Collins Flakeboard Plant in Operation

Collins Pine Company has announced that its new flakeboard plant at Chester, California, is now in operation. It is producing high quality flakeboard under the name "Collins' Flakeboard" and an under-layment board called "Collins 28" lvhich conforms to the F-ederal Housing Authority's "IJse of Nlaterial Bulletin UM 28." Plant capacity is 24 million square feet annually on 3A inch basis.

Construction started on the Flakeboard plant in the winter of 1959, following several years of research by the company staff and several independent research organizations.

The Flakeboard plant is adjacent to the saw mill operation in the Collins Almanor Forest, where company foresters are managing the timber on a sustained-yield basis.

'Ihe plant utilizes selected Sierra soft wood residue from the saw mill operations. The sawdust, planer shavings, and the bark are used as fuel for the powerhouse for production of steam and electricity.

The process and design of the new plant was developed by the Industrial f)evelopm.ent company of Tacoma, Washington, managed by Dale Schubert. It utilizes the latest design, equipment and methods to produce a high quality flakeboard exhibiting the characteristics of smooth surface, excellent workability, uniform texture and tight edges desired by a rapidly increasing number of flakeboard consumers. These include furniture and cabinet manufacturers, builders and the do-it-yourself trade.

Both "Collins Flakeboard" and "Collins 28" are produced in panel sizes from 4'x& to 5'x10, in /s" to ,/qn' thicknesses. Facilities also provide fo,r special densities, odd panel sizes and cut-to-size.

The raw material utilized by the plant is sorted by species on a large concrete pad. The material is selected from the ^various sorts on the pad for delivery to the flakers. By this means, the comoosition of the raw material is rigidly -controlled. The material is flaked, dried, mixed with the necessarv additives. and formed into a uniform mat. After pressing in the 20 opening, simultaneous closing, 5'x10 hot press, the panels are automatically separated from the aluminum caul and conveyed to the cooler. The panels then pass thru the skinner and trim saws, the sander and cut up facilities, to the warehouse and/or truck and railroad loading areas.

The olant has excellent laboratory facilitiei under the direction of e*perienced wood technologists to provide constant product testing and quality control, as well as extensive product develooment and research. Laboratory facilities are located in the rnain building close to the production line so that constant surveillance can be maintained.

Technical service representatives, rvho also are wood technologists, operating in the marketing areas, provide assistance to customers and aid in designing products tailored to the customers needs.

The flakeboard plant is a part of the Collins Pine Company's overall plan for providing a permanent integrated operation. for steady.employment for a prospering community, and a dependable year-around shipment of wood products.

The president of the Collins Pine Comoan^v is Trnman W. Collins; manager'is "El-et R. Goudy; manager of the flakeboard division is Allen C. Goudy ; sales manager of the Collins Pine Company is Paul W. Foote; assistant sales manager in charge of flakeboard sales is Richard Grahlman; technical director is Harry M. Demaray.

A list of the equipment used is as follows : Dryer, Hardinge; Surge bins, f ink Belt Co.; Press, Baldwin-LimaHamilton Coro.: Loader and unloader, American Manufacturing ; Sizing saws, l\4lereen Johnson ; Sander, Yates American ; Cyclone, fans and sheet metal rvork, Archer Blou'er & PiPe Co.; Chemical additives proportioning system, Controls and Communications Co.; Blender, felter, pre-press, panel separator and cooler and caul conveyi"g system, Industrial Development Co.

HPI President Elected

(Continued' trom Page 76) will serve as Va.-Carolina Regional Me'eting Chairman.

Regional Meetings. South, Peter Stern. Greenville, Florida.

Future Meet

Tl-re Annual Fall 1962 Meeting of HPI rvill be held in Chicago. The Board of Directors and Committee Chairmen have been invited by HPI's 5 Canadian members to hold their next meeting June l5th in Montreal.

lVlaniging Director Clark E. McDonald gave a colored slide presentation of t[e highlights of the Institute's 196l activities including: publication of CS35-61, CS35 Wall Chart, and CS233-60; and the Hardwood PlYwood N{anual, a 15,000 word technical work. The HPI {irectory of members, "Where to Buy," continues to be one of the HPI's most poprrlar publications. 7962 activities will incltrde research and publication of data ou the acoustical values of hardwood ply'w'ood panels. "The Story of Hardwood PlYwood" has been written by HPI's Laboratory Manager, William Groah, for use bY teachels and students. 100,000 copies will be distributed by the American Forest Products Industries, Inc.