gordon & Son business, the Nairn has now besawmilling and timber come.” company is headed up Already emby brothers Rod and ploying 81 at its Scott Gordon. The siboffices and statelings are the fourth genof-the-art eration of the family to sawmill, Gordon have run the company Timber has plans since their ancestors, to expand its John and James Gordon, workforce. Prejoined founder Hugh sent day job inHugh Mackintosh John Gordon Mackintosh in the terviews are like1870s, going on to take ly to be more rigover stewardship of the company under orous than when the current directors’ their own name in 1908. grandfather, RJR Gordon, interviewed Today, Gordon Timber (John Gordon Nairn woman, Florence Kennedy, howev& Son Ltd) is one of the UK’s most proer. He merely asked did she know when gressive timber companies, embracing in- the Battle of Hastings was? Upon correctly novations such as 3D log scanners and replying “1066” she was hired on the spot. robot production lines. With a strong Having survived two world wars and a commitment to sustainability, the compa- global pandemic, Gordon Timber has ny’s core business is converting locally succeeded by changing with the times grown roundwood into a range of high and responding to the many challenges quality products for the construction, put in its way. fencing and packaging markets. Starting out life as a coal and lime merSpeaking about marking the milestone, chant, founder and local shipping scion Joint Managing Director Scott Gordon Mackintosh was later joined by John and comments, “Gordon Timber has come a James Gordon, and together they devellong way since Hugh Mackintosh anoped the business, shipping pit-props nounced 160 years ago, from The Steammilled from timber from Moray Firth Esboat Office, Nairn, that ‘By keeping a tates to the collieries of the North East of good article and strict attention to detail, England. The schooners would return he will merit a share of public patronage.’ laden with coal for the households of “People, quality and service, nothNairn and Nairnshire.
F
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Famously, the firm’s schooners once shipped a church sited on Nairn’s Lochloy Road, stone by stone, to Lochinver where it was re-erected and continues to serve the community of Assynt and Stoer Parish. The company’s many schooners included The Nairnshire, The Lossie and the Mary Nish. In 1915 with coal supplies in Nairn running low and the Mary Nish stormbound in Sunderland, the vessel set sail but was sadly lost along with its crew and 180 tons of coal. To this day Gordon Timber holds the pay packet of a crew member from Riga, Latvia (“Peter the Russian”) whose next of kin have never been traced. A move from Harbour Street in the town to Balblair Road saw the company diversify from coal and timber into a wide range of farmers’ requisites and oatmeal milling. John Gordon’s son, RJR Gordon, joined the firm in 1936 and was instrumental in modernizing the milling operation following a serious fire in 1944. Present Chairman RD Gordon joined in 1957, investing in new mills in 1966, 1976 and 1985 and seeing the company become a leading player in the UK timber industry. He also pioneered the shipping of pulp to Sweden in the 1980s with the company today shipping their sought after FSC certified chips to Norway in 2,000 tonne boatloads. Current Joint MDs, Rod and Scott, have built on that success, seeing Gordon Timber established as one of the UK’s foremost sawmilling and timber companies and a key local employer. The company was proud to become an accredited Living Wage Employer in 2021. In keeping with its history of being a responsible employer, the company emphasizes the importance of paying a fair wage that reflects the real cost of living. Maintaining this accreditation going forward is of special importance TP to the operation. Article and photos submitted by Gordon Timber.
Left to right, Rod and Scott Gordon
TIMBER PROCESSING
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MACHINERYROW Schilliger Purchases Ledinek CLT Line The construction of wood buildings is booming not only in North America but also in EU and around the world. The demand for CLT large format panels has increased accordingly. In order to satisfy this demand Schilliger Holz AG,
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Switzerland’s biggest sawmill, is investing in an automated CLT production line in Volgelsheim, France, in the border region next to Germany and Switzerland. The order for the entire production line was placed with Ledinek. At the
Volgelsheim location, the new production line will go into operation in the third quarter of 2023. The production capacity will be 100 m³ per shift or 50,000 m³/year in two-shift operation. Decisive for the award to Ledinek was the many years of experience with CLT systems. “We were won over by the performance of individual main machines, the innovative approach and the coherent system concept,” says owner and Managing Director Ernest Schilliger. Ledinek will also implement new concepts with this system. This is achieved by further developing the existing machines. However, more information will only be given after commissioning. The line consists of a quality sorting system with a planer and
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MACHINERYROW scanner, as well as two stacking machines for different qualities. The goods prepared in this way can be supplied to CLT production either directly or via the warehouse. Fast vacuum destacking, the X-Cut cross-cut saw and the powerful Kontizink 2500 fingerjointing cycle system deliver up to 20,000 lm of lamellas per shift. This is followed by a generously dimensioned curing warehouse, a SU-
PERPLAN S400 lamella planer and the innovative Z-Press 16 joint gluing system for the production of pre-glued single-layer panels for lengthways layers. The transverse layers are supplied by a Z-Press CL, which, through external tasks, allows the system’s performance to be increased further. Large plate buffers for lengthways and crosswise layers give the system the flexibility it needs to be able to produce batch size 1 without any
loss of performance. After pressed in the 26-fold reoccurrence of the X-Press 16 (3rd Gen version), it goes to the grinding machine and on to the CNCs. Due to its flexibility, the line is also designed for the production of KVH. The entire system is controlled by the master computer “X-Lam Manager,” which exchanges data with the inhouse ERP. Article and image supplied by Ledinek.
Carrier Purchases Transverse Scanners Carrier Lumber has purchased a pair of Lucidyne 900 transverse scanners for installation in its Prince George, BC sawmill. These will be the first installations of the new Lucidyne 900 transverse scanner in North America. The scanner purchases come two years after Carrier installed a Lucidyne GradeScan in its planer mill. After being extremely satisfied with the GradeScan results, Carrier chose to invest in Lucidyne again for its sawmill; one Lucidyne 900 will be installed ahead of the trimmer, the other ahead of the edger. Dylan Tobin, Sawmill Manager for Carrier, says they are continuing their partnership with Lucidyne largely because of Lucidyne’s artificial intelligence, the scanner having almost no downtime and grade turnout, trimming, and the overall excellent ease-of-use. These systems will be installed and started up in mid-2022.
Canfor Plans Sling Sorter Enhancement Canfor is investing in 50 new sorter top sling bay assemblies at its planer mill facility in Graham, NC. This massive overhaul will update the existing sling sorter frame and replace worn equipment with modern sling sorters from USNR. The new sorter top assemblies will be fitted to the existing structural steel frame, offering a faster and more reliable sorting operation. Maximizing uptime and throughput are the primary objectives of this investment, and this sorter upgrade will ensure Canfor’s Graham location continues to run at peak performance. The startup is scheduled for Q3 of 2022. Sling sorters offer gentle handling of lumber and are often utilized in appearance-grade planer mill applications. 46
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MACHINERYROW Visit us online: www.timberprocessing.com
Flamex Names Thomas As President FLAMEX Inc. announced Tony Thomas as its new President, succeeding Allen Wagoner after 13 years at that post. Thomas has been with the company for almost 32 years and has been serving as vice president. Ed Pridgen assumes the role as Vice President in addition to his position as MINFOG Product Manager. “This change in leadership will no doubt prove to be a very positive step for FLAMEX as these highly capable gentlemen will bring a new vision and direction to our company,” comments Wagoner. “It has been my honor and privilege to have been able to play a role in the management of our company and I look forward to remaining with the organization for an indefinite period of time to serve at the pleasure and in support of the new management.”
Sellick Equipment Names President Sellick Equipment Ltd. announced the appointment of Colin Sellick as President of the company. A third generation of the family, Sellick has a wealth of knowledge as he has worked in most areas of the company including assembly, parts, product support, sales and implementation of the EPR system. Dan Rankin, CPA, CA has been appointed as Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer. Greg Buckley will become Director of Engineering and Procurement.
GP Completes Diboll Project Georgia-Pacific’s Diboll Lumber Mill in Texas has been a mainstay for the last 100-plus years in Diboll and the surrounding towns. To ensure its longevity for many years to come, Georgia-Pacific has completed a $7 million upgrade that will modernize the mill and help increase its overall production. “We have been in business for a long time in Diboll and this investment, which comes on the heels of the construction of a new multi-million-dollar crane, shows GP’s commitment to grow and thrive in this community,” says Danny Wright, Diboll Lumber Plant Manager. The capital project focused on the mill’s boiler reliability and maintenance 48
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MACHINERYROW and the rebuild of two dry kilns. “Our kilns were actually built in the early ’80s. From replacing kiln panels and roof vents to the installation of a new heating coil system and the manual baffle lift system, the kilns will be more reliable and as a result will lead to fewer downtime events and minimize continuous repairs,” Wright adds. Two hundred contractors plus employees completed the multi-million-dollar
improvement project in a little over two weeks. “Due to high demand for our products within the marketplace, we worked hard to get the updates completed as effectively and efficiently as possible,” Wright says. The Diboll Lumber capital improvement project is just one of many investments Georgia-Pacific is making at its lumber mills throughout the country. This year the company’s Pineland Lum-
ber Mill in Pineland, Texas, will undergo $120 million in additions and improvements in an overall modernization effort that will also increase the mill’s overall production.
Weinig Gains CLT Project In Germany The Weinig Group reports it has received an order as a complete supplier for a CLT project at HolzBauWerk Schwarzwald GmbH, including all automation components, planers, crosscut saws, fingerjointing lines, edge-gluing machines for longitudinal and cross-layers, plus the surface press. Several innovations that reflect the high level of quality and flexibility required by HolzBauWerk Schwarzwald GmbH have been incorporated into the project at Seewald-Besenfeld in Germany.
Bakelite Purchases GP Phenolics Bakelite Synthetics is purchasing Georgia-Pacific’s Phenolics Chemicals business in the Americas. The transaction will provide complementary resin and formaldehyde technology and end markets which will improve Bakelite’s market valuation position. The transaction includes 11 chemical facilities employing 600 in the U.S. and South America. The sale does not include GP Pine Chemicals, which is part of the company’s packaging and cellulose businesses.
American Securities Purchases Hexion Hexion Holdings Corp. has entered into an agreement to be acquired by affiliates of American Securities LLC. The transaction follows Hexion’s previously announced sale of its Epoxy business to Westlake Chemical Corp. Hexion remains a leading global producer of adhesives and performance materials that enable the production of engineered wood products and other growing specialty materials. The company has 27 manufacturing facilities globally and 1,300 employees. Operating under American Securities’ ownership, Hexion Holdings is poised to build on its momentum and continue its record of delivering innovative, high-quality products and service to customers. 50
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ATLARGE Eighth PELICE Offers Up 50 Speakers ore than 50 speakers, including eight keynoters, will participate in M the eighth Panel & Engineered Lumber
Technology sessions will focus on Quality Control, Resins & Waxes, Air Treatment, Fire Prevention, Process Optimization, and Energy Applications. “I can’t express enough appreciation for the speakers who are volunteering their time and the exhibitors who have worked PELICE into their budgets,” Donnell says. “All sectors of the wood products industry have been performing great and we’re planning for PELICE to capture that spirit. The eighth PELICE may be the best one yet.” PELICE is immediately preceded by what will be the seventh Wood Bioenergy Conference & Expo, which is hosted Wood Bioenergy magazine and Georgia Research Institute.
International Conference & Expo to be held March 31 to April 1 at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta, Ga. The event, which is hosted by Panel World magazine, an affiliate of Timber Processing magazine, and Georgia Research Institute, will also include 90 equipment and technology exhibitor companies stationed in the Grand Ballroom North immediately adjacent the meeting rooms. Exhibitors signed up for either the Gold, Silver or Bronze sponsorship packages. “After the uncertainties of the past two years, it’s refreshing to see the participation from producer and exhibitor companies and their personnel that continues to build for PELICE,” comments Rich Donnell, Co-Chairman of PELICE and Editor-in-Chief of Panel World and Timber Processing magazines. “Everybody is ready to get out and see each other inperson again. And while they’re enjoying each other’s company and the several food functions, they can also take in a great conference program.” Keynote speakers come from the likes Scott Poole of RoyOMartin, Roseburg, Swiss Krono, Egger and Coastland Wood Industries, which is representative of PELICE and its appeal to both the structural and nonstructural wood producer segments. Other keynoters will provide economic and market forecasts and address the environmental advantages of wood products that the public and even the construction industry at long last is becoming increasingly aware of.
Roger Tutterow
Jake Elston
Jackson Morrill
See The Agenda & Register for PELICE
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ATLARGE
Coulter Retires From Hancock Lumber After an incredible 36-year career at Hancock Lumber, Casco, Maine, Russell Coulter retired at the end of 2021. Kevin Hancock recognized Russell at the December Board of Directors meeting in Casco. “Russell has lived through and done everything there is to do at Hancock Lumber—he’s been a manager, an executive, the equivalent of a COO, a director sitting on the board, and a stockholder of the company. One word above all others that comes to mind when I think of Russell is candor. You always knew that Russell was going to tell you exactly what he thought—whether you really wanted to hear it, kind of wanted to hear it, or had zero interest in hearing it…you were going to hear it! Now, that is the greatest gift you could give your company and your coworkers. His contribution to our company is historic, transformational, and highly valued. Thank you, Russell!” From building the Pittsfield sawmill as his inaugural project in 1986 to leading major projects like installing turbines that create power at the sawmills, Coulter did everything there was to do in the sawmill division. Sawmill Division COO Aaron Schulte comments, “Russell will certainly be leaving the company as a legend in the Sawmill Division as he has played such a significant role at all three facilities.”
Lumber Quality Workshops Announced Terry Brown and the Lumber Quality Institute will again offer two lumber quality-related workshops in Atlanta for the sawmill industry in April 2022. The Lumber Quality and Process Control Workshop will be held April 25-26, and the Lumber Quality Leadership Workshop April 27-28. Both sessions will be at the Embassy Suites, Perimeter Center Hotel in north Atlanta. These programs have earned the reputation for providing practical, mill-tested information that results in millions of dollars of added mill revenue each year. Managers look to them as effective tools for educating supervisors from all areas of the sawmill. Additional program information is available at lumberquality.com/SouthernWorkshops, or by phoning 541-752-2751. 54
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ATLARGE
Western FP CEO Stepping Down Western Forest Products Inc. announced that its President & CEO Don Demens intends to retire by March 31, 2023. The Board of Directors has commenced a search for a new president and CEO. Demens will continue in his role as President & CEO until his replacement has been found to ensure a smooth transition. He will also remain a member of the company’s Board of Directors until such time as the transition to his successor occurs. “I am proud of what we have accomplished at Western,” Demens says. “I am confident in the strength of Western’s management team.” “On behalf of the Board, I want to thank Don for his significant contributions to the company over the past 13 years, including nine as CEO,” says Michael Waites, Chair of the Board. “Don played a key role in transforming Western intoa leading specialty softwood supplier in North America and furthering the company’s vital work around sustainability and First Nations reconciliation.” Western has a lumber capacity in excess of 1 billion BF from seven sawmills and four remanufacturing facilities. The company sources timber from its private lands, long-term licenses, First Nations arrangements, and market purchases.
Investments at Nuveen. “It clearly demonstrates our depth of market knowledge and active management capabilities to produce superior results for our clients.” “This acquisition is a great example of how we create value through active portfolio management,” says David Nunes, President and CEO of Rayonier. “Located in highly productive areas of Texas and Georgia, with a mature ageclass distribution that complements our
existing portfolio, these properties help Rayonier grow scale in strong timber markets.”
Weyco Canada Names Graham COO Weyerhaeuser has appointed David Graham as President of Weyerhaeuser Co. Ltd., its wholly owned Canadian subsidiary. Graham’s appointment follows the
Asset Firm Sells Acreage To Rayonier Nuveen Natural Capital, a globally diversified investment and asset management company specializing in the acquisition and stewardship of forestry assets, completed the sale of 66,800 acres in Texas and Georgia to Rayonier, a leading timberland real estate investment trust. The purchase price, before transaction costs, was $124.2 million. The sale completes a successful investment cycle for Nuveen Natural Capital, capitalizing on a unique opportunity for a high quality, scale owner in the region. Nuveen Natural Capital began investing in timberland in the region in 1998, on behalf of TIAA, acquiring the Texas and Georgia properties between 1999 and 2005. “We are very pleased with the timing and strategic nature of this transaction,” says Chris Lipton, Head of Timberland TIMBER PROCESSING
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ATLARGE planned retirement of Fred Dzida, who has served as president of the company’s Canadian subsidiary since 2014 and will stay on through March 2022. Graham joined Weyerhaeuser in 1991 as an engineer and has held a variety of senior leadership positions in the company’s Wood Products and Timberlands organizations, including most recently as vice president of HR supporting the Timberlands and Corporate Development businesses and previously as vice president of the company’s Oriented Strand Board business.
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Resolute Strengthens EWP Portfolio Resolute Forest Products Inc. announced two separate transactions to grow and improve the competitiveness of its wood products business. Resolute reached an agreement with Louisiana-Pacific Corp. to acquire the latter’s 50% equity interest in two joint ventures that produce I-joists in the Lac-SaintJean region of Quebec for $50 million. Resolute-LP Engineered Wood Larouche Inc. and Resolute-LP Engineered Wood St-Prime Limited Partnership are located
in Larouche and Saint-Prime, respectively, and are equity method investments in which Resolute has a 50% interest in each entity. Resolute operates the facilities and its joint-venture partner, Louisiana-Pacific, sells the products. “By acquiring the other 50% of the Ijoist partnership, we solidify our presence in the growing and attractive engineered wood products segment with assets we know well, staffed with a talented and dedicated workforce of more than 175
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ATLARGE people,” says Remi Lalonde, president and CEO. “In addition to locking in the downstream integration of over 60 million board feet of lumber capacity, the transaction allows us to consolidate the full value of the EBITDA it generates, 50% of which had up to now been included in other income. I would like to acknowledge our successful partnership with Louisiana-Pacific that has spanned several decades, one that we dissolve amicably as we each pursue value-generation opportunities for our respective companies.” Resolute will enter into agreements with Louisiana-Pacific to continue to serve as the exclusive distributor of the engineered wood products manufactured at the two operations. In a separate transaction, Resolute announced an agreement for the purchase of a cogeneration facility in Senneterre, Quebec. “The purchase of the 34.5-megawatt cogeneration facility, adjacent to our Senneterre sawmill, builds on our significant investments in the region, including the ongoing project toward a new planer and associated equipment we announced last summer, as well as operational improvements recently completed at our Comtois sawmill. With this cogen, we will maximize the use of biomass from our regional operations, generating green power and providing a platform for future growth and enhanced competitiveness in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region,” Lalonde comments. The acquisitions, subject to regulatory approvals and certain closing conditions, are expected to close in the first half of 2022. Resolute intends to pay for the purchases with cash on hand.
Western Lumbermen Eye Annual Meeting Western Wood Products Assn. is gearing up for its annual meeting to be held May 24-26 at Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, Wash. The WWPA meeting will run concurrently with the Softwood Lumber Board meeting at the lodge during these dates. The 2022 agenda starts with the Welcome Reception & Exchange Show Tuesday evening May 24. The following day events include Quality Standards/Technical Services Committee Meeting and the prestigious Master Lumberman Awards. WWPA members are also invited to attend the Wednesday reception and dinner hosted by the Softwood Lumber Board. 58
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WOOD PRODUCTS MARKETPLACE NORTH AMERICA
■ Minnesota
■ North Carolina
■ Canada ■ Ontario Buyers & Wholesalers We produce quality 4/4 - 8/4 Appalachian hardwoods • Red Oak, White Oak, Poplar •
Green Lumber: Air Dried, Kiln Dried Timbers & Crossties
• Hickory, Sycamore, Beech, Gum & Elm • Custom Cut Timbers: Long lengths and wide widths
Sales/Service: 336-746-5419
336-746-6177 (Fax) • www.kepleyfrank.us
■ Tennessee
STACKING STICKS
FOR SALE
Next closing: July 6, 2022
AIR-O-FLOW profiled & FLAT sticks available Imported & Domestic
■ United States
DHM Company - Troy, TN 38260 731-446-4069 Fax: 707-982-7689 email: kelvin@kilnsticks.com www.KILNSTICKS.com
■ Georgia Beasley Forest Products, Inc. P.O. Box 788 Hazlehurst, GA 31539
beasleyforestproducts.com Manufactures Kiln-Dried 4/4 Red and White Oak, Poplar, Ash and Cypress Contact: Linwood Truitt Phone (912) 253-9000 / Fax: (912) 375-9541 linwood.truitt@beasleyforestproducts.com
Pallet components, X-ties, Timbers and Crane Mats Contact: Ray Turner Phone (912) 253-9001 / Fax: (912) 375-9541 ray.turner@beasleyforestproducts.com
■ Kentucky HAROLD WHITE LUMBER, INC. MANUFACTURER OF FINE APPALACHIAN HARDWOODS
(606) 784-7573 • Fax: (606) 784-2624 www.haroldwhitelumber.com
Ray White
Domestic & Export Sales rwhite@haroldwhitelumber.com Cell: (606) 462-0318
Green & Kiln Dried, On-Site Export Prep & Loading Complete millworks facility, molding, milling & fingerjoint line
WANT TO GET YOUR AD IN OUR NEXT MARKETPLACE? Call or email Melissa McKenzie 334-834-1170 melissa@hattonbrown.com 02/22
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Call Toll-Free: 1-800-669-5613
LUMBERWORKS GREENWOOD KILN STICKS Importers and Distributors of Tropical Hardwood Kiln Sticks GW Industries www.gwi.us.com
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“The lowest cost per cycle”
Dennis Krueger 866-771-5040
Jackie Paolo 866-504-9095
greenwoodimportsllc@gmail.com
jackie@gwi.us.com
EMPLOYMENTOPPORTUNITIES Recruiting Services
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& ASSOCIATES, INC Contingency or Retained Search Depending on Circumstances / Needs
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Top Wood Jobs
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Recruiting and Staffing George Meek
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Austin, Texas
geo@TopWoodJobs.com www.TopWoodJobs.com (360) 263-3371
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PRODUCTSCANNER10 New Software Manages Timber Loads, Inventory Legna Software, a leading software developer in the wood products industry for more than 30 years, announced the launch of Angel, a software-as-a-service platform developed to manage timber procurement and inventory management in one, easyto-use, cloud-based interface. “Angel ensures that all stakeholders in the value chain—loggers in the field, truck drivers transporting lumber to the weigh scale and executives in the sawmill’s central office—have access to the same data in real time, eliminating wasted time and costly errors while increasing transparency and log security,” says Woody Rich, CEO of Legna Software. “Our goal with Angel is to increase operational efficiency and overall business productivity with a single end goal in mind: drive profitability for our customers.” Accessible anywhere, Angel is a SaaS platform that consolidates data from three mobile applications used in the field
by loggers, scale operators, and log yard managers. Angel improves workflow by capturing data at the source, preserving data integrity for all stakeholders in the supply chain. —Angel Loader enables loggers to create an e-ticket in the field, providing immediate visibility into what products are being loaded and where they’re being sent. —Angel Receiver allows scale operators to easily match electronic tickets generated in the field with an arriving load. —Angel Unloader enables log yard operators to capture load attributes and sync
them to existing e-tickets in real-time. “Angel has given us the ability to know exactly how many loads have been shipped and to where—even letting us access this real-time information while we’re away from our office,” says Chris Charest, a procurement forester with H.W. Culp Lumber Co. in New London, NC. “Being able to see and assess procurement data from anywhere instantly is unbeatable. This real-time information enables us to maximize our merchandising value. Angel lets our team stay ahead of what needs to happen with settlements and processing so there are no surprises.” “Angel is a life saver,” adds Lowell Gibson, a procurement officer at Hankins Lumber Co., Inc. in Grenada, Miss. “Prior to Angel, we lacked real-time visibility into what is going on in the yard. After implementing the solution, we have immediate access to what’s going on in our business. Inventory is more accurate and faster, especially per deck. With assigning loads in realtime to decks, there’s zero guesswork on where tons and cost are applied.” Visit legnasoftware .com/angel
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MAINEVENTS MARCH
AUGUST
15-17—Dubai Woodshow, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Call +971 4 39 23232; visit dubaiwoodshow.com.
23-26—IWF 2022, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga. Call 404-693-8333; visit iwfatlanta.com.
16-18—2022 SLMA & SFPA Spring Meeting & Expo, Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans, La. Call 504-443-4464; visit slma.org. 23-25—Hardwood Manufacturers Association's National Conference and Expo, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, Miramar Beach, Fla. Call 412-244-0440; visit hmamembers.org. 28-29—California Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Kimpton, The Sawyer Hotel, Sacramento, Calif. Call 916-444-6592; visit calforests.org. 29-30—Wood Bioenergy Conference & Expo, Omni Hotel at CNN Center, Atlanta, Ga. Call 334-834-1170; visit bioenergyshow.com. 29-31—Kentucky Forest Industries Assn. annual meeting, Embassy Suites, Lexington, Ky. Call 502-695-3979; visit kfia.org. 29-April 1—Fimma-Maderalia 2022, Feria Valencia, Valencia, Spain. Visit fimma-maderalia.feriavalencia.com/en. 31-April 1—Panel & Engineered Lumber International Conference & Expo (PELICE), Omni Hotel at CNN Center, Atlanta, Ga. Call 334-834-1170; visit pelice-expo.com.
APRIL 6-8—International Wood Products Assn. 66th World of Wood Convention, Omni Orlando Resort At Championsgate, Orlando, Fla. Call 703-820-6696; visit iwpawood.org. 25-26—Lumber Quality and Process Control Workshop, Embassy Suites Perimeter Center, Atlanta, Ga. Call 541-7522751; visit lumberquality.com/Southern-Workshops. 27-28—Lumber Quality Leadership Workshop. Embassy Suites Perimeter Center, Atlanta, Ga. Call 541-752-2751; visit lumberquality.com/Southern-Workshops. 27-29—MSR Annual Workshop, Courtyard by Marriott, Salt Lake City, Utah. Call 608-310-6768; visit msrlumber.org. 27-29—International CLT Conference, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama. Visit sfws.auburn.edu.
MAY 6-7—Loggers’ Expo, Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction, Vt. Call 315-369-3078; visit northernlogger.com. 20-21—38th East Coast Sawmilling and Logging Exposition, Richmond Raceway Complex, Richmond Raceway Complex, Richmond, Va. Call 804-737-5625; visit exporichmond.com.
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SEPTEMBER 28-30—Timber Processing & Energy Expo, Portland Expo Center, Portland, Ore. Call 334-834-1170; visit timberprocessingandenergyexpo.com. Listings are submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with contacts prior to making plans to attend.
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