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March/April 2022
CANADA’S TOP LUMBER PRODUCERS!
VICKSBURG FOREST PRODUCTS upgrade features cutting edge equipment ONTARIO LOGGING
ECO LOG 590F HARVESTER handles larger wood WITH THIS ISSUE...
ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF INDUSTRY INNOVATION
TECH UPDATE: Small scale sawmilling equipment
FEATURES March/April 2022 Volume 53 • No. 2 Editor Paul MacDonald Contributing Editors Jim Stirling, Tony Kryzanowski George Fullerton Tech Update Editor Tony Kryzanowski Publisher/CEO Anthony Robinson • (778) 991-3500 E-Mail: arobinson@forestnet.com Associate Publisher Hannah Rayment • (778) 688-9127 E-mail: hannah@forestnet.com Social Media: Kaitlin Davidson Digital Marketing: Diane Mettler Email: digitalmarketing@forestnet.com Subscription Enquiries (604) 990-9970 Fax: (705) 434-9052 E-mail: SubscribeLSJ@forestnet.com Design & Art Production Manager Sheila Ringdahl E-mail: artwork@forestnet.com Accounting Manager Shelina Jessa • (604) 731-1535 E-mail: accounting@forestnet.com Office P.O. Box 86670 North Vancouver, BC V7L 4L2 Phone: (604) 990-9970 Website: www.forestnet.com Subscriptions: Canada $58 a year; two years $70; three years, $85. Group accounts, six or more subscriptions, $25 per subscription per year. Outside Canada, $95 per year. Airmail $165. Single copy, Canada $6; elsewhere $10. Reproduction prohibited without permission of the publisher. ISSN 0226-7572. Back copies from 1996 onward are available through our website www.forestnet.com Publications Mail Agreement No. 40064045 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to CIRCULATION DEPT. PO Box 86670 Stn Main North Vancouver BC V7L 4L2 e-mail: SubscribeLSJ@forestnet.com POSTMASTER: Send US address changes to LSJ Publishing Ltd., PO Box 610, Edmonds, WA 98020-0610 Published March/April 2022 Printed in Canada on 20% recycled paper.
“We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada” Logging & Sawmilling Journal is a member/associate member of the following industry organizations:
On the Cover: Moggie Valley Timber, located in southwestern Ontario, is a sawmill that sells to lumber wholesalers and retailers, and has been in business for nearly a quarter-of-a-century. Moggie Valley Timber also carries out logging, cutting about 10 million board feet per year. On the logging side, in order to harvest the larger trees that Moggie Valley Timber comes across on woodlots in this part of Ontario, the company has invested in an Eco Log 590F harvester. Read all about how the Eco Log 590F is working out for Moggie Valley in this issue, beginning on page 34. (Cover photo and story photos courtesy of Moggie Valley Timber).
4 Spotlight: B.C.’s ILA
show leading the pack …
B.C.’s Interior Logging Association is leading the pack when it comes to the re-start of forest industry events, with its equipment show and AGM coming up in May.
10 Cutting edge
equipment—from cutting edge suppliers
A mill upgrade for Vicksburg Forest Products led to the company sourcing cutting edge equipment from a variety of suppliers—including from B.C. and Quebec.
18 Northland moves to
partial processing—at the mill
Facing narrow log delivery windows, Alberta sawmill Northland Forest Products has decided to move to partial millyard processing, with two TreeKing processors.
24 Another successful convention expected for BC Saw Filer’s
The B.C. forest industry is facing challenges, but this year’s BC Saw Filer’s Convention & AGM—being held May 27 to 28 in Kamloops, B.C.—is expected to be just as big and successful as it was pre-COVID.
34 Iron investment
handles bigger timber
Moggie Valley Timber has invested in an Eco Log 590F harvester to handle the larger trees that it comes across on woodlots in southwestern Ontario.
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
28 Canada’s Top Lumber
Producers: West Fraser and Canfor on top!
Logging and Sawmilling Journal’s authoritative listing of Canada’s Top Lumber Producers—produced in association with leading forest industry consultants FEA— shows that West Fraser and Canfor are still the top lumber producers in the country.
38
New and Noted at the Oregon Logging Conference
The Oregon Logging Conference in February kicked off with great expectation following two years of in-person restrictions due to COVID. The OLC is widely known for its extensive, state-of-the-art equipment display—and we take a look at what was new at the show.
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Included in this edition of The Edge, Canada’s leading publication on research in the forest industry, are stories from the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre (CWFC) and FPInnovations.
42 Tech Update:
From power upgrades to production improvements, read all about what’s new in small scale logging equipment in this issue’s Tech Update.
50 The Last Word
Forest giant Canfor is applying sustainability across its entire culture in a bid to prosper in a post-pandemic world.
DEPARTMENTS
Calendar...........................................8 Suppliernewsline............................46 Ad Index.........................................49 Classifieds......................................49 Subscriptions.................................49 3
spotlight
B.C.’s ILA show LEADING THE PACK…
B.C.’s Interior Logging Association is leading the pack when it comes to the re-start of forest industry events, with its equipment show and AGM coming up in May. By Paul MacDonald
I
t’s been a while coming, due to COVID, but events and shows in the Canadian forest industry are finally starting to get back to normal—and Todd Chamberlain of B.C.’s Interior Logging Association (ILA) can’t wait. The ILA’s annual equipment show and AGM will be one of the first industry events out of the gate, taking place May 12 to 14 on the PowWow Grounds and at the Coast Hotel in Kamloops, B.C. “I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone again,” Chamberlain said. “We’re excited about hosting an inperson event, and being able to see ILA members, and showcase suppliers at the equipment show,” says Chamberlain, general manager of the association. “It’s a great opportunity to bring everyone together in Kamloops, and showcase our industry.” Chamberlain noted it’s been several years since ILA members have been able to get together, due to COVID. “We’re looking forward to re-stablishing that contact, people being able to
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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
connect face-to-face at the show. There is a real excitement to having an in-person event again. “Everyone is looking forward to the start of a return to normal, and simple things, like being able to meet with someone and shake their hand.” Chamberlain said the equipment show and AGM will follow any remaining applicable COVID protocols, however. “And if people want to wear a mask, it’s completely up to them—whatever their comfort levels are, we are happy to accommodate them. We just want people to come and enjoy the show.” He noted that a good part of the equipment part of the show is outdoors. As in past years, the equipment show will be held at the Tk‘emlúpsemc First Nations’ PowWow grounds, along No. 5 Yellowhead Highway, in Kamloops. “It’s a great venue for the equipment show, and they have been very accommodating to our needs, as has the Coast Hotel, where the AGM and luncheon will be held.” to page 6
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spotlight from page 4 ILA members will be able to take this opportunity to meet face-to-face, discuss current issues, learn about industry trends, see what’s new in machinery, kick some iron and explore new business ventures. Chamberlain added that there is definitely some new logging equipment now out in the marketplace that will be showcased at the ILA show. Continually evolving forest technology and eco-system management, changing regulations, policy initiatives and safety procedures, expanding markets and products, and new training opportunities are all reasons to come together to learn, discover and network at the ILA and trade show, says Chamberlain. The link between logging contractors and their equipment suppliers is a key aspect to the smooth running of a logging operation—contractors need solid equipment, and just as importantly, top notch service, to do their job. Due to COVID protocols, contractors and their equipment reps have not been able to connect as much as they might have liked.
The ILA’s office administrator, Nancy Hesketh, is a big part in very ably organizing the show, and she reports there has been high interest shown in participating in the show by exhibitors, with everyone from Anser Manufacturing to Weiler Forestry equipment (which is represented by its dealer, Finning), and more than 35 other companies expected to be exhibiting. “There will be some new equipment coming, but people will have to come to the show to see it,” said Chamberlain. As is usual with the ILA, the B.C. Minister of Forests will be the guest speaker at the luncheon being held at the Coast Hotel in Kamloops. Kootenay West MLA Katrine Conroy was appointed as B.C. Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations, and Rural Development in the NDP cabinet in 2020. “We’re pleased that the minister is going to be speaking at the conference,” said Chamberlain. The ILA ably represents Interior loggers in dealing with the provincial government, and Chamberlain said members will be interested in getting an update from Conroy about provincial government initiatives, such as the deferral of old growth logging.
WRANGLER BAND MILL ENCLOSURES Provide worker safety and heath by fully containing the bands and dust. In the event of band failures, the bands are contained within the enclosure and residual below. Wrangler also Manufactures optional bottom wheel containment with suction points for dust control, access walkways for band/guide changes and upper access walkways for single filer band changes.
“Contractors have to deal with a lot these days, from logging deferrals to high fuel prices. I think the old growth deferral weighs heavily on most of our members. There is uncertainty about what is going to happen, especially with Bill 13 contracts—that’s a real concern.” Also of concern are any reductions as a result of timber supply reviews, which can impact contractors. “We also still have some work to do related to the Contractors Sustainability Review—we’re working on that, with the provincial government,” he added. Rates, too, are always an issue. During the pandemic, the large forest companies have been seeing healthy profits, due to high lumber prices. But the logging contractor community has had to deal with price increases, in everything from fuel to equipment. “Some of the licencees have been very good dealing with the contractors about higher fuel prices,” said Chamberlain. “There has been some co-operation and movement out there, but more could be done. But that’s why we’re here—to work with our members and licencees, and make it better for everybody.”
WRANGLER DOUBLE CRADLE BAND CHANGE SYSTEM This system reduces down time for band changes with the guided cradles and VFD hoists for lowering and raising the bands quickly and controlled each time. Cradles rotate 90 deg for ease of loading and unloading of the bands to the cradles and include safety latches to prevent worker injury during lowering and raising. Combine our upper band mill walkway and the band changes could be completed by one saw filer safely.
Cory Martindale, President www.Corbilt.com 14 West Poirier Road
6
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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
spotlight One of the benefits of being an ILA member is they can draw on the services of Meagan Preston, who is back as a Business Support Consultant with the ILA for another year, thanks to a new grant. Preston is able to support ILA members and affiliates with assessing their current business challenges, and exploring solutions and opportunities to pivot and grow or stabilize in this current economic climate. This includes supporting members in finding and applying for funding through grants and loans, as well as assisting members in establishing partnerships. “Meagan can assist members in a number of ways,” says Chamberlain. “If they have an idea, they can go to Meagan and she can actively look for funding opportunities. She’s been able to help members with a lot of good opportunities.” Over the coming year, she will be available to assist members absolutely free and the ILA will be releasing information on opportunities for funding and partnerships as they become available, said Chamberlain. Over the past year, Preston has been busy working with some member companies on their needs including funding,
The Interior Logging Association’s (ILA) annual equipment show and AGM will be taking place May 12 to 14 on the PowWow Grounds and at the Coast Hotel in Kamloops, B.C. There has been high interest shown in participating in the show, with more than 35 companies expected to be exhibiting. exit and pivot strategies, buying/selling or finding funding for required items, new equipment implementation, policies and procedures as well as many other business support services. In the last several months, a connection has also been made with other organizations running parallel projects in hopes of being able to pair companies who have work, with contractors that require work.
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
The ILA is continuing to work on initiatives with the BC Forest Safety Council (BCFSC) and the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology (NVIT) in Merritt on workforce attraction and industry specific training, to bring quality individuals into the forestry sector.
to page 8
7
spotlight from page 7 The ILA, BCFSC and NVIT are collectively working on the development and delivery of a new program specific to the forestry industry called the Forest Workers Essentials Program. This program will be delivered utilizing funding obtained by NVIT, and be a sixweek program with both classroom and in field instruction. Curriculum for this program will include guest speakers, certifica-
tion courses, a mentoring program, First Nations education of respecting the land during logging processes, and equipment simulators where available. Some of the planned sites students will be exposed to will be in all areas of forestry including logging operations, log yards and mill sites, road construction, silviculture, and possibly equipment dealers and repair facilities. The goal of this program will be to produce individuals who are trained,
engaged, and ready for a career in the forestry sector as soon as they have completed the course. Successful applicants will be interviewed and vetted prior to entry in to the program to ensure long term employment success and retention. In addition, students will be paired with businesses that require employees, and are willing to mentor individuals with the skills, abilities and desire to work in their areas of expertise. The goal is that at the end of the mentorship period, and upon successful completion of the program, the student will be retained for employment. “We’ve got good buy-in for the program from the contractor community in Princeton and Merritt,” said Chamberlain. “Currently, we know there will be a shortage of more than 20,000 forestry workers in the industry in the next 10 years,” he added. “It’s our hope that our three bodies working together can begin to fill those gaps by attracting and retaining the right workers who want to remain in the industry long term.” If it’s successful, the training program could be rolled out in other areas of the province. ILA staff will be on hand at the conference/show in May to talk about this new training program, and the benefits of ILA membership, face-to-face. Due to uncertainty related to COVID, the social aspects of the ILA conference— the dance/dinner—will have to wait until 2023, but it will be back in force next year. “We’ve already booked everything, including the social part of the conference, for next year, and it will be back better than ever.” “For now, we’re going to concentrate on the meat and potatoes part of the ILA conference, the equipment show, conference and the AGM. We look forward to seeing everyone there,” said Chamberlain.
CALENDAR
April 27-29
Council of Forest Industries Annual Conv., Vancouver, BC 250-860-9663, www.cofi.org May 12-14
Interior Logging Assoc. Conf. and AGM, Kamloops, BC
250-503-2199, www.interiorlogging.org May 27-28
BC Sawfilers AGM and Trade Show, Kamloops, BC
250-260-1231, www.bcsawfilers.com 8
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
sawmillupgrade
CUTTING EDGE EQUIPMENT
—from cutting edge suppliers A mill upgrade for Vicksburg Forest Products led to the company sourcing cutting edge equipment from a variety of suppliers—including from B.C. and Quebec.
By Paul MacDonald
W
hen it came to upgrading the company’s sawmill in Mississippi, Vicksburg Forest Products and its turnkey partner, Timber Automation, reached out for equipment from a few hours down the highway, right through to suppliers in Quebec and British Columbia. And the proof in going the distance sourcing cutting edge equipment far and wide is now being seen in the successful start-up of the upgraded mill in the town of Vicksburg, near the banks of the Mississippi River. The sawmill, which sits across the river from Louisiana, has seen a
10
substantial increase in lumber production, more than doubling its output, to 180 million board feet. Vicksburg Forest Products’ involvement in this sawmill dates back to 2018, when it purchased the then-hardwood mill from the Anderson-Tully Lumber Co. AndersonTully had an extensive timberlands division, and the one sawmill, in the town of Vicksburg, in western Mississippi. “We were looking at opportunities to expand, and this was a good fit for us,” explained Tommy Stansell, one of the owners of Vicksburg Forest Products (VFP). VFP also owns a sawmill in Ackerman, Mississippi in partnership with B.C.-based forest company, Tolko Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
Industries. The company is located in the state’s capital, Jackson, Mississippi, about 45 miles east of Vicksburg. Timberland investment company, Claw Forestry Services, which was founded by another VFP co-owner, Billy Vandevender, is also located in Jackson. There were several factors that led to the company purchasing the operation. The mill was located in an area that was an “Opportunity Zone”, a federal government program which provides tax incentives for investments in low income and rural communities. “It was one of the first Opportunity Zone projects in the U.S.,” says Stansell. VFP was familiar with the region, and
sawmillupgrade knew that it had a good softwood basket. “We have no landholdings in that area, but we were familiar with it. I think that was one of the things that gave us a head start over other folks, because AndersonTully were trying to sell it as a hardwood mill, and the hardwood markets were pretty down at the time. “I don’t think many of the softwood guys were thinking to look at the mill, and the area.” William Vandevender Jr., who manages the company’s timberland holdings division and wood procurement for its operations, discovered the opportunity VFP has extensive timber holdings, but they are in the neighboring state of Alabama. The company does not supply wood to the sawmill from its own landholdings. The mill also has solid transportation links, with interstate I-20 offering a good road link to the Texas market, one of the company’s largest lumber markets, and the area has good rail links, as well. Big picture, marketing-wise, VFP had also seen that there would be opportunities opening up in supplying lumber, with market shifts. Canadian lumber producers, principally in British Columbia, have been supplying the southeastern U.S. market for decades. But with a reduction in B.C. lumber production due to the impact of the mountain pine beetle, and loss of land base due to large wildfires, the province has been hit with many sawmill shutdowns—and a drop in production. All this means that B.C. lumber producers are not able to service markets like the U.S. southeast with all the wood they now require—especially as home construction has taken off in the region. Hence the market opening for companies such as VFP. Canadian forest companies, such as Canfor and West Fraser, have also invested heavily in mill operations in the southeast, both to serve markets, and tap into the very abundant wood basket. Mississippi alone, for example, has an estimated 20 million acres of forestland. So, all things said, there were a number of positives in making the mill acquisition. Now, all VFP had to do was convert the sawmill. “There were definitely some concerns on our part on converting a hardwood sawmill to a softwood sawmill,” says Stansell, candidly. “There are not many conversions like that.” A feature working in their favour, he says, is that the mill had been built almost like a Southern Yellow Pine operation, in many respects. For example, the mill had an older planer mill, with a large 80-bin
sorter. “With a lot of hardwood sawmills, there is no planer mill—period,” said Stansell. As part of the switchover, they installed a new planer mill from Washington-based Miller Manufacturing, which is part of the B.C.-based BID Group. The existing equipment included two Corley carriages, two Filer & Stowell headrigs with Lewis Controls, a 10-inch Timber Machine Technologies (TMT) gang, a TMT three-saw edger, and a McDonough 6” vertical resaw, and a 60-bay sling type lumber sorter. There were two kilns, an IrvingtonMoore and Moore International, equipped with Lignomat and SII controls. “We were able to use all of that,” said Stansell. “The conversion was definitely a learning curve, but there was a lot of hard work that went into it from our people— they did a great job. The start-up curve was longer than we anticipated, but we
kept incrementally increasing our production volume at the mill.” The successful conversion, and their solid base of people on the mechanical and operations side, actually gave them the confidence that they could do a further production upgrade, says Stansell. Once they had the mill conversion completed, and started increasing production, VFP management took a step back, and thought they would like to take production to the next level—and add a small log line. “That was 2019, and we started exploring a further upgrade—a bit before COVID started,” explained Stansell. The turnkey project was finalized at the beginning of the second quarter of 2020, and work began in August 2020. “It was more than a bit scary,” said Stansell, with lumber prices cratering over fears to page 12
The proof in going the distance sourcing cutting edge sawmill equipment far and wide is now being seen in the successful start-up of the upgraded Vicksburg Forest Products mill.
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
11
sawmillupgrade
The Vicksburg sawmill, which sits across the river from Louisiana, has seen a substantial increase in lumber production, more than doubling its output, to 180 million board feet, with the upgrade. from page 11 that home construction would fall big-time. “That was in March 2020,” he says. “We were in uncharted waters,” he says. “But we were still optimistic that housing construction numbers were going to stay where they were, or improve some. And there was that market shift in the replacement of B.C. lumber with lumber from the south. And we wanted to maximize what we had with the sawmill.” The company’s new CFO, Aaron Samuels, got a “baptism in fire” during this time, added Stansell The lumber market fell for a while, but then started climbing—and climbing. Lumber futures proceeded to top out at around $1,700 U.S., a thousand board feet.
12
As mentioned, the region and state has a good wood basket. Much of the land in the region is owned by Timber Investment Management Organizations (TIMOs) and individual landowners, who supply the mill with timber. So timber supply was good for the expansion. The company also has solid financing, with private equity firm Blue Wolf Capital Partners LLC providing investment funding. Charlie Miller and James Shovlin, who are partners in Blue Wolf Capital, have a track record of investing in rural sawmills in the U.S. South, including doing two upgrades on mills that they later sold to B.C.-based Conifex. With what turned out to be a $40 million (U.S.) upgrade, VFP looked for a good construction partner, and met with a few different firms that it felt could handle the
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
project, including B.C.’s BID Group. “The BID Group was definitely in the hunt,” says Stansell. They decided to go with Arkansasbased Timber Automation, just a few hours down the highway, in Hot Springs, Arkansas. While there are a number of companies that can ably take on such turnkey projects, VFP felt a good fit with Timber Automation, both in terms of the size of the upgrade, and their knowledge of the mill. Timber Automation had previously been involved in supplying the mill with equipment—one of their trimmers was already in the mill. “They were already familiar with the mill, and some of the challenges and opportunities we had. For this size project, it was a straightforward decision.” They put together a small team consisting of folks from the mill itself, from Timber Automation, from VFP, and Tinsley Consulting, also out of Arkansas, that developed the layout of the upgraded mill operation, including a new high-speed chip-n-saw line, two new continuous dry kilns and a variety of other infrastructure projects. “We all worked closely on the project, looking at every piece of equipment that could go into the upgrade, and travelling to mill operations to see this equipment in action at other mills.” Some of the new equipment came from Timber Automation, which quoted the upgrade on a turnkey basis. “They put the whole package together, and then present-
to page 14
sawmillupgrade from page 12 ed it to us,” says Stansell. “They handled the entire project, from construction to commissioning of the sawmill.” Timber Automation provided a combination of its own manufactured equipment, and equipment sourced from third party suppliers. Equipment from Timber Automation (TA) for the upgrade included the log handling side, with a LogPro log merchandizing line, which is a TA company. The merchandizer is capable of feeding the new line, and the existing large log line. As mentioned, Timber Automation and VFP sourced equipment North Americanwide. Some of their equipment came from the southeast region: the primary breakdown, canter line, and the secondary breakdown equipment is from Cone Machinery, out of Georgia. But they also looked to the north. The 27” dual ring debarker came from VK, in Washington State. From British Columbia, they used Iron Code Engineering, of Kamloops, B.C. to do controls coding. Quebecbased VAB, which is now owned by Timber Automation, provided optimization controls and a grading system for the mill.
In the planer mill, key equipment included a high speed tilt hoist with automatic stick recovery, a VAB lineal grading machine, SmartMill servo lug loader, a line shift trimmer, dual arm package maker, two Samuel automatic strappers and a Western Pneumatics planer mill shavings system. They added two continuous NOREV dual path kilns, each with 80 million board feet of annual drying capacity. On the hog fuel side, they have a Rawlings PXZ vertical wood hog, which was manufactured at the Edmonton, Alberta, plant of Weldco-Beales Mfg. In the log yard, which can hold about 50,000 green tons of logs, they have left space for future expansion, such as a portal crane. Having suppliers from all over the map might have been an issue in the past, when a mill needed to have supplier staff come to the operation to do servicing or trouble-shoot equipment. “But these days, if we have issues and need support, we can call the suppliers and they can ‘remote-in’—they might be in Arkansas, British Columbia or Quebec. They can get online, and troubleshoot the
problems,” says Stansell. “It really is amazing how technology continues to change the industry,” he says. That ability to “remote-in” came in very handy during the upgrade, when COVID regulations and protocols kicked in. “We’re really proud of the team and how all the equipment providers found ways to travel when they could, or be available to troubleshoot remotely. There were definitely a lot of hurdles we had to deal with when doing the upgrade during COVID, but we were able to do it, and keep our employees healthy and safe.” Carrying out mill construction during COVID added a whole other level of complexity to the project, including supply chain issues. For example, steel prices starting going up, says Stansell—and have stayed up. “Getting the right equipment or the right inputs to build equipment—every day brought a different challenge. But looking back on it, it went pretty seamlessly, which is a testament to everyone’s hard work.” to page 16
The region where Vicksburg Forest Products is located and the state of Mississippi have a good wood basket. Much of the land in the region is owned by Timber Investment Management Organizations (TIMOs) and individual landowners, who supply the mill with timber. So, timber supply was good for the expansion. 14
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
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sawmillupgrade from page 14 There have been some start-up challenges, which is normal after an upgrade, but production is definitely continuing to move up. “Many of our employees have up to now only seen the technology running in other sawmills and now they are working with it in our sawmill, so there is a learning curve. It takes time, but they are really starting to excel, and are doing a great job.” Suppliers have assisted with both on-site, socially distanced training, and virtual training, says Stansell. As the North American economy works its way out of the COVID pandemic, and moves into more normal times, many industries, including the forest industry, are facing issues around hiring qualified people. Though it has a solid and very valued employee base, Stansell says part of VFP’s thinking with the upgrade was to make the sawmill as automated and modern as possible. “The sawmill industry has changed dramatically,” he notes. “We’ve seen it go from being a heavy human capital,
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people-involved business to being more automated. “We wanted to be able to compete for the long term, and that’s why we made this investment—we wanted to invest in the latest technology, and automate as much as we could.” The new line was completed this past October. “We’re in the start-up stage now, but we’re starting to progress pretty quickly,” says Stansell. “Plant Manager Larry Barrett and his management team are excelling.” Previously, the mill was running at around 72 million board feet annually. “We wanted to get a run rate of 180 million board feet—though our mill capacity is probably 230 or 240 million board feet, on a two-shift basis.” They modeled the run rate at the 180 million board feet, single-shift hybrid schedule level to incorporate a reasonable amount of time to carry out mill maintenance. The changes have allowed the mill to broaden out production. “From a production standpoint, we’ve gone to being a wider, more flexible sawmill, going from 2x10 and 2x12 to making
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
more 2x4 and 2x6, and some timbers, 4x4 and 4x6. “We talked to our customers, to see what their needs were—that’s why we put the machinery in that we did. The highspeed canter line with quad profiling, for example, allows us to make a lot more 2x4s and 2x6s.” In addition to meeting the needs of their large customers in Texas, they are also starting to ship more lumber, by rail, into the U.S. Midwest, which is, again, a historically large market for B.C. lumber producers. “We’re starting to see customers switching from SPF to Southern Yellow Pine,” says Stansell. Not to get ahead of themselves, but VFP is thinking about a further round of changes. They have been talking with Virginia-based Real Performance Machinery (RPM) about taking out their existing 10” gang, and putting in a double arbour, profiling 12” gang. “We are where we want to be, for the moment,” says Stansell. “But we have not taken our eye off the future. We’re constantly trying to improve.”
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Albertasawmilling
NORTHLAND
moves to partial processing—at the mill
Facing narrow log delivery windows, Alberta sawmill Northland Forest Products has decided to move to partial millyard processing, with two TreeKing processors. By Tony Kryzanowski
F
aced with a critically narrow log delivery season from cutblocks that can only be harvested in winter, Northland Forest Products Ltd in Fort McMurray, Alberta has opted to ship logs from those areas tree length, and process them in their yard—and it’s working out well. Typically, logging in frozen muskeg begins in early November and starts to wind down by the beginning of March. Having solved the delivery issue, this created the opportunity to evaluate ways to accelerate processing without sacrificing accuracy.
18
Northland Forest Products believes that it has found the answer by deploying two Canadian-built, KTI TreeKing processors for this function because of their demonstrated ability to significantly improve processing volume throughput by multistemming without sacrificing accuracy. Howie Ewashko, General Manager at Northland Forest Products, says that they have doubled their processing volume by deploying these processors in the yard. With this change and other capital enhancements, the sawmill has been able to increase overall sawmill production by 30 per cent over the past three years. “Right off the bat, what the TreeKing’s do very well is multi-stem,” says Ewashko. Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
“We are for the most part working in our smaller profile wood, so it can do three, four or five stems at a time, where we’ve found other processing heads couldn’t. It doesn’t look like its faster than a traditional processor, but when you put three logs in at a time, it’s way faster.” They process logs in lengths ranging from 8’ to 16’, typically with a butt diameter of 10” or less, while processing down to a 2.5” top. These smaller diameter logs represent 35 to 40 per cent of the company’s total annual harvest. About half of their overall processing is now done in the yard. These smaller diameter logs are processed through their HewSaw R200 AI MSA-SE small log line
Albertasawmilling
The KTI TreeKing processor is versatile as it can accurately process single trees or multiple trees. The maximum tree diameter it can handle is 30".
installed about four years ago. Ewashko says that another advantage with the TreeKing processors is that the measuring system is on the processor bar and not following the tree profile. This has resulted in better processing accuracy because occasional bad log deflections were causing issues using processors equipped with rollers. “We also found out that we could be more market sensitive in terms of what we could recover from the log,” he says.
provides them with the opportunity to produce more chips and hog fuel from collected defective and waste pieces. There is very little waste left in the yard. The only exception is jackpine, which typically has greater stem variation and issues like rot, which makes processing those logs in the cutblock a better option. However, when Northland Forest Products
With log processing in the yard, Ewashko says that they can be more selective in how they pick logs slated for processing from the decks, thereby maximizing lumber production by sending the right log profile through the saw line in response to market demand in a timely manner. “The opportunity I see here is getting the right piece to the mill at the right time,” says Ewashko. “That flexibility we find is huge in our production.” Also, this in-yard processing method
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Albertasawmilling from page 19 encounters a quality stand, they also ship them tree length to the yard. The company took its time when contemplating this processing adjustment, experimenting with it for three years and essentially using a traditional, single tree processor to supplement processed logs delivered from the cutblock, to weigh the pros and cons of yard processing. At the same time, they began evaluating other processing options like the KTI TreeKing, starting with a lease-to-purchase program on one head. As the situation currently stands, Ewashko says as far as they are concerned, this processing method will be a permanent part of their operation, and if the numbers continue to be favorable, they might even consider adding more processing capability using this method down the road. KTI TreeKing processors are manufactured under license by Kaymor Machining and Welding in Clairmont, Alberta. Depending on stem diameter, the company claims that with its large grab arms, its processors can multi-stem as many as eight trees at once without the use of rollers tied to a measuring system. The TK 565 TreeKing model at Northland Forest Products is mounted on a John Deere 2054 carrier and the TK 500 model is on a Volvo 250 EL carrier. It was purchased from the local Strongco dealership. “It is our first Volvo swing machine, but we run all Volvo wheel loaders on our mill site,” says Ewashko. “We’ve seen good performance and longevity as well as really good support mechanically from them and being able to get parts is definitely key right now.” The TK 500 can handle up to a 16’6” log in one stroke and the TK 565 can handle 18’6” in one stroke. The minimum
20
Northland Forest Products mounted their newest TK 500 KTI TreeKing processor on a Volvo 250 EL carrier. The sawmill says that they get good performance and longevity from all of their Volvo products, and they use all Volvo wheel loaders in their yard. recommended carrier size for each unit is 22 tonnes. The head itself weighs in at about 8,000 lbs. Les Kerik, TreeKing marketing manager and owner of the intellectual property, says that Northland Forest Products operated their first unit on a lease-to-purchase basis for only a month before deciding to purchase it outright, as well as a second unit. In terms of the processor’s history, he says that he was approached by Robert Stegmeier, the president of Kaymor Machining & Welding, in 2016 to license the manufacturing of TreeKing products. It has been redesigned and improved four times since then based on customer feedback and hands-on experience. Kerik comes from a logging background and is a heavy duty mechanic. He used the product in his own operations and was able to
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
achieve 100,000 hours of production time on four heads. Prior to Northland Forest Products deploying its TreeKings, Kerik says that the sawmill had a 6” trim allowance using roller-style processors, but once they made the switch, they were able to reduce the trim allowance to only 3” while multi-stemming. The result is significantly more fibre recovery and volume throughput. “Instead of cutting 16’6” logs, now we are cutting 16’3” logs. So that is quite a wood waste reduction. We can probably take it down to a 1” trim allowance,” Kerik adds. There are five sorts in 2’ increments from 8’ to 16’. to page 22
TOGETHER AGAIN
OLOFSFORS INC. IS APPOINTED AS HULTDINS NORTH AMERICAN DISTRIBUTOR
Effective January 1, 2022 – Olofsfors Inc. will become the distributor for Hultdins products in the North American market. Indexator rotators will also be part of the distribution. Since 1995, Hultdins and Olofsfors have a long history of working together in North America and in several other markets around the world. Both Hultdins and Olofsfors Inc. are in Brantford, Ontario so this will be a smooth and exciting transition for the companies.
www.olofsfors.com www.hultdins.com (519) 754-2190 info@olofsfors.com
Albertasawmilling from page 20 “Our measuring system is all noncontact,” he says. “It’s all mechanical. It doesn’t care if there is a bow or knot in the tree. It doesn’t spin out and there are no bite marks because it is a stroker. So there is much less fibre damage.” Processing speed on the newest TreeKing models is 16’ to 18’ per second and they can handle logs up to 30” in diameter, with the ability to process any programmable length and even tree length if required. TreeKing processors come with a ‘find end’ sensor but can also be equipped with an optional indexing plate so that all the butts can be adjusted by the operator to line up, as needed. This is particularly important for accurate multi-stemming. Kerik describes the TreeKing as “very carrier friendly” with a hydraulic oil set up so that there is no cross contamination. The hydraulic valves are mainly Rexroth and all the hydraulic cylinders are identical and interchangeable for maintenance simplicity, except for the boom feed cylinder. “We only need a pressure and a return line,” he says, “and it can be installed to work on either an excavator boom or a
22
processor boom. It is very easy to switch back to an excavator if you have the excavator boom configuration, taking about four hours.” He adds that thanks to Hank Derksen with Kaymor and Phil Corfe with Endeavor Equipment Inc, he feels that the TreeKing has the best hydraulic and computer control system in the industry. The delimbing knives on the TreeKing have 18,000 to 24,000 ft-lbs of hydraulic delimbing force. The computer control system is the Danfoss Plus 1 and typically an initial install once a carrier is selected will be about four days, but that could change based on current supply chain issues. The topping saw and butt saw are the same, with the option of using either .404 chain and bar or 3/4” pitch chain and bar, simply by changing the sprocket bar and chain. The processing head comes with a rotate motor allowing it to rotate 360 degrees with an automatic stop, hindering further rotation. “One of the advantages from a mechanical and maintenance standpoint is that all our parts are interchangeable,” Kerik
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
says. “Both the grab arms and the delimbing arms fit left or right and there are only three bearing part numbers on the machine. We’ve tried to minimize the amount of part numbers as much as we can.” Also, the parts manual describes all the hydraulic hose ends and hose lengths rather than being organized by a part number so that the operator can phone in and have them prepared in advance rather than having to drive into town with just a part number. “Our target with the design was for the owner to be able to get through a season without having to change chains, sliding pads and hoses,” says Kerik. While Northland Forest Products appreciates the TreeKing’s multi-stemming capabilities, Kerik says the unit also shines in what he described as “big, ugly wood” like large diameter aspen and big, limby pine and spruce. But its multi-stemming capabilities and benefits are obvious. “Instead of needing three heads or two different kinds of processing heads, you can do it all with one head,” Kerik says.
industryevents
Another successful convention expected for
BC Saw Filer’s
The B.C. forest industry is facing challenges, but this year’s BC Saw Filer’s Convention & AGM—being held May 27 to 28 in Kamloops, B.C.—is expected to be just as big and successful as it was pre-COVID.
T
he current state of the B.C. forest industry may be one of challenges with duties on lumber exported to the U.S., a depleted timber supply and supply chain issues due to flooding and the lingering effects of COVID, but the saw filing industry does not seem to be feeling the effects, or at least not for the time being. In fact, says BC Saw Filer’s Association (BCSFA) secretary and Tolko Industries Lavington Division 16-year saw filer Matt Graves, he is expecting just as many attendees at the 2022 BC Saw Filer’s Convention & AGM as they have seen at the last show, pre-COVID. “We had approximately 150 attendees a few years ago, and we certainly hope, and even expect to see, just as many this time around,” says Graves. The BCSFA is an independent, grassroots organization, which aims to encourage the wide-ranging dissemination of knowledge and resources for the benefit of all those involved in the saw filing trade. The association has been holding the convention for many years and during that time, Graves says he has seen how important the event has become to the industry. “One of the great things about the convention is the comradery between the
24
filers; it opens up a communication hub between filers—they get to know each other in person. The feedback we get each year is positive and the general sentiment is members want to know it’s going to continue for many years to come,” says Graves. To be held a little later than normal this year with the dates being May 27 to 28, the convention location itself has not changed and neither has its reputation as being the place to go for the “latest in technology, products and services” not to mention, that it’s one of the largest events of its kind in North America, says Graves. “We will be hosting it again at the Coast Hotel & Convention Centre in Kamloops as it is very central for those who attend and it is spacious enough to accommodate us.” Graves and his team already had a robust list of convention exhibitors started that includes a variety of state-of-the-art saw-tech companies. Well-known names in the industry, ones that conference attendees would expect to see at the show, will be part of this year’s event as well. These include Thode Knife & Saw Ltd., Andritz, D.K. Spec, Williams and White, USNR, Optimil, Promac, Hodgson Saw, Supersaul Chemmex and Precision Machinery, just to name a few. Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
One growing trend in the industry is the use of robotic technology, which is something Graves expects to see or hear about at the show once the vendor list is complete. He says with the industry still struggling to fill the jobs vacated by an aging workforce—a challenging issue that has been apparent for a while—robotic technology helps to fill the gap. “It’s definitely the path we’re going down,” says Graves. “Robotics seem to be the trend for the bigger modern filing rooms.” Robotic technology in a saw room can address everything from better overall recovery results to optimizing production techniques. The technology is slowly expanding to all parts of the saw filing room, but is seen most frequently in the form of automated benching systems for band saws, robotic grinding systems for round saws and automated tipping systems. “As the industry’s aging workforce continues to grow and businesses are faced with a looming labour shortage, for the companies who can upgrade to robotic equipment, it is a viable option.” On the presentation side, Graves says attendees can expect to hear from, once to page 26
industryevents
from page 24 again, Thompson Rivers University’s (TRU) Williams Lake campus certified staff. It continues to be the only campus in Canada and the Western United States that offers technical training for the trade. At their campus, students can get handson training and as a result become certified in saw filing, which is broken down into two industry trades: saw filer, and bench person. The saw filer apprenticeship program at TRU requires students to complete 840 hours of work-based training, working in a saw filing room and assisting saw filers in their work before attending level 1 of the program. Apprentices also need to secure employers who are approved to provide on-the-job training in saw filing as well as be willing to register the apprentice and keep a record of their performance.
26
New this year at the convention, the association is bringing in speakers who will hold talks on fire suppression systems for grinding equipment. “That is something we all have to think about—any risks we face when working,” says Graves. Saw filing rooms no longer have to depend on just fire extinguishers in the event of a blaze. Graves explains equipment manufacturers have higher-end equipment to offer that includes self-contained sprinkler systems for the machines that run with high flash point oil instead of traditional grinding fluid. “You have to have suppression systems front and centre. If there is a fire, you need to get out quick.” Attendee and exhibitor registration are both now open. Anyone interested in registering early can just email Graves at mdgrav@gmail.com and he will confirm
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
their spot. Those interested in attending will also have the option to register at the event but Graves encourages them to sign up sooner. “We’ve had cases where we have had to turn away vendors—the same could be potentially said for attendees. Having people pre-register also allows us to streamline registration and get a better idea of numbers which is particularly important for the dinner.” He adds, “And of course, when you pre-register, you don’t have to stand in line.” As in past years, filers, mill managers and maintenance supervisors are encouraged to attend. Those interested in learning more about the industry may also want to consider attending as topical industry seminars will be featured throughout the Friday and Saturday. To learn more about the annual conference, visit https://www.bcsfa.ca/. To learn more about saw filing careers visit: http://www.itabc.ca/program/ saw-filer. To learn more about Thompson Rivers University’s saw filing training program, visit https://www.tru.ca/trades/tradesprograms/saw-filer.html.
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lumberproduction
TOP Canada’s
Lumber Producers: A year of record lumber prices—and West Fraser remains on top.
By Mark Smith, Partner, FEA
I
n last year’s FEA annual survey of the “Top 10” Canadian lumber producers, the heading was “Coronavirus delivers a year like no other.” Little did we realize what was coming in 2021, with record prices for lumber, not only in North America, but globally. FEA reports a U.S. Indice that reflects
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historical changes in a basket of structural lumber grades— and we had to change the price scale three times on the graph during the year to adjust for the price rises seen! These peaked about July 2021, fell back to levels that were still above historical averages, but once again showed strong upward growth and in Q1 2022, prices are again approaching last year’s historical highs.
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Total North American lumber shipments: up by 0.5 billion board feet
Total North American softwood lumber shipments were up by just under 0.5 billion board feet (to 60.17 billion board feet to page 30
28
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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
lumberproduction
from page 28 from 59.73 billion board feet) in 2021 as compared to 2020. This total North American growth of 0.5 billion board feet was identical to the increase seen in last year’s article, which reflected changes from 2019 to 2020. Almost all of the growth seen coming into the 2021 year was from Canada where shipments were up by 1.7 per cent, contributing almost 0.4 billion board feet
of the combined Canada/U.S. increase. On the trade front, after sharp declines in the first half of last year, exports picked back up in the third quarter. However, for the year as a whole they fell, as high North American prices hurt the region’s competitive position, while strong consumption limited lumber available for export. Meanwhile, those same high prices and strong demand have bolstered imports. As a result, North American exports decreased 8.4 per cent last year.
Canadian Top 10: shipments up by one per cent from 2020 to 2021 The Canadian Top 10 lumber producers saw shipments grow by one per cent in 2021 to 13.945 billion board feet compared to 13.803 billion board feet in 2020. However, the Top 10’s share
to page 32
Continuous wood drying greatness by Valutec
The kiln does a great job in a lot less time than we’re used to and puts out a much better product. Fred Haigis, Lumber Yard Supervisor, Moose River
Sawmills around the world are discovering the benefits of Valutec’s TC continuous kilns. Like Pleasant River sawmill group that recently invested in TC kilns to their sites in Dover-Foxcroft and Moose River, ME. They are now experiencing a shorter drying process, lower energy consumption, higher quality and the intelligent drying schedule simulator that makes Valutec’s kilns the leading product on the market. Read more at www.valutec.ca
30
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
lumberproduction
from page 30 of total Canadian shipments remained essentially the same—60.8 per cent in 2020 versus 60.4 per cent in 2021, as total Canadian shipments increased by 1.7 per cent (from 22.717 billion board feet in 2020 to 23.106 billion board feet in 2021). The growth in Canadian shipments would have been even greater but for a number of factors during the year, including labour shortages, inclement weather and supply chain issues e.g., railcar shortages. The Top 10 Canadian lumber producers remained the same through the top six from 2020 to 2021. These top six include West Fraser, Canfor, Resolute FP, Tolko, J.D. Irving and EACOM who collectively accounted for 10.9 billion board feet (47.2 per cent of total Canadian lumber output in 2021) which was marginally lower that 2020 (at 11.0 billion board
feet) and at a lower percentage of total Canadian lumber output (which approached 48.6 per cent in 2020). Effectively, the top six lost about 1.4 per cent of market share in 2021. Dunkley Lumber increased its production by 3.9 per cent which was enough to move it into the #7 spot, above Weyerhaeuser. And RYAM lumber (acquired by GreenFirst) fell out of the Top 10, to be replaced by Arbec that saw tremendous growth of over 36 per cent (please note that this increase is an estimate only and has not been able to be substantiated). West Fraser remains in top spot with its Canadian output up a slight 25 million board feet (0.8 per cent) across its 12 mills. Canfor stayed second with 2.50 billion board feet, representing a slight increase of 10 million board feet across its 11 Western Canadian mills. Resolute FP continued at #3, with output at its 15 mills dropping by 134 million board feet (-6.6 per cent) after a stellar 312 million
board feet (18 per cent) increase from 2019 to 2020. Tolko, at #4, also saw its output decrease by 30 million board feet (-2.2 per cent) as did #5, J.D. Irving, with a drop of 19 million board feet (-1.8 per cent). Finally, EACOM at #6 saw a small increase of 6 million board feet (0.7 per cent). Continent-wise, the four largest North American softwood lumber producers (West Fraser, Canfor, Weyerhaeuser and Interfor) have operations in both the U.S. and Canada. Collectively, they produced 17.65 billion board feet (29.3 per cent of total North American lumber output) at 97 sawmills in 2021, strengthening their collective market share from the 2020 year (28.4 per cent). These publicly traded companies were positioned in the top nine in Canada. Research by Chari Gimenez, FEA Canada
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Ontariologging
IRON investment handles bigger timber Moggie Valley Timber has invested in an Eco Log 590F harvester to handle the larger trees that it comes across on woodlots in southwestern Ontario. By Nathan Medcalf
M
oggie Valley Timber, located in Grey County on Georgian Bay, in southwestern Ontario, is a sawmill that sells to lumber wholesalers and retailers, and has been in business for 34
nearly a quarter of a century, so they’ve seen a few industry cycles—including the huge jump in lumber demand that followed COVID-19. Moggie Valley Timber also carries out logging. They cut about 10 million board feet (or 30,000 bush cords) per year, and Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
most of the company’s timber is cut off county forests, local conservation authorities, and private lands that have a forest management plan. “When wood gets tendered out, we bid on it, and if we are the successful bidder, then we get the wood,” says Rob
Ontariologging Beirnes, the owner of Moggie Valley Timber, matter-of-factly. The company was founded by Beirnes and Bill Ottewel. The company later brought in David Seamen and Jerome Moran as partners. Moran retired and sold his shares to Beirnes. Seamen eventually sold all his shares to Roy Carrol, who eventually sold his share to Beirnes, but stayed on as a sales consultant. Carrol is also part owner of Peter Angus Forest Products—a lumber wholesale company with whom Moggie Valley Timber does business. Today, Beirnes is the sole proprietor of the company. About 90 per cent of Moggie Valley’s wood goes into the pressure treated market. The company produces a lot of 4 x 4s, 6 x 6s, and 2 x 4s; a very small amount of what they produce goes into cedar decking that gets sold for local consumption, and they have a joint venture with Ground Up Contracting to produce mulch (natural cedar, natural pine and black mulch). “The retail side of the company seems busy, but it comprises less than five per cent of our revenue,” says Beirnes. During 2021, and so far into 2022, demand for lumber during COVID has been high. Profit for a lot of lumber companies was also high. But, a lot of lumber companies haven’t been able to translate profit growth into company growth, because they can’t find operators. “With timber accelerating in price since the pandemic, we would like to have increased production, but that has proved impossible,” says Beirnes. “We can’t find the employees to meet the current demand, never mind increasing production. The price factor helps with the bottom line, so we have become more profitable, but we can’t grow the business.” On the logging side, in order to harvest the larger trees that Moggie Valley Timber comes across on woodlots in this part of Ontario, the company has invested in an Eco Log 590F harvester. Moggie Valley Timber has been a longtime customer of Eco Log machinery; they have purchased 10 harvesters and forwarders from their Canadian Eco Log dealer since the company was founded. They also loved the service they were receiving from the dealer until that dealer lost the Eco Log dealership contract, and a new dealer took over: Strongco is now the exclusive dealer for Eco Log’s harvesters, forwarders and accessories across Canada. When they purchased the 590F, they had intended to trade in their Eco Log
580 harvester, but found that, in the end, it made more sense to hang on to the 580. Moggie Valley Timber was using the 580 harvester as their main harvester prior to purchasing the 590F. They now use both in the field. “We’ve got an operator in each,” says Beirnes. “And, we would love to have more operators. There’s work for them. There’s always more work for harvesters; that’s one of the reasons we decided to keep the 580.” Although the 590F is being funded by Moggie Valley Timber, it will be used by a joint venture between Beirnes and his harvester operator, Ryan Walker. The joint venture supplies Moggie Valley Timber with wood for their sawmill. “I was comfortable setting up a joint venture with Ryan Walker because I’ve already been operating in joint venture with equipment operator Clint Middleton
for a decade,” says Beirnes. “Sometimes, joint ventures are the only option when labour shortages hinder business growth.” The Eco Log 590F is the manufacturer’s largest harvester in the company’s 500 series of F-harvesters. It comes equipped with a 320-hp (239-kW) Volvo Penta engine and a 310 kNm crane to handle larger trees quickly, safely and cost-effectively. The machine’s stage V Volvo Penta engine provides high performance, reliability and fuel efficiency, says Eco Log. The 590F features a unique pendulum arm suspension for superior maneuverability and terrainability. The pendulum arms can change the machine’s ground clearance from four inches to four feet, which is useful for clearing logs and rocks. The harvester can also be equipped with a balanced bogie for added stability. to page 36
The Eco Log 590F is the manufacturer's largest harvester in the company's 500 series of F-harvesters. It comes equipped with a 320-hp Volvo Penta engine and a 310 kNm crane to handle larger trees quickly, safely and cost-effectively. The 590F features a unique pendulum arm suspension for superior maneuverability and terrainability. Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
35
Ontariologging
Moggie Valley Timber, located in Grey County on Georgian Bay, in southwestern Ontario, is a sawmill that sells to lumber wholesalers and retailers, and has been in business for nearly a quarter of a century. Moggie Valley Timber also carries out logging, cutting about 10 million board feet per year, with most of the company's timber cut coming off county forests, local conservation authorities, and private lands. from page 35 By levelling and adjusting the machines to the prevailing ground conditions no matter the terrain, the cab always remains level, and the machine can remain level even on steep slopes. “On a sidehill, one side of the machine will lift to keep the cab level and make the machine more stable. We always use that feature, However, our forwarder doesn’t have that feature, so while we can harvest on steep grades, we still have to be careful moving the wood out,” said Beirnes. The pendulum arms also help with servicing the vehicle since the machine can be lowered, which puts service access points in reach from ground level. All service points are organized under one of several large hoods for easy access. Moggie Valley Timber paired their new 590F with a Log Max 7000C harvesting head. It is a large head for really heavy
R
timber, with a maximum cutting diameter of 75 centimetres, a minimum delimbing diameter of four centimetres, and is very productive in the 16-to-50-centimetrediameter range. High-performance saw hydraulics provide full flow to the bottom saw for fast cutting in all timber sizes. Variable displacement feed roller motors provide fast speed in smaller wood and automatically regulate to provide more power in tougher limbed trees. Built on a tough frame, the 7000C combines high drive power and high speed for excellent performance in heavy and branchy trunks. On Moggie Valley Timber’s Eco Log 580, the company has attached the slightly smaller Log Max 6000 harvesting head. Rounding out the company’s field fleet is a 14-ton Rottne forwarder and a 14-ton Eco Log forwarder. At the mill, the company runs two Cat loaders, a JCB loader, and a 1938 Yates planer.
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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
“We just keep the planer up and running, and it is probably one of the most solid pieces of machinery we’ve ever owned,” says Beirnes. “The parts are still fairly easy to come by; we can get bearings and shafts and all the other parts we need to keep it going.” Their main mill production equipment is a Select double-cut band saw. The Select model 4221 that Moggie Valley operates has a reputation for high production, with a cutting speed of up to three feet per second. The 4221 can cut logs up to 42 inches in diameter up to a 22-foot length. For mulching, the company uses a Morbark tub grinder that they rent from Ground Up Contracting. With a solid equipment line-up at the mill and in the woods, Moggie Valley Timber looks to be positioned well, as Ontario moves into a post-pandemic recovery.
NEW NOTED and
F
amily and friends kicked off the 84th Annual Oregon Logging Conference in February with great expectation following two years of in-person restrictions and mask mandates as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the theme of Family, Friends and Forestry 2.0, the “loggin’ show” was back in action. “After the last two years, the best thing about this year is getting back together and gathering in person,” said OLC 2021/2022 President Scott Melcher. “It’s one of the strengths we have. Competing against each other one day, and the next we’re sitting down talking and sharing ideas.” Conference Manager Rikki Wellman said this year there was more equipment on display outdoors compared to previous years. And while paid registration was slightly down this year, there was no dip in attendance with many industry professionals and members of the public participating in the OLC “The Oregon Logging Conference is packed with unique opportunities for forestry and natural resource professionals to network and learn more about their trades,” she said.
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at the OLC
New to the Show
What the Oregon Logging Conference is widely known for is the extensive, state-of-the-art equipment displays. Here are a few new pieces that debuted in the Pacific Northwest at this year’s show, in Eugene. Bridgestone Intellitire: Developed by Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, Intellitire is a robust tire pressure monitoring system supported by software and components that are easy to install and use on your smart phone. It features in-yard and realtime TPMS monitoring, digital inspections, critical alerts, fleet issue reports and task lists to proactively address tire pressure issues and avoid downtime to keep fleets running smoothly. www.bridgestone.com Hilltop Aerial manufactures two product models: the Hexacopter Drone and the Quadcopter Drone. These heavy lift drones can carry or pull a payload, spray, and seed. With a hover time of 30 minutes, the Hexacopter can pull a 5,000-foot layout, and the Quadcopter drone can pull a 3,000-foot layout. Water and weather resistant, the drones feature
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
a return to home program, autonomous flying, low battery warning levels, wide GPS range and a payload release system. www.hilltop-aerial.com The Mobicat MC 110i EVO2 is a compact, versatile jaw crusher with a wide range of applications as a compact primary crusher and is extremely flexible in transport and use. Featuring a compact design and transport height of 11’2’’, the machine is easy to move and set up. The powerful drive concept easily masters changing application conditions from stone to recycling. The plant can be operated with a variety of control and overload systems, and is extremely powerful and efficient, says the company. www.wirtgen-group.com pewag Boogie Tracks takes traction to an entirely new level of performance. The all new pewag bluetrack is specifically made for extreme applications. Increasing the resilience of lighter forestry machines with effortless operation on wet or rock ground, Boogie Tracks feature an innovative mounting of the forged Starwave profile studs ensuring optimum grip. www.pewagchain.com
NewandNoted Quadco M-32 Prototype tips the scales at 1,700 lbs. with a 32” cut and is designed for small 9 to 15-ton excavator applications. The new model is capable of mulching vegetation into fine material and features a built-in grapple with a 40-degree range of motion, left and right. www.quadco.com Rebel X25, manufactured by Axis Forestry, is designed with powerful builtins based on requests from hundreds of logging contractors. This large wood processor features 360-degree rotation, 36” identical saws, dual tilt and delimb cylinders, smart hose routing and an independent measuring arm. www.axisforestry.com
is all about hard work, says the company. www.prinoth.com Ragnar Tech PowerGrab Series: A crane mounted, self-powered and remotecontrolled log grappler with a bar saw that can cut up to 24 to 36 inches in diameter and be maneuvered onto a tree, make a cut and then lift out to safely lower the section removed to the ground. Available with options like high voltage insulating linkage, man basket and rotation control. www.ragnartech-inc.com
Raptor 300 is called the chameleon of the mulching carriers because of its customization possibilities. The modular design, coupled with various options, allows multiple configurations. The undercarriage-delta tracks offer improved robustness and better off-road ability while protecting the vehicle from barriers like stumps and rocks. Available with a PTO drive or a powerbelt drive, the Raptor 300
TIREBOSS: The TIREBOSSS Tire Pressure Control system allows you to safely deflate your tires when working off-road
at slower speeds or with an empty load. This provides a huge tire life and truck ride benefit with significant saving to the truck owner. TIREBOSS is sold and supported throughout the U.S. and Canada. www.tireboss.com G&R Forestry Track Systems is said to be well suited for Northwest conditions on soft slopes, steep ground, low coastal areas and swamp logging conditions. The tracks’ articulated rollerframes create an easier ride over obstacles compared to track machines with a single rollerframe on each side, and are custom ordered for machine and job application. www.gandrmfg.com
Exhibit or Attend the
BC Saw Filer’s Association 70th Annual Conference and Trade Show!
Held Once Again in Kamloops at the Coast Kamloops Hotel & Conference Centre
May 27-28, 2022 Pre-Register Now!
v Annual General Meeting: Saturday 9:00 AM v Friday Night: Buffet dinner followed by entertainment v Tradeshow: Friday 12:00 – 6:00 PM Saturday 1:00 – 6:00 PM v Keynote Speakers & Educational Presentations v Seminars on Friday & Saturday Find out more at
www.bcsfa.ca
BC Saw Filer’s Association Stay Sharp & Stay Safe
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
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THE
ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF INDUSTRY INNOVATION
I
Proactive sawmill maintenance: an approach that pays off
n Canada, the sawmill industry is a key manufacturing sector in lumber production for Canadian use and export. It must constantly improve its competitiveness through operational control of its activities, especially by maximizing the availability of sawmill equipment and reducing costs. Maintenance based on prognostic models has become a major tool for improving and maintaining equipment performance, and thereby improving a company’s overall equipment effectiveness. The proactive (prognostic) maintenance approach involves a two-part process. First, it involves condition-based monitoring of the assets through a sensor network installed on critical components, such as vibration sensors, thermography, cutting quality, etc. Second, it involves developing algorithms for predicting component degradation based on the data collected. Prognostic maintenance, with its proactive approach, prevents unnecessary additional costs, unplanned and chronic breakages, as well as any unwanted events of corrective and reactive maintenance. AN EFFECTIVE METHODOLOGY During recent work at a member company, FPInnovations was asked to apply the proactive (prognostic) maintenance methodology to anticipate irregularities on a sawmill line. The goal was to measure deterioration in critical equipment’s components. To reach operational performance
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objectives, the method is structured and sequenced in a time based way, through: • Sawing process surveillance to monitor and improve performance on the corresponding production line; • An indication of the performance level achieved during each activity in the sawing process across the entire line; • The development of diagnostic and prognostic failure models for each part (component) of critical equipment; and • The development of an appropriate maintenance plan to maintain the expected level of performance on the production line throughout its expected life cycle. Some strategies have been developed to meet the definitions and achieve the main objective of proactive (prognostic) maintenance. These are: • Sawing process modeling • Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) rate calculation • Vibration data collection and analysis • Preventive and predictive maintenance plan development • Asset observation and documentation • An FMEA-type format design based on stakeholder and vendor’s expertise • Analysis and valuation of data generated by the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) software
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
In the proactive (prognostic) maintenance domain, understanding trends in anomalies affecting equipment used during operations is important. The methodology therefore provides for the analysis of failures affecting certain equipment components by monitoring the outcome of their behaviour based on the various sources, including BPFI (Ball Pass Frequency of the Inner race), BPFO (Ball Pass Frequency of the Outer race), FTF (Fundamental Train Frequency) and BSF (Ball Spin Frequency). Lastly, results are generated through failure modelling using machine learning techniques based on advanced statistical calculations. SOLID RESULTS FOR ALL TYPES OF MILLS In the example of the member mill whose capacity is of the order of 150,000 MFB annually, gains arising from the strategies recommended by modelling are also significant and beneficial for all operations. These gains can be summarized as follows: • Operational performance: potential average gains that may reach 2.50 percent per day and more • Lost opportunity costs and benefits: potential gains exceeding $70,000 annually with an annual return on investment of 1.5 • Reduction of spare parts: potential gains of $75,000 annually and more. Proactive (prognostic) maintenance can be an effective and lucrative approach for many mills in the wood processing or pulp and paper sectors. For more information, please contact Khalil Elhadaoui, Senior Researcher, Primary Wood Manufacturing Group, FPInnovations: Khalil.Elhadaoui@ fpinnovations.ca
Strategic forest fringe afforestation fruitful ground for Two Billion Tree Program BY TONY KRYZANOWSKI
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trategic afforestation along the forest/agriculture fringe can play a leading role in helping the federal government achieve its goals under its Two Billion Tree Program. This program aims to contribute to natural climate solutions through carbon capture by incrementally growing trees to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. “The primary potential is definitely from Quebec through to British Columbia, although all provinces and territories have suitable forest fringe lands,” says Derek Sidders, Program Manager, Technology Development and Transfer at the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre (CWFC). “That’s where 75 to 80 per cent of the moderate to high quality land exists that could be afforested, significantly contributing to a natural climate solution,” he adds. The Canadian Wood Fibre Centre (CWFC) has prepared an afforestation site suitability guide and map that highlights prime areas adjacent to the forest fringe as well as clonal hardwood species proven to be suitable for each bio geo-climatic zone within this vast area. The afforestation site suitability classification quantifies forest production potential based on various characteristics such as soils, growing season moisture, heat degree days, sunlight hours and hardiness zones. Up to $3.24 billion has been committed by the federal government to the Two Billion Tree Program that will operate for 10 years, from 2021 to 2031. Afforestation within about 75 kilometres of the current forest fringe offers multiple benefits. First, this is an area which historically had tree cover over millennia.
“At one time, a lot of the best agricultural land was either forested or partially forested,” says Sidders. So it obviously has climate and soil conditions that could support plantations featuring fast-growing hybrid poplar or select aspen species or establishment of mixedwood plantations where white spruce or white pine is planted in the understorey, emulating a natural forest. Second, this area adjacent to the current forest fringe typically has established roads and access to potential labour and services from communities within close proximity to the fringe, thus having a positive impact on plantation establishment and maintenance costs. There are workers available to manage plant material and plant crops while existing roads make the multiple entries required to establish the plantation and vegetation control followup over the first three to five years easier. Third, there is an opportunity to plant native species on marginal/moderate lands with a history of forest cover to enhance habitat and biodiversity and to increase productivity by making extra resources and nutrients available to the soil, while having a positive impact on GHG reduction. Also, high quality seed sources and forest seedling nurseries for these sites are readily available given their distribution and location in close proximity along the forest fringe. Derek Sidders says the goal is not to displace existing agriculture, activity but strategic placement of plantations in concert with agriculture along the entire forest fringe boundary. That’s because the forest fringe is a vast area that can easily support both activities. He adds that the additional new forests enhance the adjacent lands while also mitigating climate change.
Sidders says that if even a portion of the area near the forest fringe was re-established, this would significantly contribute to Canada achieving its GHG emissions reduction target of reducing GHG emissions by up to 12 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year by 2050. There is not only plenty of opportunity to strategically re-establish forest cover along the existing forest fringe, but doing so also delivers other benefits like habitat enhancement, alternative fibre sources for industry (forest and energy), increased biodiversity and agricultural land protection from climate extremes. Through afforestation management practices developed and verified by the CWFC over the past two decades, it is possible to increase production from smaller land bases. In natural forests, native species average 1.7 cubic metres per hectare per year of fibre production. With afforestation featuring fast-growing hybrid and select hardwood clones, afforestation production can increase by 6 to 12 times that of the natural forest, delivering a significant fibre production and carbon sequestration enhancement. Considering an accelerated and novel mixedwood plantation application, it is possible to achieve an increased production of 13 to 20 carbon dioxide equivalent tonnes versus a natural forest per hectare per year over the first 30 years. Once the hardwoods mature, the enhancement is still an additional 6 to10 carbon dioxide equivalent tonnes for the following 30 years. The softwoods experience enhanced growth from the shelter and nutrients provided by the hardwood nurse species. With the afforestation knowledge acquired through incremental gains along the forest fringe, there is an opportunity to use this knowledge as a long-term forest management strategy beyond 2050, creating uneven stands for such benefits as forest fire prevention and moisture and wind management. For more information about afforestation of fast-growing hardwood or mixedwood stands, contact Derek Sidders at derek.sidders@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca or Tim Keddy at tim.keddy@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca.
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
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TECHUPDATE
By Tony Kryzanowski
Small Scale Logging Introduction: For every large scale sawmill in the forest industry, there are dozens of smaller scale logging and forestry operations across the country, from B.C. through to the east coast. One of the keys to an efficient small scale operation lies in the equipment you are working with, and making sure it is the right fit for your operation. In this Tech Update, Logging and Sawmilling Journal features some of the equipment small operators may want to look at to make their operations as profitable, and productive, as possible.
TMG Industrial
The TMG Industrial 26” cutting capacity portable sawmill is designed to be able to move and set up easily in the field and get the job done quickly. Powered by a reliable 14 horsepower Kohler command pro series engine and built with a heavy-gauge, four-post saw head carriage, this mill can cut lumber with speed and accuracy, and is said to be particularly effective for truing up logs for use at the worksite. Whether for a hobby sawyer, a woodworking contractor, or running a small lumber business, TMG Industrial says that this is the right sawmill to get started immediately. Designed to be the best value in its class, this sawmill offers many features found in much more expensive mills, it says. TMG Industrial provides easy online shopping and free delivery to most locations. www.tmgindustrial.com
Nisula Forest
Nisula Forest Oy was established in 1978 with mechanical timber harvesting as its field of business. The company started as a contractor and operated with 10 machines. Gradually, the main focus shifted to manufacturing forestry machinery. Today, Nisula is a strong industrial enterprise. Its main products are energy wood heads, harvesting heads and wheeled harvesters. Its products are available in Canada through its dealer, Top Down Enterprises in Kamloops, B.C. Timo Savornin, Sales Director of Nisula Forest Oy, says the company wants to offer its customers cost-effective alternatives for logging and forest fuel reduction operations. 42
Its modern production facilities in central Finland provide a good setting for developing the business in the years to come. The future strategy of the company includes the development of increasingly cost-effective products for forest thinning and new alternatives that help the company’s customers succeed in their operations. Savornin says that productivity, functionality and low operating costs guarantee good results in logging and forest thinning operations. www.topdownent.ca/www.nisulaforest.com
MUTS
A madein-Canada product and a light to medium duty pull behind an ATV trailer, the MUTS is a very robust and capable trailer. It can carry and dump a 2,000 lb payload, convert from a box trailer to a logging trailer by removing the front and rear end panels, and converts to a log skidder by separating the box from the carriage. The MUTS can use its own winch to load logs by drawing them in from the rear. Designed for use in dense bush and rough ter-
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
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2013 Kenworth T800 Tri-Drive Sleeper Heavy Haul Truck Tractor
2012 Kenworth T800 Tri-Drive Day Cab Self Loading Log Truck W/ Vanguard 1028X Picker
2017 Caterpillar 330FL Excavator
2012 Tigercat 845C Feller Buncher
2012 Tigercat 480 Mulcher
2018 John Deere 2556G LC Log Loader
2016 Tigercat 630E Skidder
2018 Caterpillar D6T LGP Crawler Dozer
2015 Caterpillar D6N LGP Crawler Dozer
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2015 Tigercat 870C Feller Buncher
2010 Tigercat H855C Processor
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2001 Kenworth T800 T/A Day Cab Winch Truck
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techupdate from page 42 rain, it is compact, lightweight, and very stable, says MUTS. According to the company, it is one of the most versatile trailers on the market with a variety of functions, accessories and attachments to enhance any work project. www.muts.ca
Silvana Trading
Silvana Trading is the exclusive Canadian importer and distributor of a complete line of innovative Logosol wood processing products. Logosol now offers a new, bigger version of what it describes as the best chain sawmill in the world. The Logosol F2+ is an F2 on steroids, says the company. This sawmill is sturdier, heavier and meets the demands of customers who want an extrarobust sawmill for sawing large logs. All essential parts of the sawmill are oversized to stand up to the stress of heavy logs, and to create the space needed for bigger logs, the log beds have been extended by 20 cm. Even though the F2+ is bigger and a bit heavier than the F2, it has become even easier to handle due to a completely new feature that makes it possible to detach the log lifters while keeping the whole guide rail intact and aligned. Logosol says that it has never been easier to store, transport and set up a heavy-duty sawmill for oversized logs. www.silvanatrading.com
front loader is deeper and has a maximum lift capacity of 1,144 lbs at the pin and a maximum lift height of 94” at the pin. The loader valve is designed for simultaneous boom and bucket operation and a regenerative circuit, increasing speed and dump times to maximize productivity. The L3302 and L3902 will be available nationwide early spring 2022. www.Kubota.ca
Tajfun
Tajfun forestry trailers, established under the GAP brand name, are designed for the safe and rapid transportation of raw or treated timber.
The complete manipulation of raw wood materials is enabled in combination with the built-in Tajfun DOT hydraulic crane. Tajfun forestry trailers are intended for daily use by professionals, as well as for personal use by individuals and are supplied in combination with the built-in Tajfun DOT hydraulic crane. www.bigbearservicescanada.com
Blacks Creek Innovations
Kubota Canada recently announced two new additions to its legacy Standard L series compact tractor line with the addition of the L3302 and L3902. The addition of these two new L02 models continues to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit and “do-it-yourself” lifestyle of Canadians.
Blacks Creek Innovations describes itself as a partner for firewood processing productivity. It has invested heavily into designing and testing the right tools for the job with a goal of maximizing firewood productivity, with equipment that will last generations, according to the company. Its lineup of firewood processing equipment and grapple trailers are made in Canada and designed for maximum output and durability. To complement its lineup of forestry equipment, Blacks Creek Innovations carries German-made and engineered hydraulic log cone splitters by Black Splitter. Available in a variety of sizes,
Kubota has built a reputation in its class due to the L Series tractor’s power and performance backed by a Kubota diesel engine. The L02 series offers two horsepower options, with 33 and 37.5 gross horsepower on the L3302 and L3902, respectively. Both new L02 four-wheel drive models are available with either gear drive or HST transmissions. Designed specifically for the L3302 and L3902, the LA526
Black Splitter hydraulic cone splitters and accessories are designed to fit excavators up to 40 tonnes. They are widely used in the firewood and wood fuel production, biomass harvesting, forestry, land clearing and landscaping industries. www.blackscreek.ca
Kubota
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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
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SUPPLIERNEWSLINE New team member for Logging and Sawmilling Journal
Logging and Sawmilling Journal and sister magazine, TimberWest, have a new member on their team with Hannah Rayment joining the company. Hannah, who is also the personal partner of Anthony Robinson, the President, CEO and owner of LSJ Publishing, brings a variety of skills to her new role of Associate Publisher for the company’s two print publications and their related digital properties, such as forestnet.com and forestnet jobs. Among the areas that Hannah will oversee with Anthony will be administration, finance, customer relations and trade shows. “We really want to ramp up the team approach on both the print and digital sides of the business, and Hannah will be key to achieving that,” says Anthony. “Like a lot of the loggers and mill folks who read the magazines, we are a family company, and we want to continue to grow the business. Hannah will be an excellent partner in the key areas of the business.” Hannah has already hit the ground running, starting with the company early in 2022, and she recently attended the Oregon Logging Conference (OLC) in Eugene, representing the two magazines.
New Logging and Sawmilling Journal team member Hannah Rayment with LSJ Publishing CEO Anthony Robinson. “It was terrific to meet some of our customers and readers at the OLC, especially after the last two years of COVID limitations. It was great to get together with folks at the Sawdust Bowl for a beer, and talk about how things are going with their businesses—and how we can better meet their needs with our magazines. “I feel very energized after the OLC
Irish e-comm business is ready to be harvested
A
s one of Ireland’s largest forestry ecommerce stores, Irish Forestry Products (IFP) provides a cornucopia of products to its Irish customers which are sourced from markets across Europe, Asia and North America. After 12 years in business, the owners of this family-operated company are looking to retire, which presents an ample opportunity to pick up a well-oiled online venture within the EU market. IFP specializes in the online sale of both own-brand and leading brands of forestry and gardening supplies across Ireland. The enviable client base comprises a number of long-standing relationships with several state bodies, local authorities
and forestry SMEs, benefiting from high client retention rates and consistently positive feedback. In addition, a vast supplier network is on hand with the potential to triple the current number of products available. With the knock-on effect of the pandemic, the company’s sales revenue has grown by over 180 per cent, while retaining a gross profit margin of 41 per cent, the owners say. The business is easily relocatable. Offers are invited.
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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
Contact paul@irishforestryproducts.ie for more information.
By Tony Kryzanowski and about the business opportunities that are ahead of us—the excitement is definitely there for both myself and Anthony,” adds Hannah. Hannah comes from the catering business and is very experienced at bringing people together over food. “I’m looking forward to bringing the experience I have in connecting with people and helping them meet their business goals using both our print and digital vehicles with LSJ Publishing,” she says. Perry Rosehill, who has been a Sales Associate at LSJ Publishing for more than 20 years has now retired. Perry and his wife, Ann, who have lived in the Lower Mainland, will be relocating to somewhere new on the B.C. Coast. Anthony, Hannah and the entire LSJ Publishing Crew wish Perry and Ann a very happy retirement! LSJ and TimberWest customers are urged to come by our booth at upcoming industry events, such as the Council of Forest Industries (COFI) conference coming up in Vancouver and the Interior Logging Association (ILA) equipment show in Kamloops, B.C., to have a chat with Hannah, Anthony and the rest of the team. “Like everybody in the forest industry, we’re super excited about things starting to return to normal after COVID—and we’re looking forward to seeing our friends and industry colleagues in Vancouver and Kamloops,” says Anthony. www.forestnet.com
New owner at Hodgson Saw
After 31 years in business, serving the forest industry in Western Canada, Hodgson Saw Ltd is moving forward with a new management team and production staff. Jim and Judy Hodgson, the original owners of the business, built a successful saw manufacturing and service business. In 2021, due to personal reasons, the Hodgsons decided it was time for a change and began the process to sell the business. John Drew, owner of Woodco Industries, who had dealt with Jim and Judy for the past 13 years as a customer, presented an offer to the Hodgsons to purchase into the business. The plan saw Judy retiring and Jim staying on with John as his new business partner. The Hodgsons accepted the deal and on November 1, 2021 the
suppliernewsline new ownership went into effect. John, through his associated business, will bring new management resources and approaches to Hodgson Saw while Jim will remain as the technical expert and point of contact for customers. Website is coming soon.
Brunette Machinery acquires D & L Timber Technologies
Brunette Machinery Company Inc, a supplier to the North American forest industry for more than 75 years, has acquired D & L Timber Technologies Ltd.
combining the two organizations’ shared values, products, brands and global capabilities, Brunette and D & L will elevate their existing operations and better meet the growing demand for state-of-the-art equipment in the forest industry. D & L will maintain its own identity and retain its manufacturing operations in Lac La Hache, B.C. It develops, manufactures, and distributes portable sawmills and wood processing equipment. Made in Canada, D & L is known for its handcrafted SwingBlade sawmills. Their thin kerf, carbide-tipped circular saws feature cutting accuracy and speed with minimal maintenance. And their proprietary 180-degree SwingBlade technology makes their portable sawmills among the most flexible, advanced wood processing solutions available worldwide, says the company. www.brunettemc.com
ASV launches new attachments for its compact track loaders and skid steers “The acquisition of D & L Timber Technologies is well-aligned with Brunette’s strategy to grow and diversify our international operations,” says Kirk Forbes, President and CEO of Brunette Machinery. Brunette Machinery believes that by
ASV Holdings is a manufacturer of all-purpose and all-season compact track loaders and skid steers. It recently introduced a line of branded attachments tested for use on ASV machines. The ASV-branded attachments include a full range of buckets, pallet forks, grapples and brush mowers, with each attach-
Tigercat builds its first model for cable logging operations
ment type available for every machine in ASV’s lineup. The attachments are tested for use with ASV machines. ASV Holdings Inc, a Yanmar Compact Equipment company, designs and manufactures a full line of compact track and skid steer loaders primarily for the construction, landscaping and forestry markets. www.asvi.com
Falcon winch-assist flies on slope
If you need a clear demonstration of how safety has become an even higher priority among harvesting contractors in the past decade, the sale of the 150th Falcon winch-assist machine provides convincing evidence, says DC Equipment. It took just seven years to reach that milestone and manufacturer DC Equipment says demand is currently at
to page 48
Tigercat has built its first model for cable logging operations. The new Tigercat 180 swing yarder is purpose-built from the ground up. It combines the speed and stability of conventional yarders with the mobility and simpler controls of excavator-based yarders. The result is a powerful and versatile yarding machine for extreme terrain logging applications. The 409 hp carrier was carefully designed with a component layout, hydraulic system, drivetrain, and boom system optimized for yarding. The result is high line pull, excellent stability, and efficient operation. Designed to achieve exceptional stability, the 180 can achieve high line pull without the use of guylines in most operating conditions. The purpose-
built undercarriage has a reinforced pedestal and carbody with an extended blade for added stability. The blade mounts are tied directly into the carbody for added strength. The machine can be quickly moved to the next set-up by simply lifting the blade. In operating situations where additional stability is required, such as extremely long yarding distances or low deflection conditions, a simple static guyline can be quickly set up. The machine still retains the ability to swing with this guyline attached. The purpose-built winches are driven with efficient dedicated closed loop hydraulic circuits for smooth operation and infinitely variable speed control. The closed loop circuits provide energy recapture when lowering the load for increased efficiency. Intuitive joystick controls, along with many programmable features, reduce operator training time and increase production. www.tigercat.com
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suppliernewsline from page 47 an all-time high. It is available in Canada through B.C.-based, Great West Equipment. The shift to mechanized tree falling on steep slopes has accelerated around the world after the technology and safety of the innovative practice was proven in New Zealand.
rope provides 71 tonnes of breaking strength ensuring that even shock loading will not compromise the strength or structural integrity of the rope, says the company. But even with such a huge breaking strength, the Falcon winch-assist has a 21-tonne working load limit as a safety measure. www.gwequipment.com
SmartMill to supply equipment to Quebec’s Bio Serra Hardwood Mill
Kiwi companies like DC Equipment are said to be among those at the forefront of the tech drive, exporting safety-first forestry equipment to customers across the globe as a solution to removing vulnerable workers from dangerous tasks such as tree falling and breaking out. The Falcon winch-assist has been designed from the outset with single-drum, single-rope technology. It uses the largest rope size of any winch-assist machine—at 1 inch (28 mm) diameter. The swaged
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SmartMill has signed a contract with Mono Serra Group to supply equipment for its Bio Serra Hardwood Mill located in Saint-Monique, Quebec. The contract includes the sale and installation of the unique SMART-TRIM technology system in North America and a Smart lug loader. SMART-TRIM is the result of more than four years of a research and development program involving specialists in concep-
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
tion and in mechanical, electrical and movement design. SMART-TRIM combines three pieces of equipment in one: a lug loader, a positioning system and a multi-saw trimmer. This unique system uses the optimizer’s solutions to index, position, and trim green or dry, rough or dressed lumber. SmartMill says that this new cutting-edge technology will allow Bio Serra Hardwood Mill to substantially increase its production efficiency by rapidly increasing its productivity and the quality of its products. www.smartmill.ca
New tool for fast and efficient timber supply measurement
Timbeter’s Roundwood Measurement Solution is an AI-powered solution for quick and accurate digital timber measurement and data management. This tool brings efficiency to timber supply chain management by providing objective and fast measurements. Measurements are said to be made 15 times quicker (2 min vs 30 min) and all the data is instantly in digital format. The program can count the number of logs, as well as measure the diameters of the logs, volume and the pile density ratios for pulp and fuel wood. All measurements have a geotag, therefore the origin
classified
Ford planning to nearly double all-electric F-150 Lightning production
Ford is planning to nearly double production of the F-150 Lightning pickup
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q Logging Contractor q Woodlands Div. of Pulp & Paper Co. q Logging Div. Operations q Sawmilling Div. Operations q Sawmilling Co./Planing q Shingle & Shake Mill q Veneer, Plywood Mill q Board & OSB Mill q Wood Preservation Plant q Remanufacturing Plant q Log Hauling q Marine Towing & Sorting q Forestry Consulting q Silviculture, Reforestation q Equipment Mfg./Dealers q Nursery q Woodlot Owner q Other ______________________ How many employees at this location ___________________
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of the timber is always known. Timbeter provides an option to set different diameter ranges to see small, medium, and large size diameters instantly. Oversized or too small diameters can be set automatically as defect logs. The Roundwood Measurement Solution is now available on SAP Store and is part of SAP’s industry cloud portfolio for the mill products industry. www.timbeter.com
to 150,000 trucks per year to meet high demand for the first all-electric version of North America’s best-selling vehicle, the F-Series. Due to unprecedented customer interest, Ford is implementing a wave-bywave reservation process, with reservation holders being asked to watch for an invitation via email from Ford or to log into their Ford.com account over the next few months. Those who don’t receive invitations to convert for the 2022 model year will have an opportunity to order a future model year vehicle in due course. Ford is committed to leading the electric vehicle revolution, investing more than $30 billion in electric vehicles through 2025. Over the next two years, Ford aims to emerge as the clear No. 2 electric vehicle maker in North America and then challenge the No. 1 spot as huge investments in battery and electric vehicle manufacturing come on stream. Within 24 months, Ford will have the global capacity to produce 600,000 battery electric vehicles annually. www.ford.com
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thelastword
Canfor applying sustainability across its entire culture in bid to prosper in a post-pandemic world By Tony Kryzanowski
C
anfor Corporation recently grabbed headlines with its $420 million purchase of the solid wood assets of Millar Western Forest Products in Alberta, which includes two modern sawmills and a value-adding facility. But it is also drawing attention for what it describes as “a new era of sustainability for our company”. Forest companies are very experienced with answering uncomfortable questions—but in today’s corporate world, the squirm factor has gone well beyond making sure to plant two trees for every one tree harvested. Canfor, one of Canada’s largest forest product manufacturers, with significant assets also in the southeastern U.S. and Sweden, seems serious about getting out front of issues like gender balance in its workforce, and increasing its hires of underrepresented groups. Canada’s forest industry understands that sustainability is a critical word that today is the key to doing business with customers, but it can be interpreted in many ways. Canfor is showing how it can be applied as a general principle right across its entire corporate landscape. Large corporations typically operate within a closed culture. So it is rare that such a large corporate entity like Canfor is willing to pull back the veil and be so transparent about how it intends to manage its future environmental impacts, investments and human resources. Their efforts deserve our respect and admiration because it is not often that such a large organization is willing to admit that it can do better and then sets out a plan to accomplish tangible goals. “Our strategy is built on three critical pillars of people, products and planet,” Canfor says. “It brings to life five focus areas in which the business can make the most tangible impact. The five focus
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areas and associated targets include: safety, health and wellness; inclusion and diversity; indigenous relations; sustainable forestry; and climate change.” Typically, these types of statements bounce off the average skeptic as corporate fluff but it’s notable what Canfor has already accomplished toward achieving its corporate retooling. Those efforts have included the executive suite. The company recently announced that by the end of 2020, 100 per cent of its executive team had received inclusion and diversity training. It also trained 85 per cent of its Canadian salaried employees and 78 per cent of its American salaried employees, with the goal of achieving 100 per cent across the board by the end of 2021. So company executives are setting the example and sending a message to the corporate world and employees, while setting the bar high for competitors who are finding it just as difficult to attract new skilled workers to the industry. It’s also interesting that Canfor has acknowledged some gender bias in its application process. By eliminating gender bias, the company says that it realized an overall 12.5 per cent increase in applications from women in 2020, and 11 per cent of new hires were women. It has also stipulated in writing its goals for inclusion and diversity going forward. It is aiming for a 30 per cent increase from underrepresented groups in executive leadership positions by 2030; a 30 per cent increase from under-represented groups in all other senior leadership positions by 2025; a 33 per cent increase from underrepresented groups for new hires annually by 2025; and a 50 per cent increase from under-represented groups for new hires annually by 2030. Furthermore, it may seem like a small issue but the company has mandated 100 per cent availability of gender-specific Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2022
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at all its operations in North America by 2023, sending another positive message to women in the Canfor workforce. As always, actions speak louder than words. So it will be worthwhile to follow progress reports over the next decade to determine how successful the company has been in achieving its objectives. Canfor is also demonstrating its enhanced focus on sustainability as far as the environment and climate change is concerned by supporting the construction of the first phase of Arbois Biotech’s innovative biomass to low-carbon biofuel plant in Prince George, B.C. Canfor says that the plant will use first-of-its-kind technology to convert sawmill residues, primarily bark, into high value renewable biocrude which can be further processed in refineries to produce low-carbon transportation fuels. Arbois is a joint venture between Canfor and Licella Holdings Ltd. In 2020, Canfor also began to build a bio-innovation team to develop new sustainable solutions. The company is aspiring to be a ‘partner of choice’ for Indigenous peoples with the aim to have 100 per cent of its operating area covered by agreements with willing Indigenous Nations by 2030. It also set a goal of achieving 100 per cent participation in Indigenous Cultural Awareness and Understanding training for all Canadian staff by 2021 and has committed to five per cent total spending with Indigenous vendors for Canfor’s Wood Products Canada business by 2025. Canfor has positioned itself in the postpandemic world as an attractive landing space for prospective employees, and as such, has proven itself to be a company worth aspiring to for all hoping to prosper in this industry in future.
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