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June/July 2019

GETTING HIGHER OSB PRODUCTION at High Prairie With this issue…

The Edge!

Tom Fisher Logging HARVESTING HARDWOOD in Ontario’s Cottage Country SORTING IT ALL OUT at British Columbia’s Shoal Island log sort

YOU’RE GONNA NEED MORE TRUCKS. Designed to increase productivity, the new Hitachi Foresters sport a reliable, Final Tier 4 engine that doesn’t require a DPF. Comfort comes in the form of a quieter and larger cab with stretch-out-your-legs room and an improved AC system. Top it all off with safety improvements like redesigned visibility and cab access. The enhancements go on and on – just like the line of trucks that will need to keep up. HitachiConstruction.com/Foresters

FEATURES June/July 2019 Volume 50 • No. 4 Editor Paul MacDonald Contributing Editors Jim Stirling, Tony Kryzanowski George Fullerton Tech Update Editor Tony Kryzanowski Publisher/CEO Anthony Robinson • (604) 990-9970 E-Mail: robinson@forestnet.com Associate Publisher Rob Stanhope • (604) 990-9970 E-mail: stanhope@forestnet.com Digital Marketing & Business Development Manager Kirsty Graham • (604) 990-9970 Email: kirsty@forestnet.com Sales Associates James Booth • (604) 506-8631 E-mail: jbooth@forestnet.com Perry Rosehill • (604) 613-3001 E-mail: rosehill@forestnet.com Subscription Enquiries Maureen Cole, Circulation Manager (905) 201-0853 Fax: (905) 294-8645 E-mail: SubscribeLSJ@forestnet.com Design & Art Production Manager Sheila Ringdahl E-mail: artwork@forestnet.com Accounting Manager Shelina Jessa • (604) 731-1535 E-mail: accounting@forestnet.com Office PO Box 86670, 211 East 1st Street North Vancouver, BC V7L 4L2 Phone: (604) 990-9970 • Fax: (604) 990-9971 Website: www.forestnet.com Subscriptions: Canada $58 a year; two years $70; three years, $85. Group accounts, six or more subscriptions, $25 per subscription per year. Outside Canada, $95 per year. Airmail $165. Single copy, Canada $6; elsewhere $10. Reproduction prohibited without permission of the publisher. ISSN 0226-7572. Back copies from 1996 onward are available through our website www.forestnet.com Publications Mail Agreement No. 40064045 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to CIRCULATION DEPT. PO Box 86670 Stn Main North Vancouver BC V7L 4L2 e-mail: SubscribeLSJ@forestnet.com POSTMASTER: Send US address changes to LSJ Publishing Ltd., PO Box 610, Edmonds, WA 98020-0610 Published June/July 2019 Printed in Canada on 20% recycled paper.

“We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada” Logging & Sawmilling Journal is a member/associate member of the following industry organizations:

On the Cover: Tom Fisher Logging conducts selective harvesting in a forest that consists of several high-value wood species, which provides him with the opportunity to tap into a variety of markets for his wood products. Fisher very ably maintains good relations with inquisitive local cottage owners about the sound of logging equipment and resource road traffic as they enjoy their lake properties. (Cover shot of a Tigercat 822C feller buncher with a 22” hotsaw head by Tony Kryzanowski)

4 Spotlight: A win-win 28 Getting higher OSB forest management plan

The First Nations-owned Agoke Development Corporation is working on a forest management plan that could revolutionize the economic structure of forest management in northwestern Ontario— and deliver benefits to First Nations communities and the forest industry.

10 Managing all the moving parts

Veteran Ontario logger Tom Fisher has plenty of experience at managing the many moving parts—including keeping local cottage owners in the know—that are involved in harvesting high value hardwood forests.

16 Bright future for fiberboard operation

22 Taking their logging to a whole new level

production at High Prairie

With a $50 million capital investment, forest company Tolko Industries has reopened and boosted the production capacity at its re-commissioned High Prairie oriented strand board plant in Alberta by 40 per cent.

34 Sorting it all out— log-wise

The Shoal Island logging sort in B.C. truly lives up to its name, doing upwards of up to 180 log sorts, but doing it all with the environment in mind.

44 The Edge

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

54 The Last Word

Tony Kryzanowski says the Forest Machinery Connectivity project is a good investment in “What If” science.

DEPARTMENTS

Calendar............................................... 8 Tech Update....................................... 40 Suppliernewsline................................ 50 Classifieds.......................................... 53 Subscriptions...................................... 53 Ad Index............................................. 53

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

spotlight

A WIN-WIN forest management plan The First Nations-owned Agoke Development Corporation is working on a forest management plan for the Ogoki Forest that could revolutionize the economic structure of forest management in northwestern Ontario— and deliver benefits to First Nations communities and the forest industry. By Heather Hudson

Elected leadership and delegates from Aroland, Eabametoong and Marten Falls First Nations tour the Nakina Sawmill. Of the 85 employees working at the mill, 75 per cent are First Nations. 4

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

ocated 400 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, the 11,000 square kilometres of boreal forest in the Ogoki Forest is about as remote as it gets. Characterized by rugged uplands and lowlands, it’s home to woodland caribou and hundreds of other wildlife species. Neighbouring First Nations communities hunt, gather and conduct sacred rituals within it. And with its rich store of spruce, pine, fir and poplar, the Ogoki’s potential to act as an economic engine for the north land is huge. While it was once a bustling place for logging, the 2008 economic crisis shut down the local mill, and forestry was all but stagnant for 10 years. Today, industry in the forest is re-awakening thanks to the Agoke Development Corporation (ADC), and a first-of-its-kind co-operative agreement between three First Nations communities. Some say it’s about time. “Our peoples have been living on the land since time immemorial. We know our traditional territory better than anyone else and as stewards of the land, we take sustainable forest management very seriously,”

spotlight said Mark Bell, president of ADC and an Aroland First Nation Band Member. In 2015, Aroland, Eabametoong (also known as Fort Hope) and Marten Falls First Nations communities formally came together to collaborate on forest management and business development in the Ogoki Forest. The group has been harvesting fibre, moving it to the Longlac Lumber Inc. sawmill and the more recently reopened Nakina sawmill. In March 2018, ADC signed a forestry agreement with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) that gave them an interim licence to manage the Ogoki Forest while a formal 10-year forest management plan is being prepared for 2020-2030. The licence includes the right to harvest wood and the responsibility for silviculture and road programs. Fewer than five of the approximately 31 forest management units in Ontario are governed by Indigenous companies. Proving that they’re on the road to industry, ADC entered into another historic joint venture agreement in July 2018 with Nakina Lumber, a local sawmill that has re-opened thanks to the work of ADC.

Chief Elizabeth Atlookan, Eabametoong First Nation; Chief Bruce Achneepineskum, Marten Falls First Nation; and Mark Bell Councillor - Aroland First Nation/President - Agoke Development Corporation, met with Ontario’s then Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry Kathryn McGarry (second from left) at Queens Park in Toronto in 2017 to discuss the forest management intentions of the three First Nations. “We’ve started to unlock forest resources available in the Ogoki to supply the Nakina Lumber Mill,” said Jason Rasevych, business advisor to the ADC. Historically, in order to manage a forest unit in the Ogoki Forest, a company would need a Sustainable Forest Licence

(SFL), awarded by the Crown. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, the Longlac Sawmill held the licence for much of the Ogoki Forest. to page 6

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spotlight from page 5 First Nations communities had no say or participation in the forestry activity, aside from “a mention way back in the appendices that said that the sawmill must make efforts to provide employment to local First Nations people. But there was no enforcement or any indicators for how many or what kind of business opportunities would be available,” said Rasevych. When the markets crashed and the sawmill closed in 2008, the licence for the Ogoki Forest went back to the Crown. Around that time, a judicial review in neighbouring Kenogami Forest ruled that the Ontario government was now required to consult and accommodate First Nations communities when making a decision that affects those communities, including forest management. Similar challenges were being brought before the Supreme Court in British Columbia. “This influenced the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) to rethink how they involved First Nations in managing forest units,” said Rasevych. In 2012, the Ontario government initiated forest tenure modernization,

stipulating that no single entity, such as a sawmill, would be granted a Sustainable Forest Licence to manage a forest unit. An applicant would require an Enhanced Sustainable Forest (ESFL) licence, which must include co-operation with at least one First Nations community. By 2013, Aroland, Eabametoong and Marten Falls First Nations had created a working group to explore forest management possibilities in the Ogoki for themselves. “In 2015, the working group, with the Chiefs’ support, recommended the partnership to create the Agoke Development Corporation,” said Rasevych. Today, ADC is working on the required 10-year plan for 2020-2030 (the 2008-2018 plan has been extended by two years) that could revolutionize the economic structure of forest management in northwestern Ontario and include First Nations like never before. The 10-year plan considers the usual forest management specifications such as road building and harvesting schedules, but it also includes consultation with First Nations communities and training for operators in the forest to ensure sacred cultural or burial sites and berry or medicine

picking areas are protected. “We’ll come to the First Nations communities each year to ask where the sensitive areas are so they can be put in the maps and we can create buffer zones,” said Rasevych. ADC’s forest management planning process also includes discussions with sawmills to identify their demand as well as how First Nations could benefit from harvesting, hauling or delivery of those species of wood. The annual allowable cut for SPF is 500,000 cubic metres and 93,000 cubic metres of poplar. Under the interim logging licence, ADC has been sending spruce, pine and fir from the forest to the nearby Nakina Lumber sawmill and poplar to Columbia Forest Products. It was a gradual start, with only about 25,000 cubic metres of spruce, pine and fir heading to the Longlac mill in 2017. “We’re gradually building capacity as we learn about the bureaucratic and administrative process of how to administer a

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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

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spotlight from page 6 forest resource licence and get paperwork in place to move wood off the forest,” said Rasevych. However, since the Nakina Lumber Mill opened in July 2018, ADC projected 200,000 to 300,000 cubic metres will be moved off the Ogoki Forest between April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019. One of the most important aspects of ADC taking control of the Ogoki is empowering First Nations people to find employment in all aspects of forest management. Currently, the most opportunities are in the Nakina Sawmill; of the 85 employees, 75 per cent are First Nations. “That was part of one of our clauses in our joint venture with Nakina Lumber,” said Rasevych. “There are definitely plans for the mill to expand, including a second shift, which could create an additional 40 jobs.” The impact on the three First Nations communities cannot be overstated. Rasevych estimates chronic unemployment rates as high as 80 to 90 per cent. “The mill is huge for livelihood and the potential to raise the quality of life.” With the sawmill in good operational shape, ADC is also working on capacity building on the logging side of things. There is a camp set up about 100 kilometres north of the sawmill where contractors base their harvesting equipment and some of their camp logistics. It’s ADC’s goal to train more First Nations people to run harvesting equipment such as feller bunchers, skidders and processors to harvest the fibre. They’ve partnered with Confederation College in Thunder Bay, Ontario to train people on logging machinery out in the bush, so students can avoid some of the social issues First Nations people have had to face in the city. Other professional training includes four weeks of life skills for all employees before they’re hired at the mill. They learn things like personal goal setting, budgeting, relationship management, parenting and health and safety to ensure job-readiness. “Most of our First Nations workers have never had a job before or at least haven’t worked in a mill,” said Rasevych. “It’s like awakening a sleeping giant to come out and participate in this labour force.” He hopes the training and employment opportunities close by will entice First Nations youth to see a future for themselves. Their efforts are paying off. In the Aroland First Nation community alone, the number of people on social assistance 8

Tom Darechuk (right, President of Nakina Lumber) provides an overview of the lumber manufacturing process to delegates from First Nations groups during a tour.

has dropped to 71 from 121. “It’s a game changer. It’s an awakening for the millennial generation that hasn’t had opportunities in this area before.” The success of ADC has not gone unnoticed. In October 2018, they won the business partnership of the year award at the NADF business awards, which celebrates Aboriginal businesses in northern Ontario. The NADF, a not-for-profit Aboriginal financial institution, lauded ADC for their collective vision and determination to succeed. Rasevych says the award was more than a pat on the back. “This forest management partnership with MNR has been a long process and it wasn’t easy. It’s been political and there have been a lot of roadblocks in our way. A lot of people told us we’ll never manage the forest on our own and that the Nakina sawmill would never open again. “All of it has been worth the strides we’ve made.” He credits strong partnerships among the First Nations communities, with Nakina Lumber and other industry partners, for their success. “When you’ve got First Nations and industry walking together, it’s hard for government to not be a part of facilitating development.” As they look to the future, Rasevych has high hopes for the 2020-2030 forest management plan and the enrichment ADC can bring to the surrounding communities. Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

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Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival, Squamish, BC www.squamishdays.ca September 5-7

Great Lakes Logging & Heavy Equipment Expo, Escanaba, MI 715-282-5828, www.timberpa.com September 23-25

Wood Pellet Association of Canada AGM & Conference, Ottawa, ON 250-837-8821, www.pellet.org September 25-27

Alberta Forest Products Association 77th AGM & Conference, Jasper, AB

780-452-2841 www.albertaforestproducts.ca

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Ontariologging

MANAGING

all the MOVING PARTS Veteran Ontario logger Tom Fisher has plenty of experience at managing the many moving parts—including keeping local cottage owners in the know—that are involved in harvesting high value hardwood forests.

By Tony Kryzanowski

here are many moving parts to Tom Fisher’s logging operation near Huntsville, Ontario. This includes the maintenance of good relations with inquisitive cottage owners concerned

with the sound of logging equipment and resource road traffic as they enjoy their lake properties. This industry veteran and early mechanical harvesting adopter is wellacquainted with the hot buttons that draw the ire of the area’s cottagers, and

A family operation: Tom Fisher (right) and son, Jessop Ferguson, look after logging operations while Fisher’s son, Mathew Ferguson, and Fisher’s wife, Michelle Ferguson, work in the office. 10

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

understands how sharing a little information about the truth of sustainable logging activities and organizing a few tours with community leaders can help to build a better understanding and important bridges. Given the quality and variety of wood available to him, it’s worth the effort. Fisher owns Tom Fisher Logging Inc and harvests about 70,000 cubic metres annually. He employs about 25 workers and 10 sub-contractors, plus their employees. Fisher is a stump to dump logging contractor working primarily to supply the hardwood sawmill in Huntsville, owned by Rayonier Advanced Materials, formerly Tembec. About 90 per cent of the wood he harvests, consisting mostly of hardwoods, is shipped to this location, with

Ontariologging Tom Fisher Logging uses a herringbone harvesting approach to select log mainly hardwood for the Rayonier Advanced Materials, formerly Tembec, sawmill in Huntsville, Ontario. A Tigercat 822C feller buncher is one of two bunchers in the fleet. They also use a Caterpillar 521B feller buncher with a Quadco 24” hotsaw head.

the remainder, like softwood, pulp wood and veneer logs, sold to a variety of other customers. Tom Fisher Logging Inc conducts selective harvesting in a forest that consists of several high-value wood species including hard and soft maple, beech, oak, yellow birch, ash, poplar, cherry, spruce, hemlock and white pine, which provides Fisher with the opportunity to tap into a variety of markets for his wood products, running the gamut from high-value veneer logs to pulp wood. The diverse wood basket results in about seven sorts at roadside. Typically with about 120 tonnes of wood growing per hectare, they harvest about 40 tonnes of trees marked by Rayonier silviculturists, using a herringbone harvesting pattern. This pattern minimizes damage to surrounding trees that continue

to grow, and be harvested at some future time in an ongoing 20 year cycle. Given the variety of wood he harvests and the environment in which he works, Fisher says that equipment sturdiness is the name of the game. Their log diameters at the stump can range anywhere from 10” to 38”. He regularly tweaks his equipment fleet to maximize efficiency and uptime, while minimizing environmental impact. One change that he is definitely looking to make in the short term is a transition from grapple skidding to clambunk skidding, simply because it allows him to work a longer season. He has used this approach in the past; while it was effective because of a clambunk skidder’s superior flotation, the two 18 tonne clambunk skidders he was using at that time

were not well-suited to the wear and tear of skidding in this logging environment. They experienced a lot of drivetrain issues, with only about 2,000 hours of production before they’d have to overhaul the entire rear bogie system. “I’ve been talking to Tigercat and equipment dealer Wajax and I really like what they could potentially offer me in a clambunk skidder,” he says. “They have a heavier bogie system in their machines that Tigercat designed and manufactured themselves.” He describes a clambunk skidder as basically a forwarder with the bunk removed and equipped with an upsidedown grapple.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

to page 12

Ontariologging from page 11 “You have eight-wheel drive and you have tracks on the four sets of wheels,” he says. “In the past, there were many times—especially in the fall—when the grapple skidders were parked and the clambunk skidders were still pulling wood and staying well within compliance. It was just a mechanical issue, with the clambunks we had being just a little too light for the job.” He feels the solution is to purchase a heavier machine with a heavier duty loader and drivetrain, without the extra weight counteracting the flotation benefits. Fisher’s business has grown steadily over the four decades he has been logging, as has his reputation as a reliable and responsible logger in a challenging environment of sometimes conflicting priorities, to the point where he is now responsible for the entire logging process—from roadbuilding right through to log delivery to his client’s yard. His current fleet consists of a Caterpillar 521B feller buncher with a Quadco 24” hotsaw head as well as a Tigercat 822C feller buncher with a 22” hotsaw head. He also hires a sub-contractor for this function, who uses an older Timberjack 608 feller buncher. Fisher says that grapple skidding is a new experience for the company, having typically used the cable skidding approach. They still have six sub-contractor cable skidders working as part of their operation. Delimbing the trees is still handled by two manual chainsaw operators who do both topping and delimbing in the bush. Fisher says he still has not found a feller bunching head tough enough to handle the variety and large limbs on the hardwood trees he harvests. Leaving the tops in the forest is particularly positive for the environment, because he says that 70

Grapple skidding, using this Cat 525 skidder, is a new experience for Tom Fisher Logging, with most of their skidding handled by sub-contractor cable skidders.

per cent of the tree’s nutrients are in the tops, regenerating the soil for future tree growth as well as supporting wildlife. For grapple skidding, they use a Caterpillar 525D. “The grapple skidder is nice because you are not getting in and out to hook up all the time like cable skidding, so less strains and sprains,” says Fisher. But they have had some compliance issues using the grapple skidding approach, especially in wet ground conditions. That’s why he believes that clambunk skidding with the right equipment could be a better option. Processing at roadside is handled by Serco slashers. Logs are delivered to roadside with species mixed together. It’s the slasher operator’s job to process logs according to customer requirements, sort logs according to species, while also sorting out higher end products like veneer logs. Their Serco 270 and 290

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

slashers equipped with 60” circular saws are mounted on decommissioned logging trucks. The local dealer for the Serco slashers is H. J. Searson Ltd in Eganville, Ontario. Fisher says he appreciates that Searson personnel are knowledgeable about the industry, and that they keep a large parts inventory. Tom Fisher Logging Inc uses self-picker logging trucks. They have three Western Star series 4900 trucks equipped with Serco 8500 self-pickers to transport logs to holding yards and local customers, and two Western Star 4900 highway tractors, all purchased through Northland Truck Center, with lightweight Timmins log trailers for long haul products. They also work with three log haul sub-contractors. For road construction, their fleet to page 14

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Ontariologging from page 12 consists of a Cat D6N dozer, a Cat 320E excavator, a Cat 160H grader, a Cat 950F loader and a Cat 950H loader, along with several tandem gravel trucks. Typically, road construction will start in late May for a June logging start up. Fisher says being in charge of both the roads and the logging has its advantages. “You get things done the way you want it done, when you want it done,” he says. But the new and upgraded old roads are often also used by cottagers, campers and hunters which is why it’s important to keep the lines of communication open. Fisher has no particular preference for equipment brands and says that he keeps equipment “as long as it’s faithful to me.” He is also not afraid to try new brands, having operated a Quebec-made Direct feller buncher for five years, along with a 608S Timberjack. He appreciated the Direct’s performance but the company closed its doors as a result of the last forest industry downturn and Timberjack was sold to John Deere.

He operates a number of pieces of Caterpillar and Tigercat equipment because there is strong service support for the equipment in that area of Ontario from both Toromont and Wajax. “The biggest thing for me is service and parts availability,” says Fisher. “They show up a lot and come and talk to us. They tell us what’s new and take us on tours to see equipment advancements. We like to try new things to see if it is something that will work for us.” The issue of the exchange rate between Canada and the U.S. and equipment prices based on U.S. dollars is definitely a major concern, and is adding to the overall costs of doing business. Fisher is always on the lookout, like many other logging contractors in Canada, to purchase a slightly used piece of equipment at a cost saving, and has taken this approach with several of his purchases. Fisher’s son, Jessop Ferguson, works with him in logging operations and his younger son, Matthew Ferguson, works with Fisher’s wife, Michelle Ferguson, to look after the paperwork in the office.

Tom is leaving it up to his sons to decide whether or not they are interested in carrying on the business, as he looks to potentially semi-retire five or so years down the road. The key is to have some experience starting out, which is what he is providing to them. Fisher is also playing an important role safely training younger workers for long term employment or leading them to consider perhaps eventually entering the industry as owner-operators. That training is very important, he says. “If you are thinking that you can buy a piece of equipment and put an operator in it and then sit back and think that you are just going to collect money from what the machine is making, that likely isn’t going to happen,” Fisher says. With new ownership at the Huntsville mill that may result in new investments, Fisher says he is preparing his fleet so that he’s ready to respond to whatever new timber requirements that Rayonier may require.

The wood basket where Tom Fisher logs near Huntsville, Ontario includes hard and soft maple, beech, yellow birch, oak, cherry, white pine, spruce and hemlock. Once logs are manually delimbed and topped in the bush and grapple skidded to roadside, a Serco slasher (above) takes over the processing and sorting of logs. 14

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

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With a steady source of residual wood supply from mill operations in the region, the MDF plant in Pembroke, Ontario is looking forward to a positive future under its new ownership, Oregon’s Roseburg Forest Products. By Heather Hudson f the walls of the Roseburg Forest Products medium density fiberboard (MDF) plant in Pembroke, Ontario could talk, they’d have a lot to say. They’d probably start by rhyming off the plant’s several owners over the years: • MacMillan Bloedel (est. 1996) • Temple Inland (1998) • ATC Panels (2005) The American housing crisis forced ATC Panels to shut down the plant in 2008. Although they kept on a skeleton crew to maintain the building, the mill was dark until 2014—when it was reopened as Pembroke MDF. In April 2018, Roseburg Forest Products purchased the plant and molding

production facilities and, today, it’s in full, 24/7 production on a continental four shift schedule, under their management— and it’s also known as Pembroke MDF. The acquisition was Oregon-based Roseburg Forest Products’ first international purchase and continued the company’s expansion throughout North America. Roseburg is also building a $200 million (U.S.) engineered wood products plant in Chester, South Carolina, scheduled for start-up in mid-2019, and recently acquired 158,000 acres of timberland in Virginia and North Carolina. “The Pembroke plant and its employees present untapped potential that can be used to better serve existing and future customers of our innovative and versatile MDF product line,” said Mark Avery,

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

Roseburg Senior Vice-President of Industrial Products and National Accounts. “It’s an exciting opportunity for Roseburg to move into the northeastern region and further diversify our operations and meet demand.” Roseburg currently owns and operates an MDF plant in Medford, Oregon. “The addition of the Pembroke MDF plant means Roseburg customers will have access to a broader portfolio of products from a company with a demonstrated, long-term commitment to the industry,” said Jim Buffington, Roseburg’s Business Director for Industrial Products. “While this deal represents an excellent

to page 18

engineeredwood from page 16 strategic opportunity for the company, it also offers Pembroke employees and suppliers the promise of stability and consistency provided by Roseburg’s large manufacturing enterprise,” said Roseburg President and CEO Grady Mulbery. “This is a win-win for everyone involved, and we look forward to what the future will bring.” The Pembroke operation has a storied history, and through that history it has largely stuck to manufacturing mediumdensity fibre (MDF) boards and panels for the residential construction industry and furniture manufacturers. MDF is a popular choice because of how well it can be machined and hold paint. It can eliminate several steps in the expensive and labour-intensive secondary manufacturing process. An MDF sheet with a high-density face and lower-density core works best as overlay. Pembroke MDF Plant Manager Alexandre Ouellette joined the organization when it was reborn in April 2018, and says they’ve been steadily working to improve and expand. “We’re looking to grow and invest and make the plant as profitable as we can,” he said. “This includes investing money into new and upgraded equipment so we can find greater efficiencies.” Today’s operations don’t differ too much from the old MacMillan Bloedel days. With the exception of a molding line, the mill has the same footprint. Then, as now, they buy chips and sawdust from softwood and hardwood sawmills in the Pembroke area and Ottawa Valley and refine it into very fine fibre to make MDF boards and panels. Their customers include large wood products distribution centres and furniture and moulding manufacturers, plus a number of smaller distributors who sell product to carpenters or smaller OEMS that require just a few panels at a time. “Our MDF is in demand for furniture, molding, cabinetry and other building projects,” said Ouellette. “The plant has a capacity of processing 145 million square feet a year of board based on ¾” thickness,” he explains. “We’re improving the reliability in our equipment to achieve that capacity consistently.” The well-designed plant has various zones to accommodate the steps of MDF processing and manufacturing. The main MDF plant is approximately 240,000 sq. ft. The moulding plant is 55,000 sq. ft.

And the covered buildings where all raw material (chips, sawdust and bark) are stored is 85,000 sq. ft. They receive the trucks of chips and sawdust every day from local mills and store the raw materials in dedicated buildings to prevent rain and snow from damaging the materials. Ouellette estimates that 75 per cent come in as chips and 25 per cent as sawdust. “The trucks come in, we scan what they have in their load and they’ll use the truck dumper to empty the truck. A conveyor will go to the right pile of wood, depending on what the raw material is.” From there, one of their loaders delivers the material to an area where it’s cleaned and sifted to remove large or fine particles. Then, it’s loaded into one of two refiners that transform the sawdust into a fine, flour-like fibre. “At this point, we inject resin and dry the whole thing together. This builds a mat fibre, which is then fed into our continuous press. You can imagine a big conveyor belt going forward with raw, loose fibre on top of it and slowly moving towards a hot press where there’s a lot of

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

The well-designed plant has various zones to accommodate the steps of MDF processing and manufacturing. The main MDF plant is approximately 240,000 sq.ft., and the moulding plant is 55,000 sq. ft. The covered buildings where all raw material (chips, sawdust and bark) are stored is 85,000 sq. ft. heat and pressure. Under that, this mat will turn into an MDF panel,” explained Ouellette. The MDF “recipe” varies depending on the type of materials (hardwood/softwood) and the density and mechanical or physical properties of the board required. “Once it’s refined, the recipe will have an impact on the properties of the board,” said Ouellette. After the MDF panel is created, each board is stored for 12 to 24 hours while it cools and cures. When finished, each will be sanded to calibrate the right thickness and to create a smooth surface. “We do boards from 1/4” to 1” thick,” said Ouellette. Then it’s time to cut each board to the size the customer requires. “Everything we do is made to order, so we consult our order file before doing any cutting.” The final step is packaging, before they’re sent out to customers. In one day, the plant will use approximately 500 dry tons of wood. Their to page 20

engineeredwood from page 18

The Pembroke plant buys chips and sawdust from softwood and hardwood sawmills in the Pembroke area and Ottawa Valley and refines it into very fine fibre to make MDF boards and panels. The plant has a capacity of processing 145 million square feet a year of MDF, based on ¾” thickness.

maximum capacity is 28 tons an hour and they’re working on getting there. The equipment is standard for most MDF mills, although Ouellette says they’ve put an emphasis on improving and bringing in new technology. The major equipment includes: • Two Hymac refiners, each with an 8,000-horsepower motor to refine raw materials into very fine fibre. • Two MEC flash tube dryers, which each comprise of a big piece of ducting with heat on one end. Wet fibre is blown through and comes out the other end dry. • One Küsters 35-metre press that condenses the raw materials. • Two 6’-wide Steinemann sanders with eight sanding heads that sand top and bottom at once. “It takes only a few seconds to do one board, with speeds that can reach 150 feet a minute,” said Ouellette. • Two Caterpillar loaders (966 and 928G machines) to move raw materials around outside. • Two Weinig molders that create molds to the specifications of their customers. There are hundreds of sizes programmed in the molders, from 9 mm to 19 mm thick and 76 mm wide to 200 mm wide. Ouellette says they will be upgrading the press, the heat system and possibly the dryer system, in the future. With 170 employees, the Pembroke MDF is a bustling place. Most of the staff are major equipment operators, but they also have a sizable maintenance team, about 30 people on the molding line, millwrights, electricians, control tech operators, loader operators, shippers and administrative staff. Ouellette says they’ve found efficiencies in the plant by buying raw materials like bark and other biomass to burn to produce the steam needed to feed the dryer and heat press. It also contributes to heating the building. “This is part of a connection we have with a local sawmill. In addition to buying sawdust and chips from them, we buy bark for heating as well.” Two Wellons furnaces burn this biomass and they use that heat to dry the wood, heat the press and produce steam. The plant’s lab, comprised of eight staff members, is also hard at work ensuring quality control by testing boards to make sure they meet customers’ specifications. “They also test all incoming raw material to measure moisture according to the dry weight of the wood.” Quality control is a continuous process, he noted. If some properties are not on spec, the board is re-graded, and the process is adjusted to reach the correct specifications. Roseburg Forest Products is a stickler for safety. “We have a lot of safety programs and tools like SAFER work permits that give every worker the chance to stop and look at the big picture of where things are going to make sure it’s safe,” said Ouellette. “We are into the process of upgrading our lock out and tag out procedures with a new online process that is more available to employees and easier to audit,” he added. “We’re working on involving employees in safety by encouraging them to report hazards, near misses and property damage to help prevent incidents from happening.” With increased demand for high-quality, low-cost construction materials, Roseburg Forest Products MDF (aka Pembroke MDF) expects to grow. The sky’s the limit for this charmed location.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

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contractorprofile

TAKING THEIR LOGGING TO A

WHOLE NEW LEVEL Henry’s Trucking is mostly a John Deere equipment operation. “We’ve had a lot of success with Deere,” said Henry Petkau. The John Deere dealer in Ontario is Nortrax.

Ontario’s Henry Petkau had modest goals when he started Henry’s Trucking—but with his son, Bob, joining the operation, they have now expanded, and added new Southstar processing equipment that has taken timber production to a whole new level. By Heather Hudson enry Petkau is a man of modest dreams. When he started Henry’s Trucking in 1988, he figured he’d haul logs from the bush to sawmills and paper mills throughout northwestern Ontario, just the way his father did. Maybe he’d build some bush roads as part of the service. Twenty years later, he’s the proud owner of a thriving forest harvesting and trucking operation, complete with hightech equipment and 14 employees. He credits his 25-year-old son Bob for the expansion that has taken production to a whole new level over the last few years. “Bob’s very interested in business

and making this grow. Honestly, if it wasn’t for him, I probably would still be driving one truck up and down the road hauling wood,” said Henry. The significant recent growth includes branching out into forest harvesting, investing in new technology and hiring three more full-time employees. All of which made Henry’s Trucking a prime candidate for funding from the Ontario government’s Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC). In August 2018, the NOHFC extended $462,500 in loans and conditional grants to help defray the cost of the equipment Henry had purchased for his company’s expansion. “I bought all this equipment in 2016

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

and then applied for funding. It took about a year-and-a-half to come through, but it definitely helped recoup some of those financial investments,” said Henry. Trucking is in Henry’s blood. He rode along on long hauls with his father from the time he was a teenager. When he turned 18, he got his trucking licence and started driving himself. And by the time he was 21, he had started his own trucking business. But when Henry married in 1990 and became a father in 1993, he started to look at his chosen career a little differently. The closest sawmill is a four-hour to page 24

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contractorprofile from page 22 drive from his home in Emo, Ontario. In order to get the work done, he had to leave home Monday morning and not return until Friday night. “I didn’t think that was the best family life,” he said. “I was looking for something where I could be home more.” He found a local contractor for whom he could haul logs out of the bush and to the mills, which allowed him to sleep in his own bed every night. However, he was always looking for the chance to get more involved in bush work. In 2008, an opportunity came along that would make that happen. A buyer wanted wood cut from a 40-acre lot nearby and he bid on it. His brother Mel, also tired of hauling wood, offered to buy a skidder and help out. “I thought he was crazy. That one block wasn’t even quite one winter’s work, but he did it anyway and we haven’t run out of work since.” From there, the brothers went from block to block, some as big as 160 acres, cutting trees and delivering it to local sawmills. “There were times when we were looking at just finishing a block and wondering what we were going to do in two weeks without anything lined up. But always, before the two weeks were up, there was another job waiting for us. God was definitely looking after us,” said Henry. Besides Mel’s skidder, Henry didn’t have equipment of his own, so he hired sub-contractors to do the bunching and delimbing. “As time went on, my brother bought a delimber himself and I bought a few more pieces of equipment and it gradually grew from there,” said Henry. The next game changer came along in 2014: forest company Resolute Forest Products, with a number of sawmills throughout Ontario and Quebec, needed help cutting wood. “Instead of private wood, we moved to cutting Crown wood,” said Henry. “The mill offered us a five-year contract harvesting 96,000 cubic metres a year, from stump to dump.” The Crown land, which lies halfway between Thunder Bay and Fort Frances, Ontario, is heavily wooded with pine, spruce and poplar. Henry’s Trucking is assigned a block of land ranging from 40 to 150 hectares. From there, it’s up to them to build the roads, harvest the logs and deliver them to the mill. Some blocks take a month, others take up to four months, depending on the wood. 24

Above, from left to right, Lenny, Henry and Bob Patkau. When he started Henry’s Trucking in 1988, Henry figured he’d haul logs from the bush to sawmills and paper mills throughout northwestern Ontario, just the way his father did. Twenty years later, he’s the proud owner of a thriving forest harvesting and trucking operation.

“The ground can be anything from nice and flat to extremely rugged with swamps and 30-foot rock cliffs,” explains Henry. “Some blocks can be extremely challenging. If an operator isn’t careful and alert, they could easily tumble head over heels.” The company has a bush camp with five bungalows powered by generators for employees who don’t travel back to the town of Atikokan every day. The company keeps equipment in the bush, but they have a 40-acre yard and a shop at Henry’s homestead for fixing things that have broken down. Henry’s Trucking is mostly a John Deere operation. “We’ve had a lot of success with Deere,” said Henry. The John Deere dealer in Ontario is Nortrax. Their starting line-up includes: • Tigercat 870 feller buncher Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

• Deere 903J feller buncher • Deere 748H and 848H grapple skidders • Deere 2154D tree processor with a Southstar 500 processing head • Deere 2154G processor with a Southstar processing head • Deere 2154D log loader with power clam • Deere 270 excavator • Back-up equipment includes: • Cat 320 log loader • Cat D5 dozer for road building • Deere 724J wheel loader for pushing trucks and loading gravel They also have two Peterbilt trucks, pulp trailers and a Kenmore truck left to them by Henry’s brother Mel, who passed away last April. to page 26

contractorprofile from page 24 After they signed the contract with Resolute, Henry’s Trucking replaced their delimbers and slashers with more sophisticated Southstar processors. “The process was new to us and new to our operators, so there was a lot of training and learning to be done,” said Henry. “The computer screens in the cabs can be difficult for a 55-year-old old guy who’s used to manual ways.”

Anticipating the learning curve and managing the huge financial commitment, they introduced one processor at a time. “The biggest challenge was production. We still have to produce so much wood to meet contracts and wood deliveries,” said Bob. “But it went better than we expected as far as production and downtime. Every day it gets a little bit better.” They say the Southstar processors are largely responsible for their steadily increasing production. “Every year we seem

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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

to do a tad bit more, but the huge difference since the expansion is a lot more money stays in the company instead of hiring subcontractors,” said Henry. “It was a pretty rough deal to make this big plunge into the water with those processors, but once I was in there and swimming, I thought this was something I should have done a few years earlier.” Henry’s Trucking has taken on employees gradually over the years. They have two buncher operators, two skidder operators, two processor operators, one excavator operator, four truck drivers and a few part-time workers who do the safety program and mark out boundary lines in the blocks. “We couldn’t do what we do without our faithful employees,” said Henry. “We’ve been fortunate because usually I have two of each type of operator. If I have an experienced buncher operator and someone without experience, I’ll get him to train the newer person. Same thing on other equipment.” He points out that Bob has made a point to learn how to operate every piece of equipment they buy. “It’s important because it helps me understand what the guys are facing each day and it helps me train guys too,” said Bob. “Since we got the bigger contract and expanded business, most of my days are spent running around doing a lot of mechanic work. I also do a bit of loading trucks and doing a lot of preparation ahead as far as planning the next cutting areas and blocks. We try to be ahead of the guys before they get to the next block.” When asked about the future, Bob has the answers. “I wouldn’t say that growing constantly would be an ambition of ours. The size we’re at right now is pretty good. To get much bigger or smaller wouldn’t interest us.” Henry is pleased and often amazed with how far they’ve come. “I’m totally on board with what I’m doing. What I really enjoy is working together.” He says his 15-year-old son Lenny runs just about every piece of equipment in the bush and he expects he’ll want to come on board in a few years, too. For his part, Bob is practical and excited about the future. “What we’re doing right now is a lot of work but it’s manageable. Any logger would say there’s always change. Having to learn and adapt is probably one of the biggest parts of business. That’s why I’m open to further technology. It’s important to be open to other ways and to always be curious.” Like father, like son.

engineeredwood

GETTING HIGHER OSB PRODUCTION at High Prairie

With a $50 million capital investment, forest company Tolko Industries has re-opened and boosted the production capacity at its re-commissioned High Prairie oriented strand board plant in Alberta by 40 per cent. By Tony Kryzanowski

hen parting ways with friends, there is a huge difference between saying ‘good bye’ and ‘see you later’. In the case of Tolko’s decision to mothball its oriented strand board (OSB) plant in High Prairie, Alberta in 2008, it’s clear that the company had every intention of returning. That has now occurred, and with more than $50 million in capital investment, the OSB plant can now produce 40 per cent more OSB with about the same number of employees as when it closed more than 10 years ago.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

engineeredwood

The plant is providing 175 jobs and as many as three times more contracting and service support jobs to this northern Alberta community. Also, given the number of First Nations and Métis communities surrounding High Prairie, Tolko has put a strong emphasis on maintaining good relations and finding business opportunities for many in these communities. There are a number of First Nations and Métis working in the mill, in log yard management, and in logging activities, involving several

communities in the surrounding area. The Thorlakson family owns Vernon, B.C.-based Tolko Industries, and has a strong emotional attachment to the High Prairie OSB plant, originally built in 1995. It was the first greenfield facility that Tolko constructed and was their first OSB plant. Since then, the company has built another OSB plant east of High Prairie near Slave Lake and in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan. OSB is used primarily for sheathing in home construction, with most Canadian production exported to the United States. When the once-in-a-generation housing collapse occurred 10 years ago in the U.S., it sent ripples across the entire Canadian forest sector and sent OSB prices spiralling downward. That forced Tolko to close its High Prairie plant. After that, the company continued to invest between $2 million and $3 million annually to maintain its infrastructure, according to Bob Fleet, Tolko Vice-President of Environment and Forestry, speaking to local community leaders during an information session in 2017. During its closure, Northern Lakes College used the facility to deliver an innovative trades development program. Also during that time, the

mill remained intact and none of the OSB manufacturing equipment was removed. The plant closure was a huge blow to the local economy; so when the housing revival in the U.S. finally arrived, there was significant provincial and local support for re-opening the OSB plant as quickly as possible. A number of events and initiatives helped to make that happen. First, the Alberta government provided a five-year extension to the existing Tolko High Prairie Forest Management Area (FMA) agreement where the plant sources its wood fibre, which the company says was critical to helping them make a decision on the plant’s re-opening. Also, the local municipality, Big Lake County, agreed to a fouryear phase-in taxation agreement. Finally, Tolko qualified for a $4 million tax break as part of the province’s Capital Investment Tax Credit program that reimburses 10 per cent of the cost of new machinery, equipment and buildings, once in use. The re-commissioning announcement occurred in 2017, and refurbishment and

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

to page 30

engineeredwood

An investment in two Kadant Carmanah Design pocket batch feeders and stranders allows Tolko to process 16’ logs at their High Prairie OSB plant. from page 29 upgrading was the first priority. The re-opened plant produced its first OSB panel in November 2017, ramping up to 24/7 operations in January 2018. It is already achieving the same amount of production achieved prior to the plant closing. The goal now is to ramp that up to its new production potential. Plant manager Andrei Dolgirev says that the beneficial economic impact on High Prairie and the surrounding area is obvious, reflected in local real estate prices and availability of rental properties. There are many instances where husbands and wives are both employed at the plant, and some cases, it even extends to older children and relatives. In keeping with the company’s current goals, Dolgirev says that the OSB plant is definitely diversifying its product mix so that it isn’t entirely dependent on one product sent to one market. “We started with one product, but now we are capable of producing probably six or seven products,” he says, although their 7/16” sheathing panel is still their highest volume product. Switching production from one product to another depends on stock and market demand. Making the switch is not time consuming, taking at most about 20 minutes. OSB produced at Tolko High Prairie OSB plant manager Andrie Dolgirev (above) says that in keeping with the company’s current goals, the OSB plant is diversifying its product mix so that it isn’t entirely dependent on one product sent to one market. 30

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

to page 32

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engineeredwood A steady diet of aspen and black poplar are the feedstock for the Tolko High Prairie OSB plant.

the plant is marketed primarily in Canada, the United States, and Asia. The $50 million capital investment by Tolko into the High Prairie OSB plant has not only brought its technology up to 2019 standards, but will also allow production to improve from 500 million square feet annually to 700 million square feet annually on a 7/16” basis. Improvements have been made in a number of areas that have delivered significant efficiency dividends, leading to the production increase. On the front end, Tolko continues to consume a diet of aspen and black poplar exclusively, but now receives cut-to-length logs measuring 16’ long. This is compared to the tree length logs they received previously that were then bucked to 8’ lengths on the front-end slasher deck. That deck has now been completely removed, and 16’ logs are fed directly into two new conditioning ponds. “This simplifies the process—you can be more efficient and it is also less maintenance intensive,” says Dolgirev. After conditioning, logs climb two existing Comact step feeders and jack ladders and are debarked through one of two Nicholson ring debarkers, depending on their diameter. After debarking, logs are processed through two new Kadant Carmanah Design pocket batch feeders and stranders. Kadant Carmanah Design is based in Surrey, B.C. and supplies technology and equipment used in the manufacture of strands for OSB production and other engineered wood products. The strands are dried using three conveyor-style Proctor dryers, leading to

two dry storage bins. The strands are then fed into two rotary blenders, as needed, where they are blended with either a methylene diphenyl diiocyanate (MDI) binding agent or phenol formaldehydebased binding agent. One of the main production changes at the plant is switching to an MDI-based resin for the OSB core, while continuing to use phenol formaldehyde-based resin on the top and bottom layers. Dolgirev says that MDI-based resin is not being used on the top and bottom layers because it sticks to the press platens. He adds that in addition to developing the ability to strand 16’ logs, this switch to MDI resin in the core is also a major contributor to the plant increasing production by 40 per cent, as there is less retention time required in the press to create OSB panels, resulting in significant production gains. “The cycle time is reduced on the press,” Dolgirev says. “The gain is basically the difference between 500 million square feet and 700 million square feet in annual production.” It has not been an issue using two different types of binding resins, with each having their own separate tanks, mixers and supply lines. “It cost some time to invest capital into two chemicals, modifying tanks and pump systems, but in general, it’s normal operations,” Dolgirev says. The top, bottom and core strands are laid up on four Dieffenbacher formers which have been equipped with new platens, leading to a 12 insert Dieffenbacher press. The purpose of the forming lines is to ensure that the strands are evenly distributed and properly oriented on each layer prior to the hot press, as this

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

from page 30

provides the OSB panel with its strength attributes. After pressing, the newly formed OSB is cut into 4’ X 8’ panels along a series of Convey-Keystone conveyance systems on either side of a Giben book saw. It can cut 10 to 15 panels to size at one time, depending on the width of the panel. The panels then cure, and are prepared for shipment to customers. One other major investment as part of the re-commissioning was the installation of GreCon explosion and fire prevention devices along the conveyance system to the bag house, where combustible dust and fines are collected. The GreCon system detects sparks and embers in the material process flow in dryers, hammer mills, screens, etc., using infrared sensors to trigger countermeasures that extinguish or divert the hazards. Preventing fires and explosions is a more cost effective strategy than just suppression. There was some capital spent on log yard design and roads, but the existing overhead crane is not being used as part of current operations. Tolko did not have to make an investment in yard equipment as following its model established and proven at its Meadow Lake OSB plant, that responsibility has been contracted out. The purchase of yard equipment and yard management has been taken on by a corporation operated by the Driftpile Cree Nation. Tolko also purchases its dunnage from an enterprise located on the Sucker Creek First Nation. The OSB plant depends on burning its hog fuel to provide heat for its buildings and for its drying and press processes, to the point where Dolgirev says that their natural gas consumption is almost zero. There is a strong emphasis on building resilience into OSB plant operations, he added. There is a focus on reducing operational costs compared to how the plant was operating prior to the shutdown, while also ramping up production. At the same time, there is also an emphasis on building a winning team and good employee communication, to maintain a good working environment where people feel engaged. “If a private company invests $50 million, that alone should indicate just how serious they are about succeeding because of how long it takes to earn back that investment,” Dolgirev says. “If the housing market doesn’t collapse, we definitely have a bright future and can be one of the best performing plants in North America.”

logsorting

Sorting it all out— log-wise The Shoal Island log sort in B.C. truly lives up to its name, doing upwards of up to 180 log sorts, but doing it all with the environment in mind. By Paul MacDonald

he dryland sort at Shoal Island— just off the east coast of southern Vancouver Island—is one heck of a big log sorting machine. And helping to make that machine operate efficiently and effectively are the employees and equipment of Haka Enterprises, which runs the sort for forest company TimberWest on a contract basis. Running a dryland sort on Vancouver Island is one thing—but TimberWest and Haka are actually operating the sort on a small island, just off the coast of Vancouver Island, about 50 kilometres south of Nanaimo. Shoal Island is 18 acres of land connected to Vancouver Island via a roadway which handles up 120 truckloads of logs a day. The dryland sort itself processes upwards of 5,000 cubic metres of logs every working day. The sort will handle a million cubic metres of logs this year. And Shoal Island is truly living up to its name as a sort: depending on markets, they could be doing upwards of 180 log sorts, though most recently they were doing about 120 sorts. And overlaying all this, Haka follows some very stringent safety and environmental guidelines and regulations. And they do a good job of that—so much so that Haka has received an environmental leadership award from TimberWest. For those not familiar with the company, TimberWest is Western Canada’s 34

Ted LeRoy and Marty Koers (above) of Haka Enterprises at the TimberWest Shoal Island log sort. Haka follows very stringent safety and environmental guidelines and regulations. It has received an environmental leadership award from TimberWest.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

logsorting largest private timber and land management company, with more than 325,000 hectares of private land on Vancouver Island. It runs contract harvesting operations and markets a lot of logs from those lands, all of which has to be scaled and sorted. That’s where industry veterans Ted LeRoy and Marty Koers of Haka Enterprises enter the picture, with the Shoal Island sort, one of several sorts TimberWest has on the island. “We’re running a lot of hydraulic equipment at the sort,” explains LeRoy. “And we are surrounded by water, and tide water at that. So we need to have a good maintenance program for that equipment—and a good action plan if we have an incident.” The fact that Shoal Island is surrounded by Sansum Narrows, part of the Georgia Strait, means that the clock ticks that much faster on taking action when there is an incident vs. a landlocked log sort. For example, if you have a log sort that is inland, there is zero danger of any oil getting into the ocean, though an incident

is still serious, of course, and must be handled accordingly. “There really is no forgiveness with the water right there,” says Koers. “It’s all about having the right procedures in place to respond to any situation.” Key to that is strict adherence to a professional and well-planned maintenance program, so that the chance of any mishap is minimized from the get-go. TimberWest also has its own safety program that not only applies to company operations, but to contractors, too, such as Haka Enterprises. “We follow what TimberWest is looking for overall in safety and apply it to the part of the wood handling program that we oversee, the dryland sort,” explains LeRoy. They run a dozen pieces of equipment at the sort, from wheel loaders to log loaders to log stackers. And it all runs on diesel—and hoses are the arteries of the equipment, through which hundreds of litres of hydraulic oil are pumped, under high pressure. If there is an equipment-related fluid spill in the sort, they have immediate access to a bark/wood debris pile; wheel loaders will quickly gather

that material and build a berm completely around the piece of affected equipment. “It’s much faster and more efficient than trying to put a boom around a machine,” says LeRoy. Aiding in building the berm is a firm foundation—the entire dryland sort is paved. The berm material is treated, after the incident. Being extremely careful and having high standards for equipment maintenance, Haka very rarely has spills—but when they do, preparation and training pays off. A major hose blew on one of the butt n’ top loaders recently, and the loader was surrounded and contained by berm material in a flat five minutes. It was, as LeRoy says, a “bad weather day”, raining heavily. “We had to move quickly because the oil can get carried by the rainwater. We did not have a lot of time to control it.” But it was handled quickly and efficiently. The blown hose had kind of a ripple effect, that carried over to their maintenance side. To address the chance of that particular hose blowing on another machine, they checked and replaced similar hoses on the other loaders. It’s part of an extensive maintenance program that the sort has in place for all their equipment. Equipment maintenance is approached on a broad basis, rather than things being done piecemeal, says LeRoy. “You don’t to page 36

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

logsorting

Haka Enterprises approaches equipment maintenance on a broad basis, rather than things being done piecemeal, says Ted LeRoy. “You don’t want to be just waiting for the next hose to fail,” he says. “You want to do the maintenance, and do it right.” And that includes preventative maintenance.

want to be just waiting for the next hose to fail. You want to do the maintenance, and do it right.” And that includes preventative maintenance. As far as he is concerned, there is zero room for “haywire maintenance”. “That is not acceptable,” he says. If they have any serious issues with a piece of equipment, they also have a 1,860 gallon Profab Manufacturing fire tank on the sort. As with all TimberWest operations, company and contract, safety is a huge priority. And that can work hand-in-hand with environmental management. In addition to discussing safety at regular meetings, sort employees are also encouraged to bring up any environmental concerns. Employees know they can talk about issues—and the issues will be dealt with, says LeRoy. “We don’t want them to hide anything or think that something is just going to go away on its own—we want to deal with it.” The 20 employees of the sort are constantly on the lookout for any possible issues, as they carry out their jobs over the course of the day. “The guys who work on the water, for example, will get on the radio about a deadhead or a loose boomstick,” says Koers. “The log probably belongs to the sort, but regardless, we’re going to take action, and get it out of the water. Deadheads are a hazard to us—and to everybody on the water.” Some of the crew have been with Ted LeRoy and his predecessor company for decades. “But there are a lot of new guys out there, and they are right on board

with what we are doing,” he says. “They have good peers in the guys who have been on the sort for a long time.” Veteran employees set the benchmark for what is expected, both in terms of safety and the environment. One employee has worked at the sort for 40 years—and at 67-years-old, still loves going to work every day. As part of the TimberWest program, a KPMG environmental audit is done annually of the sort, with a re-certification audit done every three years. This is in addition to an audit done by TimberWest itself. In addition to the daily observations by employees, Haka Enterprises does a monthly environmental review, having developed its own extensive check-off list. “We’ll check everything on the sort, from the sediment traps through to the safety/first aid room,” says Koers. He has a good sense of what TimberWest is looking for, and the company’s environmental and safety culture. Before joining Haka, Koers worked for TimberWest. Though much of the work that is done at the sort has remained the same over the years, there were some major changes implemented about 18 months ago. The main TimberWest office on site, where the log scalers work, was moved off the foreshore, and is now at the entrance to the sort. “TimberWest put in six log tip bunks where the office was before, to move the wood into the water,” explained Koers. “We have a whole different flow of wood now. It was a big adjustment, but it’s helped us to move the wood faster.” Some 60 per cent of the wood coming into the sort now goes to these new tip bunks.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

from page 35

TimberWest worked with Haka Enterprises on making the changes, to make sure they were a good fit. The tip bunks were manufactured by PACIFIC Industrial & Marine Ltd., from nearby Duncan. The changes mean the sort can also handle more wood, says LeRoy. “We were doing 80 to 90 truckloads of logs a day before.” They now regularly handle 120 loads a day, and have taken in as many as 153 loads in a single day. The changes also help them to deal with the sometimes uneven flow of logging trucks at the sort; they could have 10 or 20 trucks arriving at the sort within a short period of time. “Sometimes we’ll get a lot of trucks at one time—they are coming from multiple contractors, from different areas of the south island,” notes LeRoy. It’s Haka’s job to work with that flow of wood effectively, and efficiently. Their equipment line-up has grown over the last while to handle that flow. “We picked up a couple of Cat wheel loaders a year or two ago, and a Madill butt n’ top loader,” says LeRoy. He prefers purchasing used, late model machinery, as part of an effort to steer clear of the problems that technology can bring with brand new equipment. For example, his newest wheel loader is a 2012 machine. They want to be able to focus on production with their equipment, rather than technological problems. Haka also standardizes equipment. “We don’t have six different types of wheel loaders out in the sort—we have Cat wheel loaders,” says Koers. They also have Madill loaders and Wagner stackers, who are represented by dealers Great West Equipment and Finning. Finning also provides parts support for their Cat equipment. The Cat equipment includes a couple of forklifts, too. That means that they can standardize their parts inventory, to a large extent. “That way, the mechanics can focus on one brand, and know what might need work, and what the work will involve. And they are all around the same age of machine. “That’s just the way I like to do things,” says LeRoy. “I don’t want one of this and one of that. Someone can try to sell me a piece of equipment that costs less, but I’m not really interested. Eventually, I find that if you go the cheaper way, when the machine goes down, you pay more for parts or you get less for resale.”

to page 38

logsorting

Haka Enterprises wants conditions on the log sort to be as safe as possible. They recently started installing proximity alarms in their mobile equipment. All of the crew have RFID tags stickered into their hard hats, so if a machine is backing up and someone is within 20 feet of the machine, an alarm will go off. from page 36 They are currently operating three Wagner log stackers (2 L-120s and an L-100), three Madill 2850C butt ‘n top log loaders, six Cat 966 wheel loaders and two converted forklifts for bundle trucks. They use a 60-ton Mantle crane onsite for dewatering logs. To help with lighting the sort in the early and late hours of the day, they have two portable light plants built by ProFab Manufacturing. LeRoy has had pretty good luck picking up used equipment at auction, although the market has tightened up recently. Most recently, he bought a couple of bucket loaders out of the Alberta oil patch. “They had very low hours and we shipped them out here and converted them to wheel loaders. If you get equipment at the right price, you can bring them in and put some money into them. “But there has to be a good foundation there, with the machine,” he added. “You don’t want to be buying something, and it turns out to be a problem, and you end up putting too much money into it.” To keep things flowing at the sort, Haka has a spare piece of equipment for every phase of work. “So if we have a wheel loader or stacker go down, we have something to replace it pretty much immediately.” The Haka operation also focuses on having a good supply of parts, to keep the operation moving along. Some of it is used. For example, they have a spare set of differentials for their loaders. “We had to scrap one of the loaders we had, and rather than sell it, we took all the good components out, rebuilt them,

and now we have them available to use,” explains Koers. “So if a differential goes, it’s a matter of changing eight bolts and a drive line, and the machine is going again.” With their Wagner stackers, they just replaced the main hydraulic cylinders on two machines. “So we took the old ones out, rebuilt them, and they are now back on the shelf, ready for us to use.” LeRoy believes the spare parts they have on hand represents a solid investment. “I’ve always felt that spare parts are kind of like your insurance package.” They also always have spare tires on hand for equipment. “I don’t want to have to wait until I need some, and I’m desperate, and have to pay a high price,” says LeRoy. “I’ll buy the tires when I can get the price I want—and if we have to sit on them for a while, well, that’s OK.” LeRoy likens the dryland sort to being like a NASCAR race; they want to be able to fix equipment safely and properly, but quickly, and get it back in operation. Just because they have a machine down, that does not mean the flow of logging trucks into the yard slows down—it continues, as usual. And just like NASCAR values its drivers, Haka values its employees—they have little in the way of turnover. “It’s a good place to work, and they go home every night,” says LeRoy. “They are not sitting in a pick-up and pounding two hours over a gravel road to get to work.” For some employees, who live in the nearby community of Crofton, their commute to work can be five minutes. The dryland sort runs on a 12-hour split shift basis, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

Whatever shift an employee is working, Haka wants conditions to be as safe as possible. They recently started installing SCAN-LINK Armour Safety System proximity alarms in their mobile equipment. “All of the crew have RFID tags stickered into their hard hats, so if a machine is backing up and someone is within 20 feet of a machine, an alarm will go off,” explains Koers. “It’s helpful because the alarm goes off both in the operator’s cab and outside, so the guy on the ground knows he’s too close to a machine.” Three machines were equipped with proximity alarms as a trial earlier this year, and it has worked out well, so all of the equipment will be equipped with alarms by the end of the year. With the sort being so busy, they can have a fair number of people out in the sort at any one time. There could be upwards of 35 people out there, from equipment operators to scalers to TimberWest people. All of them have to check in before going on the sort. Anyone working on the water is equipped with man overboard alarms, which set off an alarm in the shop. Both LeRoy and Koers says it’s great to be able to ride the technology wave, and make use of such sophisticated electronic devices on the safety side. But there is still that very important people element. “We have a good crew here, that works together, and that means a lot,” says LeRoy. “Everyone is looking out for everyone else, especially on the safety side, and for anything related to the environment.”

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TECHUPDATE

By Tony Kryzanowski

Harvesting and Directional Felling Heads Komatsu

The Komatsu 398 harvesting and processing head is built for big timber, selective harvesting, clearcut harvesting, and processing pre-felled timber. Its rugged and robust design allows it to handle timber averaging up to a 23” diameter. It can be mounted on 28 to 40 tonne track carriers and is ideally suited for the Komatsu PC290LL-11 log loader. The powerful “carry style” feed system features four high performance motors and three heavy duty driven rollers which provide a firm three-point grip while reducing friction for high feed power. Feed force is 9000 lbf (40 kN) and feed speed is up to 16.4 ft/ sec (5 m/sec). Cutting is handled by a 31” capacity ¾” pitch bottom saw and an 18’ capacity .404 pitch integral top saw. The rugged delimbing knife and accurate measurement systems provide highly efficient processing. The MaxiXplorer control system is user friendly with a large color screen, and integrates all head functions. www.KomatsuForest.us

Pierce Pacific

Pierce Pacific says that its new Pierce GP ProSeries is a revolutionary forestry tool that is changing the industry. It’s said to be the only one of its kind that shovels, sorts and loads like a grapple, and delimbs, measures and cuts like a processor. It offers extreme durability, superior log quality and unmatched loading efficiency—all with one machine. According to the company, no other forestry tool makes a bigger impact on productivity than the GP ProSeries, adding that they are not only in the business of improving logger’s equipment, but they are also in the business of improving production. www.piercepacific.com

Tigercat

Tigercat’s 5185 and 5195 felling saws are steadily increasing in popularity globally in large timber and steep slope operations. Contractors in native hardwood and other oversize timber applications are seeing benefits from the 5195 coupled with the LS855E shovel logger due to its excellent shoveling performance on steep slopes. With continuous rotation, the head is quickly and easily repositioned. Also, double cuts on steep slopes are performed quickly without moving the carrier. The 5195 has full 360 degree rotation with through-the-link central hosing for enhanced hose protection and extended hose life. Oversized twin grapple cylinders deliver high performance and control when felling, cutting and shoveling. The fully fabricated chassis and grapple arms design provide strength and added longevity. The 5185 shares the saw performance and strength and longevity characteristics of the 5195. Where the 5185 excels is in its ability to control falling and placement of high value trees, avoiding breakage. The 5185 can efficiently top the trees within the cut block. In timber stands with average diameters that are approaching or beyond the limitations of a disc saw, contractors are seeing excellent productivity with the 5185, says the company. www.tigercat.com

Ponsse

Ponsse heads are widely used in track and rubber tired harvesters in Canada. Ponsse has been designing and manufacturing harvester heads for 30 years. The long term experience and active listening of customer feedback shows in the products as every model is at the top of its class in productivity and reliability, according to the company. Well designed structures and highest quality steel ensure durability with lower weight. The saw is quick and precise, feeding fast and strong, making Ponsse heads productive. The company adds that the Ponsse Opti control system designed for Ponsse heads delivers more cubic metres per hectare. www.ponsse.com to page 42

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

EVENT

HARVESTING

WOOD TRANSPORT

LOGISTICS

22 - 23 OCTOBER, VANCOUVER, CANADA Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel in Richmond, Vancouver

Woodflow Logistix covers new innovations and operating practices in wood transport and logistics operations in North America, highlighting how automation and technology are advancing operational safety and productivity for operators, contractors and foresters within the North America’s forest industry.

A KEY INDUSTRY TECHNOLOGY UPDATE NOT TO BE MISSED!

EARLYBIRD REGISTRATIONS NOW OPEN GO TO

www.woodflowlogistix.events TO REGISTER

Rate ends July 26, 2019 For further information, please contact conference organisers Anthony Robinson, 604-990-9970, robinson@forestnet.com John Stulen on +64 27 275 8011, john.stulen@innovatek.co.nz

techupdate from page 40

JdeSouza

The JdeSouza MJ1000 is described as an advanced directional felling head, with a 60 cc piston motor, ¾” chain tensioner and automatic lubrication. What makes JdeSouza unique is not just power but reliability. JdeSouza is a leading brand in markets where companies work 24/7, and where machines must be robust and simple to maintain. Here is where the company says that JdeSouza stands its ground as one of the most desirable products in the woods. Able to cut up to 3’ diameter timber with its 52” bar, the MJ1000 felling head is built with the most durable materials, certified steel with ASTM A-572 grade 50 and USIAR 450 steel with 450 HRB hardness and up to 1” thickness. It has a reinforced structure, consisting of two stabilizer arms and two hydraulic cylinders with a 4” inner sleeve. Tested with the hardest woods in the world, JdeSouza says that the MJ1000 is a tool that works for the toughest jobs. www.jdesouza.net

Axis Forestry

Axis Forestry Inc offers a new Cypress Robotics computer system for processing heads. A completely new invention from hardware to software, this award-winning innovative system operates from an industrial tablet and requires no head module or cabin module. All software and hardware are built, tested and supported in house. Operators say this system is extremely easy to use and navigate, and responds much faster than normal. On board diagnostics and remote support assist the operator to troubleshoot issues in real time. Designed to replace aging computer systems on existing heads, Axis has kits available for several Waratah head models and other brands. The Cypress Robotics system is the standard issue computer system for all Axis Forestry re-manufactured heads and field installation time is generally one day. www.axisforestry.com

Konrad Forsttechnik

Konrad Forsttechnik Woody harvesting heads are described as different from other common heads on the market. All have an integrated rotator and can rotate continuously. Therefore, there is no danger of damaging hydraulic hose pipes leading to the feed rollers, says the company. The feeding rollers can be folded up to leave the grapple free. Therefore, the grapple can be used as a loading and sorting grapple. This makes it also easy to pick up trees arriving with a cable yarder. The unique construction of the head allows crooked stems to 42

pass through easily. Konrad Forsttechnik heads work well in both softwood and hardwood timber. The grapple also functions as delimbing knives. In addition to the grapple, there are still two more moving delimbing knives and one fixed delimbing knife. Konrad Forsttechnik makes the following range of harvesting heads: Woody 41 for small timber; Woody 50 with top saw as option; Woody 60 with top saw as option; Woody 61 with automatic chain tensioner and top saw as option; and Woody 71 with automatic chain tensioner and top saw as option. www.forsttechnik.at

Southstar

The new Southstar QS 450 4X4 harvester/processor provides increased traction, torque, and delimbing force. It is ideal for harvesting, processing, thinning and debarking operations and is designed for small sized wood with an optimum operating size of 14” to 18” in diameter. Southstar says that the multi-tree processor is packed full of design features that set it apart from the competition—and as a member of the QUADSTAR harvester processor range, it is heavy duty and built to last. The QS 450 4X4 head weighs 1941 kgs with a height in harvest position of 2280 mm. The maximum width with the arms open is 1731 mm. Feed speed is 5.5 to 7.6 metres per second. The standard control system is the Dasa5 with detailed production reports. The recommended carrier size for this head is between 20,000-22,000 kgs. www.southstarequipment.com

Waratah

Born to perform with its effortless four-wheel drive and high torque feed motors, the Waratah H624C 4X4 harvester head provides unyielding delimbing power and responsive feed speeds. Its productivity enhanced design is coupled with an extra capacity top saw with 360 rotation, and lower delimbing, emphasizing efficient and responsive log handling, precise placement, and control.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

techupdate The head comes with Waratah’s accurate TimberRite measuring system, providing a wealth of data and information at the operator’s command, which means that owners can run their businesses smarter and more efficiently than ever before. Perfectly suited for over 27 tonne machines, it is equally comfortable single stemming large logs or multi-stemming on demand. Known for exceptional agility and log handling for its size, a large cutting capacity and outstanding traction, the H624C 4X4 boosts productivity in demanding applications. www.waratah.com

Log Max

With its large, high torque feed motors, the Log Max 7000XT processor gives operators up to 45kN/11,600 lbf of feed force and delimbing power. High flow hydraulics provide increased performance in any application and the toughest conditions. It features a new 60 cc saw motor. The new XTreme series from LogMax are heavy duty harvesting heads specifically designed for tracked carriers.

With a choice of harvester or dedicated processor configuration, the Log Max XTreme Series meets the demands of the toughest operations. The XT Series has been developed to provide the logging industry with a productive and durable head for the most extreme applications, and to produce wood at the lowest cost per tonne possible. www.logmax.com

Keto

The Keto 873 processor head is all new. The dual track feed system ensures accurate measuring and zero fibre damage. It is recommended for a carrier in the 24 to 40 tonne range, with over 160 horsepower. The Keto 873 comes with a 360 degree continuous rotator, and has a capacity of 22,680 kgs (50,000 lbs). It features minimized head sway due to the head’s low height, and also comes equipped with the new ‘Max Power’ saw system. It has precision control for the bar position and motor power. The head also comes with an automatic chain tensioner. www.quadco.com

B.C. FNFC launches new First Nations workforce strategy

ogging and Sawmilling Journal attended the first annual B.C. First Nations Forestry Council Conference in Kelowna, B.C. in June, where discussions were focused on the growth of the First Nations presence in the forestry sector. Everything from business development and career opportunities to forestry safety and training was presented and discussed with the B.C. First Nations Forestry Workforce Strategy being the centrepiece of the conference. The B.C. First Nations Forestry Council has been working for the past several years on engaging First Nations on what a new B.C First Nations Forest Strategy in partnership with the province may look like. With the B.C. government’s commitment to implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) and engaging with First Nations, the province has committed to developing and drafting a revised B.C First Nations Forest Strategy and Implementation Plan. “For too long First Nations have provided recommendations to increase their participation in the forest sector and there has been little change by the province to

fulfill their commitment to implement the UNDRIP—it’s time for action,” said First Nations Forestry Council CEO Charlene Higgins. The revised Forest Strategy promotes reconciliation, implementation of the principals of UNDRIP, an increased role of First Nations of the governance and stewardship of lands and resources, and supports resources going directly to communities for governance. The primary focus of the Forest Strategy overall is to increase the role of First Nations in the governance and stewardship of the forest, lands and resources in B.C., including meaningful sharing of for-

est revenues derived from their territories. The implementation of the Forest Strategy will take time, but it is a call to action for the government to implement UNDRIP and further develop a government-to -government relationship with First Nations to increase their participation in the forestry sector, said Higgins. The conference was met with much support and a great sense of community and is certainly giving these important issues a solid place to stand and be discussed, noted Higgins. Watch for further updates on the initiative in Logging and Sawmilling Journal. www.forestrycouncil.ca

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

THE

ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF INDUSTRY INNOVATION

Tension study on winch-assist harvesting released to FPInnovations members

n 2015, FPInnovations and its Forest Operations Research group took a lead role in finding solutions to the challenges of steep slope fibre harvesting in western Canada, by launching the Steep-Slope Initiative (SSI). The initiative has engaged forest industry members, equipment manufacturers and distributors, regulators, and other stakeholders in identifying and developing best practices and new harvesting technologies for steep terrain. A study to determine the effect of different harvesting practices on the tension of wire rope in winch-assisted operations was completed in December and the results are now available to FPInnovations members in the Info Note “Winch-Assist Tension with the Summit and EMS Systems”. The study compared wire rope tensions at the feller buncher and at the anchor machine during production logging and using stump/tree redirects. Redirects using a block and stump were compared with the Summit system. Redirects with three rub trees were studied with the EMS system. 44

Events that caused tension spikes during operational logging without redirects were monitored. The study was conducted in collaboration with Weyerhaeuser, North Washington Timberlands, in two 35-year-old Douglas fir plantations. John Deere custom-built load cells were shackled to feller bunchers and the tension data was obtained from a data logger connected to the load cells, as well as from video of the tension display in the anchor machines. Practical recommendations for using redirects are provided. The Info Note is available to members and partners of FPInnovations at ....https://fpinnovations.ca/Extranet/Pages/ AssetDetails.aspx?item=/Extranet/Assets/ResearchReportsFO/InfoNote2019N16.pdf#.XQA98P7saUk For more information concerning the Steep Slope Initiative, please visit http://steepslopeinitiative.fpinnovations.ca.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

Data, information and automation featured at modular and offsite construction summit BY TONY KRYZANOWSKI

dvances in modular and offsite construction technology are closely linked with evolving trends in several areas, including robotics, data management, autonomous assistance technology and property management. Recognizing the cross-over, organizers of the recent Modular and Offsite Construction (MOC) Summit stretched the boundaries of this year’s summit and successfully created an enhanced information exchange opportunity across multiple, complementary disciplines. The sixth annual MOC Summit, cosponsored by Alberta Innovates, was organized by the Hole School of Construction Engineering at the University of Alberta. Billed as a multi-conference, the four-day event included the International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction (ISARC) and the International Conference on Construction and Real Estate Management (ICCREM). Dr. Mohamed Al-Hussein, conference chair and the NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Industrialization of Building Construction at the U of A, said the MOC Summit demonstrates Alberta’s leadership in modular and offsite construction. There is strong and continuing support not only from the private sector, but also from the Alberta government through agencies such as Alberta Innovates, he said. Speaking to participants, Dr. Christine Murray, Director of Agricultural Technologies at Alberta Innovates, noted that the summit was an excellent venue for information exchange on mass timber buildings, and the role that modular and offsite construction can play to advance this novel construction technology. Alberta Innovates supports a few research projects related to modular and offsite building technology through its Alberta Bio Future program. “Many of the innovations supported through our Alberta Bio Future program in biomaterials and biochemicals from Alberta agriculture and forestry biomass will ultimately find applications in buildings of the future,” says Steve Price, Execu-

tive Director of Bioindustrial Innovation at Alberta Innovates. Modular and offsite construction technology has advantages over current on-site, stick-built construction, says Dr. Al-Hussein. These include increased productivity, reduced costs and construction time, higher-quality products, healthier environments for workers and occupants, and decreased environmental footprint.

More than 400 academics, manufacturers, suppliers, building developers, general contractors and developers of government policy attended the recent Alberta Innovates-sponsored MOC Summit in Banff.

current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies. It is also sometimes referred to as the fourth industrial revolution. Dr. Al-Hussein says inclusion of the ISARC (automation and robotics) conference and its speakers was particularly timely, given growing interest within Canada’s building industry for increased use of robotics. Canada is in a catch-up mode compared to other parts of the industrialized world when it comes to robotic applications in this industry, he adds. The MOC Summit featured as many as 200 scientists with robotics expertise. “The third industrial revolution is considered to be the introduction of robotics and its application mainly in manufacturing,” says Dr. Al-Hussein. “Industry 4.0 is how we can use and share data using advanced tools and cloudcomputing. Autonomous assistance and devices like drones use a lot of data. The fourth industrial revolution today is about data, information and analytics.” The ICCREM conference, featuring primarily individuals involved in property management, was also a good fit with the MOC Summit because they will lead the expanded uptake of advanced MOC technology in commercial applications through their support for it. “In addition to manufacturing robotics, the word resilience has also been overlooked in Canada,” says Dr. Al-Hussein. He says that we need to accept the fact that the weather is changing, which should cause municipalities to consider how future structures should be designed and built. They should have greater ability to withstand unexpected events and whatever is built—whether they are homes, hospitals, roads or underground infrastructure—should have the ability to be put back into service to design standards quickly.

Attendees left the MOC Summit understanding that the future need for modular and offsite construction will grow and be in much higher demand than anticipated, due to shifting expectations of a smaller pool of new workers entering the workforce. The question is whether industry will be ready to meet their expectations and comfort level working in a factory building environment, equipped with a high degree of automation. All presenters at this year’s MOC Summit focused their presentations on the theme “Industry 4.0 for Resilient Urbanization” to an international audience of more than 400 academics, manufacturers, suppliers, building developers, general contractors and developers of government policy. Industry 4.0 is a name given to the

Presentations at the MOC Summit are available for review online through www.mocsummit.com. For more information about the Alberta Innovates Bio Future program, contact Julia Necheff at Julia.necheff@albertainnovates.ca.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

Improved FPSuite modules provide higher efficiency for your forest operations

New FPDat II features flexibility of use and productivity gains FPInnovations’ Fibre Supply Group is proud to introduce FPDat II, a tool designed to collect and analyze forestry machine performance and production data. Below is a description of improvements available with this new version.

How has the original FPDat version been enhanced? Compared to the original system, FPDat II is a data acquisition module that shares information with a Windows tablet. This more compact, easy-to-install system can be used with or without a tablet, for much greater flexibility. The tablet goes effortlessly from the field to the office, to manage configurations and updates.

What impact will these enhancements have on the tool’s users? A lower purchase price for many types of equipment that do not require a complete system like the original FPDat version. The system is easier to install and more compact. Lastly, instead of installing MultiDAT units (old technology) for applications that do not require interactions with users, FPDat II covers all needs, simplifying equipment purchases. Does FPDat II work the same way on the FPSuite telematics platform? Absolutely! Data is 100 per cent compatible with FPTrak, FPInnovations’ operations tracking system. The data acquired by FPDat II is essentially the same as legacy system data.

What needs do the changes address? Mainly the need for additional flexibility. An optional high-precision GPS receiver and the possibility to work without a tablet mean a wider price range and also better address the needs for various equipment: data acquisition only, navigation, standard or high-precision GPS data collection, engine data, etc.

Where can one find more information on FPDat II and how it works? Feel free to contact FPInnovations or your local distributor for help in making the right decision based on your data collection needs and application in a particular piece of equipment.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

FPInterface: Several improvements for version 2.1.0 The newly released 2.1.0 version of FPInterface includes improvements, new practical functionalities, and corrections of bugs. Here’s an overview of the new features: • Import of 32-bit version systems: The files exported from the previous version of FPInterface, with the extension .FPINT, can now be imported into this new version directly from the systems window. The integrated conversion tool is compatible with systems from version 1.8.1 and up. • Identification of road network corrections: When this feature is enabled, and FPInterface finds anchor points, a layer is added to the system to view and validate the corrections made. • New branding and logo!

Additional information can be obtained by contacting Martin Castonguay, Manager, Precision Forestry Group at FPInnovations at martin.castonguay@fpinnovations.ca.

Smart Operator for Forestry: Video series now available online

quipment operators have a huge impact on fuel efficiency and productivity. The difference in productivity between the worst and best operators can be as much as 30 per cent, while proper maintenance of a machine can result in significant fuel savings. To help its members increase their productivity, FPInnovations offers Smart Operator for Forestry workshops across Canada. These workshops can be delivered at member company facilities upon request. The course takes three hours to complete. For those who cannot attend a workshop or prefer to view the information at their own pace, FPInnovations has now launched a video series that teaches participants how to choose the right machine for the job, when to replace worn out machines, and how to operate to improve their energy intensity, or fuel consumption per unit of production. There are five videos in the series, each approximately 12 minutes long, which makes for a convenient way to brush up on your knowledge of machine operations. This series introduces the concept of tracking fuel use and the factors that drive energy intensity; it is designed for equipment operators, logging contractors, and supervisors of logging and millyard operations,

who are eager to improve their fuel efficiency, but cannot take the time to sit for a half-day classroom session. Implementing the operational improvements presented can save on fuel costs and boost productivity by 10 per cent or more. If you are striving to find that last bit

of savings in your operations, you can view the videos here: Getting started: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoASICBivi4 Energy intensity - why does it matter? https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=gjfpQItSXQc Fuel management: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=qS3jjb7be9o Operating tips for lower energy intensity: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=gSsaJsnx8R0 Basics of spec’ing and Smart Operator course summary: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=6LMhTopDnkU

The videos will soon be available in French. If you have questions or want to schedule a Smart Operator for Forestry workshop in your community, feel free to contact Cameron Rittich (cameron.rittich@fpinnovations.ca) for more information. Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

CWFC's forest practices innovation supports practical and focused research BY TONY KRYZANOWSKI

ver the past 35 years, the Canadian Forest Service (CFS) and Canadian Wood Fibre Centre (CWFC) of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) have had the foresight to partner with industry and other research agencies to invest in small, medium, and large-scale research sites to test innovative and relevant forest management practices within Canada’s commercial forest in various geographic locations. This effort is now paying big dividends and making its way into commercial forest management practices. A number of proven and demonstrated innovative forest management practices developed by CFS/CWFC on what are known as “legacy” sites are being adopted by industry because of the obvious benefits, one being significantly enhanced growth response. The over 1000-hectare Ecosystem Management Emulating Natural Disturbance (EMEND) legacy site in northern Alberta is just one example of what can be achieved when these innovative practices are applied. In some instances on the EMEND site, the site prepared and planted white spruce growth response has been nothing short of astounding, with white spruce seedlings achieving as much as 5 to 6 metres of height growth in just 20 years within partial harvest poplar/ aspen stands. Furthermore, it typically takes nature 20 to 25 years to achieve establishment height of 1.3 metres. CWFC’s innovative practices as demonstrated at EMEND achieved establishment height in 4 to 7 years on some test sites, which will reduce rotation age significantly. Derek Sidders, Project Manager, Technology Development and Transfer at CWFC, says that these types of well-designed legacy sites continue to influence site preparation and vegetation management treatments across Canada. He said that these harvesting patterns at EMEND have been adopted in various thinning applications as well as mountain pine beetle rehabilitation

Twenty-year-old white spruce on high speed mixed site with 75 percent poplar retention. applications in Alberta and adjacent provinces. The focus of CWFC throughout its technology development work has been to ensure that these innovative practices are economical, tested in a variety of potential common harvesting scenarios, and use conventional logging equipment for easy knowledge transfer and acceptance by industry. EMEND is unique in the world as a research site and is described as a large-scale variable retention harvest experiment. Established 20 years ago, its original partners included CWFC working under the umbrella of the Canadian Forest Service, DaishowaMarubeni International (DMI), which is now owned by Mercer International, Canfor, the University of Alberta, and many others. CFS/CWFC technical development staff originally engineered the forest harvesting design and deployment patterns and practices used at EMEND, such as concentrated machine corridors with retention strips and individual tree removal, which were adaptations from the Hotchkiss Mixed Wood Demonstration site 40 kilometres north of EMEND. They also used advanced site preparation techniques such as mounding and high speed mixing, all adapted for use selectively for partial harvest systems where an excavator can deploy the treatments from designated machine corridors. Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

“The innovative practices that were deployed at EMEND addressed the management and research and development objectives of mimicking natural disturbances, primarily wildfire, by commercially harvesting over 125,000 cubic metres of mixed woods comprising of four specific stages in the Boreal mixed wood lifecycle,” says Sidders. Test sites were comprised of pure hardwoods, hardwoods with white spruce understory, mixed woods consisting of both mature white spruce and aspen or hardwoods, and pure softwoods. CWFC and partners deployed novel and commercially feasible harvesting and log retrieval systems to achieve 10, 20, 50 and 75 per cent tree retention on operational cutblock-scale test sites. The goal was to minimize ground disturbance by using five metre wide machine corridors with 15 metre retention strips between the corridors, creating the ability to retrieve full tree length stems on either side of the corridor. Controls of a clearcut and an undisturbed site were established for research comparison purposes. CWFC and its partners established both applied and focused research biological response monitoring protocols to achieve statistical integrity from the gathered data for long term knowledge transfer and reporting. Certain selected areas received a follow up silviculture treatment to mimic a complete typical commercial forest treatment cycle to evaluate growth response as part of this research project. “Twenty years later, and after hundreds of peer reviewed publications covering most forest ecology and management subjects, EMEND continues to guide researchers, forest managers and regulators with evidence-based results,” says Sidders.

For more information about the EMEND legacy project and innovative practices deployed on this site and others, contact Derek Sidders at derek. sidders@canada.ca or Tim Keddy at tim.keddy@canada.ca.

NEW OWNERSHIP FOR

Logging and Sawmilling Journal/TimberWest Magazine

ome major changes are happening with the ownership of of North America’s leading forest magazines to Anthony. Logging and Sawmilling Journal and its associated forest “Anthony’s experience in client relations, communications, industry magazine, TimberWest. forest operations, and project management have truly been an Anthony Robinson, who had been Associate Publisher of asset in taking on strategic planning, special projects, and busiLogging and Sawmilling Journal, has purchased both magazines, ness development for both Logging and Sawmilling Journal and and their related publishing assets, TimberWest,” said Rob. including North America’s leading “And I firmly believe he will be forestry information website, www. building the business further from forestnet.com. there—and I will be happy to help Rob Stanhope, who has him in achieving that.” owned the magazines for many After almost four decades with years, and worked on Logging and Logging and Sawmilling Journal, Rob Sawmilling Journal for a total of 38 will be gradually reducing his work years, will be staying on as Associate schedule as he heads into a wellPublisher. Anthony will be Publisher/ earned retirement. CEO of Logging and Sawmilling JourAnthony’s 10-year career in fornal, and CEO of TimberWest. estry and natural resource manageSince joining the company two ment includes project management, years ago, Anthony has taken a consulting, operational planning, leadership role with management harvesting, mining, and geographic of the two magazines, and has led information systems. Anthony began the further development of the his journey in the forest industry company both digitally and with the as both a tree planter and a mill company’s involvement in industry worker. conferences. The leadership of the magazines “I’m very excited to be purchaswill have a new accent, with Aning the business,” said Anthony. thony taking over. Born in Australia, “I believe the forest industry has Anthony completed his undergradua bright future, and I think our ate degree in 2008 at the University Rob Stanhope and Anthony Robinson magazines do a terrific job of serving of Western Australia. He began his readers and advertisers. I intend to career working for a small agroforesthave us build on that further with not only the website and social ry company in Western Australia. Some years later, his passion media, but other complementary initiatives and platforms.” for forestry operations and planning led him to the University Both Anthony and Rob assure readers that the change in of British Columbia, where he completed an MSc in Forestry in ownership will be seamless, and that they can continue to rely 2014. Anthony later joined the UBC Malcolm Knapp Research on receiving the same high quality editorial—and, for advertisers, Forest as the on-site coordinator for the DEMO International achieving the same unmatched reach to the forest industry—that 2016 trade show. Anthony first met Rob during the planning of Logging and Sawmilling Journal and TimberWest have delivered the DEMO show, and the seeds were sown then for Anthony’s over the decades the two magazines have been in business. joining Logging and Sawmilling Journal/TimberWest. Rob said he feels very confident about handing over the reins

New digital marketing and business development manager for LSJ/TimberWest

n addition to the ownership changes, Logging and Sawmilling Journal and TimberWest magazines will now be putting extra emphasis on developing the forestnet website, and social media, with the hiring of Kirsty Graham as Digital Marketing and Business Development Manager. Hailing from small town New Zealand, Kirsty made the move to Vancouver almost three years ago. With a specialized background in graphic design, visual arts and marketing,

Kirsty is ready to dive into the forest industry and work with the Logging and Sawmilling/TimberWest team to develop ideas and continue to grow connections and relationships throughout the industry. Working alongside Anthony and the other team members, Kirsty is looking forward to moving things ahead on the digital front, and fulfilling the vision of the company. Kirsty can be reached at the Logging and Sawmilling Journal office at (604) 990-9970 or by e-mail at kirsty@forestnet.com

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

SUPPLIERNEWSLINE Hultdins renews commitment to product innovation with new logo and brand presence

Since 1928, Hultdins has been developing, manufacturing, and perfecting tomorrow’s tools and components for forestry and construction equipment. Its legendary products are used worldwide every day, says the company.

The refreshed new Hultdins logo and brand encompasses the company’s renewed commitment and constant drive to develop and manufacture innovative products for the forestry, construction and other heavy equipment industries. For over 90 years in Europe and over 25 years in North America, Hultdins has been known for high quality reliable products and trusted product support. This has been Hultdins’ way of business from the beginning—and this will continue with a fresh new look. www.hultdins.com

government in partnership with the industry to make Canada a global leader in the emerging tall wood building space; endeavor to ensure regulatory neutrality for the use of emerging wood and wood-based products; create a window supported by carbon tax revenues to drive innovative local solutions to forest management, adaption and utilization; and, develop a sectoral arrangement on trade in forest products with China, focused on the construction sector. “Canada’s forest products sector is undergoing a period of massive and exciting transformation,” says Derek Nighbor, President and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC). “This is critical to sustaining and growing job opportunities for workers and families in our northern and rural forestry communities.”

Brandt adds Hitachi to product line

The Brandt Group of Companies has been named a Hitachi forestry products dealer. Brandt says that Hitachi’s purpose-built forestry products will be a strong complement to their full-line John Deere offering and are a natural fit, as both product lines are designed and manufactured through a joint venture—Deere-Hitachi Specialty

Report explores future of forest products sector

The C.D. Howe Institute has a new report titled, “Branching Out: How Canada’s Forest Products Sector is Reshaping its Future”, that explores current industry trends and advancements that the forest products sector has made in the face of growing business challenges. The report also provides a number of recommendations, which would enable the sector to enhance its contributions to the Canadian economy and the country’s environmental goals. The report proposed the following ideas for action: scale-up government contributions to FPInnovations, a nonprofit innovation hub for the forestry industry, and other vehicles with a successful track record of commercialization; consolidate the early product and process innovations supported by the federal

Products (DHSP)—in Langley, B.C. “This is an exciting day for Brandt and a big win for Hitachi equipment owners,” says Shaun Semple, Brandt President and CEO. “Hitachi’s strong forestry lineup is highly compatible with our existing John Deere offering, so loggers currently operating Hitachi equipment will be able to come directly to Brandt for unparalleled customer support from Day One.” Semple added that the dealer change will give Hitachi equipment owners the opportunity to increase their operational uptime, thanks to a larger-than-ever offering of products, parts and services,

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

By Tony Kryzanowski including Isuzu engine parts, available via Brandt’s extensive service network and warehouse facilities. Existing Brandt customers will also benefit from additional forestry product options. Brandt’s area of responsibility will include Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and PEI. www.brandt.ca

Equipment supplier Logset names new CEO

Tommi Ekman has been appointed Logset Oy´s CEO and will start in his new position in late 2019. Ekman comes to Logset from John Deere Forestry Oy, where he has worked as General Manager, Marketing & Order Fulfillment. Ekman has 19 years of experience from different demanding tasks within the global forest machine industry and he has worked for several years for John Deere and Waratah Forestry Attachments. “I’ve been following the good development of Logset for a while. When they contacted me, I didn’t hesitate to seize the opportunity,” says Ekman. “Logset’s leadership in hybrid technology, its investments in distribution, and its modern, high end products convinced me that the company can reach its growth goals. I want to contribute to the growth process with my own experience and energy.” “With Tommi Ekman, we will have a real forest machine man in the company management. The Board of Directors was convinced by his solid experience of different demanding tasks in the industry. Tommi can increase our competence and expertise in all our business areas and operations, and his positive energy makes him easy to follow as a leader,” said Tapio Nikkanen, Chairman of the Board at Logset. Logset Oy has established a subsidiary named Logset Inc in Ottawa. www.logset.fi to page 52

suppliernewsline quency drive system, allowing machines to be run at different speeds to simulate different operating conditions. www.westsalem.com

from page 50

Eberl achieves 500 vacuum kiln sales in 20 years

Manufacturing vacuum kilns since 1999, Eberl Vacuum Kilns says that it is a pioneer and leader in high efficiency vacuum wood drying technology. Such drying technologies require a high degree of engineering and wood science knowledge and precision manufacturing capability. Innovations like Eberl’s heat pump vacuum kiln are especially appropriate for clients with limited or no available steam or hot water supply. Using a heat pump system eliminates the need to purchase a new boiler system and could be of interest to those with access to low

cost green power. If a thermal source is available on site, this can be used without the heat pump system or can be combined with the heat pump where kiln preheating would be hot water or steam and the drying conducted by the heat pump. All Eberl vacuum kilns accept standard lumber packs stickered with conventional stickers. Kiln capacities can range from 1500 board feet to 30,000 board feet. Vacuum kilns can be strategically configured side-by-side using lateral transfer carts and loaded and unloaded automatically. They can also be configured so that two vacuum kilns face each other sharing a common track system. Eberl can dry all species and dimensions from green, partially air-dried or pre-dried, using the client’s PLC-PC control system. The company is supported by several satellite offices world-wide including an office in Ottawa. www.eberl-trocknunsanlagen.de

Lucidyne and Wolftek team up in Canada

pressive performance,” says Jody Volner, President of Peterson Pacific Corp. “The 1700D is ideal for small mulch, compost, or pallet grinding operations, as well as municipalities looking for a smaller machine, but still needing excellent throughput for a grinder of this size.” Heavy duty and mobile, the 1700D can readily reduce a wide range of materials. Its large feed opening measures 54” x 27”. When boosted by Peterson’s highlift feed roll, the feed opening’s maximum lift of 41.5” can tackle the largest of feedstock, and allows excellent accessibility to the rotor for maintenance. The 1700D horizontal grinder is equipped with a Caterpillar Tier IV C9.3 455 hp engine, or an optional, exportonly C9 Tier III, 350 hp engine. At 41,000 lbs, it is the lightest of Peterson’s grinder series, and is easily transportable, says the company. www.petersoncorp.com

WSM opens doors to testing facility

Peterson Pacific Corp, a manufacturer of industry leading wood grinding and chipping machines, now offers the new Peterson 1700D horizontal grinder. “The new 1700D is smaller and lighter than our other grinders, but still packs im-

West Salem Machinery (WSM) says that its customers and prospective customers can use their size reduction and screening test facility in Salem, Oregon to test feedstock. The testing and refining of processes and sometimes equipment often results in improving the customer’s operations or helps them to make informed, confident machine purchases. Whether operations involve: green or dry wood fibre preparation; biomass fuel preparation; fibre prep for pellets, briquettes, or co-firing; converting agresiduals for bio-fuels; mulch processing; animal bedding; or other fine-grind materials, WSM’s lab can simulate various size production settings and volumes, as well as provide detailed screen analysis. Depending on the amount of detail required, WSM can supply complete reporting, including sieve analysis and energy usage. The test facility is equipped with a horizontal grinder, primary shredder, highspeed hammermill, full air discharge capabilities, disc screen, oscillating screen, and screening equipment for sieve analysis. One of its key features is a variable fre-

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

Peterson introduces 1700D horizontal grinder

Lucidyne Technologies, Inc. of Corvallis, Oregon, and Wolftek Industries, Inc. of Prince George, B.C. proudly announce Wolftek’s representation of Lucidyne’s products in Canada. Lucidyne’s flagship product, the GradeScan Automated Lumber Scanner, uses Deep Learning artificial intelligence to grade lumber. With Perceptive Sight, defect detection and classification take a quantum leap in accuracy and results, says the company. And GradeScan is now scalable so there is a GradeScan that is right for every mill, from a stud mill to a high-volume/high-speed planer mill with multiple products, grades, and species. GradeScan delivers unparalleled defect detection, for maximum optimization, and an ROI that makes GradeScan a solid choice for sawmills, say the companies. Wolftek’s long relationship with Canadian mills makes them the ideal partner to represent Lucidyne’s products. Their knowledge of the unique needs and challenges of the Canadian market positions Wolftek to help mills understand how automated grading, and the advantages of Perceptive Sight Intelligent Grading, can help them maximize value and fibre recovery. www.Lucidyne.com www.wolftek.ca

From left to right: Chris Cournyer, Lucidyne Technologies - Engineering Sales Manager; Kenzie Hand, Lucidyne Technologies - Marketing Manager; and Jamie Hull, Wolftek Industries, Sales/ Director.

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# JUNE/JULY 2019

ADVERTISER PAGE Allied Wagner.....................................21 Autolog...............................................19 Brandt Tractor.....................................23 Contitech............................................13 DEMO International 2020....................39 Eberl Kilns..........................................33 GreCon...............................................29 H.J. Searson Limited...........................12 Hitachi..................................................2 Hultdins................................................6 Hyundai Dealers.................................37 James G. Murphy................................51 John Deere...........................................7 Liebherr..............................................31 Olofsfors...............................................5 Peterson.............................................25 Ponsse..................................................9 SMS Equipment..................................55 Southstar/ Quadco..............................27 Tigercat..............................................56 Tsubaki..............................................15 USNR..................................................17 Wallingford's.......................................26 Wood Flow Logistix Conference..........41 Wood-Mizer........................................20

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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

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Forest Machinery Connectivity project is a good investment in “What If” science By Tony Kryzanowski

here has been a trend to put much more emphasis on “applied” forestry science. That generally has been a good trend and should continue. But it is nice to see that there is still room for more “theoretical” science, as well. A forestry-related project aiming to “future-proof” Canada’s wood products manufacturing industry as part of the federal government’s $950 million Innovation Superclusters Initiative fits within the theoretical category. Let’s hope that it ultimately delivers some practical applications—based on the project’s explanation, there certainly is a good chance of that happening. The Forest Machinery Connectivity project, co-sponsored by Canfor, TimberWest, Lim Geomatics, UBC and FPInnovations, will use an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platform, described as a platform which is a network of “smart” devices that can monitor, collect, exchange, analyze and deliver valuable insights. The insights and data delivered will allow contractors, machine operators and forest managers to identify bottlenecks and improve productivity in real time— and develop best practices throughout the supply chain. Whether the research generated by this project actually has practical application value remains to be seen but one of the benefits of this type of advanced research is that it fires the synapses, generating ideas of potential applications in ways not contemplated by the original research. It may one day deliver many practical innovations to industry, especially as there are definite indications that many forest companies are investigating and adopting new digital tools to improve efficiency and their bottom lines. For example, one B.C. forest company

is installing a new digital productivity acceleration platform, a self-help tool that aims to standardize information and reduce the number of calls that employees make for IT support to help them find the information they need. The system provider who is selling this digital tool estimates that it costs a company anywhere between $19 and $22 for each IT support call, so the investment in this digital technology is expected to pay for itself quickly. The Forest Machinery Connectivity project is taking place under the umbrella of the Digital Supercluster, located in British Columbia. It is one of five Superclusters located strategically across Canada and was established in 2018. It was awarded $153 million in funding from the federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development with initial commitments of over $200 million from industry, research and post-secondary partners. Canfor and TimberWest are partners in the Digital Supercluster. The goal of this particular Supercluster is to propel Canada forward as a digital innovation leader, drive increased economic growth, and create jobs across the country. The Forest Machine Connectivity project has five excellent partners. Of course, FPInnovations and the UBC Faculty of Forestry are no strangers to both applied and theoretical research, and Lim Geomatics has a long and storied history working with the forest industry, particularly in the areas of digital geospatial tools and the use of LiDAR. Dr. Kevin Lim, President and CEO of Lim Geomatics, says that this project signals a new era of real-time operational insights for logging contractors, machine operators, and forest managers. These are homegrown companies playing a bigger

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - June/July 2019

role in the world economy for big data and digital technology. There is one concern that should be considered honestly as the project proceeds and perhaps this is just more an acceptance of reality. One of the goals of the Innovation Superclusters Initiative is to create jobs. However, with greater digitization and prominence of big data usage, it is more likely that this will accelerate job loss in many functions. Consider the goals of this project, for example, which are to identify bottlenecks and improve productivity in real time and develop best practices throughout the supply chain. Who does a better job of this—humans sitting at a computer or artificial intelligence? The answer is fairly clear, and it is only a few small steps from AI operational streamlining to robotic logging equipment for such repetitive functions as log loading, skidding and log processing. It is a lot easier to tell a robot to speed up or slow down than a human being. The next step may even include robotic logging trucks, which again can be made to speed up or slow down. Finally, robots don’t get tired, so this could lead to round the clock log production, which may be a good thing for forest companies to combat wood shortages during spring break-up. What this Forest Machine Connectivity project will likely do is help industry address the bigger question of what role AI will play in overall forest industry activity and whether there is value in using robotic technology for repetitive functions. Perhaps it is better to leave it to the robots and encourage individuals to find more challenging endeavors which can’t be done better by AI or robots, for the time being anyway.

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