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February 2018
COFI CONFERENCE: Advance coverage NEW SINGULATOR UNIT INCREASES mill efficiency at Carrier Lumber
A LOOK AT SAWMILLS of the future
WITH THIS ISSUE… The Edge!
FIRST NATIONS LOGGING VENTURE a winner all the way around
FEATURES February 2018 Volume 49 • No. 1 Editor Paul MacDonald Contributing Editors Jim Stirling Tony Kryzanowski George Fullerton Tech Update Editor Tony Kryzanowski
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On the Cover:
Successful sawmill owners are always seeking ways to improve their operations and make them run more efficiently. If an upgrade in one area of the mill contributes a positive ripple benefit elsewhere in the process, that’s so much the better. That’s exactly what happened with the installation of the first Brunette Machinery Retract-ToLoad (RTL) log singulator unit at Carrier Lumber’s Tabor mill operation near Prince George, B.C. (Photo courtesy of Carrier Lumber).
4 Spotlight
Goin’ south—with PinkWood Calgary’s PinkWood, which sets itself apart by producing a fire-resistant I-joist line, was initially set up to serve the market in Western Canada, but is now making big inroads into the U.S. market—which is good news for the mills that supply it with lumber and OSB.
10 Win all the way ‘round
Office PO Box 86670, 211 East 1st Street North Vancouver, BC V7L 4L2 Phone: (604) 990-9970 • Fax: (604) 990-9971 Website: www.forestnet.com
The Snuneymuxw First Nations and Vancouver Island logging contractor A&K Timber are part of a successful venture that is seeing work and revenue being generated for the band, logging work for A&K Timber, and timber being harvested for mill operations on Vancouver Island.
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20 What will sawmills of
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 February 2018 Printed in Canada on 20% recycled paper.
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the future look like?
Will the sawmills of the future be run entirely from an I-Phone or I-Pad? Logging and Sawmilling Journal looks at what might be in store for future sawmills with UBC wood science assistant professor Julie Cool.
27 Hauer Bros. mill has
38 Advance look at the COFI Conference
Logging and Sawmilling Journal takes a look at the issues—from the softwood lumber dispute to dealing with wildfiredamaged timber in the sawmill—that will be under discussion at the upcoming COFI conference, being held April 4-6 in Prince George, B.C.
46 New singulator unit
increases mill efficiency— and more
New sawmilling technology, in the form of the first Brunette Machinery Retract-ToLoad (RTL) log singulator unit, is helping to make operations run more efficiently— and reducing maintenance downtime—at Carrier Lumber’s Tabor sawmill in Prince George, B.C
a lot of history
55 The Edge
DEPARTMENTS
66 The Last Word
The mid-sized Hauer Bros. Sawmill in B.C.’s Robson Valley has a long history in the area, and these days finds its market niche producing mostly timber for regional markets in the B.C. Interior.
Calendar............................................ 9 Tech Update: Optimizers.................... 58 Suppliernewsline............................. 60 Classifieds....................................... 65 Ad Index / Subscriptions.................. 65
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, Alberta Innovates and Alberta Agriculture.
The ITC decision on Canadian softwood lumber duties is pure theatre, says Jim Stirling.
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
3
spotlight
PinkWood created 60 jobs and a new outlet for Canadian solid wood as well as OSB when it opened its new I-joist manufacturing plant in Calgary.
Goin’ south—
with PinkWood
Calgary company PinkWood, which sets itself apart with a fire-resistant I-joist line, was initially set up to serve the market in Western Canada, but is now making big inroads into the U.S. market—which is good news for the mills that supply it with lumber and OSB. By Tony Kryzanowski hen it comes to I-joists, Calgary-based manufacturer PinkWood believes that there is definitely room for improvement to enhance the fire resistance of these building products used in floor construction. It has a chemical solution called PKShield. The company hopes that the Canadian building code will soon follow the American example, requiring fire-resistant I-joists in homes with unfinished basements. More business for PinkWood is good news for Canada’s primary wood product manufacturers because the company is a consumer of Canadian softwood lumber and oriented strandboard (OSB). They produce a line of fire, mildew, and mold resistant I-joists as well as untreated Ijoists in depths from 9.5” to 24”, primarily for the residential and multi-family sector. They are distributed exclusively through Taiga Building Products. PinkWood is a privately-held company that ramped up to full commercial production in 2014, establishing a highly mechanized I-joist manufacturing plant in
Calgary and aiming initially to serve the Western Canadian market. Since then, however, the company has made significant inroads into the U.S., taking advantage of the recent change in the American building code. Bradley Parsons, company president, says that PinkWood has been very strategic in its development and expansion into the U.S. He adds that the move into the U.S. was well-timed because of the exchange advantage that has occurred for Canadian manufacturers over the past two years and considering that the number of building permits has dropped considerably in Alberta over that same time. “We now have wholesale distribution relationships almost coast to coast in the U.S.,” says Parsons. The company is owned by Richard Dettbarn and another private investor and is capable of producing about two million lineal feet of I-joists per month. It employs 60 people. Dettbarn was the former owner of a large engineered wood building products company called Nascor, which manufactured trusses, walls, and I-joists in plants in Calgary and Edmonton. He sold
4
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
W
Nascor in 2008 to a company wanting to absorb it into a larger conglomerate. Nascor was sold just before the American housing crisis, and later was forced into receivership. Realizing that a lot of Nascor’s I-joist equipment was now available through the receiver, being heavily invested in research and development in the engineered coatings industry through a company called Cano Coatings, and also considering that there was a considerable void in the local supply of I-joists, Dettbarn and his partner established PinkWood. Their goal was to provide the market with a value-added I-joist product. As part of the company’s strategic development, PinkWood purchased some of Nascor’s I-joist manufacturing equipment for use in a pilot plant to streamline the application of its proprietary fire, mildew and mold resistant chemicals to its I-joist product. Parsons says that during its early development, PinkWood was already attracting considerable interest from builders and product sales were growing. This led to to page 6
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spotlight the decision to make a full commitment to a high production facility when Taiga came on board. That plant in Calgary came on line in February 2014. The name ‘PinkWood’ came about during a company management brainstorming session; they were looking for ideas on how to set their I-joist product apart from competitors, who were already well-known for delivering their products with certain color schemes. “We wanted a color that was a reflection of the corporate culture that we have,” says Parsons. “We chose pink not only because it is a bold color, but we also wanted to associate ourselves with a good cause. When we mentioned breast cancer, just about everyone around the table knew someone going through it.” So PinkWood now makes a financial contribution to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation for every litre of its fire resistant chemical that it sells. Pink is the color of a paraffin end seal solution used in the I-joist, with the web portion of the I-joist coated in a tan color. Cano Coatings has left the door open to market its proprietary chemicals to primary wood
producers, if they see a value in adding those chemicals to the products that they manufacture. As an I-joist supplier, PinkWood is unique, given its ability to add its proprietary protective spray for what Parsons describes as “pennies per lineal foot”, while adding a measure of safety that gives homeowners more time to escape a fire. It also provides firefighters with a greater level of security that the floor they may have to walk on to instigate a rescue won’t give way. Parson says that while engineered I-joists offer great structural support, the firefighting community in particular has a genuine concern with the lack of fire resistance currently offered by manufacturers of untreated I-joists. But PinkWood understands that changes to the Canadian building code to require fire-resistant floor joists will take time. In the meantime, it offers its customers both treated and untreated I-joists. PinkWood worked with a company headquartered in Salem, Oregon called Lewis and Clark to design and procure equipment for its manufacturing plant. What’s unusual about their production floor at the Calgary plant is the lack of structural pillars, which allowed the com-
6
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
from page 4
pany to design production flow for large spans of finger-jointed lumber and I-joists with greater ease. Some material handling equipment for the new plant was procured from a shuttered mill in Florida. They were also able to acquire a second-hand radio frequency (RF) tunnel, which is used to cure the joints on the finger-joint lumber. However, the press and web lines to produce the I-joists are brand new and were all custom-designed for PinkWood. “Rather than a hydraulic press, we have an electric press,” says Parsons. “The web system is from Globe machines and the press was designed and installed by Lewis and Clark.” The lumber processed through the finger-joint plant to create the flanges for either side of the I-joist is purchased in dimensions from 2” X 3” to 2” X 6”, in lengths anywhere from 8’ to 16’, with a preference for longer lengths for better throughput efficiency. All the wood processed by the plant is acquired through lumber broker Canadian Engineered Wood Products, coming from Western to page 8
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spotlight from page 6 Canadian dimension sawmills. The lumber first proceeds through a manual grading system, where the graders pull material not meeting the specifications for PinkWood I-joist production. “We buy standard lumber grades and a lot of machine stress-rated lumber,” says Parsons, adding that PinkWood’s graders look for particular defects to avoid, which often leads to a value uplift for specific use in a finger-joint and I-joist application. Because I-joists are used in a horizontal load application, selecting lumber with excellent strength properties and few defects is important. Approved material proceeds through the plant’s finger-joint line. It creates the mesh pattern at the end of each board, applies the glue, and joins the lumber, while maintaining pressure on the joints through a series of rollers, as the lumber span proceeds through the RF tunnel for the glue to cure. The continuous ribbon of finger-jointed lumber is cut to 58’ lengths using a flying cutoff saw, and then each span is stacked to cure. After curing, the finger-jointed lumber is unstacked and processed
Solid wood lumber from Canadian sawmills entering the PinkWood I-joist plant undergo careful scrutiny for defects so that they meet the company's quality standards for its I-joist products. through a Weinig moulding system, which rips the lumber vertically to create the flange components of the I-joist, and also cleans off any excess glue from around the joints. The next step is an inline tension tester, to test the joints to ensure that they meet PinkWood’s performance and grade requirements. Those passing inspection proceed to the flange manufacturing
line. It has a left and right feeding system and as the flange components proceed forward, routers cut the groove into the flange, and apply glue into the groove. The flanges then encounter the OSB, or ‘web’ centrepiece component of the I-joist, at the Globe-brand web assembly machine. “We use various lengths of OSB to
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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
spotlight optimize the panel cuts,” says Parsons, with the goal to produce I-joists commonly used by builders. The most common size is 11-7/8” I-joists, representing about 80 per cent of the market. The OSB is typically 3/8” thick, with some commercial I-joist product 7/16” thick. “This is not exterior grade sheathing,” Parsons adds. “It’s web stock. So we provide the OSB supplier with certain performance characteristics that we require to maintain our physical properties. All of the I-joist suppliers generally have their own recipe.” PinkWood’s main OSB suppliers are Norbord and Tolko. The Globe assembly system combines the flange and web components and prepares the web component for assembly by dovetailing the ends. It applies glue to the ends so that assembled I-joists can be pressed and joined together as one, continuous ribbon. At the end of the continuous I-joist assembly process, a flying cut-off saw rips each joist at about 58’. The final step is heat applied in an oven to finally cure the finished I-joist. “As it is going through the press, we have an inline proprietary system, where the I-joist can be kicked through another process loop to apply the protective coating,”
says Parsons. “It comes back to the oven. Not only does the oven cure the glue, but it also cures the coating at the same time.” He believes that PinkWood is the only I-joist manufacture to have an inline application system like this in North America. The technology was proven at their pilot facility. The oven cures the glue for about 15 minutes. The cured I-joists are then stacking and strapped in a ‘nesting’ pattern to allow PinkWood to stack more joists per bundle. The 58’ bundles are then cut to the customer’s length requirements using a bundle cut saw, wrapped and prepared for shipment. PinkWood is interested in other engineered wood products, and is investigating the market potential for innovative new products like cross-laminated timbers (CLT). It has a highly qualified staff with the technical knowledge and experience to move in a new direction. “We understand engineered wood,” Parsons says, “and we know how to develop products and commercialize them.”
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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
9
BClogging Heading up A&K Timber and associated company, Wolf Lake Logging, is Andrew Johnson.
LOGGING WIN —all the way round
A First Nations business venture on B.C.’s Vancouver Island looks to be a winner all the way around, providing employment and revenue for the Snuneymuxw First Nations, logging work for A&K Timber, and timber for mill operations on Vancouver Island. By Paul MacDonald randon Good and his work crew from the Snuneymuxw First Nations (SFN) in Nanaimo, are part of the current, and future, face of the logging industry in B.C. And so is Andrew Johnson of A&K Timber, a Vancouver Island logging contractor. The two are part of a successful venture that is seeing work and revenue being generated for the SFN, logging work for A&K Timber, and timber being harvested for mill operations on Vancouver Island. Seems like a win all the way around. In a reconciliation agreement with the
government of B.C. signed several years ago, the band received three parcels of land totaling 877 hectares in the Mount Benson area, to the west of Nanaimo. Part of the band’s goal with the land is to create forestry-related opportunities, to generate revenue and jobs for SFN members. The Snuneymuxw First Nation is a large Coast Salish band located in and around Nanaimo and nearby Gabriola Island. It has one of the largest band populations in B.C., with more than 1,700 members. It already has a history of working with the forest industry—part of the operations of veneer manufacturer, Coastland Wood Industries Ltd, are on band land, and
10
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
B
Coastland also employs a large number of SFN members. The Snuneymuxw have added to that Coastland connection, contracting out the sale of 40,000 cubic metres on its Mount Benson forestlands to the company. The multi-million dollar deal included the offer of a scholarship for forestry related education for band members. The ultimate goal, says Erralyn Thomas, a band councillor and president of the Snuneymuxw Economic Development Group of Companies, is for the band to to page 12
BClogging from page 10 have its own logging company, which employs 100 per cent band members. The revenues gained through the deal will help to provide training and education that will foster that goal, she says. But as the saying goes, you have to learn to walk before you can run, and employing Brandon Good and crew seems like a solid start towards that goal. Members of the crew do timber cruising, engineering and silviculture on the band’s land. They also produce firewood, for the band’s elders. “I love it,” says Good. “It’s great, working outside in the bush.” A&K Timber, an Island-based logging contractor, was selected by the SFN to carry out the harvesting on the land around Mount Benson, and deliver wood to Coastland. Heading up A&K Timber and associated company, Wolf Lake Logging, is Andrew Johnson. “The work with the Snuneymuxw First Nation has been really interesting,” says Johnson.
“We started the first year with a bid process, and we were successful. The second year, we bid again, and, again, were successful. And now that that we’ve shown that we’ve met all the timelines and standards, and with Coastland being
logger to harvest it. But the SFN, with the help of forestry consultant Gord Atkinson, manages the timber. “I think that the Snuneymuxw, at the end of the day, have been able to realize a lot more from their timber, and in utilizing that timber,” said Johnson. “And by doing it this way, it’s also given us a chance, as a logger, to build a relationship directly with them.” Essentially, the band has been able to more efficiently manage the resource; and since it is dealing directly with a logging outfit, it is presumably getting a better rate—and return on their land base, and timber. The SFN are keenly interested in having their forestry operations work with the industry—for the benefit of all parties. “We’re partnering with forest companies to unlock the maximum forest land value so that band members and the people of Nanaimo and the region can benefit,” says Atkinson. The band notes that British Columbia, and the Nanaimo region, have been hit
“The important part is that First Nations bands like the Snuneymuxw can earn revenue long term and support their members—and we can help them do that.” happy with the timber they are getting, we’re talking about doing a proposed rate, and are negotiating with the Snuneymuxw on that basis. “They have been very good to work with, and I think they have a very good business model,” Johnson added. Some First Nations bands will contract their timber to an outside company, such as a log broker, and let that company manage it—and that company will hire a
to page 14
Keeping their equipment focused on just a couple of brands helps on the servicing and repair side, says A&K Timber’s Andrew Johnson. “Our mechanics know the machines inside and out—if there are problems, they tend to repeat themselves from one machine to another, within a brand,” he says. 12
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
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BClogging
Part of the current, and future, face of the logging industry in B.C.: Brandon Good (with chainsaw) and the work crew from the Snuneymuxw First Nations. from page 12
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with a loss of forest industry-related jobs over the last decade, with the closure of three sawmills. A long term growth strategy put forward by the band would see some 3,200 hectares made available for harvest, which would provide an additional 32,000 cubic metres of cut annually in the mid-Vancouver Island area. This move, says the SFN, would increase the flow of timber to Coastland and its mill operations, and increase its business certainty. Most of the current harvest, in the form of second-growth Douglas fir logs, presently goes to Coastland, which is looking for fir peeler logs (see sidebar story). Higher value fir poles go to Otter Point Pole and Piling, another local firm. Any cedar and standard sawlogs go to mills in the region. To sum it up, all the timber stays local. In harvesting the wood on the Mount Benson lands of the SFN, A&K Timber has modified the traditional coastal logging approach. It initially was running a conventional logging operation, using a feller buncher, a loader for hoe chucking, and a processor. Self-loading trucks picked up the wood at roadside. But this past year, they took a different tack. “We want to make the best use of all of our iron in our operations,” explained Johnson. “So we tried the approach of using a single machine, a Tigercat 855 tilting harvester with a Waratah 623 head, with one of our experienced operators, Dale Gjertsen, who is very proficient at falling and moving wood.” They went in to fall and process the right of ways, and build
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BClogging from page 14 the road, with the self-loading trucks taking the wood out. “With the Tigercat, we started doing the wide stripping harvesting, the first 100 feet from the road, to see what the cubic metre production was—and it was cost effective. So we tried going right to the boundary, falling the wood, yarding it and processing at the road. And we looked at our on-truck rate and it’s working.”
So they are able to do all the work with just one machine vs. the three machines that would normally be used in a conventional operation. “Dale is able to do between 8,000 and 10,000 cubic metres a month, with one machine, working a lot. He gets all that wood to roadside, processed and ready for the self loaders.” Key to all of this, Johnson notes, is having a solid operator, like Gjertsen. “He knows that machine, and he has the
production numbers on the machine’s computer down cold.” Johnson says Gjertsen puts upwards of 3,000 hours a year on the Tigercat 855. “Dale just loves cutting logs.” Also like Gjertsen, Johnson knows his equipment. He started out in the industry cutting shake blocks, and then moved on to operating a Timberjack 440 line skidder in his uncle’s logging business. “It was great experience—and I also had a chance to learn falling, working in small wood, in thinning operations.” Johnson ran skidder all over Vancouver Island, doing select logging, mostly on private land and farmland, for eight years. He then got lots of excavator experience, working in civil construction for four years, before moving back into logging. “From the time I bought our first piece of equipment in 1998, I’ve run each piece of equipment,” he says. Jonson explained that his original goal, in high school, was to be a heavy duty mechanic. That didn’t come to pass, but he’s got lots of hands-on experience. “Running machines as an owner-operator, you learn the machines, servicing, how to troubleshoot—I monkey-wrenched my machines and learned a lot along the way.” And, Johnson says, he’s very grateful to have that experience when he’s now running a contracting operation. “I’m very thankful for having that equipment apprenticeship, if you want to call it that,” he says. Though it is far from simple, the business side of a logging contracting operation is reasonably straightforward, he says. “The mechanical side, running and repairing equipment, is the complex side of the business.” You can go through a lot of money, very fast, if you make the wrong equipment decisions, he says. He notes that they buy a fair bit of used equipment, and it’s helpful to have had some good time in the operator’s seat. Johnson has a pretty good sense of whether, from climbing on and operating a piece of equipment, if it has much life left in it—or if it’s close to having the biscuit. Johnson is a big fan of Tigercat equipment. Among their Tigercat equipment are a Tigercat L870C feller buncher with ST5702 felling head, a Tigercat L855D feller buncher with ST5702 felling head, a Tigercat LS855D with a 5195 directional felling head, and two Tigercat LS855D to page 18
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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
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BClogging from page 16
Operating in the Snuneymuxw First Nations forestlands is A&K Timber’s Dale Gjertsen, who very nimbly runs a Tigercat 855 tilting harvester with a Waratah 623 head in the operation.
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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
machines, both with Waratah FL85 directional felling grapples On the skidder side, they have a Tigercat 632E 4-wheel and a Tigercat 635E Tigercat 6-wheel skidder. But Johnson notes that he still spreads his equipment business around. All their roadbuilding and processing equipment is John Deere … and their rock trucks are Cat. “I pick a brand and stick with it—until I feel we need to make a change,” he says. Tigercat feller bunchers, being purpose-built, deliver for them. And the brand also offers good resale value. “You pay a premium for them, but they are very well built, and they last.” The Deere and Cat equipment are a good fit for them, as well, he says. With their Madill loaders, Johnson does not really know how well they do in the resale market simply because he’s never sold one of their loaders. “We still have every Madill loader we’ve ever purchased—and we’ve now got nine of them. We rebuild them. Some of them have 30,000 hours on the clock.” Though he notes they buy a fair bit of used equipment, they recently took delivery of a new Tigercat buncher, and a new Tiger skidder. The recent purchases are part of an overall diversified equipment age plan for the company. “I try to run one-third new, fresh equipment. Another third is mediumaged equipment, say with 7,000 hours on it. And the other third is older, paidfor equipment that we can do what we want with.” The last third they could sell off tomorrow, if they needed to—or if Johnson came across a screaming used equipment deal. Keeping their equipment focused on just a couple of brands helps on the servicing and repair side, says Johnson. “Our mechanics know the machines inside and out—if there are problems, they tend to repeat themselves from one machine to another, within a brand.” All of this strategy helps to keep the equipment for A&K Timber, and its associated company, Wolf Lake Logging, working and busy. And it all helps in taking on additional work, which Johnson hopes to do, with both the forest companies on Vancouver Island, and with any associated work for First Nations bands, like the Snuneymuxw First Nations.
BClogging
Coastland a proud First Nations partner
C
oastland Wood Industries Ltd, which is consuming almost all the logs from the Snuneymuxw First Nations (SFN) lands, is a long time local forestry business on Vancouver Island, and is celebrating its 30th anniversary next year. The company started in 1988 with the construction of its Nanaimo plywood veneer manufacturing facility and has been expanding steadily since then. Committed to continuous improvement, it added a second production line in 2000, and a third line in 2013. The company strives to be on the leading edge of technology. It has three lathes, two from Coe (now part of USNR), and one from Japanese equipment manufacturer, Meinan. Coastland purchases all its timber from Coastal British Columbia and Vancouver Island on the open market. It does not hold any tenure or private timberlands. A secure and steady supply of logs for the mill are the result of relationships with Crown licensees, private landowners, and First Nations, such as the Snuneymuxw First Nations. The plant requires some 850,000 cubic metres of wood a year to maintain its production. Its annual production capacity is 1,355,000 MSF on an 1/8” basis. In addition to the company’s veneer plant and a drying facility on the mainland near Vancouver, Coastland has three log sorting facilities, in key locations. It has the capacity to process over three million cubic metres per year at these log sorts, and offers services such as sorting, scaling, booming, and chipping. In fact, the Coastland veneer plant itself is located adjacent to Snuneymuxw First Nations land in Nanaimo, and their log sort there is on land leased from the SFN. Clint Parcher, vice-president of fibre supply for Coastland, notes that they will be going into the third year of their timber supply agreement with the SFN in 2018. “It’s been great,” said Parcher. “Anytime we can directly access logs, it makes a lot of sense for us, and probably for the people that we are buying the timber from, too.” He said that if there is no “middle man” involved, they can pay the band more money, since they get that very important direct access to the fibre. And the SFN timber is a great fit. “Where their fibre is located, it’s just about 100 per cent fir, and it’s right in our size diameter, too, so it’s a perfect fit.” The perfect log for Coastland is from 5.5 inch to twelve-inch Douglas fir. They buy down to four inch timber, but they
Plywood veneer producer Coastland Wood Industries Ltd uses almost all the logs from the Snuneymuxw First Nations lands, in its manufacturing operation in Nanaimo, B.C. don’t peel anything below 5.5 inches. The smaller wood they purchase is run through their chipper, and the chips go to the Nanaimo-based pulp mill Harmac Pacific pulp mill. “We can whole log chip that size of log while we are cutting logs for the veneer mill,” says Parcher. And anything that doesn’t fit their profile, whether it be too large or the wrong species, they will typically trade for more volume that fits their needs. “Any log to us has a value,” explains Parcher. “If we don’t use it ourselves, we can trade it or sell it to someone else.” An important part of the deal with SFN for Coastland and Parcher did not involve timber but, instead, a scholarship, for forestry education. The scholarship will allow the band to provide hands-on experience to its members and it will then be able to
retain them as employees. The scholarship goes to the most deserving student of the band’s choice that is going into education related to manufacturing or forestry. Parcher says the overall deal and the scholarship are building blocks in the relationship between Coastland and the SFN. “This whole process is helping the Snuneymuxw stand on their own two feet. The important part is that First Nations bands can earn revenue long term and support their members—and we can help them do that. “I’ve seen too many horror stories where XYZ company goes in there, and they take the timber and they give the First Nations band a little bit of margin— and they walk away,” he says. “At the end of the day, the band does get some money. But in my mind, we want to help them build capacity.”
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sawmilling
What will sawmills of the future look like? Will the sawmills of the future be run entirely from an I-Phone or I-Pad? Logging and Sawmilling Journal looks at what might be in store for future sawmills with UBC wood science assistant professor Julie Cool. By Paul MacDonald t really is stunning to look at sawmills today, and compare them with sawmills— and the way lumber was produced—30 or 40 years ago. The amount of technology that is now employed in areas such as scanning and optimization is nothing short of staggering. That can also be said of the technology we employ in our everyday lives. For example, it might be a stretch, but there is probably more computing power in a single SmartPhone today than there was in a sawmill back in the 1970s. It raises the question about what lies in the future for Canada’s sawmills: will a sawmill be run someday from a Smart-
phone? And will we continue to see mills become even more technologically sophisticated, at the cost of jobs in the industry? From her office looking over the forests at the University of B.C. in Vancouver, Julie Cool, Assistant Professor in Wood Machining in the Department of Wood Science at the Faculty of Forestry, pondered for Logging and Sawmilling Journal what mills might look like in five, 10 years—and longer out. Cool has an interesting perspective; in addition to her position at UBC, she has also worked at industry research organization FPInnovations, and for a consulting firm—and is a mechanical engineer. She received her Masters and PhD in wood science from Université Laval.
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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
I
Cool’s focus is on wood machining and quality control, in primary and secondary forest products manufacturing. If it involves wood-knife interactions at the sawmill, it’s right up her street. At its core, Cool explained, the sawmilling side is all about wood machining and equipment. “And of course having the right equipment and tools to cut into that piece of wood is important, to produce the right product, and do it efficiently.” She noted that sawmills work with a variable raw natural material, with no two logs being the same. That variability needs to be accounted for so mills can manufacture a consistent sized product, in the form of 2 x 6s or 2 x 4s, which is the challenge. Cool’s work at FPInnovations involved
sawmilling working directly with individual sawmills in areas such as quality control and optimization—and it was, she says, a refreshing change from the academic work she had done at the university. Essentially, she was working with sawmills, mostly in eastern Canada, on how they should direct that most valuable of resources: capital for mill upgrades. Forest companies, of course, whether they are big or small, want to get the most bang for their capital expenditure dollars. And where that capital should go depends, of course, on the make-up of the individual sawmill operation. With the economic, and industry, downturn in 2008, Cool said that in some cases, the companies that survived were either large companies, or they were integrated, to some degree. For example, they might have had an associated flooring, siding or added value operation. “These companies are able to add value right away,” she explained. “It’s enabled them to survive, and better adjust and adapt to the changing markets.” There is more of that going on in eastern Canada, than in the West, she added. And the general sawmill approach is different, too, because of the size of the logs. Ontario and Quebec, and east coast sawmillers, are working with smaller size logs than their western cousins. “The resource here in B.C. is larger— that is especially true on the coast where processing speeds may be slower and kerf a bit thicker because lumber recovery from large logs is great and lumber value high. In sawmills dealing with smaller trees, feed speeds are much faster, and it is crucial to maximize what you get out of each log.” Cool said that for some time there has been a shift of technology from east to west, with many B.C. Interior and Alberta sawmills using technology that has been first implemented in Quebec sawmills, for example, as their logs have become smaller. “They are all trying to utilize the resource as best they can.” Perhaps more than ever in the industry, sawmills are being extremely targeted in their mill improvement investments. Specifically—though it really depends on the mill—the target could be on better optimization, scanning, or log rotation. But one thing remains steady, says Cool. “The most important cut in the sawmill is the first one. Once you’ve made that first cut, the next processing steps are often set.” So there is a strong focus on investing in the right primary breakdown equipment.
She said another trend that is continuing, often due to a shortage of trained graders, is computerized grading equipment. “You want the right people grading,” she says. Sawmills don’t want graders sending lower grades into the higher grades bin, and vice-versa. However, it can be difficult to get the right, detailoriented people for grading because mills are competing with other industries, such as mining, in rural areas of Canada, she says. The response has been more technology, in the form of high-tech grading equipment. It can, and does, pay off, but Cool cautions that it’s not “plug and play”.
“There are great grading products out there, but they need calibration. The software needs to be tailored to the type of wood that the mill is dealing with, the individual mill operations, its equipment, and line speeds. The return on investment does not happen right away, regardless of the type of automated grading equipment you put in a mill.” Cool uses the comparison of a SmartPhone. “When you get a new phone, you still need to transfer all your data and download apps before the phone to page 22
There has been a lot of technology developed for sawmills over the last 10 or 20 years—but UBC’s Julie Cool (above) believes there is still more to come. “I think there are still opportunities for improvements,” she says. Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
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sawmilling works for your specific needs—it’s not automatic. “It’s the same, but on a different scale, in a sawmill.” And the devil can be in the details in getting equipment to work properly in a mill, she says. “It’s not like it isn’t working,” she added. “The boards will all be moving through, but the best decision needs to be made—and it can take some time to get there.” In the end, mills are able to do the necessary adjustments, but it may be a bit of an effort to get there. Added to that, the mill needs the right support structure to maintain all that high-tech equipment. “The right people are needed, for example, to manage and maintain that grading equipment.” There has been a lot of technology that has been developed for sawmills over the last 10 or 20 years—but Cool believes there is still more to come. “I think there are still opportunities for improvements.” What those improvements are depend on the mill, and where they might be on
the technology curve. As with any industry, there are the early adapters, and the ones who wait, to see if new technology actually works as well as claimed. Essentially, a lot of mills are interested in being cutting edge, and less so in being bleeding edge, as the saying goes. “There may be a period of time when new technology may not perform as it should, that it may take time to work out,” says Cool. “And companies might not want to be the first to try something out. I think there is a lot of that in the forest industry, which is ok, but it can slow the technological development process down.” Depending on the mill, the technology improvements can be incremental—or sometimes huge. The uptake, says Cool, can sometimes happen in a big way if a sawmill has been watching equipment developments, and then decides to move forward with major mill improvements that would solve specific bottlenecks or problem areas in their mill. The forest industry, being cyclical, sees periods where there is little or almost no upgrades being done, due to a downturn. In these times, such as the 2008 down-
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turn, mills move into survival mode, and only do what is absolutely necessary. “Arguably, that may be the best time to invest,” says Cool. “Well chosen improvements could make you more competitive than other mills and give you an edge, allowing you to get the most from investments made in equipment. “But realistically, the money is not often there during those times,” Cool added.
sawmilling In terms of “Big Data”, data could be taken all the way back to the woods. A forest company could have a system where it knows, from the moment a log is harvested, exactly which primary log breakdown system at which sawmill would best be able to process that log.
With future upgrades, what lies ahead for Canada’s sawmills? Will there be fewer people working at mills five or 10 years down the road? That will likely continue, says Cool. But a certainty is that many of the people working at sawmills in 2020 or 2025 will be doing different work, she added. The number of people working at mills overall will probably be less, but that does not mean there will not be opportunities—
quite the opposite, she says. There will be other positions available, linked with managing and maintaining all that high-tech mill equipment, as noted. “People who have different training or knowledge will be needed,” she says. “The sawmilling industry is now high tech, and will see more and more of that, with faster processing speeds, more knowledge required, and more data being generated.” Will it be harder to recruit such tech people to work in smaller centres, like Williams Lake, B.C. or La Sarre, Quebec? Perhaps, says Cool. But those that do make the choice to work in such centres are likely to see their careers grow at a pretty good clip. “They will see their responsibilities grow faster. And the quality of life can be better, if that is what you
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
are looking for.” Despite the growth in Vancouver or Toronto, not everyone, says Cool, wants to live there. With all this equipment generating data, it begs the question how does the vague concept of Big Data work in the forest industry. Can mills effectively use all the data that is being generated by all this high tech equipment? “There are different ways of approaching it,” says Cool. “Having a lot of data can be overwhelming, and all of the data is not necessarily important or helpful. “But you can imagine connecting any piece of lumber coming out of your planer with the tree it was cut from, and knowing how it was processed. “You need to ask the right questions,” she added. “Is the data for quality control purposes? Is it to better manage the flow of lumber in the mill? Is it to measure the cutting tools you have in the sawmill, and how they are wearing? Is it to sell your product better.” If it’s the latter, Cool says mills could become more flexible and operate on to page 24
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sawmilling from page 23 the basis of current lumber markets and market demand, which could enable them to better connect with their clients. The potential for this could be huge with customers such as Home Depot, for example, that have extremely sophisticated supply chain systems. In the mill of the future, machine centres could also communicate with each other. If a piece of equipment goes down, for example, the mill system would know and immediately send wood towards another machine centre, so production is continuous. Such a system could also be used for preventative maintenance. In the case where a bearing starts getting worn, or is overheating, that information would be sent to the computerized mill management system—and would be dealt with, ideally, before a breakdown occurs. “It would be the bearing that would be telling the computer—not a person,” says Cool. Or the data could be exchanged between equipment on an operating basis. “So when you make a cant, slabs or sideboards, the next piece of equipment knows exactly what has been cut, and is ready to deal with it,” says Cool. “You could imagine having one extremely accurate x-ray scan done at the front end of the mill, that would account for all the pieces of lumber that will be produced and by which equipment— and all the equipment knowing what to expect. “Big Data can be overwhelming,” Cool says. “But the possibilities, if you embrace them, are limitless. You have to get beyond the overwhelming, and think about what you can do with all that information.” Taking that data all the way back to the woods, a mill could have a system where
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In the sawmill of the future, machine centres could communicate with each other. If a piece of equipment goes down, for example, the mill system would know and immediately send wood towards another machine centre, so production is continuous.
it knows, from the moment a log is harvested, exactly which primary log breakdown system at which sawmill would best be able to process that log. That considered, where should mills be making their investments now? Cool says the smart mills would be looking at investing in better optics with their scanning equipment, so they can generate more, and better, data. On a final note, she added that the robots are not going to be taking over sawmills anytime soon. But where further automation could be focused in a very helpful way, says Cool, is in areas where
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
mills are finding it difficult to get people now—such as in grading, and sawfiling. “If you can’t find someone to do that job, more machines may come.” In the end, perhaps all that data will be used to manage a sawmill from the equivalent of a SmartPhone in the future. But, says Cool, regardless of the advances in technology, there will still be a need for sawmillers who know their equipment, and mills, inside out. “People are a great resource,” she says. “And we really do have an amazing capacity to adapt.”
BCsawmilling
HAUER BROS. MILL has a lot of history
The mid-sized Hauer Bros. Sawmill in B.C.’s Robson Valley has a long history in the area, and these days finds its market niche producing mostly timber for regional markets in the B.C. Interior. By Paul MacDonald
T
he two Hauer brothers—Henry and Robert—that started the Hauer Bros. Sawmill operation near Valemount, B.C., always viewed setting up a sawmill as a means to an end; they were going to make some good money harvesting timber and selling lumber, and then go back to farming in Alberta. That story probably sounds familiar to a few sawmillers. But more than 65 years later, the next generation of the Hauer Family is now running the medium-sized operation in
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With their equipment decisions and mill operation, the Hauer Bros. mill seeks to get the most recovery and value out of every log they process. Pretty much all of their finished product goes to customers in Prince George, B.C. the Robson Valley region of B.C. These days, Dale Hauer, and his sister, Darleen Guillon, two of Henry’s children, are both involved in the family business and face a challenge: make some changes and additions to the mill, which includes dealing with one of the last surviving beehive burners in B.C.
The business, although modest in size, supplies jobs on both the mill side and logging side near the town of Valemount, which sits in the midst of the Rocky, Monashee, and Cariboo Mountains, in east central B.C. Utilizing spruce, pine and balsam from a 11,000 cubic metre cut on their own forest licence, and additional volumes from the Valemount Community Forest, Hauer Bros. has a steady business producing mostly timbers, from 4 x 4 through to 8 x 8 and bigger, and some 2 x 4, 2 x 12 dimensional lumber. The Hauer Bros. mill has truly been part of the local community for decades. “My dad and uncle provided lumber for just about every church in Valemount,” says Dale. Dale himself started piling lumber from the planer at the mill while he was still in school. “I worked at the mill for quite a while, and when my younger brother started at the mill, I went to the bush, and stayed on that side of the operation,” he says. Dale has seen a whole range of equipment advances in his time in the bush. They were often working in steeper ground, but it was too steep for the thennew feller bunchers. Timber was handfalled, and for skidding, they used tracked Cat equipment, to move the timber to roadside, for hauling to the mill. In the early days, he notes, the timber did not even leave the bush. “Back in the day, all the sawmills used to be in the bush and the wood was milled there. The lumber was hauled down, to be planed, and then loaded on to railcars—we had to page 28 Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
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BCsawmilling from page 27 our own rail siding,” he says. “There were a lot of bush mills back then.” Hauer Bros. had several of their own bush mills, before setting up their current operation in the community of Tete Jaune, just outside of Valemount. They’ve had two mill fires; when their beehive burner was set up, it made the operation safer, because all the wood debris could now be burned, rather than being stored on site. “We were able to salvage equipment from both of the fires, and rebuilt the mill,” says Dale. “But each time, we changed the design of the mill a bit.” They often sourced used equipment from mills in the area, and further afield. “Some of our equipment came out of a mill in Merritt, some from a mill in 100 Mile House,” he says. “Our Dad looked at what would fit with our operation.” And the mill is continuing with this approach. A recent purchase on the mill side was a used hogger, from a mill equipment sale in nearby McBride. The mill kind of has to fend for itself in terms of supplies and parts these days, says Dale. With all the mill shutdowns
the region has seen, there are fewer and fewer sales reps working the territory, simply because the business volume is pretty skinny with only a handful of small sawmills—and one major sawmill, the Canfor operation in Vavenby. “Things are a lot slower around here with the shutdowns that have taken place,” says Dale. “So now we get our supplies in Prince George, which is fine because I’m there a lot anyways.” With their equipment decisions and mill operation, Dale says, they have sought to get the most recovery and value out of every log they process. Pretty much all of the finished product leaves the Robson Valley. Valemount has a population of around 1,000, so there is limited local demand for wood products. Some of their dimensional lumber goes rough to Dollar Saver Lumber in Prince George, a lumber retailer and specialty mill. But most of their wood, in the form of timbers, goes to CanWel Building Materials, in Prince George, where CanWel has a wood treating plant. “We used to cut scaffold pine, producing 2 x10s and a lot of 2 x 12s, when a lot
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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
of wood was used in scaffolding,” explains Dale. “But when that market started drying up, we moved to producing timbers.” Some of their product also goes to Brisco Wood Preservers, in Edson, Alberta. They also ship one or two timber orders a month to Bigfoot Log and Timber Homes, in Tappen, B.C. to the south, in the Shuswap Region of B.C. From time to time, they also get orders for big timbers from eastern Canada. “We’ve been around so long that people know us,” says Dale. “The rest of the wood goes where we can get the most revenue, and we deal with brokers for that.” As much as possible, they try to steer away from producing commodity lumber, leaving that to the big guys, such as the Canfor mill in Vavenby, which started up again in 2011, after a two-year shutdown. The Canfor Vavenby mill has a production capacity of 240 million board feet a year. At one time, there was also a high production Carrier Sawmill in Valemount. “The major sawmills have got bigger and bigger, and you can’t compete with them,” says Dale. “We had to find our own way, our own niche.” But he notes that Hauer Bros. still has to carry out the same kind of support work for their relatively modest forest licence as the big guys. “We have a pretty small cut, 11,000 cubic metres a year, but we have to do everything that the big forest companies do on their large licences, from roadbuilding to reforestation. We can spend a lot of money doing roadbuilding, and it can take a long time to recover that on a small cut.” With the steep ground they work in, in this part of B.C., Hauer Bros. has done some heli-logging, skyline and high lead
BCsawmilling Hauer Bros. uses spruce, pine and balsam logs from an 11,000 cubic metre cut on their own forest licence, and additional volumes from the Valemount Community Forest. It has a steady business producing mostly timbers, from 4 x 4 through to 8 x 8 and bigger, and some 2 x 4, 2 x 12 dimensional lumber.
work to get into high ground. Sometimes the steep ground equipment is initially used to reach a bench, where Hauer Bros. would then use their own conventional logging equipment. The heli-logging can be very effective, but is almost too efficient, he says. “With the heli-logging operations, they would want to do 10 loads a day, and the problem is we don’t have the capacity or the space at the mill for that much wood—and we’d have a big stumpage bill, for wood that is just waiting in the yard. “With the skyline, we get a couple of loads a day, and then three loads from our own conventional operations—that five loads a day works out pretty good for us.” At one point, they had to switch gears, going from cutting spruce to pine, to deal with the mountain pine beetle. “But the beetle wood is pretty much done at this point,” says Dale. “We’re back into green wood, now.” Dale still works out in the bush, with nephew, Derek Guillon, and a small crew. Derek owns a Madill 3200B feller buncher that he works on contract to Hauer Bros. The operation has two skidders, a Cat 535D, that does most of the skidding work, supported by a John Deere 648E. The processing is done on contract. Carrying out the loading is a Volvo 120C equipped with a power-clam grapple. On the roadbuilding side, they have a Cat 320C excavator, and a Cat D7G dozer. A Cat D4H high drive unit also helps out with roadbuilding, and does some skidding in high elevation and wet ground. They also have two gravel trucks, a Mack 88 and Kenworth 54, both of them conversions from logging trucks. They have two logging trucks, a Kenworth and Western Star.
“If we can wheel load in the bush, we’ll use the Volvo, but if not, we’ve got a Volvo butt ‘n top at the mill. And if something happened to the wheel loader in the bush, we could bring the loader from the mill, in a pinch.” They also have a Cat 924H loader at the mill. Being resourceful, they take care of most of their maintenance. “Our millwright, generally looks after the sawmill and mobile equipment in the yard. And our guys in the bush are pretty handy,” says Dale. “Around where we are, and with our small size, you kind of have to do everything, if you can.” Used equipment is the way to go, if they want to add anything, he says. “In order to justify buying new equip-
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
ment, you have to be able to work it steady, and do a lot more logging than what we are doing.” So they make do, and work with—and on—what they have, says Dale. “For example, our Cat D7G needed major repairs—some undercarriage work. And we would not have got much for it on a trade. So, I thought, well, the motor is still good on it. So we spent a good amount of money doing the undercarriage work, and it’s been fine since then. “It needs some more work now, that’s fine—but since then, we’ve got close to 10,000 hours out of it.” Their equipment, Dale says, simply has to fit their volume. “If you have a big cut contract with Canfor or Tolko, and are doing 200,000 cubic metres a year, that’s a lot different than what we do. We do about 25,000 cubic metres a year.” As mentioned, most of that comes from their own licence or the Valemount Community Forest, but they also source some private wood in the area. “If anybody has private wood, they will
to page 30
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BCsawmilling from page 29 often come to us first because we’ve been here so long.” If the wood is too small or big, it may end up going to Canfor or a Carrier mill. “It’s hard to get good production out of our mill when the logs are too big,” says Dale. “It takes too long to cut a big log, especially when you are cutting for timbers.” When they log a block for the community forest, they will set aside what they can use—the spruce and pine—the fir will go to another sawmiller in Valemount, Simpson Lumber, cedar will go to Gilbert Smith Forest Products, to the south in Barriere, and small wood might go to the Canfor mill in Vavenby. “Canfor Vavenby seems to want all the small wood we can get, so we’re able to give them good quality wood for their operation.” The biggest issue facing the Hauer Bros. sawmill now is how to deal with their residual wood. They are one of a small number of mill operations in B.C. that still have a beehive burner, for
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Being resourceful, the Hauer Bros. mill takes care of most of their maintenance. Their millwright generally looks after the sawmill and mobile equipment in the yard. And the guys in the bush are pretty handy, says Dale Hauer. “Around where we are, and with our small size, you kind of have to do everything, if you can.”
burning waste wood, and the licence is renewed year to year. An easy solution to the problem would be some other use for the wood waste,
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off-site. At various points, the town of Valemount has looked at a District Energy System that could be powered by wood waste. And there has been talk about a pellet plant being set up in Valemount, possibly on land purchased by the Valemount Community Forest. Ideally, says Dale, they’d sell most of their waste material to a pellet operation, but still operate the burner, but in a much more limited way. That would require further permit extensions from the provincial government, for operating the burner, but these have been granted in the past. At one time, there were dozens of beehive burners at mill facilities in the B.C. Interior. But the number has dwindled to only a handful, as the provincial government, in an effort to improve air quality— and also wanting the industry to use waste wood for energy generation—has worked to phase them out. “We want to deal with this and keep the mill going—the jobs are important to the local community—but it takes time to get things like this done,” says Dale. Dale says their provincial MLA, Shirley Bond, has been very supportive of their efforts to keep the mill going, and has worked on their behalf. With a little bit of equipment and investment, the family would like nothing better than to see the mill operation carry on. Their dad and uncle, the Hauer Brothers, would undoubtedly have felt the same way.
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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
by adding their products and 70+ years of machine building experience. continued on next page
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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
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industryevents
COFI conference to tackle the industry’s burning topics There will be no shortage of issues to be talked about at the upcoming COFI conference in Prince George, B.C., being held April 4 to 6, including timber supply issues in B.C. due to beetle attacks—and a horrific year for wildfires.
38
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
By Jim Stirling
L
ast year’s annual convention of the Council of Forest Industries (COFI) was held in Vancouver, attended by about 600 delegates and acclaimed a great success. Now, in 2018, the COFI convention shifts north to Prince George, the city at the geographical heart of both British Columbia and Canada’s softwood lumber producing industry. Many of the challenges and issues identified at the Vancouver gathering have come to pass and not all of them are positive in nature. But if there’s one factor that characterizes the western Canadian forest industry, it’s that it’s populated at all levels by people who won’t shy away from adversity. Indeed, the converse is true; adversity seems to fire a determination to respond positively. It’s that trait that’s poised to transform the Prince George Civic Centre into a busy, positive and vibrant place April 4-6 as speakers and delegates face the industry’s issues and challenges head on. “We’re looking forward to coming to Prince George this year with our convention
industryevents COFI EXHIBITORS
and we feel confident of a good response,” predicted Susan Yurkovich, COFI’s president and CEO. “We have a lot of issues ahead of us.” Prominent among them and fundamental to the forest industry’s future are factors surrounding fibre supply and sustainability, said Yurkovich. The industry’s share of the productive forest land base in to page 40
BC Forest Safety..............................................Booth 28................................. www.bcforestsafe.org BC Ministry of Finance....................................Booth 42........................................ www2.gov.bc.ca BC Timber Sales..............................................Booth 11...............................www.for.gov.bc.ca/bcts BID Group of Companies...............................Booth 9.........................................www.bidgroup.ca Brunette Machinery Company Inc..................Booth 24 & 25.......................www.brunettemc.com Canadian Forest Industries Magazine (CFI)......Booth 31............................... www.woodbusiness.ca Canadian Women in Timber...........................Booth 0............. www.canadianwomenintimber.com CN.................................................................Booth 37 & 38........................................www.cn.ca Denning Health..............................................Booth 40...............................www.denninghealth.ca DLA Piper (Canada) LLP.................................Booth 45.....................................www.dlapiper.com DO2 Industrial................................................Booth 35.............................................. www.do2.ca EECOL Electric................................................Booth 30......................................... www.eecol.com Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy LLP...............Booth 4............................................www.farris.com Finning...........................................................Booth 47..........................................www.finning.ca Forest Practices Board.....................................Booth 43.....................................www.fpb.gov.bc.ca Forestry Innovation Investment.......................Booth 34.............................................. www.bcfii.ca FPInnovations.................................................Booth 36................................www.fpinnovations.ca Halco Software Systems Ltd............................Booth 21............................ www.halcosoftware.com HewSaw Machines Inc....................................Booth 12..................................... www.hewsaw.com Industrial Autolube.........................................Booth 41....................................... www.autolube.ca Leavitt Machinery...........................................Booth 33........................ www.leavittmachinery.com Lim Geomatics Inc..........................................Booth 2............................... www.limgeomatics.com LINCK GmbH.................................................Booth 18.......................................... www.linck.com Logging and Sawmilling Journal (LSJ)...............Booth 39.................................... www.forestnet.com Lucidyne Technologies, Inc.............................Booth 5...................................... www.lucidyne.com Mill Tech Industries.........................................Booth 1................................www.mill-tech-ind.com Murray Latta Progressive Machine Inc.............Booth 26 & 27..................... www.mlpmachine.com Nicholson Manufacturing................................Booth 7....................................www.debarking.com Optimil Machinery Inc....................................Booth 6........................................ www.optimil.com Porter Engineering Ltd.....................................Booth 17.................................. www.portereng.com Raptor Integration Inc.....................................Booth 16....................................... www.raptorint.ca Samuel Packaging Systems Group...................Booth 8.......................... www.samuelstrapping.com SCSFP by Finna...............................................Booth 13.................................www.finnagroup.com SiCam Systems................................................Booth 19............................. www.sicamsystems.com Signode Canada..............................................Booth 48..................................... www.signode.com Springer Microtec...........................................Booth 29.......................www.springer-microtec.com Sustainable Forestry Initiative..........................Booth 23................................... www.sfiprogram.org USNR.............................................................Booth 20........................................... www.usnr.com Valutec Wood Dryers Inc................................Booth 44..........................................www.valutec.ca VETS Group....................................................Booth 15.................................. www.vetsgroup.com VK North America, Inc....................................Booth 50...........www.valonkone.com/north-america Wesgroup Equipment.....................................Booth 32..................www.wesgroupequipment.com Westburne......................................................Booth 49.....................................www.westburne.ca Wolftek Industries Inc.....................................Booth 14......................................... www.wolftek.ca WoodWorks! (CWC).......................................Booth 46..................................www.wood-works.ca
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
39
industryevents from page 39 the B.C. Interior has taken a hammering in recent years. The prolonged mountain pine beetle epidemic will impact fibre supply in the B.C. Interior for many years. The focus by forest companies and their logging contractors on a concerted program of salvage logging was successful in converting large volumes of beetle stricken timber into valuable wood products. But the sheer scale of the epidemic will cast a shadow for years to come on the timber supply in many parts of the interior. Beetles are also attacking spruce in increasing numbers in several parts of the interior, adding to the timber supply woes. The beetles’ effects are showing up in reduced Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) calculations across the region. The AAC information is critical for forest licencees. They need to know they have a sustainable wood supply to help them invest for the future, pointed out Yurkovich. As if the mountain pine beetle legacy wasn’t enough to deal with, the changing climate also played its part in B.C. recording its worst forest fire season in 2017. The BC Wildfire Service reports there were 1,351 wildfires in B.C. from April 1 and they consumed more than 12,000 square kilometres of forest, most of it in the province’s southern interior. From the regional forest industry’s perspective, the
horrific wildfire season heralds a renewed spate of salvage logging in the interior. It’s been a source of frustration in some interior areas that the provincial government had not, by early 2018, given the green light so companies can start harvesting burned timber volumes on Crown land. “We’ve been working with the government on that,” reported Yurkovich. “We
40
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
Lumber markets remain good in North America both in terms of housing starts and in the repair and remodelling sectors. But tempering that is the troubling softwood lumber dispute and the imposition of duties on Canadian softwood imports into the U.S. want to get that fibre moving.” Wildfires rarely burn a forest stand uniformly. Opinions vary about how long standing burned volumes retain value for commodity lumber production. But most observers agree that the sooner the
to page 42
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industryevents from page 40 burned wood is harvested, the better. Value is maximized—including that to the province—more people are put to work, and the land can be reforested faster for the next rotation. “We will have speakers to present a detailed economic update at the convention,” continued Yurkovich. She said lumber markets remain good in North America both in terms of housing starts and in the repair and remodelling sectors. Tempering that, of course, is the troubling softwood lumber dispute and the imposition of duties on Canadian softwood imports into the U.S. Under President Donald Trump, the U.S. has also has also instituted a complete re-examination of NAFTA, North America’s framework trade agreement between the U.S., Canada and Mexico. “The Canada-U.S. relationship is very critical for our industry,” said Yurkovich. Hearing directly from the CEOs of major forest companies has recently become a popular feature of COFI conventions. Delegates to the Prince George convention will again have the opportunity to
listen to and ask questions of industry leaders. The relationships between technology and forest industry jobs will also be examined during business sessions at the annual meeting. Few industries apply technological expertise through so many facets of its activities as today’s forestry. COFI’s annual meetings are more than the formal agendas and speeches from
42
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
government and industry leaders. They’re also about what happens when the industry gets together on an informal and smaller scale, reminded Yurkovich. “The convention provides a huge opportunity for colleagues to communicate and come together.”
to page 44
industryevents from page 42 There will be a new membership element added to COFI’s 2018 convention. “As the high and lows of 2017 continue into the New Year, they will be addressed with a new voice for the coast,” wrote Rick Jeffery, president and CEO of the Coast Forest Products Association in a year end message. “The B.C. coastal forestry as represented by Coast Forest will be united with the B.C. Council of Forest Industries. Together we will look to the future as we always have—with resilience, persistence and optimism.” The new relationship between Coast Forest and COFI is effective April 1, 2018 “We are very pleased they (Coast Forest) made the decision,” welcomed Yurkovich. “There are a lot of issues between the coast and the interior that we have in common and this allows more horsepower to be applied to them,” she added. “There is a ton of collaboration between the organizations already, especially on trade files. When we sit around a table, we can discuss the industry and its challenges with a common voice. We have way more in common than is different.” The two soon-to-unified organizations are integral parts of the overall forest economy in B.C. A 2017 study from consulting firm PwC revealed about $13 billion of the province’s GDP comes from forestry. The study showed the forest industry is responsible for 6,000 direct jobs in B.C.; 140,000 indirect jobs and contributes to the stability of 140 B.C. communities. ”We are a cornerstone of the provincial economy,” said Yurkovich. For the latest information about COFI’s 2018 annual convention, consult: www.cofi.org
GROW YOUR BUSINESS Our Forestry Group is backed by a full-service global law firm with a wide range of experience representing clients across the country on issues affecting the forestry sector. Visit us at Booth 45 at the BC Council of Forest Industries Annual Convention to find out how we can help your organization reach its highest potential.
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44
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
Certified automatic log scaling has arrived!
The Microtec Logeye is the first and only log scanner in North America to be officially approved for automatic log volume measurement for trade by Measurement Canada. The first installation is in the debarking/bucking line of a BC sawmill, producing both government scale measurements as well as bucking optimization. By drastically reducing the manpower and log handling involved in the process, the scanner virtually eliminates scaling costs while providing accurate and consistent log measurements for trade.
Logeye features ⤬ Worldwide accredited log measurement for trade ⤬ Full 3D shape, color and density measurement ⤬ Over- and under-bark volume determination ⤬ Optimized breakdown, bucking and sorting ⤬ Increased throughput, productivity and resale value
springer-microtec.com Meet us at COFI 2018, Prince George (BC), Canada
BCsawmilling
New singulator unit
increases mill efficiency—and more New sawmilling technology, in the form of the first Brunette Machinery Retract-To-Load (RTL) log singulator unit, is helping to make operations run more efficiently at Carrier Lumber’s Tabor sawmill in Prince George, B.C.— and reducing maintenance downtime. By Jim Stirling uccessful sawmill owners are always seeking ways to improve their operations and make them run more efficiently. If an upgrade in one area of the mill contributes a positive ripple benefit elsewhere in the process, that’s so much the better. A recent new development in log singulating technology provides a case in point. The management team at Carrier Lumber recently installed the first Brunette Machinery Retract-To-Load (RTL) log singulator unit at its Tabor Sawmill near
Prince George, British Columbia. The machine is fully living up to expectations for its efficient singulation of logs. But it is also reducing maintenance downtime and facilitating an increase in piece counts to flow into the log breakdown system. “The Brunette machine does a very good job of singulating our logs and delivers a more precise load,” summarizes Bill Kordyban, Carrier’s president. “We’ve experienced no problems with the singulator since we installed it about a year ago. It’s just done its job.” Brunette’s Retract-To-Load system is designed to singulate logs for a smooth,
46
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
S
one log at a time feed from either an infeed transfer deck to debarker infeed conveyor or on to a sawmill carriage. Carrier Lumber and Brunette Machinery contribute a wealth of respective experience into their collaboration on the project. Carrier Lumber has a long corporate history of sawmill innovation. From its early days in the 1950s, the company has always been open to exploring new solutions and finding better ways to solve old problems. For its part, Brunette Machinery Company to page 48
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BCsawmilling from page 46 is also B.C.-based with its headquarters in Surrey, just outside of Vancouver, and has been active in the sawmill equipment design and manufacturing business for about 75 years. Carrier Lumber installed its Brunette RTL log singulator on its large log line but has plans to add a second RTL system in 2019. The mill was running an approximately 50 per cent spruce/pine specie mix with beetle killed wood evident in both species. The Brunette system can handle a variety of species and diameter ranges with design widths to suit eight to 24 foot log lengths. One of the signature features of Brunette’s log singulator is what the company calls its park or pre-stage position. The system holds each singulated log in a load position, allowing it to roll down onto the conveyor, explains Pieter van den Berg, Tabor Sawmill’s manager. “The system helps us reduce maintenance and unexpected downtime.” The feature also allows a shorter gap between the singulated logs going forward which in turn improves piece counts. “With the proper programming and scanning, we will be able to run a consistent six foot log gap on our large log line.” Other features of the Brunette log singulator that have impressed Carrier include the unit’s robust construction to page 50
Brunette Machinery’s engineers and designers invested about two years in the research stages before introducing its new RTL singulator to the sawmill industry. The process involved extensive collaboration with the sawmill industry and getting the opinions of those working with equipment on a daily basis. 48
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
BCsawmilling and use of structural steel. Ease of maintenance is also a notable design feature throughout the singulator, he added. Many of the singulator’s components have been designed in replaceable modules. Moving parts are connected to automatic lubrication systems. The heavy duty construction of the singulator, including its reinforced steel steps, makes the RTL a pretty stable machine, continued van den Berg. There are also few flat surfaces for sawdust to collect, minimizing fire and explosion risk. None of this, of course, came about by accident. Brunette’s engineers and designers invested about two years in the research stages before introducing its new RTL singulator to the sawmill industry. The process involved extensive collaboration with the sawmill industry and getting the opinions of those working daily with other types of equipment, and trying to incorporate their observations into the new singulator’s design. “There are four key factors in our Retract-To-Load log singulator,” explained Kirk Forbes, president of Brunette Machinery Co. He pointed out the unit’s patented retractor nose feature holds each log in a pre-load position above the conveyor. When the nose retracts, the log drops onto the conveyor while the following log takes it place in the retract-to-load, pre-stage position. The Brunette system reduces shock load to the conveyor,
reducing maintenance and repairs while allowing mills to close the gap between the singulated logs and improving piece counts in the process, he said. The second factor was re-designing the torque tube on the Brunette RTL singulator continued Forbes. “We became aware of problems the industry was experiencing. The two principal moving parts were a common point of failure. Brunette’s solution was to make them bigger and heavier, and making them easier to replace as a unit when that became necessary and reducing downtime in the process.” The guide wheel assemblies on some competing machines were another common point of failure and problematic to replace, according to Brunette’s research. “What’s new with the RTL is that whole assembly is now easy to replace in the exact same spot of the original design specifications,” said Forbes. Forbes cited the RTL singulator’s improved drive system as the machine’s fourth key feature. They’ve changed the dynamic from the conventional, he said. The load system on the machine has the ability to hold a log in a position of negative torque. “The feature extends the life of the entire drive system,” he declared. “It provides a huge mechanical advantage.”
Carrier Lumber installed its Brunette RTL log singulator on its large log line, and has plans to add a second RTL system in 2019.
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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
March 6-7, 2018 Conference, Executive Airport Plaza Hotel, Richmond, BC March 8, 2018, Post-Conference Workshop, Loon Lake
Tuesday March 6th, 2018 Pre-conference Icebreaker Wednesday March 7th, 2018 Conference and Post-conference Networking Thursday March 8th, 2018 Optional post-conference workshop Loon Lake Principal sponsors
LiDAR Workshop Sponsor
Presented by
www.foresttechx.events
Conference Programme Tuesday, March 6th, 2018, Pre-Conference Icebreaker 6-7.00pm Registrations, Refreshments + Meet the Speakers
Wednesday March 7th, 2018 7.30 am
Registrations
8:00 am
Welcome & Introduction by conference hosts Anthony Robinson, Logging & Sawmilling Journal John Stulen, Innovatek Ltd
SESSION 1: ThE agE Of dISruPTIvE INNOvaTION: juST hOW IS IT ChaNgINg ThE Way WE dO aNd WIll bE dOINg buSINESS? 8:15am
Keynote address: Disruptive innovation: Brought to you by big data Garret Mullooly, Chief Operating Officer, TreeMetrics, IRELAND
8:50am
how Timbeter is streamlining costs, sales and logistics Vallo Visnapuu, Chief Executive Officer, Timbeter, ESTONIA
9:20am
Case Study: disruptive innovation Kevin Lim, President and CTO, Lim Geomatics, CANADA
10:00am
Coffee Break and Networking
Techno lo
gy in Fo is chan rest Managem g ent don’t m ing rapidly, iss the update !
SESSION 2: hOW CaN fOrEST MaNagErS bEST harNESS IMPrOvEMENTS IN MObIlE CONNECTIvITy aNd SaTEllITE IMagEry? 10:30am
Practical utilisation of satellite imagery for resource and operational management David Herries, General Manager, Interpine Innovation, NEW ZEALAND
11:00am
Case Study: Experiential learnings to avoid pitfalls when integrating uavs into your forest management and inventory systems Philip Reece, President and CEO, InDro Robotics and Remote Sensing, CANADA
11:30am
frontline deployment of uavs in australian forest operations Mike Sutton, Manager of Forest Information and Planning, Forestry Corporation NSW, AUSTRALIA
12:00 pm
LUNCH and Networking
SESSION 3: bIg daTa: EffECTIvE STOragE, PrOCESSINg aNd MaNagEMENT Of INfOrMaTION COllECTEd by rEMOTE SENSINg 1:00pm
Individual tree inventories using lidar Cam Brown, Forsite, CANADA, and Mike Parlow, Object Raku Technologies, CANADA
1:30pm
advanced forest inventory techniques using high spatial resolution optical remote sensing imagery and lidar Dr Nicholas Coops, Associate Dean of Research and Innovation, University of British Columbia, CANADA
2:00pm:
how not to waste money with remote-sensing Zack Parisa, Founder and President, SilviaTerra, UNITED STATES
SESSION 4: fOCuS ON harvEST PlaNNINg TOOlS 2:30pm
forest manager perspectives on using harvester head data Ian Wilson, Harvesting Performance Services Manager, Interpine Innovation, NEW ZEALAND
3:00 pm
Coffee Break and Networking
3.30pm
Contractor business perspectives on management by harvester head data: ‘Nice-to-have’ or critical tool? Ian Reid, Director, Austimber Harvesting, AUSTRALIA, and Jules Larsen, Distribution and Operations Manager, Waratah, AUSTRALIA
4.15pm
Increasing log value with collaborative harvest planning: real time work scheduling and resource allocation Juha Käppi, Service Manager, Trimble Forestry, CANADA
4:35pm
lidar and imagery-derived enhanced forest inventories in 2018 Riley Côté-DeMerchant, Forestry Account Manager, Leading Edge Geomatics, CANADA
5:00pm
Networking and Refreshments
6:30pm
Conference concludes
Thursday March 8th, 2018: field Tour 7:30am
Depart conference venue for Malcolm Knapp Research Forest
8:45am
Field Tour and LiDAR Workshop commences David Herries, Interpine Innovation and Dr Martin Isenburg, Rapidlasso
Details to be confirmed. Numbers are strictly limited to registered ForestTECHX delegates. 5.00pm
Field Tour and LiDAR Workshop concludes
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event This OUT SOLD 6 1 in 20
Conference Information What will ForestTECHX 2018 cover? • Technology advances in forest management and harvesting • How disruptive innovation is changing the way we do and will be doing business • How forest managers can best harness improvements in mobile connectivity and satellite imagery • Big data: Effective storage, processing and management of information collected by remote sensing • Harvest planning and measurement tools for daily use by contractors, licencees and managers
Background: “Getting the forest information you need faster, better, cheaper” Forest management and harvesting technologies are advancing rapidly with mobile applications coming to the fore. New apps can provide answers to traditional questions in a fraction of the time earlier software platforms could. The leading application developers are tuned in to the needs of practical foresters and contractors. The result is new applications that are setting new paradigms and reducing costs for verifying key metrics out in the forest. Big software vendors are supporting or competing with smaller, more agile and user-focused practitioners More than ever, international borders are no barrier to adopting new forest measurement and harvesting aids. Just as winch-assist technology has changed forest harvesting on challenging terrain, artificial intelligence and drones are re-writing the rules for forest managers to improve forecasting, modelling and reporting when managing or harvesting forests. The pace of forest technologies, both in hardware and software applications, is now moving ahead at speed. In order to keep your management and operations teams on top of the latest developments, register for ForestTECHX 2018. Who should attend?
• Chief technology officers • Logging contractors • Forest consultants • Inventory planners
• Chief information officers • Licencees • Technical foresters • Forest owners and managers • Forest researchers • Forest resource planners • Technology & equipment suppliers
Venue: Executive Airport Plaza Hotel, 7311 Westminster Highway, Richmond, BC, CANADA Accommodation: For the 2018 ForestTECHX conference, discounted room rates are available to delegates staying at the Executive Airport Plaza Hotel. Check directly with the hotel for rates and availability. Please mention that you are attending the ForestTECHX conference when calling or booking. For online bookings, go to: www.executivehotels.net/vancouver-airport-hotel/ For room reservations, call: Freephone 1-888-388-3932, or Tel 1-800-663-2878 Organized by: Logging & Sawmilling Journal, Canada and Innovatek Limited, New Zealand Please note that the organizers reserve the right to change the program if needed without prior knowledge to event delegates.
www.foresttechx.events
Conference Registration March 6th-7th, 2018, Executive Airport Plaza Hotel, Canada 4 Ways to Register • Website: www.foresttechx.events • Tel: 604 990 9970 or New Zealand (+64) 7 921 1382 • Email: tahlia.hopkins@innovatek.co.nz or Fax to New Zealand (+64) 7 921 1381 • Mail this registration form to: ForestTECHX 2018 Conference, PO Box 86670, North Vancouver, BC, V7L 4L2, Canada SPECIALS: Super Early Bird Discount: Register BY Wednesday December 20th, 2017, Early Bird Discount: Register BY Friday February 9th, 2018 Discounts are also available for multiple registrations and listed Supporting Association Members.
Delegate Details: Name:
Position:
Email:
Company: Postal Address: Contact Person: Tel:
Fax:
I will be participating in the Interpine Innovation Field Tour and LiDAR Workshop on Thursday March 8th, 2018
Registration Rates:
Rate
Super Early Bird Rate (payment by December 20th, 2017)
CAD$ 450
$
Early Bird Rate (payment by February 9th, 2018)
CAD$ 495
$
Standard Rate
CAD$ 595
$
# Attendees
Total
Group Rate (when booking 3 delegates from same company)
CAD$1470
$
Supporting Association Discount Rate
CAD$ 495
$
SUB TOTAL
$
+ GST (5%)
$
GRAND TOTAL
$
(contact Innovatek for this discount)
Registration Details:
• All prices exclude GST (5%). • Only one special rate offer can be applied for. • Supporting associations include: Interior Logging Association (ILA), The Truck Loggers Association,. • To be eligible for the Super Early bird rate, registrations and payment must be received by Wednesday december 20th, 2017. • To be eligible for the Early bird rate, registrations and payment must be received by friday february 9th, 2018. • All discounts offered (including ‘Super Early Bird’, ‘Early Bird’ and group discounts) require payment at time of registration. • Your conference registration payment covers coffee, lunch, refreshments, a conference handbook and access to presentations after the conference concludes (electronic download for those presentations will be available where presenter approval has been given). Cancellation policy: For cancellations before friday january 26th, 2018, a 10% administration fee applies. Cancellations received after january 26th, 2018, are nonrefundable but are transferable. Please allow 30 days for refunds to be processed. If you wish to transfer your registration to another individual from the same company, please provide us with at least 24 hours advance notice.
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For enquiries about ForestTECHX 2018: Canada
call: 604-990-9970 email: robinson@forestnet.com
New Zealand
call: +64-7-921-1382 email: tahlia.hopkins@innovatek.co.nz
February 2018
The Edge Landowners urged to take action to mitigate impact of widespread aspen dieback in Alberta BY TONY KRYZANOWSKI
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rembling aspen, also called white poplar, is a commercially important hardwood species that grows throughout Alberta, but more abundantly in the northern half of the province. But for the past two decades, it has experienced widespread dieback. Private woodlot owners, municipal governments, and the forest industry should be aware that the combination of severe drought, climate change, insect defoliation, and disease infection are resulting in a significant aspen dieback in parts of Alberta and North America, says Toso Bozic, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry Bioenergy/Agroforestry Specialist. This is creating a fire hazard, ecosystem change, loss of biodiversity, water retention issues, and loss of commercial potential for this wood species. At present, 3.4 million hectares of privately-owned forests in Alberta are pure or mixedwood aspen stands, consisting of about 70 per cent of the entire privatelyowned forest in the province. Bozic says that according to the Alberta Climate Records website study dataset of almost five million climate-observed records from 6833 locations across the province—collected by the University of Lethbridge from 1950 to 2010—the weather is getting warmer, the growing season is getting longer, the number of frost days are declining, and the number of days of minus 10 degrees Celsius or lower has declined to almost half of what it was in 1950. These trends are continuing in the same direction every year. Aspen is the most widely distributed wood species in North America. It is com-
monly used in the production of oriented strandboard (OSB) and pulp, and to a lesser extent, solid wood products. It is an important commercial species in Alberta, as OSB and pulp producers source between 10 and 20 per cent of their wood supply annually from private land throughout the province, or between two and three million tonnes of aspen. It is considered a pioneer hardy species that grows in a range of soils and habitats, but prefers adequate soil moisture and nutrients. It is not shade tolerant. In this habitat, it is described as a water-limited and drought-sensitive species, where prolonged drought can lead to dieback. The Canadian Forest Service (CFS) has been monitoring dieback in Alberta’s aspen forest since the mid-1990’s, initially with industry support and then with additional and ongoing support from the provincial government, including the Alberta Agriculture and Forestry Department. CFS has established 30 aspen research and monitoring sites across Western Canada, Ontario and the Northwest Territories through the Climate Impacts on the Productivity and Health of Aspen (CIPHA) project. Alberta sites are being monitored on an annual basis. Mike Michaelian, Forest Health Technician with CFS and researcher with the CIPHA project, says that more than half the aspen tagged on all CIPHA sites since 2000 are now dead, and the number of trees growing to replace them is in decline. “The northern half of Alberta has been exceptionally dry since 2000, with 2015 being one of the driest years in many parts of northern Alberta in probably more than 80 years,” he says. “We’ve also had a forest tent caterpillar infestation.”
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
Not only is there a severe aspen dieback occurring in Alberta, but replacement trees in the understorey are in decline.
The combination of these two factors has meant that the severity, speed, and extent of the aspen dieback issue has been magnified. As this dieback trend is expected to continue, Bozic suggests that landowners take a careful survey of their woodlots to identify any dieback issues. They can put a plan in place to derive an income from the woodlot before it decays beyond commercial value, which could include sale of the wood for use locally by small or large energy companies in the production of bioenergy. Hopefully, they also put a woodlot regeneration plan in place, although some landowners may choose to convert that land to agriculture production. Bozic says that what landowners can also do to help preserve the commercial value of an at-risk aspen woodlot is to plant coniferous species in the understorey, turning a pure aspen stand into a more resilient and valuable mixedwood forest. For more information about Alberta aspen dieback and mitigation strategies, contact Toso Bozic at toso. bozic@gov.ab.ca.
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The Edge
CWFC brings science to life, planting short rotation woody crops to revegetate phosphogypsum stacks BY TONY KRYZANOWSKI
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he Technology Development and Transfer Group of the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre (CWFC) has experienced an unqualified success with the world’s first implementation of a short rotation woody crop to revegetate several phosphogypsum stacks. Starting in 2015, CWFC partnered with Nutrien, formerly Agrium Canada Partnership, and the University of Alberta to test CWFC’s proven, short rotation woody crop system in an industrial reclamation application at Nutrien’s Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta nitrogen plant. The entire revegetation project takes in about 19 hectares consisting of two phosphogypsum stacks and a reclaimed retention pond. Taking this approach was new for both Nutrien and CWFC. Typically, phosphogypsum stack closure involves contouring the piles, covering with soil, and seeding a grass mixture. CWFC’s short rotation woody crop technology is applied primarily on agricultural and non-industrial afforested lands, which are sites where trees are not present. This project, demonstrating the planting of high yield afforestation crops like hybrid poplar and concentrated biomass beds of hybrid poplar and willow, has been so successful that CWFC is confident that Nutrien, with facilities throughout the world, now has the knowledge and tools it needs to expand this rehabilitation approach on its own, wherever appropriate and on its own schedule. “We went into this project from the science point of view of asking if the trees would survive in that environment,” says Tim Keddy, CWFC Wood Fibre Development Specialist. “Now that we are quite sure that we have created a system and a protocol for Nutrien to use on future sites, they can proceed on their own, although we continue to provide support.” Keddy adds that CWFC’s primary goal on this project was to bring research to life. “We’ve conducted a lot of research and development work on short rotation woody crops since 2002,” he says. “This was an opportunity to bring all that research to industry, and bring it to life. Now, 56
Nutrien Environmental Scientist Dr. Connie Nichol (above) stands beside one year of short rotation woody crop growth on a reclaimed retention pond. there is not only national uptake of this research, but also international interest.” Nutrien Environmental Scientist Dr. Connie Nichol says that she has shared this revegetation concept with people from many countries, including Malaysia, Sudan, Turkey, China and Jordan. They are very excited about the project and applying a similar concept to their gypsum stacks. One of the benefits of this revegetation approach vs. a grass cover is that once these plantation sites achieve crown closure which normally occurs within five years of establishment, vegetation growth beneath the trees is inhibited, with the site essentially left in a free-to-grow state without any need for maintenance. This is compared to grass sites that require regular maintenance. Establishing short rotation woody crops on these sites also improves their aesthetic value, improves carbon sequestration, and produces a commercial crop that could be harvested for use in such applications as bioenergy production. There were some areas on the reclaimed sites where Nutrien had difficulty growing grass, but trees were able to establish. The company was also interested in evaluating how tree plantations vs. grass cover would impact snow cover and water movement, as their goal was to minimize infiltration into the stacks, especially in spring. CWFC started by planting four different plots of concentrated biomass on a reclaimed retention pond, consisting of two willow clones and two hybrid poplar clones in a concentrated biomass pattern. “They all did well that first year. Nutrien Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
liked the response, so from there, they asked us to revegetate two stacks in that same area,” says Keddy. That project proceeded the following two years, and CWFC introduced its high yield afforestation pattern involving hybrid poplar. CWFC would like to establish a mixedwood plantation where it has grown its high yield afforestation plantation by planting coniferous seedlings in the understorey once crown closure occurs. The benefit of this approach is that it extends the lifespan of the plantation. Once the faster-growing hardwood crop reaches maturity and is ready for harvest, the slower-growing coniferous crop then takes over, providing Nutrien with another commercial crop while continuing to manage such important issues as water run-off for 80 or more additional years. The woody fibre crops have themselves benefitted from being applied on these phosphogypsum stacks. Although a benign byproduct of fertilizer production, the phosphogypsum still contains some nutrients that benefit plant growth. This has expressed itself in vigorous tree growth within the first three years. “It is quite a paradigm shift for them (people from other countries) to be thinking about the beneficial use of phosphogypsum in situ to grow trees,” says Nichol. For more information about the Nutrien project, contact Tim Keddy at tim.keddy@canada.ca, or CWFC Program Manager Derek Sidders at derek. sidders@canada.ca.
The Edge
Alberta Aspen Innovation Centre launches in China through Alberta Innovates collaboration BY TONY KRYZANOWSKI
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lberta’s forest industry has a new pathway to tap into China’s vast market with the recent launch of the Alberta Aspen Innovation Centre at Nanjing Forestry University. It is a new platform of international collaboration in technological innovation of wood processing and furniture manufacturing. Through its joint support of the centre with the university, the province’s goal is to encourage more use of Alberta’s abundant aspen resource in China. Alberta’s oriented strandboard (OSB) producers have a strong desire to diversify their product mix and markets to reduce their dependency on the American housing market where most of the province’s OSB is used. This initiative addresses those industry priorities. Alberta Innovates CEO Laura Kilcrease represented the province at the signing and inauguration ceremony last November at Nanjing Forestry University in China. Establishment of the Alberta Aspen Innovation Centre is an excellent start to a new five-year partnership to continue development of new strand-based products, she noted. This extends a decades-long partnership with the university, to develop non-structural applications of panelboard products using Alberta aspen in China. The last five-year partnership agreement, signed in 2013, yielded significant benefits to Alberta’s forest industry. Norbord, one of several, large oriented strandboard (OSB) producers in the province, has established a business partnership with Tubao, one of China’s leading flooring, wooden door, veneer and plywood manufacturers. Tubao has 753 franchised stores in China and 3,000 employees. Norbord, a Canadian-based global producer of panelboard products, has 15 OSB mills. Two OSB plants are in Alberta. The company’s High Level mill can produce 860 million square feet of OSB annually on a 3/8th inch basis, and the Grande Prairie mill is capable of producing 730 million square feet on a 3/8th inch basis. Last April, Alberta Innovates renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
One goal of the new Alberta Aspen Innovation Centre at Nanjing Forestry University in China is to open new export markets for oriented strandboard produced in the province. with Tubao to continue joint research and development of wood products in the Chinese market. Kilcrease noted that encouraging more aspen use by China’s forest products industry represents a significant business opportunity for the province. “One thing we do have in great abundance is forest,” she said at the Alberta Aspen Innovation Centre inauguration event, noting that of Alberta’s 30.7 million cubic metre annual allowable and sustainable wood harvest, 12 million cubic metres is deciduous, with most of it being aspen. “Half of our deciduous annual allowable cut is under-utilized,” she said. “So, we see a strong fit for Alberta aspen to meet China’s market demand for wood products.” Alberta Innovates and Nanjing Forestry University will jointly perform research and development, creative design and technology transfer at the Aspen Innovation Centre. The centre will also promote applications and develop markets for Alberta aspen in China. While in China, Kilcrease also represented the province at the Alberta Cup awards ceremony at the LuoYang Peninsula Training Centre. It is a home furnishing design competition among Nanjing Forestry University students. The event is organized by Dehua Tubao New Decoration Material Co. Ltd and the university to feature the use of Alberta panelboard products in home furnishings applications. This was the fourth Alberta Cup competition. Sponsors include the Alberta government, China
National Forest Product Association, Nanjing Forestry University, Tubao and Norbord. Past competitions have yielded as many as 750 design entries. Both events were an opportunity to bring Alberta’s Chinese partners in wood product development up to date on the consolidation of four research and innovations agencies into a single agency operating under the Alberta Innovates banner. Since this consolidation in late 2016, Alberta Innovates has become the province’s largest research and innovation agency with 600 employees in 10 locations. According to Alberta Economic Development and Trade, Alberta’s merchandise exports to China between 2012 and 2016 totalled $3.26 billion. China is Alberta’s third largest lumber market and second largest pulp market, accounting for 21 per cent of the province’s total export market with shipments valued at $489 million in 2016. In addition to Tubao, the Alberta government and industry have also developed a productive relationship with Dongshun Wood Products, and has hosted five successful softwood lumber grading seminars at various Chinese locations to educate lumber buyers on Western Canadian SPF lumber.
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For more information about Alberta Innovates trade initiatives in China, contact AI Communications Specialist Julia Necheff at julia.necheff@albertainnovates.ca.
TECHUPDATE
By Tony Kryzanowski
OPTIMIZERS SPRINGER MiCROTEC
SPRINGER MiCROTEC believes it occupies a unique position in the global wood processing industry. The company says that it is the only optimization provider to provide 100 per cent inhouse developed solutions from logs to lumber. From bucking, breakdown, edging, trimming, and planer mill, through to rip and chop optimization, all of SPRINGER MiCROTEC’s scanners and
software, down to the camera level, have been developed by the same team, using a common platform from the ground up. This consistency means its products talk to each other. All of its products communicate with the Microtec Mill Manager, a common reporting and configuration platform which allows for consistent modeling and sharing of data between machine centres. The company’s innovations include being the first and only manufacturer of CT Log, a CT scanner for logs, which allows manufacturers to accomplish what has up to now been only a dream, to see inside a log before sawing it. SPRINGER MiCROTEC is also the only manufacturer to use x-ray technology in all of its log and lumber scanners. www.springer-microtec.com
curve sawing wiggle box, Autolog supplied its new modular scanner frame, which allowed for an easy installation and removal of the old frame, especially in a tight environment. The scanners were supplied by Hermary Opto from Coquitlam, B.C. The impact on the mill was substantial. They increased uptime on the line, increased the percentage of 16’ lumber by 3 per cent, increased the volume recovery by 2.5 per cent, increased the value recovery by 3 per cent and they reduced the gap to further increase production. A similar approach was taken for the other two projects at the mill, which involved the replacement of the optimization and controls at the canter-twin and the upgrade of their Autolog ProGrader linear planer optimizer. www.autolog.com
FinScan
The BoardMasterNOVA automated grading solution allows sawmills and planer mills to automatically grade and optimize production yield, all within a very small footprint in their production lines. The innovative design allows 100 per cent of the board’s surfaces to be scanned, analyzed, optimized and graded without ever being turned or manually handled.
Autolog
Backed by 30 years of experience in the wood industry, Autolog presents an alternative to the sawmill industry by offering standard optimization and control systems for many different machine centres. Tembec, now owned by Rayonier Advanced Materials, has a long term capital plan with a focus on the modernization of its sawmills. Investments are proposed to be completed in three phases. As part of phase one, three projects were identified for the Hearst, Ontario operation to upgrade its optimization and control systems: a canter-twin optimizer, a curve cant optimizer and a linear planer optimizer. The first project consisted of a curve cant sawing optimizer. It was implemented in a staged fashion to minimize risk for both enterprises. Autolog supplied new scanning, optimization and controls on an existing Newnes McGehee 10” curve sawing “wiggle box” gang edger. For both sawmill projects, the canter-twin and the McGehee 58
Since each mill operates with its own specific lumber and rules, FinScan has established a testing facility in British Columbia that determines expectations and results prior to any expense or commitment by the customer. This testing process is part of FinScan’s promise to always offer customers the most value, while minimizing risks for their operations. Features include use on green or dry lines, up to 250 boards/ min, 100 per cent board visibility with no chain obstruction, highest image optimization resolution on the market, laser thickness measurement, and use with rough or planed boards. www.finscaninc.com
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
techupdate LMI
USNR
For over 40 years, USNR has been a leader in scanning, optimization and process controls technologies, and the company says its expertise and experience is second to none. Today, it has hundreds of systems operating on nearly every continent worldwide. Its technology is focused on value, recovery, throughput, and reliability, to help its customers keep pace and effectively compete in a global marketplace. From bucking through initial log breakdown, USNR’s 3D modeling and optimization capabilities incorporate algorithms from downstream processes to ensure customers capture the maximum value from every piece. Gang and edger optimization has evolved as new methods have come online to process cants and flitches into a multitude of lumber products, meeting market demands for a broad range of dimension and specialty products. New sensor technology that adds vision data to laser profile measurements during the edging process has led to the development of systems that not only optimize for maximum recovery, but also for maximum value. www.usnr.com
Prologic+
The next available update to the Prologic+ TrueShape scanner is called GDD+, standing for Geometrical Defect Detection. This includes new and improved TrueShape algorithms filters. Prologic + says that there are many benefits to using its new GDD+ TrueShape linear scanners. After one year of development and testing, it has improved its filtering algorithms for better use of all those pixels that the new LMI Gocator 2880 provides. Its scanners can now detect defects that were long ignored or filtered at primary and secondary breakdown. Those defects are splits, holes and catfaces. For example, logs having splits and catfaces will have those defects detected and will provide, according to the optimal scenario, a new rotation, chip away the defect or if needed, give a lower grade product. These new algorithms can be added to any existing Prologic+ TrueShape scanner. This update will result in more sawline uptime by reducing jams and increase productivity and safety for the whole sawmill by reducing low grade material handling throughout production. www.prologicplus.com
LMI Technologies, a developer of 3D scanning and inspection solutions, has launched its Gocator 200 series of modular multipoint scanners, the latest addition to the Gocator line of smart, all-in-one, 3D sensors for material optimization and 100 per cent quality control. With Gocator 200 multi-point scanners, users can create a scanning system based on a modular design that allows a mix of 3D profiling, tracheid detection, and color vision for sawmills and planer mills looking to maximize wood breakdown decisions. The G200 series is based on coplanar scanning that effectively captures both the leading and trailing edges of lumber while minimizing conveyor footprint, offers true differential profiling for accurate thickness measurement, and can scale from one to 48 sensors to cover various lumber length requirements. Based on the proven high density profile design of chroma+scan, Gocator 200 scanners run 50 per cent faster to achieve scan rates at 3 kHz matching mills running at 300 ft/min. In addition, tracheid scan rates are three times faster to deliver 1.5 khz density for exceptional detail in wood grain detection. www.lmi3d.com
MPM Engineering
MPM Engineering has installed a new edger optimizer system at Weyerhaeuser Princeton, B.C. using the Hermary DPS824 scanner heads and the latest True Shape Edger Optimizer software from MPM. The system was installed over a two-day weekend. The old system teardown began on a Saturday morning and the new system was up and running by Sunday evening. System installation was a co-ordinated effort between the site engineering department, mechanical installation crew, mill electricians, and
the MPM installation team. The new system includes the latest 3D modeling algorithms for the flitch as well as the latest optimization software, all hosted on a Windows 10 Pro 64 bit operating system. www.mpmeng.com
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SUPPLIERNEWSLINE
By Tony Kryzanowski
Cortex making waves in the chipper knife market with support of Simonds and Burton Saw Sawmills have long asked for more choice and competition in the reversible chipper knife market. The status quo has always been purchasing chipping heads and being stuck with the same knife supplier for the life of the head. This creates comfortable pricing for the knife manufacturer and a suffocating market for the customer—devoid of competition, cost savings, or innovation. If you have a problem with the knives, the only way out is to invest over $70,000 for new chipping heads…. difficult to slide that into the maintenance budget. Fortunately an innovative and rapidly growing company is said to have kicked in the door of the status quo and is making waves throughout the industry. Cortex, founded by Gavin and Trent Carpenter, of Portland, Oregon has designed what they say is a superior knife which can be bolted into existing chipping heads, conical, or drum style heads. The ‘bolt in and go’ solution allows mills to immediately gain increased performance and significant cost savings without the
huge capital expense of new heads. For example, a simple change in wear components, such as clamps and counterknives, provides an immediate savings and superb performance right from the start, according to the company. Cortex also manufactures conical heads and segments which can replace chipping heads as they wear out. ‘Bolt on and go’ forces the older knife companies to finally compete for mill business, says the company. “Our mission is to earn your business through performance,” states company president and co-founder Trent Carpenter. “The huge savings on knives and wear parts is simply a bonus. “We provide a performance evaluation period where we simply send you the parts, install them with a certified Cortex tech, and you see the results yourself. No contracts. No hassle. It’s how it should be,” he adds. In 2016, Cortex signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Burton Saw and
Central Interior B.C. – Drum head conversion 60
Cut Technologies. Shortly thereafter, they installed the first drum style conversion in Northern B.C. Right out of the gate, the sawmill saw the knife edge wasn’t chipping out as much compared to the competition. Cortex worked directly with the mill and made some refinements before fully releasing the product. Running at 650 fpm in frozen wood gave the customer the confidence and data to convert the entire line. Cortex uses the latest in cold steel forming technology. ‘The tighter the
Solid head conversion – Alabama.
Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
suppliernewsline tougher’; the cold drawing process forces the steel into a dense grain structure strengthening the knife from within. When looking at the knife, you see a smooth mirror finish on the cut surface. This is a huge contrast to the deep grinding marks etched onto the surface from current reversible knife manufacturers. “This makes a huge difference in knife life, even in the toughest applications,” explains Carpenter. Jason Allen, vice-president of sales for Burton and Simonds International, states: “Our customers have told us for years that we need to find them a solution for chipping heads without having to wait for them to wear out. Cortex was a great fit—an innovative and dynamic approach to the market, offering incredible value to the customer, and a deep history of
product knowledge on all applications. “Western Canadian sawmills have an opportunity to put some significant savings back in their pocket with a Cortex upgrade, and that’s a win for everyone,” says Allen. With multiple installations each month throughout North America, Simonds and Burton Saw are loading up their 12 distribution facilities with Cortex parts to facilitate the ‘bolt on and go’ conversion in any application. With the merger with Simonds (see sidebar story), they now have a wealth of talent at all levels in service and sales to support the accelerating growth of the Cortex product line. This material was supplied by Burton Saw and Supply and Simonds International.
New slabber head Skeena Sawmills, Terrace B.C.
Simonds International and Burton Saw & Supply merging Simonds International and Burton Saw & Supply have announced the merger of the companies in a transaction that they say will create the leading producer and marketer of cutting tools and related equipment for the primary wood fiber industry. The combined entity will continue to operate in North America with facilities located in the major wood fiber regions. All products and customer segments currently served by Burton, Simonds and B.G.R. Saws will continue uninterrupted during the integration process, and following. The focus will be to identify and implement the Best Practices of each of the companies and leverage them across the entire organization. The combined company delivers the most extensive range of products and services available to the company’s end users, it says. Its range of maintenance equipment, cutting tools and consumable supplies allows the company to provide
the complete needs of customers’ production process. Popular brands include: Simonds, B.G.R. Saw and Cut Technologies custom-made and engineered saw blades; Simonds, Cortex and Global Tooling wood processing knives; and Armstrong and Wright Machine filing room equipment. It
says the merged company maintains very strong relationships with the key file room suppliers that the industry relies upon, and represents through distribution several other brands of innovative European filing room equipment.
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suppliernewsline Komatsu acquires Quadco and Southstar
Komatsu Ltd. has signed an agreement to acquire the Quadco and Southstar forestry attachment operations from Quebec-based Prenbec Equipment Inc. By adding the Quadco felling heads and Southstar large harvester heads to the existing lines of Log Max and Komatsu small and medium-sized harvester heads, Komatsu will become an industry leader in forestry attachments, the company says. This will allow Komatsu to offer its customers a full range of forestry attachments. The acquisition will be made through a wholly owned subsidiary of Komatsu in the U.S. and is expected to close in February. The deal excludes the forestry equipment businesses of Tanguay and Forespro delimbers. Quadco and Southstar will continue to operate as independent companies within the Komatsu group following the completion of the acquisition and will maintain their existing sales networks. To offer improved value to customers, a forestry attachment division within Komatsu Forest AB will be formed, which will manage the Quadco, Southstar, and Log Max brands. In 2016, Komatsu launched a threeyear mid-range management plan, to grow towards the company’s 100th anniversary in 2021, and beyond. In line with this plan, Komatsu decided to make this acquisition and expand its forestry attachment business, it says. The global market for forestry machines, including forestry attachments, is continuing to grow at a rapid rate. It’s anticipated that there will be particular growth in the North American market, the company says. www.home.komatsu/en/press/2018/ others/1198707_1831.html
Vacuum scraper a new concept in dust mitigation
The removal and collection of dust fines has been a long-standing concern for many companies, from a safety perspective as well as the loss of potential revenue. In a number of different industries, conveyor systems are moving products that create fine particulates, some not even visible to the naked eye. Over time, these large and fine particulates build up as they become dislodged by the return rollers. They become airborne and are carried by air currents to accumulate on
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the floor below or to be deposited on the surrounding structures and equipment. The airborne dust is a health and safety hazard as it can be inhaled, reduce visibility or cause failure of conveyor system components. If the materials are combustible, they also have the potential to ignite catastrophically and cause serious life threatening injuries. The Vacuum Scraper was specifically designed to dislodge and collect the carryback material at the head pulley, before the first return roller, to effectively migrate these issues. By utilizing Infinity Belting Ltd.’s patented Finger Scraper technology, the Vacuum Scraper is able to remove and contain 87 per cent to 97 per cent of the carryback, for collection by in-house dust collection systems. www.infinitybelting.com
Vanguard Cranes completes move to Chemainus, B.C.
Profab Manufacturing Ltd has announced that Vanguard Cranes is now officially in the Vancouver Island community of Chemainus, B.C. “We are in full production,” says the company, adding that having the combination of Profab Trailers and Vanguard Cranes manufactured out of the same facility will prove to be much easier for customers looking for new combined units. All parts sales for both Vanguard Cranes and Profab continues from Chemainus. “We look forward to continuing our strong relationships with our current customers and building new relationships with our new Vanguard Cranes customers,” says Profab Manufacturing. www.profabmanufacturingltd.canic.ws
Carbotech opens new office in Quebec City
Forest industry supplier Carbotech has opened a new office on Quebec City’s north shore in the Saint-Nicholas district. A division of Carbotech’s Plessiville head office’s engineering department, the new offices will mainly accommodate Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
new draftspeople, mechanical engineering technicians, engineers, project managers and the company’s after-sales service staff working in the ‘CARBOCARE’ unit. Taking advantage of its momentum and a favorable economy, Carbotech says it will continue developing markets in South America, Europe, Oceania, the United States and Canada. At the same time, the company will maintain its contribution to the lumber industry by continuing to develop patented concepts for efficient lumber production. www.carbotech.ca
New Prairie dealer for JCB equipment
Westcon JCB, headquartered in Regina, Saskatchewan is the newest addition to JCB’s North American dealer network. The new dealer will sell, rent and service JCB equipment from branches in Regina, Saskatoon, and Winnipeg. Westcon Equipment has sold and serviced heavy equipment on the Prairies since 2004. The new Westcon JCB will initially carry JCB backhoes, excavators, skid steers, compact track loaders, telescopic handlers, wheel loaders, Access aerial work platforms, and rough terrain forklifts. www.westconjcb.com
John Deere changes engine on some tracked feller bunchers and harvesters
John Deere’s 900M-Series tracked feller bunchers and 900MH-Series harvesters are now equipped with Final Tier 4 (FT4)
engines, which the company says offers fuel and fluid-efficient machines without sacrificing power and performance. John Deere says it is a leader in FT4 technology, offering a diesel particulate filter (DPF) solution that is known for its to page 64
suppliernewsline from page 62 ability to reduce the dependency of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). With the required emissions change, John Deere FT4 engines maintain power density, torque, and transient response, which results in productivity, uptime, and more value. The company says that in addition to excellent fuel economy, the design of the engine after-treatment system results in exceptionally low Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) usage. “DEF usage has become a real input into the planning and cost of the overall equipment operation,” says Jim O’Halloran, product marketing manager for John Deere. “We have to talk about overall fluid economy now, and if you use less fluid, there is less handling and storage requirements. It’s a real positive factor in the efficiency and overall bottom line of our customers.” www.johndeere.com
Pettibone introduces Cary-Lift 254i to material handling lineup
Pettibone has added the Cary-Lift 254i to its line of log handlers. The Cary-Lift 254i features a unique overhead lift arm design, giving the operator full front visibility when lifting or transporting loads—a sharp contrast to
the lift arms on wheel loaders, which are located directly in front of the vehicle. Additionally, Cary-Lift forks are capable of tilting down 90 degrees for specialized lifting tasks. The 254i is powered by a 225 hp Cummins QSB6.7 Tier 4 diesel engine with DOC and SCR after-treatment. The unit includes an engine-driven fan, cooling package and engine block heater as standard equipment. The machine provides a maximum load capacity of 25,000 lbs and maximum lift height of 14’. Offering 4-wheel drive with 2-wheel, 4-wheel and crab hydraulic power steering modes, and with the wheelbase limited to just 12’, the 254i can achieve a turning radius of 23’ 6’. Unlike forward-reaching articulated 64
loaders, the Cary-Lift’s heavy-duty, solid steel frame design allows it to take full loads into sharp turns without sacrificing load capacity or stability. www.gopettibone.com
Oregon announces upgrade to 70 LGX saw chain The new Oregon PowerCut 70-Series EXL saw chain is an evolution of the popular LGX 3/8” professional saw chain
chrome and steel with a tough optimized structure. The carefully engineered thickness of the chrome layer creates a lasting sharpness. The chain requires less power from the saw and delivers an optimal cut due to its unique angle design. The small arrowshaped channels in the links help achieve superior lubrication results by transporting oil to the chain during operation. It comes pre-stretched from the factory, preparing it for use right out of the box, saving time and decreasing the risk of saw damage. The chain is available for a limited selection of 400 and 500 series saws. www.husqvarna.com/ca-en/accessories/ chainsaws/
Wajax celebrates 50 years as Hyster distributor for 50 to 100cc chainsaws. This upgraded chain features a proprietary grind that provides increased performance with reduced operator fatigue. The new 70-Series EXL saw chain also offers a proprietary multi-axis grind technology and precision-ground cutters to help the saw power through timber, as well as LubriTec technology that keeps the saw chain and guide bar oiled for less friction and longer life. It has improved grind shape profile to better match the shape of the file, making it easier to file a precise edge. The Gold Loop Start Indicator makes sharpening easier with start-stop identification. The saw chain also has an overall design that reduces the force applied by the operator. www.OregonProducts.com
New Husqvarna X-Cut chain design requires less saw power Husqvarna offers a new line of X-Cut chains, completely developed, designed and manufactured in the company’s state-of-the-art production facility in Sweden.
The X-Cut SP33G chain offers more control and creates an optimal performance experience, says the company. It is a low-vibration pixel chain made of Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
2017 marked the 50th year of the business relationship between Wajax and Hyster, who celebrated the occasion with a series of events across Canada as well as with the introduction of new warehouse products and the latest Class V internal combustion pneumatic forklifts. Wajax is the sole Canadian distributor of Hyster products. Throughout the year, Hyster and Wajax celebrated their half-century long association with special events. Hyster is a leading manufacturer of forklift trucks in Canada and one of the best-known names in the material handling industry. Wajax offers an extensive selection of new and used Hyster forklifts for sale across Canada, as well as expert local service. With a fleet of more than 2,500 Hyster forklifts in Canada, Wajax can also meet virtually any short or longterm rental requirements of its customers. “We’ve been a leading supplier of high-quality products to the Canadian market, including best-in-class Hyster forklifts, for half-a-century,” said Sajith Manikath, Director, Material Handling at Wajax. “The introduction of the new version of Class V forklifts this year gives us an even wider array of solutions to meet the needs of our customers.” Hyster forklifts have a reputation for strength and durability in the toughest industrial applications. Rugged Hyster internal combustion pneumatic forklifts— designed for outdoor surfaces—offer the flexibility of diesel, propane and gasoline engines to suit a variety of demanding applications including lumber, heavy steel, pre-cast concrete and shipping. www.wajax.com
classified
REGIONAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE Olofsfors is a Swedish company founded in 1762 with North American operations based in Brantford, Ontario. Olofsfors Inc. supplies forestry attachments and accessories to the North American forest equipment industry. For full product details visit www.eco-tracks.com and www.iggesundforest.com. We are seeking a candidate with at least 2 years sales experience preferably in Forestry or Construction equipment or components. French speaking would be an asset but not necessary. Primary responsibility will be to maximize the sales volumes of all Olofsfors Products through forestry equipment dealers. The assigned sales territory will include market regions in both Canada and the U.S. and will require extensive travel. This position will be responsible for engaging dealers to represent and support the company’s product lines, dealer product sales training, introducing products to new potential customers and general support of the dealer network. We offer a casual but fast paced environment, competitive salary, commission structure, and full benefits package.
Please submit resumes to:
ADVERTISER PAGE Allied Blower & Sheet Metal......................9 Autolog...................................................31 BC Saw Filer’s Convention.........................8 Brandt Tractor.........................................32 Brunette Machinery...........................36, 50 Burton Saw (Simonds)...............................2 Carbotech...............................................23 DLA Piper................................................44 DO2.......................................................39 Ford..........................................................5 ForestTechX 2018...............................51-54 Gilbert....................................................34 Hyundai Dealers.....................................49 James G Murphy.....................................63 JoeScan...................................................14 John Deere...............................................7 L-M Equipment........................................25 LICO.......................................................16 Linck.......................................................43 Linden Fabricating...................................19 Log Max..................................................11 Microtec (Springer Microtec)....................45 MPM Engineering....................................50 Murray Latta Progressive Machine............36 Olofsfors.................................................13 Peterson..................................................15 Port of Prince Rupert.................................6 Quadco..................................................18 Samuel Packaging Systems Group............41 Sennebogen............................................37 Smithco Mfg............................................28 Tigercat...................................................68 Timber-Pro..............................................29 Tsubaki...................................................46 Utility Composites...................................27 Valutec....................................................42 Wagner Meters........................................35 Wallingford's...........................................17 Waratah..................................................67 Western Integrated Systems.....................36 Wood-Mizer............................................30 WorkSafeBC..............................................8 Z-Tech Automation Systems.....................22
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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
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thelastword
ITC decision on Canadian softwood lumber duties is pure theatre By Jim Stirling
I
t’s been a frustrating few months for those with an eye on Canada’s lumber marketing file. It was, after all, only a couple of years ago that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) appeared on a firm footing. Since then, new free trade treaties have been optimistically pursued with Europe, the Asia-Pacific region and then, later, even with China. Now, in 2018, NAFTA is in a shambles, the European deal survives at least on paper, the Trans Pacific Partnership dissolved into disagreements and acrimony and China told Canada to go home and mind its own business. In December 2017, and to the surprise of no one, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ruled with an admirably straight face that subsidized Canadian softwood lumber imports were materially hurting U.S. lumber companies. The ITC’s members somehow failed to notice that the U.S. lumber companies they represent were—and still are—reaping in profits which are, according to some observers, unmatched in more than three decades of earlier lumber war battles between the two countries. “The ITC finding of ‘injuring’, despite the record-setting profitability of the U.S. lumber industry, makes it very clear that this was not an objective evaluation of the facts,” responded Susan Yurkovich, president of the B.C. Lumber Trade Council, to the ITC ruling. On Canadian softwood lumber exports to the U.S.: “The fact is, there is no injury to U.S. producers and we are fully prepared to fight this egregious decision. We will initiate appeals as soon as possible and working with both federal and provincial governments, we are confident that the ITC decision will be overturned,” she continued. The whole ITC exercise is pure theatre. It has all the elements of a farce. Except it is anything but. There are only negative impacts of the ITC’s ruling for the small lumber-dependent communities across B.C. and the rest of Canada as the U.S. continues to grab the duty and anti-
dumping tariffs sanctioned by its kangaroo court. Moodys Investor Service reckons duties could cost Canadian forest companies $1.2 billion in 2018 The ITC ruling appeal process follows an equally familiar route through NAFTA and the World Trade Organization. And right now, it’s back in the NAFTA quicksand. Chapter 19, the NAFTA dispute settlement process, has been fairer than the ITC process where the U.S. rules strictly on U.S. interests. As a result, Canada has fared well under Chapter 19 in past disputes. The Americans would prefer to see it scrapped. The dispute mechanism is—in the view of some observers—one of the motivating reasons for President Donald Trump to imprint his America-first mandate through the NAFTA process. So far, too many of the tri-lateral NAFTA meetings have been characterized by confrontation and fueled by demands, rather than any real attempt at negotiation. The process was set to continue until March 2018, with the next session set for Montreal in late January. Meanwhile, the whole climate surrounding NAFTA has the forest industry and Canadian exporters generally in an understandably twitchy mood. The uncertainty was reflected by the numbers in a recent Export Development Canada (EDC) poll. The federal agency reported almost a quarter of the companies surveyed felt negatively influenced by what was—or was not—happening with the NAFTA re-negotiation process. The EDC poll revealed the concerned companies are examining options and developing scenarios depending on the ultimate re-negotiation outcome. These options ranged from moving to the U.S. or diversifying from that market. Other poll respondents indicated they would likely be delaying investment and hiring. There are other observers who believe the U.S. might abandon its participation in a re-negotiated NAFTA altogether, especially if the Americans don’t get their own
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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - February 2018
way on key bargaining issues, and the process drags on closer to its deadline. But for every opinion, there’s a counter suggestion. One observer with contrary opinions shared them recently with the audience of a real estate conference in Vancouver. David Frum is a senior editor of the Atlantic magazine and a former presidential speech writer. He believes the 23-year old NAFTA will survive this attempt on its life. “I think NAFTA is much safer than conventional view has it,” declared Frum. He told his audience President Trump’s power base would be in jeopardy if he were to act capriciously and put NAFTA on a six month life support. There’s also the matter of the trillion dollar economy in the land mass between Alaska and Guatemala. Frum said Texas alone has about 400,000 jobs directly dependent upon NAFTA, while other states including Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan and Arkansas are heavily reliant on the continental trade supply chain. And not coincidentally, those states are critical to President Trump maintaining his support base. Frum recommends Canada react only to concrete proposals on NAFTA and sidestep responding to every presidential outburst. “The Canadian mission is to develop coalitions with partners in governors’ mansions across the states, especially Republican governors’ mansions, for a go-slow approach.” B.C. has already adopted a similar approach to gathering support against the imposition of duties. American consumer and construction groups are paying considerably more than they need for their lumber because of the duties imposed on Canadian softwood imports. The murmurs of discontent are growing louder. If the trend continues, which appears entirely possible, there could develop the type of backlash President Trump might otherwise approve: something made in and by U.S. policy.
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