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July/August 2021

ALBERTA’S HC FOREST PRODUCTS’ focus on fir TECH UPDATE: Portable Sawmilling Equipment

WITH THIS ISSUE...

ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF INDUSTRY INNOVATION

SAN GROUP STARTS UP NEW SAWMILL on Vancouver Island FAMILY ROOTS RUN DEEP in forestry with Isbill Logging

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FEATURES July/August 2021 Volume 52 • No. 4 Editor Paul MacDonald Contributing Editors Jim Stirling, Tony Kryzanowski George Fullerton Tech Update Editor Tony Kryzanowski Publisher/CEO Anthony Robinson • (604) 990-9970 E-Mail: robinson@forestnet.com Social Media: Kaitlin Davidson Digital Marketing: Diane Mettler Email: digitalmarketing@forestnet.com

On the Cover: For the San Group, which has been finishing the first sawmill to be built on the B.C. Coast in 15 years, the last year has come with special challenges. But they have been able to successfully meet these challenges head-on. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Langley, B.C.-based company has built a greenfield sawmill/ reman operation in Port Alberni, on Vancouver Island. Read all about this new cutting edge sawmill beginning on page 8 of this issue (Cover photo courtesy of The San Group).

Sales Associate Perry Rosehill • (604) 613-3001 E-mail: rosehill@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 July/August 2021 Printed in Canada on 20% recycled paper.

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4 Spotlight: A great ride

in B.C.’s forest industry

B.C. Interior logger Bill Litke has ridden the rollercoaster that is the ups and downs of the forest industry over many decades—and it’s been an adventurous ride.

B.C. gets a new sawmill, on Vancouver Island

The San Group is wrapping up work on a major new small log sawmill in Port Alberni, B.C.—and there are more investments to come for the B.C.-based company owned by the Sanghera Family.

16 Focus on fir—and

timbers

A focus on Douglas fir and timbers have proven to be the keys to success at Alberta’s HC Forest Products—so much so that they have purchased another sawmill, in B.C.

20 Family roots run deep in forestry

Father and son loggers Basil and Chris Isbill have a rich family history in New Brunswick logging that includes setting up equipment manufacturing company Forax—and Basil still heading out to the woods every day at the tender age of 78.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

26 Tech Update:

LSJ takes a look at the new developments and technologies in Small/Portable Sawmilling.

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.

38 The Last Word

Tony Kryzanowski talks about how the success of an Ontario wood products business cluster shows the value of much-needed outreach in the forest industry.

DEPARTMENTS

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spotlight

A GREAT RIDE in B.C.’s forest industry

B.C. Interior logger Bill Litke has ridden the rollercoaster that is the ups and downs of the forest industry over many decades—and it’s been an adventurous ride. By Jim Stirling

ike most clichés, the platitude about old dogs and new tricks has some truth to it. But needs must be met. You do what you have to do. Unlike most old dogs, however, all old loggers have a lifetime of experience to draw from when it comes to adapting to change. On one level or another, changes requiring a response happen every working day. As an illustration, that background helps make dealing with the mysteries of modern electronic communication devices less daunting for Bill Litke. It makes the invented language surrounding them easier to translate and the whole process a little more straightforward. The realization can make an I-Pad handy and the foibles of Facebook just another tool to be used when it’s needed, and ignored when it’s not. Litke’s life of changes really began when his father, Henry, moved the family across the Rockies from Alberta into British Columbia. They settled in the Buckhorn-Punchaw Lake country to the southeast of Prince George. “That was in 1948,” said Litke who was a lad of about 12 at the time. The Litke family’s westward strike in search of a new life was not unusual. There was a steady migration from the northern halves of Manitoba and Saskatchewan— as well as Alberta. One of the Winton Family’s sawmills was in The Pas, Manitoba, and the community’s name was exported to Prince George and became a long term logging and sawmilling mainstay in the Prince George area: The Pas Lumber Company. Similarly, the Rustad Family came from Saskatchewan and the innovative Kordyban clan moved to Prince George from Alberta in 1951 and it remains based there today. to page 6 4

Bill Litke’s father, Henry, with grandson Wayne, prepare to climb off a Cat HD-6 (top photo). Bill Litke in his younger days (above, left) in the B.C. forest industry, and today (above, right). “I miss those times—every day.” Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

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spotlight from page 4 Some of these titans-in-the-making attracted employees from back home in the Prairies with them. Others, like the Litke’s, struck out on their own. A common denominator among the newcomers was the willingness to get stuck in and work. Much of that in central B.C. was built around logging and sawmilling. The words combine well: black and white; peaches and cream; logging and sawmilling. “It wasn’t an easy lifestyle, but it kept us in good shape,” added Litke, with a grin. “There were so many little bush sawmills around the country then,” he recalled. “When we started out, we were cutting about 5,000 board feet a day. We eventually grew it to around 25,000 board feet. We would move the mill when the nearby wood ran out.” Think about that for a moment. Imagine all the integrated parts of that statement. Punchaw Lake was relatively isolated country back then. There were no good road connections to town and not a lot in the way of supplies when you got there. Other farmers and loggers could usually be relied upon for a helping hand. But folk were self reliant back then, observed Litke.

The logging itself was different too. He recalls horse logging as a 15-year-old kid along some of the forested valleys and streams draining into the Fraser River. Indeed, horse power in one form or other was to become a constant thread in Litke’s life as a logger. The horse logging kept Litke busy for a couple of years. “We tried to find private timber and we hauled and sawed quite a bit of that.” Much of the sawn rough lumber was finished at one of the outfits along ‘Planer Row’ in Prince George. The region’s slow growing spruce— there were real winters back in those days—might have been cut on unsophisticated bush mills, but they produced quality wood products. Prince George’s reputation grew as a result, along with the numbers of gyppo sawmills. The country opened up as loggers spread further afield to find fibre. Litke was part of the trend, working as a machine operator for logging companies and contractors. He spent time working out of Fraser Lake, about 160 kilometres west of Prince George, and now at 85, it’s still home base. Litke worked with large and small companies as resilient as himself. From the small family-owned Larworth

Logging Ltd, to Fraser Lake Sawmills, a division of West Fraser Mills. The Ketcham Family built West Fraser into one of the world’s largest integrated forest companies from a home base in Quesnel, B.C. Litke honed his considerable monkeywrenching skills on the job working on Cat D-8’s. The D8 and its horsepower created an uncompromising machine. It and Cat’s more powerful bulldozers were designed to deliver brute force—and did so with style. Subtlety wasn’t their strong suit. Paying attention to the damage large powerful machines can cause the environment was not a priority. Today, big tractors like the Cat D8 and D9 have roles to play but more common are the scaled down models. Those machines retain strength but are more nimble, with a less damaging footprint on the terrains they traverse. “We used the D-8s to build roads and landings,” explained Litke. Landings are usually a larger location to which logs are skidded. The continuing mechanization of harvesting equipment has now led to more roadside logging techniques to move wood from the forest to the mill yards. We all have ‘what-if’ moments: times when we didn’t do what we were tempted to do. The time was the mid-1980s,

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spotlight the place was the eastern flank of Tweedsmuir Provincial Park near Ootsa Lake and the opportunity was certainly available. “I was there with three other Cat 8’s and there just across from us on the park side was a patch of about 100 acres of beetle kill pine trees. You can see how far up the trees the beetles had gone,” Litke recalled as if seeing those stricken trees again. “We talked about taking the Cats, smashing the patch clear and burning it.” They didn’t as it turned out. Burning is prohibited in provincial parks. Had the ‘8’s’ done their thing, it probably wouldn’t have changed history, the die was set. But taking that patch out then, well … As it was, the mountain pine beetle epidemic persisted for years. It exacted a terrible toll on the people of B.C., changed the fibre supply picture and forced the entire provincial forest industry into a profound re-organization. Decisions or rather the lack of decisions at critical times was also a factor with wildfire for Litke. Like beetles they’re a natural part of B.C.’s forests. And as with beetles, reacting to wildfires is time critical. For Litke it used to be simpler. “When there was a forest fire, we took guys first from the sawmills, then the planers and then the bars. It was pick and shovel work at that stage.” But it worked and stopped many a small fire in its tracks. Forest fire experts in these days of warming climate concur with the rapid attack theory. Especially when it’s combined with removing some of the fuels on the forest floor that accelerate a fire’s spread. It’s become a very different time in the bush, as in society. A handshake has lost its meaning to a high-five and a key in the ignition is not an invitation to do a runner. Old loggers like Litke are learning to use electronic communication methods so they can still swap lies with their buddies. They have to, under COVID conditions, even though today’s gadgets are too clever by half. Until they stop working. Then you’re sunk. At least you could always monkey-wrench a D-8. Laments Litke: “I miss those times—every day.”

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B.C. westcoastsawmilling

gets a brand new sawmill

The San Group is wrapping up work on a major new small log sawmill in Port Alberni, B.C.—and there are more investments to come for the B.C.-based company owned by the Sanghera Family.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

westcoastsawmilling By Paul MacDonald

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Langley, B.C.-based company The San Group has built a greenfield sawmill/reman operation in Port Alberni, on Vancouver Island.

he last year has been a demanding time for Canada’s forest industry, as sawmills across the country have been working at a fever pitch to meet the unprecedented demand for lumber. But for San Group, which has been finishing the first sawmill to be built on the B.C. coast in 15 years, the time has come with special challenges—though they have been able to successfully meet these challenges head-on. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Langley, B.C.-based company has built a greenfield sawmill/reman operation in Port Alberni, on Vancouver Island. Added to that challenge, the project was hit by a mill fire half-way through construction. Building a brand new sawmill in normal times is a tough job in itself, but throw a pandemic and a fire in there, and you really have to make some major adjustments, often on a daily basis. “With the fire, part of the plant that we were building was just suddenly gone,” says San Group CEO Kamal Sanghera. The building hit by the fire included the mill’s new finger jointer operation.

But the hard-charging Sanghera and his team were not about to let something like that get in their way. “We’re not going to sit around and cry about it,” he says. “It happened, we needed to do something, and we continued to move forward to get it rebuilt.” And move forward, they have. At the beginning of this June, the new mill was well on its way to operating fully, says Sanghera. “We’re now doing 400,000 board feet a day between the new small log mill and the Coulson mill.” In 2017, the San Group purchased the long-established Coulson Forest Products sawmill in Port Alberni, with its large log mill, which since then has been complementing the company’s reman operations on the B.C. Mainland, in Langley. The Langley site, which is on the Fraser River, has a large reman operation now, but it started out at a modest size when it was first set up by the San Group. Unlike most mill operations on the B.C. coast, the new Port Alberni sawmill is specifically set up to handle smaller, second growth timber. The small log HewSawto page 10

San Group nimble to needs of the lumber market

o just how high tech is the equipment at the new San Group sawmill/reman operation in Port Alberni? “Well,” explains Kamal Sanghera, San Group’s CEO, “I can change what we are cutting in Port Alberni here on my cell phone, when I am in Langley,” he says, holding up his Smart-Phone. San Group’s responsiveness to changing what they are cutting, and being nimble, is a huge advantage. They are plugged into the lumber market, what is selling, and can make cutting changes at the drop of a 2 by 4. Sanghera notes they have a very flat decision making process at the company—with production decisions on what to cut often made in brief coffee meetings held every morning. “We’ll chat about what changes we need to make—and then make them. We can pivot and be very flexible.” Their unofficial motto? “Let’s get it done,” says Sanghera. “With hard work, everything is possible.”

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

The fact that the San Group operation is integrated, with a significant addedvalue component, both in Port Alberni and at their main location in Langley, means that they can meet the needs of more customers vs. a standard sawmill operation. Another addition to that came last year, when San purchased Chalwood Forest Products in Port Alberni, to add further to their reman capabilities. And while the San Group, like all of the forest industry, benefited from high lumber prices—with lumber prices this spring hitting record levels—Sanghera has been in the business long enough to have seen quite a few price cycles. “Prices can go up and down like a yo-yo,” he notes. He emphasizes that the San Group will still be steadily serving customers whether prices are high or low. “We’re here for the long run, not just when lumber prices are high. And we’re looking to add further value to our products, for our customers, going forward.”

westcoastsawmilling from page 9

HewSaw at centre of new sawmill

t the centre of the new San Group small log operation in the Vancouver Island community of Port Alberni is a refurbished and upgraded HewSaw R200 compact single pass sawing line, which features a variety of the latest sawmill technology offerings from HewSaw. “You can say it’s a refurbished HewSaw, but it was really pretty much a brand new piece of equipment, with all the improvements made to it by the people from HewSaw,” explains Kamal Sanghera, San Group’s CEO. “It features today’s technology.” Their investment in the HewSaw equipment was significant, but they wanted the right equipment to utilize small logs, says Sanghera. HewSaw’s well developed sawing methods are said to ensure the best possible yield from each and every log, while many of the company’s latest upgrades provide added benefits, such as improved

recovery and a substantial increase in throughput compared to traditional sawmilling techniques. The single pass process of the HewSaw R200 machine is familiar to sawmill operators around the world. Flexible production capacity and low operating costs have made the R200 profitable in a wide range of processing situations, says the company. The smooth timber finish and top-quality chips produced by the HewSaw provide excellent raw materials for further value adding processes and needs—such as the added value program that the San Group is developing in Port Alberni. The HewSaw R200 also features curve sawing, which follows the centre line of the log accurately, and edging of the top and bottom boards to remove unwanted wane, while maximizing recovery and profits. The compact and integrated R200 is a proven machine for sawing small logs.

equipped mill is designed to produce 120 million board feet a year, from logs as small as three-inches in diameter. These small diameter logs are now being fully utilized rather than being left in the bush. The reman plant at Port Alberni will handle from 80 to 90 million board feet of that production. In early-June, the new small log mill was operating on one shift, but there were plans to ramp that up to two shifts, once scanning equipment was installed. But it has been a tough road to get to this point. The company has been following the demanding COVID-19 protocols that have been in place for both operations, and construction, crews. The forest industry was declared “essential and critical infrastructure” by the federal government early into COVID, and most Canadian sawmills have been operating at full tilt to meet the huge demand for wood products—and Sanghera has been eager to get things going in Port Alberni. “The biggest problem we’ve had is bringing in the specialized technicians to do construction and assembly work on the new equipment, both from overseas and the U.S., with the border being closed—we’ve had to work hard to be able to bring the necessary people in to do that work,” says Sanghera. Added to that, some of their equipment suppliers have been affected by hiccups in their supply chains, notably in technology components. Microchips for everything from automobiles and TVs— not to mention everything else that needs a semiconductor chip, including high tech sawmilling equipment—became scarce towards the end of 2020. All of this means that if you have a plan to build something, whether it is pick-up trucks or a new sawmill, be prepared to revise the schedule. “You could have put together a Gantt planning chart on how we wanted the new mill project to go, but you’d have to have an eraser handy to change it because of what has happened,” says Bob Bortolin, vice-president of business development for San Group. “But we’ve been lucky,” added Sanghera. “Our employees have helped us a lot. Wherever we could, we have utilized our own people. And we’ve found a lot of local talent, and we’ve utilized that. Whatever we have operating, we have to page 12

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

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westcoastsawmilling been running to the maximum. “We’re not making a lot of money right now, but we are building momentum for the new sawmill,” says Sanghera. At times, they had two different people “bubbles”—one bubble of production employees, and the other bubble being construction people. “We did not let COVID shut us down,” says Sanghera. “We implemented the protocols that were required and made sure that our employees were safe and our

contractors were safe—and we continued forward. We never shut down, not even for a bit.” With protocols now easing a bit, they are better able to complete equipment construction, achieve higher production levels and really hit their stride with the new sawmill. That production will include a broad range of wood products, from lumber to finger-jointed lumber, laminated panels and engineered veneer. The heart of the new operation is HewSaw equipment (see sidebar story on

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

from page 10

page 10), but there’s plenty of other hightech production machinery. Wood will be run through a Springer-MiCROTEC Goldeneye 502 scanner, which features nextgeneration X-ray technology sensors and state-of-the-art cameras and components. The scanner allows the San Group mill to recognize wood defects reliably and accurately in order to automate, streamline and optimize its production. The value optimization software on the Goldeneye 502 considers customer-specific grading, chopping and sorting rules to boost both recovery and resale value, allowing the new mill to optimize lumber production, and produce the highest value products. Also among the equipment suppliers for the mill is MPM Engineering, which supplied sawmill optimization software. MPM has been San Group’s automation and optimization vendor of choice for multiple projects, including the HewSaw sawline installed in 2020 and the merchandizer in 2021. MPM’s automation supply has included controls programming, electrical panels, operator consoles, and custom FactoryTalk HMI systems. In terms of scanning and optimization, MPM has provided systems that include the latest Hermary scanners, a sawline optimizer that fully models the HewSaw’s capabilities, and a bucking optimizer system that models both moving and fixed saw operation. Arrow Speed Controls provided Variable Frequency Drives for the project. At the front end, the mill has a custom-built merchandizer that was built by the San Group on site, and a VK Brunette, MK V-17 G debarker. Towards the back, the mill has a Newnes 60 bin sorter that came out of the Tolko operation in Williams Lake, B.C., and an Acme lumber packaging unit. A Scragg saw line was being installed in June, and was scheduled to be operating in the following months. The remanufacturing operation has six dry kilns, two specialty Porta Kilns from Innovated Control Systems, and four larger kilns from Brunner Hildebrand. The Brunner Hildebrand dry kilns each have a holding capacity of 100,000 board feet, and are equipped with the state-ofthe-art B-Vector control system. The system is capable of controlling up to 32 kiln dryers independently and simultaneously, showing all relevant parameters of the drying process on-screen. Remote control of the kilns by operators may easily be accomplished via computer network. Drive-through operation helps keeping loading and unloading time as short as possible. Stainless steel heating coils, highgrade fan units with heat-resistant motors

westcoastsawmilling and high pressure spraying units make for energy-efficient drying and premium lumber grade, says the company. Among the equipment used to produce veneer product is a Fezer slicer and Omeco veneer dryer. Summit Steel Buildings provided the buildings on the Port Alberni mill site. Bowerman Excavating did site prep of the 25-acre site, and foundations. Part of the overall approach with the San Group operation is to get as much out of the fibre as possible, which is when having the Paper Excellence pulp mill as a neighbour comes in handy. Residual fibre from the San Group sawmill goes directly to the Catalyst mill, to be used as fuel. So rather than shipping the residual fibre to another location, perhaps even off Vancouver Island, they basically move it next door, to Catalyst. “Everyone is preaching about reducing CO2 emissions. But we are not preaching— we are doing it,” says Sanghera. “We are achieving carbon savings by not having to transport the residual wood.” As mentioned in the sidebar story, the San Group will soon be moving ahead

to page 14

Unlike most mill operations on the B.C. coast, the new Port Alberni sawmill is specifically set up to handle smaller, second growth timber. The mill is designed to produce 120 million board feet a year, from logs as small as three-inches in diameter.

Breathing New Life into an Older HewSaw

This 1996 HewSaw R200 was recently refurbished for the San Group before being installed on Vancouver Island.

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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

westcoastsawmilling

from page 13

More investments to come for San Group

hile other B.C.-based companies have been investing in mill operations in the U.S. in recent years, the San Group has been investing, big-time, in B.C. In the last few years, the company has spent some $200 million on capital improvements to its operations, including the new mill in Port Alberni— and further investments are to come, to grow the company further. In June, the company announced that it will be investing a further $100 million into Port Alberni over the next year. The largest portion of the investment is

between $50 million and $60 million to ship lumber by container from the deep sea port in Port Alberni. The San Group will also spend $15 million at its Coulson operation to create a second line capable of processing small, low-grade logs. A further $15 million will see the its new remanufacturing plant incorporate more automation and CNC technology. An additional $15 million will be invested to create a biomass facility, to utilize wood shavings and sawdust from its operations to create “green” energy.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

with doing its own biomass energy generation, with utility companies BC Hydro and Fortis both involved in this initiative. The company even has a farm property adjacent to their Langley operation, where they spread sawdust. In addition, a good portion of the lumber produced by San Group in Port Alberni is used on Vancouver Island, reducing transportation, and further reducing CO2 emissions. There is no doubt the export market is important to the San Group—it sends its wood products to 40-plus countries— but the company has also established its own seven-store wood products retail chain in B.C. and Alberta. “Once we touch a log out in the bush, we can finish it right to the end, and provide a finished product through our retail stores,” says Sanghera. By the end of this year, the San Group is looking to ramp up operations in Port Alberni, with completion of the HewSaw line, having the reman facility with its seven Weinig moulders operational, the Western Pneumatics fingerjoint line going, the veneer line, the laminating line and the dry kilns all working. “We have been able to achieve a lot in some pretty difficult times,” says Sanghera. He added that a big reason for their success is that the company has a solid management and employee group. “We’ve got a strong team and we’re very proud of what we’ve been able to do.” Sanghera is equally proud of the fact that they are taking under-utilized B.C. timber, small logs, and manufacturing it right through to add value—and in the process, creating some new forest industry jobs in Port Alberni, which is a great fit with the San Group motto: “Harvest to Home”.

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specialtysawmilling

FOCUS

HC Forest Products co-owner Dave Slingerland with his Wood-Mizer LT40 HD band sawmill that the company uses to produce primarily Douglas fir timbers.

on fir—and timbers

A focus on Douglas fir and timbers have proven to be the keys to success at Alberta’s HC Forest Products—so much so that they have purchased another sawmill, in B.C. By Tony Kryzanowski

thletes often talk about making the most of their opportunities—and that is exactly what sawmill owner Dave Slingerland has done. The opportunity to purchase a custom sawmilling operation near the town of Cowley in southern Alberta fell into his lap a decade ago, and there’s been no looking back. The business, HC Forest Products, operates on busy Highway 3 and manufactures custom timbers and lumber, timber frame material, post and beam construction products, mantles, decking, trailer decking, wind fence and ranch gates exclusively from Douglas fir and cedar. “We do basically anything that you can’t 16

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

specialtysawmilling get in a lumber yard—but the backbone of our business is Douglas fir timbers pretty much in any size,” says Slingerland. Up to 80 per cent of their product line is timbers. “We promote Douglas fir because it is a stronger wood,” he says. “It has a lot of the same oils and tannins in it that cedar has. “The strength is better than cedar and it should last almost as long as cedar, but it is way, way cheaper. It’s been a really great alternative to cedar and cosmeticswise, it’s a beautiful wood.” HC Forest Products in Cowley has purchased a second sawmill across the provincial border, in Hosmer, British Columbia. The intention is to expand their production and gain greater and easier access to B.C. wood fibre, particularly cedar. Slingerland has discovered that it is easier to source and manufacture wood products in B.C. than to deal with the challenges of shipping logs across the border into Alberta. That sawmill is only about an hour away and even if it struggles, Slingerland says at least he’ll gain a new sawmill from the transaction. However, he anticipates that the current strong demand for timbers in building construction from these specific species will continue. When he purchased HC Forest Products in 2009, the sawmill was processing only about seven truckloads of logs per year. Now, they are up to about 30 truckloads, or producing about triple the volume of wood products. Slingerland comes from a farming background in the Lethbridge area and owns the company with his wife, Calinda. “I was looking to do something different because farming is a 24-hour-a-day job,” he says. “It’s an awesome lifestyle, but it’s hard to raise kids when they are getting on the school bus and you haven’t seen them yet because you’ve already gone out the door.” So he investigated the wood products industry as a potential alternative, “because you miss all the chances that you don’t take.” What’s immediately obvious from entering the HC Forest Products yard and sawmill building is how neat and organized the business is, both inside and out, which helps with work flow and leaves a positive impression with customers. Slingerland says that’s largely due to the efforts of his staff. What’s also obvious from the yard is that Slingerland has addressed one of the biggest challenges faced by all smaller sawmill operations: managing waste. It doesn’t take long for slabs from sawn logs to build up in the yard—and it can

HC Forest Products’ Dave Slingerland decided that operating a wood products business was a better choice than working in farming, as it allows him to spend more quality time with his family. become overwhelming. “Your first cut is going to basically be a firewood slab,” says Slingerland. “So we make eight-foot firewood bundles or we just cut the slabs into 16-inch blocks and put them into bins. Campers come by here all summer long and the firewood is cleaned up.” They also have a waste pile that they burn once a year. Slingerland aims for at least 80 per cent timber or lumber recovery from each log, and with the thin kerf on his Wood-Mizer band saw blade, there is very little sawdust. Perhaps Slingerland’s success involves a bit of good karma, as the HC Forest Products business site was the former planer mill location for what was Cowley Forest Products. In its day, it was a high volume, independently-owned, dimension lumber mill, with the ability to kiln dry and plane lumber. It fell on hard times and closed in 2002. HC Forest Products was established on this site by two older individuals in 2007 as part of their retirement plan, but it was the growing success of the business that led them to the conclusion that it was more work than they really wanted. That’s when Slingerland and a partner entered the picture, in 2009, with a fortuitous visit looking to maybe purchase a small firewood manufacturing business in the area. On the day they arrived, the former owners had been talking about selling the business, and the situation evolved from there. “We thought that cutting timber was better than cutting firewood, so we jumped in with both feet and started swimming,” says Slingerland. Since then, Slingerland and his wife have become sole owners of HC Forest Products. Right off the bat, he recognized that

the business had a lot of positives going for it. First, it was located on the Crowsnest Highway, which is a main highway leading travellers through the Crowsnest Pass in the Rocky Mountains. So, there is a lot of traffic passing by, fulfilling an important axiom to business success, which is having a highly visible location. Slingerland says he doesn’t advertise because a lot of his business walks through the door from highway traffic, and he attracts a lot of repeat business. Word of mouth is his best advertising, with customers telling others where they sourced their timber products. Second, the business is only a couple hours south of Calgary, about an hour west of Lethbridge, and about a half-hour from the B.C. border, giving HC Forest Products visibility with a significant number of building contractors looking for timber products. This comes at a time when timbers are becoming more and more prominent in building construction. It is much more cost-effective for contractors to purchase 8 X 8 timbers to use as pillars than to purchase treated 6 X 6 timbers and then add more wood and labour to them to manufacture 8 X 8 pillars. Third, Slingerland has access to good local sources of raw logs from loggers, fulfilling yet another axiom to sawmill success, as the economics of purchasing and shipping logs can make or break a sawmill business. The logs arrive tree length, and are then bucked and sorted in the yard for the best potential recovery, depending on their quality. Slingerland supplements his wood supply with a Commercial Timber Permit (CTP) available through the province. This provides him with log supply security for a year and he also has the

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

to page 18

specialtysawmilling from page 17 ability to choose an area offering the type and size of log he wants. The backbone of the business is a Wood-Mizer LT40 Super HD band sawmill, which allows him to produce finely manufactured timber and lumber products to customer specifications. That was another attractive feature to HC Forest Products, as the band sawmill came with the business. His new Hosmer sawmill offers a step up, with a larger and longer Wood-Mizer LT70 HD band sawmill. Slingerland describes his Wood-Mizers as well-built, very accurate sawmills, that produce high quality products, but are geared toward lower volumes. His WoodMizer LT40 HD band sawmill had 7,000 hours on it when he bought the sawmill and now it is pushing 20,000 hours. “It’s an amazing sawmill,” he says. “We’ve replaced every moving piece, roller and bearing on it multiple times, but it still cuts as true as the day it was made.” They equip the band saw with WoodMizer 1 ¼” blades exclusively, featuring a 10 degree hook, and they have performed superbly for them, he says. Each

blade cuts for about an hour-and-a-half before being changed out. “A sharp blade is pretty much the key to quality timber,” says Slingerland. They also use a Wood-Mizer sharpener for their blades. Finally, the building itself where his band sawmill and Valley Machine Works two-blade, Junior board edger is located is an ideal location, offering interior working conditions and plenty of room to both operate the equipment year round and to store inventory. He tends to fill orders as they arrive, delivering products usually within two weeks, and never operates the band sawmill just to stockpile lumber. The lumber inventory simply develops from the edged timber sideboards, but this does allow him to maintain a small lumber inventory for walk-in traffic and quick sales. “Dimensional lumber comes off the side of each timber so we always have anything from 1 X 6 to 2 X 12,” says Slingerland. “We can cut up to 26 feet long here and we have cut up to 20 X 20 timbers.” They manufacture a lot of 8 X 8 timbers as they are in high demand. In terms of log dimensions, the largest

log they can process is 36” in diameter and the smallest they prefer is 10” in diameter. “The most unique product we make is probably live edge fireplace mantles,” says Slingerland. “A lot of times we can get the bark to stay on, so people can put up mantles that have moss and lichens still stuck on the bark. It makes an absolutely gorgeous mantle.” Currently, their wood products are airdried as needed, but they have plans to build a custom dry kiln, using their sawdust as the fuel to provide the heat. Overall, Slingerland is feeling positive about the future of the company—and glad he seized the opportunity to purchase the business. “What we are witnessing is a trend of building more and more with timbers, which is about the greenest material that you can build with,” he says. “There is far less manufacturing time in building just out of raw wood. I think as people are becoming more Earth-conscious, they are finally realizing that maybe the best way to build stuff is to cut trees down and replant them. I think it is a trend that we are going to see for quite some time.”

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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

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Olofsfors is pleased to announce the first next generation track system for the heaviest machines. ECO HD has been developed for forwarders 18t and up, and for six wheel skidders. It features a larger ECO profile for increased strength, performance and longevity. ECO HD is over 4x stronger than the current ECO and has an increased centre grouser bar for improved traction. ECO HD comes standard in the Soft version for more flotation, less ground disturbance and easier machine turning. ECO HD will be available with the 30 mm link system and is our most poweful and durable track ever produced.

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eastcoastlogging Father and son loggers Basil (left) and Chris Isbill of New Brunswick, with Fabtek head mounted on a quick-attach fabricated by Chris. The forestry guarding was completed by the Isbill’s in the Forax shop. After success with his prototype heads, Chris formalized the manufacturing business as Forax Equipment Limited.

Family roots run deep in forestry Father and son loggers Basil and Chris Isbill have a rich family history in New Brunswick logging, that includes setting up equipment manufacturing company Forax—and Basil still heading out to the woods every day at the tender age of 78. By George Fullerton ew Brunswick loggers Basil Isbill and son, Chris, keep heading out to the woods and it continues to be a major part of their work life routine. As winter approaches, they put one of their three excavators in Chris’ Forax Equipment Limited machine shop and switch the excavation bucket for a Fabtek harvesting head. As that work proceeds, they pull in their Franklin forwarder and service it for “going to the woods”. The Isbill’s live at Springfield at the

head of Belleisle River, in southern New Brunswick. At seventy-eight years of age, Basil recalls as a youth going to the woods in the winter, harvesting logs, pulpwood and fuelwood on his family’s farm. “It’s hard to realize how the work has changed—from axes, buck saws, peeling spud and horses, to sitting in a warm cab and harvesting trees. It is so much fun, and so enjoyable, I only wish that I was younger, so I could enjoy it longer,” says Basil. “I always enjoyed working in the

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

woods, so after high school, I thought I would like to study forestry formally, and applied to Maritime Forest Ranger School in Fredericton,” Basil says. “At the time, I thought I might have a career in something like working for the government as a forest ranger.” Following graduation with his forest technician diploma, Basil secured a job working at photogrammetry for the Department of Natural Resources, and to page 22

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eastcoastlogging from page 20 spent weekends at home cutting wood. He soon discovered he could make more money cutting wood and gave up photogrammetry after a year. In the early 1970s, he went to work with a local contractor on a horse logging operation. Chris shared that one of his childhood memories is driving out to the operation on the weekend, to feed and water the horses in their barns. Working for the same contractor, Basil witnessed the transition from four-foot to eight-foot pulpwood, and seeing the wood move by forwarder. Basil soon became the forwarder operator, and purchased his own Timberjack 230 forwarder in 1978, and became a harvest contractor working for MacMillan Rothesay, which operated a paper mill in Saint John. When the paper mill was bought out by J.D. Irving, and contractor pay rates were cut substantially, Basil made the decision to contract private woodlot stumpage. From his early years, Chris followed Basil into the woods watching and learning, and helping fix equipment. At twelve years of age, he was handed his first chainsaw and assigned a strip next to Basil’s other trail cutters. On telling this story of working with a chainsaw at such a tender age, Chris was asked if he still had all his fingers. Chris declared yes, he had his fingers, and only a few other little chainsaw scars that are not particularly evident. Chris learned trail cutting and operating forwarder and getting a truckload of wood to the mill. Upon his high school graduation, Chris applied to and entered Maritime Forest Ranger School and graduated in 1988. That same year, Chis purchased a Timberjack 230 forwarder of his own, and began contracting stumpage. In 1989, Basil and Chris purchased a Hood slasher, acquired a skidder and hired a second skidder. In 1990, they added a triaxle straight truck, and eventually Chris built a pup trailer for the truck. In 1997, the truck was traded for a Western Star tractor and hooked on a new BWS trailer to handle treelength wood. Through the 1990s, Basil’s summer time was taken up with a market gardening operation, and then going back to the woods in the autumn. In 1998, a used Komatsu excavator was acquired for building woods roads. The Komatsu soon acquired a used Risley slingshot harvesting head. Chris recalls: “It was like a duck taking to water. Dad just fit right into mechanical 22

The Isbill’s work with a veteran Franklin forwarder in the bush (top photo). Below is the small diameter roadside brush cutter which Chris Isbill (above photo) designed, fabricated and marketed from his Forax shop.

harvesting. Our first two harvesters were for our treelength operation. Later on, he made the transition to cut-to-length harvesting effortlessly. We are currently working with our third harvesting head, and all that time I have harvested only a half-dozen trees.” The slingshot head was eventually replaced by a Risley II head, and they upgraded again in 2010, to a Fabtek FT180 head. Through the 1980s and into 1990s, Basil worked seasonally in the market gardening operation, and went back to the woods when the produce was finished. Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

In 2001, Basil made the decision to quit the market gardening due to health concerns. Through that summer, Basil and Chris developed a golf course on the farm. The golf course operated for a number of seasons, but unfortunately it suffered major flood and erosion damage in a major weather event, and has not been rebuilt. They began taking on excavation work through the warm seasons, and together decided that another excavator and a to page 24

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eastcoastlogging from page 22 dump box on the Western Star would allow them to expand dirt contracting. Since then, they have added a bulldozer and a third excavator and a road grader. In recent years, the tradition has been that as freeze-up approaches, and excavation halts, an excavator would head to the shop for harvester conversion, and then head to the woods. In addition to harvesting (and silviculture) on their own woodlots, they also purchase stumpage from other woodlot owners in their area. Through the mid- to late-1990s, Chris began to develop the concept for a brush mulcher. The mulching head would provide another employment opportunity for their growing fleet of excavators. Eventually, his concept ideas were put on paper, and in 1991 he built a mulching head which had swinging hammers on a rotating drum. Mounted on their excavator, it was used for plantation site preparation, and later mulching brush on public roadsides for the New Brunswick Department of Transportation. Encouraged by the success of the swinging hammer head, Chris decided to build a mulching head which featured fixed teeth on a rotating drum. His second mulching head design also proved successful. He explained that he went through a number of different tooth designs before settling on a six-sided tapered design. The tooth can be rotated for six cutting faces and it can also be sharpened, further extending the working life of the tooth. With the fixed tooth mulching head gaining success, different size models were developed to fit various sizes of excavator carriers. The mulching heads were working extensively in roadside brush control both for forestry and rural highways. While the rotating drum mulcher is effective mulching virtually any sized stem, the overall productivity is limited by the travel speed of the excavator. Chris recognized that there was an opportunity to produce a brush cutting head, designed specifically for small diameter roadside stems, and if mounted on a road grader, would be much more productive compared to excavator-mounted. Chris’s concept for the cutter was to mount it on a knuckleboom arm, attached to the grader, which would allow the cutting head to operate in a wide swath. The cutter and the arm position tidily along the grader when not in use.

The cutter design incorporated three overlapping discs, each with a series of eight attached cutting bits, which had proved successful on his mulching heads. With the success of his prototype heads, Chris formalized the manufacturing business as Forax Equipment Limited. The Forax manufacturing is carried out in a shop near their homes, which has a complete machine shop including plasma cutter, lathes and milling machines, overhead cranes and even a heat treat oven. Forax has manufactured a number of grader mounted roadside brush cutters which are employed by forestry and municipalities across Canada. They have also built many sizes of mulching heads and attaching brackets for many different power units, including wheel loaders, tractors, snowmobile trail groomers, and even side by side utility vehicles. The Forax manufacturing shop has two full time machinists/welders, a part-time machinist, with Chris supervising and assisting on production. In 2020, David Lynch came on board as Market Development Manager. David brings experience of more than 20 years as a rep for a global

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

Basil Isbill harvesting a woodlot with their Komatsu machine equipped with a Fabtek FT180 head (above). Basil still enjoys getting out in the woods, and operates equipment in the bush about five hours a day. construction equipment manufacturer. “Our business has grown a great deal in the past year, despite COVID restrictions hampering our ability to meet potential customers face to face. We do a lot of contact through info @forax.ca,” says David. Forax products are now at work across Canada and in the United States, and recently they have received inquiries from Denmark, Germany and South America. With the Forax business expanding, Chris finds himself in the shop more and more. But he makes time to get to the woods to keep harvested wood forwarded to roadside, keeping a wary eye to the weather to avoid having piles snowed under. As for Basil, asked about retirement plans as he approaches his eighth decade, he responded: “I couldn’t think of a better retirement pastime. Going to the woods, and working with good equipment. I only operate about five hours each day, then I like to go to the coffee shop and drink a cup of tea with a bunch of other old fellas, but this COVID thing has shut down the social time with them.”

TECHUPDATE

By Tony Kryzanowski

Small Scale Sawmilling D&L Timber Technologies

D&L Timber Technologies says it manufactures the world’s only 180-degree swing blade mill. These rugged wood processing centres are Canadian engineered and manufactured for longevity and performance. Dimension lumber is produced with ease while the 180-degree swing allows the sawyer to safely double cut wide planks or big 10” x 20” timbers without turning the mill head or the log. Fast, accurate milling offers real labour and time savings with this versatile mill, which can even recover lumber from the outer slabs for optimal yield from every log. This portable mill is also capable of chamfering and grooving cabin kit timbers and can even impart 2/12 to 12/12 pitch on both sides of a beam for roof timbers—the mill does all the work. www.dltimbertech.com

company’s sawmills are built to last with premium steel, powder coat paint, and the highest quality components that customers have come to expect from anything branded with the WoodMizer name. From the entry-level LX25 hobby sawmill to the LT70 Super Hydraulic high-production sawmill, Wood-Mizer has more than 15 sawmill models in a wide variety of configurations based on fuel type, horsepower, sawing capacity, performance features, unique accessories, and more to fit specific customer sawmilling needs. www.woodmizer.ca

Thomas Bandsaw Mills

Thomas Bandsaw Mills, a third-generation family-owned company, is in its 25th year of manufacturing manual, portable sawmills at an affordable price. The company produces bandsaw mills that are said to be easy

Wood-Mizer

Since 1982, Wood-Mizer has provided portable sawmills to people all over the world who want the freedom of sawing their own lumber for projects or profits. Now, with more than 100,000 sawmill owners world-wide, the company says it has the proven ability to withstand the test of time and timber. Backed by a one-of-a-kind warranty and steadfast customer service, it says that Wood-Mizer has become a name synonymous with quality and reliability. The modern manufacturing of Wood-Mizer sawmills in the U.S. guarantees maximum quality at an affordable price. The

to operate, large capacity, portable and very durable. Currently they have three models to fulfill their customers’ needs. All units include integrated clapboard attachment and number 40 roller chains; no cables to stretch. The sawmill head is constructed from quarter-inch plate steel, excluding the 2413 model. The 2413 model is able to saw a 24” log diameter with a 13 hp Honda manual start. The 3220 model is able to saw a 36” log diameter with a 20 hp Honda electric start. The 4820 model is able to saw a 48” log diameter on a no-flex track with a 20 hp Honda electric start. www.thomasbandsawmills.com

Cook’s Saw

The Cook’s AC36 fully-hydraulic portable sawmill was designed for high production as well as being user-friendly, which is why it is described as the company’s best-selling production sawmill. Weighing in at over 3175 kg (7000 lb) this sawmill can handle logs up to 4535 kg (10,000 lb), yet it’s nimble enough to haul down the road with the help of dual axles and electric brakes on both axles.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

techupdate

It’s said to be perfect for the one to three-man operation requiring full production every day, turning logs into profits. It is also a true one-man operation machine unlike sawmills that saw towards the operator and then drag the board back to the opposite end of the sawmill. Those require an additional person for offloading. Cook’s Saw says that whether bringing your portable sawmill to the woods or bringing your logs to the sawmill, the AC-36 is designed to load, turn, square, clamp, and saw whole logs into lumber. www.cookssaw.com

It is described as the heaviest built and most powerful sawmill in its class with a 74 hp Deutz diesel engine. Baker adds the that the Baker Blue Streak sawmill offers versatility, ease of use, production, and heavy-duty smart design. The large, 89-litre fuel tank is conveniently located between the bunks at the front end of the mill. The head is now raised and lowered on both sides at the same time with a dual hydraulic cylinder lift. The throat height capacity has been expanded from 12” to 18” between the blade and the top of the throat, and the guides can open up to 36” wide. The Baker Blue Streak accepts logs up to 20’ 6” in length and 40” in diameter and can produce between 3000 to 8000 board feet per day, depending on the number of people running the system. www.baker-online.com

Baker Products

to page 27

The Baker Blue Streak portable band sawmill was built to handle big logs and big jobs.

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

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

techupdate Timbery

from page 27

Granberg

Dollar for dollar, Granberg says that there is no more economical way to process your own lumber than with a chainsaw mill. Granberg has been making its chainsaw mills in the U.S. since 1961. With sizes to fit bars 18” to 80”, as well as edging attachments and all the accessories owners might need, Granberg says it is the name to remember when it comes to chainsaw milling. Constructed from high-grade steel and aircraft aluminum, Granberg mills are also warranteed for life. So if anything ever goes wrong, owners will be covered. Its Alaskan MKIV mill comes in sizes from 24” to 84” and is best for slabs, siding, flooring, etc. Its edging mill is oriented vertically and comes in handy trimming logs down to fit in other mills, as well as for making beams and other dimensional lumber. It can be used on its own or as an accessory to the Alaskan MKIV mill. www.granberg.com

TimberKing

The TimberKing 2200 is a heavy industrial portable sawmill designed to tackle the biggest trees from the oldest old-growth woodlots. TimberKing’s massive solid-welded Big 3 Super-Structure comes packed with full direct-action hydraulic log handling, its most advanced computer setworks, and loads of extras. Directaction hydraulic features include: hydraulic blade feed, hydraulic blade up/down, hydraulic log loaders, hydraulic bi-directional chain log turner, hydraulic dual-action log clamp, four times hydraulic vertical log stops, and hydraulic roller toe-boards. Fully-programmable, advanced, SuperSetworks deliver accurate cuts board after board in the toughest conditions. Plus, all these extras come standard: massive cut throat, electric blade clutch, sidewind support jacks, greaseable blade guides, moveable guide roller, tandem axle, and operator-height swing command post. www.timberking.com

The new Timbery M120 sawmill is an entry-level sawmill that fits the needs of hobby sawyers, woodworkers and small woodlot owners. This sawmill comes standard with everything the sawyer needs to start sawing logs that are 26” diameter and 12’ 5” long. The M120 sawhead is easily pushed down the bed rails with a sturdy push bar and has a manual head crank to accurately set the blade height. Timbery says it designed the M120 with the sawyer in mind and with all adjustments to the sawhead conveniently made from the operator’s location. The M120 also features a new stronger mast and sawhead design, allowing for better stability while sawing. www.timbery.com

Woodland Mills

Woodland Mills’ HM126 Woodlander portable sawmill just got even better, says the company. Users can cut their own lumber for cabins, decks, siding and more. It’s perfect for hobby sawyers, entrepreneurs or seasoned woodworkers. The HM126 Woodlander can cut 66 cm (26”) diameter logs, producing boards up to 61 cm (24”) wide and up to 5.1 m (16’11”) long with the XL trailer and 3.1 m (10’5”) long with the standard trailer. It’s constructed using a four post sawhead design with a tubular back beam that provides rigidity, ensuring smooth and accurate cuts. The head moves up and down along galvanized steel posts via an easy-to-turn hand crank system. It is powered with either a 9.5 hp or 14 hp 4-cycle Kohler gas engine. The HM126 is loaded with new and innovative features like the automatic blade lubricant system that activates when the throttle is engaged reducing the number of steps required for each cut. The RapidChange blade system makes for quick and tool-less blade changes. The HM126 portable sawmill is accurate, smooth and engineered to be the best value in its class, says the company. It is packaged with the Woodlander trailer for multi-terrain transportation, comfortable operation height and easy storage. www.woodlandmills.com to page 30

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

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Our professional chainsaws are designed to help you get the most out of every shift – even in the toughest situations. Constructed for extreme durability, their ergonomic designs minimize fatigue, so you can be more productive for longer periods. Whether you’re felling large trees, normal-sized trees or simply require a saw for some smooth limbing, Husqvarna has a pro saw for you. For highperformance, impressive power and rapid acceleration, reach for a Husqvarna. HUSQVARNA.COM Connect with HusqvarnaCA

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techupdate from page 28

SMG Champion

The SMG portable sawmill Pro 25 EFI is a new product that comes equipped with a thermal Kohler 23 hp gas engine or electric 15 hp engine and is recommended for either commercial intensive and industrial use. It is described as efficient in all seasons with a high capacity oil filter and external oil cooler for intensive use. It also comes equipped with a stainless steel covered cross bar to avoid oxidation of wood on steel. The two log dogs lock automatically and can be managed with only one hand for speed and efficiency. It has manual hydraulic adjustment for blade tension with double braking points, a unique SMG portable sawmill feature. The sawmill is 6.4 m (21’) long, 1.93 m (76”) wide and 1.37 m (54”) high. The bandwheel dimension is 508 mm (20”). The carriage is moved manually on ball bearings. It has an electric starter and comes equipped with an rpm and hour meter for maintenance program monitoring. www.smgchampion.ca

Norwood Sawmills

When the biggest jobs call, Norwood’s LumberMax HD38 steps up, says the company. The HD38 is a sawmill engineered and built to go where other sawmills can’t. Take it to the max with large capacity, nextgeneration patented technologies and exceptional versatility. In manual or hydraulic configuration, the LumberMax has impressive oversized cutting capacity combined with a rugged carriage and log deck engineered to deliver high quality output capacities, says the company. Take massive logs up to 38” in diameter, saw deeper and cut wider. Norwood’s LumberMax HD38 credentials start with what counts: the most industry-leading Sawyer-Assist technologies. The manual configuration is standard with a fully-hydraulic option. Log diameter processing max is 97 cm (38”) with a width of cut of 89 cm (35”) to create board width of up to 81 cm (32”) or 76 cm (29.5”) in hydraulic configuration. Depth of cut is 36 cm (14”). The bed length is 4.8 m (16’) for processing log lengths of up to 4 m (13’). The length can be extended with 1.2 m (4’) and 2’ (0.6 m) log deck extensions. www.norwoodsawmills.com

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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

THE

ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF INDUSTRY INNOVATION

Canadian Wood Fibre Centre refines reforestation and afforestation technologies that also deliver natural climate change solutions By Tony Kryzanowski

s Canada’s forest industry confronts issues such as wood supply shortages and climate change impacts, the Technology Development Group of the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre (CWFC) is ready to assist with innovative and proven approaches to reforestation that deliver multiple benefits. Leveraging its decades of experience developing reforestation and more recently afforestation practices, CWFC can provide industry with novel approaches that focus on higher yield, species and values diversity, and enhanced reforestation practice efficiency. Applying this technology will also allow industry to take advantage of the Growing Canada’s Forests Program, which aims to plant two billion incremental trees over the next 10 years. One suggested approach is afforestation of fast growing tree species with the objective of expanding the forest. Afforested lands are those that have not had a forest cover for several decades but are receptive to tree species that can deliver high production rates while helping to battle climate change through carbon sequestration, risk reduction and species diversity through the use of hardwoods. CWFC’s baseline projection for growth trajectory of its high yield hybrid poplar clones is one centimetre in diameter (DBH) and one metre in height on an annual basis as a minimum. Its growth charts with predicted trajectories have been customized over the past 20 years to identify clones suitable for specific soil and site characteristics. These genetically identical hybrid poplars, bred in Canada, vary in shape and/or biomass distribution relative to their physiology and site suitability. As shown in these images, CWFC has developed systems where several suitable clones/species are planted in monoculture blocks in a systematic pattern on each plantation site with identical customized vegetation management applications to manage risk and maximize production.

Pictured is a 1.5-year-old hybrid poplar plantation established with rooted cuttings planted at 1600 stems per hectare and 2.5 metre by 2.5 metre spacing. This image was taken in July 2021 and depicts growth on average of 2 to 3 centimetres per day during this particularly hot and dry 2021 growing season. A refined vegetation management treatment shown below the tree was completed using a rotor tiller mounted on a farm tractor, mixing the top 4 to 5 centimetres of soil, while incorporating the competing vegetation into the nutrient and biomass base. The trees themselves benefited from the high heat, responding phenomenally to high soil temperatures with the root established in 2020 still able to access moisture. The minimum soil temperature required for root growth is 12 degrees Celsius in the rooting environment for rooted cuttings and 18 degrees Celsius in the rooting environment for non-rooted vegetative cuttings. On this site, the soil temperature with refined vegetation management was in the range of 21 degrees to 23 degrees Celsius during the extreme heat.

This image depicts one of five species of hybrid poplar clones planted on the same site after one year of growth. The plantation features intensive vegetation management and this particular clone averaged 1.3 metres of growth after one year. By the end of this growing season, it is expected to reach up to 2.1 metres in height. The tree was 180 centimetres in height in this August 4th photo.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

This photo is a close-up of five days of growth in this plantation during late-July 2021, totaling 21 centimetres and benefitting from the heat and long sunlight hours in central Alberta.

It is possible to develop a mixedwood afforestation plantation, as shown, where white spruce is planted with the hybrid poplar. In this image, the hybrid poplar was harvested after 16 years and now, three years later, the white spruce is flourishing with accelerated growth, having been established in a hardwood understorey. This mixedwood site benefits from fire and pest risk reduction, species and habitat diversification, and more carbon sequestration resulting from accelerated growth of the hybrid poplar. It was mature at year 16 and the released white spruce is now 3.5 to 5.5 metres in height.

Indigenous Forestry Program: focusing on collaboration through the respect of culture

anada is home to over 1.6 million Indigenous people living in hundreds of communities throughout the provinces and territories. Many of the Indigenous communities are located in forested areas and are seeking to actively participate in the forest sector and develop economic opportunities, but also provide a different perspective on how to manage and live with our forest resources. FPInnovations has implemented a program that supports Indigenous communities in the development of forest-based economic opportunities, and has established collaborations that deliver positive results for those communities. The assistance provided has been articulated in different ways, ranging from economic development plans to support programs.

Lhoosk’uz Dené Nation: achieving energy autonomy

One First Nation that saw significant benefits to their community is the Lhoosk’uz Dené Nation. Located in central British Columbia, with their main territory stretching to the west of Quesnel along the Black Water River, the community is not connected to the power or natural gas grid and relies on diesel and propane supplies being brought in along the two-hour drive on a forest services road. In recent years, the area surrounding the community has been heavily affected by the mountain pine beetle outbreak, and consequently experienced intense wildfires. Apart from the immense devastation of the immediate area around the community, these disturbances caused severe consequences for traditional land use such as hunting and trapping, berry picking, and medicine.

An unexpected source of energy

Protecting the community from future wildfires while re-establishing the land base became the key focus for the Lhoosk’uz Dené Nation. “This is where FPInnovations was called upon to provide guidance on identifying a solution that could not only protect the community from wildfire, but also utilize biomass materials around the Kluskus,” says Christoph Schilling, lead of FPInnovations’ Indigenous Program. FPInnovations suggested to go one step further and make use of the biomass to provide sustainable heat and power to the community.

In initial discussions with Allan Okabe, band manager for the Lhoosk’uz Dené Nation, it became clear to FPInnovations that the key need was to reduce the amount of biomass around the community to mitigate the fire risk. FPInnovations suggested focusing on the immediate area around Kluskus, taking advantage of FireSmart operations—a program aimed at reducing the risk that wildfires pose to populated areas—to fuel a potential combined heat and power unit. A feasibility study revealed that the approach was a good fit for the small community and the idea was received positively by the Lhoosk’uz Dené Nation. Thinning work to reduce the level of fire risk was already underway, yielding the equivalent of 10 hectares (about 2,000 cubic metres) of dead standing trees which could be used to fuel the unit. Harvested trees already showed great potential to be processed into chips or fuel for the cogeneration system.

The Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system project

With clear marching orders in hand, researchers from FPInnovations identified a suitable CHP system. Made in Finland, the mobile ‘Volter’ unit, installed in a 40’ shipping container, allows for the generation of heat and energy by converting forest biomass into a wood gas, and then transforming it into 110 kW of heat and 40 kW of power. Stringent tests, predominantly on feedstock quality, were carried out at FPInnovations in Vancouver. The trial period also allowed for a training session, provided by Volter, to 10 members of the Lhoosk’uz Dené Nation.

Positive outcomes for the community and the environment

For the Lhoosk’uz Dené Nation of Kluskus, the installation of a CHP system in their community is expected to yield very positive results. Upon installation, the unit will displace close to 100,000 litres of diesel per year, significantly reducing the community’s reliance on fossil fuels. From an environmental perspective, the system will also remove the equivalent of 300 tonnes of GHG emissions annually, the equivalent of removing 65 cars from the road each year. The system will create two full-time jobs to operate the unit and five to 10 Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

The trial period of the Combined Heat and Power system allowed for a training session, provided by Volter, to members of the Lhoosk’uz Dené Nation. additional jobs in the feedstock supply chain. The business model also significantly changed the economics of the community; while, historically, the community has had to purchase diesel for the operation of the generators, this money will now remain within and benefit the community directly. The Lhoosk’uz Dené community also plans to produce biomass from harvested trees, an activity that could represent an additional source of income, as well as use the heat from the CHP to achieve food security and for silviculture projects. But above all, these measures will help protect the community, and restore the natural forest environment.

A unique approach adapting to each project

FPInnovations’ Indigenous forestry program is primarily a support tool designed to adapt to the actual needs of communities, rather than a one-dimensional approach. Thanks to the continuous funding support from many partners, including British Columbia’s Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, the Innovation, Bioeconomy and Indigenous Opportunities Branch and Western Economic Diversification Canada, the program pursues its objectives of developing and implementing customized and scalable economic development opportunities, while providing innovation and creating employment opportunities for Indigenous Communities. For more information about FPInnovations’ program, please contact Christoph Schilling, Program Lead, at 604-225-5205 or at christoph.schilling@fpinnovations.ca.

SUPPLIERNEWSLINE

John Deere updates JDLink connectivity service

John Deere has improved the ability for customers to maximize machine performance and uptime through updates to its JDLink platform. Customers no longer need to renew their JDLink connectivity service subscription, and can enable their JDLink service on any compatible machine in their organization at no additional charge. Additionally, once customers enable JDLink connectivity, they can select to automatically activate all future JDLink compatible models, further streamlining fleet management. With this update to the JDLink service offering, it is easier than ever for customers to maximize machine productivity and minimize downtime, says the company. Available on most new models, John Deere’s JDLink telematics solution delivers valuable fleet insights directly into the hands of the machine owner or fleet manager. The JDLink service provides customers with access to vital data such as machine location and utilization, time in idle, fuel level, upcoming maintenance, machine alerts and more, all from a web or mobile platform. Beyond machine monitoring, the JDLink solution also enables John Deere Connected Support, allowing dealers to remotely identify critical issues and take action minimizing potential downtime or by remotely sending software payloads to ensure the machine is running efficiently. www.johndeere.com

tolog. As for Autolog, a company with wood processing expertise that has been in the business for more than 30 years, it was looking to join a visionary group that would value both parties’ expertise. The result is that Carbotech, which designs and manufactures machinery for the sawmill industry, has added another string to its bow, it says. Thanks to Autolog’s optimization and automation services, the company will now be able to provide an even greater range of solutions to its customers. From mechanics to electronics, customers will now be able to enjoy complementary products and services from experts working in tandem, according to the companies. Carbotech Group’s two offices will remain as is. Additionally, Autolog will continue to serve and work with its current customers and mechanical partners from its Blainville, Quebec facility. Carbotech Group’s headquarters will remain in Plessisville, Quebec and its team will continue to serve customers around the world. www.carbotech.ca

Tigercat introduces LSX870D shovel logger

Tigercat has raised the bar again with the introduction of the LSX870D shovel logger, says the company. Based on the popular LX870D series track carrier platform, the machine is designed for extreme duty steep slope logging. With the choice of attachments including the new Tigercat BG13 grapple with a live heel boom or the SC08 shovel clam grapple, the LSX870D is suited to pre-bunching and shovel logging in challenging terrain. The addition of the LSX870D to the Tigercat lineup provides a higher power, closed loop drive alternative to the LS855E. Where the LS855E provides higher swing

speed and lower ground pressure, the LSX870D allows for improved multifunctioning ability and quicker, more responsive travel speed, says Tigercat. The Tigercat FPT C87 engine supplies 245 kW (330 hp), which combined with the dedicated attachment pump, provides plenty of multifunctioning power. Tigercat’s leveling track machines use innovative technologies and systems optimized for a wide range of steep slope applications including shovel logging, felling and harvesting. Tigercat’s super-duty leveling undercarriage is longer and wider, providing exceptional stability on steep slopes. The patented leveling design uses two massive hydraulic cylinders and heavy steel sections for a solution that is simple, robust and reliable. Unlike competing systems, the Tigercat leveling system leans into the hill when leveling to the side which further improves machine stability and operator comfort. www.tigercat.com

Rottne plans expansion of dealer and service network to Alberta and B.C.

Rottne Industri is growing in Canada with three new dealers and three new service providers. It is currently recruiting dealers in Alberta and B.C. Rottne says its harvesters and forwarders have had a good reputation in Canada since the early 2000s. It added that there

is a new and clear demand for the Swedish machines and Rottne Industri is ready to flex its muscles once again. In the long run, the idea is to also expand into the United States, the company says. “The North American market is undergoing exciting changes. From harvesting with the full tree logging method, more and more people are switching to the cut-to-length method, an area where our machines have a great deal of interest,”

Carbotech Group acquires Autolog

The Carbotech Group has acquired Autolog, which specializes in wood processing optimization and automation. Carbotech Group has experienced continuous growth due to a wood processing industry boom, says the company. As a result, it developed an expansion strategy which included acquiring Au-

By Tony Kryzanowski

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

suppliernewsline says Arne Isaksson, Sales and Marketing Manager at Rottne Industri. “Our machines have been developed with outstanding crane power and accessibility,” he adds. At present, there are five dealers in Canada, plus a subsidiary company— Rottne Canada Inc. In addition, three new service providers have been added to cut down the distance for customers. One of the dealers, Itec 2000, in Rosslyn, Ontario, started business as a small forestry equipment dealer in 1999. Since then, the company has grown and is now a major supplier of products and services in Western Ontario, including equipment from Rottne. www.rottne.com

Waratah unveils three new harvester heads

Waratah’s new H425, H425HD and H425X are a trio of rugged harvester heads built for tough jobs. With a powerful control valve and fourroller feed arm geometry, each high performance head is productive on wheeled or tracked carriers. “These models are built for durability and performance,” says Brent Fisher, product marketing manager for Waratah.

heavy duty tilt frame, hose protection and increased drive arm durability for demanding applications in mixed stand harvesting. www.waratah.ca

HewSaw installs new SL200 3.3 saw line at Fort St. James Forest Products “Among other updates, new hose protection and servicing enhancements make these great heads even better.” The standard H425 (1360 kg or 2998 lb), H425HD (1390 kg or 3064 lb) and hefty H425X (1426 kg or 3143 lb) each offer increased reliability with new feed motor hose routings and new covers. For quick and easy servicing, each head features a new hinged valve cover and improved access to greasing points. Optimizing performance, productivity, and delimbing, the H425 excels in large diameter regeneration harvesting. Built to work on the toughest jobs, the H425HD features a heavy duty tilt frame, feed motors and guarding to provide even more durability. The H425X features an extreme duty main saw box with heavier steel plating, extra feed motor component guarding,

A high speed HewSaw SL200 3.3 saw line is being installed at Fort St. James Forest Products, part of forest company Hampton Lumber. The sawmill was acquired by Hampton in late 2019 from Conifex Timber. The primary products produced by the line will be 2 x 3, 2 x 4 and 2 x 6 studs in 8’ to 10’ lengths. However, the line will also produce smaller amounts of 1 x 4 and 4 x 4 products, also in 8’ to 10’ lengths. Log diameters will range from a 3” small end to a 13” large end diameter, and the speed range of the line is rated between 500 and 700 FPM, depending on pattern. The Fort St. James site was previously a two-line mill. The new HewSaw will be the only primary breakdown equipment in the mill following a complete rebuild to page 36

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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

suppliernewsline from page 35 of the sawmill and planer. The HewSaw is designed to meet the specific requirements of Hampton at this site. “Our mill design team and HewSaw representatives have spent a great deal of time working together to design a canter line that will be effective and efficient in processing the future log supply for the new Fort St. James sawmill,” says Ian Gray, Hampton’s Canadian Regional Manager. “We are looking forward to working with HewSaw to operate a sawmill that will be successful and stable for many years. This will be important for Hampton, HewSaw and the community of Fort St. James.” HewSaw will also provide the automation for the new line, including the scanning and optimization from their scanning partner, St. George, Quebec-based Prologic+, and their process controls partner, EBI Electric, also located in St. George. www.hewsaw.com

key business of logging, while Ponsse takes care of scheduled maintenance, machine optimization and extended coverage. Their forest machines will maintain performance, reliability, and productivity from one logging site to the next. Forest machines maintained regularly by professionals using only high-quality and original Ponsse parts, lubricants and filters remain in good operating condition and retain their value, says the company. www.ponsse.com

New JoeScan 3D scanner receives warm welcome

Sawmill scanning experts JoeScan have officially launched their latest JS-50 WX model scanner.

BID Group to deliver turnkey sawmill to Hunt/ Tolko partnership

New Ponsse frame and crane care for service agreements

Ponsse Frame and Crane Care is a new, extended protection plan for forest machines that have a Ponsse Active Care service agreement. Frame and Crane Care covers main frame structures for up to 10,000 engine hours if the machine has a valid service agreement during that period. The Ponsse Active Care service agreement needs to be valid for the whole period, but the agreement can be made in several parts. Ponsse Frame and Crane Care covers the following frame structures: front and rear frame, middle pivot and articulated frames, crane base, main, lifting and luffing boomswithout extensions and pillars. The new Frame and Crane Care plan is valid for machines that have service agreements and are manufactured starting from 2021. The company says that Ponsse Active Care service agreements ensure maximum productivity. Customers can focus on their

A successful beta program recently saw scan heads put through their paces in mills across North America. According to the company, JS-50 WX is being praised as a do-it-all sawmill scanner, with current installations covering machine centres from bucking lines to transverse edgers to trimmers. “To facilitate the greatest range of options, we tested the JoeScans against a number of other considerations and decided to standardize on the JS-50 WX as part of our core offering,” says Joe Korac, President at Automation and Electronics USA. “With our optimizing platform’s current projects requiring log merchandizing, whole log breakdown, gang, edger and trimmer optimizers, the JS-50’s unique attributes made it an excellent fit for all our customers’ needs.” www.joescan.com

Yokohama launches new Forestar tubeless models

New tubeless versions of the popular Alliance Forestar III 643 and 644 forestry tires from Yokohama Off-Highway Tires are proving themselves on cut-to-length (CTL) harvesters and forwarders worldwide, says the company. “The new tubeless Alliance 643 and 644 eliminate all the hassles that come 36

with inner tubes, such as breaking valve stems, messing with flaps, and even just waiting for an inner tube when you need to be cutting timber,” says Terry Goodwin, National Forestry Tire Manager for Yokohama Off-Highway Tires America Inc. “These new tires have a more durable sidewall, built-in rim guard and a reinforced, hexagonal bead bundle, so they don’t have to rely on an inner tube to hold the air.” The tubeless Forestars fit on standard rims, so it is easy to switch from the tubetype designs. Tubeless Alliance Forestar III 643 sizes include 710/40-22.5, 750/55-26.5 and 780/50-28.5. Tubeless Alliance Forestar III 644 tires are available in 600/50-22.5, 710/40-22.5, 600/55-26.5, 750/55-26.5 and 780/50-28.5 sizes. www.yokohama-oht.com

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

The BID Group has contracted with Hunt Forest Products and the Tolko Joint Venture Partnership to deliver a $240 million (U.S.) greenfield sawmill complex in Louisiana. It’s estimated the mill will require approximately 1.3 million tons of wood annually to produce approximately 320 million board feet of lumber, Hunt said. Through its industry-leading wood processing technologies and integrated solutions offering, BID says it will manage, design, build, equip, install, and provide full start-up services for the project. The new operation will incorporate the full spectrum of BID’s best-in-class wood processing technologies including equipment, software, automation systems, artificial intelligence-enabled optimization, and its plant-wide Industry 4.0 solution called Oper8. BID’s Integrated Solutions Team will provide the design, engineering, planning, fabrication, and installation services for this turnkey project. The sustainment of the plant’s operational life cycle excellence will be supported by BID’s Reliability Program which will provide comprehensive service, parts, consumables, and upgrades. The project will incorporate new leading-edge solutions from BID’s strategic partner, Rockwell. Work on site will begin in the third quarter of 2022 and commissioning of the sawmill is scheduled for the second quarter of 2023. www.bidgroup.ca

classified I N N O V AT I V E W O R K B O AT SOLUTI ON S

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JOB DESCRIPTION Gallant Enterprises is looking to fill multiple full time positions at our custom-cut sawmill. Positions include: Edgerman, Band Saw Sawyer, Trimmerman, and Forklift Operator. We work a flex week schedule, 6am-3:30pm 5 days one week, 4 days the second week. Starting compensation is $18-24/hour, depending on experience. Benefits provided after 3 months. Gallant Enterprises is located in Maple Ridge, BC.

1.877.806.9605 dropmarine.com sales@dropmarine.com

REQUIREMENTS • Must have your own reliable transportation, we are located 2km up a gravel road with no bus routes. • Must be punctual and reliable. • Ready and willing to work outside in all weather conditions. • Able to lift 50+ pounds. • Able to work in a team environment that prioritizes safety and respect.

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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

thelastword

The success of an Ontario wood products business cluster shows the value of much-needed outreach By Tony Kryzanowski

to lunch? For most businesses, the answer is never—but an Ontario wood products manufacturing group has shown that this type of outreach is sometimes worth the effort. The Bluewater Wood Alliance (BWA) non-profit group recently changed its name to the Wood Manufacturing Cluster of Ontario (WMCO), and the reasons for making this change are obvious. The group was formed starting with seven members about 15 years ago in the Bluewater region of Ontario, west of Toronto in the vicinity of Hanover and Walkerton. Started largely because all original members were struggling due to an economic downturn, the group has since extended its boundaries to all of southwestern Ontario. It now has 120 members representing the entire wood industry supply chain. Granted, this organization has a decided advantage by operating in a highly-urbanized area in close proximity to Toronto. But if wood products manufacturing businesses located in other areas of Canada considered following their example, some measure of success is almost guaranteed—even if a business cluster amounts to three members meeting once a month at the local restaurant buffet to discuss the state of the industry, equipment advances and opportunities to collaborate. For clarification, meeting to discuss common challenges, technology and possible strategic alliances is not illegal. Colluding on bids is, and WMCO knows that, stating, “the overarching goal of the cluster is to work together within the constraints of antitrust laws to make all member companies more globally competitive”.

WMCO says that it is unique, operating as the only wood manufacturing cluster in Canada and one of the few clusters of any industry in North America. That in itself is rather astounding and perhaps a wakeup call concerning the apparent disconnect that currently exists along the wood products manufacturing supply chain, especially among small to medium-size businesses. Is it any wonder then that so many wood product manufacturing businesses in this size range fail in tough times? One obvious advantage of belonging to a cluster is that in lean times, even a small job here and there can help companies survive. Having stronger lines of communication and business connections represents a bit of an insurance policy, as the seven founding members of WMCO have discovered. When the old BWA went searching for a cluster model to follow, they found one in Europe and even the training to set it up. Two original members of the organization attended the Cluster Academy in Linz, Austria in January 2011. Sometimes the Europeans are a good model to follow because in terms of business development, they are often decades ahead of North America with the experience of what works—and also importantly, what doesn’t work. Obviously the concept of business clusters has served them well. After incorporation, BWA began holding quarterly networking events for wood products manufacturers and suppliers to discuss new technologies and forge strong business relationships. By November 2012, it had 25 members and hired a cluster manager. The group ramped up the frequency and variety of events to include plant tours, lean manufacturing and other training programs, export development projects, and roundtable sessions on topical issues. It’s obvious why companies would find

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - July/August 2021

hen was the last time you took the owner and senior managers of your biggest competitor out

this type of organization attractive. The old cliché that time is money is particularly true of small to medium-sized businesses where there often aren’t enough hours in the day for all that owners and managers need to accomplish. But at the same time, they realize that there are opportunities for the business to grow if only they could acquire the type of practical information they need to make informed business decisions. That’s where a welldesigned cluster really delivers value. In 2016, BWA had 80 members and decided to expand the official cluster region to include all of southwestern Ontario. Its board of directors was expanded from seven to 12, comprising 10 manufacturing members and two supplier members. It should be noted that many of the cluster’s members are smaller-scale and niche custom sawmilling operations. The cluster’s expanded turf encompasses the vast majority of Ontario’s wood products economy. WMCO says that according to the Conference Board of Canada and Wood Manufacturing Council, the approximately 2,000 wood products companies active in Ontario in 2016 combined for $6.6 billion in revenues and employed about 30,000 workers for a total payroll of $1.2 billion. WMCO is looking to grow its membership through industry outreach efforts and programs, including conducting educational sessions at the 2021 Woodworking Machinery Supply Conference & Expo, November 4-6 in Mississauga. Suffice to say that WMCO has come a long way since seven struggling businesses set aside their egos and made a few phone calls. There are many instances in Canada where Mom and Pop and larger custom sawmilling enterprises could really benefit from belonging to a cluster—in both good times and bad.

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TIGERCAT EXCHANGE COMPONENTS QUALITY | AVAILABILITY | SAVINGS The TEC program provides Tigercat machine owners with a choice between new or remanufactured components. Tigercat guarantees the quality of a TEC component will be the same as new, and guarantees its availability. Remanufactured items carry the same 6 month, 1500 hour warranty as new components and are discounted an average of 30% from new. When you factor in availability, quality and price, there is no better choice than TEC. Ask your dealer for program details.*

www.tigercat.com *TEC program only available in North America.