Logging & Sawmilling Journal November/December 2023

Visit LSJ’s website at www.forestnet.com

November/December 2023

SPECIAL INSERT:

2024 Canadian Forestry Calendar!

KR LOGGING ADDS TIMBERPRO/ LOG MAX COMBO

to its equipment line-up

PUTTING THE NEW LINE IN

over the old at Georgia-Pacific’s Pineland sawmill WITH THIS ISSUE...

ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF INDUSTRY INNOVATION

B.C.’S AAA LOGGING CHANGES GEARS

on equipment strategy with new Deere processor

FEATURES November/December 2023 Volume 54 • No. 6 Editor Paul MacDonald Contributing Editors Jim Stirling, Tony Kryzanowski George Fullerton Tech Update Editor Tony Kryzanowski Publisher/CEO Anthony Robinson • (778) 991-3500 E-Mail: arobinson@forestnet.com Associate Publisher Hannah Robinson • (778) 688-9127 E-mail: hannah@forestnet.com Social Media: Kaitlin Davidson Digital Marketing: Hannah Robinson Email: hannah@forestnet.com

On the Cover: The KR Logging crew in Powell River, B.C. is made up of solid, experienced guys, and company owner Kurtis Randle knows he can rely on them, day in, day out.

Randle likes to keep his employees happy and busy—and those folks are working on some pretty solid, reliable iron these days that is also producing day in, day out.

The solid equipment performance at KR Logging looks to be continuing these days with a new equipment purchase Randle made about a year ago: a TimberPro TL775D harvester equipped with a Log Max 12000XT head. Read all about the new machine beginning on page 8 of this issue (Cover photo courtesy of Great West Equipment).

4 Spotlight: The “go-to”

Subscription Enquiries (604) 990-9970 Fax: (705) 434-9052 E-mail: SubscribeLSJ@forestnet.com

place for chainsaws …

Design & Art Production Manager Sheila Ringdahl E-mail: artwork@forestnet.com

The Walker Family on Vancouver Island has a rich heritage of meeting loggers’ exacting needs for chain saws, and Walker’s Saw Shop continues to be the “go-to” place for professional fallers— such as Buckin’ Billy Ray Smith—on the Island.

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Published November/December 2023 “We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada” Logging & Sawmilling Journal is a member/associate member of the following industry organizations:

8

B.C.’s KR Logging adds TimberPro/Log Max combo

B.C. logging contractor Kurtus Randle likes to keep his employees happy and busy—and has them working on solid, reliable iron including the newest piece: a TimberPro TL775D harvester equipped with a Log Max 12000XT head.

14 Putting the new

sawmill line in—over the old

Georgia-Pacific has completed upgrades to its Pineland Lumber sawmill, a project that saw the new sawmill line under construction even as the existing sawmill line continued to operate.

DEPARTMENTS

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

20 Team approach to

timber harvesting

S&S Logging’s Sean Storey says his employees—and suppliers—are all key parts of a successful team approach to harvesting.

26 Changing gears—

with new processor

B.C.’s AAA Logging was used to working with used iron, but it recently changed gears on that strategy, and purchased a new John Deere 2154G tracked processor with a Waratah HTH 622 B head—and hasn’t looked back.

30 Guest Column

Matthew Nemeth of E + E Elektronik talks about optimizing moisture content in wood through digital sensors.

32 Growth in mass timber

market spurs expansion at Western Archrib

Anticipating growth in the mass timber market, Alberta’s Northland Group has plans for a major expansion of its recent glulam acquisition, Western Archrib.

36

Included in this edition of The Edge, Canada’s leading publication on research in the forest industry, is a story from the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre (CWFC).

46 The Last Word

Is there a need for strings to be attached— like ramping it up in Canada, if the technology proves successful—with government green technology funding, asks Tony Kryzanowski.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

3

spotlight

THE “GO-TO” PLACE

for chainsaws…

Holly Walker (left), Bob Walker’s wife, has proven a keen chronicler of the couple’s early days, and the Walker’s Saw Shop in Nanaimo, B.C.

The Walker Family on Vancouver Island has a rich heritage of meeting loggers’ exacting needs for chain saws, and Walker’s Saw Shop continues to be the “goto” place for professional fallers—such as Buckin’ Billy Ray Smith—on the island.

By Jim Stirling

T

Bob Walker with sons John and Donny, who are continuing the family tradition with Walker’s Saw Shop. The third generation of the Walker Family, John’s daughter, Cheyenne, now works in the shop.

4

he outline of the hills against the sky hasn’t changed. But most other familiar shapes have vanished. Little surprise, really. It was 1949 when Bob Walker first laid eyes on his new home with its wooden sidewalks, buildings and bustle. The Nanaimo River Camp was run by then B.C. forestry giant MacMillan Bloedel, and housed log harvesting crews who were dispatched daily into the forested hinterlands surrounding the camp in central Vancouver Island, off the British Columbian coast.

Bob Walker was 10-years-old and in camp with his stepfather, John Westerholm, who’d taken a job as a foreman at the camp. Young Bob slotted readily into the camp life routine. The camp emptied of loggers early in the morning. On weekdays, Bob would soon follow on his 30mile round trip to school. The steam trains chugged through the forest at all hours, laden with prime timber destined for log dumps in places like Chemainus and Ladysmith. Fellow forest company titan

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

spotlight A rich history in B.C.’s logging industry: Bob Walker (right) bucking a log on Vancouver Island in the early 1960s.

Bob was introduced to the forests early, at the age of 10, when his family moved to the Nanaimo River Camp run by then B.C. forestry giant MacMillan Bloedel.

Crown Zellerbach also operated a logging camp and rail network in the area.

After school, Bob took to hanging around the chain saw repair shack where another form of education began taking shape. The camp was to become a springboard from which Bob Walker launched a long and colourful career. At its heart was an enduring interest in and knowledge of chain saw operation.

The journey culminated in the early 1980s with the foundation of a family run store dedicated to the safe use and care of chain saws. Today, Walker’s Saw Shop is in the family’s third generation and something of an institution in Nanaimo and well beyond. It’s appreciated by the professional faller and the weekend warrior.

But there’s much more to their story.

It’s one of hard work and commitment that gathered momentum after Bob and Holly married in 1964. Today, Bob has dementia but he can still tell stories from the past with clarity, and Holly has proven a keen chronicler of the couple’s early days.

In the early 1960s, Bob was dispatched from the Nanaimo River Camp to the logging outposts of northern Vancouver Island. Places of early B.C. forestry lore like Gold River, Fair Harbour—where Bob operated his first power saw shop— Kyuquot and later on to Holberg. One of Bob’s assignments was as driver of whatever was available. “This reminded Bob of his father who had taken him along with his logging truck,” said Holly.

Back in Nanaimo, Bob landed a salesman’s job with McCulloch Chain Saws.

The work involved travelling the province and listening to fallers.

“And then the fun began,” recalled Holly. “Bob realized that by making saws more powerful, they could cut quicker and get the faller out of harm’s way.” And opening the muffler makes the saw run cooler.

By the late 1970s, Bob and Holly were seriously thinking about starting their own business. The recession of to page 6

BUILT BY A LOGGER FOR LOGGERS.

Peterbiltpacific.com

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

5

spotlight from page 5 1980 accelerated the plan into a priority.

The family home started doubling as a workshop.

“Our family remembers a lot of early mornings waking up to the sound of Bob grinding chain saw cylinders at the kitchen table.” Holly maintained the young company’s books to keep the business on an even keel. Walker’s Saw Shop was open for business.

“I purchased the store about 13 years ago when it was still home-based,” said John Walker, Bob and Holly’s oldest son.

John and his wife Deb expanded into a new building about eight or nine years ago.

The present store occupies about 5,000 square feet close to downtown Nanaimo. Walker’s Saw Shop employs four mechanics and three sales and parts personnel. The staff reflect a change to a more diversified and service oriented approach to its customers’ needs, noted John.

Walker’s is an authorized dealer for the Echo, Husqvarna and Stihl chain saws and product lines. But the store also carries a range of associated services and products.

These include safety gear, portable sawmill and woodcutting tools. Equipment for arborists is in stock along with lawn and garden machines, lubricants and even apparel, toys, models and books.

The store’s product range proved useful during COVID which affected the business of many retail outlets—in Walker’s

Saw Shop’s case, to the positive. “We had booked bigger quantities in fast moving products. It was good timing I guess,” said John, modestly. The pandemic forced more people to look closer at home and property improvement projects. The result was a couple of good years for Walker’s Saw Shop.

Accurately predicting trends and taking advantage of them is good for any retail outlet. Latterly the Walker’s Saw Shop has been taking advantage of the growth in social media to expand its audience base. John noted the process requires staff versed in the language and types of outlets.

Professional fallers are traditionally an independent thinking bunch. They still are. Walker’s Saw Shop has evolved into a haven for the breed through the years.

People speak and understand the same language there. Buckin’ Billy Ray Smith is a Vancouver Island-based faller and YouTuber (www.youtube.com/@BuckinBillyRaySmith), and he hasn’t forgotten his roots. He’s known Bob and Holly and their sons, John and Donny, for years.

“I’ve known Bob since 1997. The Walkers sent me off to camp with a Husky 394 in about 1999,” he relates. “It makes me happy to give back to a business that supported me and my family in my early days of being a woodsman.”

John Walker’s habit of looking ahead includes keeping the Walker family’s legacy intact. His younger brother, Donny, works for the family store as does his daughter, Cheyenne, who started working

part-time at the store in 2013.

Donny Walker’s your man if you’re curious about what “Walkerizing” a chain saw really means. His voice takes on a different tone when he starts warming to the subject of chain saw care and understanding. Donny draws on his Dad’s lifetime of experience and his own work testing and providing feedback on the latest Husqvarna chain saws under development. It’s why he’s always working on customers’ chain saws from around North America, Australia, New Zealand and across Europe. He is truly following in the work boots of his father with the chainsaw work he carries out. “The challenge,” summarizes Donny, “is to make the chain saws quicker and safer.”

CALENDAR

January 16-18

BC Natural Resource Forum Annual Meetings, Prince George, BC

250-640-7469 www.bcnaturalresourcesforum.com January 17-19

Truck Loggers Assoc. Annual Convention, Vancouver, BC 604-684-4291, www.tla.ca February 5-8

Paper Week Canada 2023 The Annual Meeting of Canadian Mills, Montreal, QC 514-392-0265 www.paperweekcanada.ca February 7-9

Assoc. of BC Forest Professionals Conference & AGM, Kelowna, BC

604-687-8027, www.abcfp.ca February 13-15

GLOBExCHANGE, Vancouver, BC

604-695-5000 www.globeseries.com February 22-24

Oregon Logging Conference, Eugene, OR

541-686-9191 www.oregonloggingconference.com February 28

Forests Ontario Conference, Vaughan, ON 416-646-1193 www.forestsontario.ca

6

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

800-265-7617

superiorglove.com/sawmill

Hand protection for every hazard

contractorprofile

B.C. LOGGER ADDS

TimberPro/Log Max combo B.C. logging contractor Kurtus Randle likes to keep his employees happy and busy—and has them working on solid, reliable iron including the newest piece: a TimberPro TL775D harvester equipped with a Log Max 12000XT head.

By Paul MacDonald

K

urtus Randle, the owner of logging outfit KR Logging Ltd., says he has been fortunate with the half-dozen employees he works with harvesting timber around the Powell River, B.C. region,

about 180 kilometres and two ferry rides northwest of Vancouver.

The KR Logging crew is made up of solid, experienced guys, and Randle knows he can rely on them, day in, day out. “It’s all about the people you work with in logging,” he says.

Randle likes to keep his employees happy and busy—and those folks are working on some pretty solid, reliable iron these days that is also producing day in, day out.

Randle did his due diligence on the used equipment he’s purchased since setting up operations close to 10 years

The TimberPro TL775D harvester equipped with a Log Max 12000XT head at work for KR Logging, near Powell River, B.C. 8

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

contractorprofile ago. The equipment, much of it Madill, has performed well—very well, in fact.

His Madill equipment line-up includes a 2250C buncher, three 3800C log loaders and two HT2250B machines.

The solid equipment performance at KR Logging looks to be continuing with a new equipment purchase Randle made about a year ago: a TimberPro TL775D harvester equipped with a Log Max 12000XT head.

“The specs on the TimberPro are great—it blew other machines out of the water with the swing power and travel power—and it has a decent engine,” he says.

That decent engine is a Cummins L9 that provides 365 HP, and offers increased fuel economy, and longer maintenance intervals, says Cummins. to page 10

TimberPro operator Jeff Erickson (left) and Brody Boese of KR Logging, with the TimberPro TL775D harvester. Erickson noted that the TimberPro/Log Max combination delivers a lot of power. “It has great track effort and swing power is phenomenal, with lots of torque,” says Erickson.

KR Logging carries out logging for a few different customers

A

lthough the historic pulp and paper mill in Powell River, B.C. was shut down recently, there is still a fair bit of logging activity in the region.

At one time, the Powell River mill was a gigantic operation. It was the first newsprint mill in western Canada.

Commissioned in 1912, at one point one in every 25 newspapers in the world was said to be printed on paper manufactured at the mill.

While the mill may be quiet these days, there is still the buzz of chainsaws in the region.

With his half-dozen machines, Kurtus Randle of KR Logging is keeping busy these days harvesting for several customers.

They do harvesting work for Western Forest Products, which has tenure in the Powell River region. Powell River also has a community forest, and KR does harvesting for them. A good deal of their logging is done for Thichum Forest Products which manages forestry operations for the Tla’amin Nation. Thichum specializes in the harvesting of timber resources on reserve lands, treaty settlement lands and granted provincial tenures.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

9

contractorprofile from page 9 The TL775D is the largest of the TimberPro D-Series purpose-built track machines. Its slightly smaller sister machine in the D-Series is the TL765D. Designed exclusively for the forest industry, and manufactured at the TimberPro plant in Wisconsin, both machines are built to handle extreme terrain and severe climates.

The leveling undercarriage of the TL775D has long heavy duty track frames and a wide stance, making it extremely robust and very stable. Equipped with a technologically advanced IQAN MD4 touch screen control system, dual motor hydrostatic slewing system and a dedicated dual hydrostatic track drive system, the TL775D is said to be the perfect balance of power, performance and productivity.

The Log Max 12000XT is an extreme duty head for big tree production, multistem processing of smaller softwoods or processing crooked hardwoods. Log Max says the head is able to handle the most severe wood with ease, and that’s been the case with its work for KR Logging. Its high production ¾” pitch bottom saw cuts up to 40”. Specially designed knives with

compound curves and replaceable cutting edges produce clean delimbed wood at a low operating cost.

Overall, the TL775D machine is “beefy”, says Randle, making it more stable in the adverse ground they work in on the B.C. Coast.

As noted, on a lot of fronts, the TL 775TD machine generally offers more. “It has more reach, and that helps—with the reach and the strength of the machine, you are not fighting and pulling with the timber.” That strength is due in part to that longer track frame.

Purchasing a new piece of logging equipment is a big investment these days, and for Randle the specs can’t just be numbers on a piece of paper—they have to be delivered in the machine’s performance, and they have been.

But before he struck a deal for the machine, they tried out a TimberPro from the B.C. TimberPro dealer, Great West Equipment.

“Great West had the exact same carrier, but with a bit small machine upper,” he explained. “It was the same idea, and they brought it in, and we demo-ed it for a few weeks with a hot saw on it. We got a good idea of how it would work for us.”

Randle already deals with Great West Equipment, who are also the dealer for Madill equipment, and they have a solid track record of good service.

Even though the machine has been performing well over the last year, both Great West and TimberPro have been active in soliciting input on how to make the machine better.

“And that interest from them is real,” he says. “They ask questions, they listen, and they want to make it work better for us, and for them, to have a better machine. Every new machine, regardless of how good it is or what brand it is, can be improved,” he notes.

Several updates have already been incorporated into their machine.

Randle believes that having current and easy to use equipment helps him keep employees—operators want to work in comfortable cab environments, and they like technology, as long as that technology is operator-friendly.

The KR Logging operator on the TimberPro, Jeff Erickson, says he was thinking of packing it in work-wise, but the new machine changed his mind. “If it wasn’t for this machine, I was getting out of the business, and retiring,” he says.

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No wonder they have become the most exciting choice for future-oriented sawmills in North America.

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10

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

contractorprofile Erickson says he initially had some apprehension about the technology on the machine, but it’s proven to be operatorfriendly. He noted that the controls can be set up for each individual operator.

Erickson admitted he had some concerns about the controls on the new machine, but not any longer. “I was concerned about it being fly by wire, but it is great. And if I can do it, trust me, anybody can do it.”

Erickson has worked with computer set-ups on machines before—this is probably his fourth or fifth computer-equipped machine, he says. He initially thought the new technology might be a bit much for him. “But it’s been way simpler than I thought, and it’s so reliable.”

He noted that the Great West rep showed him how to set the computer up, for the speed he wanted, the braking he wanted, the softness of the start up, and the ending. There’s no jerking and bouncing around, he says.

“I think the technology on the machine is great—it makes it nicer to run for the operator, and it’s more efficient.”

Erickson says that like all new equipto page 12

The TimberPro is equipped with the Log Max 12000XT, an extreme duty head for big tree production, multi-stem processing of smaller softwoods or processing crooked hardwoods. Log Max says the head is able to handle the most severe wood with ease, and that’s been the case with its work for KR Logging.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

11

contractorprofile from page 11 ment, there were a few hiccups with the TL775D when they first got it. They were minor, though, involving seals on the swing drive, and reconfiguring some of the hoses on the boom. “They were an easy fix,” he said. The support they have received from the dealer, Great West Equipment, and TimberPro has been terrific, he said.

New equipment, like older equipment, still requires its share of monkey wrenching—but the computer/tech side of things on new machines requires different attention. It might mean linking up with the service reps at the dealer to deal with an issue. “They have been great,” says Erickson. “They are able to help us right away.”

Even though Great West’s nearest dealer location is in Nanaimo, on Vancouver Island, they are able to get parts, and a rep, if needed, to KR Logging in Powell River the next day. But Erickson added that they’ve been able to resolve most of the issues on the computer, or with a phone call, he says.

For its part, head provider Log Max told KR Logging that they would be able to solve 95 per cent of any issues they had over the phone. “And they’ve been able to do that,” says Erickson.

He noted that with the Great West rep, they fine-tuned the machine set-up, and set the controls, making adjustments to the valves and oil flow, so the machine would work smoothly with the Log Max 12000XT head, which weighs in at roughly 10,000 pounds. This gives him the power and agility he needs to work best with big wood. “I can now control all that, with the computer on the machine.”

It took some careful work with the head since this is the first TL775D machine equipped with a harvesting head.

But Erickson noted the TimberPro/Log Max combination delivers a lot of power.

12

Kurtus Randle, owner of KR Logging (above). Randle did his due diligence on the used equipment he’s purchased since setting up operations close to 10 years ago.

The equipment, much of it Madill, has performed well—very well, in fact. The solid equipment performance at KR Logging looks to be continuing with their latest new equipment purchase, the TimberPro TL775D harvester.

And that is what company owner Kurtus Randle and Erickson look for in a machine: power and performance. “It has great track effort and swing power is phenomenal, with lots of torque,” says Erickson.

Essentially, the machine offers plenty of reach and power, with less struggle, he says. “Small wood, big wood, it has great reach, and the cab is super quiet, and has great visibility. It’s really exceeded my expectations.”

The machine offers maximum reach of 23 ft. 6 in, and lift capacity at maximum reach of 15,000 lbs.

The base TL775D machine weighs in at 96,200 lbs, and is a good size—there was initially concern about how agile it would be in steep west coast ground, and with large and small wood. “It’s really good, though,” says Erickson. “It’s aggressive and fast.”

The TL775D is also a nice looking piece of equipment, with its sports car red colour. But besides that beauty, it performs, Erickson notes.

“It does not matter if a machine is shiny, it has to be reliable and it’s got to work. But I’m trying to keep it looking good because Kurtis did not want it scratched up,” Erickson says, with a laugh.

It’s had a few big branches across it, but after a year in the bush, the machine looks almost new.

Erickson agreed with Kurtus, saying it’s helpful that both Great West Equipment and Timber Pro are soliciting feedback on the machine. “The machine can only get better if they listen to the operators,” he says.

He noted the TL775D machines are relatively new to the market, so it’s only natural that as the equipment gets out in the bush, and starts to put hours on, it can become apparent that some changes would be beneficial to the logger, the dealer and the manufacturer.

“We have been getting calls from them about doing software updates that they recommend we do. They are great—they listen and get back to you.” In his mind, that shows they are continually trying to improve the machine, and listening to customers, and their service people.

Erickson has just about operated it all— loaders, dozers, bunchers, harvesters—in his time working in the forest industry.

“I’ve run a lot of bunchers,” he says.

“But this is the best. It’s super reliable.”

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

sawmillupgrade

Putting the

NEW —over LINEtheinold

Georgia-Pacific has completed upgrades to its Pineland Lumber sawmill, a project that saw the new sawmill line under construction even as the existing sawmill line continued to operate.

By Tony Kryzanowski

A

new chapter has started at the much-storied Georgia-Pacific (GP) Pineland Lumber sawmill, located in east Texas near the town of Jasper, population 899, that includes installation of a new, state-of-the-art sawmill line.

This has allowed the sawmill to increase product volume throughput by as much as 20 per cent while also delivering a higher degree of product flexibility.

For years, about 30 per cent of production at Pineland Lumber was 7’ to 9’ studs because of technological constraints on one of its two production lines that was installed in 1965—but they won’t be constrained anymore with this new installation. While studs will continue to be part of their lumber mix, production will be 14

more in reaction to market demand.

Today, Pineland Lumber would be best described as a modern, high-volume, dimension lumber mill. It is capable of producing anything from as small as a 1 X 4 in 8’ lengths to as large as a 2 X 12 in 20’ lengths.

“We have the flexibility now to get the right yield to meet market demand,” says Ronnie Comeaux, GP Regional Manager, who oversaw the design and implementation of the Pineland Lumber upgrade.

The $120 million (U.S.) investment in new technology includes equipment provided almost entirely by BID Group.

Canadian-based BID continues to be a key equipment and service supplier to GP as it modernizes a number of its sawmills in the American South. GP owns 12 sawmills in the United States.

Based on investments and performance in other GP sawmills, BID’s technology has often met and exceeded expectations, making it a good choice for the Pineland Lumber upgrade.

And with similar technology operating in several sawmills, it provides GP with the ability to accelerate employee training once new facilities come on line. That was the case once the new sawmill line at Pineland Lumber started up in May 2023.

The new planer mill started up in January 2023.

BID Group’s Integrated Solutions Team provided the design, engineering, fabrication, and installations services for this turnkey project. Components included equipment, software, automations systems and AI-enabled optimization.

As just one example of how much

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

sawmillupgrade

Construction of the new line at Pineland Lumber occurred while the existing line, installed in 2001, continued to operate. Above photo shows a MoCo stacker, and the photo below shows a Comact optimized transverse merchandizer. The new transverse optimization is said to allow a very compact design.

more advanced the new sawmill line is compared to their old stud mill line, a significant amount of the jobs on that original line involved manual interaction.

That number has been reduced considerably on the new line.

Even with greater automation, the mill continues to employ 310 workers from this community and surrounding area which has relied for over a century on good paying jobs at the sawmill.

If you live in or near Pineland, Texas, where the sawmill is actually located, there is a high probability that your parents, grandparents, and maybe even great grandparents worked directly or indirectly for the sawmill. It has been part of the community since 1910.

While Texas is not well known for its wood products manufacturing industry, there is a substantial resource of southern yellow pine (SYP) growing in the eastern

to page 16 Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

15

sawmillupgrade

from page 15

BID Group was the main equipment and technology supplier for the $120 million Pineland mill upgrade, continuing its record of supplying a number of mill modernization projects for Georgia-Pacific. Top photo shows the Comact trimmer optimizer, and below is the sawmill infeed.

16

third of the state. Pineland and the sawmill is located in the middle of that forest.

The sawmill has gone through a number of iterations over its lifetime, at one point producing plywood and then particleboard and even toilet seats. The current plant produces high volumes of dimension lumber.

Total production volume at the sawmill is now rated at 450 million board feet annually, compared to 380 million board feet previously. This volume is the equivalent of enough dimension lumber to build 30,000 homes.

GP has modernized Pineland Lumber from front to back.

On the front end, log handling has been improved, where they can now handle the same volume of tree length log deliveries in five days versus six, or up to 300 trucks per day versus 250. The amount of time that trucks spend on site has dropped by 40 per cent.

Previously, the two production lines operated independently. Logs were supplied to the stud mill by wheel loaders while logs to supply the large log line used an overhead crane. The overhead crane has since been retired with mobile pieces of wheeled equipment, like Komatsu 600 series wheel loaders, deployed to unload trucks, build decks and feed logs into the mill. The wood yard and associated new log runs were rebuilt by GP using local contractors. Log processing between the two lines has been integrated so that logs can be shared between them, to send the right log to the right processing line.

The new sawmill line is focused on processing smaller diameter logs to

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

sawmillupgrade complement the existing large log line that was installed in 2001. The new line will produce lumber up to 2 X 6 as long as 16’ in length. Optimization begins right at the infeed.

“Traditionally, logs are debarked, scanned and then bucked,” Comeaux says. “On our new asset, we actually scan transversely, and then buck (using a moving quad saw system) and debark using Comact equipment.”

Logs then proceed to three sort decks, two with logs slated for the small log line and one for the large log line, sorted based on diameter. Logs are then singulated and gapped using wave feeders, with logs on the new line processed through a Comact single arbor gang with an optimized length infeed (OLI) breakdown unit and profiling heads. Up to four side boards are recovered with the remainder processed through a TBL3 curved sawing gang.

Boards are fed through a Comact trimmer and lug loader, leading to the MoCo stacker equipped with automatic strapping in preparation for kiln drying.

A new USNR continuous dry kiln (CDK) has been added in response to higher lumber production, providing an

additional 40 million board feet of drying capacity. And finally, new computer-based Comact GradExpert lumber grading capacity as well as a new high-speed Miller planer have been installed in the planer mill. This upgrade is also providing value to the older sawmill line as it can split a 2 X 8 into two 2 X 4’s as markets demand.

Comact and Miller are both BID Group brands.

Project construction began in May 2021. One of its most challenging aspects was that the new sawmill line was under construction even as the existing sawmill line continued to operate. Both lines have an ‘S’ design, so the upshot is that today, producing lumber at the sawmill looks a lot like a highway interchange, with products from each line flowing over and above each other to a central collection point at the MoCo stackers.

“Building a sawmill within a sawmill presented many challenges. However, our contractors and employees were successful in completing this project safely and efficiently,” says Comeaux. “It was challenging and definitely involved a lot of planning. In addition to mill construction, we managed multiple changes to

include our walkways, parking and storage areas.”

The new sawmill line processes logs primarily 16” in diameter and under while the existing line, featuring an Optimil twin-band primary breakdown unit followed by a Newnes-McGehee Gen 1 curved sawing gang, processes logs up to 22” in diameter.

Prior to the CDK kiln installation, Pineland Lumber had seven batch dry kilns. Five used steam and two were direct-fired with fuel and heat provided by burning dry shavings. Pineland Lumber had an overall drying capacity of 410 million board feet. Now, one direct-fired batch kiln has been demolished and replaced with the continuous drive kiln, which adds 40 million feet, taking drying capacity to 450 million board feet annually.

“We also get quality benefits with the CDK versus the batch system,” Comeaux says.

The planer mill features a new Comact GradExpert computerized lumber grade to page 18

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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

17

sawmillupgrade from page 17 reader that complements an existing Autolog computerized grade reader on the existing line. The new Miller high-speed planer also complements an existing planer attached to the original sawmill line and has machine stress rating (MSR) capability, as well as an automatic dual line shaft trimmer that can merchandize lumber to specific lengths based on price and demand. For example, Pineland Lumber can pull studs specifically from this trim line. This replaces the old stud mill planer where grading, planing and trimming had many manual functions.

“In addition to volume and cost, the investment also provides us with mix enrichment flexibility,” says Comeaux. “For example, we can convert a 2 X 8 board that is 16’ long into multiple dimensions, including four 8’ studs. This investment moves us to a more efficient planer mill operation with two planer lines, and a much better work life balance for our employees.”

Down the line from the planer mill, two new MoCo package makers and two Signode strappers have been added, capable of also producing quarter and half packs based on customer requests.

In addition to the equipment that BID

has under their umbrella—such as MoCo, Comact, Miller, and DelTech—the company also has strategic partners. These include B.C.-based companies, such as BM&M Screening Solutions, and more North America-wide firms such as Rockwell Automation, Timken, and industrial robotics company, Yaskawa.

With this new investment and stateof-the-art equipment, Pineland Lumber employees feel more confident about the future. Given that the new sawmill line replaces technology from 1965, and with its automation capabilities, it is also a better fit for today’s workforce.

Georgia-Pacific's Pineland Lumber depends on a steady supply of Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) that grows in abundance in East Texas. In the photo directly above is the Pineland Sawmill infeed, with a Comact wave feeder.

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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

TEAM APPROACH TO TIMBER HARVESTING eastcoastlogging

S&S Logging’s Sean Storey says his employees—and suppliers—are all key parts of a successful team approach to harvesting.

By George Fullerton

“I

tell our crew we are like a hockey team,” says New Brunswick logging contractor Sean Storey.

“We don’t score goals or fill contracts as individuals—we all work together as a team to meet our collective goals, providing top notch service to our business partners, and go home safely at the end of our shifts and come back for the next game or shift inspired to work productively and as a team.

“I am so very fortunate to have such a great team,” says Storey. “I am convinced I have the best team of workers.”

Sean manages S&S Logging along with

20

his wife, Sandra, from their home base in Storeytown, across the Miramichi River from the Village of Doaktown.

S&S Logging works on Crown Licenses 7 (J.D. Irving), 3 (Interfor) and 8 (AV Nackawic). The operation supplies logs to 13 major mills across the province.

S&S Logging also contracts some private land stumpage and cumulatively produces around 500,000 cubic metres of wood annually.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

to page 22

eastcoastlogging

Sean and Sandra Storey (above). Sean is quick to share that Sandra has been an irreplaceable part of the S&S Logging business. “Sandra is absolutely critical to our business,” he says. “She manages all the business side, and I focus on keeping the crew and machines operating.”

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

21

eastcoastlogging from page 20 Storey started his forestry career working as a teenager on his father’s contracting operation. He bought his first skidder, a Cat 518 in 1987, establishing S&S Logging as a harvest contractor. Through the years, Storey has worked with a wide variety of harvesting equipment.

Those years of experience have convinced Storey that his favorite and most productive harvester is the Tigercat 855 tracked harvester, equipped with the Log Max 7000 series harvester head.

S&S Logging’s equipment stable currently includes ten Tigercat 855 carriers with Log Max 7000C or XT heads—and just to test his harvester head options, a new Tigercat 855 delivered in June 2023 sports a Tigercat 570 harvester head. Two additional 855 units have been ordered for 2023 delivery with Log Max heads.

“Currently, I am witnessing a high demand for harvesting capacity” explains Storey. “I feel confident that our operation can handle the growth.”

The S&S Logging fleet is rounded out with an Tigercat 855 feller buncher with a Tigercat 5702 head, three 25-tonne Tigercat 1085 forwarders and two 18-tonne Ponsse Buffalo King forwarders. On some J.D. Irving operations, forwarding is handled by other contractors.

“We keep our 855 machines until they have about 20,000 hours on them. That is the sweet spot, I figure,” says Storey.

“They still have lots of life in them and their resale value is still good.”

Sean is quick to share that his wife, Sandra, has been an irreplaceable part of the S&S Logging business since they were married. “Sandra is absolutely critical to our business. She manages all the business side, and I focus on keeping the crew (35

Part of the S&S Logging Team: Above, from left to right, harvester operator Dalton O’Donnell, Sean Storey and Zachary Storey. In the below photo is Tyson Underhill of TCU Trucking (left) and Sean Storey, with TCU Trucking’s new Peterbilt truck.

to 40 employees) and machines operating, and on dealing with the forestry companies we work for,” he says.

“I learned bookkeeping from Sean’s mother, using a ledger and filling everything in by hand,” says Sandra. “In recent years, I have evolved to working with a computer. There were more than a few challenges and anxiety making that switch, but now the books, payroll, remittances and bills get handled electronically,” Sandra said, adding that addressing business surveys has added significantly to the business administration tasks.

In addition to administrating S&S Logging, Sandra is also employed as an inclassroom Educational Assistant.

Sean elaborated on the harvesting work they do.

“We do limited work in managed stands, where thinning is required and zero tail swing machines might be better adapted,” he said. “Our operations tend to be in ‘naturally developed stands’ with either a total clearcut or a partial retention type harvest, where retained trees are scattered or in groups and the 855’s can operate effectively from trails.”

On a summer day this past June, two harvesters and a 1085 forwarder, the latter operated by Sandra and Sean’s son Zachary, were in operation just a couple of minutes from their Doaktown base. Due to heightened fire risk, all operations in the Irving Doaktown District were shut down at noon, similar to restrictions right across the province while major fires ran wild in both New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

“Our prescription here is to harvest hardwoods which will make a log today, while retaining hardwoods (mainly yellow birch) which will make a log in the future.

We are harvesting spruce and fir, but retaining hemlock,” explained Storey.

As a result, the harvest block retained a moderate stocking of large, intermediate and small trees. The retained trees will produce seed and their shading will encourage shade tolerant and warming climate adaptable species to regenerate the block.

“We have used Log Max 7000 heads for many years,” Storey explained. “I feel it is one of the very best harvester heads available. It has the capacity to handle small diameter trees and right through to real big and challenging hardwoods. The Moncton Log Max shop services parts right across the country, so we have excellent parts availability, just a couple hours away.

“We get a complete hose kit with every

to page 24 22

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

eastcoastlogging

New Brunswick contractor Sean Storey is a big fan of Tigercat equipment. His current stable includes Tigercat 855 carriers with Log Max 7000C or XT heads, a new Tigercat 855 delivered this past June that sports a Tigercat 570 harvester head, a Tigercat 855 feller buncher with a Tigercat 5702 head, and three 25-tonne Tigercat 1085 forwarders. from page 22 Log Max head, and there is lots of engine compartment room in the 855 for the hose kit and a few of the more vulnerable hoses on the 855 boom,” he said. “Additionally, the 855 has room for tools and oil supplies, bars and chains.

“When an operator changes a hose, he either calls one of our mechanics to have a new one built, or if they are handy to our garage, they can drop it off after the shift and then pick up the new one for the next shift.” Some operators are competent at building hoses, but some lack that skill set, and in that case, they have a couple of fulltime mechanics, who will build the hoses.

“Our mechanics build hoses specifically following the manufacturers’ specs,” explained Storey. “In the past, the guy building a new hose would often add a few millimetres to the length, ‘just to maybe make it a bit easier to install’.

“But after a few generations of adding millimetres, a lot of hoses have grown by centimetres and then it becomes a headache trying to squeeze those extra and unnecessary lengths into a confined space, creating increased maintenance/ non-production time.

24

“Keeping hoses to spec is a step to increased efficiency,” he summarizes.

S&S Logging has a contracted welder who works nearly exclusively for the outfit.

“Our mechanics have fully equipped service trucks to get to our operations, which often are spread out across a lot of New Brunswick,” explains Storey. “We do not operate with service trailers. We built heavy duty supply trailers which have a fuel skid tank in the centre, and parts and supply cabinets are accessible from both sides of the unit. The cabinets have certain parts, DEF, chains and bars and chain oil that operators use every day.

“We are very fortunate to have an exceptional crew,” says Storey. “We have a contingent of talented operators in their 20s and we have some middle-aged and some who are approaching or past the age that people generally retire. We have very little turnover. We have good equipment and provide full-year employment, which is very important for people with young families.”

Their operations are well spread out, and when an operation is distant, they can adjust crews so that the operators with family commitments can stay close to

home and the operators with a more flexible lifestyle can take on long commutes, or in some cases, take accommodations through the week close to the operation.

S&S Logging offers employees an RRSP, and Blue Cross programs.

Key to the productivity of their employees is, of course, the iron, which is tough and dependable.

“In my opinion, Tigercats are overengineered in every aspect,” says Storey— and that’s a plus. “A Tigercat at 20,000 hours or even 40,000 hours works just as well as it did at five hours.”

Tigercats are well-engineered to fit their forest type, says Storey. Traction is not an issue any time of year with the rugged F8 undercarriage. They operate with three hydraulic pumps, one pump for travel and boom, one pump dedicated to the harvester head and one pump dedicated to the cooling system. They always have power when and where needed, he says, and they are always ready to handle big trees—and also work productively in uniform trees.

“Engine cooling has never been an issue with Tigercats,” added Storey. “We got behind on machine cleaning this year and I expected we would have calls about

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

eastcoastlogging heating—but even with the temperatures nearing 40 Celsius, we had no heating issues.”

Their fleet of 855’s means all operators are familiar with every harvester, and able to switch seats, if and when necessary.

Similarly, mechanics are also familiar with them, and are quick to analyze issues and make repairs or adjustments and get back to work keeping machine productive time high.

“We contract Carroll Enterprises to handle our float work and we keep one of their trucks working pretty steady moving our equipment,” says Storey. “Mike Warman, at 76-years-old, operates the float and gives us excellent service. If a move happens to be on the weekend, Mike is there, no questions asked.”

Storey pointed out that the Tigercat 1085 has a 25-tonne capacity, which is important since their forwarding distances are getting longer. Five-hundred-metre hauls to truck roads are more common, so it’s critical for business sustainability that big loads are landed.

In addition to the iron, S&S Logging also keeps a small crew of chainsaw operators who follow on certain harvester

blocks, to fell and buck oversize trees.

These are most typically white pine, which are cut in the cold months to mitigate potential staining issues.

“When we get an accumulation of snow, we will run the forwarder through those blocks so chainsaw operators can operate productively and safely. Our eldest employee, Leonard Peterson, who is 76, continues to be the most productive saw operator, and he looks out for and makes sure the rest of the saw crew are productive and safe.”

Storey is responsible for attending separate safety courses provided by the three licensees he operates for, and to administer a safety program to his employees.

Additionally, S&S Logging provides St. John Ambulance First Aid courses for all employees. Employees also take safety and operating courses with FSC and SFI certification.

All parts of the operation must work together for success, says Storey.

“As a business, we are fully occupied harvesting wood and getting it to roadside.

But in order for S&S to maintain its success, we have to rely on a dedicated wood transportation service,” he explained.

“For more than 10 years, we have relied on TCU Transportation to deliver wood to just about every wood-using mill in the province. Tyson Underhill operates with more than 16 trucks of his own, and adds brokers when required, to meet wood moving demand.

“Tyson uses a couple of Cat tracked loaders as well as operating at least nine self-loading log trucking units. Tyson’s service is consistent and congenial—the service from TCU is critical to keeping our business successful.”

Fuel is supplied by Robinson Fuels, a local Doaktown business. “They provide reliable and consistent fuel delivery, which is a critical element in driving our business success,” says Storey.

Wajax Moncton provides them with good sales and parts service. If Moncton does not have a part in stock, it can be shipped directly from the Tigercat warehouse in Ontario, overnight to Moncton.

All of the above says that S&S Logging’s team philosophy extends to a group of business and employer partners, in addition to their team of employees. In effect, they’re all on the S&S Logging hockey team.

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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

25

contractorprofile

CHANGING GEARS— with new processor

AAA Logging’s new John Deere 2154G tracked processor is equipped with the latest incarnation of Waratah’s proven HTH 622 B Series III harvesting head.

B.C.’s AAA Logging was used to working with used iron, but it recently changed gears on that strategy, and purchased a new John Deere 2154G tracked processor with a Waratah HTH 622 B head—and hasn’t looked back.

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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

contractorprofile

By Jim Stirling

B

oadie Forsyth reckoned the low-bed driver had pulled into the log yard to ask for directions. But the driver wasn’t lost. He knew exactly where he was. He had delivered the shiny new processor he’d been hauling to its new home.

Furthermore, Forsyth was to become the machine’s first operator. By all accounts, Forsyth had a big smile on his face for the rest of that week.

Since that day in June 2023, Forsyth and the John Deere processor equipped with a Waratah cutting head have become much better acquainted. The team quickly started producing consistent volumes of high quality processed logs each shift. The positive results proved contagious downstream in the process. The loadermen were kept busier and the logging truck drivers were wasting less time waiting for a load to haul.

The new Deere processor’s seamless break-in period has been a welcome tonic and a preliminary measure of vindication for Jarrett Mikelson. It was he who made the decision to invest in a new processor rather than buy a used machine. It was an agonizing option to choose for a small logging company operating in uncertain times and conditions.

“It was the toughest decision I’ve had to make in the last five years of running this company,” he declared. “It’s a big gamble.” But the good start has certainly helped. “So far, I don’t have to worry about the new machine. I’m pretty happy about that.”

Jarrett Mikelson’s company, AAA Logging Ltd., is based in his home town of Valemount, in east central British Columbia. It’s a small community tucked among the mountains near the border with Alberta.

Mikelson’s company, AAA Logging Ltd., is based in his home town of Valemount, in east central British Columbia.

It’s a small community tucked among the mountains near the border with Alberta.

Mikelson has been in the log harvesting business for more than 25 years, pretty much since leaving school. He formed AAA Logging when he started sub-contracting to his Dad, Vern, and his partner’s log harvesting enterprise in Valemount.

Gradually, AAA Logging assumed more of the harvesting responsibilities from his

Dad until the elder Mikelson retired about five years ago.

Buying new log harvesting equipment was not part of the family DNA. When the time came to replace a piece of logging equipment, the Mikelson’s would typically search for the best deal they could find on used equipment and then invest in it to keep it going, he remembered. Mikelson’s existing processor had more than 24,000 hard earned hours on the clock. A replacement machine was at the top of AAA Logging’s priority list.

Mikelson said he and Forsyth invested considerable time looking at potential replacement processors, venturing as far east as Saskatchewan in the process. He said the common denominator among them was the rising cost of used replacement machines. Mikelson bit the bullet and Forsyth had himself a new equipment partner.

He purchased the John Deere 2154G tracked processor from the Brandt Tractor dealership in nearby Kamloops, B.C. It’s been upgraded in response to customer recommendations. The machine has a more powerful swing system than earlier models, a boost in horsepower and new hydraulics which together are designed to improve the machine’s overall production.

The machine’s boom is fitted with the latest incarnation of Waratah’s proven HTH 622 B Series III harvesting head.

Waratah says it includes new scanning to page 28

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

27

contractorprofile from page 27

AAA Logging’s production machines include: two Deere loaders, a 2954 and a 2054; a Tigercat levelling 870C feller buncher; two Cat 545 skidders and a Hyundai R3026 road builder with bucket and a clam head attachment that does double duty as a hoe chucker.

28

and feeding systems. Mikelson added the new head has handled the range of butt sizes typically encountered in the region, with the occasional oversize stem.

AAA Logging’s other main production machines includes: two Deere loaders, a 2954 and a 2054; a Tigercat levelling 870C feller buncher; two Cat 545 skidders and a Hyundai R3026 road builder with bucket and a clam head attachment does double duty as a hoe chucker.

The company’s compact fleet of equipment is typically found working in the Valemount Community Forest.

AAA Logging is the go-to contractor for the community forest’s AAC of 100,000 cubic metres. It includes a mix of species reflecting the diverse biogeoclimatic zones of the region. It supports spruce, Douglas fir, balsam, hemlock and cedar growth. The community forest’s tenures are geographically varied, too, lying northeast and southwest of the village of Valemount.

The community forest includes pretty demanding logging conditions. “It’s never flat ground around here,” observed Mikelson. “Conventional logging here means working on slopes from 35 to 50 per cent.”

Latterly, AAA Logging has taken on additional work for area landowners and ranchers. The work is not usually industrial logging. But they always try to leave the properties in better shape than when they arrived, he noted.

Valemount’s mountain valley setting has resulted in a growing year-round visitor industry. For forest planners and loggers, there are concerns about visual impacts of industrial activity. For example, leaving higher stumps in sensitive areas has been stipulated.

Logging systems and practices are changing. One of the results of that is the requirement for loggers to harvest smaller patches and do more stand thinning.

That, in turn can lead to the necessity of moving equipment around more frequently. Mikelson was considering investment in his own low-bed to facilitate the growing trend. And have it available to rent for others around town.

The challenge of how to incorporate artificial intelligence into the forest harvesting sector fascinates many. In the meantime, finding qualified people to perform the necessary jobs or train them is a continuing challenge. Mikelson looks for common sense and a good work ethic in his employees. And when he finds it,

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

contractorprofile he rewards them. “I expect them to work hard and I reward them when they do,” he said. Keeping equipment in sound mechanical shape helps, he added. It doesn’t make an operator’s day, having to cajole a tired machine through every shift. And it doesn’t do much for productivity.

Uncertainty has become the dominant mood clouding B.C.’s forest industry. The provincial government has compounded the situation with everything from the tardy issue of cutting permits and the offering of Crown timber through BC Timber Sales to the political determination of issues like the forest industry’s access to “old growth” forests in B.C. “The old growth deferrals took up to 20 per cent of the Valemount Community Forest’s gross area,” says Mikelson. “It’s nine per cent out of our timber harvest land base.”

They are volumes which cannot be easily replaced.

The current set of uncertainties are particularly daunting but they are something the log harvesting sector has traditionally managed to accommodate. In AAA Logging’s case, that means looking ahead, investing in new harvesting equipment and planning for a better future.

AAA Logging’s fleet of equipment is typically found working in the Valemount Community Forest. AAA Logging is the go-to contractor for the community forest’s AAC of 100,000 cubic metres. It includes a mix of species reflecting the diverse biogeoclimatic zones of the region, and supports spruce, Douglas fir, balsam, hemlock and cedar growth.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

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guestcolumn

Optimizing moisture content in wood through digital sensors

By Matthew Nemeth, E+E Elektronik

T

he U.S. kiln-dries about 29 billion board feet of lumber annually. The product’s utility is wide ranging, from framing and finishing construction to furniture and other consumer goods.

From forest to table, finished wood products can be found in nearly every home or business across the globe. But make no mistake, while wood is a commodity, getting it into a usable state is a meticulous and precise, multistep process.

The quality of the wood-drying process depends on three important factors: temperature, relative humidity and air circulation. Controlling all three factors helps a sawmill hit a moisture content target to produce the highest quality, most soughtafter wood.

Measuring Temperature and Relative Humidity

For decades, measuring temperature and humidity required a wet bulb system.

With this system, humidity is derived out of a complex calculation. Basically, two standard mercury thermometers are placed in the kiln—one covered with a wet cotton wick and the other mounted in the open air. Temperature differences between the two are used to calculate the relative humidity inside the kiln. From this calculation, the kiln’s operator will decide whether to adjust the temperature, open or close vents or change the fan circulation.

All these decisions have a direct and visible effect on the wood’s quality and aesthetic. Many times, these choices are complicated by their natural interdependence. It requires a highly skilled operator to unravel the puzzle of humidity extrac30

tion. Even then, there is much room for error, and not just in their strategy but also in the temperature measurement mechanism. Something as simple as not changing the water for the wick can cause faulty readings, putting the entire batch of wood in jeopardy.

Digital sensors reduce this error-prone process and provide more accurate readings, next-level automation and increased profits.

E+E Elektronik’s EE310 High-End Humidity and Temperature Sensor is designed specifically for industrial-grade applications like kiln drying. Our instruments boast durability and accurate readings. The sensor’s high-quality materials and engineering make it a state-of-the-art instrument. Designed for industrial use, the sensor probe is encased in stainless steel that is made to withstand high temperatures. Each sensor is protected from corrosion with our proprietary coating, ensuring it will survive for years.

Our sensors go beyond measurement and become a fundamental part of the process. With the ability to be linked to the kiln, the sensors can initiate a sequence of changes, like turning off the heater, opening vents or increasing fan speed, the same way an operator would.

Simply put, these digital sensors take the place of a wet-bulb system, perform the calculations continuously and autonomously, and provide accurate and reliable results ensuring the highest quality product.

For more comprehensive insights, pair the EE310 humidity and temperature sensors with E+E Elektronik’s EE75 sensor, which measures air circulation. These digital sensors address all three principal factors for the most accurate wood drying, giving you the peace of mind that the readings will be reliable.

Why the Wet Bulb Method Is Going out of Style

The wet-bulb method for temperature and humidity readings may initially be the most cost-effective route for sawmills; however, the risk of a miscalculation and labour associated with maintaining it come with a hefty price tag. Collecting data via a wet bulb leaves a lot of room for error, as temperature readings are vulnerable to rusting probes, mechanical issues like the water freezing in the winter, over- or under-adjustments to other systems and more. With a lack of reliability at the beginning, there is little chance of a consistent process thereafter.

Alternatively, E+E Elektronik’s digital sensors pave the way for long-term profitability. They pay for themselves in less than a year, have been shown to last more than 15 years and significantly reduce manual operation costs. With these many benefits from automation, it’s hard to make the case for not going digital.

For more information about E+E Elektronik sensors and technology, check out our website at epluse.com ___________________________________ Matthew Nemeth is Managing Director in the U.S. for E + E Elektronik, an Austrian-based Internet-of-Things technology company that develops and manufactures sensors, transmitters, hand-helds and data loggers for air velocity, CO2, relative humidity, dew point, flow, moisture in oil, pressure and temperature. E+E operates a nationally accredited calibration lab and is appointed to maintain the National Standard for Humidity and Air Flow Speed in Austria.

Matthew can be reached at E + E Elektronik USA 847-495-7744 office.us@epluse.com

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

GROWTH Albertaaddedvalue

in mass timber market spurs expansion at Western Archrib Anticipating growth in the mass timber market, Alberta’s Northland Group has plans for a major expansion of its recent glulam acquisition, Western Archrib.

The first step in the production of glulam at Western Archrib is measurement of lamstock boards and visual inspection for defects, especially on the top and both beam boards, prior to gluing the board together.

32

By Tony Kryzanowski

W

estern Archrib, a sister company to Fort McMurray, Albertabased Northland Forest Products, is embarking upon an $82 million phased expansion of its glued-laminated structural wood systems manufacturing operations.

The investment is expected to triple local production of this attractive, engineered mass timber product, commonly known as ‘glulam’, to 25 million board feet per year.

The expansion follows quickly upon the heels of Northland Group’s acquisition of Western Archrib in 2021. This acquisition included manufacturing facilities in Edmonton, Alberta and Boissevain, Manitoba and brought together the legacies of two families with a combined 120 years of successful wood product manufacturing history.

Craig and Howie Ewashko are the second generation owners of Northland Group, which operates a modern sawmill producing 450,000 board feet of dimensional lumber daily, as well as sawdust, shavings, and hog fuel at a site just north of Fort McMurray. The former owners of Western Archrib, Kent and Joan Fargey, were third generation owners and in the absence of interest from a fourth generation, made it known to the Ewashko’s that they were interested in selling their business to someone they felt could effectively preserve their culture and legacy.

Aware of each other’s businesses and reputations—Northland being one of several lumber suppliers to the glulam operation over the years and a head office featuring a considerable amount of glulam from Western Archrib—conversations began at an Alberta Forest Products Association (AFPA) conference in 2020 that eventually evolved into a purchase agreement and sale.

Acquiring Western Archrib was a significant milestone for the Northland Group. It rebranded the company as both a premium lumber producer as well as a value-added manufacturer of wood products. The ability to transform timber from sustainably managed forests to a high value product employed in complex commercial and community projects meshes well with the company’s seedlingto-structure approach. Their stated vision and philosophy is ‘Stewarding Sustainable Forests and Crafting Nature’s Strength into Marvels’.

Western Archrib came packaged with

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

Albertaaddedvalue a tenured team of technical employees, some with 30 to 40 years of experience in the business and company. They continue to handle and advise on product design and manufacturing under new ownership.

Kent Fargey also maintains a presence, actively interested in business operations, and continuing to provide mentorship.

For years, Western Archrib was one of those local success stories that sort of flew under the radar. Founded in 1951 by Cecil Fargey and joined shortly after by his son, Jim Fargey, Western Archrib initially provided glulam in the construction of farm buildings, hockey rinks, and storage facilities. Over time, Jim wisely focused on employing in-house design staff as well as actively participating in and establishing national manufacturing standards and technical specifications for glulam’s architectural and engineering use in building codes. This continued to open the door to participation in many new and innovative project opportunities over the company’s 70-year history.

The Ewashko’s also have a long history of entrepreneurship and innovation as it relates to managing their lumber manufacturing business. This had already led to a diversification of product lines and markets to ensure 100 per cent of the fibre that enters their yards is used productively and economically. When the opportunity to purchase Western Archrib presented itself, it was the type of investment that they were interested in because of glulam’s potential in a climate-conscious world where sustainable solutions, such as wider use of wood products in building construction, is growing significantly.

“We see a lot of opportunity in that movement toward greener, more sustainable living,” says Howie Ewashko.

Northland Forest Products plans to divert a portion of their dimensional spruce lumber volume to Western Archrib.

Continuing to grow the market for spruce-based glulam is something that the company is pursuing, with 80 per cent of lumber production at the sawmill being spruce and the remaining being 20 per cent jack pine.

Northland’s sawmill has upgraded its computerized lumber grader to pull more ‘lamstock’ from the mix. A major difference between dimensional lumber and lamstock is its moisture content. Dimensional lumber can have up to 19 per cent moisture content while lamstock must be in the 12 per cent range. As such, lumber

to page 34

Howie Ewashko (top, left), co-owner of Western Archrib with his brother, Craig, Benjamin Gill (centre), Northland Group’s Corporate Development lead, and Travis Van De Vliert, Director of Operations for the Edmonton plant, are three key individuals who are part of the management team. They are looking forward to the $82 million investment into a new plant.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

33

Albertaaddedvalue from page 33 generated by Northland and slated for Western Archrib is further air-dried to bring the moisture content down before delivery.

Currently, the preferred lamstock used

for production of glulam is still Douglas fir and some Western larch. Western Archrib works with several suppliers, including J.H. Huscroft located near Creston, B.C., Canfor’s Elko and Radium, B.C. sawmills, and Pacific Northwest-based, Frank Lumber. They continue to establish new rela-

The glulam produced by Western Archrib undergoes a variety of processes to ensure that the company sends a high quality product to its customers. As an engineered wood product, precision is critical in the production of glulam.

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tionships to grow their supplier base.

“We think that there is and will be more spruce opportunity in this space,” says Ewashko. “We’ve increased our volume at Western Archrib and the volume that we want to increase is definitely on the spruce side. But most of our business is still on the Douglas fir side.”

Since the purchase by Northland, the number of employees at Western Archrib has grown from 125 to 197 and it has almost doubled production within existing mills from between 6 to 7 million board feet annually to north of 11 million board feet in the coming year. This has been supported by strong glulam demand and it only looks to be getting stronger.

“Because we are from a production focused environment, we saw the opportunity to run the equipment,” says Ewashko.

“We brought a different perspective to the business looking to build on a culture of quality established by Kent and Joan and extend this to a larger, more diverse client base. What we said is, we are going to produce, and our sales guys need to get out there and sell.”

That new approach has worked, as the number of orders filling their order book has increased from 6 to 12 weeks ahead to as far ahead now to late-2024 and early 2025.

Benjamin Gill, Northland Group’s Corporate Development lead, has played a pivotal role in navigating the ownership transition as well as the expansion project.

With a background in finance and corporate banking, he is also driving efforts to expand markets in terms of both geography and products.

“Historically, the market for glulam has been dominated by the Pacific Northwest,” he says. “What we’ve seen is that the market is growing North Americawide. We want to supply Alberta first, Canada next, and then the U.S. market.

Seeing our product used more in the communities in which we live, work and play is an increasing focus of our business.”

Western Archrib will also seek to introduce more spruce to the North American glulam market and beyond. Gill adds, “we are even starting to explore opportunities in overseas markets such as Japan.”

Increased production and demand for Western Archrib’s products is what is driving a multi-year, multi-phase expansion project, featuring a new location in Sturgeon County north of Edmonton called ‘Heartland’. Significant investments in new, state-of-the-art equipment will facilitate a great degree of automa-

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

Albertaaddedvalue tion, improve efficiencies, and result in a higher quality end product. Another 100 new jobs will be created with this investment and the goal is to open that facility in early 2025. Again, coming from a production-focused environment, the new owners understand the importance of upgrading technology, equipment, and processes on a regular basis to increase competitiveness in the North American market.

According to Craig Ewashko, the new plant will be built in phases over the next two to three years. The list of contractors and equipment suppliers is currently being finalized, but the company has settled on its list for phase one. The first phase is focused on efficient lumber procurement with strength grading and sorting. The company also must ensure that it has commitments for the volume and quality of lumber it requires from reliable suppliers and has made that a priority. So far, the response from suppliers to provide more volume has been very positive and new suppliers are coming on stream.

Ewashko adds that phase one will

include automated systems that will use internally-supplied as well as purchased lumber to stock the mills in the new Heartland, Edmonton and Boissevain locations. While glulam can be engineered into attractive curved structures, demand is mostly for straight beams for both structural and aesthetic purposes.

The focus initially is to move, increase and

Tech Industries for material handling, Microtec for scanning and strength grading, Ledinek for automated crosscut saw systems, and Iron Code Engineering Company for controls and electrical design.

Seko Construction has been tasked with expanding the new plant building and Gerhard Mueller of GME Machinery has been tapped to work on the overall design of the new plant. He helped Northland to design and install significant upgrades to their sawmill in Fort McMurray, which has helped to increase production by as much as 30 per cent. Much of the equipment for the new plant will come from Europe and so managing lead times for delivery and installation is a critical part of the planning process.

“This story is not only good for Northland and Western Archrib, but it’s good for Alberta,” says Howie Ewashko. “Both Craig and I speak with a lot of passion about it, and that’s also exciting for our employees.”

“What we’ve seen is that the market is growing North America-wide. We want to supply Alberta first, Canada next, and then the U.S. market.” streamline production of straight beam products in the new Heartland plant.

Curved beam production will remain at the current Edmonton facility, with transition to the new plant after a second phase of development.

They hope to have phase one complete by late fall, 2024. The main equipment and technology suppliers are Mill

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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

35

THE

ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF INDUSTRY INNOVATION

Operational options, issues and economic values of first generation managed natural forests in Canada

BY TONY KRYZANOWSKI

T

he transition from natural forests to natural managed forests or ‘plantations’ is well advanced in Canada.

Unbeknown to many, approximately 15 per cent of all primary commercial forests in this country are now first generation, managed forests—approximately 40 per cent of those being plantations representing about 20 million hectares, which in many cases are suitable for a first entry partial harvest.

By way of background, over the past 50 years, there has been a major effort to maintain, enhance and create a healthy sustainable wood supply within Canada’s commercial forest. More recently, a changing climate has added a new element that in some cases has resulted in unique and advantageous growing conditions, such as warmer weather and more moisture in some cases. The downside to this changing climate is the potential for more catastrophic events, such as what we witnessed this past summer with wildfires.

Today, we have a vast resource of first generation, managed forests/plantations of both softwoods and mixedwoods. Many of these plantations have been subjected to moderate to intensive forest management, to re-establish and enhance the commercial forest value.

“They are different, with higher yields, better diversity from a localized species perspective, and with a systematic distribution of stems as it relates to what the preferred crop species is, with the management goal of maximizing growth and consistency through access to sunlight, soils, moisture, heat, etc,” says Derek Sidders, Program Manager, Technology Development and Transfer at the Canadian Wood Fibre Centre (CWFC). “They’ve

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been transformed from natural systems to enhanced systems, and now we have an opportunity to reap the benefits of that.”

Today, many managed forests have reached a state of being able to deliver commercial value. However, in many cases, they are vulnerable due to such issues as minimal management after meeting regen standards, overstocking, and a changing climate, making them susceptible to natural disturbances and agents such as tree crop competition, mortality, wildfire, drought, insects and disease.

“We should definitely be evaluating every managed stand that is 30 years or older for potential commercial value,” Sidders says.

“Even though the stems will be smaller, we could be making entries, removing some of the volume while reaping the value early, and then reaping the long term benefits of a very healthy forest with diversity and more control over the commercial products that industry values most.”

The CWFC, Canadian Forest Service (CFS), other research agencies and provincial and industry partners have numerous studies and demonstration sites that can guide industry in a variety of potential first entry approaches, while also providing evidence of outcomes.

“There is definitely value in making an early entry, accessing those sites through such activities as commercial thinning to increase values and volumes, reduce risk and address the current fibre supply shortage with the development of a sustainable fibre supply,” says Sidders.

While the public sees the regeneration of a forest, these first generation plantations typically consist of systematic patterns that often make first entry harvesting easier and thus more economical. Furthermore, there

is often infrastructure that still exists or can easily be re-commissioned to regain access for this first entry. So there can be significant savings to industry compared to the typical costs associated with planning and entering a natural site, which further validates the benefits of this approach.

Industry should be aware that there are also some potential operational challenges with planning and implementing an early entry. For example, there have been various approaches to the establishment of microsites and seedling placement for ideal growing conditions. Equipment could encounter furrows, undulations and depressions created from such activities as plowing, mounding and disc trenching, resulting in physical impediments to the mobility of equipment.

Therefore, equipment choice, such as a preference for tracked equipment, should be considered, but on a site-specific basis.

Also, each plantation should be evaluated on its own merit as to its suitability for a first entry because depending on the management intensity and other factors as the site evolved toward ‘free to grow’ status, regeneration can be quite variable.

Finally, harvesting smaller stems in a higher density environment will likely require the application of novel practices in variable site retention using partial harvest systems.

CWFC and its partners can assist in this regard, with many demonstration sites, showing a variety of softwood and hardwood retention scenarios and outcomes, depending on the overall commercial objective.

For more information about management strategies on first generation plantations, contact Derek Sidders at derek.sidders@ nrcan-rncan.gc.ca or Tim Keddy at tim. keddy@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

TECHUPDATE

By Tony Kryzanowski

Directional Fellers and Harvesting Heads Log Max

The Log Max 7000XT DISC is Quadco’s newest Log Max harvester/ processor head.

A disc takes the place of the bar and chain as the main saw.

It is the same swing-out saw as found on Quadco’s Intermittent heads.

Quadco says that this easy to maintain saw is going to be the preferred choice for those not willing to cope with bent saw bars and the labourintensive and costly task of grinding chains. The feller buncherstyle fixed-mount and heavy duty rotator provide maximum tree control, and the disc quickly produces quality cuts. Like other Log Max heads, it features high processing speeds, precise and reliable measuring, and legendary serviceability. Other key features of this new model, common to other XT heads, are the standard top saw, and several other upgrades that make XT the option of choice for applications where large trees are common and tracked base carriers are used.

Quadco says that it has the industry’s largest selection of harvester-processor heads, thanks to its heavy duty 4WD Southstar series and its Log Max series. www.quadco.com

Tigercat

Tigercat harvesting heads are built to match the high performance capabilities of Tigercat track and wheel carriers, and are well-suited to a variety of jobs including at-the-stump harvesting, roadside processing and debarking.

The 570 is most productive working with trees 6” to 20” in diameter in softwood and hardwood stands. Although best-suited to the Tigercat H845 series, the 570 is designed to work with the H822, H855, or a 20 to 25 tonne forestry excavator.

The 575 is a heavy duty three-wheel drive harvesting head also best-suited to in-stand harvesting in the 6.5” to 22” diameter range. It is very effective in challenging stem profiles and large limbed hardwood.

The 575 features Tigercat’s unique three-two Autoshift drive system. When processing a tree, the head starts in three-wheel drive, maximizing feed force for faster acceleration and quickly powering through bigger trees. As the load drops, it automatically shifts to two-wheel drive, improving efficiency and increasing feed speed up to 30 per cent.

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The 568 harvesting head is a robust, high performance head designed for tracked carriers. It is best suited for roadside processing applications with trees in the 6” to 22” range.

With timed knife arms and triangulated wheel arms, the 568 picks quickly from the pile and maintains positive tree contact and control during processing.

The Tigercat 534 harvesting head is matched to Tigercat’s 1165 harvester and sized for optimal productivity in a 6” to 20” stem diameter range. The 534 is a locked three-wheel drive head with a triangulated wheel arm design to maintain positive tree contact and control. www.tigercat.com

Ponsse

The new Ponsse H8 harvester head enables faster, more efficient, and comprehensively economical harvesting even when there are plenty of large diameter trees to handle, says the company.

Thanks to the robust structure, great sawing power, excellent gripping geometry and agility, the new H8 allows for smooth production without unnecessary interruptions. Ponsse says that the new H8 boasts—especially in relation to its compact

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

techupdate size—exceptional power and ability to perform. Even though the head’s agility enables smooth operations in all types of forests, the new H8 maintains its stability well. This results, for example, in efficient feeding and fast, yet flowing tilt function. The new H8 provides durability, excellent reliability, and lower lifecycle cost, also to the saw blade and chain. The company says that the more challenging the conditions, the better the new H8 stands out; the renewed saw box prevents snow from packing, and the completely new Active Speed function enables changing the feeding speed literally on the run. www.ponsse.com

Waratah

Whether you’re in final felling or variable diameter late thinning in mixed stands, crooked hardwood or debarking applications, Waratah says that its H219X harvester head can handle it all.

Part of Waratah’s 200 Series line, the high capacity H219X delivers the durability, power and agility loggers need in the most demanding wood, says the company.

result, says the company, is the most up-to-date and current head on the market with new features such as a robust slip ring and easy-to-service electronics.

The Rebel is available through equipment dealers or direct to logger if no dealer present. www.axisforestry.com

Keto

Primarily for tracked carrier applications, the H219X comes standard with a heavy duty tilt frame and SuperCut 100S saw unit for maximum productivity. The two- roller geometry design provides excellent handling of variable diameters and challenging tree forms up to 29.5” in diameter.

The length measuring arm provides ample travel and down pressure for more precise measurements, reducing measuring loss and reversals. Plus, servicing is quick and accessible, thanks to efficient hose routing and the hinged valve cover. www.waratah.com

Axis Forestry

The Rebel T22HD is handcrafted, designed and manufactured in Canada by Axis Forestry. A tough and reliable frame design combined with powerful feeding and sawing makes this head a beast, says the company. Rebel heads are equipped with the Cypress Robotics measuring system which Axis Forestry says prioritizes the unique needs of the North American logger, with it’s simple user interface, dead-on measuring, and excellent customer support.

Weighing in at 5470 lbs, the Rebel T22HD can feed a 31” log and feels fast and nimble when swinging into a deck or harvesting. Axis Forestry spent years developing the Rebel T22HD by listening to logging contractors and integrating their ideas. The

The Keto continuous 360-degree plus rotator for its harvesting heads is available with the Keto-51 LD3, Keto-100 Karate, Keto-150 and the largest Keto-600+ and Keto-800+ series heads.

This rotator provides significantly more rotational force of up to 1050 Nm at pressure of 100 bar. In forest thinning, this also increases efficiency.

The 360 degree plus rotator expedites felling work as well because the tree can be approached from any direction.

The felling head can be rotated without limitations in both directions and there is no longer damage to hoses or trees.

This rotator also improves maintenance work because it is easier to access hoses and fittings. Cost savings are also achieved by increasing the service interval of the hoses because the hoses are no longer moving as much, and are shorter. www.kone-ketonen.fi

SP Maskiner

Canadian dealer for the SP Maskiner harvester head, IDM Canada, says that its product is an important innovation for the head market.

Its low friction concept comprises many innovations and solutions, each carefully designed to maximize production, optimize

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

to page 40 39

techupdate AFM-Forest

from page 39 fuel and energy consumption, and drastically reduce maintenance costs.

The delimbing knives boast long, specially designed cutting edges, ensuring delimbing by cutting rather than snapping.

The LogHold system is a patented system and a further development of the proportional pressure solution that further minimizes friction.

The proportionally angled feed rollers ensure that the angle and carrying capacity of the feed rollers change in proportion to the stem diameter.

The multispeed option combines the greatest tractive effort and feed speed compared to any other head, says IDM Canada.

The optimized hydraulics system drops the pressure and minimizes the size and design of each hydraulic component, such as the motors, valve blocks, couplings, and hoses. www.spmaskiner.com www.idmcanada.com

Nisula

Nisula Forest Oy is a company that manufactures harvesting heads, tree shears and other forestry equipment for all type of carriers, and has been doing so since 1978, in Finland.

It specializes in equipment for forest thinning and fire mitigation operations, with the company saying that customer service and satisfaction is its main focus.

Canadian representatives include Top Down Enterprises in Kamloops, B.C., M-C Power Equipment Ltd in Lower Truro, Nova Scotia, and Equipement JYL Inc in Chicoutimi, Quebec. www.nisulaforest.com 40

AFM-Forest is a Finnish manufacturer of high quality logging equipment with over 30 years’ experience. It is said to have one of the broadest product lines in the market including seven harvesting heads in weight class from 700 kg to 3.5 tons, three felling heads and two new grapple saw models.

AFM-Forest products are in operation worldwide, from the Far East to South America, mounted on different kinds of base machines from purpose-built thinning machines to the biggest tracked bases.

Dealers in Canada for AFM-Forest products are Les Equipements Marquis Inc, M-C Power Equipment Ltd, and True North Equipment Inc. www.afm-forest.com

Southstar

Southstar, part of the Quadco family since 2016, continues to be an industry leader in heavy duty 4WD harvester processors.

Each of its models are carefully optimized for a specific tree size class from 18” to 25”. And each features 360-degree continuous rotator, ¾” butt saw, choice of harvester or grapple processor hanging bracket, multistemming capability, and Log Mate control system.

Designed and assembled in New Zealand and Canada, Quadco says that Southstar is truly a world-class product. Thanks to progressive design thinking and listening to customers, says the company, the product line-up will continue to expand with new models designed to better respond to customer requirements, including a new 23” model which does not exist in the current mix. Also designed by Southstar is the FD750 directional felling head. With a cutting capacity of 43” and a powerful grapple, it is designed to handle the largest stems and shovel them uphill or downhill in a fast and efficient way. www.quadco.com

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

SUPPLIERNEWSLINE

By Tony Kryzanowski

Preparations well underway for DEMO International 2024 Anticipation is rising with less than a year remaining until DEMO International takes over the Ottawa/Gatineau area, September 19 to 21, 2024.

A world class event for the forestry industry, this signature show is organized under the ownership of Canadian Woodlands Forum on a unique forest property in Venosta, Quebec.

Occurring only every four years in different regions across the county, 2024 will mark the 14th edition of this one-ofa-kind event.

Over the course of its 50-year history, DEMO International has evolved into one of North America’s largest and unique outdoor equipment shows. The “all live and in action, in-woods” event will attract thousands of leaders in the equipment

manufacturing sector, featuring the latest technologies in forestry equipment, products and services covering all aspects of woodlands operations, including fully mechanized to small scale forestry operations.

“Our site selection visit went exceptionally well with 50-plus forestry professionals from major manufacturers and dealers making the trek into the forest,” says National Show Manager Mark Cusack. “The meetings being held in the woods itself led to great camaraderie and expansive talks about the big plans for next year. Getting to liaise with the exhibitor base allowed (the show team) to grasp a good understanding of how the different regions are currently performing.”

As the 2024 event approaches, details,

including the site map, are being finalized.

A few of the distinct sections of the expansive site include Active Sites, Static Sites, Small Scale Forestry and Static Booths. With the trail stretching 3.2 kilometres, attendees will get an immersive harvesting experience right in the heart of the forest. Future exhibitors stayed onsite during the selection visit for hours, creating buzz about what will soon become one of Canada’s biggest live action shows.

This showcase wouldn’t offer the same experience without the unparalleled help of SBC Cedar, the landowners and property managers of the site.

For exhibitors wishing to join in on the action, visit www/demointernational.com/ exhibit.

FAE introduces BL0/EX forestry mulcher for excavators

Caterpillar to develop hydrogen-hybrid power solution for off-highway vehicles

Bite Limiter technology is said to be ideal for high productivity vegetation management, designed with reliable and efficient shredding in mind. The rotor with Bite Limiter technology comes with special wear-resistant steel profiles that limit the reach (bite) of the teeth. This reduces power demand and promotes a consistent working speed, ensuring excellent performance when mulching any type of wood, says the company. Bite Limiter technology also minimizes rotor stalling and optimizes fuel consumption. www.fae-group.com

HewSaw’s patented dx sawing technology has brought benefits to sawmillers

FAE now offers its new BL0/EX forestry mulcher for 2 to 4 ton excavators, bringing Bite Limiter technology to even the smallest excavators.

The BL0/EX is one of the smallest fixed-tooth mulchers on the market, says the company, capable of shredding light vegetation, shrubs, and trees up to 8 cm in diameter. It can be used for vegetation maintenance in a variety of locations.

The head is designed for high productivity, durability, and easy maintenance.

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Caterpillar has launched a three-year program to demonstrate an advanced hydrogen-hybrid power solution built on its new Cat C13D engine platform.

Starting in the first quarter of 2024, Caterpillar will develop a transient-capable system for off-highway applications.

The project will demonstrate how state-of-the-art control systems and electric-hybrid components can help hydrogen-fueled engines meet or exceed the power density and transient performance of traditional diesel engines.

Caterpillar will serve as the prime contractor on the project, providing engine research and development as well as system integration. As the project progresses, other industry and academic collaborators will be brought into the program to provide additional specialist expertise. The initiative will be delivered at Caterpillar facilities in Chillicothe, Illinois and San Antonio, Texas. www.cat.com

It’s been 10 years since HewSaw started developing and testing what the company describes as ground-breaking sawing technology, dx sawing, which provides sawmills with the opportunity to process cants at a faster speed and with thinner kerf saws. This

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

suppliernewsline results in increased throughput, higher recovery and improved efficiency, says HewSaw. HewSaw’s optional dx sawing system can replace the company’s standard double arbor sawing technique with a four-arbor system. The first set of arbors will house the saws for an initial or pre-saw cut into the cant, while the second set of saws finishes the job.

On a sawline equipped with dx sawing, the log is presented in the usual way to the HewSaw scanning conveyor. After the log is scanned, it is then positioned for the HewSaw with the company’s highly accurate rotary log positioner, followed by four-sided chipping to produce the cant. This is the point where dx sawing comes into the process. In a standard HewSaw line, saws on a single set of double arbors remove the sideboards from the left and right side of the cant, but with dx sawing this first set of saws only pre-cuts the sideboards. Then just downstream, a second set of saws finishes the job.

The lumber guide is nested against the profiler heads to eliminate head and tail end defects, and can be adjusted remotely.

On top of this, the new VFM uses rolls with an updated fine knurl pattern proven to provide more holding force than other knurl patterns. These rolls are backed by an 8” bore air cylinder and are mounted on a 20” diameter slewing bearing to offer higher holding forces on missed-face logs to maintain total control. www.usnr.com

New Millwright/Machinist course for B.C. As with HewSaw’s standard sawlines, edging tools complete the process, meaning the boards do not require any downstream edging. Once the cant reaches the ripsaw, a HewSaw line equipped with dx sawing will repeat the process for sawing the centre stack—the first set of saws makes the pilot or pre-cut while the second set of saws completes the cut. As with the cant saw, edging tools following the ripsaw further process the outer boards. www.hewsaw.com

USNR introduces new advanced primary breakdown log profiler

USNR’s new log profiler consists of innovative technological and design advancements that instantly resolve bottlenecks at the edger in high volume mills while capturing equal recovery, says the company.

It uses smart anvils for precise positioning against sideboards, which can be cut at any angle, to reduce defects and improve chip containment while still allowing flexible cutting on angled solutions. With a feed speed of 225 to 675 fpm and a 200 hp motor on each side, USNR says that it’s the ideal solution for even the most demanding operations.

The Millwright/Machinist Foundation Program marks new ground for the College of New Caledonia’s (CNC) Vanderhoof campus in central British Columbia.

to page 44

Correction/Clarification In the feature story on the new Bienville sawmill that was published in the September/October issue of Logging and Sawmilling Journal, information should have been included about the log cranes that were provided to the project by Fulghum Industries Inc, of Wadley, Georgia (fulghum.com).

Fulghum Industries supplied the Bienville mill with two 170’ radial log cranes that can unload an entire log truck in a single bite. The radial log cranes can unload, store logs in inventory and feed the mill with one operator.

Fulghum has many radial log handling cranes to choose from (ranging in size from 72’ up to 180’), and the company says these versatile machines have proven themselves with hundreds of thousands of hours of unloading, storing and deck feeding tree length logs for lumber and chip mills alike.

Fulghum currently has over 180 log cranes in operation worldwide.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

43

suppliernewsline from page 43 The program is built upon similar and successful courses introduced at CNC facilities in Prince George and Quesnel.

The college is responding regionally to a chronic shortage of qualified workers throughout the forest industry and most other sectors across Canada and around the western world. Remedial measures take time to implement and are measured in small steps forward like the one CNC has taken in Vanderhoof.

The full time, six-month long program which is available to qualified high school age students is the equivalent to year one in a four-year industry-approved apprenticeship program. The possibility exists to extend the foundation program to include years two and three of the apprenticeship program.

CNC in Vanderhoof held an open house to show the community what the college was offering with the new course and the facilities it has to supplement the learning experience. As a result, the BID Group—a home grown success story in international sawmill technology development and heavy construction—had a suggestion. The BID Group says it could farm out suitable, small real time projects for hands-on shop work by course students.

The offer was readily accepted. www.cnc.bc.ca

Improvements on GCAR Design’s patent pending ARC style log pusher

GCAR Design, known for its patented VLS (Long Log Singulator) and the ALSLS (Short Wood Singulator), has recently introduced a much improved and patent pending ARC style log pusher.

The ‘ARC’ pusher is engineered to provide a single acting and balanced design, containing a robust and simple structure, electric drive, oversized drive components and a complementary hopper.

The log contacting surfaces are radial to easily withstand impact loads from dense logs. The lifting arms are balanced by using an internal counterbalance to efficiently lift and discharge the load of

logs onto the built-in tail end of the takeaway log deck.

The ARC design contains a drive and actuating mechanism external to the bin walls.

A robust infeed hopper is integral to the design to ensure the optimal log presentation to the pusher face.

GCAR Design has a team with approximately 50 years of practical mill experience, including critiquing pushers and singulators across North America and Australia.

All ARC pushers and hoppers are custom designed for both new and retrofit projects.

For an animated and 3D view of the system, visit www.gcardesign.com.

Western Forest Products, First Nations enter into partnership

The Tlowitsis, We Wai Kai, Wei Wai Kum and K’ómoks First Nations, all member First Nations of the Nanwakolas Council on B.C.’s Vancouver Island, and Western Forest Products have reached an agreement for the nations to acquire a 34 percent interest from Western in a newly formed Limited Partnership for $35.9 million.

The B.C. government helped to facilitate the partnership through Incremental Treaty Agreements with the nations.

The formation of the partnership and acquisition by the nations is subject to various closing conditions, including subdivision and tenure transfer approvals from the B.C. Ministry of Forests. Western and the nations are working towards closing the acquisition in the first quarter of 2024.

The partnership will consist of certain assets and liabilities of Western’s Mid Island Forest Operation. The operations of the new partnership will cover approximately 157,000 hectares of forest land in the traditional territories of the nations near the communities of Campbell River and Sayward on eastern Vancouver Island.

The partnership will manage an allowable annual cut of 904,540 cubic metres of timber and includes a long-term fibre agreement to support Western’s British Columbia coastal manufacturing operations. www.westernforest.com

Quadco named North American distributor for Bracke Forest AB

Quadco has purchased the distribution rights to the Bracke Forest AB line from Silvana Import Trading Inc. This partnership will expand Quadco’s product offerings to 44

include Bracke’s disc trenchers, mounders, planters and seeders, and felling heads.

Founded in 1922, Bracke holds many patents and offers quality forestry equipment with a focus on conservation. Their equipment is designed to promote soil reforestation and environmental health while maintaining economic and productivity standards, says the company.

Located in Bräcke, Sweden, Bracke Forest AB serves customers in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.

Quadco says that this expansion of its product offerings will allow it to provide its clients with additional solutions for their forestry equipment needs. It also supports Quadco’s interest in assisting its clients in meeting their goals for sustainable, renewable forestry practices.

Quadco says it plans to retain key Silvana team members during this transition, ensuring that current Bracke customers in North America experience uninterrupted support and service. www.quadco.com

BID Group acquires saw and tooling supplier YGE Inc

BID Group has successfully completed its acquisition of YGE Inc. It says that this strategic transaction further enhances BID’s product offering within the wood processing saw and tooling sector, while also extending BID’s product and service offerings across the entire operational life cycle.

YGE Inc is an innovative supplier and service provider specializing in top-tier saw guides, grinders, and critical consumables catering to the wood processing industry.

Located in St. Raymond, Quebec, YGE is said to be a trusted partner, having forged strong bonds with BID’s product lines, projects, and manufacturing facilities across North America.

“We are excited to reach this agreement with our longtime partners YGE and the Guillemette family,” says Simon Potvin, BID’s President, Wood Processing.

“This marks another important step in meeting our valued customer demand for modern, high quality and innovative saw and tooling technology solutions.

“This partnership builds on previous investments in Smith Sawmill Services, BLADE cutting tools, and the recently announced acquisition of Industrial Cutting Solutions in Alabama,” added Potvin. www.bidgroup.ca

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

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Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

45

thelastword

Is there a need for strings to be attached with government green technology funding?

By Tony Kryzanowski

T

he Origin Materials chemical plant in the city of Sarnia, in southwestern Ontario, began commercial production this past summer, and converts wood residues into the building blocks used to produce plastic materials for containers like pop bottles, clothing, textiles, car parts, tires, carpeting, toys and fuels.

While the start-up should be a cause for celebration within the forest industry, that grand opening was somewhat muted in the fact that this company is taking its show on the road to Louisiana, after accepting $23 million in federal funding in 2019 to build its first commercial plant in Canada. Partial funding for the $130 million plant was provided through the federal government’s Innovation, Science and Technology fund.

It’s disappointing that the Canadian forest industry, which are Canadian taxpayers, will seemingly not benefit further from the ramping up of this technology, despite the fact that Canadian tax dollars were used to pay for a significant portion of this commercial demonstration plant.

When we asked whether they approached any Canadian forest companies to potentially partner with them on the commercial ramp-up of this technology, and if not, why not, Origin Materials did not respond to this query from Logging and Sawmilling Journal.

It makes one wonder if this is another example of a federal government so anxious to advance its green agenda that it sometimes fails to think of the finer details—like including a condition on that funding that if the technology proves itself here, then there is some requirement by the beneficiary of the funding to ramp up commercial production in Canada and with Canadian industry partners.

That does not appear to be the case in this instance.

To be fair, Canada is deriving some benefit from partially bankrolling the 46

construction of this chemical plant in that it will consume about 25,000 metric tons of wood residues annually from area forest product manufacturers like Townsend Lumber in Tillsonburg, Ontario. And it is providing about 25 skilled jobs at its Sarnia plant, which will primarily focus on the production of a chemical called chloromethyl furfural (CMF).

Origin Materials was co-founded by John Bissell and Ryan Smith in 2008, who were chemical engineering students at the University of California-Davis. Motivated by the trend toward decarbonization of the environment, their goal was to develop a chemical extraction technology using non-food biomass to eventually produce the key chemical building blocks used to make plastics currently produced from fossil fuels.

In a recent interview with a publication focused on the chemical industry, Bissell said that the company can use a wide range of plants containing a raw material called lignocellulose, but they chose wood residue, a cheap and available raw material with an established supply chain.

Wood materials like wood chips, sawdust and bark are commonly transported to and from forest production facilities.

According to Bissell, it is the company’s intention to also use forestry residues as its feedstock at a larger commercial plant in Geismer, Louisiana, slated for Phase 1 completion in late-2026, according to the company’s most recent financial disclosure.

Origin Materials chose Sarnia for its first commercial-scale plant largely due to a recruitment effort by the former executive director of Sarnia’s Bioindustrial Innovation Canada site after he crossed paths with Bissell at a conference in 2011.

Kudos for this successful recruitment, but it still raises the question of the federal government signing a $23 million cheque for plant construction, apparently with no

strings attached, related to eventual rampup of the technology in Canada.

The Sarnia plant is a commercial plant and Origin Materials will derive revenue from it. But it has another fundamental role, which is to analyze and demonstrate the chemical manufacturing process from the raw material up to the point where the end product is identical to other chemicals currently used in plastics manufacturing from fossil-fuel sources. Bissell said that getting to that point is, “pretty novel, actually.”

So while the company’s decision to scale up commercially south of the border leaves a bitter taste for Canadian taxpayers, the federal government and recruiters would probably answer criticism of the $23 million contribution to this Sarnia plant as, ‘that’s the chance you take.’

Origin Materials can’t really be faulted either, because as a start-up, it’s common to follow the money wherever you can get it. Financing is usually the hardest challenge when attempting to scale up.

If the commitment was to only build the first commercial plant in Canada and the federal government agreed, then legally speaking, the contract has been fulfilled.

Still, the optics aren’t exactly rosy.

Perhaps there is still an opportunity to find a partner within Canada’s forest sector with large stacks of undedicated forest residues, and deep pockets, to partner with Origin Materials, because there is no doubt that the future is bright for plastic packaging and materials with building blocks derived from sustainable resources.

The company has already caught the attention of mega-corporations like Nestle, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. Origin Materials is a good news business story. Hopefully a pathway can still be found to write a Canadian chapter to that story beyond Sarnia.

Logging & Sawmilling Journal - November/December 2023

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