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â– table of contents
www.woodbioenergymag.com
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FROM THE EDITORS Forget Paris
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A LOT FOR EVERYBODY Biomass At Ligna Show
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IN THE NEWS Biomass Takes The Cake
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PRODUCT NEWS Lots Of Developments Worldwide
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BIG BIOMASS PRODUCER Twin Rivers Land & Timber
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SPECIAL SECTION Raw Material Processing
Cover Photography: Clay Crosby of Twin Rivers Land & Timber at new Exelon-Albany Green Energy facility in Georgia (Jay Donnell)
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Wood Bioenergy / August 2017
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table of contents ■
advertising index Advertiser Index is a free service for advertisers and readers. The publisher assumes no liability for errors or omissions.
Volume 9
Number 4
22
Acrowood
12
425.258.3555
Airoflex Equipment
13
563.264.8066
Amandus Kahl Hamburg
15
770.521.1021
Andritz Feed & Biofuel
10
800.446.8629
Astec
9
423.867.4210
BM&M
30
800.663.0323
Bandit Industries
2
800.952.0178
Bliss Industries
29
580.765.7787
CEM Machine
33
315.493.4258
Continental Biomass Industries
7
603.382.0556
CPM-Roskamp Champion
31
601.932.9080
CW Mill Equipment
14
800.743.3491
Duratech Industries International
36
888.477.0734
Co-Publisher/Adv. Sales Manager ■ David H. Ramsey Co-Publisher/Executive Editor ■ David (DK) Knight Chief Operating Officer ■ Dianne C. Sullivan
Firefly AB
33
+46 8449 2500
Fulghum Industries
37
800.841.5980
Metal Detectors
29
541.345.7454
Publishing Office Street Address ■ 225 Hanrick Street Montgomery, AL 36104-3317
Mid-South Engineering
14
501.321.2276
MoistTech
32
941.351.7870
Morbark
40
800.831.0042
Peterson Pacific
39
800.269.6520
Precision-Husky
21
205.640.5181
Process & Storage Solutions
34
866.354.7277
Process Barron
11
205.663.5330
Rawlings Manufacturing
37
866.762.9327
Sigma Thermal
35
888.402.2937
Timber Products Inspections
34
218.461.2579
Universal Wearparts
32
800.647.8440
Uzelac Industries
36
414.529.0240
Williams Patent Crusher
3
314.621.3348
Mailing Address ■ P.O. Box 2268 Montgomery, AL 36102-2268 Tel: 334.834.1170 ■ Fax: 334.834-4525 Editor-in-Chief ■ Rich Donnell Managing Editor ■ Dan Shell Senior Associate Editor ■ David Abbott Associate Editor ■ Jessica Johnson Associate Editor ■ Jay Donnell Art Director/Production Manager ■ Cindy Segrest Ad Production Coordinator ■ Patti Campbell Circulation Director ■ Rhonda Thomas Marketing/Media Coordinator ■ Jordan Anderson Advertising Sales North American Sales Representative Susan Windham ■ P.O. Box 2268 Montgomery AL 36102-2268 334.834.1170 ■ Fax: 334.834.4525 E-mail: windham.susan4@gmail.com International Sales Murray Brett ■ Aldea De Las Cuevas 66, Buzon 60 03759 Benedoleig (Alicante) Espana +34 96 640 4165 ■ Fax: +34 96 640 4331 E-mail: murray.brett.aba@gmail.com Classified Advertising Sales Bridget DeVane ■ Tel: 334.699.7837 ■ 800.669.5613 E-mail: bdevane7@hotmail.com A Hatton-Brown Publication Other Hatton-Brown Publications:
Timber Processing ■ Southern Loggin' Times ■ Timber Harvesting Panel World ■ Power Equipment Trade
Wood Bioenergy (ISSN 1947-5306) is published six times annually by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc., 225 Hanrick St., Montgomery, AL 36104. Wood Bioenergy is free to qualified readers in the United States, including owners, managers, supervisors and other key personnel. All non-qualified U.S. subscriptions are $50 per year, Canadian subscriptions are $60 and foreign subscription are $95 per year (U.S. funds). Subscriber Inquiries and Back Issue Orders—TOLL-FREE: 800.669.5613. Fax 888.611.4525. Subscribe or renew online: www.woodbioenergymagazine.com and click on the “Subscribe” button. When requesting change of address, please specify both old and new. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Ala. and at additional mailing offices.
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All advertisements for Wood Bioenergy 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, plagiarisms, copyright or trademark infringement and any other claims or lawsuits that may arise out of publication of such advertisement. Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. neither endorses nor makes any representation or guarantee as to the quality of goods and services advertised in Wood Bioenergy. Copyright ® 2017. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Printed in USA.
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■ from the editors
Paris Agreement
A Way Without S
eth Ginther, executive director of the U.S. Industrial Pellet Assn., deserves praise for rallying quickly following President Trump’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement (which deals with climate and greenhouse gas emissions). Ginther wrote a 900 word paper that immediately set the record straight: that “U.S. pellet producers will still be able to participate in mitigating the negative impacts of climate change by continuing to supply sustainable wood pellets to European power generators, thereby helping EU member-states meet their renewable energy targets under the Paris Agreement.” Ginther noted that The European Commission has aggressively recognized the importance of proving sustainability in its draft of the RED (Renewable Energy Directive) II, which within a year will be the controlling legal document on how EU member-states meet their targets under the Paris Agreement. The RED II introduces “sustainability criteria” or “sustainability provisions” for solid biomass. The draft RED II does indeed require that biomass fuels come from nations that sign off on the Paris Agreement, Ginther notes, but it also creates an exemption to that requirement for supplier nations that haven’t signed off on it. Ginther quotes the exemption language: “When the evidence referred to in the first subparagraph is not available [that the supplying country is a signatory to the Paris Agreement], the…biomass fuels produced from forest biomass shall be taken into account…if management systems are in place at forest level to ensure that carbon stocks and sinks levels in the forest are maintained.” Ginther says U.S. producers can still play ball by providing evidence of following a riskbased approach such as a certificate from the Sustainable Biomass Partnership, and Ginther notes that all U.S. producers are either currently certified by SBP or in the process of becoming certified. “Interpreting the RED II to not allow the U.S. to supply pellets to EU member states simply because the U.S. has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement would in essence cut off security of supply of that renewable fuel and undermine that public policy objective (not to mention likely be a violation of numerous international
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trade laws under the WTO),” Ginther writes. “The U.S. wasn’t a signatory to the Kyoto Protocols either, but that didn’t stop U.S. pellet producers from playing our part helping EU member-states meet their targets under that agreement. The U.S. withdrawing from the Paris Agreement doesn’t make U.S. pellets, U.S. solar panels, or U.S. wind turbines any less renewable.” Another fact that many people in our industry aren’t aware of is that notice of withdrawal from the Paris Agreement can only be given by a country three years from the date it entered the agreement and then withdrawal becomes effective one year later. Ginther notes that the U.S. formally entered the Paris Agreement on November 4, 2016, meaning formal withdrawal will not be effective until November 4, 2020, the day after the next presidential election. Ginther adds: “When I reflect on the journey of our industry over the past several years, one of the things we should all be most proud of is how a very diverse group of stakeholders from multiple countries and backgrounds have pulled together to create some of the most sophisticated global supply chains in the world to de-strand a renewable natural resource and continuously deliver our product on spec and on time to our customers—we have gone from zero to commodity in a short period.”
Wood Bioenergy / August 2017
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■ in the news Biomass Benefits Top Natural Gas Biomass Power Assn. released a study by two professors demonstrating dramatic carbon benefits by using forest residue-based biomass fuel instead of natural gas in a power generation facility. The study, conducted by Dr. Madhu Khanna, Distinguished Professor in Environmental Economics at the University of Illinois Dept. of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, and Dr. Puneet Dwivedi, Assistant Professor in Sustainability Sciences at the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, found that emissions from a biomass power facility using forest residue-based fuel are 115% lower than those of a natural gas facility in one year. Over 100 years, those savings remain at 98% after accounting for emissions from logging activities. “Assessment of the carbon intensity of biopower, in the near term, depends a lot on whether the carbon accounting is conducted at the stand level or at the landscape level,” says the study’s authors. “When biomass is being sourced continuously for a power plant, as in this case, accounting for carbon effects across the landscape from which it is being obtained is more appropriate than at a single stand level. When we do that, we find that the savings from avoiding emissions from decay of residues that would be left in the forest more than make up for the emissions generated in the process of collecting and transporting residues for power generation.” The authors noted that this finding was specific to use of residues for power generation and that a similar landscape scale analysis needs to be conducted for other forest biomass to determine its greenhouse gas intensity relative to fossil fuels. “Congress overwhelmingly voted to acknowledge the carbon neutrality of biomass, and the results of this study confirm the wisdom of that vote,” says Bob Cleaves, president and CEO of Biomass Power Assn.
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“As expected, biomass fuels are vastly preferable to natural gas from a carbon perspective. In addition to the carbon benefits of biomass, the existence of a biomass facility in a forested area promotes jobs and healthy forests by creating a market for low value wood products. As a nation, we can’t afford not to promote the use of biomass.” The project examined the carbon intensity of a 50 MW capacity biomass power facility in New Hampshire with a 43 MW net output on the electric grid, comparing it to that of a typical combined cycle natural gas facility. The study took into account the rate of decay of forest biomass, and the carbon and methane emissions from decay that would have occurred if these materials were left on the forest floor rather than used for power generation. It also took into account incidental carbon emissions incurred during harvesting, chipping and transportation.
Pinnacle Plans Pellet Plant In Alberta Parkland County, Alberta officials confirmed that Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc. will be constructing an $85 million wood pellet plant in Entwistle. “We are thrilled to welcome Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc. to Parkland County and the hamlet of Entwistle,” Mayor Rod Shaigec says. “The positive economic impact this investment will have on our community is tremendous.” The plant will be located one kilometer east of downtown Entwistle with access to the Canadian National Rail line, with the plant being operational by the spring 2018. Once in production, the plant will create 70 full-time positions. The plant will cover six hectares and is expected to produce 475,000 metric tons a year, which will be shipped by rail to the Pinnacle port in Prince Rupert. Today, Pinnacle runs seven pellet plants throughout BC, producing more than one and a half million
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in the news ■
metric tons annually. The plants are located in Houston, Burns Lake, Meadowbank, Quesnel, Williams Lake, Armstrong and Lavington.
International Markets Are Heating Up
gawatts of biomass-fired capacity, which represents demand for 15 to 20 million MTPY of biomass. Additional biomass-fired power projects have been announced, including Kansai Electric Power’s potential conversion of its Aioi power plant
to wood pellets under a joint venture with Mitsubishi Corp. Power and Chubu Electric’s plan to build a new co-fired unit with capacity of approximately 1.0 gigawatt at its Taketoyo power facility. l Driven by consumer prefer-
Enviva reports several recent developments that continue to support the significant growth in demand expected for wood pellets, especially in Enviva’s core markets of Europe and Asia: l As the European Union’s proposed 2030 goals for further emissions reductions and increased renewable energy generation progress through the legislative process, the European Union is developing a new strategy to almost completely decarbonize its economy by 2050. In addition, EURELECTRIC, an association that represents 3,500 companies across the European electricity industry, announced that power generators in most European Union countries committed to eliminate investment in new coal-fired power plants after 2020. These events demonstrate both the continued regulatory and energy industry support for further de-carbonization in Europe. l The United Kingdom recently completed a full 24-hour period without burning coal to generate electricity, a major milestone in its efforts to displace coal-fired generation. In addition, the UK Dept. of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) completed a study that confirmed wood fiber sourced using practices employed in the Southeast United States is a low-carbon, sustainable source of energy. After agreeing last year to extend the UK government’s powers to award new contract for difference (CfD) incentives for low-carbon energy projects out to 2026, the BEIS is now considering the potential implications of the study on future policy decisions and CfD awards. l The Japanese government recently reconfirmed the targeted power source mix for 2030. The program includes 6.0 to 7.5 gi-
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■ in the news
ence, several multi-national corporations have announced specific commitments to significantly reduce carbon emissions and increase adoption of renewable energy across their operations and supply chains. Biomass-fired generation for the power and thermal needs of these operations is a reliable complement to intermittent wind and solar power. Enviva reports it remains in active discussions with customers in Europe and Asia for long-term offtake contracts for the supply of wood pellets and points to possible new capacity under development throughout the Southeast U.S., including at sites in Lucedale, Miss. and Abbeville, Ala., as well as other sites positioned to take advantage of the existing terminal capacity at the Chesapeake and Wilmington terminals. In addition, Enviva continues to evaluate its option to build and operate a marine export terminal at the Port of Pascagoula, Miss., which could support wood pellet production from a potential production plant in Lucedale and other potential facilities in the region.
Enviva Looks Hard At Danville Site During its regularly scheduled meeting, the Danville-Pittsylvania (Virginia) Regional Industrial Facility Authority (RIFA) approved a purchase agreement with Enviva Development Holdings, LLC for a project of “regional significance” in the Berry Hill Industrial Park in Pittsylvania County. The project will represent a significant private investment in the region, with a value in excess of $100 million. The agreement is for a 168 acre tract of land. Sherman Saunders, RIFA chairman and member of Danville City Council, comments, “The evaluation conducted on this site over the coming months could result in a regionally significant project that would provide good paying jobs and shared revenue to our region. We look forward to working with
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Enviva Development Holdings, LLC as they conduct due diligence on this site.” “As power producers increasingly turn to sustainable, renewable processed biomass fuel to reduce their carbon footprint, Enviva Development Holdings, LLC will continue to look to great communities like the Danville / Pittsylvania County, Virginia area to become a part of the long-term critical supply chain infrastructure to fill those fuel supply needs,” comments K.C. Tripp, vice president of communications and public affairs, Enviva Development Holdings, LLC. “The action taken by the RIFA board today is an important milestone that enables us to begin our due diligence process on the site and the opportunity.” Danville is located just above the North Carolina border, due west of two Enviva pellet plants.
Conference Touts Benefits Of Biomass The 25th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition in Stockholm reported 1,537 conference delegates from 70 countries. Henrik Hernrooth, Chairman of the Board of Pöyry PLC and Chairman of the Climate Leadership Council, Conference General CoChair, comments, “I feel that we need to gradually move from sustainability debate into sustainable action. In order to define what is sustainable we need better measurements of biomass. Biomass is visible from the satellite and it is an interesting carbon stock that we can now measure with proper tools. Much of the debate about future is about threats. We need to move this debate into a positive vision.” Gustav Melin, Managing Director, Svebio, adds, “In the last 10 years, we got three times more carbon assimilated in biomass than what is needed for one year global energy supply. So, I would like to say to all scientists: stop talking about bioenergy as a limited resource. All facts show that there is
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in the news ■
enough biomass for all energy needs.” Nicolae Scarlat, Technical Programme Chairman, European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Directorate for Energy, Transport and Climate, summarized the conference. “We need long-term vision, policy consistency and stability; we need transformation of the economy, not a marginal change; we need technology specific policies instead of technology neutrality; we need to phase-out fossil fuels and keep fossil carbon in the ground.” The 26th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition will take place in Denmark on May 14-18, 2018.
Weyerhaeuser Selling Uruguay Operations Weyerhaeuser Co. is selling its timberlands and manufacturing business in Uruguay to a consortium led by BTG Pactual’s Timberland Investment Group (TIG), including other long-term institutional investors for $402.5 million in cash. The transaction includes more than 300,000 acres (120,000 hectares) of timberlands in northeastern and north central Uruguay, as well as a plywood and veneer manufacturing facility, a cogeneration faci-
lity, and a seedling nursery. “Our Uruguay business is a unique combination of high-quality timberlands, value-added manufacturing operations and skilled and dedicated people, and this transaction will best position the business to reach its full potential,” says Doyle Simons, president and CEO.
Domain Timber Buys Large Timber Fund Domain Timber Advisors, LLC, headquartered in Atlanta, announced the purchase of Timbervest, LLC’s fund management business. Domain Timber is focused on investment management of timberland and timberland-related investments for public and private pension plans, corporations, foundations, endowments, and high net worth individuals. The purchase was completed on May 30 and included the acquisition of the Timbervest infrastructure and personnel responsible for managing a 530,000 acre timberland portfolio with a market value of approximately $1 billion across the timber producing regions of the U.S. In addition, the portfolio is composed of environmental restoration projects including mitigation and conservation banks across the U.S., with a market value of $200 million.
Good Earth Project Gets ‘New Life’ A new investors group that has taken over daily operations of Good Earth Power AZ is seeking to ramp up the company’s execution of a farreaching Forest Service stewardship contract that sought to thin or otherwise treat 300,000 acres in 10 years beginning in 2012, but has barely covered 10,000 acres in the five years since. Another big change—aiming to give the effort a fresh start—is a company name change from Good Earth Power to NewLife Forest Products. The project encompasses the Coconino, Kaibab, Apache-Sitgreaves and Tonto national forests and their ponderosa pine stands, and comes on the heels of years of devastating wildfires. After a group of investors stepped in to take operational control of Good Earth at the end of 2016, a recent report says the investors are making multiple changes to increase output and completion of “task order” activities that accompany specific on-ground projects. One key is to pursue a less vertically-integrated business model and work more with outside contractors as opposed to owning tim-
August 2017 / Wood Bioenergy
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■ in the news
ber harvesting, chipping or trucking capacity, for example. Already the company has announced a partnership with major Phoenixbased trucking firm Knight Transportation, and foresters are looking to bring in experienced loggers from the Pacific Northwest to add to harvesting capacity. In addition, NewLife Forest Products is planning a new small log mill that will help reduce chip production, plus adding a composting operation to help increase overall biomass utilization. Withered and non-existent forest products industry infrastructure in the region has hampered the project from the beginning due to a lack of markets for the large volume of logs and especially biomass coming off thinning and other stewardship activities. Recently, the company’s Heber, Ariz. sawmill was closed for reno-
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vations to increase log processing capacity and was reportedly restarting operations. Meanwhile the new small log project replaces a mill previously planned for Williams, Ariz. that never got off the ground. In the meantime, hog fuel and chips are going to Gro-Well, a soil additive company, and the biomass-powered Novo Power plant. With such lofty goals to reduce fire risk on millions of acres across Arizona, the first major contract for the Forest Service’s (FS) Four Forests Restoration Initiative has a rocky history: First, the FS in 2012 awarded the contract to a Montana-based firm with little experience over a local group seeking to build an OSB plant to utilize the small diameter material. Yet Pioneer Forest Products could never gain financing for its plans to build a cut-
ting mill and small log facility along with a biofuel plant. In 2013 the contract was transferred to Good Earth Power, a company with even less experience, and overall operations have sputtered since as Good Earth sought to establish markets and outlets for logs and biomass. The Campbell Group was brought in to aid procurement, but that relationship soured into a lawsuit, and Good Earth was the subject of 20plus complaints received by the FS about late payments and non-payments. NewLife Chief Operating Officer Bill Dyer says the company can’t change what has happened in the past but is looking to make it right and move forward. According to Dyer, tactical execution has been lacking in operations. “What we’re trying to do is bring tactical execution to the project,” he says.
Wood Bioenergy / August 2017
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â– biomass production
Biomass Leader:
Twin Rivers Land & Timber
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biomass production ■
By Jay Donnell HAWKINSVILLE, Ga. lay Crosby started buying wood while he was in college—mostly small tracts with big timber. During his last semester of school, he bought a chain saw, a $5000 loader, $3800 skidder and he paid $3000 for a truck and trailer. He and a friend were the only employees. Crosby cut the wood with the chain saw, his friend moved it to the landing with a cable skidder and then Crosby loaded it on the truck. They were producing about three loads per day. That escalated to some better equipment and within four years Crosby had four company crews and a contract crew. Crosby was buying the wood for all five crews and running the loader for one of them every day. He did that for several years and then sold out of logging and focused on buying timber. In 2009 he formed Twin Rivers Land & Timber (TRLT) with his business
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partner, Dennis Rich. When Crosby started TRLT he knew he was taking a big risk. The economy was bad and biomass markets weren’t substantial. He started off with only one contract crew producing roughly 30 loads of logs a week. In retrospect, Crosby says he should’ve been more hesitant when he started TRLT, “but I was too ignorant to know any better and I didn’t know how to do anything else. I made $12,000 my first year and it was a big struggle. But it has worked out well.” Indeed it has. Today Crosby has 15 company and contract crews that are producing more than 900 loads of chips a week. Ocmulgee Biomass, a sister company of TRLT owned by Crosby and brothers Jeff and John Hair, strictly owns the chippers and chip vans while TRLT is the timber company that owns the contracts to cut and deliver the wood. TRLT has been a much-needed addition to the Georgia wood products scene because of the strug-
Opposite page, Clay Crosby has helped to generate biomass production and markets in Georgia. His company and contract crews run Morbark chippers.
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■ biomass production
gling longwood markets around the state. “I take a treelength logger and I provide the chipper and the vans for them to load,” Crosby explains. “I pay them a logging rate and deduct my rent on the chipper and that has worked well so far.”
Markets TRLT began chipping in May of 2011. The first place they hauled chips to was Macon Graphic Packaging where there was a need for boiler fuel. “It just kind of went from there and as other markets started to pop up, people knew we were in the chipping business so they would call us,” Crosby explains. “I’ve been in the wood products business for 17 years and in my experience if you’ve got the markets you can put the rest of it together.” Crosby has crews scattered from Macon to Columbus to Waycross and his experience as a timber buyer gives him an edge and he knows exactly what to look for in a good tract. Clay’s brother, Kyle, works as a timber buyer mostly in the Waycross area, Tom Tuggle works the Macon area and Chuck Allen works the Columbus area. As of April the company had more than 5 million tons in inventory around middle and south Georgia. Crosby’s wife, Ashley, does all of the paperwork and keeps all the books, a tough job when you consider all of the moving parts involved with Ocmulgee Biomass, TRLT and their other subsidiaries. TRLT’s primary markets are the Georgia Biomass industrial wood pellet plant in Waycross and the new Ex-
elon-Albany Green Energy 50 MW biomass power plant in Albany. It provides steam for a Procter & Gamble plant and generates electricity for Georgia Power. Crosby believes his company is helping out the logging industry in Georgia. “I think it’s doing a service to this region and the logging industry,” he says. “There are too many people treelength logging now and that’s why everybody’s on quota. The more of them I can provide an alternative market to, the more room it makes for the ones that are left to haul the wood they’re hauling.” Most of TRLT’s crews are four man crews that haul around 60 loads of fuel chips a week. He has one “super crew” that moves roughly 150 loads a week. By the end of May they were up to nearly 1,000 loads a week. Expected production in 2017 from all of the company and contract chipping crews is more than 1 million tons. All of the company’s chippers are Morbark 40/36’s. These include micro chippers and drum chippers. Crosby estimates he has about $6 million invested in TRLT and Ocmulgee Biomass. Ocmulgee Biomass’ equipment dealer is Tidewater out of Thomasville, Ga. TRLT has a partnership with SouthernAg Carriers and Nationwide Ag Logistics, which handles all of the freight for TRLT with access to more than 60 chip vans and trailers and which also moves more than 400,000 tons annually of mill residue (shavings, sawdust) and pecan waste for TRLT. Most of the chip vans are 45 ft. shipping containers that have been converted. While things have certainly been going well for Crosby and his businesses, it hasn’t always been that way. Reminiscing back to his logging days, Crosby
2017 Morbark 40/36 drum chipper
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biomass production ■
says, “We have been on all ends of the spectrum. We remember the days of having to choose between which payment to make, or having to park equipment until we could get enough money to get it running again. Ashley and I tell our loggers ‘we get it, we have been exactly where you are and we know the everyday struggles that come with logging.’” He adds, “Because we’ve had to weather these storms, it gives us a true understanding of what it takes for a producer contracted under TRLT to make a living and I am so grateful for every learning curve logging threw at me. It gives Twin Rivers Land & Timber a solid basis to secure consistent production.”
Their Way
can develop a better quality of fiber for use in the pulp and lumber industries —30% of TRLT procured biomass is byproducts created by the lumber industry. TRLT has contracted with 12 lumber mills, including pole and post mills to purchase their byproducts and waste wood for use as a renewable fuel source —The remaining 5% of renewable fuel source is agricultural byproducts, such as pecan hulls and peanut shells coming from cleaning and shelling plants. TRLT sends an in-woods chip crew to the site of an overgrown clear-cut or unattended site to clear any volunteer stands of non-merchantable timber. Any merchantable timber is harvested by one of several treelength crews contracted by Twin Rivers. Once the land is cleared TRLT contracts with planting crews to put the land back into timber production. TRLT plants 85% genetically enhanced Elite loblolly that are put
The Crosbys have a rather unusual morning routine. Each day Ashley, 32, wakes up at 2 a.m. and goes to the gym and gets home around 3:30. She then makes breakfast and wakes up Clay, 36, at 4. He goes to the gym while Ashley starts working in the office around 4:30. This is the type of work ethic the Crosbys have had their whole lives and why they’re so successful today. “I’ve always had big dreams,” Crosby explains. “Anything I’ve ever done I’ve tried to do it 100%, but it has actually surprised me how big we’ve gotten in a short amount of time.” The smallest tract TRLT will work on is 50 acres. One of the recent tracts they worked on was 35,000 acres. Crosby finds his tracts by word of mouth or doing some research on his own. His usual routine is to go online and look at maps to to see if there are any areas that need to be fuel wooded and then drive to the site and “drop a pin” on his phone to mark the location. Then he’ll have Ashley look up the landowner’s name and address. Crosby may go two months without having to find tracts himself, but when he hits a slow period he’ll be Ashley and Clay Crosby stand with their two sons and best friend. back at it again. The company prides itself in using best management practices and promoting sustainability. All fuelwood procured for the use of renewable fuel is non-merchantable timber. “Instead of the landowner having to burn it or pay somebody to spray it, they actually get paid for the wood. It’s an easy sell to make to a landowner,” Crosby says. —65% of TRLT contracted stumpage is underbrush of a merchantable timber stand. By removing the competitive underbrush, volunteer re-gens and selective cuts of crowded timber stands, the standing timber TRLT produces roughly 1,000 loads of biomass per week.
August 2017 / Wood Bioenergy
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into 8-10-year rotations with its pulpwood crews; 10% longleaf seedlings and 5% nut-bearing hardwood seedlings. At times during the year TRLT deals with storm damage timber that has not reached a merchantable stage. These situations require damaged timber to be removed by use of an in-woods chipper and timber is replanted. TRLT reports a 96% reforestation average on nonmerchantable clear-cut harvest sites and 98% reforestation average on land that it has chipped the underbrush, sent a longwood crew in to harvest merchantable timber and then placed timberland back into timber rotation. TRLT offers each landowner a timber management plan that includes an escrow planting account. The escrow account allows the landowner to take the revenue they would receive from the fuelwood stumpage and/or longwood stumpage and apply it directly to the cost of reforestation. This encourages replanting and allows the landowner to get a “turnkey” deal. A management plan is written with the landowner’s timeframe, financial
gains and best timber management practices in mind. TRLT has big plans for the future. Crosby hopes to purchase another eight to nine chippers as wood pellet and renewable fuel markets continue to grow in Georgia. He believes his company will continue to provide an important alternative market for loggers who have been on quota and struggling to make ends meet in the peach state. Crosby’s business has continued to grow every year since he started the company back in 2009. “Being honest with people has carried me a long way,” he says. “You can’t find anybody that’s worked for me or I’ve cut timber for that will tell you that I didn’t do what I told you I would.” Crosby graduated from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College with a degree in forestry and wildlife. He’s a member of the Georgia Forestry Assn. When he and Ashley aren’t managing the business in Georgia, they enjoy going to the beach and scuba diving with their children and this includes a lot of spear fishing.
Callier Logging Forms Partnership With TRLT At the beginning of 2017, Mike Callier, owner of Callier Logging based in Eastman, Ga., received a call from Clay Crosby to start chipping for TRLT. This was the phone call that Mike needed. “Clay called me one night and we went to work,” Callier says. Callier Logging has been mostly thinning tracts since the 1970s. They own all of their own equipment except for the 2017 Morbark 40/36 drum chipper that Ocmulgee Biomass provided. The company now produces roughly 12 loads of fuel chips per day, with most of it going to Georgia Biomass in Waycross and Albany Green Energy (AGE). Callier Logging had never done any chipping, but there hasn’t been much of a learning curve for the nearly 50-yearold business according to Callier. “This is the first time we’ve ever done it, but we’ve seen enough of it and we know how to feed it,” he says. “Learning to gauge the loads was a different story.” The company’s other equipment includes a 2014 Tigercat 720E feller-buncher, 2016 Tigercat 620E skidder and a 2013 Tigercat 234 Matt Callier, Willie Strong and Mike Callier loader. Callier Logging has one crew that consists of three operators. Mike runs the loader, his son Matt operates the feller-buncher and newly hired employee, Willie Strong, runs the skidder. They get to the jobsite at 7 a.m. and finish their day between 6 and 7:30 p.m. Callier’s son Matt owns two trucks that the business utilizes, a 2007 Freightliner and a 2010 Kenworth. His company is called RGM Trucking. They were recently working on a 35,000 acre tract near Albany. This area had suffered a ton of damage from tornados that occurred in January and February. The majority of the tract is made up of pine that either blew on the ground or blew over to the point where it couldn’t recover. On most of their jobs Callier does all of the BMP work and installs bridges whenever necessary, but on this particular tract they’re excluded from the Streamside Management Zone (SMZ) regulations because the timber was already laid down from the storms. Callier Logging has had its share of ups and downs, but they’ve managed to survive for nearly half a decade. Their strength has been their ability to adapt to any situation. The company’s newly formed partnership with TRLT has been going smoothly and looks to be a great opportunity for the Eastman-based business. TRLT has plans to keep expanding so there will be more opportunities for other logging operations to dive into Georgia’s biomass markets. While the logging industry might always be uncertain, it’s important to note the industry’s amazing ability to evolve.
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■ raw material processing Acrowood Slant Disc Chipper Acrowood has long been known as a chipper manufacturer. From 42 in. diameter disc rechippers to 175 in. diameter whole log chippers, Acrowood and its predecessors Black Clawson and Sumner Iron Works have supplied chippers and forest products equipment for more than 100 years. Since the 1960s, Acrowood’s slant disc chippers have seen wide spread acceptance and use in waste wood chipping applications. There is an increasing interest in using small, low quality roundwood to produce fuel pellets. Acrowood has used its experience in chipper manufacturing and focused on the production of small chips for the pellet industry. Producing smaller chips using a disc chipper reduces the horsepower required for the primary breakdown of the logs. They dry easily and require less milling to be converted into a size suitable for pellet production. To learn more about the range of chips that can be produced, Acrowood set up a production model 5216 Slant Disc chipper in its Development Center and ran trials producing ¼ in. (6 mm) long chips. The chipper used was a standard, horizontal feed, overhead discharge chipper with six knives. The slant disc chipper produced uniformly small chips, consistently thin and maintained roughly the same thickness to length ratio that is typically found in larger pulp chips produced by a disc chipper. The chip samples were reviewed by a dryer manufacturer who indicated that they would work well in their dryer. The very few overs present in the sample were still thin and would pose no problem for drying. A rotary screen with single deck could also be used to remove the largest overs. The Acrowood Slant Disc Chipper efficiently reduces wastewood from sawmills, producing high quality pulp chips from sawmill residues. The chipper is self-feeding and requires no powered feedworks, typically fed using a vibrating pan conveyor. Visit acrowood.com.
Bandit Industries Compact Beast Grinder Bandit Industries Beast Model 2460XP is a compact, economical horizontal grinder for anyone looking to convert green waste, urban wood waste, sawmill residues, pallet waste and more into valuable products. This compact machine has all the advantages of Bandit’s higher-capacity grinders, but in a more compact package. The 2460XP is easy to tow without any permits. Tree companies, sawmills, wood waste processors, and municipalities will love feeding the 2460XP and producing a high quality, value-added mulch, or a uniform fuel wood product. The Model 2640XP will outperform all other grinders in its class with an impressive cuttermill opening of 60 in. wide by 24 in. diameter. The 30-tooth configuration features Bandit’s patented saw-tooth style cutterbodies that will regulate the size of each tooth’s bite, so material is correctly sized on the first bite. And the larger screening area provides more room for material to exit the grinding chamber, improving production. The variety of tooth options on the 2460XP ensures that you can produce the perfect product for your markets. The track-type infeed conveyor efficiently feeds material to the 60 in. wide by 24 in. diameter feed wheel yoke, the same size as the 3680XP. The downward-turning mill and powerful feed system ensure a smooth, controlled flow of material to the mill, maximizing production while adding to the uniformity of the finished product. When looking for an economical horizontal grinder to handle your toughest job, the 2460XP will perform like Bandit’s larger horizontal grinders and is priced to allow more companies to start turning their residues into valuable products. The Beast lineup provides you the performance and uniform product you are looking for. With horsepower options from 300-1,200 and capacities from 18-45 in. in diameter, and available with tracks or towable, Bandit has a grinder for your operation. Build your bottom line! Visit banditchippers.com.
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raw material processing ■ CBI Live Demo At Mid-Atlantic Continental Biomass Industries (CBI) will be exhibiting at the 2017 Mid-Atlantic Logging & Biomass Expo held in Laurinburg, NC during September 15-16. Guests will have two days to see live demonstrations of CBI’s high-performance wood grinders and commercial wood chippers. The CBI exhibit will be located just inside the entrance at Live Site 1. Show hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for both days of the show, with live CBI demos happening throughout the event. “CBI is partnering with Powerscreen Mid-Atlantic to showcase leading forestry equipment at the show,” says Art Murphy, director of sales & marketing for Terex Environmental Equipment. “Powerscreen Mid-Atlantic has done an outstanding job representing the CBI and Ecotec lines in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. The best part about a live demo show like the Mid-Atlantic Logging & Biomass Expo is that the machines speak for themselves and we welcome the opportunity to go head to head with the competition. Nothing beats seeing a CBI machine run in person and afterwards climbing up on it and taking a closer look.” l The CBI ChipMax 484B portable whole tree chipper hit the market with an eye on productivity and customer flexibility. The rotor, chipper box, and feed system are the strongest in its class as this drum chipper provides owners with years of trouble free service. Featuring two rotor options, the CBI 484B can make high quality fuel chips custom sized from 12–25 mm or “micro-chips” from 2–12 mm from logs up to 24 in. in diameter. l The CBI 5800BT portable horizontal grinder was developed to feature the same principles of the proven CBI 6800BT grinder but is purpose-built for contractors dealing with lower production needs or transportation restrictions. Like CBI’s other horizontal grinders, the CBI 5800BT never compromises strength or performance. l The CBI 6800BT horizontal grinder has been specifically designed for land clearing companies and yard waste processors who demand high-volume throughput and maximum reliability. It’s capable of processing land clearing debris, pallets, clean industrial waste, stumps and logs as quickly as it can be loaded and is well suited to produce highly-marketable mulch through its regrinding capability. Visit cbi-inc.com.
CEM Machine Liteknife Knife System CEM Machine’s Liteknife system is a light, versatile and yet extremely heavy duty regrindable knife system for disc chippers. With a number of new systems delivered this year which were fit to several different makes of heavy duty disc chippers, CEM’s “secret” is apparently out. No wood chipping problem is too tough for CEM’s Liteknife. Whether feeding logs horizontally or by gravity (drop fed), Liteknife systems now chip wood that is both softwood and hardwood, green or dry, diameters small and large (to 35 in./900 mm), frozen or not, producing small chips or high quality conventional chips. CEM’s patented system meets every challenge With the safety and convenience of disposable knife systems, yet an adjustability and reliability that equals or surpasses conventional knife systems, CEM’s Liteknife system sets a new performance standard for the wood chipping industry. Operators of Liteknife systems who have run all types of disc knives report superior chip quality and knife life, with improved safety and ease of handling over conventional systems and improved versatility, reliability and economy over disposable knife systems. The system’s economy of operation is derived from several main factors. Firstly, by using a small knife that is resharpenable six to 10 times before disposal, a knife costing roughly $64 used eight times costs operators only $8 a use. Resharpening is typically accomplished using either contracted-out local services or the operator’s existing in-house knife sharpening equipment. After resharpening, the knife width is quickly reset in a jig using either a babbit- or screw-adjustment. Secondly, in chipping operation, the knife is supported so well that the knife holding hardware often survives extremely harsh operating environments. Finally, with the operator’s ability to quickly and easily adjust many of his chipper’s critical knife setup angles and often his chipper’s chip size setting, optimizing chip quality and knife life becomes quite simple. Visit cem-machine.com.
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■ raw material processing CW Mill Equipment Electric Grinders Spanning more than four decades, CW Mill Equipment Co., Inc. has been manufacturing electric powered grinders in addition to its diesel-powered units. As the cost of diesel fuel has increased in recent years, electric powered wood grinders have become the grinder of choice for an increasing number of grinding professionals, particularly in the municipal setting where most generally, wood waste is centrally located and transportation is not a great issue. CW Mill’s 800 HP electric powered HogZilla grinders are what experienced buyers are looking for today with increased efficiency, reduced maintenance, massive construction, simplicity, and steady mill RPM generating amazing production from its 46 in. diameter, super-colossal, 12 pin, hammermill that has an 8-3/4 in. main shaft. With a stationary electric wood grinder, transportation restrictions are not a concern and CW Mill is therefore able to build a heavier duty equipped tub that is constructed from ½ in. thick steel. The tub floor is made of ¾ in. thick abrasion resistant steel, and the belly conveyor is 72 in. wide. Several thrown object restraint options are available, as well as a range of other options, including portability options for moving the grinder along with custom built motor controls enclosures. HogZilla grinders are engineered for performance, built for reliability, and a HogZilla electric grinder will provide significant savings. Visit hogzilla.com.
DuraTech Industries Chipper For 15 Inch DuraTech Industries offers the TC-15 Tree Chipper as the larger option in its tree chipper line. With the 129 HP (96 kw) CAT C4.4 engine, the powerful TC-15 can grind logs up to 15 in. in diameter. “We are excited to offer a larger tree chipper with the same advanced and powerful technology utilized in our grinders,” says Bob Strahm of DuraTech Industries. “Our TC-12 Tree Chipper entered us into this market and we expanded further into this territory.” The TC-15 features a spring-loaded feed wheel with adjustable down pressure, an optional height sensor that automatically adjusts the feed roller to material size and an optional hydraulic gathering winch. A hydraulic two feed roller system feeds the four 4.5 in. knives designed to chip wood waste. This high-powered unit discharges debris 360 degrees from the hydraulic rotating adjustable chip spout, allowing the user to alter chip disposal. The TC-15 has multiple safety features like the innovative hopper safety light bars with easy and instant shut down. There are also two E-stop switches, a disc hood closed proximity switch and a breakaway brake switch to ensure the safety of the operator. “Safety is a major concern when operating chippers,” Strahm says. “The precautions installed on both of our tree chippers allow the users to operate safely and benefit from full use of all the features.” The tree chipper is available with a pintle or ball hitch and can easily be towed to a job site. This unit is compact measuring 79 in. x 208 in. Visit duratechindustries.net.
Fulghum Industries Front-Loading Knife Clamps Fulghum Industries, a Georgia-based manufacturing company, has been serving the forest products industry for more than 60 years, and continues to develop and improve its technology. Recently, Fulghum developed a new knife clamp design to aid those utilizing disc chippers. These new, front-loading clamps will lead to a safer, more efficient chipper operation. Traditionally, knife clamps and their hardware are located on opposite sides of the chipper disc, requiring two workers just to change knives. With
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Fulghum’s new design, the clamps and their mounting hardware are located on the same side as the knives, meaning that one worker can now change the knives in the same amount of time that it takes two workers with a traditional clamp. Also, with fewer people having to physically interact with the clamps, there is a lower chance of accident due to miscommunication or inexperience. In addition to greater efficiency and safety, Fulghum’s front-loading clamps are engineered to resist chip packing and unwanted stud releasing that can occur with traditional clamps. Upgrade to a more dynamic chipping operation. Visit fulghum.com.
Jenz New Drum For Coarse Chips For many years, JENZ mobile chippers have been successfully proving themselves in practice. At this year’s Elmia Wood, the German manufacturer presented the wide diversity of its product range and its new chipper drum H1 for very coarse wood chippings. Wood chipping quality and low fines content are the most important parameters for ligneous biomasses and one of the top subjects at the moment. For this reason, JENZ developed the new H1 drum for very coarse chips with low fines content. The drum has been designed as a single-cut drum, which enables optimized outflow of the chips after being cut. Replaceable wedges ensure simple, rapid conversion of the pre-grip from 20 mm up to 30 mm. This makes production of coarse chips in size G100/P100 possible, and the G50/P31 particle distribution size which is required by smaller units can also be produced with no problems. During this year’s Elmia Wood JENZ presented the new drum in its HGV chipper flagship HEM 821 DQ Cobra+ hybrid. With the development of the Cobra-machines JENZ has taken into account customer requests with regard to clarity of sight, off-road capability and flexibility with regard to removal logistics. The driver no longer needs to change places at all thanks to the fitting of a 160° rotating CLAAS X10 driver’s cab. Just sit down and start work—the concept allows driving and chipping from one and the same workplace. In case of the Cobra+ machines the cabin isn’t just rotating, but can also be height-adjusted by up to 1.20 m. This ensures ideal viewing conditions. Cobra machines are available as “hybrid” machines or standard chipper trucks. “Hybrid” means that the chipper is driven simultaneously by the HGV engine and the chipper engine. Thereby the blower runs with a completely consistent speed because it is independent of the unavoidable speed variations of the chipper engine. The heavy duty HEM 821 DQ requires a special 4-axle chassis with high-level structure. The chassis has been extended through the fitting of a rear steering axle which leads to better maneuverability. Designed as a standard chipper truck the chipper is fitted on a compact three-axle chassis and driven by the HGV engine. An additional engine is not required. Visit jenz.de.
MoistTech Moisture Measurement Most chip purchasers weigh wet chips, but pay chip suppliers based on dry chips delivered. To calculate the bone dry tonnage (BDt) delivered, a representative chip moisture content is applied to the wet weight of chips delivered to the mill. MoistTech sensors can be installed at just about every location of incoming material feed (not limited to truck dumpers, stackers and reclaimers). Incoming wood from yard storage can vary largely based on the supplier, weather and season to name a few. By installing the MoistTech IR3000 above the conveyed material, plant controls can monitor this moisture content instantly and accurately. Monitoring and controlling the fiber supply allows the operator to vary the moisture level of the water that supplies the steam shower, adjusting the flow to match the actual conditions of the fiber. MoistTech Corp. offers the 3000 Series Online Moisture Sensor. Unlike other instrumentation of this type, some of the unique features of the IR3000 is that it
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can monitor the product even with small gaps in product flow and is unaffected by ambient light without impacting the accuracy. The IR3000 is also ideal for installations on chain conveyors and screw conveyors. The sensor(s) can be located throughout the manufacturing process and can be directly connected to the user’s PLC or any laptop. Ethernet 4-20 ma are included as well as high-tech Windows operating software. DPM-Digital Panel Meter and a Color Touch Screen Operator Interface are also available as read-out options. Visit moisttech.com.
Morbark Wood Hog Horizontal Grinder Morbark revealed its 3400XT Wood Hog horizontal grinder this spring. “Morbark listened closely to customer feedback while developing the design for the 3400XT,” says Michael Stanton, Morbark Director of Industrial Sales. “The result is that we were able to provide the features our customers want and the versatility they need, while staying true to our proven technology.” One of the most important features of the 3400XT is its standard width of 8 ft. 4 in. (2.53 m), making it within the legal transport width in any country, no matter what engine is used. This model accommodates engines from 540 to 800 HP (402 to 596 kW), so it is ideal for a broad range of applications in a variety of markets worldwide. Like all of Morbark Wood Hog models, the 3400XT also is available with electric power. “The size of the 3400XT allows the same model, using a broad range of engines, to be configured for multiple applications and global markets without additional design considerations,” Stanton says. Customer feedback steered Morbark toward creating more operator-friendly features on the Wood Hog. Key among these are the design of the infeed bed and the maintenance platform. The infeed bed is an additional 24 in. (60.96 cm) longer with sloped sides. This configuration improves operator sight lines for more efficient loading of material. Standard on the 3400XT is a removable infeed chain return floor, which allows excess material to fall away to minimize the wear on the floor, bed chain and inserts, particularly useful in landclearing or other applications with dirty material. When maintenance is required, it’ll be quicker and easier to perform on the extended platform. The area between the hood and the engine has been reconfigured to provide an additional 12 in. (30.48 cm) of working space for better access to components for general maintenance or to change screens. The 3400X is available tracked (3400XT) or with tires (3400X). Visit morbark.com.
Peterson New Drum Chipper, Horizontal Grinder Peterson’s all-new 3310 Drum Chipper is a radical departure from traditional drum chippers sold in North America. Recognizing the demand for a smaller machine, Peterson started with a clean-sheet design that caters to the demands of typical biomass and microchipping operations. Powered by a 540 HP Caterpillar engine, the 3310 has the capacity to handle logs up to 24 in. in diameter. The fully enclosed engine compartment keeps things clean, but is easily serviced with large access doors on both sides of the machine. Designed for export markets, the 3310 can be easily transported in a high-cube, 40 ft. container, significantly saving on overseas shipping expense. The 3310’s transverse design allows for a much smaller operations deck, and the rotatable end load or top load spout design allows for machines to be loaded in a variety of positions, depending on the demands of the jobsite. Using the proven drum and knife design used on the larger 4300-series drum chippers, the 3310’s main components are robust and offer long life. The 3310 is available with a four-pocket drum for typical biomass chips, or an eightpocket drum for microchipping applications. The chips exit the machine from an innovative auger system which feeds an accelerator to increase payloads. • Peterson’s 4710D horizontal grinder is designed for high-volume producers with very demanding end-product specifications. The 4710D is powered by a Tier IV Caterpillar C18 engine rated at 755 HP (563 kW). A Tier II, 765 HP (570 kW) engine is also available. Boasting 18 in. (46 cm) of ground clearance—this model is particularly suited for land clearing operations or other
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applications where mobility and frequent moving is desired. Peterson’s three-stage grinding process with an up-turning rotor and large grate area enables the 4710D to produce materials to exact specifications. Quick-change multiple grate system makes it easy to customize grate configurations to produce a wide variety of finished materials. Grates are removed through an access door on the side wall. Visit petersoncorp.com.
Precision Husky Chippers, Flail Debarkers, Loaders Precision Husky never stops innovating its lineup of whole tree chippers, flail debarkers and knuckleboom loaders. “Precision is more than our name. It’s our number one goal.” Today, more than 5,000 crews in 120 countries use Precision products, inventory and service. The latest Precision-built chippers include a 66 in., five-knife option, which allows the chipper disc to operate at a slower rate. This saves wear and tear and produces the most valuable chip quality. Through the message-based CAN bus platform, a remote operator can monitor infeed through the HD color control panel and adjust in real time. That’s like having an extra man in the crew. Precision’s new 2366 chipper offers 25% more anvil contact area to prevent slapping and turning. This results in smoother slicing and more uniform chips, with less horsepower. The unit comes with a fully adjustable hydraulic system, which provides limitless control of the feed rate. The patented PT Tech HPTO (Hydraulic Power Take-Off) is a totally enclosed wet hydraulic clutch that requires no adjustment through its wear life. Precision Husky’s industry-leading XL-175 knuckleboom loader comes standard in the 2366 Precision whole tree chipper. These balanced, heavy-duty workhorses have central hydraulic pressure checks and are the largest available. With its 3-axle spring suspension, the Precision chipper is available in strengths of up to 1,200 HP. A new radio remote controlled track-driven chipper goes where the big rigs can’t. The new FD 2600-4 debarker processes logs from 3 to 26 in. in diameter with a feed speed of up to 200-plus linear FPM. The super efficient 2600-4 is flexible. It can operate along with a Precision mobile chipper or as a stand-alone debarker. With more than 100 experienced, highly dedicated employees, Precision Husky operates from a 165,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Leeds, Alabama. President Scott Smith is a second-generation innovator like his father, company founder and CEO Bob Smith. Visit precisionhusky.com.
Rawlings Side Reduction Equipment Rawlings Wood & Bark Recovery Systems offer a complete lineup of wood waste processing equipment to convert wood residuals into valuable wood fiber products. With 40 years of experience in sawmill, biomass and forest related industries Rawlings has proven to be a top contender in size reduction equipment. Rawlings offers a complete lineup of vertical and horizontal wood grinders in a full range of sizes and model—stationary, portable, diesel or electric powered systems with a variety of options. Each system can be designed with work platform decks, choice of belt, chain or vibrating infeed and outfeed conveyors. Metal or magnet protection, product screening and separation, receiving transfers and walking floor storage bins are customized. The Rawlings Super Hi-Inertia Hog provides the crushing and shearing power needed to handle really tough jobs like green waste, cypress, redwood, cedar, black spruce, poplar and a wide range of other stringy and fibrous materials. The Super Hi Inertia Solid Steel Rotor is tolerant of contaminants, rocks,and metal without catastrophic maintenance costs if metal enters the grinding chamber. The Rawlings wood grinder runs at one-third lower RPMs than all other wood grinders resulting in overall savings of electricity and maintenance costs. Other features include bolt in internal wear liners, adjustable anvil, RocWear strikers, and 24/7 customer service from the Rawlings Pit crew. Rawlings delivers on bottom line productivity and reliability with the lowest maintenance costs per ton of material processed. Visit wastewood.com.
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Ligna Biomass
The world of wood bioenergy was a big part of the recent Ligna Fair held May 22-26 in Hannover, Germany. Clockwise, beginning upper left, CPM pellet press, Kahl pelletizing and grinding, Intec heat energy solutions, Sennebogen 730E pick & carry material handler, Mabrik pellet mill. Ligna featured 1,500 exhibitors and 93,000 visitors. Wood Bioenergy magazine and other Hatton-Brown Publishers publications served as media partner for the Wood Industry Summit.
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Biomass Has Big Role At Elmia Wood
The world’s largest forestry fair was bigger than ever this year both in terms of area and number of exhibitors. Many visitors were drawn to Elmia Wood June 7-10 to see new forestry products and services and to learn about new high-tech solutions and expertise in the forest south of Jönköping, Sweden. A total of 555 exhibitors from 28 countries were on the spot at Bratteborg to present new products during four intensive days to more than 41,000 visitors from six of the world’s continents. Many exhibitors participated in the fair’s new section, Load & Transport, with its theme of logistics and timber handling. Another visitor magnet was the fair’s new Drone Zone section, where conferences and live testing demonstrated the usability of drones in forestry applications. The biomass was flying as well from the likes of several chipper and grinder manufacturers such as Bruks, Peterson and Vermeer. (David Abbott photos)
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Lindner Shredder Takes On Eucalyptus Bark Udo Siebert, sales and service partner of Lindner Recyclingtech in Brazil, knows no better machine than Austria-based Lindner’s Urraco 75 to shred eucalyptus bark, which pulp and paper mills as well as wood panel producers in Brazil use to generate RDF (refuse-derived fuel) to supply their own energy. They say that Curitiba is Brazil’s greenest city. As early as the 1970s the capital of Paraná state—situated on a plateau and with a population of approximately 1.8 million—in-
vested in an ecological transport concept. Since then environmental and resource protection has been high on the agenda and that is why Lindner Recyclingtech decided that Curitiba was the perfect location for its business: Seven years ago the Siebert & Cia company became Lindner’s sales partner in Brazil. When the Brazilian government banned the landfilling of eucalyptus bark, the demand for machines from the Urraco series rose. Two global leaders in pulp production and one
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renowned wood panel producer already use the tried-and-tested Lindner universal shredder in their plants: Eldorado Brasil in Tres Lagoas, Fibria in Aracruz and Fibraplac in Glorinha. The landfilling ban imposed two years ago promotes investments in energy recovery from eucalyptus bark, which is a relatively new concept. Increasing numbers of Brazilian pulp and paper mills have their own waste-to-energy plants with production lines for RDF made of eucalyptus bark, which is a byproduct of pulp production. It is not economically feasible to compost it. The bark with low calorific value is shredded and then mixed with wood chips and other inert material, turning it into fuel with high calorific value that can then be used directly to generate energy in the producers’
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plant kilns. To shred the bark and produce RDF, Eldorado Brazil, Fibria and Fibraplac initially used other machines on the market; however, they proved prone to frequent faults, since the bark is put into the shredder with dirt and foreign objects (sand, stones, soil etc.) and not cleaned beforehand. That is done afterwards by other machines. On the hunt for a shredder unaffected by foreign objects, all three companies selected the mobile shredder Urraco 75 by Lindner with a 350 PS-strong AdBlue SCR diesel engine complying with Latin America’s emission standards. Udo Siebert comments, “I don’t know any two-shaft shredder on the market that is even unaffected by big stones. Also, the hydraulic reversing features make damage to the Urraco
impossible. The shredding shafts feed the material into the machine efficiently and evenly. The way the shredding shafts interact means that bridging can be avoided.” The two-shaft shredder’s designinherent classic crushing process involving low shaft speeds minimizes dust formation at the same time. The intelligent system with two tilting hoppers which can be inclined by as much as 80 degrees promote an optimum supply of feed material to the shafts. Depending on the shaft employed, the Urraco powerfully shreds—without damaging the material—wood, biomass, root wood, paper rolls, domestic and commercial waste, mixed construction waste, concrete sleepers, bulky waste, electronic and lightweight scrap, aluminum profiles, car bodies, and much more.
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The clients in Brazil who produce RDF from eucalyptus bark are pleased with the shredder’s low wear and tear and low fuel consumption of 0.8 to 0.9 liters of diesel per ton of bark. Up to 300 tons of bark are processed daily in the producers’ plants. The Urraco 75 operates on average six hours a day and shreds the material to a grain size of 120 mm. The hourly output is 30 tons. The Siebert & Cia team provides maintenance and repair services locally. Usually the Urraco shafts are serviced every 1000 operating hours, depending on the material and the amount of dirt in the input material. Upon request, monthly checks of the employed machines can be provided to prevent downtime. Lindner shredders made in Austria might not only be sold in Brazil, but also in other South America countries where the topic of RDF is becoming ever more important to kill two birds with one stone: waste and energy. Article and photos provided by Lindner-Recyclingtech Gmbh; Visit l-rt.com; e-mail: Veneta.Buchegger@l-rt.com.
Promill Enhances Presence In NA
Promill, a leading supplier of industrial drying, milling and pelletizing technology, is setting foot in North America, announcing its collaboration with VetterTec Inc. VetterTec Inc. is a design and project execution office of VetterTec GmbH, Germany, and opened this year in Montreal, Québec. Promill and VetterTec form the core of Moret Industries Group’s Drying and Pelletizing Div. Based on the newly formed collaboration, VetterTec Inc. with its
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staff of highly experienced engineers can offer sales, engineering, project execution, service and after-sales service expertise in the fields of dewatering, drying, evaporation, milling and pelletizing systems to North American companies.VetterTec Inc. will also be in the position to support Promill customers in the North America market. The success story has already started with an order for a DDGS ro-
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tary drying system for a 50 MMGY plant for a prominent Midwestern U.S. ethanol producer. Though in the last 10 years Promill has achieved some references in the North American wood and sugar industries, its new office with dedicated, trained engineers in Canada and the U.S. will ensure Promill’s local presence for its North American customers. Contact VetterTec Inc., 2073 Michelin, Laval, QC Canada H7L
5B7; e-mail: info@vettertecna.com; 450-505-6111. Visit vettertechna.com and promill.fr/en.
DONG Energy Orders Valmet Boiler Plant Valmet will supply a biomass power plant to DONG Energy’s Asnaes Power Station located in Kalundborg, Denmark. By converting its electricity and heat production from coal to sustainable biomass at the Asnaes Power Station, DONG will take an important step in reducing its CO2 emissions. The order is valued at EUR 80 million. The plant is scheduled to be in commercial operation in late 2019. Valmet’s delivery consists of a 140 MW biomass-fired HYBEX power boiler plant featuring bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) technology. The parameters for the boiler are 50 kg/s, 100 bar and 540°C. Valmet DNA automation system covers the whole plant and includes information management and safety related systems. The delivery also includes flue gas treatment consisting of a baghouse filter, combustion air humidification, flue gas condensing, condensate treatment and a stack. Additionally, Valmet will supply associated equipment, complete power plant buildings above the ground as well as complete electrification and instrumentation.
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Exhibitors Booking Space At Mid-Atlantic Exhibitors have begun selecting lot and booth locations for the fourth
version of Mid-Atlantic Logging & Biomass Expo, according to Jack Swanner, manager of the biennial event, which runs September 15-16. Swanner also announced the 2017
show will take place in a mature pine stand located adjacent to U.S. highway 74 some six miles northwest of Laurinburg, NC near the South Carolina line. Other nearby towns include Rockingham, Southern Pines and Lumberton. “Live exhibitors will be pleased to know that this is a clear-cut site and their lots will be three to four times larger than they have been in our past expos,” Swanner reports. “We are indebted to Clay Creed with Shoeheel Land Management and to Boyd McLaurin with Canal Wood for their work in securing this premium site.” For exhibit space and rate information, visit malbexpo.com or contact Swanner at 828-421-8444.
Tigercat Offers New Mulching Equipment
Tigercat offers the 480B track mulcher and 4061 mulching head. The Tigercat 480B tackles the toughest terrain with ease and offers superior durability and high uptime for large-scale, time-sensitive rightof-way and site preparation projects. With a power rating of 411 kW (550 HP) at 1,800 RPM, the Tigercat FPT C13 Tier 4f engine offers quick load response, low operating costs and high power density, combined with excellent fuel economy. The new 4061 mulching head offers excellent durability and reliability in a package suited to the capabilities of the Tigercat 480 and M726 series mulchers. The 4061 is manufactured for robustness and quality. The housing features reinforced side covers and abrasion resistant skis. The housing is optimized with debris door cylinders mounted internally for protection and contains position references
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to aid in ski alignment. The Tigercat designed tooth and holder system uses a taper lock interface that requires no torque wrenches, greatly reducing changeover time. The teeth are extremely durable with carbide tips and carbide inserts for increased life.
Richardson Service Teams With Bandit Bandit Industries has added Richardson Service 1991, Conway, SC, to its dealer network as part of an expansion effort in the Southern U.S. Richardson Service 1991 serves most of South Carolina and gives Bandit’s customers there a local option for parts, service, rentals and sales for Bandit hand-fed wood chippers and stump grinders. Richardson Service started out as a small local repair shop and has since grown to include a large rental fleet of construction, forestry and compact equipment. With the growth, it has improved all aspects of its repair facility. Visit rs91.com.
Minimax Enhances Detection System
The detection system of the UniVario YMX5000 series from Minimax consists of a control unit with three connectors for remote sensor units. The electronics of the evaluation unit is self-monitoring, displays for example alarms or faults, and thus offers extra functional safety. The sensor units are connected to a control unit and allow dependable detection wherever there is an increased fire risk from sparks. The spark detection system is audited
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and approved by VdS. Self-monitoring of optics has since become standard in flame detection. The UniVario YMX5000 system has succeeded for the first time in transferring this standard to spark detection. At cyclic intervals the optics are monitored with regard to contamination or damage—a functionality that again significantly increases the operation safety of the system in the sometimes harsh areas of deployment in a wood-processing plant. The UniVario YMX5000 system is suitable for applications in extreme temperature ranges. The corresponding FUX sensor unit can even be used without fiber optic adapter at temperatures from -40°C to 105°C. The sensor units will be also available in an “Ex” version for use in explosion-hazard zones in Ex zones 1, 2, 20, 21 and 22. Visit minimax.de.
Kalmar Introduces ‘Essential’ Forklifts
Kalmar, part of Cargotec, has launched the Kalmar Essential Range of forklifts. The Essential range comprises 12 models with capacities ranging from 10 to 18 tons that can be customized with a variety of power, mast, cabin and safety options. Based on Kalmar’s proven platform, Essential forklifts feature an easy-maintenance electrical system, common driver interface, high-qual-
ity components and a highly stable and durable chassis. The new Essential cabin improves driver comfort and safety with excellent all-round visibility, power steering and easy lift operation as well as non-slip stairs and handrails. Compatibility with Kalmar SmartFleet, a powerful equipment monitoring and optimization tool that makes it easy to analyze performance data, helps to further improve efficiency and productivity. The new Kalmar Essential Range was introduced to the Americas market during the Kalmar dealer meeting for counterbalanced container handling equipment in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. in early June. The new range was recently presented for the European market during the Kalmar Mobile Equipment Sales Conference in Lidhult, Sweden. Visit kalmarglobal.com.
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