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JULY/AUGUST 2017

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A Hatton-Brown Publication

Co-Publisher: David H. Ramsey Co-Publisher: David (DK) Knight Chief Operating Officer: Dianne C. Sullivan Publishing Office 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 42 • Number 8 • October 2017 Founded in 1976 • Our 437th Consecutive Issue

Renew or subscribe on the web: www.timberprocessing.com

Executive Editor David (DK) Knight Editor-in-Chief: Rich Donnell Managing Editor: Dan Shell Senior Associate Editor: David Abbott Associate Editor: Jessica Johnson Associate Editor: Jay Donnell Art Director/Prod. Manager: Cindy Segrest Ad Production Coordinator: Patti Campbell Circulation Director: Rhonda Thomas Marketing/Media: Jordan Anderson 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

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

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NEWSFEED

Forest Service Developments

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WAGNER’S NEW MILL

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CANTON HARDWOOD

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FIJI’S TROPIK WOOD

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COLLABORATION

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SECOND LOOK

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PRODUCT SCANNER

Flexibility And Efficiency Built-In Attention To Detail Pays Off

Big Recovery Number Was A Must

Getting The Government To Get It Right Photo Album Of Empire Lumber Log And Lumber Transfer

COVER: The Wagner Lumber hardwood sawmill in Owego, NY sets the standard for Northern sawmills with four bandmills running. PAGE 10. (Jay Donnell photo) VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.timberprocessing.com

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

Member Verified Audit Circulation

Kevin Cook 604.619.1777 E-mail: lordkevincook@gmail.com

International Murray Brett Aldea de las Cuevas 66, Buzon 60 03759 Benidoleig (Alicante), Spain Tel: +34 96 640 4165 • +34 96 640 4331 E-mail: murray.brett@abasol.net

Timber Processing (ISSN 0885-906X, USPS 395-850) is published 10 times annually (January/February and July/August issues are combined) 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: 800-669-5613; 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 ® 2017. 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

THE OUTDOORS WERE IN GOOD HANDS

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good friend of mine died on Labor Day. Forrest Bailey was recently retired, after 33 years as the natural resources section chief for the Alabama State Parks Division of the Dept. of Conservation. Forrest, so aptly named, was the epitome of an outdoorsman—a hunter, a fisherman, a forester, a botanist, a zoologist, a conservationist. He was a naturalist and a spiritualist rolled into one. He was passionate about land ethics.

I first met him in 1983, when my wife and I lived next door to him in Montgomery, Ala. My wife and I were commissioned to write a book about outdoors and hunting in the South. One of the chapters would be called “Land.” After one conversation with Forrest, I quickly picked up that this was the man I needed to converse with in depth.

Forrest took me to the 500 acres of land he and some others leased south of Montgomery. During the next few days we walked all over it. About all I did was turn on my tape recorder and let Forrest do the talking.

“It’s there for you to learn from,” Forrest said in his soft-spoken manner.

“If you don’t learn what the land has to give or what the land is all about, you are missing a great deal.”

He said: “If you’re out alone in the woods, hunting, walking, if you’re there when the sun comes up and see things come alive around you, it’s a true experience, a religious experience.”

He said: “I see all of these things in the woods that come together for me— the pre-dawn, the dawn, a storm on a small pond, waiting under a tin shed until the storm goes over, the smell of bream in the backwaters, the silhouette of ducks flying overhead, the different calls of the birds in the morning, the hoot owl, the great horned owl. To be seeing and experiencing the forest coming alive gives you satisfaction of knowing things are right with the world.”

George Forrest Bailey III was a lifelong resident of Montgomery and a much adored husband, father, brother and friend. He was a graduate of Auburn University.

While establishing his career with Alabama State Parks, Forrest also served honorably for 23 years as an aircraft ordinance mechanic with the 187th Fighter Wing of the Alabama Air National Guard and was a decorated Gulf War II veteran.

Forrest also volunteered much of his time to educate children. “It’s very important in this day and age to create information that your children can understand and pick up on,” he said. “They’re going to be the key to the future of a good many things dealing with conservation principles.”

Forrest and I remained close friends through the years. I wish he could have shared his knowledge of the outdoors with youngsters and oldtimers alike for TP many years to come. I’ll always treasure that tape.

Contact Rich Donnell, ph: 334-834-1170; fax 334-834-4525; e-mail: rich@hattonbrown.com

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NEWSFEED PERDUE FOCUSES ON FIRE ISSUE U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue called on Congress to address the way the U.S. Forest Service is funded so that the agency is not routinely borrowing money from prevention programs to combat ongoing wildfires. Perdue argued that taking funds from prevention efforts only leaves behind more fuel in the forests for future fires to burn, exacerbating the situation.

Currently the fire suppression portion of the Forest Service budget is funded at a rolling 10-year average of appropriations, while the overall Forest Service budget has remained relatively flat. Because the fire seasons are longer and conditions are worse, the 10-year rolling fire

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suppression budget average keeps rising, chewing up a greater percentage of the total Forest Service budget each year. The agency has had to borrow from prevention programs to cover fire suppression costs.

Perdue said he would prefer that Congress treat major fires the same as other disasters and be covered by emergency funds so that prevention programs are not raided.

“Our budget has moved from 15% of fire suppression to over half,” Perdue said. “There’s no way we can do the kind of forest management and the prescribed burning and harvesting and insect control, all those kinds of things that diminish fires. Fires will always be with us. But when we leave a fuel load out there because we have not been able to get to it because

of a lack of funding, or dependable funding, we’re asking for trouble.”

WYDEN CRITICIZES DUTIES DELAY Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., criticized the Commerce Department’s announcement of a two-month delay in levying final tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber that is subsidized and dumped in the United States.

“This delay creates a window for Canadian companies to ship subsidized lumber to the U.S. without paying tariffs, inviting major harm to U.S. producers and workers,” Wyden says. “I support continued negotiations to reach a lasting solution on softwood lumber, but more talks need not and should not come at the cost of not en-

forcing the law.”

The Dept. of Commerce announced a two-month delay in its final subsidy determination for softwood lumber from Canada, until November 14, indicating that the delay is intended to provide more time to negotiate with Canada.

U.S. Commerce earlier determined softwood lumber from Canada was subsidized and assessed duties ranging from 17% to 31%, and also determined that Canada was dumping softwood lumber into the U.S. at 4-8% less than fair value.

The two Commerce Dept. investigations stemmed from petitions filed on behalf of the Committee Overseeing Action for Lumber International Trade Investigations or Negotiations (COALITION), composed of U.S. companies.

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NEWSFEED GP PLANS TO BUILD MILL AT TALLADEGA Georgia-Pacific reports that it plans to build a $100 million sawmill in Talladega, Ala. at the site of a plywood plant that GP closed in 2008. Construction of the 300,000 sq. ft. operation is scheduled to begin immediately with an anticipated startup in late 2018.

The Talladega sawmill is the first of several new sawmills GP may construct in in the South.

The mill is expected to produce 230MMBF annually, bringing in 150 log trucks daily, with plans to expand to 300MMBF. The plant will employ more than 100 and generate an estimated $5 million in annual payroll, according to GP. “The availability of talent and natural resources makes

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Talladega an ideal site for this new lumber production facility,” says Fritz Mason, vice president and general manager, Georgia-Pacific Lumber.

GP had operated the plywood mill in Talladega for more than 30 years.

“This new facility is the first of several we have in our current plan,” Mason adds.

“The demand for lumber continues to improve as the housing market recovers, so we are evaluating similar investments in Georgia, Texas and Mississippi.”

TOOKE IS NEW CHIEF OF FOREST SERVICE A Mississippi State University forestry graduate and most recently the regional forester for the Southern Region of the U.S. Forest Service has been sworn in as the

18th Forest Service Chief.

Tony Tooke has worked for the Forest Service since he was 18 and for a total service of 37 years.

“Tony is truly a homegrown Chief, having worked his entire adult life for the Forest Service, and he comes on board at a time of great opportunity to reform our approach to forest management,” says U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue.

“He will oversee efforts to get our forests working again, to make them more productive, and to create more jobs.”

Perdue expects Tooke to alter a frustrating trend of excessive Forest Service monies (now at 55%) spent on fire suppression.

Tooke succeeds Tom Tidwell who retired in August after a 40-year career with the agency, characterized by his climb from a firefighter to a

district ranger, forest supervisor and to the head of the U.S. Forest Service for the past eight years.

Tidwell played an instrumental role early on in drawing attention and public support to confront the increasing severity and costs of wildfires and their residual impacts on the agency’s lands stewardship.

Tooke was responsible for 14 national forests in his recent position as regional forester for the Southern Region of the U.S. Forest Service. He now leads an agency that oversees 154 national forests and 20 grasslands in 43 states and Puerto Rico.

He was previously associate deputy chief for the National Forest System.

Tooke grew up on a small farm in Detroit, Ala. He earned a bachelor’s degree in forestry from Mississippi State University.

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ULTIMATE

REBUILD By Jay Donnell

After a major fire in 2014 at Wagner’s hardwood sawmill in Owego, the company has built one of the most impressive hardwood mills in the U.S. 10

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W

OWEGO, NY

hen a massive fire broke out at Baillie Lumber’s Wagner hardwood sawmill operation here in February 2014, Wagner founders Les Wagner and Steve Schaeffer didn’t waste any time. Les called several equipment manufacturers the next morning to tell them to open up their schedule. He didn’t know exactly what he wanted, whether he wanted to rebuild bigger or smaller, but he wanted the suppliers to be ready.

The cause of the fire at Owego was narrowed down to a couple of possibili-

ties but was never determined exactly.

While cleanup at the site began immediately, management was concerned with keeping the crew intact and employed.

“We wanted to make sure all of those people weren’t concerned about their livelihoods and make sure they had a place to go,” comments Rob Etienne, sawmill operations at Owego. Half the crew went to the Wagner sawmill at Cayuta and the other half went to Wagner’s Nineveh sawmill. “I commend the company on their efforts here,” Etienne adds. “They covered people’s travel expenses. They put people’s minds at ease so that we could focus on what we needed to do, which was clean up the mess

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Opposite page, refurbished headrig far left, new slant headrig at right; converted rosserhead debarker gets logs into shape.

and the mill built and running.”

Timber Processing had the opportunity to visit the new mill in Owego and sit down with Etienne along with Ty Bowgren, log yard manager, and Bruce Richards, Head Coach. Each gentleman was heavily involved in the mill rebuilding process.

The first manufacturer Les called was Nicholson Manufacturing. Wagner had already intended to install a Nicholson ring debarker at its Davenport sawmill, so they ordered a second one and it was installed at Owego in January 2015. By then, serious construction was in the works.

The first sub steel went up the last week of November 2014. Concrete was getting poured on one part of the mill and they were putting up sub steel on the concrete that had already dried up on the other parts of the mill. They basically started from the northeast corner and worked their way out.

The first piece of sawing machinery that was actually flown out to Owego was a PHL Industries trimmer. It made its way to Wagner almost exactly a year after the fire, in February 2015. A

Logs move up toward debarker line.

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Nicholson debarker set the stage for the new mill.

MDI metal detector precedes infeed to headrig sides.

Cleereman carriage was flown up in March and a PHL transverse edger was delivered in April. “The big race was to get ahead of the electricians so they could begin,” Etienne recalls.

Bowgren says they were able to actually start up on August 10, 2015, and at that point they were running the debarker, the existing carriage, edger and trimmer. A vertical linebar resaw and the horizontal band resaw were not up and running. They were sawing a few hundred logs a day.

The linebar resaw began running in the next two months and by then the new slant headrig and carriage side was also running, but the PHL horizontal resaw didn’t begin running until February 2016, nearly two years after the fire.

Piece by piece, Wagner rebuilt as efficiently as possible. Flexibility was a main focus and production uptime was built into the mill. The old operation, for example, had flow limitations especially to the resaw.

“What Les and Bruce did here is complicated, but it’s easy to summarize,” Etienne says. “They tried to build a big mill that processes a lot of material where we have economics of scale. Then every way they could they tried to make it flexible. Flexibility for when something is down and transition flexibility.

Capacity surge decks. Flexibility on our high and low grade species. Our resaws are always full of wood and the new mill is the throttle. This mill is Les Wagner and Bruce Richards’ brain child.”

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Another key component to the rebuild was the elevation of the mill. It has removed a lot of the clutter and allowed for vastly improved waste discharge.

Meanwhile production is up, from about 115MBF daily to up to 150MBF.

RAW MATERIAL

Filing room features an impressive lineup of machinery, including Oleson/Iseli bench.

Foreground, linebar resaw system; background, horizontal resaw

About 75% of the grade lumber Wagner produces is going overseas with Southeast Asia a primary market. Lower grade byproducts such as cants and railroad ties go to pallet makers within a 200-mile radius of Owego.

Red oak and hard maple make up about half of the log supply that Wagner brings in while ash accounts for nearly 20% of the logs. The rest is cherry, basswood, birch, white oak, walnut, soft maple and hickory. The vast majority of logging companies in the area work on private land, though Pennsylvania state has been putting up a lot of timber over the last several years.

As the log yard manager, Bowgren has a lot on his plate. “The hardest part right now is balancing the four (Wagner) mills and keeping them all at the level of inventory that is good for them to get the maximum amount of hours and production,” he says.

Wagner is one of the largest consumers of hardwood logs in the Northeastern U.S., utilizing 100MMBF of logs annually. Wagner deals with more than 60 loggers. These logging companies can be anywhere from one man operations to five to six man outfits. Bowgren does have concerns about the logging industry in general. “The average age of the loggers around here is definitely increasing,” he explains. “It’s hard to get younger people involved in this industry because for one it’s a huge investment and it’s extremely difficult if you’re not already rooted in the business.”

One disturbing trend is the growth of log exports. “This is not good for our local loggers and our local economies. The exporting has grown substantially over the past few years and I’d attribute that to the fact that we don’t place any tariff on our raw product being exported as most developed countries do,” Etienne says.

MILL FLOW Shift hours are from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, with a 15 minute break in the morning and a 30 minute lunch. Maintenance is done in the early morning as well as after the mill shuts down for the day, which allows workers the opportunity to work on the

PHL 63 in. horizontal resaw 14

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Infeed to PHL three saw edger

Workers and lumber in motion

equipment when it is in rest. Scheduled maintenance is performed outside operating hours on Friday or Saturday.

A mobile Cat loader unloads logs from trucks and a Volvo forklift feeds the sawmill. Logs go to a butt reducer, which is a converted HMC rosserhead debarker. Logs proceed up a Mellot log ladder and run through a Nicholson A6 35 in. debarker and MDI TWA-2000-HD metal detector.

Logs then go either to what is called Mill 2, which is a refurbished Corley carriage and rebuilt 62-6A vertical McDonough 5 ft. double cut bandmill, or to Mill 1, which is a new Cleereman slant carriage and new McDonough 67A 17-degree slant 6 ft. bandmill. Each side has Lewis Controls 3-D scanning/optimization. The higher grade cants from those headrigs are then sent to a PHL linebar resaw system with new McDonough 6 ft. vertical bandmill. The press roll system is 16

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prepositioned based on the incoming cant size, providing much smoother, faster flow and higher line counts.

Smaller, lower grade cants (from both headrigs and the linebar) are sent to a PHL 62 in. horizontal bandmill resaw.

It’s designed for small cants, multiple board flitches and slab attached boards.

Lumber moves through a PHL transverse optimized three saw edger with Lewis Controls scanning. This includes an all electric feed edger box, and processes up to 25 boards per minute. Lastly, everything is integrated back together on the PHL full grading green trimmer system where lumber is graded, fed through a Cypress grade mark reader to drive the linear fence and select the correct saws at the PHL trimmer with speeds up to 44 boards per minute.

Sawmill waste material runs through a chipper and BM&M screen.

Wagner focuses on thick stock, with 6/4 through 16/4 representing 60% of

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Left to right, Rob Etienne, Ty Bowgren and the head coach, Bruce Richards

The Owego mill is one of several Wagner sawmills, and was the first.

their grade lumber production. Thick stock oak for example may sit on an air dry yard or in a t-shed for a year, sometimes two. They try to air dry under controlled conditions until reaching the 2030% moisture content mark. In the kilns they’re looking at 28-44 days. Wagner maintains a total AD lumber inventory between their three drying facilities of 19-20MMBF. Wagner maintains a large dry inventory of 4x4 through 16x4.

Wagner has a fleet of about 50 Kenworth trucks, with most of the front line trucks 2006 and newer models. Many in the experienced group of drivers have 15 years at Wagner. Truck drivers are also able to transition into other opportunities, notes Bowgren, who started at Wagner as a truck driver himself.

Richards believes the new mill’s flexibility makes all the difference in the world. “The access to maintenance, the ability to change, it’s all about having options in terms of how we operate,” he explains. “If the markets change we can adapt very quickly and I think the most impressive thing about the mill is that it doesn’t require any ‘traffic cops’ to walk around making sure things don’t mess up. It’s a fantastic collaboration and there are a lot of people that should be very proud of their contributions.”

OVERVIEW Wagner Lumber, now known as The Wagner Companies, was formed in 1976. In 2012 Wagner joined forces with Baillie Lumber Co. Baillie had owned a couple of smaller mills prior the acquisition, but Baillie was mainly brokering lumber. The company was purchasing lumber from many mills but looked at Wagner as an opportunity to really increase the volume of lumber available to them. Baillie now owns multiple hardwood sawmills in addition to the four Wagner mills.

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SMALLER

BUTSTRONGER By Jessica Johnson

was if everyone is going out, we should go in. We were able to come in and design a budget for the sawmill, and then double the budget. We really should have quadrupled the budget,” he says, laughing. “We’ve spent the last five Canton Sawmill in years bringing the sawmill back to its western North Carolina former glory. It’s a fire-breathing dragisn’t the newest but on. We are getting all the squeal out of that pig.” it’s hard working.

Tackling the project was not easy, but the Fletchers believe that the mill, which they named Canton Sawmill, is Canton, NC finally running at a satisfactory level. ow many people enter the Capacity at Canton is around 7MMBF, sawmill business is straightthe woods crew is able to keep pace forward, usually being famiwith 4.5MMBF to 5.5MMBF. Fletcher Susan and John Fletcher ly tradition. And while John points to struggles in the woods as to Fletcher’s late father why the mill doesn’t run at full max “Sunny” was a respected sawmiller in owner was ready to get out. Before givcapacity and has some production western North Carolina for decades, ing the notion much thought, the Fletchvariances.

John didn’t immediately go into “This sawmill has a very particular ers said “Sure!” sawmilling on a large scale.

Fletcher says his strength was always diet and if you get out of that diet it beInstead, he started Pisgah Hardwoods comes unruly,” he explains. Because of in standing timber, but the offer was in 1993, on a 1955 Frick circle sawmill the strength in standing timber, Fletchenticing enough to make him think and that produced about 3BF a day. Seven er’s background and the sawmill’s parthe transition began. “Our philosophy long years of hand-turning ticular tastes, Canton does not logs gave John quite a perbuy gatelogs. Everything prospective on Southern Appalcessed through the mill is achian trees and he transicruised and purchased by tioned into the woods end of Fletcher, and harvested by comthe business. John began to pany crews that are being debuy timber and started operveloped. “Logging our mounating logging crews, markettains is terribly difficult and ing out the logs for a percentfew young folks are entering age of net revenue he created into the field,” he adds. With for the landowner. Fletcher rising equipment costs and expensive insurance premiums, sold many of the high-quality Fletcher is trying to build a sawlogs to the former Canton team of woodsmen in-house; Hardwood. and this process takes a tremenIn early summer of 2011, dous amount of time.

John and his wife Susan, “This mill doesn’t need to went to Canton to buy some be a 15MMBF sawmill, the scrap lumber for a chicken coop. Upon inspecting some area can’t handle it,” he says.

Though between his son barn-type material, the third Steven, currently a forestry generation owner of Canton student at Clemson University, Hardwood threw up his hands and the company crews, and said, “I am done; do you guys want to try this?” He Fletcher is confident over the had wanted to retire, and with next few months and years the logging capacity will catch up the recession hitting western This Volvo L120 was one of the newest pieces purchased by the North Carolina’s lumber to bring Canton to a consistent Fletchers during the reconditioning of the once downtrodden mill. business extremely hard, the 6.5MMBF to 7MMBF mark.

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and final grader Juan Diego Rodriquez call the lumber on grade, One of the biggest struggles allowing Canton to not have confor Fletcher when he took over flicts and internally check itself.

Canton was the machinery. AcA tally man keeps the kiln-dried cording to him, things were bad. inventory on track, using a The plant’s morale was horrible Forestry Systems hand-held. and the machinery was not per“That’s the target,” Fletcher exforming the way Fletcher wantplains, “three kiln charges.” ed, or frankly, needed. It took Sometimes it is not possible some time, but day by day, for Canton to keep the log supply morale improved and slowly into have three kiln charges on the vestments and tuneups were air yard, as working high elevaCanton Sawmill produces 7 MMBF of Appalachian hardwood. made to bring areas of the plant tion timber and volatile mountain to peak performance. weather can be a challenge.

The Fletchers opted to not purHowever, since Fletcher has chase all new equipment, and inbuilt a good standing timber instead took the antiquated equipventory base, he is optimistic ment they already had and rebuilt about the future. This strong with existing parts. “We have an standing file allows Fletcher the old-fashioned style Silvatech setability to plan on his species mix works. So we found everyone for sawing, air drying and he tries that was selling Silvatech parts, to time markets accordingly. and bought all the spare parts and Secondary producers, concenkept upgrading it,” Fletcher extration yards, moulding and plains of the method. flooring mills are typical marHe invested in parts and kets for Canton, domestically, as rolling stock when he could. much as possible. Fletcher himHe elected not to invest in a self handles all sales, while scanning system, saying his exSusan helps with the officework.

Logs are sawn and lumber is put on sticks within one shift. tremely talented sawyer, Mike Once the mill started producing Davis, is a better judge of the consistently high quality lumber high grade lumber than a computer school” style Silvatech setworks, which again, markets started to fall into place, could ever be. Summing it up, Fletcher Fletcher calls “bulletproof.” The mill he says. Selling export is a little more of says, “We have the best of the older also uses a 6 ft. McDonough resaw. In a challenge, strictly because of Canton’s technology and the parts to repair it. the pursuit of grade in every log, volume, but he has some solid relationWe have focused on that with the limit- Fletcher elected not to put in a gang ships that help buffer the global marketed capital we had. It’s taken five years, edger. Fletcher says considering the place and assist with the logistics. but we did it without having to borrow saws do not hit a lot of metal, the mill “We sell through several really good too much money.” He believes fixing does not operate a detector. wholesalers for export. We don’t proprojects as they come up is going to Cants flow from breakdown to vintage duce enough to take an order for 50 conhopefully lead to longevity. trim saws before receiving a green grade. tainers of no. 1 Common poplar. That’s The stacker used at Canton is ancient, why we don’t sell to a whole lot of difbut still going strong and steady. Fletcher ferent people. We don’t have complaints, MILL FLOW says grading the lumber green is key to which is good because I am a terrible Canton takes in all of the “big nine” knowing what is sitting on the air yard salesman,” Fletcher jokes. Susan beAppalachian hardwood species, and preand in the stick house. One of Canton’s lieves Canton’s focus on quality not dominantly saws poplar, red oak, white daily goals is to have all 40,000 feet quantity is what really sells the product. oak, cherry, hickory and basswood. The sawed on sticks that same day. vertically integrated company pulls from “We take pride in getting from the log MAINTENANCE a 120 mile radius and in the highest eleva- to the sticks as quickly as possible to not tions. Fletcher says he tries to rotate his have any stain,” he adds. To fight stain The sawmill runs four 10 hour days log piles constantly, taking logs to lumber in the summer lumber is dipped, where during the week and takes Friday for as quickly as possible. “You’re going to Monticello Labs keeps the tanks wellmaintenance. If something goes down in lose enough money in the sawmill busiserviced and prepared. the mill during the four sawing days, ness without compounding it with waste Ninety-five percent of lumber graded at Fletcher’s staff will patch it up to get it and stain,” he quips. A Volvo L120 hanNo. 2 Common and better is dried. At any back running and completely repair the dles heavy lifting in the yard and Jason given time Canton will have between problem on Friday.

Letterman treats it with care.

500BF and 600BF on the air yard being Fletcher says the key to running such Fletcher estimates that 90% of Canprepped for the SII dry kilns, with 225BF vintage equipment is a dedicated and ton’s product is 4/4 thickness, random capacity per charge. Coming out of the knowledgeable staff and doing preventalengths and random widths. Logs are kiln, lumber is regraded, retrimmed and tive maintenance, adding his staff is debarked and then broken down on a 6 then packaged either for domestic delivcontinuously looking through the mill ft. McDonough handsaw with a 48 in. ery or export prep. for loose chains and bad bearings.

Green lumber grader, Mike Coulter, “Walk-abouts are critical when assessCleereman carriage and an “old-

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The Fletchers have made the grounds look a little more like a home, to encourage employees to take ownership and pride in their work.

ing the equipment and our guys are diligent about knowing their stations and communicating needs as they arise,” he adds. “We are all pulling in the same direction and we try to be proactive.”

Fletcher puts a lot of personal accountability in the mill, saying his guys are expected to handle their area and handle it well. “You don’t want to be the person that stops the train from running,” he explains, “Everyone has a lot of personal responsibility. Everyone improves together.” This personal ownership attitude was part of the morale boost sought by Fletcher, and he reports it has worked very well.

Mill manager Larry Ballard and sawfiler Jeff Hunter handle all the filing needs for Canton. When the Fletchers took over the plant in 2011, the mill was using 30 saws a year. Now, Fletcher says with talented, highly-skilled sawfilers, Canton is able to make BGR saws last over a year using an Armstrong grinder, even while running a thinner kerf (depending on species.) “The company has a great millwright in Jimmy Woody, with Mario Sanchez helping every step of the way,” he adds.

PERSONNEL Bringing Canton to its former glory took a lot of work, but Fletcher says it would not be possible without his group—starting with his wife Susan. He gives her much of the credit for why the sawmill is pulling together. “As we we’ve had to figure this out as we went, she’s done an excellent job. She makes sure we are reasonably behaved,” he saying, adding, “and the men are thankful the ‘sawmill mama’ keeps the group intact.”

Fletcher says the entire team, both in the woods, at the mill and at the dry kilns are top-notch and are critical to the success of the operations: “There are too many unsung heroes to mention by name. But we are grateful for every single person; they are Canton Sawmill!”

Susan maintains a homey feel to the mill grounds and office space, since the team virtually lives at the sawmill. For two Thursdays a month, she cooks a homemade lunch, often sourcing vegetables from a garden near her office window. Lunch is used as part safety meeting, part team building and part production meeting. Fletcher is especially proud of the team’s safety record. In five years, Canton has not had a recordable accident and hopes that trend will continue well into the future.

Once the Fletchers got a handle on the paperwork and what machinery needed to be rebuild, they focused on team building.

They both believe they’ve found the right mix of staff and that it truly feels like a family. In their area when economic hardship shuttered many mills, Canton was able to scoop up a few key, knowledgeable personnel and balance with versatile veterans of the hardwood industry. Of kiln manager Sandy Johnson, Fletcher says, “He’s forgotten more about drying hardwood lumber than I even know.”

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NEW

SAWLINE Greed end upgrade at Tropik Wood complements Fiji building boom.

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LAUTOKA, Fiji etermined to improve its recovery, Tropik Wood in Fiji set out to update its saw line with state-of-the-art technology. It selected a line from Söderhamn Eriksson/USNR manufactured in Sweden. The new equipment

has almost doubled the mill’s recovery, making for more efficient use of the island’s forest resources.

Founded in 1987, Tropik Wood Industries Ltd., a division of Fiji Pine Group of Companies, is the largest producer of timber products in the country.

Processing Caribbean pine, the 170-employee company produces more than 15 product types, both treated and untreated, ranging from profiled lumber, construction material and posts and poles for domestic customers, to wood chips for export markets. The company uses its waste material to feed a biomass power generating plant.

The mill, which employed equipment that was purchased in 1987, had been set

up to focus on volume rather than recovery. This did not match the company’s and the government’s goals for optimizing the use of the island’s natural resources. Four years ago, Tropik decided that major capital upgrades of its sawmill line were needed.

“The old mill experienced long downtimes and very poor recovery,” says Vimlesh Kumar, Tropik Wood’s Project Manager. “The low average recovery of 27% meant that we were wasting our valuable sawlogs, which take 25 years or more to mature for timber.”

Several alternatives were considered by the Tropik team. “We explored a number of options including bringing in refurbished machinery from Canada or

Project teams from Tropik and Söderhamn Eriksson/USNR enjoy a jovial moment.

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New Zealand that would have saved initial capital cost,” says Faiz Khan, Fiji Pine’s Executive Chairman in an article in the Fiji Sun newspaper. “But brand new, top-of-the-line equipment will give us greater certainty of productivity increases over the next 15 years.”

NEW EQUIPMENT A series of discussions with Söderhamn Eriksson/USNR representatives and other suppliers produced a complete scoping of the project, which included: l New log infeed deck l Cambio 800 ring debarker (including CIM 750 infeed and CamTrail outfeed) l Scanning conveyor and True Shape 3D scanner l 750E log turner l LogPos optimized infeed l Quad reducer band saw l Outfeed board separator l Catech 400 optimized 3-saw edger l Chipper canter 2500 with 435 infeed l Gang saw l Optimization software and PLC controls l New structures and conveyors “The level of technology incorporated in the mill is unique to this region,” says Lars Lindvall, Söderhamn Eriksson/USNR account manager. “It is

a testament to the importance of sustainable harvesting that Tropik was willing to make the significant financial commitment to bring these plans to reality.”

INSTALLATION One of the challenges faced by the installation team was integrating the new equipment into an old facility, with inplace infeed and green chain. “The integration of our existing conveyors with new machinery at our current site was a challenge,” Kumar says. “To increase our chance of success, we engaged the services of Skookum Technology, the process engineers (and Söderhamn Eriksson/USNR’s agent) out of New Zealand, to review our plans and ensure that everything was planned perfectly for smooth machine installation once the Söderhamn Eriksson/USNR installation engineers arrived from Sweden.”

Another challenge was the isolation factor. It takes almost two months for shipments to reach Fiji from Sweden, so Tropik prioritized the use of the best freight service provider in order to ensure that the equipment reached the site on time.

As if the technical and transportation challenges weren’t enough, a major cyclone hit the island in the middle of the

project. “Despite these factors, and the time zone difference between Fiji and Sweden, the project was implemented on time,” Kumar says.

MILL FLOW Caribbean pine logs enter the sawmill unsorted with respect to diameter, and leading with the small end. Logs range from 15-50 cm (6-20 in.) diameter in lengths of 3-6.1 m (10-20 ft.). Logs are scanned and optimized, with 2.8-3 m (910 ft.) gaps at the infeed. Processing logs with small ends first provides advantages in more accurate infeed alignment and for edging accuracy.

The log decks have two sections with separate drives: one loading/storage deck and one thinning deck to separate logs before they arrive at the log elevator.

The log elevator and singulator sends logs one-by-one to the debarking line with consistent intervals.

The Cambio 800 is a heavy duty highspeed debarker that accommodates all log sizes, and is particularly suited for logs with a diameter up to 795 mm (31 in.). It offers reliability, minimal service requirements and ultra-low operating costs. Triangular feed works and carbide tipped debarking tools actuated by compressed air are some of the most impor-

Log enters rotation and positioning at primary breakdown.

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Cant is processed through a 2500 chipper canter.

tant features to achieve first class debarking results.

The Cambio 800 is paired with the CIM debarker infeed. This infeed’s autocentering function allows feeding logs

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without any log gaps, maximizing debarking line productivity.

The CamTrail debarker outfeed prevents logs from wobbling or rotating. Secured support throughout the process en-

sures optimum debarking and feed control, and results in a minimum of downtime and wear.

Once logs are debarked they pass through a metal detector, then a single axis log scanner for sorting out reject logs. Next they are transported to a log kicker, log elevator and singulator then on to the sawline scan conveyor.

Once scanned, a 3D data model is produced and an optimized saw pattern provides log and cant breakdown solutions. Log rotation is achieved with the 750E rotary log turner controlled from the PLC and actuated with an electric servo motor.

Next the LogPos log infeed positions the log with four pairs of vertical side rollers on a chain bed. The side rollers have spikes to hold the log’s rotated position securely while feeding into the cutting tools. The infeed offers side shift capability of ±30 mm (1.18 in.) and follows the path defined by the sawline optimizer to achieve accurate opening faces on both sides. Spiked press and side rollers firmly secure and feed the logs into the chipper canter unit.

The chipper canter with CombiSpiral

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Sideboards advance to the S-unscrambler.

discs was chosen due to its capability to produce first class pulp chips and boards with smooth sawn faces, and proven dimensional accuracy. With a wide variety of accessories, it can be customized for

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log or cant breakdown, straight or sweep sawing and for production speeds up to 150 m/min. (500 FPM).

The quad band saw’s design maximizes production and performance with

thin-kerf saws. It is designed for high product accuracy at feed speeds up to 120 m/min. (400 FPM). The band saws have optimized height-shifting saw guides, and speed is also optimized by cutting height. Two to four sideboards are separated out at the board separator, and dropped off to the edger conveyor.

After sawing and separating side boards from the log, the cant is kicked sideways, turned 90 degrees and conveyed to the cant breakdown line. The cant feeder 435 positions the cant in front of the second chipper canter; it is centered, side shifted and skewed for the most accurate curve-sawing, following the cant’s natural shape.

The curve sawn cant enters the single arbor circular saw with four shifting saws and the option to mount further saws on the outer shafts. Side and center boards are sent to the green chain. Side boards are manually separated and sent to the optimized edger.

The Catech 400 edger line includes an S-shaped unscrambler, transverse scanner with conveyor, edger infeed and

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3-saw edger, edgings separator and board outfeed. The edger line offers high speeds and top recovery with optimized wane control, and a split saw that offers greater capability for processing wide boards.

RESULTS The new mill has a capacity of 350m3/day; however, it is currently being run at a daily average of 180 m3 to ensure sustainability of the forests the mill draws its raw material from. As a result of the new equipment installation, recovery of timber has increased significantly. As well, the new line offers greater flexibility and can handle logs of larger diameter.

“The increase in production efficiency comes at the perfect time for Tropik,” Kumar concludes. “The Fijian economy has been importing a lot of timber, and by increasing our output we will support the country’s building boom sustainably.

The equipment upgrades will also provide our workforce opportunities to increase their skills in operating state-ofthe-art machinery.”

For Söderhamn Eriksson/USNR, this was a unique project in a challenging lo-

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A flitch is fed into the Catech edger.

cation due to distance and environment.

Lindvall comments, “We knew this project was going to offer significant challenges, but we were pleased to be able to outfit this operation with state-of-the-art

equipment that will serve Tropik’s interests for many years to come.”

TP This article and photos appeared in the USNR publication, Millwide Insider, and are printed here with permission.

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COLLABORATION IT SHOULDN’T BE POLITICAL FOOTBALL

By Russ Vaagen

O

ver the last 20 years we have heard of many attempts to create legislation that will improve the management of our national forests and public lands. There was the Healthy Forest Restoration Act under the Bush Administration. It says a lot of good things, but it still fails to address the scale of the problem. There have been other attempts at legislation, but none have made it to law. In my opinion, the reason for this is simple: The language has failed to capture the essence of what the public wants. It either goes too far and few Democrats support it, or doesn’t go far enough and loses momentum.

WESTERMAN BILL Currently there is one bill that is getting attention from all sides: H.R. 2936 – Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2017, also referred to as the Westerman bill. It was introduced by Congressman Bruce Westerman from the 4th Congressional District of Arkansas. He graduated from the Uni-

versity of Arkansas with an engineering degree before getting a master’s degree in forestry from Yale University. This makes him the only forester in the House of Representatives. He also worked for MidSouth Engineering, a company that many of you may know because of their work in the forest industry.

H.R. 2936 has several parts to it. Some are great, where others seem to miss the mark. We need to understand that legislation is not intended to say everything and spell out everything that should be done in the forest, but it lays the foundation for future action. I like that collaboration remains a key component. I’m not a big fan of Resource Advisory Councils (RAC).

Basically, they are appointed individuals that are supposed to advise land managers on what should and should not be done. My concern with this is that it doesn’t go as far as collaborative groups in getting community acceptance. RACs could be seen as special interest or too narrow in scope, making them subject to justified criticism.

The other concern is the size of Categorical Exclusions (CE) in this language. Sure, I’d like to see the size and scope of projects move quickly through the planning stage to implementation, but I see a bigger potential downside.

That downside would be a backlash on projects that don’t have full support from collaborative groups. If we find ourselves back in the position of groups igniting smear campaigns against the forest industry for management that goes too far, we could lose, again.

We need the mainstream conservation groups to support these efforts. Our

We should also include a road-side restoration effort immediately. If we have open roads through an area that has been burned, we should harvest that area as soon as possible.

forests and our communities need lasting solutions that we can build upon. Getting into a situation where this legislation passes because of a Republican administration only to be replaced by something else driven by conservation interests when the pendulum swings to the left will create boom and bust cycles we can’t afford.

POST FIRE STRATEGY Here are some ideas that might help get this to a place that gives us lasting solutions. Many of the CEs are designed to help after a catastrophic event like a wildfire, wind damage, insect and disease outbreak, or other natural disasters.

I fully believe that these are intended to be solutions for land managers in the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, but I think we can do better.

We should create language that encourages forests to develop a “Post Fire Restoration Strategy.” These would be collaboratively developed plans that would spell out how we would restore areas following a major wildfire event.

For other areas of the country where events like hurricanes and tornados are prevalent, strategies could be created for those as well. It’s important to determine where and how we would restore these forests. We have done some of this on the Colville National Forest and hope to have a strategy in place soon.

In the absence of this strategy we should use existing guidelines for green forests. If the fires happen where active management would typically take place, the Forest Service and collaborative group could respond with a plan to harvest the burnt timber in much the same way that it would have looked if it were standing green. This would give assur-

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COLLABORATION ances to groups concerned that aggressive fire salvage efforts would lead to more damage on the ground.

We should also include a road-side restoration effort immediately. If we have open roads through an area that has been burned, we should harvest that area as soon as possible. We have seen numerous occasions where burnt trees after a fire start falling onto roads. This is a safety issue. We can easily harvest 150 feet on either side of a road, leaving any live trees. This will create revenue that can be used for soil stabilization and replanting efforts. It could be authorized and incorporated in the Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team’s work.

I suggest we focus on the areas that we plan to manage and restore. Unless we have strong collaborative support, do not focus on Post Fire Restoration work within Inventoried Roadless Areas or other sensitive areas. If we push to harvest areas that groups find as sensitive or currently protected we will get significant push back. It may be possible to get collaborative support for adjusting boundaries, but until that is accomplished I think we are asking for trouble.

will encourage everyone to work out collaborative support for projects. The other is that it will speed up the NEPA process because the Forest Service will focus on collaborative support rather than preparing for a legal challenge.

Congress needs to continue to work on this important issue. I would like to see them do a bit more outreach so that we can create the kind of buy-in that we need for transformative legislation that

most groups can support. If legislation can be drafted and passed that meets the criteria of most groups, we have a TP chance at creating a new future.

Russ Vaagen is a third generation sawmiller with his family’s company, Vaagen Bros. Lumber, in Colville, Wash. He is also the founder of www.theforestblog.com that specializes in topics focused on collaboration and the state of forests and industry. E-mail him at: rvaagen@vaagenbros.com.

ARBITRATION Arbitration is something that I think could be a game changer. If a collaborative group comes up with a plan with the Forest Service that has full support, it should have different legal protection. If another group objects to a project, it should go through as arbitration process rather than going through the long legal process. The time horizon for an arbitrator’s decision should be 60 to 90 days.

This will encourage two things: First it

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EMPIRE LUMBER

SECONDLOOK

This issue begins a new photo feature section, “Second Look,” which includes additional photos from a mill operation article that appeared in the previous issue of Timber Processing. Second Look is in response to many of our readers asking to see more photos from the operations.

Kicking it off is the Empire Lumber sawmill in Weippe, Idaho. The article appeared in the September issue. Empire Lumber, whose history dates back to 1956, is a twosawmill facility that as of late has focused a lot of attention on processing large logs.

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FROM FARMING TO PELLETING Dale Shrock’s work ethic and values have guided his family’s wood pellet business.

By Jessica Johnson WHITE PIGEON, Mich. n 1992, Fiber By-Products was formed out of necessity—without the slightest desire to become a strong domestic wood pellet producer for Michigan and Indiana. Yet, 15 years

I

after the founding, Fiber By-Products would do just that by diversifying its assets, going from a wood shavings/animal bedding outfit to also producing pellets thanks to the vision of Dale Schrock and his sons. But it all started with some poultry barns in Goshen, Ind. and none of the Schrocks have forgotten that.

Fiber By-Products pellet premium pellet is marketed as Pro Pellet, sold in hardware stores.

Capacity is 100,000 tons annually, with most years on track to produce 90,000 tons.

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“He wasn’t intentionally looking to get into this,” Cory Schrock says of his late father. “We had a farm. We used wood shavings for bedding, so he sourced his own raw material and fortunately, this area is rich in wood fiber.”

Through the industry grapevine Schrock’s operation become fairly well known—he would park a trailer at a sawmill and collect residuals that would otherwise be going to the area landfill.

This method helped the sawmillers keep residuals out of landfills and make his animal bedding of higher quality, kiln dried hardwood.

“Before too long we had more than what we needed on the farm,” Schrock remembers, “So he was giving it to neighboring farms. There was a demand for the product. It is interesting to see over the years how we went from charging to take waste material and giving product away to paying for material and charging to give it away.”

Schrock says that by 2002 the neighboring farms, as well as the family farm, had just about all they needed, but the sawmills were still producing excellent quality residuals. The family didn’t know what to do with the excess; that’s when Dale Schrock charged Cory with developing and finding new markets.

Three years later the pellet side of the company would be built and the first bag of pellets was shipped not long after.

Now, Fiber By-Products’ pelleting business accounts for a capacity of more than 100,000 tons, with most years on track to produce 90,000. Schrock says when he first started researching wood pellets 10 years ago there didn’t seem to be a large amount of consumers in their area. He credits that to a lack of knowledge. After some web research, and a few visits to Northeast producers, Schrock says it became clear that if the company could produce a low enough cost product, they would be able to ship pellets to the existing markets, until the local market caught up.

For Schrock one of the most interesting things about being a pellet producer for the last decade has been watching the market change, and most importantly, grow. He estimates that in the early years, 2006-07, Fiber By-Products’ best customer was moving between three and five semi-loads per year. Now? If an ac-

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The Schrock family with their late father, shortly after Fiber By-Products began producing pellets, from left, Cory, Chad, Dale, Ryan and Brad.

count isn’t selling at least 10 semi-loads, it’s considered too small to service.

“Michigan has become a good state for wood pellets,” he believes, crediting the harsh winters and large amount of rural communities. “There’s a lot of wood burning folks in the state.

There’s a lot of propane, as the old wood burners are falling off to the wayside, but they still like the wood.

We’re seeing a lot of old wood stoves being switched out for pellet stoves over the years.” High natural gas and propane prices a decade or so ago also helped drive the conversion to pellet stoves, Schrock believes.

Even now, with fossil fuels at record lows, Schrock says Fiber By-Products doesn’t feel like the pellet valve has been turned off in the domestic market. Of course, pellet appliance sales are down, but he contends that the demand for the pellets seems to be holding steady.

Cory Schrock runs the family's pelleting business, located on the Michigan-Indiana state line.

UPGRADES Schrock says that before his father died, the family had been looking for an investor or potential partial sale. “Basically, it was to get Dad and Mom retired and done. So after he passed, we continued that path and brought in an investment firm from Detroit. The operation didn’t change and the management didn’t change,” he explains.

“We were too conservative. We knew we needed to make upgrades and we should have made upgrades, but we didn’t. They came along and said ‘What are you doing leaving a lot of money on the table? Let’s go spend some to make more,’” Schrock adds. “We don’t come from a financial background; we come from a farming background. We just know how to work.”

With the push from the investors, Schrock says Fiber By-Products started

The plant first began producing pellets in 2005, after looking for new markets to complement the company's wood shavings business.

looking at new pellet machines in summer 2016. Previously, the facility was using three 500 HP Bliss machines with 36 in. dies. The machines worked well, and were consistently pumping out 80,000-85,000 tons annually. But that was running at full blast, and demand was calling for more.

Schrock says originally the plan had been to just add a fourth Bliss machine, but the building itself couldn’t support it without some modifications to the existing structure. After determining that altering the building wasn’t the best option, Schrock began looking at other manufacturers, before ultimately deciding to install Andritz machines. The dies were downsized, but the horsepower remained the same.

“After some testing, we believed we would get more throughput out of the Andritz mill and we do,” he explains.

The older mills were producing about four tons per hour, per machine. Fiber

Part of an upgrade in summer 2016, two Andritz 32 LM pellet mills running 32 in. dies were installed.

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By-Products is now able to get between five and a half to six tons per machine per hour. “Our cost per ton went down, and our efficiency went up.”

Fiber By-Products did keep one of the 500 HP Bliss pellet machines. Using the combination of the two Andritz machines and one Bliss machine, production is at 15 tons per hour.

PELLETING Fiber By-Products grew the production, but didn’t change the collection process from its humble beginning. All raw material is sourced from local sawmills and collected either by being blown into Fiber By-Products trailers at the facilities or is collected into open top walking floor trailers provided by Wilkens Mfg., using the Keith Mfg. floor system. A Fiber By-Products owned truck pulls each trailer.

Once each trailer arrives at the plant, the material is tagged by vendor to help with pellet blend consistency. Schrock notes that vendors are grouped based on the hardwood species cut, and then those groups are categorized as Grade #1, Grade #2, and so forth.

A mixed bag of Bobcat and Case

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front-end loaders carry material from the yard across Rotex screens. Considering 40% of the raw material being taken in is already at the desired ¼ in. minus, Schrock says the screens help cut out a step at the hammermills.

Additionally, since raw material is all kiln dried and arrives at about 7% moisture, it is infrequent Fiber By-Products makes use of its Onix drum dryer. Following screening, everything that doesn’t pass is processed through Andritz hammermills.

Once material is down to spec, it is conveyed to one of the two Andritz 32 LM pellet mills, which run 32 in. diameter dies, or the 500 HP Bliss mill. Here, Fiber By-Products adds water. Schrock feels like he gets better production out of the wood if the moisture is at 8% or 9% when pressed. Following pressing, pellets are cooled and moisture is read at 3.5%.

“We produce an ultra premium pellet,” Schrock notes, “It is very dry, which is a big advantage to the consumer not buying water weight.” He believes this process gets more wood in a cubic foot and makes for a cleaner, hotter burning pellet. Finished pellets are ¼ in. in diameter.

A Hamer form, fill and seal bagging

line completes the process, assisted by a Columbia Okura bagging robot. Honeyville Metal provided dust collection bins.

MAINTENANCE Fiber By-Products focuses on preventative maintenance on Sunday nights or early Monday mornings before the plant starts up for the week. The plant runs 24/5 or 24/6, depending on demand. Oil and grease schedules are maintained daily, and at the start of each shift operators check equipment against a series of checklists targeting specific machines and specific bearings.

Schrock says one of the biggest advantages of how the company operates is with its own trucking fleet and direct sourcing of material, without relying on brokers.

“Our father believed in value. He worked hard, and he wanted things done correctly. He wanted the best equipment; it didn’t have to be the shiniest or the cleanest, but the hardest working. He didn’t skip corners. He built this plant with TP that in mind.”

A version of this article first appeared in Wood Bioenergy magazine.

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MACHINERYROW Taylor Machine Works Represents Mississippi

Keitele Group Goes With Valutec Kilns

It is not every day that you get a call from the White House. Taylor Machine Works, Inc. (TMW), one of the last American manufacturers of heavy industrial lift trucks, received a call asking if Taylor would like to showcase its products at the White House. The “Made in America” event that President Trump was hosting on Monday, July 17 was having one representative from each state.

This event was a continuation of Trump’s “Putting America First” campaign. Robert Taylor, Chief Operating Officer of Taylor Machine Works, remarked, “This is a great honor for all of us as the Taylor “Big Red” team, to have one of our forklifts representing our great state of Mississippi. What a great day when our nation’s leaders salute manufacturing and those who do the manufacturing jobs in the USA.” After being elated and humbled by the experience of being chosen to represent Mississippi, the “Big Red” team began working to make this happen. Luckily, Taylor dealer Taylor Northeast, Inc. had a truck being rented just a few blocks away at the Smithsonian. With the help of Taylor Northeast, Inc., Taylor service rep Barry Rhodes from Taylor’s factory direct location in Richmond, Va., Michael Cravens, a previous Taylor employee who is now Chief of Staff for Congressman Gregg Harper, and Spencer Pope, TMW sales engineer, the

Valutec has secured one of its largest deals ever in the Finnish sawmill market.

The Keitele Group chose to invest in six continuous kilns for its sawmill in Alajärvi. The higher drying capacity is a part of a major investment program comprising EUR 32 million. With these investments, the Keitele Group’s total production capacity will increase to 1 million m3 per year (424MMBF).

The total annual capacity of the timber kilns delivered to Keitele Timber amounts to 300,000 m3 (127MMBF).

The continuous kilns delivered to Keitele’s sawmill in Alajärvi are of the FB type where the drying takes place in two separate zones to enable a high and even quality. They also come equipped with Valutec’s Valmatics control system. In addition to this, extensive noise reduction and optical safety alarms will be installed to ensure a good working environment.

“Safety is an important part of our development work. It’s a part of the quality we deliver,” says Robert Larsson, CEO at Valutec.

Installation of the systems will begin early next year and they are scheduled to be in operation in autumn 2018.

The Keitele Group is a family-owned company with three sawmills and employs 450. The largest markets for the company’s products are in Europe, Asia and North Africa.

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A forklift made by Taylor Machine Works, Inc. of Louisville, Mississippi, sits by the White House representing Mississippi made products.

truck was hand polished and made ready to move to the White House.

After a trip by the Department of Commerce, going through the White House Security and being checked out by a bomb sniffing canine, the Taylor forklift was moved directly in front of the White House. President Trump viewed the “Big Red” machine along with the other products representing each state before making his speech.

Lex Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of the Taylor Group of Companies, commented, “It is important to (U.S.) jobs and our communities for products to be made in America. At the end of the day, if the product is built in America, then it is providing jobs for Americans.”

Taylor Machine Works is also proudly celebrating 90 years in business. Not only are 3rd and 4th generations of this company now at the helm of management, but also can be found in the Taylor employee workforce.

Article provided by Taylor Machine Works and written by Kay Reynolds.

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PRODUCTSCANNER10 LINDEN STEP FEEDER

BRUNETTE SINGULATOR

Linden’s double acting step feeder features simple mechanical electric drives which eliminate hydraulics and ships as a complete unit requiring no assembly. The log feeder unscrambles, singulates and feeds logs one at a time, using only one moving section activated by two drives handling up to 50 logs per minute.

The self cleaning step feeder consists of two sets of continuous moving steps mounted on cross frame support tubes. Both moving sections are connected by link arms to a torque pipe which is connected by a drive arm to a reducer.

In the standard model, the reducer is activated by a vector motor, which is controlled by a flux vector drive at speeds up to 70 cycles per min. The uninterrupted face of each step clears log debris as it feeds each log to the top of the step feeder with log gap control.

Models suit lengths 8-24' and log diameters 3-30'' and are availablein 35, 50 or 70 degree elevations with 4 or 5 steps.

Visit linfab.com.

Brunette Machinery launches its newest in log singulation technology: the patented Retract-to-Load (RTL) Log Singulator. With pre-stage log positioning, robust design, heavy duty torque tube drive assembly, reinforced steps, RTL Log Singulator has proven to reduce maintenance costs and will give your mill tighter log gap control.

One of the most unique aspects of the RTL is the Retract-to-Load feature. At the park or pre-load position the log sits right above the conveyor and is ready to be dropped in. The reducer crank arm is sitting over the top of the stroke holding the log in position, creating a negative torque which reduces the load on the drive and increases the ability to close the gap between logs. As the nose section retracts, the log is dropped into the conveyor, another takes its place in queue at the prestaging position. This reduces log gap, improves piece counts, and reduces maintenance costs on the log singulator as well as the conveyors it feeds into.

With the goal to reduce the maintenance costs of log singulation, Brunette has incorporated several key design features: l The extreme-duty torque tube assembly has pre-machined endplates to eliminate alignment issues after a repair

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or replacement, and also has replaceable shafts should they ever be damaged by a failed bearing. l Each roller assembly features two spherical roller bearings and is assem-

bled in a removable support housing.

This allows for simple replacement of the rollers without risking any alignment of your machine. l Each step is made with ½'' formed plate and reinforced with structural angles to create a robust shelf for both receiving and lifting logs.

Each RTL Log Singulator is custom built to suit the application’s needs. It will fit within the same envelope as most existing log feeding devices currently being used. Visit brunettemc.com.

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PRODUCTSCANNER10 KILN-SCOUT METER

Using industry-proven technology, the KilnScout Wireless in-kiln moisture meter allows your operation to control dry kilns from direct moisture content readings.

This in-kiln system eliminates the need for costly hot checks by shutting down confidently at target moisture content.

The result is improved grade recovery, reduced energy costs and increased throughput. SCS Forest Products by Finna Group has updated its flagship KilnScoutSoftwood model and added two new application-specific lines: KilnScout-Softwood: The original

KilnScout has been improved to withstand the rigors of high-temperature softwood kilns. SCSFP’s new two-chamber design allows batteries to be changed without affecting the internal circuit board. Heavy-duty posts with wingnuts and thicker leads have also been added for increased durability. Updated software gives users the ability to send IOT alerts via text or email. An enhanced interface provides SPC control and automated push rate on continuous kilns.

KilnScout-Hardwood: This hardwood in-kiln moisture meter was conceived from the software that has made KilnScout a mainstay for softwood mills and hardware that is more suited to the lower temperatures of hardwood kilns.

Hardwood mills will no longer have to spend precious hours per week checking just a few outside boards, which are not even representative of the entire package, with a pinned handheld moisture meter or weighing oven samples.

KilnScout-Europe: The model designed for European mills has the same shell as the KilnScout-Hardwood but is aimed to

meet the requirements of European manufacturing and wood species, including being CE-certified. Visit finnagroup.com/SCSFP.

DELTA QUADRATURE

Delta Computer Systems, Inc. announced its new Quadrature encoder input module (Q4) for the RMC200 motion controller.

The RMC200, which handles up to 32 axes, is the newest and most capable member of Delta’s RMC family of closed-loop electro-hydraulic motion controllers. Each Q4 module has four incremental quadrature encoder input channels (A, B and Z) supporting RS-422, HTL, or TTL. Each input channel also has home and registration inputs with 5V or 24V signal levels and LEDs indicating encoder faults and the state of the home and registration inputs.

To make it easy for existing customers, the new Q4 module, like all modules in the entire RMC family, use Delta’s RMCTools software for setup, tuning, programming and diagnostics.

With the capacity to tightly synchronize up to 32 motion axes, a single RMC200 can manage the motion of large testing or manufacturing applications, such as complete forest products sawmill production line. The RMC200 has many special features including electronic gearing and position-pressure/force control capabilities. Visit deltamotion.com.

SPRINGER SCREW

Simple, reliable, low maintenance, even-ending, gap control, and a minimum of slippage when transferred to the chain conveyor—these are the benefits of Springer screw technology over tradition48

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PRODUCTSCANNER10 al methods.

Chosen by customers in British Columbia, Pacific Northwest, and the Southeast U.S., Springer screw technology works on all types of log species, especially those with a high percentage of crooked and broken logs, for lengths of 8 to 65'.

Proven technology is the basis for the reliable operation of every production line. Springer Screw Technology is suitable for high-speed feeding of log sorting, saw and debarker lines and for smooth transfer to the receiving conveyor.

Do you have problems singulating logs? The Springer screw unscrambler is designed to improve this process with a simple low maintenance concept, avoiding double-ups and empty lugs, handling crooked and broken logs, and allowing debris and broken pieces to fall through the gaps between the screws.

The system combines the functions of singulation, alignment and acceleration in the longitudinal direction, while at the same time ensuring lower maintenance and dramatically lower power consumption.

The Screw technology works reliably with all species, including SPF, Intermountain species mix, southern yellow pine and radiata pine.

“Our recent installations in Idaho, Oregon and British Columbia have been a great success. Our clients increasingly believe that this innovative way of log handling offers great opportunities in terms of productivity in the mill,” says Gero Springer, CEO of Springer Microtec in North America.

The Screw Unscrambler with helical screw rolls singulates logs from a pile and includes an integrated stop-end chain on the zero end which ensures smooth even ending of the logs.

The Screw Feeder is the heart of the line—a patented log allocation unit which aligns, singulates and accelerates the logs in the longitudinal direction as they are loaded onto the receiving conveyor. It has a modular design; individual modules can also be incorporated in existing lines.

The Screw Conveyor transfers logs without the need of chains and it is fitted with a rigid-coated stop wall.

More than 130 units have been in-

stalled worldwide, including projects in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and Russia. Visit springer.eu.

BARKO GRAPPLES

Barko’s new Strong-Arm grapples are designed to optimize the performance of Barko B-Series loaders. The lineup consists of three models. The 4250, 4850 and 5250 grapples have maximum openings of 42.0, 48.1 and 52.1'', respectively, with each rated for up to 50,000 lbs. of lift capacity.

A compact rotator allows for hoses to be contained in a single bundle between the boom and grapple, providing better hose protection. Other features include 360° continuous rotation and a fully sup-

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PRODUCTSCANNER10 ported rotator drive pinion gear.

The hydraulic motor is designed to maximize hydraulic flow, making each grapple exceptionally fast and productive.

The grapples are constructed of high tensile, wear-resistant steel and include hard face welding on the arm tips to extend working life. Oversized, inductionhardened pins help reduce wear to pins and bushings.

A service friendly design includes four convenient inspection plates for the grapple collector and hoses, along with 12 easily accessible grease points. Visit barko.com.

BEARINGS GREASE

Klüber Lubrication, a worldwide manufacturer of specialty lubricants, introduces STABUTHERM GH 461 greases for rolling bearings.

STABUTHERM GH 461 features highly effective anti-wear properties and is resistant to oxidation, providing reliable protection against corrosion.

STABUTHERM GH 461 has ideal hightemperature performance and high load carrying capabilities. Application of STABUTHERM GH 461 can reduce lubricant usage on mills and waste disposal costs due to lower consumption.

STABUTHERM GH 461 is well suited for use in central lubrication systems. The product has excellent pumpability through long lubricant lines to reduce line blockages. Visit klueber.com/us/en/

OIL FREE LUBRICANT

Swedish company Sustainalube has patented technology for a new type of environmentally friendly oil-free lubricant. Current users describe this lubricant as a high quality product that is much less time-consuming than traditional oil-based lubricants.

To create the lubricant, Sustainalube combines glycerol with new non-toxic additives. Glycerol is a byproduct from biodiesel production. It is edible, drinkable and water soluble. The lubricant has shown excellent performance in both extremely high and low and high temperatures, as low as -30 °C/-22 °F. Through a combination of specific additives in accordance with their patent, Sustainalube has been able to create a lubricant that is 100% biodegradable. This means that machines and equipment are maintained in a clean condition for a longer period of time compared to oilbased counterparts.

Visit sustainalube.com.

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Call Toll-Free: 1-800-669-5613

EMPLOYMENTOPPORTUNITIES Executive – Managerial – Technical - Sales

FOREST PRODUCTS RECRUITING SINCE 1978

JOHN GANDEE

WWW.SEARCHNA.COM

& ASSOCIATES, INC

The Jobs You Want — The People You Need

Contingency or Retainer “Your Success Is Our Business”

Top Wood Jobs

Toll Free 1-800-536-3884 www.johngandee.com Austin, Texas

gcopeland@mrihouston.com • www.mrihouston.com

Recruiting and Staffing George Meek geo@TopWoodJobs.com www.TopWoodJobs.com (360) 263-3371

Serving the Wood Products and Building Materials Industries For more than 21 years.

Management Recruiters of Houston Northeast

Gates Copeland 281-359-7940 • fax 866-253-7032

CONTACT CARL JANSEN AT 541-593-2777 OR Carlj@SearchNA.com

Depending on Circumstances / Needs

Specializing in confidential career opportunities in the Forest Products industry 2200

SEARCH NORTH AMERICA, INC. IT'S YOUR MOVE...

1615

Recruiting Services

LUMBERWORKS GREENWOOD KILN STICKS

3779

Importers and Distributors of Tropical Hardwood Kiln Sticks 127

“The lowest cost per cycle” GW Industries www.gwi.us.com

3220

Dennis Krueger 866-771-5040

Jackie Paolo 866-504-9095

greenwoodimportsllc@gmail.com

jackie@gwi.us.com

PROFESSIONALSERVICES WORN OR MISALIGNED CARRIAGE RAILS? A Proven Process

Contact Us Office 541.760.5086 Cell 541.760.7173 Fax 971.216.4994 www.acculine-rails.com george@acculine-rails.com

• Rails straightened & ground in-place at a fraction of the cost of rail replacement • No down time for the mill • Restores carriage rails to optimum sawing efficiency •Precision Laser Alignment • Machining and Grinding • Carriage and Bandmill Alignment 489

13431

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WOOD PRODUCTS marketplace NORTH AMERICA ■ United States

■ Kentucky HAROLD WHITE LUMBER, INC. MANUFACTURER OF FINE APPALACHIAN HARDWOODS

(606) 784-7573 • Fax: (606) 784-2624 www.haroldwhitelumber.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

Ray White

Domestic & Export Sales rwhite@haroldwhitelumber.com

Green & Kiln Dried, On-Site Export Prep & Loading Complete millworks facility, molding, milling & fingerjoint line

■ Minnesota

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.com

■ Tennessee

STACKING STICKS

FOR SALE

AIR-O-FLOW profiled & FLAT sticks available Imported & Domestic DHM Company - Troy, TN 38260 731-538-2722 Fax: 707-982-7689 email: kelvin@kilnsticks.com www.KILNSTICKS.com

Next closing: January 5, 2018 ■ Indiana

■ North Carolina Cook Brothers Lumber Co., Inc.

Manufacturer of Appalachian Hardwood Lumber LEONARD COOK, Sales (828) 524-4857 • cell: (828) 342-0997 residential: (828) 369-7740 P.O. Box 699 • Frankin, NC 28744 NATIONAL HARDWOOD LUMBER ASSOCIATION

WANT TO GET YOUR AD IN OUR NEXT MARKETPLACE? Call or email Melissa McKenzie 334-834-1170 melissa@hattonbrown.com

08/17

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MAINEVENTS OCTOBER 3-5—Arkansas Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Holiday Inn Airport, Little Rock, Ark. Call 501-374-2441; visit arkforests.org.

13-14—Panel & Engineered Lumber International Conference & Expo (PELICE), Omni Hotel at CNN Center, Atlanta, Ga. Call 334-834-1170; visit pelice-expo.com.

4-6—North Carolina Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Hilton Riverside, Wilmington, NC. Visit ncforestry.org.

22-24—American Wood Protection Assn. annual meeting, Seattle Marriott Waterfront, Seattle, Wash. Call 205-733-4077; visit awpa.com.

6-8—Paul Bunyan Show, Guernsey Co. Fairgrounds, Cambridge, Ohio. Call 740-452-4541; visit ohioforest.org.

MAY 2018

10-12—Mississippi Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Golden Nugget, Biloxi, Miss. Call 601-354-4936; visit msforestry.net.

18-20—Southern Forest Products Assn. annual meeting, Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort, Bonita Springs, Fla. Call 504443-4464; visit sfpa.org.

18-20—Alaska Forest Assn. annual meeting, Best Western Plus Landing, Ketchikan, Alaska. Call 907-225-6114; visit akforest.org.

25-27—Texas Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Hotel Fredonia, Nacogdoches, Tex. Call 936-632-8733; visit texasforestry.org.

25-27—National Hardwood Lumber Assn. Annual Convention & Exhibit Showcase, Omni Hotel, Nashville, Tenn. Call 901377-1818; visit nhla.com.

30-Nov. 2—99th Annual Railway Tie Association Symposium and Technical Conference, Manchester Grand Hyatt, San Diego, Calif. Call 770-460-5553; visit rta.org.

NOVEMBER 1-3—Forestry Association of South Carolina annual meeting, Hyatt Regency, Greenville, SC. Call 803-798-4170; visit scforestry.org.

3—American Lumber Standard Committee annual meeting, Savannah, Ga. Call 301-972-1700; visit alsc.org.

JANUARY 2018 17-21—Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers annual meeting, J W Marriott, Marco Island, Fla. Call 336-885-8315; visit www.appalachianwood.org.

FEBRUARY 2018 6-8—Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Assn. annual meeting, Indianapolis Marriott Downtown, Indianapolis, Ind. Call 317875-3660; visit ihla.org.

6-9—Fimma-Maderalia 2016, Feria Valencia, Valencia, Spain. Visit fimma-maderalia.feriavalencia.com/en.

APRIL 2018 11-12—Wood Bioenergy Conference & Expo, Omni Hotel at CNN Center, Atlanta, Ga. Call 334-834-1170; visit bioenergyshow.com.

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8-12—Xylexpo 2016, Fiera Milano Rho Fairgrounds, Milan, Italy. Phone +39-02-89210200; Visit xylexpo.com/index.php/en.

SEPTEMBER 2018 17-19—Timber Processing & Energy Expo, Portland Expo Center, Portland, Ore. Call 334-834-1170; visit timberprocessingandenergyexpo.com.

Listings are submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with contacts prior to making plans to attend.

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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 American Wood Dryers Andritz Iggesund Tools Autolog BM&M Bruks Rockwood Brunette Machinery Claussen All-Mark International Cone Omega Corley Manufacturing Electro-Sensors Esterer WD GmbH Evergreen Engineering Grasche USA Holtec USA Hurdle Machine Works Ledinek Engineering Linck Linden Fabricating LogPro Lonza Wood Protection Lucidyne Technologies Mebor Metal Detectors Mid-South Engineering Muhlbock Holztrocknungsanlagen Nelson Bros Engineering Pantron Automation Pape Machinery Pipers Saw Shop Precision-Husky Salem Equipment Sennebogen Sering Sawmill Machinery Springer Maschinenfabrik GmbH Sweed Machinery Teknip Comercial Telco Sensors Tradetec Computer Systems U S Blades USNR/Soderhamn Vollmer of America West Salem Machinery Wood-Mizer Woodtech Measurement Solutions

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