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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 46 • Number 3 • April 2021 Founded in 1976 • Our 472nd 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
Big Sawmill Transaction In The UK
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KATERRA COMES ON
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CANTER-PROFILER LINES
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LEADERSHIP
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CLT Facility Is Finding Its Groove
It's Getting Competitive Out There
Good Leaders Don’t Just Happen
LOG GRADING
No One-Size-Fits-All In Appalachians
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MACHINERY ROW
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PRODUCT SCANNER 10
Saw Shop Keeps Pace With Technology Keeping Mold Off Your Pallets
COVER: Our split cover articles feature the new Katerra cross-laminated timber facility in Spokane, Wash. (Jessica Johnson photo), and the results of a survey on log yard scaling and grading in Appalachian hardwood mills (David Abbott photo at Thompson Appalachian Hardwoods, circa 2015).
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 ® 2021. 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
DARE WE TAKE ONE LAST LOOK
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s I write this, on March 23, 2021, I am compelled to reflect on what was going on one year ago in the U.S. By now, COVID-19 has reared its lethal head in a long-term care facility in King County in the state of Washington and it is showing up elsewhere. The National Basketball Assn. halts its season (I am actually at the game in Atlanta when they make that announcement). The NCAA cancels its post-season basketball tournament. Baseball cancels its spring training. Florida cancels spring break. We are being told how to gather at home, at work, and not travel anywhere, especially by flight and most certainly not out of the country. We are in a global pandemic. Forget about going out to eat and please tread carefully through the grocery store. Hand-washing with warm water and soap, as simple as it sounds, becomes our leading defense, and wearing of masks creeps into our daily existence. Instead of watching the scoreboard for points and runs, we monitor it for number of cases and number of deaths. Joe Biden, after falling behind in the Democratic presidential primaries in February, wins most of the states in March and becomes his party’s frontrunner. Biden suddenly leads Trump in most national polls. Trump begins pouring billions of dollars into struggling American homes, into American businesses to keep their workers on the payroll and into COVID-19 treatment and vaccination research. People beg to know how long it will take to come up with a vaccine. The standard answer is 18 months if everything goes absolutely perfect, but not forgetting that our previous vaccine record is four years. Our building products industry shuts down and then essentially on site and remotely off site goes back to work. The home building business rebounds and lumber prices skyrocket. Local restaurants aren’t as fortunate. Meanwhile there’s chaos in the streets. Black Lives Matter protests sprout up everywhere. A movement called Antifa takes out Starbucks in Seattle and Portland. With one eye on COVID-19 and the other eye on the presidential race, Trump never gains the upper hand on Biden. Some people, including Trump, think the election is stolen, but that argument never gains the upper hand either. A month after the election, the first vaccine emerges for distribution in the U.S. Biden is sworn in, followed by more payroll protection and family stimulus funding. Most of us know somebody who has suffered severely with the virus, perhaps even died. Vaccination sites are popping up everywhere. Most people in my circle of friends, including myself and my wife, have had the two shots. It brings a great feeling of relief but also melancholy over those who didn’t make it to the shots. A pathologist tells me, explaining the swiftness of the development of several effective vaccines, that the virus (in terms of medicinal research) was an easy target when confronted by a large number of laboratories working at the same time to find different approaches to induce the immune reaction against the virus. So here we are, one year later, approximately 30 million cases in the U.S. and 550,000 deaths, which is getting close to the number of lives lost in the Civil War. The dreadful numbers aren’t rising as quickly. Sporting events are back and are allowing some attendance. We’re not out of the woods yet, but is that a clearing TP up ahead?
Contact Rich Donnell, ph: 334-834-1170; fax 334-834-4525; e-mail: rich@hattonbrown.com TIMBER PROCESSING
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NEWSFEED UK’S JAMES JONES BUYS GT TIMBER UK’s James Jones & Sons Ltd. has acquired GT Timber Ltd., the parent company of Taylormade Timber Products Ltd. and Kerr Timber Products Ltd., which operate sawmills at Sherburn Hill, Durham and Annan. The acquisition will increase James Jones & Sons annual sawn output to 800,000 m3 (339MMBF), consolidating its position as the UK’s largest privately owned sawmill, timber engineering and pallet manufacturing company. “We are delighted to have concluded this transaction and are really pleased that the existing management team are staying on within the enlarged group to provide continuity, facilitate the integration and to
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tor of GT Timber Ltd. “Their extensive timber industry experience and financial strength will allow the investment program that we have already started to reach a successful conclusion. The sale process was completed quickly and James Jones & Sons expands lumber smoothly, reinforcing production capacity. our long-held views that James Jones & Sons is a famihelp realize our long-term ly company who shares the strategic plans,” comments Tom Bruce-Jones, Chairman of same values, ethos and philosophy. We are very excited James Jones & Sons Ltd. “The about the future.” sawn output from these mills The combined group will will complement our portfolio now operate eight sawlines and will allow us to offer inand employ 1,225. The creased product opportunities Group’s Timber Systems Div. for our existing, and newly exmanufactures JJI-Joists from panded, customer base.” its operation at Forres and has “On behalf of our sharethe capacity to supply engiholders and employees, I am neered floors for 200,000 new very pleased that GT Timber house builds per year. The PalLtd. will become part of the James Jones Group,” says Jilly let and Packaging Div. has 16 sites located across the UK. Wentworth, Managing Direc-
HUMBOLDT BIOCHAR GAINS ATTENTION Utilizing a major cogeneration residual, Humboldt Sawmill in Scotia, Calif. has obtained a European Biochar Certificate, reportedly the first U.S. based company to do so. Through the production of biochar, a byproduct of its Scotia cogeneration plant, Humboldt Sawmill is providing a sustainable product that can be added to soils by farmers and other landowners to aid in water retention, nutrient conservation, beneficial microbial composition, and overall quantity of stable organic matter. To bring its biochar to market, the company has partnered with Pacific Biochar Benefit Corp. (PBBC), which provides raw and processed biochar ➤ 12
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NEWSFEED 8 ➤ products to agricultural and other users. Humboldt Sawmill is one of the Mendocino Family of Companies. These include Allweather Wood, Humboldt Redwood Co., Humboldt Sawmill Co., Mendocino Forest Products and Mendocino Redwood Co. Mendocino Companies owns 440,000 acres of Forest Stewardship Council certified timberland and is the largest producer of redwood lumber in the world. Additionally, Mendocino Companies owns and operates a 25 MW plant at Scotia and the largest wood pellet plant in California.
NEW NAME IS WOODVILLE The former bankrupt German Pellets industrial wood pellet facility in Woodville,
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Texas that was purchased by Estonia-based Graanul Invest Group in June 2019 now operates as Woodville Pellets. Graanul Invest Group is the second largest pellet producer in the world and the largest in Europe. Woodville Pellets LLC also has a pellet storage and shipping terminal in Port Arthur, Texas. The pellet plant has a production capacity of 496,000 tons per year. The operations are undergoing new project work. Graanul Invest Group has 12 modern wood pellet mills and the company’s annual pellet production capacity is 2.98 million tons. The group owns six combined heat and power plants that are biomass-based units. Graanul Invest also includes three forestry companies and over 50,000 hectares of forestland in the Baltics.
The group plants more than a million trees annually.
WEYCO BUYS 69,000 ACRES Weyerhaeuser is purchasing 69,200 acres of high-quality Alabama timberlands from Soterra, a subsidiary of Greif, Inc., for $149 million. The acquisition comprises highly productive timberlands in southwest Alabama, 100 miles north of Mobile. Weyerhaeuser points to the well-stocked timber inventory, including 76% plantation acreage with an average age of 14 years, and an opportunity for increased productivity over time. “These timberlands are located in favorable markets and well-integrated with our existing supply chain, and we have strong relationships with
a diverse and reliable set of customers in the area,” says Devin Stockfish, president and CEO.
SMELL THAT BARBECUE! Dansons USA announces it will open the country’s largest barbecue wood pellet mill and distribution center in Hope, Ark., staring with three pelletizers and 100,000 ton capacity, with infrastructure in place to expand to 300,000 tons and nine pelletizers. The site will also serve as a distribution center for wood pellets as well as wood pellet barbecue grills and will be responsible for creating 50-100 jobs in the next three years. The site is a former Georgia-Pacific facility and the area has a strong infrastructure for wood processing.
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GM Jason Herman considers each of the workers as supervisor caliber.
MOVING
FORWARD By Jessica Johnson
Three CNC machine centers prepare CLT panels for the field.
Katerra is taking the manufacturing of CLT to another level with the latest technology.
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SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. t takes a lot of time, energy and finance to rewrite the modus operandi of the construction industry supply chain. Just ask Katerra. While the big picture evolves, the new Katerra CLT plant here is an innovative blend of production technology that makes it one of the most advanced CLT operations in North America. Speaking on behalf of the employees, General Manager Jason Herman says the highly automated facility lives off of three things—safety, quality and production, 14
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held together by three things—wood, glue and pride. Herman, a wood products manufacturing veteran who’s been in the industry for 28 years and involved in CLT since
2012, notes if it wasn’t for the ownership taken by the 50 employees during construction, commissioning and up to that first order, the facility wouldn’t be where it is today—operating one of the highest
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USNR’s lumber handling expertise is evident throughout the facility.
volume CLT producing factories in North America at a 90% and growing uptime rate. Herman’s management style is to get things moving quickly, but it takes the right people and attitude. “Our management team was also our hiring team, which interviewed every potential employee,” Herman says. “The biggest asset is not the equipment. The biggest asset is not even in the building. The biggest asset is the people in the process; without them we don’t deliver. I push them to take ownership and pride in what they do. My ultimate goal is that if we have 50 people at the factory, we also have 50 supervisors. This brings personal responsibility, pride and accountability into everything we do.” To carry that philosophy forward, Herman, who started his career working the floor at a mill in Montana, says when looking at process change, input from the team is critical. “Everyone lays their ideas down on the table and my job is to pick up the one that makes the most sense and then drive it forward.” This has led Herman to find innovation in ways he might not have uncovered before—insight coming from the operators working on a specific machine center or process on a daily basis. It also helps drive employee ownership, going back to the idea the facility lives off “wood, glue and pride.” Herman believes strongly in roundrobin communication and he sees where
it’s brought the facility great success. Since commissioning in May 2019, the facility reports no major hang-ups, no quality claims and no lost time accidents. “Vendors are important and the staff is incredibly important,” he says succinctly. Once the site was picked out in Spokane Valley, area contractors Lydig (construction) and McKinstry (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) were brought in, following engineering work from Evergreen Engineering. Casey Industrial provided equipment technology consultation and installation, supporting the in-house construction and engineering teams.
Herman’s team needed to move swiftly—as in a matter of weeks—from construction to commissioning to full certification from PFS TECO. A construction site in uptown Spokane was waiting for CLT panels to be delivered 21 days after the initial commissioning. “We hammered down. We didn’t have a choice,” Herman says. “It has been full speed ahead since May of 2019 to now.”
MAKING CLT The $150 million, 270,000 square foot facility, mostly supplied by equipment supplier USNR (which is based at ➤ 18
USNR scanning gets boards to where they need to go prior to CLT layup.
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USNR CLT press puts three-way pressure on panels.
14 ➤ the opposite corner of the state) produces multiple cross-laminated layup configurations up to 12 ft. wide by 60 ft. long with thickness range from 3.24 in. in to 12.42 in., with spruce-pine-fir and some fir and larch. The panels are certified for SPF V2 and CE1 certification, laying up 2100 MSR grade lumber. While formal certification and testing is done by PFS TECO, Katerra also has an in-house lab where testing is done using Metriguard and Instron machines. The product is also certified by SFI, FSC and PEFC for sustainability. Lumber is sourced from a variety of regional producers in 2x6 and 2x8 sizes, with 95% being 2x6 #2 and better, primarily for longitudinal boards, and #3 grade for transverse boards. Lumber is trucked to the green storage building and brought in to the USNR sorting line for breaking down by a tilt hoist to a USNR ElectraTong lug loader and through USNR’s transverse high grader. A Finna MC Pro 2400 HDNC detects wet pockets and moisture contents top and bottom. Additionally, Katerra uses a Finna Precigrader (acoustic MSR system) that can grade up to 140 pieces per minute on the trim line—which helps boards that might not meet visual grade but potentially meet strength grade to be recovered. A USNR clamshell trimmer trims to length if necessary, and boards move into a 30 bin sorter, separated for aesthetics, core and face grade, moisture and structural properties. Wet boards greater than 15% MC drop out and are sent on sticks to a USNR 13 million BTU continuous dry kiln and dried down to 12% MC plus or minus 3%. Lumber, which is tested again for moisture, enters the CLT side and moves through planer #1, a Gilbert S series pull-through planer, which planes the lumber to near net size. Lumber proceeds through a USNR grader and into the tray sorter, which separates long boards for the fingerjoint line and short boards for 18
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Traveling glue heads shower laid up panels.
One of three Gilbert planers at Katerra 20
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the panel core. A second Gilbert planer planes the transverse boards to net size. Boards are sprayed with primer from TDS Technologies. Face boards go a Western Pneumatics fingerjointer and RF tunnel that uses Hexion glue, and through a flying saw in producing 60 ft. lengths. The long face boards run through Gilbert planer #3 for planing to net size as ordered by the customer and then go to the tray sorter. Long and short boards come together with respective overhead gantry (Joulin) vaccum layup systems. The gantry lays the long boards first, and an Oest traveling glue system showers the boards with Henkel glue, followed by a similar procedure with the short boards, and then long, short, etc., creating 3-5-7- or 9 layer panel, before running through the USNR cold press. The panel is pressed top-down, side-squeezed and endsqueezed. The press was made to produce two panels, but depending on thickness a caul plate can assist via a vacuum de-stacker. Panels go to a CNC line that includes three CNC machine centers, one from Hundegger and two Biesse-Uniteam CLT 400 units with fast dual spindle technology. The CNC machines square off the panels, prepare the panel for panel-to-panel connections in the field, and cut penetrations into the panels. A Costa sander removes 1 mm top and bottom from the panels. All boards are identified with QR codes through Samuel technology, tracking all attributes of the boards as they move through manufacturing into finished panel. Approximately 80% of CLT produced in Spokane Valley is 5-ply, 10% is 3-ply, and the final 10% is a mix of 7- and 9ply. Loads are stacked exactly how the construction site needs it—calling it live loading. Rolling stock is a mix of CombiLift and Hyster. DynaStar maintenance management software from USNR helps Herman’s team stay on top of regular maintenance planning. Production and shipping is based mostly on real-time orders from the field. The facility doesn’t typically press on Friday or Saturday but is flexible in that regard. The mill runs a single 10-hour shift four days with maintenance on Friday. “The Katerra team would like to give a special shout of thanks to its employees and vendors for their support,” Herman says. “It has been a heck of a ride but we wouldn’t be where we are today without them.” TP
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CANTER/PROFILER LINE EDITOR’S NOTE: The following companies submitted these editorial profiles and images to complement their advertisements placed elsewhere in this issue. All statements and claims are attributable to the companies.
AUTOLOG Autolog announces the launch of a new revolutionary sensor called R-TRAC. This new sensor is taking live degree measurements while the log is rotating. R-TRAC is a fully autonomous system that is independent of the log optimizer geometric model. It works with all types of log turners no matter which optimizer brand is installed. No mechanical modifications are required to the log turner or to the infeed chain. It entails very easy integration with any control system (PLC), as R-TRAC allows the use of a closed loop feedback to control the position of the log turner cylinders based on the rotation instead of their linear movement. R-TRAC maintains a continuous reading of the rotation angle while the log is in the field of view Autolog introduces R-TRAC rotation tracking. as opposed to applying a rotation correction after the rotation is complete. The working principle is quite simple: A set of data is acquired for every inch the log advances; each set of data contains images of the log’s surface and geometric data; a rotation measurement is calculated for each pair of consecutive sets of data which gives a rotation value per inch of traveling. The cumulative log rotation measurement is sent to the control system (PLC) and the PLC will use these measurements to control the log turner positions using a PID loop to turn the log perfectly each time. R-TRAC has a precision better than 5° of standard deviation using all data (no outliers removed as many do in their calculation). It comes with advanced statistical tools to help track the performance of the turners. At this time, the maximum speed is 600 FPM and can measure logs from 4-24 in. R-TRAC is a real-time system that is compatible with all types of log turners without requiring any mechanical modification to the log turner. It turns the log perfectly each time without the need to correct the turning at the end.
BID GROUP
BID infinite double profilers offer infinite possibilities. 24
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Technology enables sawmills to increase productivity and profitability. But increased throughput can create an operational bottleneck at the edger. To address this issue, BID Group, through its Comact brand, has been integrating profiling heads in its primary breakdown systems, such as the DDM, as well as secondary breakdown systems, such as the TBL3. Over the last few years, BID Group has delivered various projects where profiling heads were integrated into the twin canter (primary breakdown) in order to profile sideboards and limit handling, not to mention relieve existing edgers. BID Group recently introduced sawing lines with double limitless profilers combined to a splitter at primary breakdown. Now this is a game changer for the breakdown of logs with a wide diameter! Unlike the “pocket” type profiling heads, the new Comact double limitless profilers allow the production of two side pieces of different widths. In addition, it offers an endless range of widths and up to 4 in. for the thickness of a block or a side cant. As for the splitter, it is a perpendicular saw that allows the resaw of the first and/or second side board, in two pieces of different widths (2x4-2x4, 2x4-2x6, 4x44x4…), with high accuracy to avoid damage to the central cant. This module, which may saw in skew,
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CANTER/PROFILER LINE also has two profilers to finish the pieces to the proper width. Without limitless profiling, it would be impossible to produce two pieces of different widths in the second side board. The main benefits are: —Increased production performance —Increased breakdown line speed (up to 30%) —Improved sawmill flow: fewer pieces in re-run —Reduced edger operating costs: less workforce, less maintenance, improves safety (no manual operation required) For companies that don’t sell wide lumber or that want to adjust quickly to the market demand, this is the ideal technology since a simple adjustment of the optimization parameters will maximize the production value. Everything is done in the same process, there is no additional manipulation. There are several cutting tool layout options, and the BID team can discuss your sawmill production issues to find the optimal solution.
CONE-OMEGA Crude profiling was common in the early Chip-N-Saw canter machines and has recently made a comeback as a way of increasing profits by boosting productivity. Our Quad Profiler produces up to four pre-edged sideboards per cant that are trimmer ready. With almost no edger boards being generated, bottlenecks throughout the mill are reduced. When square edged, easy to handle boards are produced at the primary breakdown, overall mill flow improves, labor requirements are reduced and unnecessary downstream sorting and extra handling are eliminated. We offer the profiler in dual and quad configurations. Designed for use with our sharp chain systems and any Chip-NSaw style 4-sided canter system, the profiler is placed between the top head and saw section modules. Only minimal modifications are required to add a profiler to an existing Cone-Omega offers dual and quad profiler configurations. line, allowing profiled boards to be created anywhere on the side of the cant. During operation the chipping modules are inside the main frame and chips are completely contained. Chips are discharged out the bottom, making housekeeping a breeze. We are now using our Linear Motion Log Turner (LMLT) in the four sided canter lines. LMLT was originally designed for use with our Tru-Position sharp chain lines and is the most accurate and dependable log turner. Logs faces are chipped, side boards profiled and our shifting quad sawbox takes off the side boards. Trimmer ready boards are separated from the center cant and head to the sorter. Center cants are transported downstream to either a VSA or VDA that can be supplied with a shifting timber pocket and a 5⁄4 bank that can shift below bedline until needed. An optional top profiler module can be added to the VSA/VDA that will eliminate the remaining 2-3% of edger boards that would have been created on the top. Since the introduction of our profiler in 2017, we’ve installed six complete high speed profiling canter lines and retrofitted another line. We currently have two more systems in production for delivery in Q2 2021 and another in the queue for Q1 2022.
JOESCAN
JoeScan’s new 3D scanner receives warm welcome. 26
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Sawmill scanning expert JoeScan officially launches its latest JS-50 WX model scanner. A successful beta program saw scan heads put through the paces in mills across North America. JS-50 WX is being praised as a do-it-all sawmill scanner, with current installations covering machine centers from bucking lines to transverse edgers to trimmers. “In order to facilitate the greatest range of options, we tested the JoeScan against a number of other considerations and decided to standardize on the JS-50 WX as part of our core offering,” says Joe Korac, President at Automation and Electronics USA. “With our optimizing platform’s current projects requiring log merchandising, whole log breakdown, gang, edger and trimmer optimizers, the JS-50’s unique attributes made it an excellent fit for all our customers’ needs.” Sawmill-first features like Power over Ethernet single cable connectors and an intuitive new mounting bracket are aimed at simplifying the scanning experience for installers and operators alike. The API interface has been redesigned from the ground up to make the task of integrating JoeScan hardware with optimizer software as quick and easy as possible. ➤ 28
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CANTER/PROFILER LINE 26 ➤ “The new scan head delivers accurate high-density range data, quality laser imaging data for inspection of visual defects and knots, and scan rates sufficient for high-speed systems,” says Steve Fletcher, Director of Optimization at Timber Automation. Work has already begun on developing a single camera variant of the JS-50 WX that will offer many of the benefits in an even smaller package.
LINCK A small log profiling line has been developed by Linck for swiftly and efficiently processing small diameter logs from 3 in. to 14 in. All traditional Linck features are available: only one operator for the line, optimized log rotation, straight sawing, curve-sawing, spline sawing, durability, reliability, flexibility. The line can operate in Scan & Set or Batch mode. With its narrow and short footprint, 170 ft. or less, the line can possibly be installed within existing mill structures. No cant turning devices are needed, hence reducing the amount of initial investment and subsequent maintenance costs. Modular and enclosed design provides noise reduction and better dust collection. Particularly suitable for timber thinnings, the line has gained remarkable interest in areas processing small logs at high speeds.
Linck small log profiling line
MCDONOUGH McDonough Manufacturing now brings many of the features that have made our band mills and edgers so popular to the canter/twin market. The robust canter system is available with horizontal or slanted ways and comes with a variety of available canter head configurations. Behind the canters, customers can choose either the time tested McDonough twin bandmills, popular in so many mills across the industry, or a guided circular saw module arrangement for those handling smaller material at higher speeds. Feeding this system is the McDonough SSR (slew/skew/rotate) log infeed system that also features available electric servo actuation for the highest speeds and accuracy, while keeping maintenance costs down. Combined with modern optimization systems, the McDonough SSR infeed is capable of rotation verification and correction on the fly, a feature that when combined with electric servo control provides some of the most accurate log rotation performance in the industry.
McDonough canter/twin with SSR infeed
MEBOR Mebor presents its new BM CDH log sawing line. It is based on circular saw technology in combination with chipper canters. Log diameters range from 4 in. (100 mm) to 19.5 in. (500 mm), while the sawing lengths are adapted to the needs of each customer. It is equipped with a 2D scanner and visual log turning or with full 3D scanning, automatic turning of logs and positioning of cants. The new CDH-Q 500 circular saw for logs may use various blade diameters (16-23.5 in. / 400-600 mm) to optimize kerf depending on the log diameters sawn. Cutting is distributed evenly between bottom and top shafts, allowing equal load on all the ➤ 30 28
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CANTER/PROFILER LINE
Mebor new sawing line with chipper canters
28 ➤ motors. Shafts may be designed to use fixed blades or telescopic heads. The machine is able to cut 1/2/3 cants from the log, allowing a better recovery on certain cutting patterns. The CDH-Q 500 is also available in a version for short logs (min. 49 in. / 1.25 m) and may also process hardwoods. Cants are sawn by a double arbor VC DE multi rip saw. Variable speed of chipper canters allows a uniform chip size in relation to feeding speed. The main sawing line is controlled by one operator only. Boards are edged by Mebor’s optimized FRC chipping edger that includes 1-3 additional circular rip saws. The BM CDH line also includes automatic board stackers and all needed waste removal conveyors. Production rates of the line shown are in average 110,000 BF/8h (approx. 400 m3 of log input). Versions for more or less production are available. Mebor’s sawing lines are also available in combination with band saw technology.
OPTIMIL Optimil’s canter-profiler log breakdown system has a feed section that consists of a heavy duty auto rotation conveyor, a log turner and a skewing-slewing-tilting infeed. Our extended (DLI) length infeed precisely positions the log to achieve maximum yield, as calculated by our optimization software. Logs are fed through the infeed system on a pneumatically tensioned, high-speed roller chain and work in conjunction with the coupled overhead hold-down rolls to maintain control of all log sizes and to ensure accurate log transport. In order to pre-position spiked rolls and control the log as it enters the bottom head chipping assembly or sharp chain system, linear positioners are seamlessly incorporated along the line. The two-sided canter systems, typically used in conjunction with secondary horizontal Optimil offers side board profilers on its canters. curve-sawing systems, use conical side heads to produce two-sided cants in which logs feed through on a sharp chain. These conical disc chipping heads are positioned on the log 30 degrees sideways, incorporating low friction linear bearings to produce high quality chips and achieve optimum accuracy. Our patented non-rotating anvil provides superior log guiding and minimum deviation throughout the chipping section. Our four-sided canter utilizes drum type heads and a mini spline guiding to offer feed rates of 750 FPM while maintaining chip quality. Low friction linear bearings are used to achieve fast accurate sets on the cutting tool and longer wear life. The new four-sided canters have been developed to promote dust and chip containment. We have added more feed rolls to ensure better control through the entire system and all chip heads and feed roll are driven by U joint drive shafts and operated through remote Rex gear boxes. This promotes tighter feedroll spacing, and remote mounted motors with drive shafts on the chipper heads allow us to position faster due to moving smaller masses. Side board profilers can be added to both two- and four-sided canters to help eliminate the load at the board edger system. These heads are positioned by the optimized solution sent by the scanner located in the extended length (DLI) system. The heads are fully adjustable to machine the desired board on either or both sides on the center cant. The side board solution can be skewed up or down the side of the cant. Once produced, these are removed for the center cant by inline band saws or horizontal arbor saw boxes. The new Balance Cut saw box features a unique method of setting the saws to balance the depth of the cut on cants being processed, which in turn allows for an increased output. The Optimil system connects the upper and lower saws and shifts both vertically at the same time. The re-positioning of the saw guides decreases the feed roll center, enabling better control of the cants as they are processed. In addition, the drive assembly of the new saw box is remote mounted, allowing for smoother and faster setting of the saws. For instance, the current canter-profiler system on southern yellow pine runs at more than 600 FPM. 30
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CANTER/PROFILER LINE PROGRESS ENGINEERING Progress Engineering, LLC, founded in 2000, provides electrical engineering services to the forest products industry throughout the U.S. Progress Engineering’s extensive experience covers operations through the entire plant, from the log yard all the way to the warehouse. Achieving the most efficient cutting solutions—whether at your primary log breakdown, edger or trimmer—may prove difficult and expensive, especially in a manual-feed system. To address this need, Progress Engineering has developed its PRO suite of optimization systems, providing solutions that are not only cost-effective, but also efficient and precise. EdgePRO, TrimPRO and LogPRO use advanced scanning technology and Progress Engineering custom software to maximize board products and decrease waste, and include a wide selection of features to guarantee success, such as: Progress Engineering PRO suite of optimization systems l Analyzing scans from a variety of three-dimensional transverse and linear scanning systems l Processing of multiple grades, allowing for operator selection prior to scanning l Multiple products per grade, configurable by size and wane rules, including individual product wane rules for thickness, width (face), and length l Configurable 3D Cloud views and configurable scan recording l Online and offline modes l System diagnostic view and logging l Solution history stored in a Microsoft SQL-Server database l EdgePRO allows a variety of value-optimized solutions including: single-board random width edger solutions; single and multiboard nominal width edger solutions; and multi-product gang edger solutions.
REAL PERFORMANCE MACHINERY Real Performance Machinery (RPM) is a world class manufacturer of machinery for sawmills and the wood production industry. Our team is composed of industry leading experts in engineering design, manufacturing, automation, controls development, customer service, project management and support. We focus on delivering the highest standards in the industry and specializing in high-value, technologically advanced machinery. Our target market segment is serving sawmills with purpose built, solution based machinery and equipment in primary and secondary breakdown processing. Our goal is not to simply build the most, but to passionately build the best! RPM’s HOTT ProSaw systems are the most advanced secondary breakdown product. We provide the most accurate curve profiling and curve-sawing system that will increase flow and maximize your mill’s potential. RPM’s HOTT ProDog and HOTT ProCanter systems are in final development and are designed to provide the highest recovery primary breakdown solutions available. With (HOTT) Hanging-Over-The-Top technology, the highRPM Hanging-Over-The-Top (HOTT) ProSaw12 system est quality craftsmanship and components, our machine centers are fast, smooth and accurate, providing our customers immediate results. Our overhead designs center the canter/profiler sections and sawbox weight over the machine centerline and balances our systems like no other. HOTT reduces maintenance by getting critical components out of the debris field. Our small footprints allow our systems to fit where other offerings simply cannot without extensive facility changes and associated expenses. All of our systems ship fully pre-wired and factory tested. This reduces on-site installation and commissioning times and brings immediate payback opportunities. If you want a higher ROI, lower maintenance, better recovery, increased throughput and higher quality lumber with more reliability, RPM can provide proven results. We work closely with all our customers and we strive to provide the best sales, installations and service in the industry. Our team is committed to exceeding expectations and will support your team before, during and after the sale. We look forward to showing you how to put some RPM into your primary and secondary breakdown processing. 32
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CANTER/PROFILER LINE SALEM EQUIPMENT Salem Equipment presents the Four-Sided Canter and Profiling Modulated System as part of its small log solutions. These modular components provide personalized customization based on the customer’s unique situation. Benefits of a typical configuration would consist of the following: l Adaptable—either 4 in. or 6 in. wide center cant sizes l Helical drum bottom head—creates the opening face on the bottom of the log and also creates a ½ in. x 1 in. spline used to ensure the log maintains a straight path through the canter. l Split knife conical side heads—independently position both vertically and horizontally for asymmetrical log profiles l Helical drum top head—vertically positioned to match proper stack height for the log. Top head is also paired with a spline remover to clean up the bottom face of the cant. l Flexible dual modality—both the top and bottom helical drum profiling heads create a 1x4 or 2x4 on the top or bottom of the center cant l Increased reliability—side and top heads are positioned with electric actuators and linear bearings. l Dependable transfer—combination of spiked and knurled rolls support and transport the cant through the canter. Another innovative product from Salem Equipment is the patent-pending Optimized End Gap (OEG) edger infeed system. The OEG helps mill operators cut more wood and less air, which allow sawmills to increase production without increasing feed speeds. The OEG system is the only infeed that optimizes the end gap between flitches, creating minimal spacing between pieces for saw positioning.
USNR USNR has invested decades perfecting its primary line offerings with hundreds of global installations in a wide range of configurations to meet specific requirements. Here is a look at the profiling options that are streamlining the breakdown process. Many mills add profiling capabilities to reduce or eliminate the need for an edger, or a second edger in the case of high-volume mills. Depending on a mill’s market and log sizes, inner and outer flitches may contain 1-2 boards each. If the edger is already at capacity and you want to increase saw line production, a profiler will alleviate the demand on the edger and allow you to increase throughput. Internal view of a Horizontal Shape Saw (HSS) profiling a cant Profilers accommodate production speeds up to 600 FPM and can be oriented along vertical or horizontal axes to profile the side boards and the top and bottom boards in a stack. Profilers are typically mounted on a carriage but can also be mounted in front of a vertical double arbor gang, whereby the cant is profiled immediately upstream of the saws. This solution is available as a retrofit provided there is enough space. USNR offers many styles including pocket profilers that produce profiled cants in one step. But many mills choose a horizontal or vertical arbor configuration where each profiling module skews or tilts to recover an angled board as the log tapers. This captures greater volume and value from each log. Stepped profiling heads are the least expensive choice for simultaneously creating two sideboards on each side. The steps are a fixed width, typically creating a 2x4 and a 2x6 or 2x8 on both sides. Another alternative is two separate profiler modules with a vertical feed module in between. This provides the greatest product flexibility but requires more space and is more expensive. A third option is USNR’s Independent Dual Profiler (IDP). The IDP offers more product flexibility than stepped profiling and is less expensive, requiring less space than separate profiler modules. Options for adding profiling to your line are nearly limitless. Contact us to discuss your application. 34
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4 OBSTACLES, Building authentic leadership through effective execution
By Robert Landau
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n order to achieve long-term success, leaders must first understand, explore and recognize potential obstacles to their success. This does not refer to outside obstacles, such as market positioning, cost containment or product development. Rather, it refers to the interpersonal skills of the individual and how they impact those around them. Until they see the controllable roadblocks in front of them, they are unlikely to grow into their job responsibilities successfully. This article outlines the importance of a behavioral-based approach in developing leadership skills in senior managers, and provides examples of the traits to focus on. It is intended as a framework for mentors, executive coaches, HR leaders, consultants and continuous improvement specialists to apply with their clients and partners. 36
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Similar to a machine operator who is good at their job, and gets promoted to lead hand, managers are mostly developed and promoted through the ranks until they find themselves in a senior leadership role, such as a superintendent, plant manager, vice president or general manager…or some similar title. They often rise through the organization in one specific discipline, such as accounting or engineering, which limits the types of activities and problems they get exposed to. Obstacles to success start to develop when managers are put into a new role and suddenly their old habits and behaviors do not get them the same results they were able to achieve in the past. Regardless of title, senior managers need to be multi-dimensional in what they can handle, at a scale they have never experienced before. Job descriptions that may have included a few items of ultimate responsibility suddenly also include a
much larger locus of control. For example: A department manager with excellent problem solving skills, a track record of getting things done and extensive product knowledge may get promoted to general manager. Suddenly the job description includes product management, capital planning, performance management and performance metrics, employee staffing, evaluation, retention and morale, corporate issue management such as safety and environmental concerns, strategic and long-term planning, crisis management, management of interdepartmental relationships, customer relationships, etc…the list goes on and on. While the new general manager has been exposed to many of these items in the past, the ultimate responsibility for decision making, and therefore the ultimate accountability always fell on someone a little further up the ladder…but not anymore! It would take many lifetimes to master
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8 ANTIDOTES all the above competencies for every possible situation, yet that is what a senior manager or executive is often expected to do. Therefore, they must identify the common themes, approaches and characteristics to internalize and embody, to become skillful in their role.
OBSTACLES The first step in going down the path to effective leadership is recognizing the possible obstacles. The following are the four most common: l Obstacle #1: Managing and leading are not the same thing. Management is about giving direction and following up. Leadership is about influencing others and leading by example, motivating others to think creatively, empowering others to do the right thing. Leadership is the liberation of talent, and not about who has the authority or who was most recently right. l Obstacle #2: The higher you make it up the ladder, the more your solutions are behavioral. Managers most often earn their positions through technical competence. But the skills and knowledge that got them
the job are not usually the skills and knowledge that allow them to excel at the job. Successful leaders focus on their interpersonal skills, their ability to read others, their ability to build consensus, and on their ability to navigate through egos and potentially difficult conflicts. l Obstacle #3: It is easier to be right than to be helpful. A successful manager was promoted because he got results, but now he needs to motivate others so they can get results. Leaders need to focus on the process as much as the result, because it is about duplicating the process so “others” can contribute and grow. If others are empowered to contribute and grow, then the executive can step back and allow his team to do what they have been hired to do. Getting 100% of what you want with little buy in is considerably less effective than getting 80% of what you want with 100% buy in. l Obstacle #4: Successful relationships are about trust. The best way to explain this is to think about the opposite of trust—suspicion. No relationship is productive if it is based on suspicion. There is no middle ground; you either trust some-
one or you don’t, and if you don’t, it is because you suspect something about them—their motives, character, commitment, competence, etc. The quickest way for a leader to gain trust is through his or her values and character, integrity, motives, intent, and communication of these to others. But this can only occur if others feel trusted and safe to take risks, be wrong, and present ideas that are raw and unfinished without the risk of ridicule or repercussions. If people trust you, you don’t always have to be right or know all the answers; in fact others will be rooting for you and want to help you to succeed.
REMEDIES So where does one start to remedy these obstacles? There are three common approaches: Systems-Based, ValuesBased, Behavioral-Based. Let’s dissect these approaches. l Systems-Based Leadership attempts to manage what is important to a company’s success while executing the details in a very tight and systematic way—the logic being that the more we define what people
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should do, and the more we define how they should react, the easier they will be to manage. In this approach, situations are viewed to be black and white and fit into one of the predefined boxes that require a specific course of action. Examples include everything from job descriptions, formal evaluation processes, key performance indicators (KPIs) with analytically determined targets, etc. These systems are critical to any company’s growth and success but are not the whole answer. Of course, there is no
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way to create a policy or process for every possible issue or dilemma, or predict how people will react in an unimagined scenario. Using football as an analogy, a Systems-Based Leadership approach sets the rules of the game, which define how many yards we have to travel to get a first down, and define what penalties we get if we don’t follow the rules while marching up and down the field. Knowing these is very important, but by themselves, will not win anything.
l Values-Based Leadership attempts to provide all employees with a common purpose and approach in which to navigate through their day-to-day life. Often these are mission, vision and values statements that embody the company’s integrity and principles, what they are trying to achieve and what they believe in. In the football analogy, this is the strategy we deploy to build a championship team. Do we cultivate and recruit fast players or grind out wins with bigger stronger players? Do we evaluate them fairly or play favorites with top recruits? Again, definitive values create a critical element for any company to define and aspire to, but this alone will not ensure success. l Behavioral-Based Leadership builds on the Systems- and Value-based approaches to provide specific behaviors that will make a person successful in achieving these components. In business, every interaction and conversation is an opportunity to build up or break down the relationships you have. The trick here is to educate the leader on the traits he or she must embody so that they can react in any situation in a manner that is consistent, that empowers them to build on something, rather than winning at all costs.
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Following the football analogy, Behavioral-Based approaches outline what is specifically expected from each individual: play hard to the whistle, practice at full effort, help the running back up to his feet when he is tackled, etc.—very specific expectations for behavior that impact culture, not outcome. Execution, the ability to deliver—whether delivering on the strategy, delivering on the promise bet on capital investments, or delivering performance results—is what separates successful leaders from managers.
The quickest way for a leader to gain trust is through his or her values and character, integrity, motives, intent, and communication of these to others.
ANTIDOTES Regardless of the activity, goal or deadline, what behaviors are expected from the leader and the team? The Systems- and Value-based approaches are most often utilized by organizations, but the Behavioral aspect of performance is often forgotten, or left for the individual to develop unguided, on their own. The following eight antidotes outline the path
to improve behavioral performance. These Antidotes are intended to sit on the wall of a meeting room, a frame on a desk or a laminated card in a wallet. They are written as personal statements because more so than the systems we use or the values we strive toward, behaviors are personal. l Antidote #1: Collaborate: I will ask
others for their input and opinions. Pull others into development decisions so they can have ownership of the results. l Antidote #2: Provide Context: I will provide others with the background and circumstances behind why things are happening so they can have buy in. l Antidote #3: Be Transparent: I will invite others into my process of decision
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Obstacles to success start to develop when managers are put into a new role and suddenly their old habits and behaviors do not get them the same results they were able to achieve in the past. making, my thoughts and feelings about the subject and my definition of success—the net result of collaboration and providing context. l Antidote #4: Be Mindful: I will focus my attention on the here and now,
giving my full attention to the present moment and the person in front of me— everything else is for a “different” moment when I can be mindful and present for that activity. l Antidote #5: Be Humble: My objec-
tive in every interaction is for the other person to feel better about themselves when they leave my presence—for anyone but me to be recognized as being right or solving the problem. Even if the other person is wrong and needs correction, I will do so in a manner that builds them up. l Antidote #6: Be the Last to Give My Opinion: In meetings with my direct reports, I will wait until others have been specifically invited to state their opinion before I offer mine. This will ensure that I don’t force my will on others of less authority. l Antidote #7: Narrate and Summarize: At the end of a conversation, to ensure that others have the same understanding of the outcome, desired outcome or decision, I will narrate what just occurred and summarize/paraphrase what I understood to be the conclusion or course of action. l Antidote #8: Be Authentic: I will not adjust my actions or statements based on how I think others will react or judge me—I will not concern myself with outcomes—I will be who I am, not who I wish I was or who I think others want me to be. Antidotes should be developed and discovered with the leader, and be based on observed personal challenges, the dynamics of the relationships that they have with their peers, and their own level of self-awareness. Once developed, these should be shared with peers and direct reports so they can understand the journey and effort that the executive is going through, all in an attempt to be a better boss, coworker and leader to those around them. Activities like this will role model the type of self-awareness and continuing education that can become the culture in a healthy organization. Each one of these antidotes when taken on their own represents a logical and enlightened way to communicate with those we work with. However, it is also clear that not every leader needs to work on the same items for their personal and professional development. The key is to engage them, keep the antidotes simple, and keep them focused on their communication and TP behavioral process, not outcomes. Robert Landau has been leading Sales, Operations, HR and Finance initiatives for more than 25 years for clients in numerous industries across North America and beyond, saving his clients more than $100 million through improved operational effectiveness. He is an experienced management consultant, analyst, manufacturing executive, adult education facilitator, business broker, family counselor and musician. He is the Principal Adviser at Landau Advisers, LLC. Visit landauadvisers.com and e-mail robert@ landauadvisers.com.
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APPALACHIAN HARDWOOD LOG GRADING, SCALING Surveying mills, seeking standard practices Curt Hassler, Joe McNeel, Jordan Thompson EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part one of a two-part series on hardwood mill practices in the Appalachian region, based on studies performed by the West Virginia University Appalachian Hardwood Center.
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esearchers with the Appalachian Hardwood Center (AHC) at West Virginia University have recently conducted more than 60 studies at sawmills in six states to help sawmill operators better understand their log grades, lumber grade yields and pricing of hardwood logs. In the course of these studies, the AHC became aware that mills in many cases had created their own de facto systems—unique to each individual mill or company. While these mill specific systems could vary considerably in how logs were graded/classified, certain commonalities were evident, including species, scaling diameter and number of clear faces. Certain nuances in assigning a grade were applied by mills, with no consistency between mills and could include log length, position in the tree (butt or upper log) and log end conditions. Lumber mills across the Appalachian region were surveyed to determine procurement strategies and identify common grading and scaling measurement protocols that could be used in the development of a regional hardwood log grading and scaling system. This article documents how the hardwood industry, in the absence of a standardized industry-wide log grading system, conducts grading and scaling operations for hardwood logs in
the Appalachian region. (A second article will focus on the various procurement strategies employed by mills in the Appalachian region.) A total of 110 useable survey responses was received, out of an estimated 961 primary wood product producers that were sent surveys. Of the nine states surveyed, Pennsylvania had the greatest number of completed surveys (19) and represented 17% of the total number of responses. A total of 14 responses (13%) was provided by mills in Virginia, followed closely by Kentucky and West Virginia with 13 responses each (12%). Mills from these four states provided almost 60% of the total survey response. Responding mills provided annual production levels, ranging from 0.04 to 150MMBF with a mean of 9.9MMBF of production. Annual production information was classified into three groups to produce a uniform distribution of responses over three production levels for statistical analysis. Figure 1 illustrates the distribution of mills by size and state. Statistical analysis was used to determine if size of mill (production level) had any significance in grading, scaling or operational decisions. Where a statistically significant difference was determined, the results are noted and briefly explained. If there are no statistical differences, then no further discusDeveloping workable regional scaling and grading standards will require plenty of communication, negotiation. sion is provided.
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The most common log rule used by mills was the Doyle log rule, with 76% reporting its use (Table 2). The second most used log rule was Scribner decimal C (11%), followed by the International ¼ log rule (10%). For this article, the term total number of responses will refer to the number of useable responses to the survey question under discussion. While the 110 mill responses that provided annual production levels were the basis for the analysis, certain questions were not answered by some respondents, therefore analyses were performed on the available responses to those questions. SCALING PROTOCOLS: DIAMETER, LENGTH Scaling of hardwood logs is arguably just as important as grading since log pricing is based on both grade and volume of a log. The two measurements required to determine log volume are scaling diameter and length. Scaling diameter for hardwood logs is determined by measuring the diameter inside the bark at the small end of the log (DIB). Total log length is measured in feet. With these two measurements, the total volume, in board feet, can be calculated using an established log rule. Three log rules consistently used by the industry include the Doyle, Scribner, and International ¼ inch Log Rules. ● The most common log rule used by mills was the Doyle log rule, with 76% reporting its use (Table 2). The second most used log rule was Scribner decimal C (11%), followed by the International ¼ log rule (10%). Three percent of the surveyed mills used some combination of log rules, but in all cases, Doyle was part of the combination. The Doyle log rule was used consistently across all nine states in the sample, with Ohio and West Virginia using it exclusively. The International Log Rule saw the greatest use in Virginia and North Carolina, while the Scribner Decimal C log rule was used mostly in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. ● Four options for measuring scaling diameter were reported in the survey: Average—The largest and smallest measurement taken through the center of the heart added together and divided by two; Short-way only (SWO)—the shortest measurement of diameter crossing through the heart of the log; Short-way then 90 degrees to that (SW+90)—the shortest measurement of diameter crossing through the heart of the log and then 90° to that, adding those two measurements together, and dividing by two; and Other—including purchasing logs by weight and measuring just the small end of the log inside bark (with no further explanation). The two most common methods reported were Average (43%) and (SW+90) (31%), with a combined total of over 74% of responses. A statistically significant relationship existed with more small mills than expected responding “Short-way only” (SWO) (23%) and more large mills, fewer than expected, responded “Other” (3%). Also, fewer large mills than expected used the “Short-way only” (SWO) method. ● There were six methods reported by respondents for handling fractional inches when measuring scaling
diameter. The options were: A—Round up if the fraction is ≥0.5 inches (34%) B—Alternate rounding up and down if the fraction equals 0.5 inches (24%) C—Round up if the fraction is ≥0.75 inches (10%) D—Always round down (9%) E—Round down if the fraction is ≤0.5 inches (8%) F—Other options included rounding based on log quality or an implication that no rounding took place (15%) More small mills than expected used option (C), while fewer small mills used option (A). Also, fewer medium size mills than expected used option (C), while more medium size mills than expected used option (E). ● Mills were asked whether they buy logs of even lengths only or if they also buy odd length logs. For 107 responding mills, 60% purchased only even length logs, while the remaining 40% purchased both even and odd length logs. For those mills that purchase only even length logs, this creates a possible situation where a logger produces a 9 ft. log, sells it as an 8 ft. log to the mill—and the mill then produces and sells 9 ft. boards. Trim allowance ensures that a mill can saw lumber full length and not be forced to trim a foot or more. Of the 100 mills responding, 26% preferred four inches of trim, while 25% of the respondents reported using “Other” preferred lengths of trim ranging from 0-12 inches. Twenty-five percent preferred six inches of trim and 24% preferred a range between four and six inches. A statistically significant relationship was noted between preferred trim allowance and annual production. More small production mills than expected allowed other specified lengths of trim and more medium size mills than expected preferred four inches of trim. Fewer large mills than expected preferred other specified trim lengths, while more large mills than expected preferred 6 inches of trim. If the preferred trim allowance was not present in a log, respondents were asked what trim allowance is acceptable before
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initiating a scale-based length deduction. A variety of minimum trim allowances were reported: 1 inch—20% 2 inches—32% 3 inches—12% 4 inches—16% Other—20% SCALING DEDUCTIONS In the process of scaling logs for volume, defects that affect lumber yield present a range of issues. Questions were
posed about specific scaling defects, including double hearts, sweep, holes and shake. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of log scaling is dealing with scaling defects and developing a basic understanding of how they are handled. Understanding how they are most handled by the industry can help define the best options for a standardized scaling system. Double heart is a common occurrence in hardwood sawlogs and has a negative effect on the value and quality of lumber sawn. A double heart is created when the bole of a tree diverges, forming two
forks. Mills provided nine different approaches to determining the amount of deduction for double-hearted logs (see Figure 2). Sweep is a scaling defect that occurs when significant deflection is present in the log. This is due in part to a tree’s tendency to grow toward light in canopy gaps. About 37% of responding mills use diameter and length deductions when handling sweep, 33% reported using a diameter deduction only, nearly 18% used a length deduction only, while 12% did not use any diameter or length deductions. Holes (or interior defects) are scaling defects that occur due to heart rot (including incipient decay) and generally affect the cant section of the log where the cant is located. It is generally difficult to assess the impact of a hole and associated decay on lumber recovery and quality. Nearly 37% of responding mills use both diameter and length deductions for holes; just over 27% used a length deduction only; and 25% used diameter only. Nearly 11% of surveyed mills did not use any diameter or length deduction and instead simply estimate the board footage loss caused by the defect through a visual inspection. Shake occurs as an end defect in hardwood logs, where the growth rings separate from each other (Figure 3). Shake can be caused by a number of factors, although it is most commonly a result of extreme wind events that cause twisting or bending of the bole. The impact of shake in the sawing process causes lumber to fall apart during the sawing or as it dries following manufacture. Almost 39% of responding mills used both diameter and length when making deductions for shake, followed by 27% that used a length deduction only and 21% used only a diameter deduction. Just over 13% of the surveyed mills used only visual assessments of the loss of board footage caused by the defect. GRADING PROTOCOLS Grading hardwood logs is a process that uses the exterior features of logs to determine quality (or grade). Generally, a log is divided into four quadrants or faces, and each face is evaluated independently to determine the presence or absence of defects. The grade is then based, in part, on the number of clear faces (Figure 4). Of the mills sampled, 89% graded logs without rolling to examine all four sides/faces, while only 11% indicated
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Lack of consistent scaling and grading practices adversely affect all segments of the Appalachian hardwood supply chain.
they did roll logs when grading. The failure to roll the log is probably associated with saving time in a production setting where time is of the essence in getting loads graded and scaled as quickly as possible. Respondents who answered that they did not roll logs were then asked about the assumptions made regarding the bottom or hidden face of the log. About 42% assumed the bottom of the log was “similar to other 3 sides,” followed by “clear” assumed by 34% of respondents. Assuming the bottom face is “clear” is often a false assumption that unfairly boosts the quality of a particular log. “Other” responses (24%) assumed that the bottom face on each log has at least one defect or that half of the logs contained defects on the bottom face. Finally, mills were asked if they would support the development of a standard log grading system. Of the mills that responded, 66% indicated they would support such an effort, while 34% would not. Mill size did not play a role in defining whether a mill would support the introduction of a standardized log grading system. CONCLUSIONS The various scaling and grading protocols examined in this survey, taken together, confirm that log grading and scaling are highly variable and depend in many cases on mill-based rules of thumb relative to grading and scaling standards. A variety of ad hoc systems are used in Appalachia, making it difficult to reach intelligent economic decisions about where to sell logs to maximize value. Ad hoc grading and scaling protocols do not serve the best interests of the hardwood industry. However, the authors believe the results do indicate a reasonable path forward in developing a standardized system. In the case of specifying a standard log rule for volume determination, the Doyle log rule was by far the most common rule in use. But for a standardized system to attain broad acceptance, all 46
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three rules cited by respondents must be permitted (Doyle, Scribner, and International ¼ inch). Similarly, the option of buying both even and odd length logs must be included, even though a majority of mills (58%) purchased only even length logs. Further, the issue of trim allowance showed significant variation, with four to six inches being the most common responses. The minimum trim allowance before applying a deduction was quite variable, from one to four inches. With so much variability, discussion among log grading practitioners and mills would be necessary to reach consensus about handling such important factors in a standardized system. In the case of scaling diameter, the number of reported methods does not lead to a consensus among respondents. In this case, a method must be chosen that is relatively common but also does not favor the buyer or seller in any significant way. The best option would appear to be to measure the shortest diameter, rotate 90° and take the second diameter measurement, and then average them, which was the second most common response (31%). The most common response was to measure the smallest diameter then the largest diameter and average them—but that tends to slightly favor the seller of logs. Handling fractional portions of an average scaling diameter also resulted in a number of options reported by respondents. Perhaps the most logical approach is to simply decide how to handle a half-inch fraction. For practical purposes, a rule that says “…round down if the fraction is ≤0.5 inches and round up if the fraction is >0.5 inches…” seems reasonable. When it comes to adjusting for defects such as double hearts, sweep, holes and shake, several options were identified: In the case of double hearts, nine different methods were reported and varied from a length deduction to adjusting scaling diameter in a number of ways. Since the survey question did not ask about deductions based on the severity of double hearts, it is probably reasonable to consider different adjustments based on the severity.
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For sweep, holes (interior defects), shake and other scaling defects (e.g., crook, splits and spider shake), respondents indicated that a common method for deduction is to take a diameter or length deduction for the log. The survey was not designed to elicit specific rules of thumb being used by respondents, as that would have unduly complicated the responses. The formulation of rules-ofthumb must necessarily take place apart from the survey results. The most reasonable approach is to analyze log and lumber yield data in such a way that the selection of a ruleof-thumb would not significantly alter the overrun/underrun expected from the log in the absence of the scaling defect. Relative to grading logs, a majority of mills do not roll the log when determining grade. This is perhaps the primary weakness of current log grading protocols. Assumptions about what the log grader cannot see create situations where log quality has too much variability. This causes problems with how logs are priced and ultimately with mill economics. Even with 66% of responding mills favoring a standardized system, the elements of such a system must be simple to use in a production setting, mirror what the industry is currently using and serve as the basis for efficiently pricing hardwood logs. Log grades must be based on extensive empirical data that is collected on a “per log” basis. The grades would necessarily be based on lumber yields of NHLA lumber grades, which relate back to scaling diameter and number of clear faces. It’s only by combining log grade with overrun/underrun, sawing costs and lumber/cant pricing that the pricing of logs can be consistently determined.
Barriers are created when sawmills offer a variety of scaling and grading options. In that case, it can be difficult to define the best option for producers, landowners and contractors. The opinions of all interested stakeholders must be considered in order to ensure acceptance, implementation, and continued development TP of a standardized hardwood log grading system. Joe McNeel is Director of the West Virginia University Appalachian Hardwood Center (WVU AHC); Curt Hassler is a research professor at WVU AHC; and Jordan Thompson is a procurement forester for Millwood Lumber in Gnadenhutten, Ohio.
Table 1
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MACHINERYROW
Vollmer Delivers With Integrity
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isconsin based Integriacross Canada, the U.S. and Mexity Saw & Tool Inc. is co—each plant capable of producseeing the benefits ing a pallet every minute. from its purchase of a Vollmer “We knew we needed a new maCHX 840 circular saw blade chine with automation to meet the sharpening machine with the demand. The Vollmer Akemat maVollmer HS automated loading chines have been amazing and station. Integrity Saw made the aside from regular preventative acquisition to provide capacity for maintenance, they have run every a significant order the company day since they were bought. When won from a new pallet manufacit came to a new machine, Vollmer turing customer. was the only place to look.” The Vollmer CHX 840 has inCOVID may have temporarily creased productivity by 60%, perslowed the growth timeline for palmitted unmanned running and let production, but Integrity Saw is improved blade quality, accordwell placed to support its new cusLeft to right, Paul Reetz, owner of Integrity Saw & Tool, with ing to Integrity Saw. machine operators Marty Jagdfeld and Tony Lueck in front of tomer with its new 5-axis Vollmer It’s a familiar story when an en- the Vollmer CHX 840 + HS. CHX840+HS for machining the gineer leaves his job and sets up a tooth faces and tooth tops in a sinbusiness from his garage. In the case of to cope with our increasing demand. We gle clamping operation. The CHX840 is Integrity Saw & Tool Inc., the foundalooked at the available machines and we complete with the HS automation solution tions were laid in a basement in 1986 for chose the Vollmer Akemat machines as that enables Integrity Saw to load and this saw sharpening, HSS (High Speed they were in a different class. Vollmer process 28 blades unmanned. With a cusSteel) drill and end mill regrinding comAkemat machines had a great reputation tomer that will run its operations 24/7 and pany that soon outgrew the basement, for build quality and performance. “We will require a new saw blade for every moved into the garage and employed fam- bought our first machine in 2000, a shift at every facility, the opportunity for ily members to support the growth. It Vollmer Akemat B4, and over the next Integrity Saw & Tool is considerable. wasn’t until the turn of the century that eight years more machines followed as Since the arrival of the CHX840+HS, this Wisconsin business really stepped out the Akemats clearly lived up to the repuIntegrity has been able to rapidly ramp of its comfort zone to drive growth and tation that preceded them.” up to the stress-relieving and re-grinding expansion to another level. The company acquired a further three of 400 TCT blades every week from It was the move to a 13,000 sq. ft. fac- machines with an Akemat U10 and B10 May 2019 through April 2020. tory in 1998 followed by the appointarriving in 2005, followed by an addiThe 18 in. (457 mm) diameter TCT ment of Paul Reetz as the fresh-faced tional Akemat U10 in 2006. The Vollmer blades have 70 teeth per saw and each sales engineer and the investment in its Akemat machines were bought for sharp- saw blade can be re-ground up to seven first Vollmer CNC sharpening machine ening TCT (Tungsten Carbide-Tipped) times before being replaced or re-tipped. in 2000 that set the company on a new saw blades while existing manual maBefore the arrival of the CHX840+HS, growth trajectory. Now the owner of Inchines were manufacturing and servicing Integrity Saw was conducting four opertegrity Saw, Reetz recalls: “I was paid on HSS blades. This completed the purchas- ations on three machines to complete a a commission basis to bring in new busi- ing of Vollmer machines for almost a saw blade in 75 minutes—a machining ness and for five years we won 40 to 60 decade, until the May 2019 arrival of the time not inclusive of setups and new customers every year. A lot of this Vollmer CHX840+HS. changeovers, stretching it to 90 minutes. was small family businesses such as cabIntegrity’s saw sharpening side of the The CHX840+HS has cut this time by inet manufacturers, construction compabusiness had grown for almost 10 years, more than 60% to 35 minutes with just nies and the Amish community, all with- but the 2008-09 global recession wiped out one stress-relieving operation before the in a two-hour radius of our Fond du Lac a lot of small businesses. Many of their cir- CHX840 completing all tooth and face facility on the edge of Lake Winnebago.” cular saw blade customers witnessed the grinding in a single setup. The new maWith 13 staff and an output of 100 saw collapse of their businesses. However, the chine has doubled the weekly output blades a week back in 2000, this output production of round tools such as drills, with the same number of staff. quadrupled to almost 400 blades a week end mills, router bits and special tools for Reetz adds: “The two operators previby 2005. During this period, the ISO:9001 the manufacturing industry weathered the ously had the capacity to do 40-50 TCT certified company realized that its premarket conditions far better. blades a day on the Akemat machines. dominantly manual saw sharpening With millions of wood pallets in circu- Adding the CHX840+HS means we can equipment had to be upgraded to current lation in the U.S. food industry, Integrity now re-grind over 100 blades a day. We CNC technology. Recalling this period, Saw has partnered to regrind TCT saw work from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the HS Reetz says, “We had two older CNC mablades for a leading pallet manufacturer. automation system allows us to set the chines and several manual machines for This new customer has ambitious plans CHX840 machine in the afternoon and it HSS saws—all of which were struggling to build multiple manufacturing facilities will process up to 28 saws unmanned 48
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throughout the evening. If we worked a shift pattern, we could run the CHX840 24 hours a day to gain more capacity. However, we are already looking at our next Vollmer purchase.” Integrity Saw has recognized the facility to grind tooth tops and faces in a single operation has the potential to make single-purpose machines redundant in the future. With a single compact footprint Vollmer machine, Integrity can significantly increase output while reducing machine inventory and running costs, maximizing its 18,500 sq. ft. of factory space. From a programming perspective, the operators undertook two and a half days of training on the CHX840+HS. While the older machines had all the programs stored, the CHX840+HS didn’t initially have that luxury. However, the easy-touse CNC interface means operators don’t have to program every blade from new— they can simply edit one of the hundreds of stored program templates within the software to rapidly generate a suitable program. This means a stack of 28 saws for unmanned running can be programmed in just over five minutes. Integrity Saw has its sight set on a second Vollmer TCT saw sharpening machine with automation to meet production demands. The company is also considering the latest generation of Vollmer machines for its rotary tool division. Article appeared in Vollmer eNews.
Neiman Begins Upgrade Program At Gilchrist Neiman Enterprises is upgrading operations as it restarts the Gilchrist Forest Products sawmill in Gilchrist, Ore. that Neiman acquired from Interfor. The sawmill is replacing a dated Inovec Dynavision M6 scanner with a new USNR trimmer optimizer and scan frame fitted with a BioLuma 2900L scanning system. The sawmill is also installing a new USNR optimization system for an existing end dog carriage system, providing full 3D imaged solutions. The sawmill will also receive a new USNR Stick-N-Fork stacker system. The Stick-N-Fork stacker offers a host of other capabilities and options, including boxing load forks, random-width pullback, bad stick error detection and more. The planer mill will replace an existing 180 degree turn with two shorter 90 degree turn sections. Turn chains stretch over time and can get out of phase, so TIMBER PROCESSING
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MACHINERYROW the new equipment will be more reliable and maintenance friendly. The Gilchrist mill complements Neiman’s existing milling operations. This mill produces 1x4 through 1x12 ponderosa pine and lodgepole pine boards, as well as 6⁄4 shop. It allows the company to further expand its customer base for high-quality ponderosa pine lumber products. Neiman Enterprises acquired the mill last September. Neiman is a leading producer of ponderosa pine boards, pattern and industrial (shop) lumber at facilities including Devil’s Tower Forest Products in Hulett, Wyo.; Rushmore Forest Products in Hill City, SD; and Spearfish Forest Products in Spearfish, SD. Neiman also operates a premium stud sawmill in Montrose, Col.
Biewer Orders Two Cranes From Fulghum
Fulghum Industries receives second order from Biewer Lumber.
Fulghum Industries has received an order from Biewer Lumber for two 170 ft. 25 ton log cranes for Biewer’s new greenfield SYP sawmill site in Winona, Miss. “We have been operating the 170 ft. Fulghum crane for over a year now in our Newton (Miss.) mill. We have enjoyed the service and reliability from Fulghum and the 170 ft. double row crane,” comments Dan Bowen, General Manager of the Newton mill. “Fulghum has done a great job in the design of this crane. Our operators enjoy the ease of operation and visibility it offers. These factors have led us to purchase two of the 170 ft. double row cranes for the Winona sawmill.” Fulghum’s log cranes have an historical record of handling, unloading, storing, and feeding treelength logs with minimal downtime. The Winona mill is scheduled to be operational by early 2022. 50
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MACHINERYROW Pfeifer Will Install Two Microtec Scanners
sorter is scheduled to be installed in the third quarter of next year.
This summer the Pfeifer Group will receive two Goldeneye 900 transverse board scanners from Microtec for the Lauterbach site. The North and South Tyrolean companies Pfeifer and Microtec have been working closely together for years. From the Logeye 301D log scanner to Goldeneye scanners in longitudinal and transverse transport, numerous Microtec solutions can be found at almost all Pfeifer locations. At the beginning of the year, a Goldeneye 900 of the latest generation was installed in Kundl. The latest investment will replace the existing Wanescan edge scanners in order to better meet the challenges that the market brings. The scanners planned in Lauterbach will use artificial algorithms in addition to the latest configuration in order to provide the necessary detection performance. A challenge will be installation during a tight summer schedule. Within two weeks, Microtec will adjust the mechanics and install the two scanners so that production can start on schedule.
Canfor Plans Update Of Kiln Controls The Canfor sawmill at Graham, NC is upgrading the kiln controls for six of its kilns to the USNR Kiln Boss system. This will bring its kilns all onto the same platform and PLC control, and will facilitate
easier kiln drying schedules and programming. It will also improve the efficiency of energy usage, saving time and costs. The Kiln Boss system allows you to control all the wood drying variables to improve lumber quality and kiln performance. The system tracks custom drying schedules, alerts you to system changes, and provides statistical reports for review. The Kiln Boss system is scheduled to be installed this June.
JoeScan Beefs Up Business Development To help introduce the company’s new JS-50 WX model scanner, JoeScan has hired a new Senior Business Development Manager, Blake DeFrance. He brings more than 20 years of industrial automation experience and a passion for forging partnerships. “I’m thrilled to join such a dedicated and talented team,” DeFrance says. “My number one goal at JoeScan is to help our optimizer and OEM partners get sawmills the scanning solutions they need.”
Lecours Will Increase Sorting Capacity Lecours Lumber at Calstock, Ont. is increasing the sorting capacity in its sawmill with a new USNR 47-bin pusher lug sorter. The new vertical bin sorter will feature the pusher lug sorter top, ideal for high speed applications. The sorter is designed to operate at 140 lugs per minute. The 47 vertical bins will be fitted with bin deflectors to assist in even distribution of the boards in the bins. Live bin walls ensure smooth discharge of the lumber onto the floor chains. The new TIMBER PROCESSING
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MACHINERYROW Lucidyne Adds Trammel To Team Lucidyne announced the addition of Taylor Trammel to its sales team as Sales Representative focusing on the West Coast region. Trammel joined Lucidyne in 2018 as a grading support specialist, working directly with customers on using Lucidyne’s system technology and grading optimization. Trammel has extensive experience working in sawmill and planer mills, having held internships in both quality control and safety procedures at Hampton Lumber
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and Roseburg Forest Products. In conjunction, Trammel studied Wood Science and Business at Oregon State University. Trammel is based in Lucidyne’s headquarters in Corvallis, Ore. and will be traveling extensively throughout the region.
Moelven Upgrades With Catech Edger USNR’s Catech European-style edgers continue to gain popularity. The latest addition to the family of Catech users is Moelven Mjösbruket in Biri, 150 km
north of Oslo, the capital of Norway. Moelven is one of Scandinavia’s largest wood industry corporations with a broad production range produced in its 15 sawmills in Norway and Sweden. The order includes a complete Catech XT TS-5 edging line. The boards are profile scanned with BioLuma 2900L transverse sensors, and USNR optimization calculates the maximum volume recovery for each board. These attributes together with the new and improved top arbor climb cut edger sawbox 7100D will make this the most modern edger line in Norway.
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MACHINERYROW This new line replaces an old edger line from Söderhamn Eriksson (acquired by USNR), and will be commissioned during the autumn of 2021.
South Pine Upgrades Edger Optimization South Pine in Nelson, New Zealand is updating its edger line with advanced vision technology. After seeing the benefit of the BioVision trimmer upgrade done at this mill previously, South Pine wants to realize similar gains from its edger scanning. Edger vision technology provides value through remanufacture or rip based on the ultimate grade of the wood. The new USNR BioVision edger optimizer features state-of-the-art BioLuma 2900LVG sensors, offering HD laser profiling and HD color vision. Add to that USNR’s Deep Learning technology, and South Pine will be equipped with the most advanced edger scanning system. South Pine is among the 120 users of USNR’s advanced vision scanning technology. The new system is scheduled to be commissioned in the fourth quarter.
to keep the wood moving. Three years ago, though, uptime in the yard was a challenge. Their previous log loader could keep up with the required pace of deliveries, but if the machine had a technical problem, it could cause serious productivity issues. “We had issues with parts availability,” explains Andrew Moore, President of CRL. “Wire harnesses were taking four to five months to deliver; a steering knuckle failed and we
were told it would be three months before they’d have one to ship from the factory.” When their previous loader was ruined in a fire, Moore and his team thought twice about how to replace it. In the summer of 2018, they chose to purchase a new Sennebogen 830 M-T from the nearby Fort St. John branch of Great West Equipment. Sennebogen engineers have always worked to the principle of keeping
Log Handler Has Lived Up To Billing
Cameron River found a log handler it can rely on.
Nothing much has changed over the past three years at Cameron River Logistics (CRL) in Taylor, BC, and that is a good thing. The huge transload facility in BC’s Peace River district still receives up to 50 truckloads a day of 16 ft. CTL spruce logs. Dozens of train cars leave the yard every week, moving the logs to the Dunkley sawmill five hours south. And the Sennebogen 830 M-T log handler shows up to work every day TIMBER PROCESSING
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MACHINERYROW equipment repairs and maintenance simplified by using readily available parts whenever possible. Local distributors like Great West don’t have to wait for OEM parts from overseas either. Sennebogen’s 100,000 sq. ft. warehouse near Charlotte, NC maintains a complete inventory of replacement parts for every make and model currently in service. Dealer orders are usually on their way to the customer overnight. “With Sennebogen, you’re not reinventing the wheel,” Moore adds. “It’s got a Cummins engine, Bosch Rexroth hydraulics; all industry-standard components easily sourced nearby.” The 830 M-T is a 91,000 lb. (41,400 kg), 225 HP (168 kW) machine built specifically for log handling and trailerpulling applications. A specially reinforced undercarriage features dual transmissions, providing powerful 4-wheel traction to handle the stresses of pulling heavy log trailers loaded with up to 64,000 lbs. through muddy yard conditions. “Going on to three years we have 5200 hours on it now,” Moore reports. “We do our own preventive maintenance
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servicing. Great West comes out anytime we need them. About 90% of what has been needed are hydraulic hoses that break in -30° weather. Nothing big. We added a fire suppression system, and we do a structural inspection every year. With the price of lumber as high as it is, demand for our logs has grown and our Senneobgen is doing the job.”
COMING IN MAY! Planer Mill Bonanza
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PRODUCTSCANNER10 —MOLD PREVENTION— hen it comes to airborne mold spores, what we can’t see definitely can hurt us. Unfortunately, when the weather W gets warm in spring and conditions are right, those spores can
quickly colonize surfaces. In days, mold can spread from idle lumber or a pallet to contaminate materials and equipment. A mold is a fungus that grows in the form of multicellular filaments called hyphae. There are more than 100,000 mold species, which play an important role in helping to decompose wood and other plant matter. The most common approach to controlling
mold is to limit wood moisture. Experts recommend that the moisture content of wood be kept below 19% for best results. One common misconception is that the ISPM 15 heat treatment of pallets will prevent mold. The application of heat treatment (a minimum of 30 minutes at a core temperature Dipping in WoodLock Bio-Shield of 56°C) is designed to kill insects living in the treated wood. The intention is to prevent the inadvertent transport of wood pests internationally. In fact, heat treatment can make matters worse by drawing moisture and sugars to the wood surface. Product manufacturers, distributors and retailers in hygienesensitive supply chains are becoming increasingly sensitive to the problem of mold. Here are some best recommended best practices: l Make sure that mold is actually the issue. Mold grows on the surface and can be brushed off or smeared, whereas blue stain penetrates deep into the wood and cannot be removed. l Keep pallets out of the rain. l Elevate stacked pallets off the ground. l Don’t store pallets in a trailer. l Keep pallets in a well-lit, dry and ventilated environment. l Ensure row spacing to further promote ventilation. l Consider KD softwood pallets. KD softwood pallets can be designed to deliver comparable service without the mold challenges. What about traditional chemical treatment options? To improve protection against mold, lumber and pallet providers have relied on hazardous and caustic chemical solutions. But these products can pose additional challenges or risks.
NEW APPROACH WoodLock Bio-Shield was developed as a treatment for construction lumber to inhibit mold growth in homes. Its inventor, Jim Stanley, saw the need for a non-toxic mold in-
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PRODUCTSCANNER10 hibitor for lumber and pallets and reformulated the product for that use. WoodLock is applied by spraying or dipping onto green cut boards, hardwoods, softwoods, pallets, crates and boxes. It is uniquely effective in preventing mold by utilizing a unique polymer emulsion that forms an ionic bond with the formula’s anti-microbial agent and a mechanical bond with the wood, effectively “locking” out mold spores by stopping gestation.
The active ingredients of WoodLock Bio-Shield are bio-available at just 10% humidity with higher availability at higher humidity levels, so the better the conditions are for mold growth, the harder WoodLock works. These ingredients are held on the surface of the wood by the polymer, which softens, allowing the anti-microbial agent to become more bio-available. This unique formula has a zone of in-
hibition up to 2-3 mm away, ensuring that nearby areas are protected even if a board is not 100% covered. The polymer seals as it dries so it can work repeatedly, and because WoodLock is not water-soluble, it continues to protect wood from mold growth even after thousands of wet-dry cycles. WoodLock’s performance was validated by Virginia Tech using ASTM D4445 Laboratory Method for Evaluating the Mold Resistance of Wood-based Materials. The formula contains no hazardous materials or carcinogens and is nonflammable and non-corrosive. The product’s pH of 7.3 (once diluted) is the same as the human body, so it will not damage containers, forklifts or other equipment. Empty WoodLock containers can be recycled in standard municipal recycling streams—no special disposal protocols required. TP This article previously appeared as a blog post from Pallet Machinery Group and appears here with permission. All statements and claims are attributable to PMG. Visit palletmachinery.com.
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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, 2021
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 08/20
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Call Toll-Free: 1-800-669-5613
EMPLOYENTOPPORTUNITIES 1615
13734
LUMBERWORKS
Recruiting Services Executive – Managerial – Technical - Sales
JOHN GANDEE
& ASSOCIATES, INC
208-830-0854 bfisher@fabcoweldingidaho.com fabcoweldingidaho.com
Contingency or Retained Search Depending on Circumstances / Needs
Visit us on Facebook @fabcowelding
Industrial Sawmill Construction – Dismantle & Installs – – Onsight 5’ X 10’ CNC Plasma – – Structural Steel – Shut Downs – – Custom Fabrication – Milwright Work –
GREENWOOD KILN STICKS Importers and Distributors of Tropical Hardwood Kiln Sticks
Top Wood Jobs Recruiting and Staffing George Meek geo@TopWoodJobs.com www.TopWoodJobs.com (360) 263-3371
“Your Success Is Our Business” Serving the Wood Products and Building Materials Industries For more than 26 years.
512-795-4244
Call or Email me anytime! john@johngandee.com www.johngandee.com
Austin, Texas
3779
3220
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
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MAINEVENTS APRIL
SEPTEMBER
6-8—Kentucky Forest Industries Assn. annual meeting, Embassy Suites, Lexington, Ky. Call 502-695-3979; visit kfia.org.
27-October 1—Ligna: World Fair For The Forestry And Wood Industries, Hannover Exhibition Center, Hannover, Germany. Call +49 511 89-0; fax +49 511 89-32626; visit ligna.de.
14-16—International Wood Products Assn. 65th World of Wood Virtual Convention. Call 703-820-6696; visit iwpawood.org. 19-21—Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Assn. Convention & Exposition, Indianapolis Downtown Marriott, Indianapolis, Ind. Call 317-288-0008; visit ihla.org.
MAY 21-22—Expo Richmond 2021, Richmond Raceway Complex, Richmond, Va. Call 804-737-5625; visit exporichmond.com.
JUNE 4-5—PA Timber Show, Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center, Pennsylvania Furnace, Penn. Call 814-8632873; visit agsci.psu.edu/timber.
JULY 14-17—2021 Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. Annual Conference, JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, Marco Island, Fla. Call 770-631-6701; visit slma.org. 15-17—West Virginia Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Cannan Valley Resort & Conference Center, Davis, W.Va. Call 681265-5019; visit wvfa.org. 20-23—AWFS Fair 2021, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV. Visit awfsfair.org. 25-28—Walnut Council annual meeting, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Ill. Call 765-583-3501; visit walnutcouncil.org.
AUGUST 1-3—Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Summer Conference, The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, WV. Call 336-885-8315; visit appalachianhardwood.org. 2-4—American Forest Resource Council annual meeting, Skamania Lodge, Stevenson, Wash. Call 503-222-9505; visit amforest.org. 11-13—Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Expo, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga. Call 504-443-4464; visit sfpaexpo.com. 24-26—Louisiana Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino Resort, Lake Charles, La. Call 318443-2558; visit laforestry.com. 31-September 2—Florida Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Sheraton Panama City Beach Golf & Spa Resort, Panama City Beach, Fla. Call 850-222-5646; visit floridaforest.org. 62
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Listings are submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with contacts prior to making plans to attend.
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This issue of Timber Processing is brought to you in part by the following companies, which will gladly supply additional information about their products. ADVERTISER
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A W Stiles Contractors 59 Andritz Iggesund Tools 2 Autolog 17 Automated Industrial Technologies 51 Automation & Electronics USA 50 BID Group 7 Brunner Hildebrand 57 Calibre Equipment 16 Cone Omega 22 Corley Manufacturing 6 Donaldson Industrial Air Filtration 6 East Coast Sawmill Expo 23 EXPO 2021 41 FiberPro 54 Fulghum Industries 49 G F Smith 12 Holtec USA 64 JoeScan 49 Johnson & Pace 58 Les Aciers J.P. 53 Liebherr-International 33 Linck 27 Linden Fabricating 56,59 Lucidyne-Microtec 13 McDonough Manufacturing 18 Mebor 45 Mellott Manufacturing 44 Metal Detectors 8 Mid-South Engineering 59 Milltech Inventory Management Solutions 52 MPM Engineering 22 Nelson Bros Engineering 39 Oleson Saw Technology 63 Optimil Machinery 58 Pallet Machinery Group 35 Pipers Saw Shop 50 Pole Mill Optimizer 41 Precision-Husky 21 Prinz GmbH 55 Progress Engineering 59 Real Performance Machinery 31 Salem Equipment 35 Saw Add 56 Sering Sawmill Machinery 54 Signode 19 Simonds-Burton-BGR Saws-CutTech 3 T S Manufacturing 40 Telco Sensors 25 Timber Automation 10 USNR 9 Valutec 11 Vecoplan 52 West Coast Industrial Systems 29 Wood-Mizer 38
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