Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

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March/April 2021

TARGETED MILL UPGRADES at Manitoba’s Spruce Products sawmill B.C. MILL UPGRADE delivers recovery gains—and flexibility CANADA’S TOP LUMBER PRODUCERS !

WITH THIS ISSUE...

ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF INDUSTRY INNOVATION

DUZ CHO TAKES ON SITE C DAM LOGGING in British Columbia

FEATURES March/April 2021 Volume 52 • No. 2 Editor Paul MacDonald Contributing Editors Jim Stirling, Tony Kryzanowski George Fullerton Tech Update Editor Tony Kryzanowski Publisher/CEO Anthony Robinson • (604) 990-9970 E-Mail: robinson@forestnet.com Social Media: Kaitlin Davidson Digital Marketing: Diane Mettler Email: digitalmarketing@forestnet.com

On the Cover: The Spruce Products sawmill in Swan River, Manitoba is proving that it pays to invest in targeted efficiency and optimization. Most recently, the sawmill has increased its log throughput at the front end of its main breakdown line by 20 per cent with a $3 million investment. They can now process about 4,000 logs per 10-hour shift, as compared to about 3,300 logs per shift previously, with a new log sorting system supplied by mill equipment manufacturer, Carbotech. Read all about the improvements beginning on page 8. (Cover photo courtesy of Spruce Products)

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4 Spotlight:

Biomass from forest fires now firing power plant

Two First Nations groups in the B.C. Interior recently began a collaboration to utilize woody biomass left in areas impacted by forest fires, which is being used to fire a power plant—and produce wood pellets.

8 Targeted mill upgrades

Manitoba’s Spruce Products sawmill has been able to increase its log throughput by an impressive 20 per cent, thanks to targeted upgrades.

16 Mill upgrade delivers

recovery gains—and flexibility

B.C.’s Porcupine Wood Products recently wrapped up a mill upgrade project that is all about achieving gains in recovery, and flexibility in production—and the future of the mill.

22

Duz Cho takes on Site C dam logging

Duz Cho Logging is taking on some challenging harvesting that’s part of the construction effort for B.C.’s massive Site C dam power project—a job that includes walking across the Peace River with their equipment.

26 Canada’s Top Lumber

Producers

Logging and Sawmilling Journal’s authoritative listing of Canada’s Top Lumber Producers, produced in association with leading forest industry consultants Forest Economic Advisors (FEA).

30

Short logging season = maxing out production

Alberta logger SK Trucking looks for every edge to maximize production in all ground conditions—and to work within a very short winter logging season.

36

Included in this edition of The Edge, Canada’s leading publication on research in the forest industry, are stories from the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre (CWFC) and FPInnovations.

46 The Last Word

European lumber producers are capturing more U.S. lumber market share while Canada is stuck in the penalty box, says Tony Kryzanowski.

DEPARTMENTS

Calendar.................................................6 Tech Update.........................................38 Suppliernewsline...............................42 Classifieds...........................................45 Subscriptions......................................45 Ad Index...............................................45

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

3

spotlight

BIOMASS FROM FOREST FIRES now firing power plant

Tsi Del Del’s 2008 Peterson 4710 grinder is affectionately known as Old Blue, and has undergone a few facelifts in its time.

Two First Nations groups in the B.C. Interior recently began a collaboration to utilize woody biomass left in areas impacted by forest fires, which is being used to fire a power plant—and produce wood pellets.

By Jim Stirling

C

onverting wood biomass to valuable forest products is becoming a welcome work generator for log harvesting companies in the British Columbia Interior.

Grinding or otherwise reducing biomass to useful forms offers a cash flow and a timely product diversification during tough times for regional loggers.

Biomass used to be called waste—but no more. The description is neither appropriate nor accurate.

The term biomass covers the woody material left after salvaging forests stricken by voracious insect attacks and devastating forest fires. Biomass is what’s left on the ground after conventional logging for commodity lumber products.

The tops, trims and limbs are routinely piled high and left for disposal in fall prescribed burning. The waste of wood fibre this practice represents has long 4

been criticized. But there are practical solutions to the issue.

Today’s loggers are proving it doesn’t take much impetus from government investment to get the biomass fibre utilization ball rolling and stimulate a chain reaction of private sector involvement.

The process creates good paying jobs for an ageing workforce, circulates money back into B.C.’s cash-strapped forest dependent communities and helps reduce pollution and fire risk, while rejuvenating the forests. The importance of that little ‘nudge’ of public money is one of several lessons to emerge from a recent collaboration begun in the Williams Lake region of B.C.’s Cariboo country.

A few months ago, the Williams Lake Indian Band Ltd (WLIB), part of the Shuswap Nation, and Tsi Del Del Enterprises Ltd—a joint venture with Tolko Industries Ltd and part of the Ts’ilqot’in Nation—began a collaboration to jointly utilize the woody biomass left after logging areas Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

impacted by the forest fires of 2017. In that year alone, forest fires burned about 1.2 million hectares of B.C. forest lands.

The Williams Lake Indian Band Ltd (WLIB), part of the Shuswap Nation, and Tsi Del Del Enterprises Ltd—a joint venture with Tolko Industries Ltd and part of the Ts’ilqot’in Nation—has started a collaboration to jointly utilize the woody biomass left after logging areas impacted by the forest fires of 2017. In that year alone, forest fires burned about 1.2 million hectares of B.C. forest lands.

The agreement between the WLIB and Tsi Del Del included sharing equipment and working cooperatively to serve the local markets for wood biomass. The two primary customers are Pinnacle Renewable Energy, a large industrial wood pellet manufacturing company with a plant in Williams Lake, and the Atlantic Power Corporation which operates a 66 MW biomass-fired power generating facility in the city.

spotlight “From October 2019 to December 2020, we shipped the equivalent of 105,000 cubic metres to Atlantic Power and 83,000 cubic metres to Pinnacle Renewable for an approximate value of $6.3 million,” reports Philippe Theriault, general manager of Tsi Del Enterprises.

“All the wood was residuals from logging operations post-2017 wildfires, and it was all wood that would have been piled on site and burned.” Working with its clients and partners, Tsi Del has been instrumental in removing about 100,000 tonnes of CO2 while producing 25 to 30 jobs, he adds.

The other key participant in the cooperative venture between the WLIB and Tsi Del Del is the Forest Enhancement Society of B.C. (FESBC). And bouquets all around from the WLIB and Tsi Del Del for the FESBC’s continuing support. The provincial government agency, in partnership with the federal government, distributes grants for qualifying projects throughout B.C. It supports forest projects that are designed to reduce greenhouse gases, add value to forest fibre and maintain jobs for forest workers and their communities among other laudable objectives.

Part of the work crew on the joint venture to utilize post-forest fire woody biomass.

A key part of the venture is the Forest Enhancement Society of B.C. (FESBC). FESBC supports forest projects that are designed to add value to forest fibre and maintain jobs for forest workers and their communities. (Photos by Mitch Cheek from Solos Production).

FESBC is a partner in the Forest Carbon Initiative, which is funded in part through the Canadian government’s Low Carbon Energy Fund.

The ability to convert low grade and damaged wood fibre into commercial products and add value along the supply chain dovetails with the objectives of the Williams Lake collaboration. And the timing is excellent. There is no shortage of

biomass material in the Cariboo; the challenges are making it economically viable to access and process.

The estimate is that for every dollar the governments invest through FESBC grants, it stimulates $10 of reciprocal value from the private sector, explains Theriault.

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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

5

spotlight from page 5

PROTECTOR

ULTRA

“That’s a very interesting ratio to me. It shows what a little seed money can do,” he adds.

The two First Nations have assigned a range of equipment to tackling their biomass harvesting challenges. The process combines something old and something new, to borrow a formula from a different form of relationship. The something new part comes through the WLIB and its use of a new Link-Belt 3740 log loader. The machine was supplied through the Inland Group dealership in Williams Lake and it has been preforming very well in its biomass loading assignment, reports John Walker, stewardship forester with the WLIB. The Link-Belt 3740 has been primarily paired with a CBI 6800 CT horizontal grinder operated

by Atlantic Power.

The WLIB’s log harvesting arm is Borland Creek Logging Ltd, which has grown from its formation in 1996 to become a full phase operation harvesting up to 150,000 cubic metres of wood annually. The WLIB also supplied a second log loader to the collaborative effort, this one a John Deere 2154 machine which was usually assigned to work with Tsi Del Del’s Peterson grinder. The grinder is affectionately known as Old Blue and has an interesting case history. Old Blue is a 2008 Peterson 4710 grinder which has undergone a few facelifts in its time.

“It’s been modified alright,” says Theriault “One of the first things we did was put on a high walker to allow it to get around better in the bush—there are side hills out there to deal with—and we’ve basically rebuilt it with a new engine and major components.” But, he adds, the 4710 is a small, nimble machine and that has helped it perform. Apart from the upgrades, the machine has a good basic frame which holds Old Blue in good stead in this application, says Theriault.

The back up support is readily available, too. Woodland Equipment Inc, with branches in Prince George and Kamloops, is the Peterson product line dealer. Many basic parts are also available through Great West Equipment’s Volvo, Morbark, Sennebogen dealership in Williams Lake.

The grinder-chipper manufacturing field is dynamic these days. Tigercat is introducing a new entrant with its sophisticated 6050 carbonator machine. It’s designed to reduce wood debris volumes on site into an easily handled biochar like product. The machine piques Theriault’s interest. Tsi Del Del has years of experience operating Tigercat equipment, including the company’s 870C series of feller bunchers which he says have a proven durability record.

While keeping a close eye on new possibilities, Tsi Del Del has proven how to get the most from its more mature machines.

Old Blue is just part of the company’s colour spectrum of veteran performers. There’s also Mellow Yellow, an all fixed up and rejuvenated John Deere 792 log loader, circa 1996, still paying its working way daily in the best Tsi Del Del tradition.

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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

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prairiesawmilling The world’s first Carbotech International stepfeeder unraveler was installed as part of Spruce Products’ recent project to improve the infeed on their Sawquip breakdown line.

Targeted mill upgrades

Manitoba’s Spruce Products sawmill has been able to increase its log throughput by an impressive 20 per cent, thanks to targeted upgrades.

8

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

MACHINERY Co.

Logs over 14” in diameter are processed through the optimized Cardinal carriage on the large log line.

By Tony Kryzanowski

T

he Spruce Products sawmill in Swan River, Manitoba is proving that it pays to invest in targeted efficiency and optimization when faced with a constrained wood supply—a similar challenge faced by many Canadian sawmills these days.

Their log supply has been constrained for years mainly because of the distance factor, yet they’ve always adapted—with the result that their business has remained incredibly stable. The sawmill has never taken significant downtime over its long history, even during the 2008 recession and industry downturn.

“At one point, we were basically the only sawmill running between northwestern Ontario and Alberta,” says Mill Manager Rod Pidskalny.

Most recently, the sawmill has increased its log throughput at the front end of its main breakdown line by 20 per cent with a $3 million investment. They can now process about 4,000 logs per 10hour shift, as compared to about 3,300 logs per shift previously, with a new log sorting system supplied by mill equipment manufacturer, Carbotech.

But this is only one of several efficiency and optimization capital projects the company has implemented over the past decade. In 2018, they made the leap from manual grading to computerized lumber grading in the planer mill.

Considering all efficiency and optimization projects combined over the years, from the sawmill infeed to the planer mill, Spruce Products has increased its annual lumber volume production by more than 10 per cent, up to 50 million board feet from the same log supply.

Pidskalny says that they are also capturing significantly greater volumes of higher value #2-and-better lumber.

These investments have not only paid off in higher log throughput, production volume and value uplift, but it has also provided a stable work environment in this north central Manitoba community where the two biggest industries are forestry and agriculture.

Spruce Products is privately-owned by the Marvin Family and was founded nearly 80 years ago, in 1942, by Frank Marvin.

Second generation family members now guide the company.

It provides about 100 jobs and operates on a 10-hour shift, single shift basis.

They are an SPF mill that manufactures lumber in dimensions as small as 1” x 4” in 6’ lengths to as large as 2” x 10” in 16’ lengths. All production, which is a combination of green and kiln-dried lumber, is sold exclusively in Canada which allows the company to avoid paying softwood lumber duties by shipping lumber to the United States.

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What Spruce Products likes about the Carbotech stepfeeder unraveler is that it straightens the placement of crooked logs heading into the scanner as they are singulated. from page 9 They also manufacture specialty timbers, bag wood shavings from their planer mill and produce wood pellets by chopping up their planer mill trim blocks. Hog material is used as fuel to generate low pressure steam from three boilers for use in their two American Wood Dryer dry kilns and also for under-floor heating in all

their buildings. Excess hog material is sold to the CKP pulp mill in The Pas. About 75 per cent of their log diet is spruce and the average log diameter is about 7”. The mill consumes about 170,000 cubic metres per year. The current log haul distance is within 150 to 200 kilometres.

They also operate an in-woods chipping program for pulp wood using three

WE CARE ABOUT YOUR SUCCESS THE NEW STREAM FEEDER CONSISTENCY EFFICIENCY RESULTS A special thanks to Spruce Products Limited for their business

10

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

Peterson Pacific 5000H chippers with chips transported to the CKP pulp mill, as well. This program began in the 1990s.

Louisiana-Pacific operates an oriented strand board plant in Swan River with about 150 employees. And so logging contractors working for Spruce Products also contract their services to LouisianaPacific, so that the forest is harvested efficiently, benefitting both companies.

Spruce Products is a two-line sawmill.

They use a Rosserhead debarker on the front end of their large log line and a Nicholson A5A debarker capable of debarking up to a 22” diameter log on the smaller log line, which is equipped with a Sawquip canter twin breakdown unit.

Logs measuring less than 14” in diameter are processed through the Sawquip line, which was installed in 1999. Larger diameter logs are processed using a Cardinal single saw carriage unit installed in 2013, followed by a Comact straight sawing gang. When it was purchased, the carriage was a manual system so Spruce Products installed additional Autolog to page 12

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prairiesawmilling from page 10 optimization to improve efficiency and recovery. The large log line also features a Cardinal board edger for remanufacturing as required, before the lumber is sent to the trim line.

About 80 per cent of lumber manufacturing occurs on the Sawquip line.

Lumber produced on both lines merge onto the same trim line featuring a Carbotech trimmer and TS Manufacturing 40-bin sorter with Autolog optimization and controls. TS Manufacturing also provided their stacker.

Pidskalny says that greater log throughput has obviously had an impact on production downstream. Luckily their Sawquip can handle the extra production and they also had extra capacity available on their trim line.

Any lumber that requires remanufacturing on the Sawquip line kicks over to a Valley Machine three-saw board edger with Autolog optimization and controls.

The planer mill is equipped with a Yates A2012 planer with variable frequency drives (VFDs) on the feed drivers and planer heads, which allows the sawmill to

control its shavings size. Planed lumber is graded on their new Autolog Prograder and then fed into a Carbotech lumber trimming, sorting and stacking system.

Equipment supplier Carbotech has been a major partner and installer for several of the sawmill’s recent capital projects. Pidskalny says that they have a good working relationship with them. They supplied and managed the installation of the sawmill’s front end project, which features new scanning and bin sorting as well as the first installation of Carbotech’s new STREAM feeder.

The STREAM log feeder is situated before the scanning and sorting system and singulates the logs. As a step feeder-type mechanism, but with what Carbotech describes as an improved design, the STREAM feeder makes sure that logs in the infeed deck will be sent one at a time in a continuous manner toward the scanning and sorting conveyance system.

Pidskalny says what they like about the feeder is that it helps them lay down their crooked logs straight heading into scanning and sorting. Crooked logs are a big part of their diet.

Eric Michaud, Carbotech vice-president

of sales, says that the principle of the STREAM feeder is similar to a step feeder, except for the shape of the steps.

“On a step feeder, steps are straight.

On a Carbotech STREAM feeder, the steps have a wavy shape. This shape delivers better results on logs with defects or crooked logs. It also has the advantage of handling any debris that you would need to remove on a typical step feeder to get things going. That’s downtime.”

He adds that the steps on the STREAM feeder are a closed and smooth design, creating an obstruction-free environment for logs, which helps to reduce jams and downtime to zero.

There are variable frequency drives controlling step movements on the feeder as well as on the chain leading away from the unit which gives the sawmill greater control of gaps between logs, contributing directly to the concept of greater efficiency on the entire new front end system.

Spruce Products felt that the Carbotech STREAM feeder and design was simpler, making it easier to maintain as compared to page 14

Spruce Products recently made the leap to computerized lumber grading from manual grading with the installation of an Autolog Prograder.

12

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

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prairiesawmilling from page 12 to other stepfeeders on the market.

The scanning technology on this project was provided by Scanmeg and electrical work was handled by local supplier, Dee’s Electric.

The front end system is situated outdoors and construction took place from June to September 2019.

Pidskalny describes the front end project this way. Prior to its installation, logs were processed through their Sawquip line in sequence disregarding their diameter as long as they were under 14” in diameter.

“The only kind of sorting we did prior to this log sorting project on the front end was just out in the yard picking out the oversize logs that were too big to go through the Sawquip line,” he says. “It was all scan and set, where we’d have a 7” log followed by a 14” log followed by a 10” log.”

This meant that their main breakdown unit was constantly making adjustments for each log with a lot of stop and go production. Now the logs are first scanned and sorted into one of four bins broken down approximately based on 4”, 6”, 8” and 10” diameters in advance of entering production. And there is also an oversize log bin where a loader will come by and take these logs over to the large log line for processing.

The result is that Spruce Products can

Spruce Products spent $3 million to totally redesign their log infeed system leading to their Sawquip breakdown unit. And with better sorting and scanning, they have increased log throughput on this production line by 20 per cent. now process higher volumes of similar diameter logs in sequence and with better gap control, thus requiring fewer adjustments at the breakdown unit and resulting in significantly improved throughput.

“We still do scan and set but we are processing within a lot tighter sizing more consistently,” Pidskalny says.

Another advantage with smoother production upstream is less wear and tear on downstream equipment. And this front end project has also had an impact on production downstream because they

are now operating with consistent flow at 22,000 to 23,000 board feet per hour and not stopping and starting to react to jerky production on the front end.

Pidskalny says that Spruce Products will continue to monitor production flow and make investments aimed at making the operation even more efficient. One area they will likely consider for their next project is increasing their drying capacity, given the production increase they are now experiencing in the sawmill.

The Sawquip breakdown line at Spruce Products processes about 80 per cent of their SPF logs.

14

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

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MILL BCsawmilling

UPGRADE DELIVERS recovery gains—and flexibility

B.C.’s Porcupine Wood Products recently wrapped up a mill upgrade project that is all about achieving gains in recovery, and flexibility in production—and the future of the mill.

By Paul MacDonald

F

or British Columbia’s Porcupine Wood Products, the latest sawmill upgrade— and previous improvements—have been all about achieving gains in recovery, and flexibility in production.

The operation was built as a white wood stud mill in the 1980s, but over the years, it was converted to specialize in Western Red Cedar, after changes were implemented to the sawmill.

In recent years, the family-owned mill, under general manager Craig Upper, has been working with second growth cedar, with its tight grain and knots, to produce decking, fencing, boards and siding. The mill, which is located in southeastern B.C., in the West Kootenays region, turns out about 25 million board feet a year, on a single shift basis.

Upper talked about the latest upgrade, 16

which wrapped up early in 2021. “The motivation to proceed with this upgrade was the next step in slowly retooling our mill so we can become more diversified in our product lines and species.

“We’ve primarily been running Western Red Cedar over the last few years, and those logs are becoming more difficult to source consistently throughout the year,” he added. “Actually, logs in general are getting tougher to acquire and I can see that it is only going to tighten up more, moving forward.”

One of the main reasons for that tightening is B.C. government policy and regulations around Crown land logging.

“I don’t want to get started on that, but there is a long list of existing constraints that is impeding the ability to get logs out of the woods from Crown land,” he says.

Another factor in the log supply situation is that private land is a big source of Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

B.C.’s Porcupine Wood Products, located in southeastern B.C., turns out about 25 million board feet a year, on a single shift basis, mostly Western Red Cedar.

BCsawmilling

logs in this region of B.C., and there is less wood coming off those lands, as well.

“All of these factors will contribute to future log supply limitations, which impacted our decision to be able to run other species in the near future. We could not be competitive running most other species with the make-up of the mill as it was, before this upgrade.”

In 2020, Porcupine Wood Products ran only cedar—but that is predicted to change.

“If we had our way, we’d run nothing but cedar forever on two shifts—but change is a reality, so that is unlikely to happen,” says Upper. “We are looking at running species that would have the least amount of impact to our alliance partners, that we trade logs with.

“Although we did not process other species in 2020, we have been involved in other wood markets in the last few years, albeit in a limited way,” Upper explained. “We have had a taste for those markets, and know there are alternatives out there, but there are no finite production plans for other species at this point.”

The important part is they now have

the ability to produce a broader product line, when it is required.

“When we need to run the other species, that is when cut program decisions will be determined—it will depend on the markets and what niches exist for specialty products,” says Upper. “We consider ourselves as a true value added manufacturer. Any moves into those markets will be careful and calculated, and will not be in big volumes.

“We are not going into markets thinking we are going to compete with the large sawmills cutting dimension lumber— that’s not our intention. Instead, we will focus on specialty markets.”

The recent equipment improvements have been careful and calculated.

“We’ve been buying equipment that is going to help maximize value and diversify our products,” Upper says. And that approach is going to be on an individual stem basis. “The old way was to batch run logs, and we want to take more of an individual stem approach to handling logs at the mill. And with the new VSA gang, we can have different solutions and different products with each stem.”

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

The new Vertical Single Arbor (VSA) gang from Optimil Machinery has been a good fit for a number of mill applications in B.C., including Porcupine Wood Products. The VSA gangs are designed for maximum throughput and maximum sawing accuracy. On a practical basis, the VSA also features what Optimil says is a unique swing out door design that enables quick and easy saw changes. Thin kerf climb cutting saws yield efficient sawing and improved throughput on the VSA, and superior cant control is achieved through a design incorporating large roll diameters and close roll centers, says Optimil.

Upper says they have been successful in incorporating the Optimil VSA into the existing Porcupine equipment set-up. They’ve had lots of experience incorporating equipment over the years, he says. The mill now bears little resemblance, equipment-wise, to what it looked like 20 years ago.

There have been some significant milestones over the years, equipmentwise, from 2014 to 2018. They put in a to page 18 17

BCsawmilling from page 17 used lumber sorter, with controls done

by Raptor integration, and a new Moco Engineering stacker was installed in 2014.

In 2016, they put in a new Kadant chipper and Edem vibratory conveyor, a new BM&M chip screen, and did a general re-configuration of waste systems in the mill. A new electric trimmer from Mill Tech Industries was installed in 2018, with an all new infeed to the trim system, with

18

Raptor providing the optimization system.

“The trimmer upgrade harnessed onto the existing sorter and stacker line that we had installed,” explained Upper.

And most recently, of course, was the Optimil VSA. Mill Tech did a lot of the lumber handling delivery of cants up to the Optimil infeed, and Western Integrated Systems did the variable frequency drive work, with Optmil doing the controls with this project. Raptor was used for the cant scanning and optimization system.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

In the logyard, Porcupine runs John Deere for wheel loader and track loaders.

B.C. Deere dealer Brandt Group have been very supportive over the last decade., says Upper. They also use a Wagner, which they wouldn’t be able to live without, he added. In the lumber yard, they use Kalmar forklifts for loading trucks and kiln, as well as for transferring wood.

Other forklifts used are Load Lifters for their various production lines, and Toyotas for small/tight space requirements. All forklifts are supported by Masonlift.

A more established log supply is driving all the equipment changes on the wood production side.

In 2015, forest company Canfor acquired the Meadow Creek Cedar forest license in the region, with an annual allowable cut of 96,513 cubic metres. Canfor, in turn, sold approximately 60 per cent of the tenure volume to Porcupine, and retained the remaining 40 per cent for their own use.

That timber volume, says Upper, was key to the company moving ahead, and making further equipment changes. “It would be very difficult for us to survive going forward without that license volume now—the majority of the big capital investments started after that, and it was because we now had a significant volume of guaranteed log supply, along with a strong workforce with a team first approach.”

These projects, and others, are all part of a larger approach to making ongoing improvements at Porcupine Wood Products.

“All of these changes are driving recovery or maximizing value, or both.” Upper explains. “The secondary part to that is reducing costs, but reducing costs is a tough one—we have seen some cost reductions over the years, but that was not the main driver.”

Some of their additions years ago were used equipment, which proved to be a successful approach at the time.

A case in point was an upgrade in 2003 that saw them purchase a used log merchandizing system for their large log line, followed by a dual ring Nicholson 22-inch debarker. They purchased two new pieces of equipment at the time: a step feeder from Linden Fabricating and a Gator fencing breakdown line. The large log line also saw the installation of a CAE bandsaw and carriage, followed by a Ukiah gang, feeding into a Valley trim line.

But there is less of that now. “We haven’t done any auction used equipment purchases in the last few years—the primary reason for that is the cost of labour to

BCsawmilling

The latest upgrade at Porcupine Wood Products, which wrapped up early in 2021, is the next step in slowly retooling the mill so the company can become more diversified in its product lines and species.

take equipment out, and install it, has really started to surpass the reasonable mark.”

And then there are the technology challenges that can occur with used equipment. “Technology of course is wonderful when it works, and when it doesn’t work, the problems begin,” says Upper.

Used equipment, while it can sometimes be bought for a fraction of new, can bring its own set of issues, and clunky start-ups. In the end, any savings can disappear into thin air when you factor into extra costs—such as lost production.

“We find that with getting new engineered equipment, although it may cost more than auction-purchased equipment, it has been designed and engineered for our desired function, which has a service

life, and you are starting up the equipment without any hiccups, for the most part,” says Upper.

New equipment, while it may not be completely plug and play, is certainly more straightforward. And you have the equipment supplier on your side, committed to helping make the equipment work efficiently, and work well. As well, controls providers are more efficient in working with newer technology equipment.

In terms of the most recent upgrade, Upper shared his “single stem” approach and goal with Optimil, who were quick to get on board. “I think it was something they had not done before—at least in terms of the detail I wanted it to be—but they have a great industry background, Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

and felt comfortable doing it.”

While there has been a small production gain from the latest upgrade, that, again, was not the main goal, emphasized Upper.

“Due to the finite, sustainable, annual log supply that we have in this region, I’m not looking to put equipment in that is going to make us need to cut more logs every day—that is the last thing I want to do.

“I want to get equipment that is going to allow me to get more value out of the logs that we are cutting.

“There are really two things this line has done for us,” adds Upper. “It is now to page 20 19

BCsawmilling from page 19 essentially a single pass system out of the sawmill, whereas before a lot of the value products turned out at the sawmill would have been taken to our reman operation, to further break down and extract value that way. We did not have that single pass mechanism set up before, so we’ve reduced our costs from the reman side.

The new Vertical Single Arbor (VSA) gang from Optimil Machinery gives Porcupine the options of having different solutions and different products with each stem. Optimil’s VSA gangs are designed for maximum throughput and maximum sawing accuracy.

20

“But more importantly, we’re getting the value out of each stem now. We’re using optimization to scan and set based on cant defects, and extracting the value based on those defects.”

The new set-up came together reasonably well, performing upwards of 75 to 80 percent on installation. By this past January, they were up to around 95 per cent, says Upper, with training taking place on the controls and optimization end of things.

“When you do these kind of projects, there is always work and training to be done—it takes time for people to get familiar with new equipment.”

And COVID-19 did not have much of an impact on the construction schedule. “We were in an area of the mill where there was space between people. And the way we went about the upgrade is we built it offline, which really helped in terms of scheduling the trades. So there really were no issues.”

Optimil and Mill Tech facilities were used to do as much preinstallation work as possible. The VSA gang was built at Optimil’s manufacturing facility in Delta, B.C., and Mill Tech did its work at its production facility in Salmon Arm, B.C. “We had a lot of changes to make within the sawmill to be able to put this line in,” Upper noted. That started, he explained, with Timber Line Mill Construction, of nearby Nelson, B.C., working weekends, starting in April 2020, to make those changes.

“The equipment started to arrive in September, and in October, we were ready to place the equipment within the mill.”

They were up and running, Upper proudly notes, Nov. 2.

“We kept running the mill and there were some hiccups, but it was manageable—we did not want to see any constraints on production for our customers.” Especially in this current hot wood market. He noted that operations at the mill would generally be slower from October through to January—but there has been a huge uptick in renovation and new construction, creating an overall demand for wood products. “We’ve never seen demand like it is right now.”

In terms of COVID, they have worked hard to get their 40-person sawmill production workforce to consistently practice social distancing on site. This was a challenge because this area of B.C., unlike say Vancouver, has been little impacted by COVID, since it is quite rural. The nearest community is Salmo, which has a population of 1,100. The nearest major centre, Kelowna, is 350 kilometres away. “Social distancing was probably the biggest thing, but we worked to develop ways to deal with that,” says Upper.

“We spent a lot of money on cleaning and sanitation equipment, but that’s the easy part. It really required all of us to have a shift in thinking, that you have to social distance at work, and when you are not at work—even though there are no COVID issues where we are, in this part of B.C. “Just because there no COVID issues now, that does not mean there will not be issues tomorrow.”

So, where to from here, for Porcupine Wood Products? More changes are to come, says Upper.

“There are still things that need to be done at the sawmill, on the log merchandising end, to push value extraction further,” he said. “There needs to be an improvement in our merchandising and bucking of logs, and optimization—the scanning technology and being able to see defects in a log before bucking is very intriguing, especially when you are running a high cost log like cedar.

“On our small log line, I want to be able to improve our orientation of the log prior to canting.” Kiln drying capacity will also be on the list, he says.

So, suffice to say, the improvements will continue at Porcupine Wood Products.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

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BClogging Duz Cho Logging has been working in the Site C flood zone for about three years and knows to expect the unexpected. Heavy rain this past fall meant BC Hydro had to intervene, and lower the river flow sufficiently to allow Duz Cho’s crews to walk their log harvesting equipment—including a Tigercat LX 870D feller buncher— across the Peace River, to access its North Bank work site.

Duz Cho takes on Site C

DAM LOGGING Duz Cho Logging is taking on some challenging harvesting that’s part of the construction effort for B.C.’s massive Site C dam power project—a job that includes walking across the Peace River with their equipment.

By Jim Stirling

I

t rained a lot last fall throughout the Peace River valley of northeastern British Columbia. Water levels in the river and its tributaries rose as a result.

The weather pattern—while hardly unprecedented—was no help to log harvesting crews anxious for their seasonal start on a time sensitive and different kind of project. The loggers’ task is to harvest merchantable timber, and clear

22

and dispose of the brush growing from the river valley bottom on up into the steep tributary valleys.

The work is part of BC Hydro’s massive Site C megaproject, which is now expected to far exceed its $10 billion cost estimate—one report has the project coming in at a cost of $12 billion.

The Site C dam will flood more of the Peace River valley during creation of a sinewy 83-kilometre-long reservoir. The project will boost the existing hydroelectric

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

production of the Peace by about 1,100 megawatts—which BC Hydro says will create enough energy to power the equivalent of about 450,000 homes each year.

BC Hydro’s Site C Clean Energy Project will be the third dam and hydroelectric generating station on the Peace River— there are two existing dams on the Peace: the W.A.C. Bennett Dam and the Peace Canyon Dam. Site C has been and continues to be a politically contentious issue in B.C. The most recent issues swirl around geotechnical concerns surrounding the foundations for the project’s new powerhouse, spillways and the possible integrity of Site C’s massive earth dam itself.

BClogging

Duz Cho’s operating area on Site C is a widely varied chunk of real estate requiring a corresponding range of logging systems. The logging and land clearing work take place from the river valley bottom up through areas of steep slope logging and finally to hand falling, even employing a Bell 212 helicopter equipped with a grapple to retrieve the wood.

Duz Cho Logging LP has been working in the Site C flood zone for about three years and knows to expect the unexpected. The company’s loggers were watching last fall’s stormy skies with more than a passing interest. The rain meant BC Hydro would have to intervene and play God. The utility lowered the river flow sufficiently to allow Duz Cho’s crews to walk their log harvesting equipment across the Peace to access its North Bank work site.

The company’s 280 hectare operating area is located approximately half way between Fort St. John and Hudson’s Hope, on Highway 27. Parts of the highway will have to be re-located to accommodate the rising waters.

Duz Cho’s operating area is a widely varied chunk of real estate requiring a corresponding range of logging systems, outlines Jacob Albertson, general manager for Duz Cho Construction, which oversees the North Bank operation from a base in nearby Chetwynd, B.C. The logging and land clearing work take place from the river valley bottom up through areas of steep slope logging and finally to hand falling and employing a Bell 212 helicopter equipped with a grapple to retrieve the wood, summarizes Albertson.

“The harvested wood varies around the site, but our logs are about 60 per cent coniferous and 40 per cent deciduous,” he says. The conifers harvested are normally sent to Canfor’s sawmill complexes in Fort St. John or Chetwynd or to West Fraser in Chetwynd. The deciduous wood is directed to Louisiana-Pacific’s manufacturing plant in Dawson Creek.

Duz Cho brings a couple of key advantages to meet the flood zone challenges: experience and versatile log harvesting equipment. Duz Cho has more than 20

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

years’ experience working in the region.

The Duz Cho Logging Limited Partnership is owned by the McLeod Lake Indian Band. In fact, the name Duz Cho is Tse’khene, meaning “big wood”. McLeod Lake is a small community about 142 kilometres north of Prince George. The band helped establish a template for aboriginal ownership success in the forest industry.

Duz Cho Logging has been a full phase and road building contractor since 1988 and was harvesting in excess of 800,000 cubic metres annually when the forest industry was in full swing. Duz Cho built upon its forestry success by diversifying into serving the oil and gas industries, the mining sector and other heavy construction industries throughout the Williston Lake reservoir region of north central B.C. Duz Cho Logging hasn’t assigned a large fleet of logging equipment to the flood zone, but those that are there have proven themselves to be both productive

to page 24

23

BClogging from page 23 and part of a cohesive unit.

The main production machines include: a Tigercat LX 870D feller buncher: a John Deere 748GIII skidder; a Hitachi 260 processor with a Waratah 623C head; a Tigercat 880D log loader and a Hitachi 210 with a grapple used as a decking machine. Also part of the team are a Hitachi 300LC hoe, a larger 350LC model and a Cat D6T. “Our equipment has the production and reliability for the conditions we log in,” summarizes Albertson, who has years of hands-on experience working in the logging sector of central B.C. He was a logger for about 16 years in the Vanderhoof and Mackenzie areas, including an eight-year stint working with his dad, Fred.

It was during those times, he says, that he began to better appreciate the quality built into Tigercat logging machines.

The confidence in the equipment has been borne out in the North Bank experience. “The Tigercat 870D performs exceptionally well,” reports Albertson.

“Stability, traction and performance are never an issue.”

The machine has to meet a variety of challenges on the job. For example, the buncher’s 26-inch head is sometimes required to dispatch some big old riverbank cottonwood trees more than 50 inches through the butt.

“Our project has slopes up to 60 per cent and the Tigercat 870D manages them with stability and control without compromising performance,” he notes.

Albertson has a Plan B if needed.

24

Duz Cho Logging hasn’t assigned a huge fleet of logging equipment to the flood zone, but those that are there have proven themselves to be both productive and part of a cohesive unit.

“When back-up support is needed, we can use our Tigercat 880 log loader. It is another leader in the industry for stability and performance. Combining the two machines together allows us to meet our production targets with confidence. The rest of our logging phases are completed by a John Deere skidder and Hitachi Foresters for processing and decking. The John Deere and Hitachi carriers have production and reliability in the conditions we log in,” he continues.

The need to be adaptable comes with operating in the Site C flood zone territory. “It’s very different from conventional logging,” says Albertson.

BC Hydro calls the shots on the log harvesting and clearing procedures to be followed. “BC Hydro is very safety and environmentally conscious,” notes Albert-

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

son. Tailgate safety meetings, for example, are held daily.

On the environmental front, logging companies can’t access work sites until after bird nesting windows close toward the end of August. And bear denning areas encountered must be avoided by harvesting activities by a minimum of 300 metres.

BC Hydro assigns an environmental monitor to each logging show, adds Albertson. Logging crews need to be sensitive to fuel spill risk. Spill trays must be positioned when filling up log harvesting and other equipment. Drip trays must be positioned appropriately overnight to capture errant leaks. Environmentally friendly oil is used in logging equipment to mitigate environmental damage in the event of a spill. “You have to take the necessary time with these procedures,” adds Albertson.

Duz Cho’s “navy”—a 21-foot fish boat—ferries loggers across the river to access their equipment that was previously walked across the river during the BC Hydro engineered river drop. After harvesting the merchantable wood, Duz Cho’s hoes come in behind to ‘rake” the remaining small fibre into debris piles for disposal, usually during the following fall, depending on those autumn rains.

The Peace is a large river with channels and currents. It’s one reason why logging in the flood zone is not like the average clearcut assignment. “It’s not cut and dried,” declares Albertson. “There are lots of challenges.” Meanwhile the clock is ticking. Within a couple of years, this part of the Peace River valley will disappear forever beneath the rising waters.

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toplumberproducers

LUMBER PRICES HIT

HISTORIC HIGHS COVID-19 delivered a year like no other in 2020, and the high demand for lumber is continuing into 2021, along with sky-high lumber prices.

T

he Forest Economic Advisors LLC, (FEA) annual survey of the “Top 10” Canadian lumber producers reflects the unprecedented year that the industry has seen as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Canadian lumber market had been tough in 2019 with a number of mill curtailments and closures, but there were signs of a recovery late in the year and into the first months of 2020. However, at the onset of the COVID pandemic lumber producers feared the worst. But history tells us that this was not to be the case, as lumber demand across North America increased due to a mix of (1) government incentives to stimulate the economy and (2) people confined to their homes. This led to homeowners carrying out those long-deferred renovations that they had never gotten around to starting.

The subsequent demand growth led to prices rising rapidly, especially in the U.S., with benchmark structural lumber grades breaking through previous historical record high prices to create new ceiling prices that have left many stunned in disbelief.

Total 2020 North American lumber shipments: up by 0.5 billion board feet

In 2019, total North American shipments were down for the first time in a decade, declining by over 2.6 billion board feet from 2018. This trend has been reversed for 2020 over 2019, with North American shipments increasing 26

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

toplumberproducers by just under 0.5 billion board feet (to 59.61 billion board feet from 59.12 billion board feet). Growth was particularly strong in 2020H2 in both U.S. housing and residential repair/remodeling, with inventories almost non-existent and prices skyrocketing as mentioned above.

This resulted in a significant decrease in U.S. lumber exports of almost 26 per cent (down from 8.546 million m3 net in 2019 to 6.350 million m3 net in 2020), and growth in non-Canadian imports by almost 30 per cent (up from 2.789 million m3 net in 2019 to 3.623 million m3 net in 2020) as offshore suppliers looked to cash-in on the price boom.

Canadian Top 10: shipments unchanged from 2019 to 2020

The Canadian Top 10 lumber producers saw shipments remain static in 2020 at 13.866 billion board feet compared to the almost identical 13.862 billion board feet in 2019. However, the Top 10’s share of total Canadian shipments increased to 61.0 per cent in 2020 versus 57.9 per cent in 2019 as total Canadian shipments dropped by 5.2 per cent (from 23.956 billion board feet in 2019 to 22.717 billion board feet in 2020).

This drop in total Canadian shipments resulted from a combination of Canadian sawmills taking more extensive down-

time in Q12020 and weaker domestic consumption.

The top 10 Canadian firms changed slightly from 2019, with RYAM Lumber (Rayonier) coming in at #10 (#11 in 2019) at the expense of Arbec (now at #11). The top seven Canadian producers in 2019—West Fraser, Canfor, Resolute, Tolko, J.D. Irving, EACOM and Weyerhaeuser—kept the same rankings as

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in 2019. These producers collectively accounted for 11.8 billion board feet (54 per cent of total Canadian lumber output), versus a similar output volume in 2019, but at a lower 49 per cent of total Canadian lumber output.

to page 28

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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

27

toplumberproducers from page 27 West Fraser retained top spot, with its Canadian output slightly lower by 50 million board feet (-1.7 per cent) across its 12 mills. Canfor remained second with 2.49 billion board feet, recording a decline in output of almost 270 million board feet (-9.7 per cent) at its 12 western Canadian mills. Resolute stayed at #3 with output at its fourteen mills increasing by 312 million board feet (+18.0 per cent). Tolko, at #4, also saw its output increase by 50 million board feet (+4.1 per cent). Finally, at #5, J.D. Irving reported 1.05 billion board feet of output at its seven mills, an increase of 100 million board feet (+10.2 per cent).

Three of the top five firms recorded output growth and the three largest declines occurred at Interfor (-11.7 per cent), Canfor (-9.7 per cent) and Weyerhaeuser (-9.7 per cent).

The four largest North American softwood lumber producers (West Fraser, Canfor, Weyerhaeuser and Interfor) have operations in both the U.S. and Canada.

Collectively, they produced 16.94 billion board feet (28.4 per cent of total North American lumber output) at 93 sawmills

STACK THE DECK.

in 2020. These publicly traded companies were positioned in the top nine in Canada.

Supply and demand drivers in 2021, as well as how long these current record prices might continue, were examined at length recently during FEA’s eleventh annual Global Softwood Log and Lumber Conference which was held online with

By Mark Smith, Partner, FEA; Research

by Chari Gimenez, FEA Canada.

In the forest, uptime isn’t everything it’s the only thing, and the John Deere 3756G Swing Machine was built to set a new standard for log loaders. Innovations like simplified electric architecture and larger, higher capacity coolers help to extend component life and cut down time. Features like the tilt-down service panel further enhance productivity by providing fast, easy access to filters, diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), and hydraulic oil-fill locations, saving you crucial minutes every day. Best of all, these machines are backed by Brandt, the best 24/7 after-sales support in the business. That means more inventory, more field techs, and the industry’s largest network of full-service dealerships to back you up so you can stand tall whatever the season throws your way.

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28

pre-recorded presentations and live Q&A sessions. Further information on obtaining these presentations, post the conference, is available at FEA’s website (www.getfea. com).

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

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contractorprofile

SHORT LOGGING SEASON = MAXING OUT PRODUCTION Alberta logger SK Trucking looks for every edge to maximize production in all ground conditions—and to work within a very short winter logging season.

By Tony Kryzanowski

T

SK Trucking co-owner Shane Kropp (above) and his wife Rosalie made the leap to stump-to-dump logging about six years ago after building an extensive and successful log haul trucking fleet.

30

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

he stress of a short winter logging season has a way of helping owners and employees focus on work each and every day because lost production could mean missing the annual harvesting volume target. That’s the type of pressure SK Trucking, headquartered in the Mitsue area east of Slave Lake, Alberta, faces every day.

Co-owner Shane Kropp doesn’t have to say much. Everyone in his core group of employees just know what’s required of them—and they do it. Needless to say that equipment uptime is also essential, and proven reliability is what Kropp looks for in his equipment fleet.

Since efficiency is key at SK Trucking, they have adopted certain practices— like their 60-foot rule regarding the log to page 32

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contractorprofile from page 30 processing zone at roadside. This is the distance between the front edge of the drag deck created by logs retrieved from the cutblock and the edge of the road. It leaves exactly enough room for the processor to work in and for the log loader to efficiently retrieve logs. Too little space and it is impossible for the processor to neatly create the sorts. Too much space and the log loader has difficulty efficiently reaching logs to load trucks. So there is no compromising on the 60-foot rule.

Kropp and his processor operators are ever cognizant of that 60-foot rule, so much so that they use an actual 60-foot long tree trunk on the ground to make certain that this measurement is maintained. Having operated a log loader for years when working with his father, Dennis, he knows of what he speaks. Kropp says that failure to properly sort logs within that 60-foot zone results in significant loading inefficiency and serious financial consequences. That’s because once the soft muskeg ground north of Slave Lake starts to melt, logging is shut down for the winter season—and the log haul is over.

They can’t afford to leave any log decks in the block.

In addition to a short winter logging season, SK Trucking must also manage as many as six sorts. They may only supply one client, West Fraser Timber, but that forestry company has a variety of plywood, sawmill, and pulp facilities located in the Slave Lake region. So they require as many high quality veneer logs, sawlogs, and pulp logs in specific log lengths and diameters as possible from each block.

Large veneer logs are the most valuable

Alberta logger SK Trucking has only eight to ten weeks to retrieve veneer logs, sawlogs, and pulp wood from frozen muskeg ground north of Slave Lake. So equipment uptime is critical. and are decked closest to the road with smaller veneer logs decked about 4-feet back. Larger diameter cut-to-length (CTL) sawlogs are processed and decked 25feet back from the edge of the road, and smaller sawlogs destined for West Fraser’s Blue Ridge sawmill are decked near the back of the processing zone. Tree length hardwood logs are sorted separately for delivery to pulp producer, Alberta Pacific Forest Industries (Al-Pac), or Slave Lake Pulp, owned by West Fraser.

Log loading in the block is a circular process, where the loader will load one type of log for delivery at a time, starting with the large veneer logs, then the small veneer logs, larger sawlogs, smaller saw-

logs and then the pulp wood.

“The processing zone is definitely for the benefit of the loader operator,” says Kropp. “There is a lot of travel involved with the loader these days and the veneer peelers are what we are looking for.”

The 2020 winter logging season was even more challenging for SK Trucking.

That’s because they were logging in a burn salvage area resulting from a massive fire that occurred north of Slave Lake.

Maximizing log recovery before break-up was critical.

Kropp brings significant logging experience to SK Trucking, because of working for years with his father, who also has a logging contract with West Fraser. In 2014, he and his wife and business partner, Rosalie, diversified SK Trucking from strictly trucking to include log harvesting, describing it as a fairly easy transition since he already owned a truck fleet, log loaders and road building equipment. It was simply a matter of adding the logging equipment and finding good operators.

Today, they log 200,000 cubic metres annually for West Fraser.

They are a stump-to-dump contractor with about 25 employees. Their logging season starts in July and mostly ends at spring break-up in March. While they log in the summer, they really aim for high production in some of the best timber for eight to ten weeks between Christmas and spring break-up in the frozen muskeg.

to page 34 32

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

WE KEEP YOU

LOGGING

PONSSE SALES & SERVICE NETWORK EXPANDING We constantly develop our sales & aftersales network in order to keep you logging. In 2021, you will find the PONSSE flag in three additional locations in Canada. The branch offices are located in central positions for loggers. At our service centers, you will find workshops, which are equipped to provide fast maintenance operations, thereby ensuring trouble-free harvesting. The spare part storages, which are located in connection with the workshops, guarantee minimum lead times for the maintenance operations.

Field service offers an alternative for maintenance operations. The highly-equipped service vehicles bring assistance directly to the site.

Technical assistance supports you with telephone and e-mail.

NEW BRANCH OFFICES 1. ALPA, Moncton, New Brunswick 2. HYDROMEC, Quebec, Quebec 3. VALHALLA, Prince George, British Columbia

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contractorprofile from page 32 Rosalie Kropp is actively involved in the business, managing all of the office functions. She also owns six of their 11 log trucks, operating under the name of Kropp Trucking. Shane Kropp adds that they have a very dedicated foreman in Cory Tanghe and their crew of equipment operators and drivers, many of whom they consider close friends. He says that many companies talk about how great the relationship is between management and employees, but they are lucky enough to have it—and that makes all the difference, given the pressure they work under.

“We find that our crew is really the key to our success,” said Kropp.

In terms of efficiency, they have one employee whose job it is to wake up at 4 a.m. to make sure that all the equipment is fuelled up and started so that when operators show up to work at 6:30 am, they can begin production immediately. SK Trucking has zero morning downtime.

Kropp recently purchased a new Waratah HTH622C 4x4 processing head mounted on a Hitachi ZX210F-FE-6 carrier. He took delivery in the fall of 2019 during a Gold Key event held at the Deere-Hitachi Speciality Products (DHSP) factory in Langley, B.C. This is one of two Waratah 622C processors in Kropp’s fleet.

SK Trucking also has a larger 623C Waratah head that they favor for processing larger logs.

Also present at the Gold Key event were representatives from John Deere and Hitachi dealer, Brandt Tractor. They provide sales and service support to SK Trucking.

Kropp and his crew had noticed that when processing logs, they were leaving branch nubs behind, and because West Fraser demands a high quality product, SK Trucking wanted a tool that would eliminate that issue.

While the Waratah 622C 4x4 is wellknown for its multi-tree processing capabilities, it can be configured for cleaner, single stem delimbing requirements, and that is what Kropp wanted. He optioned the new head with single stem arms for cleaner delimbing, and a standard drive arm link for better diameter accuracy, log handling and traction.

As for the carrier, Kropp says that this Hitachi is one of two in his fleet. Historically, he has preferred Hitachi carriers because they have been cheaper on fuel, although John Deere carriers today are fairly comparable. He adds that the Hitachi 210 carrier is a good match for the 34

SK Trucking worked with Tigercat to develop an eight-wheel skidder for better flotation and fewer ruts particularly in summer logging. It has delivered on both fronts for the company.

Waratah 622C processing head.

SK Trucking uses a fairly new approach to decking logs at roadside that is being adopted by more and more by loggers.

The approach is to continually deploy two skidders to drag logs to roadside while using a grapple-equipped loader at roadside to deck the unprocessed logs. It proved to be particularly valuable for SK Trucking in the winter of 2020 as they retrieved logs from the burn area north of Slave Lake.

Al-Pac had indicated that they wanted no hardwood logs with burn damage.

The loader operator was able to sort out clean from burned logs as he created the roadside decks, with slightly charred logs diverted to Slave Lake Pulp.

“Decking in-block with the loader creates neater decks and it saves time because skidders don’t create decks nearly as effectively as a log loader does,” says Kropp. “I honestly feel that if you have two skidders skidding and a loader decking, it is like having four skidders skidding, although actual production depends on the skidding environment.”

Their summer logging activity tends to occur on higher ground, although logging at this time of year presents its own challenges. The main issues are flotation and minimizing environmental damage when skidding to roadside. For this reason, SK Trucking worked with Tigercat to develop a factory-installed, dual-wheel, 632 skidder for better traction and flotation. It has four tires on the back and four on the front. The outside tire is not actually Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

attached to the axle, but welded onto the inner tire rim.

“Deploying that eight-wheel skidder has made a huge difference in the soft ground and it has been working well,” says Kropp, although he recommends pairing it with a log loader because having eight-wheels, its movements are a bit more awkward than a standard fourwheel skidder.

The SK Trucking fleet consists of two Tigercat 870 feller bunchers, two Tigercat 630 skidders, and the 632 dual-wheel skidder, a John Deere 748H skidder, and a John Deere 748G III skidder.

For processors, they use a Tigercat 855 carrier with a Waratah 623C head, the ZX210F-FE-6 Hitachi carrier with the Waratah 622C processor equipped with the single stem arms, and a Hitachi 210 carrier with another Waratah 622C processor, configured for multi-stemming.

Logs are loaded on trucks using a Hitachi 310 carrier. Working with the skidders in-block is a Hitachi 350 decking loader.

Another specialty item in the SK Trucking fleet is a custom designed blade on their dozer for creating brush piles. They took their standard bush rake blade and widened it by four feet to 16.5-feet and configured the corners into more of a basket shape so that the blade cradles the brush better. They also added about three feet to the top of it.

“It is about twice as fast piling brush compared to the regular blade that we were using before,” says Kropp.

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ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF INDUSTRY INNOVATION

Industry can participate in Growing Canada's Forests Program by applying enhanced mixedwood reforestation

By Tony Kryzanowski

T

he federal government’s Growing Canada’s Forests Program aims to plant an additional two billion trees over 10 years as part of a broader approach to nature-based climate solutions. Forest companies can participate in this program when they go beyond their statutory management and reforestation responsibilities.

For example, if a forest company that harvests aspen or poplar chooses to enhance that site after harvest by planting white spruce with the aspen/poplar, this is going beyond what they are required to do. Adding softwood to the site increases its carbon sink potential while enhancing biodiversity, ecosystem sustainability and establishing an additional commercial value/crop.

Derek Sidders, Program Manager, Technology Development and Transfer at the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre (CWFC), says that the Growing Canada’s Forests Program is a perfect opportunity to apply some of the enhanced mixedwood reforestation practices demonstrated over the past 35 years through stakeholder-supported applied research and development.

Today, demonstration legacy sites established under the CWFC and Canadian Forest

15 Year-Old Spruce Planted in 75% Poplar Variable Retention, EMEND program 36

Service (CFS) umbrella are available to industry for reference to develop a successful enhanced mixedwood deployment strategy.

When originally launched, the goal of this research was to study and validate ways to build sustainable, resilient and biodiverse mixedwood forests while enhancing fibre yield and recovery of aspen, balsam poplar and white spruce. Long term research has repeatedly shown that these species are naturally very complementary to one another, and that there are many demonstrated opportunities for growth and yield enhancement.

The Alberta Hotchkiss River Mixedwood Demonstration Area and the Ecosystem Management Emulating Natural Disturbance (EMEND) study feature partial harvest removal using various designs to enhance mixedwood health, understorey protection of white spruce and selective planting.

With EMEND, one of the largest ongoing forest research sites in the world, large-scale test plots monitor and report stand health with ecosystem production outcomes over time in stands with various percentages of hardwoods and softwoods. During its establishment, CFS/CWFC, the University of Alberta, and their partners designed and demonstrated mixedwood variable retention partial harvest

17 Year-Old White Spruce Planted in 70 Year-Old Aspen Stand

19 Year-old Planted Poplar and White Spruce

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

methods. This was followed up by selective site preparation and planting of white spruce, which today provide industry with a successful example of enhanced biodiversity and sustainable management of mixedwood stands by mimicking natural disturbance through harvest, recovery and planting.

In addition to the partial harvest mixedwood project sites, CFS/CWFC and its stakeholder partners initiated technology development trials focused on planting white spruce in the understorey of mid-rotation and mature aspen and poplar stands on various sites throughout the Boreal Plains.

One result was the development of innovative selective site preparation practices using skid steer loader-mounted soil mixing tools to allow the white spruce planted in the understorey to become established within a relatively quick timeframe on moderate to well-drained sites. The hardwood overstorey could be harvested 15 to 20 years later, resulting in an established, well-distributed and productive white spruce forest.

This led to the establishment of two distinct Mixedwood-By-Design trial sites with hardwood producers in Alberta, to tweak stand regeneration by maintaining the hardwood suckering component while enhancing the stands with planted white spruce. One project involved systematic and selective mixing of the subsurface soil of two-year-old clearcuts to slow down regenerating hardwood growth while planting white spruce within the mixed soil in a pattern to maximize growth and operational efficiency.

A second trial with another forest company partner involved planting hybrid aspen and poplar with white spruce on a harvested hardwood site. The result was a high quality hardwood crop that is merchantable within 20 years and a softwood crop within 40 to 60 years.

For more technical information on mixedwood forest and afforest applications to Grow Canada’s Forest, contact Derek Sidders at derek.sidders@canada.ca or Tim Keddy at tim.keddy@canada.ca.

F

Let's Talk Digitalization with Francis Charette from FPInnovations

PInnovations recently created a Digitalization team to better understand the problems and operational efficiencies faced by manufacturers in their mill environment and to properly equip them in order to effectively address these often common and recurring issues.

To learn more about this topic, we met with Francis Charette, Manager of FPInnovations’ new Digitalization team, who kindly answered five quick questions to help us better understand the purpose of this demonstration project.

Why set up a Digitalization demonstration project?

Based on the findings of a survey conducted among our members and the industry, we were able to identify recurring problems at many mills that could be solved with digital solutions.

We also listed the tools that are currently being used to manage these situations.

While a number of mills already have data collection tools, they are primarily used to measure process efficiency and generate reports, but don’t provide any solutions or improvements. The challenge is to provide automated tools that can detect anomalies in real time, initiate action to determine the causes, and offer solutions to resolve them.

Why is this project important to the industry?

One of the objectives of the Digitalization demonstration project is to share the lessons learned from the various mills in their operations. By digitally identifying recurring problems and their causes using powerful analysis tools, we hope to be able to propose concrete solutions, thereby reducing downtime as well as minimizing product and revenue losses.

Lack of manpower is also a challenge facing the industry. For some time now, young workers have been difficult to recruit, while the experienced workforce is getting older and is unable to pass on its knowledge. Digital tools could partially remedy this problem by encoding the knowledge of experienced workers. This approach would

Francis Charette of FPInnovations help offset the lack of experience and decrease the learning curve.

What approach is the Digitalization demonstration project taking?

Our first step is a proof of concept that will be achieved in one mill at a time, with very close collaboration of mill personnel and data providers. This will allow us to experiment with an initial solution approach. Later on, the addition of more and more data will make it possible to develop algorithms that can be used in different mills.

An initial pilot project is under way and will continue through 2021 to test the system in a real production environment.

What can the mills expect?

The manufacturers will have access to a generic tool that will be able to identify problems immediately when they occur and propose solutions. However, for more complex problems, the system could enable them to consult an FPInnovations expert and solve certain problems remotely.

Thanks to a better perception of the problems, it will eventually be possible to avoid unnecessary travel, which will make it possible for FPInnovations to deploy its specialized resources where the problems are more complex, saving time and money for all concerned.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

Who is the Digitalization demonstration project for?

The first phase targets the wood products industry (two typical cases are targeted: drying and sawmill production line) which already uses data compilation tools and for which our knowledge of the production process allows us to go beyond existing solutions. A second phase will target other sectors of activity according to their specific problems.

In order to speed up the roll-out of the demonstration project, several technical partners have been identified: The SPN Consultants firm has a proven continuous data analysis and anomaly detection technology that is adapted to the specific needs of each mill. This technology, which uses the data collected and the history of identified problems, should enable wood processing plants in the sawmilling, drying and planing industries to optimize their operations by reducing the number and duration of unplanned downtime, while improving their productivity and ensuring the quality of their product.

Effecto, an affiliated partner of FPInnovations, is a specialized firm that has developed and implemented a manufacturing management system and traceability tools in several wood processing plants. Effecto’s systems are used, for example, to collect, structure, and transmit data for sawing, drying, and planing operations at Clermond Hamel.

MEC Dry Kiln, an affiliated partner, works closely with FPInnovations to access their controller database.

Clermond Hamel Ltée, a member company, is actively participating as a manufacturer that can benefit from the project by digitizing its operations between sawing, drying and planing, by giving access to the data of its production systems and evaluate the performance of the system.

For more information on this project, please contact Francis Charette, Manager of FPInnovations’ Digitalization Group at 514-782-4608 or at francis. charette@fpinnovations.ca.

37

TECHUPDATE

By Tony Kryzanowski

Wood Pellet Manufacturing Equipment and Services Stela Laxhuber

Stela Laxhuber, a third-generation family business, was founded in 1922 and specializes in low temperature belt drying technology for the global market.

It currently employs 200 highly qualified staff in the areas of engineering, construction, manufacturing and service of drying plants, with a very high level of vertical integration.

To date, more than 300 industrial drying plants based on low temperature belt dryers have been installed worldwide and in a wide range of different applications.

The Stela RecuDry system divides conventional technology into two drying areas. The Recu module saturates the drying air optimally by circulation and reheating. A partial stream of the saturated air is fed to the condensation module. The contained, mostly latent, energy warms the fresh air in the condensation module. By using an air-to-air heat exchanger, a large part of the energy used is thus recovered and guarantees highly efficient drying. ​Conventional drying technology becomes even more energy efficient using the Stela RecuDry system. Energy savings of between 35 to 55 per cent are possible for new as well as existing installations, says the company. www.drier.com

applying dynamic process modeling to accurately simulate the complete process. These models are capable of stress testing scenarios with associated return-on-investment (ROI) results.

With the process clearly defined, a 3D model can be produced to meet production parameters. A budget schedule and Project Development Readiness Index (PDRI) are produced as part of the Front End Engineering Design (FEED) phase and the project should continue to be defined until the PDRI is within an acceptable range.

Once the project is approved for construction, new application BIM tools such as Autodesk’s BIM360 allows engineers, vendors and contractors to collaborate to provide true value engineering. www.ktceng.ca

CV Technology

CV Technology protects more than 10 million metric tons of wood pellet product in North America annually. The company says that it is the first choice of defense against combustible dust

KTC Industrial Engineering

When considering applying new technical processes to existing pellet facilities or to new greenfield projects, KTC Industrial Engineering employs new tools and methodologies currently used in the engineered wood industry which have proven to mitigate project risks.

A structured and coordinated approach is critical as the capability of integrating each piece of information into a holistic Building Information Model (BIM) requires accurate information at each step of the implementation process.

The first step is to verify that the new technology or process will produce the expected results. This can be achieved by 38

hazards, as its Interceptor line is effective, efficient, cost effective, and easy to install. www. cvtechnology.com

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

techupdate Allied Blower

Allied Blower’s U.S. Operations in Mobile, Alabama are currently installing the plant-wide dust control and the pneumatic conveying systems Allied designed and manufactured for a new biomass pellet manufacturing facility in Alabama. The 20” diameter pneumatic conveying high pressure blowline conveys over 92 tons per hour of chips and sawdust 1400 feet from the nearby sawmill to the pellet plant.

A second shavings blowline pneumatically conveys 16 tons per hour of dry planer shavings. When these systems are commissioned in April, it will be the largest capacity and second longest distance pneumatic conveying system Allied Blower has

supplied. Allied also manufactured and installed a filter baghouse dust system for the dry hammermills, and a dual cyclone dust system for the pellet coolers. Allied Blower’s shop in Mobile is ready to assist the wood products and pellet industry in the southeast. www.alliedblower.com

Brunette Machinery

Specializing in wood processing and material handling systems for over 75 years, Brunette Machinery Co provides custom engineered solutions designed to its customers’ specifications.

It manufactures heavy duty drum chippers, whole log chippers, and horizontal chippers, available in various size models. It supplies the rugged CBI Grizzly Mill Hog and CBI Magnum Force Stationary Horizontal Grinder across North America.

Brunette’s BioSizer is a high speed waste wood grinder deto page 40

The Corbilt Group of Companies includes Wrangler Engineering Ltd. and Corbilt Welding & Fabrication Ltd. who specialize in the design, manufacturing, and installation of equipment for many different industries.

Our VDA Outfeed eliminates the need for perimeter guarding due to its 100% contained modular design. Our system also captures and eliminates the sawdust spray from the saw clusters. The internal design of our structure reduces flitch hang-ups and jamming. Our built in doors also allow for easy inspection and maintenance.

Our Wrangler 2 Stage Cyclone was designed to have similar emissions to filter bag houses. This system reduces down time and maintenance costs, as it has no filter bags that require replacement.

Wranglers’ vertical rotary air lock eliminates the issues of traditional horizontal rotary airlocks.

Our Cyclone meets the current environmental emission regulations.

Our Bandmill Enclosure captures and controls the sawdust properly while allowing the Saw filers and maintenance staff to perform their work easily and effectively. Optional for our enclosures are custom designed suction pickups that eliminate the explosive dust created. The focus of our enclosures is to capture fugitive dust at its source.

Cory Martindale, President www.Corbilt.com 14 West Poirier Road

250-838-0848

info@Corbilt.com Mara B.C. Canada V0E 1K0

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

39

techupdate from page 39 signed to produce a uniform-sized output ideal for the biomass industry. It is built for low maintenance with a high inertia rotor and fixed hammers. With four rows of staggered hammers, this grinder efficiently processes oversized “bush-grind,” hog fuel, trim blocks, wood chips, and typical urban wood waste, converting it all to fine consistent fibre.

Brunette Machinery Co also manufactures and supplies other complementary equipment such as vibrating conveyors, disc scalping screens, E-Sweeps, and log singulators to ensure maximum productivity for its customers. www.brunettemc.com

Corbilt Group of Companies

The Corbilt Group of Companies includes Wrangler Engineering Ltd and Corbilt Welding & Fabrication Ltd which specialize in the design, manufacturing, and installation of equipment for many different industries.

The Wrangler 2 Stage Cyclone was designed to have similar emissions to filter bag houses. This system reduces downtime and maintenance costs as it has no filter bags that require replacement. It is described as the only true multi-staged cyclone on the market today, designed to maximize air quality discharge, recirculating 75 per cent of the air in a closed loop system to increase energy efficiency and drastically reduce emissions.

Wrangler’s patent pending, vertical rotary air lock eliminates issues with traditional horizontal rotary airlocks. This methodology, in conjunction with the complete pneumatic conveying system

40

and Wrangler’s equipment enclosures, ensures that the risk associated with fugitive dust is reduced. The system delivers energy savings, reduced maintenance costs, reduced emissions and an improved working environment. www.corbilt.com

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

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SUPPLIERNEWSLINE

CM Labs Simulations signs partnership agreement with Tigercat

CM Labs Simulations, developer of Vortex training simulators, has entered into a partnership agreement with forestry equipment manufacturer Tigercat Industries.

Under this agreement, CM Labs will develop and supply Tigercat with a series of state-of-the-art simulators that replicate the functionality and behavior of the 20-tonne Tigercat 1075C log forwarder and the Tigercat 1165 mid-sized wheel harvester.

The forwarder is designed for demanding high production cut-to-length applications while the Tigercat 1165 mid-sized wheel harvester is used for selective cut and final fell harvesting operations. CM Labs Simulations says that using simulators for training on these complex vehicles ensures risk-free safe training for operators and decreases training time and costs, freeing up actual equipment for its work on the jobsite.

CM Labs will deliver a series of simulators to Tigercat powered by smart training technology. Each will have three screens and a motion platform. www.tigercat.com, www.cm-labs.com/ forestry-hompage/

Fund will be administered by the Union of B.C. Municipalities. Funded projects will encourage economic development, reduce wildfire risks, allow people to develop new job skills and help protect forests and communities from harm.

This program’s eligibility requirements support projects that focus on: job creation for priority FireSmart projects; job creation for longer-term community wildfire resiliency; and development of job skills that will assist with future employment. https://firesmartbc.ca

Ponsse launches a new generation of Scorpion harvesters

Ponsse now offers a completely modernized range of Scorpion harvesters which the company says meets all the requirements of forestry.

The new Ponsse Scorpion takes harvest productivity and ergonomics to the next level, and sets a new standard for the operator’s working environment, says the company, adding that the stability of the Scorpion is in a class of its own and provides power and productivity with low ground pressure.

Attention has been paid above all to even better work ergonomics, safety, cabin visibility and usability.

B.C. launches FireSmart Economic Recovery Fund

The B.C. government is investing $10 million in a new FireSmart Economic Recovery Fund as part of its economic recovery plan to create jobs and help communities cope with the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

StrongerBC: B.C.’s Economic Recovery Plan provides employment and economic opportunities to support a wide range of projects throughout the province. The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development is responsible for economic recovery programs worth more than $100 million. The new FireSmart Economic Recovery Fund is one component of that overall recovery strategy.

The FireSmart Economic Recovery

One of the most visible improvements is the new one-piece front window which reaches all the way up to the cabin roof to offer even better visibility and a safe working environment in any weather condition. In addition, the unique crane solution provides excellent visibility in all directions, says Ponsse.

Besides numerous new features, Ponsse Scorpion and Scorpion King harvesters have been fitted with an advanced fifth generation Ponsse Opti 5G information system and a completely upgraded user interface. Ponsse says that the userfriendly information system is the most

42

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

By Tony Kryzanowski modern on the market and its smoothness and speed take the user experience to a completely new level.

The Opti 5G information system also enables the Ponsse Harvester Active Crane management system which gives the harvester a new way to control the crane and work more efficiently. www.ponsse.com

Waratah debuts HTH616C series-III harvester head Waratah has launched a new generation of its HTH616C harvester head: the new HTH616C series-III, which features many new service and accessibility upgrades.

This includes a new main control valve designed to increase performance, responsiveness, and compatibility to a greater range of carriers, including wheeled cut-to-length (WCTL) and smaller, lower powered carriers having limited flow.

With a weight starting at 3968 lbs, the HTH616 Series-III features a new, more efficient main control valve that can be configured with various options to fit performance needs on wheeled or tracked machines alike. Motor selections can be configured to complement the new valve and improve feeding speed with a high torque motor option available to help to increase productivity in the toughest delimbing conditions.

Operationally, the new valve provides improved responsiveness in the delimb and drive arms to enhance grabbing stems, log handling, and improve sawing performance, resulting in reduced processing times.

The new cast delimb arm design improves limb shedding and can be configured in processing or harvesting profile with a maximum delimb opening of 27”.

The H616C Series-III has optional twin diameter sensors that provide better measuring when small end diameters are critical. www.waratah.com to page 44

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John Deere aims to extend work season with purpose-built 768L-II bogie skidder

John Deere has launched its new sixwheel 768L-II bogie skidder, described as a true woodland warrior designed to conquer wet conditions and steep slope terrain. Incorporating the proven, durable features found on the John Deere L-II skidder lineup, the new 768L-II maximizes productivity, performance, and comfort when carrying hefty loads over long distances in challenging conditions.

“With our new 768L-II bogie skidder, we’re delivering a purpose-built machine that navigates tough terrain such as swamps or steep slopes. Providing distinct features, the John Deere bogie skidder helps loggers maximize their potential, regardless of the conditions,” says Matthew Flood, Product Marketing Manager at John Deere.

The 281-horsepower 768L-II features heavy-duty bogie axles which incorporate large components to maximize durability and stability for long axle and tire life.

The heavy-duty axles are purpose-built for tough applications, effortlessly pulling heavy loads and maneuvering tough terrain. The smooth, stable operation results in reduced machine vibration, ultimately minimizing operator fatigue. Another key feature is the excellent tractive ability and floatation. When combined with the bogie axles, ground pressure is reduced, allowing the 768L-II to work in wet terrain not accessible with a four-wheel skidder. As a result, the harvesting window is extended, adding more working days to the calendar.

The new arch design provides the operator with an expansive rearward view of the grapple and work area, providing excellent visibility. The long wheelbase and boom-arch envelope boost reach and lift capability for the boom and grapple, increasing dexterity in the woods. The tight turning radius enhances agility at the landing. www.johndeere.com 44

Cat’s Next Generation 538 forest machines deliver design upgrades

The new Cat Next Generation 538 forest machines feature several significant design upgrades that the company says make it a top choice for working in the bush.

Available in Log Loader and General

Forest configurations, the 538 has a new electro-hydraulic control system with 10 per cent more swing torque that allows the machine to work with more power and precision. Updates to the drive system result in a 12 per cent increase in travel speed, helping the Cat Next Generation 538 cover more ground and move up and down slopes faster. High Wide undercarriage provides 15 per cent greater ground clearance to help the machine pass over stumps and other obstructions with ease.

The 538 features an efficient Cat 7.1 engine that meets US EPA Tier 4 Final and EU Stage V emission standards and is flexible to run on biodiesel up to B20. Smart mode automatically matches engine and hydraulic power to working conditions to help reduce fuel consumption up to five per cent without sacrificing performance.

The 538 offers a cold start capability of -25˚ F (-32˚ C) and reliable high ambient temperature operation reaching 118˚ F (48˚ C). Fuel tank capacity is more than double the previous model which means the new 538 can operate up to five shifts before refilling.

The all-new Certified Forestry cab design for the Cat Next Generation 538 dramatically improves operator comfort and safety, says the company.

The cab is 25 per cent larger with 50 per cent greater overall visibility than the previous 538. Plus, it has a heated seat and a more ergonomically friendly layout so the operator doesn’t have to exert much effort to be efficient and productive.

Operators can start the 538’s engine with a simple push of a button. Compared to the previous model, the Next Generation 538 lowers maintenance costs by up to 15 per cent over the course of 12,000 hours of operation, says the company. www.cat.com Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

Combined Swirling Combustor introduced to North American market

Kinava, Co., Ltd has announced an agreement with LNS Energy Ltd to market the Swirling Wood Fiber Combustor system. The system design is revolutionary and based on many years of R&D where the traditional refractory lined system is not required, and with emissions results superior to currently used systems, says the company.

Kinava is a company focused on organic green waste to energy solutions utilizing HTC technology. LNS Energy is focused on solutions to the bioenergy sector in North America. www.kinava.com

BID Group to deliver Idaho Forest Group’s first facility in southern U.S.

The BID Group has received an order from Idaho Forest Group to deliver its first greenfield sawmill complex project in the southern United States.

In addition to managing engineering, design, and construction of the facility through its Integrated Solutions Team, BID will supply a complete range of industry-leading technologies and reliability services including OPER8TM, the only purpose-built Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solution for the wood processing industry.

“We appreciate the opportunity to work with the Comact team on the integration of their Machine Centre Design Expertise into our new mill in Lumberton, Mississippi,” says Marc Brinkmeyer, Owner and CEO of Idaho Forest Group (IFG).

“Their partner, BID Integrated Solutions, has a proven track record of coordinating the construction of sawmill complexes in the south. It is their combined success, intensity of focus and attention to detail that provides us with confidence in their abilities to support our IFG team. We look forward to the contribution of the Comact/BID team as we continue to learn about operating in the South,” added Brinkmeyer.

“The combination of IFG’s performance excellence and innovation coupled with BID’s services and technologies will deliver another industry leading facility,” said Alistair Cook, President and CEO of BID Group.

Onsite civil work will start immediately with sawmill commissioning planned for December 2021. www.bidgroup.ca

classified USNR signs major contract with Swiss sawmill for new line

(590 ft/min), Logmaster HPS is the most advanced bandmill in USNR’s program for throughput and recovery, says the company. The line will also be equipped with USNR’s optimization and controls and is designed with flexibility and capability to accommodate complex saw patterns.

To handle the large volume of sideboards, USNR will also deliver two Catech XT edger lines that operate in the range of over 70 boards/min.

USNR says that these lines will be equipped with the latest optimization technology for the highest recovery and throughput the market has to offer. www.usnr.com

USNR has signed a contract with Tschopp Holzindustrie AG in Buttisholz, Switzerland for a complete new saw line.

The saw line will be a fully equipped premium production line that is custom designed to cut a maximum volume of thin boards from each log. The mill, one of Switzerland’s largest, provides the raw material for Tschopp’s production of formwork panels for the construction industry.

The log line will comprise two Logmaster HPS quad bandmills, consisting of eight bandmills in total. Designed for accurate cutting at speeds of up to 180 m/min

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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

45

thelastword

Europeans capturing more U.S. lumber market share while Canada is stuck in the penalty box

By Tony Kryzanowski

F

or the Canadian forest industry, and particularly softwood lumber producers, it has been challenging over the past four years to try to negotiate a new Softwood Lumber Agreement with the United States when phrases like “alternative facts” and “fake news” have dominated the discourse.

With a new administration in the White House, it’s time for negotiators to start discussing some real facts and how— because of these facts—there is no reason for any tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber. Furthermore, all duties held on account should be returned to Canadian lumber producers.

According to Wood Resources International LLC (WRI), a well-established company that has been compiling facts and figures related to global wood product marketing and export for decades, the lumber supply from Canada to the U.S. has been eroding for years.

In its mid-January report, it says, “despite record-high lumber prices in the U.S. in 2020, Canadian lumber shipments to its southern neighbor have fallen for the fourth consecutive year. A reduction in the Annual Allowable Cut (AAC) in the province of British Columbia has reduced production volumes in that region by over a third in just five years.”

So that’s one-third less lumber being shipped from that region which exports the most softwood lumber to the U.S. by far, according to the Canadian government.

What should be upsetting to Canadian producers is that while we are being unfairly penalized with tariffs, European producers are capturing more market share.

“Although overseas volumes have not reached the same levels in 2020 as in 2005, Europe’s share of the total imports

46

reached a record high of 13 per cent,” according to the WRI report. “The current market share is substantially higher than the 20-year average of only seven per cent.”

So in other words, Europe is now shipping more than double its average volume of softwood lumber to the U.S. while we are being penalized for shipping substantially less.

Something seems seriously askew here.

It is obvious that the current volume of shipments from Canada represents no threat to American producers and removal of any tariffs on softwood lumber will actually help the American middle class by reducing the cost of purchasing a home built with Canadian lumber.

No doubt the first priority of both American and Canadian politicians is to ramp up distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, and in the short term it will be difficult to capture their attention to want to discuss anything else. But by later spring, with more vaccine needles in arms, the economic situation will begin to normalize with both nations getting back to business starting with a hard date on the reopening of the border.

The current state of play has yielded a reduction but not an elimination of the tariffs. According to Global Affairs Canada, the new softwood lumber tariff is about 9 per cent instead of about 20 per cent for most companies based on the latest administrative review by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Unfortunately, some companies will actually see their duties increase based on these duties, but the majority will follow these new guidelines.

But that’s still too much because the whole point of softwood lumber tariffs in the first place was to penalize Canadian producers if total exports from Canada Logging & Sawmilling Journal - March/April 2021

exceeded a set threshold. Those conditions no longer exist because of sawmill shutdowns in the B.C. Interior. The numbers don’t lie.

The argument by American negotiators that they consider low stumpage fees for Canadian producers a subsidy that gives Canadian producers a competitive advantage has been dismissed repeatedly by adjudicators at both the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States Mexico Canada Agreement on Trade (USMCA). This argument is nothing more than an attempt at payback by some American-based forest companies, who own millions of hectares of privately-held forests in the U.S., for not allowing them to do the same in Canada. It would be easy to argue that some aren’t really serious lumber producers at all but real estate managers based on the volume of private forested lands on their books. They are simply attempting to influence Canadian public land management policy and this has to stop. Most of Canada’s forest has been, and will always be, managed as a public resource—end of story.

So, what are the key phrases to listen for over the next six months as it relates to current softwood lumber tariffs? The most important phrase is, “we need time to study the current state of negotiations before we can resume.” This is code for, “it’s not a top priority with us and we’ll get to it when we get to it.”

It would be helpful if the Canadian government finally made settling this issue with the U.S. a higher priority—especially now that there is a new American administration. After all, wood is a green, sustainable building product, which seems to be a hot topic in the American White House these days.

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