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TAKING

STOCK

n n n n n Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. Street Address: 225 Hanrick Street Montgomery, AL 36104-3317 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2268 Montgomery, AL 36102-2268 Telephone: 334-834-1170 Fax 334-834-4525

n n n n n Publisher David H. Ramsey Chief Operating Officer Dianne C. Sullivan

n n n n n Editor-In-Chief Rich Donnell Senior Editor Dan Shell Senior Editor David Abbott Senior Editor Jessica Johnson Associate Editor Patrick Dunning Contributing Editor Fred Kurpiel

n n n n n Publisher/Editor Emeritus David (DK) Knight

n n n n n Production Manager/Art Director Cindy Segrest Ad Production Coordinator Patti Campbell Circulation Director Rhonda Thomas

n n n n n Advertising Sales Manager David H. Ramsey • (334) 834-1170

n n n n n ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES SOUTHERN U.S. Kathy Sternenberg • (251) 928-4962 ksternenberg@bellsouth.net Classified Advertising Bridget DeVane • (334) 669-7837 • 1-800-669-5613 bdevane7@hotmail.com MIDWEST USA, EASTERN CANADA John Simmons Mar-Tech Communications 29 Bugelli Dr. Whitby, Ontario Canada L1R 3B7 (905) 666-0258 E-mail: jsimmons@idirect.com WESTERN USA, WESTERN CANADA Tim Shaddick 4056 West 10th Ave, Vancouver BC Canada V6L 1Z1 604-910-1826 E-mail: twshaddick@gmail.com INTERNATIONAL Murray Brett 58 Aldea de las Cuevas Buzon 60 03759 Benidoleig (Alicante), Spain Tel: +34 96 640 4165 Mobile: 34 66 931 5837 E-mail: murray.brett@abasol.net

GOIN’ BACK TO LIGNA he Ligna biennial show in Hannover, Germany, May 26-30, marks the 50th year since the first Ligna was held in 1975. Representing Panel World, I’ve gone to every one since 1989. But let’s don’t go that far back; let’s look at some of the highlights of Lignas in more recent years: 2011: Wood bioenergy came to the forefront, as the world considered the future of industrial wood pellets as a fuel source for electricity and district heating.

In fact a specific hall was devoted to wood bioenergy technologies, and several traditional wood-based panel companies had a second exhibit there. Oh yes, another subject of the 2011 event was the “minor” issue of the U.S. coming out of the Great Recession brought on by the subprime mortgage crisis.

2013: The U.S. had come out of the recession by now and several North America companies—GP, LP, Tolko, etc.— were turning on the production faucets at OSB plants. As a sign of the improving economy, American companies sent numerous representatives to this Ligna in search of the latest technologies. The first Russian OSB plant in the Petrozavodsk capital of the Republic of Karelia had produced its first board in April.

2015: Siempelkamp celebrated the 30th anniversary of the launch of its ContiRoll continuous press in 1985.

Hexion Inc. exhibited under its new name, transitioning from Momentive Specialty Chemicals. Raute emphasized new technologies in veneer composing, panel repair and revealed several LVL (laminated veneer lumber) machinery orders.

2017: Wood-based panel production technology exhibits moved into Hall 27 from Hall 26 for this Ligna. But of more importance was the subject of crosslaminated timber as a possibility for the U.S. Russ Vaagen of Vaagen Brothers Lumber stopped by Ligna and the Panel World booth after visiting a nearby CLT plant. Russ would ultimately build a CLT plant of his own in Spokane, Wash. USNR displayed a new Ventek green end scanner, which was signifi-

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cant because USNR had purchased Ventek the previous year. Meinan showed a video of its new automatic peeling line at Swanson Group’s new plywood plant in Oregon. The show proved especially useful for the promotion of the new Panel Alliance team, consisting of Imal, Pal and Globus among others.

2019: Press belt manufacturer IPCO (the former Sandvik) revealed its new identity. Biele again showed one of the most attractive booths, while discussing its technologies at its Innovation Corner. It was another good show for EWS North America, though Keith Mays of EWS commented, “It was clear that wood panel manufacturers are concerned about the potential impact of trade disputes on the economy in the U.S.” Sound familiar?

2021: No Ligna, thanks to the COVID pandemic.

2023: Dieffenbacher celebrated 150 years and announced the formation of an Energy division. Wood fiber insulation was the topic of much discussion, especially at the Grenzebach booth.

SMARTECH appeared on the scene to give Ligna its first taste of Artificial Intelligence.

2025: It’s about to happen as you read this, and given the election of a new U.S. president, and his aggressive approach to trade diplomacy, the theme may well be—borrowing a line from the movie Jurassic Park and actor Samuel L. Jackson as he prepared to reboot the PW system—“Hold on to your butts!”

RICH DONNELL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Ph: 334-834-1170 Fax: 334-834-4525 e-mail: rich@hattonbrown.com

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(Founded as P l y w o o d & P a n e l in 1960—Our 532nd consecutive issue) VOLUME 66 NO. 3

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MAY 2025

Visit our web site: www.panelworldmag.com

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SMARTLAM New Glulam Line

LIGNA PREVIEW The 50th Anniversary

SUPPLY LINES Con-Vey Expansion

PANELWORKS Classified Advertising

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STATE OF EWP Moving Forward

PROJECTS Mercer & Walmart

EVENTS Into The Summer

MANTHEI Pressing Ahead

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UPDATE Trump For Timber

GEO DIRECTORY Veneer/Panel Suppliers

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COVER: Part of a massive investment program in its Northwest operations, Roseburg enhanced its dry end at the Coquille Plywood mill with a “super-long” Westmill dryer. Story begins on PAGE 8.

(Dan Shell photo)

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Panel World (ISSN 1048-826X) is published bimonthly by Plywood & Panel World, Inc., P.O. Box 2268, Montgomery, AL 36102-2268 (334) 834-1170, Fax (334) 834-4525. Subscription Information— PW is sent free to owners, operators, managers, purchasing agents, supervisors and foremen at veneer operations, plywood plants, composite products plants, structural and decorative panel mills, engineered wood products plants and allied exportimport businesses throughout the world. All non-qualified U.S. subscriptions are $50 annually; $60 in Canada; $95 (Airmail) in all other countries (U.S. funds). Single copies, $5 each; special issues, $20 (U.S. funds). Subscription Inquiries—TOLL-FREE 800-6695613; Fax 888-611-4525. Go to www.panelworldmag.com and click on the subscribe button to subscribe or renew via the web. All advertisements for Panel World magazine are accepted and published by Plywood & Panel World, Inc. with the understanding that the advertiser and/or advertising agency are authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The advertiser and/or advertising agency will defend, indemnify and hold Plywood & Panel World, Inc. harmless from and against any loss, expenses, or other liability resulting from any claims or lawsuits for libel violations or right of privacy or publicity, plagiarism, copyright or trademark infringement and any other claims or lawsuits that may arise out of publication of such advertisement. Plywood & Panel World, Inc. neither endorses nor makes any representation or guarantee as to the quality of goods and services advertised in Panel World. Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to reject any advertisement which it deems inappropriate. Copyright ® 2025. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Printed in USA.

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ROSEBURG FOREST PRODUCTS COQUILLE INVESTMENTS INCLUDE NEW DRYER, VENEER PATCH UPGRADE LINE Coastal Oregon facility receives its part of Roseburg’s $700 million capital improvement plan.

BY DAN SHELL

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of a two-part series on recent capital improvements at the Roseburg Forest Products Coquille and Riddle plywood plants, part of a major investment in the company’s plywood and panel production announced in 2023.

COQUILLE, Ore. ecent investments in drying capacity and veneer upgrade technology at Roseburg’s Coquille plywood facility are part of the company’s generational $700 million investment announced in 2023 to build two new manufacturing plants at Dillard, Ore., along

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with major upgrades to the plywood plants at Riddle and Coquille.

The move bolsters the company’s veneer conversion and panel capacity and provides the ability to capture more share in premium products such as marine plywood, overlays, hardwood plywood, and LVL while delivering volume output, high quality and cost competitiveness in lower end sheathing markets.

With plywood production facilities at Dillard, Riddle and Coquille, Ore. and Weed, Calif. (green end), a big part of Roseburg’s effort to meet those objectives is getting the right log to the right plant and the right veneer into the highest value product while

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New dryer resulted in more than 100MMSF increase in dry veneer output.

maintaining full utilization and efficient operations and producing and supporting Roseburg’s broad plywood and LVL product lines.

PROJECT At the Coquille facility, Roseburg replaced an older longitudinal dryer and added a new Westmill Industries jet dryer. The mill also replaced a line of Skoog patching machines with a new Raute R7 veneer patching line. Raute also supplied the dryer infeed and outfeed, and a new grading line that includes grade scanning and strength grading, plus Raute’s latest microwave Coquille plant now dries all the veneer it needs—and supplies other plants as well.

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Josh Phillips Coquille plant handles a high percentage of the wetter white wood species.

Exiting the dryer, sheets flow through a Raute grading line and 14 bin Raute stacker.

The Raute R7 patch line has delivered quality boost and production increase.

moisture detection system.

The dryer project was initiated in late 2021. Featuring 30 hot sections and six decks, the 204 ft. long steamheated dryer was installed in August 2024 and started up in October 2024.

The dryer is the world’s longest, according to Westmill officials.

The new dryer features the latest Westmill Industries innovations that include patented humidity and emission control systems, extensive seal systems, a “quick change” dryer roll baffle system and bearing vibration monitoring.

Other features include Westmill’s 1-2-3 Door Seal system, Minimal Heat Transfer Upper Housing and the “safe motion” door handle load dampener.

Following just weeks behind the dryer install and startup timeline, the Raute veneer patching line started up in November. According to Raute officials, the Raute Veneer Patching Line R7 is the largest veneer patching line they’ve ever delivered to North America and is the highest volume veneer patching line in the industry.

The patching line features automatic feeding and visual grading systems, a total of three levels of veneer patching and automatic stacking with a five-bin stacker.

OPERATIONS The Coquille plywood plant produces 4x8 panels in commodity and some specialty products. The product lineup includes three marine grade panels, underlayment and sheathing.

Another big part of the Coquille facility’s output is supplying machine stress-rated (MSR) veneer to the Roseburg Engineered Wood LVL and I-joist plant at Riddle, Ore.. “Other than that, it

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The Coquille plant produces more than 300MMSF of plywood annually.

all stays here,” says Plant Manager Josh Phillips, who has been at the Coquille facility since 2011.

The mill also accepts low-cost pine core veneer from Roseburg’s Weed, Calif. veneer plant, which also provides

material to the Riddle facility as well.

The bulk of veneer production at the Coquille plywood plant is Douglas fir, around 70%; the balance is in hemlock, white fir and spruce. Log supply is inhouse and most procurement takes place

within 35 miles of the mill. The plant accepts logs from 6-48 in. diameter.

Phillips notes that the new dryer is the first jet dryer to operate at Coquille.

“It’s not new to Roseburg; Weed and Riddle have (jet dryers),” he says, noting that jet dryers using direct heat have a fundamentally different operating principle than longitudinal dryers and their circulated heat.

“There’s a learning curve and we’re still learning, but we’re on the upper end of the curve now,” Phillips says, adding that dryer startup was no different than most any large machinery startup: “Any new equipment will have a few hiccups and take a few months to work out.”

Veneer sheets exiting the dryer flow through the Raute grading line, then on to a new Raute 14 bin stacker. Depending on log quality and species, up to two or three bins may be dedicated to veneer sheets destined for the patching line.

Veneer stacks are introduced to the patching line, and individual sheets are first scanned then graded, with defects identified and tracked as sheets flow to the patching area. The system’s scanner detects the dimensions and different

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Located south of Coos Bay in the small community of Coquille, the plywood plant dates to 1952 when it was built by a private corporation composed of a group of local owners. The facility was sold to Textron-American (yes, the company had a large wood products division at one time) in 1956. Two years later, citing poor market conditions and a competitive disadvantage since Textron had no timber base in the area, Textron sold the plywood plant to what was then called Roseburg Lumber Co., as Roseburg began building its plywood capacity.

types of defects on the veneer sheet.

The system’s Veneer Visual Analyzer R7 (formerly known as Mecano VDA) has multiple features to optimized veneer patching. Intelligent patching algorithms optimize the number of patches and the patching route to maximize the patching line capacity.

Phillips adds that the biggest impacts of the dryer and veneer patching line projects are the increases in not only volume, but also quality.

With the new dryer, the Coquille plant gained an extra 140MMSF of annual veneer production. Phillips notes that a big reason the dryer ended up being the longest jet dryer in the world is its significant diet of whitewood: Up to 30% of the plant’s log supply is in the wetter species such as white fir, spruce and especially hemlock.

In addition, the plant gained grade uplift through the veneer patching line.

Roseburg officials knew this going in, Phillips says, adding that the plant is now fully self-sufficient in that it can peel and dry all the veneer it needs. But that’s not the sole goal.

Instead, the plant is not only better positioned for its own production, but

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The biggest impacts of the dryer and veneer patching line projects are the increases in not only volume, but also quality.

Raute patching head: New patches handle better, take sanding better.

also to fulfill its role in supplying other Roseburg facilities, particularly MSR veneer to the Roseburg Engineered Wood facility in Riddle.

The extra volume gained by the Coquille dryer also makes it easier to optimize Roseburg’s overall veneer utilization and plywood production in western Oregon: By keeping more veneer sourcing in-house it’s easier to deliver the right veneer quality at the right cost where it will produce the best finished panel quality and most profit.

INVESTMENTS The investments in plywood and veneer production at Coquille and Riddle (Read about the two new lathes and a new hardwood plywood line at Riddle in Part 2.) have come online before the big new investment at Dillard: A new $450 plant that will produce standard medium density fiberboard (MDF) panels, as well as thin high-density fiberboard (HDF). The Dillard investment also includes $50 million for the Dillard Components plant that is converting specialty MDF panels manufactured at Roseburg’s MDF plant in Medford, Ore., into Armorite® Trim, a finished exterior trim product for residential and shed use.

The $700 million investment announced in 2023 also comes on the heels of the company’s major move to the East Coast and building and starting up Chester Engineered Wood, a high-capacity southern pine LVL plant in Chester, SC that produces almost 300,000 cubic meters of LVL annually as well as a new state-of-the-art dimensional lumber mill in Weldon, NC that started commercial production early 2024.

In addition to the plywood plants at Riddle and Coquille, Roseburg operates another plywood plant at Dillard, plus a veneer plant in Weed, Calif.

While the new MDF plant is being built at Dillard, Roseburg continues to produce MDF at plants in Medford, Ore., El Dorado, Ark. and Pembroke PW (Ontario) in Canada.

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MANTHEI WOOD PRODUCTS INVESTS IN AUTOMATED SPECIALTY PANEL LINE Longtime Michigan hardwood veneer producer brings in Bürkle for new pressing line.

Press line installation complements green end upgrades in recent years.

owner Jeremy Manthei. “Recruitment is one of our biggest challenges, so it was crucial to increase the throughput per or more than 80 years, Manemployee while minimizing manufacturing defects.” thei Wood Products has stood The new press line will not only infor quality, innovation and crease productivity, but also enable a sustainable wood processing. high degree of flexibility in production.

The company, based in “We wanted a line that could produce a Petoskey, Mich., has established itself wide range of products. From panel as a leading hardwood veneer manufacpreparation to pressing, trimming and turer and supplies numerous industries puttying.” with high-quality wood-based materials.

Particular attention was paid to the Originally founded as an agricultural self-cleaning of the presses in order to business, the Manthei family has skillavoid production downtimes due to mafully developed the company through terial residues. Manthei contacted severtechnological advancement to become a al suppliers, but felt that Bürkle was leading player in the wood-based panel able to present a satisfactory technical manufacturing industry.

NEW STANDARDS solution.

Today, Manthei Wood Products em“One of the main reasons for the inBürkle was actually chosen for severploys more than 150 and relies on the vestment was to increase the efficiency al reasons. In addition to the technical most modern production technologies to per employee,” explains CEO and cospecifications and flexibility of the press further expand its market position. The line, the trust in the contact persons played a decisive role. “An important reason for our decision were the Bürkle employees around our contact person Axel Mayer. Of all the contacts we spoke to, we had the greatest confidence in his project team and him. They understood our requirements exactly and were able to present technical solutions convincingly,” Manthei emphasizes.

Manthei was particularly impressed by the solution-oriented and pragmatic approach of the company. “Other potential suppliers gave us less details. Axel Mayer asked us to send veneer and glue. His team then created a comprehensive presentation with various brush and belt solutions, Manthei Wood Products team poses at the two new tested them in the Bürkle techfive-opening Bürkle presses. nology center, and presented the

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product range includes veneers in numerous wood species as well as coated plywood, MDF, and particleboard. The company’s innovative strength was particularly evident after a serious fire in 2017, when Manthei Wood Products not only pushed ahead with reconstruction of its green end, but also integrated the most modern peeling technologies.

Now the company is once again taking a major technological leap forward.

With the latest investment in a cutting-edge through-feed press line, Manthei Wood Products, together with Bürkle, is setting standards in terms of efficiency, quality and sustainability.

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Automated feeding via a vacuum portal solution

results to us. I knew then: They don’t just talk, they also do it,” Manthei adds.

A reference visit to a producer in Europe with similar requirements finally convinced Manthei of the engineering performance of the internationally operating machine manufacturer.

CONCEPT TO PROCESS The realization of the project was characterized by an intensive technical exchange in the conception phase. Together with Manthei, the Bürkle project team defined all relevant line parameters and product dimensions. This close cooperation is reflected in the successful implementation.

The targeted project schedule of 20 months was met exactly to the day, so that Manthei can now produce its particleboard, MDF and plywood panels with single- or double-sided veneer coating at increased capacity, efficiency and quality.

“The installation process was very

Vacuum portal stacking of work pieces

Bürkle glue application

well organized. Fast and pragmatic solutions were always found for any challenges that arose, so that the schedule could be adhered to exactly, which is not a matter of course in a project of this kind,” Manthei reflects.

Particularly noteworthy is the high level of complexity and integration of the overall system. At Manthei, the process steps of pressing, trimming and downstream manual filling stations were combined into a continuous line.

Previously, these process steps were distributed across separate systems.

Now they run in a single system with two presses, each with five openings, and an output of up to eight cycles per minute. A special laying station for special products and multilayer structures ensures maximum flexibility. The veneers are fed via manual laying stations and vacuum conveyor belts, enabling fully automatic, ergonomically optimized processing. The reaction speed during product changes has also been im-

proved: The veneer stack feeding system enables particularly short stack change times, while the feeding and stacking systems ensure a stack change without losses.

PARTNERSHIP With the modernization of its production, Manthei Wood Products has not only expanded its production capacities, but has also found a reliable partner for future projects.

“My assessment of the project is very positive,” Manthei says. “The Bürkle project team has never shirked its responsibility to this day. It was always clear who was responsible for what and the cooperation was very fair and solution-oriented. Our company is growing and I see Bürkle as one of our key strategic partners for future projects.

Would I make the same decision again today? Yes, definitely.”

PW Article and photos submitted by Bürkle and Manthei Wood Products.

Manthei employee at quality control station

PanelWorld • MAY 2025 • 19

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BY DAN SHELL

SMARTLAM NA BOOSTS CAPACITY, CAPABILITY WITH NEW GLULAM PLANT The new glulam line complements an enhanced cross-laminated timber line.

DOTHAN, Ala. ursuing a strategy to create a “one-stop shop” for all segments of mass timber building products, SmartLam North America has started up a new high-tech automated glulam plant that gives the company the ability to pursue any project or order out there that involves cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glulam or any combination of both. With the addition of the new glulam plant to SmartLam North America’s existing CLT plants here in Dothan and in Columbia Falls, Mont., the company is now the largest producer of mass timber components in the U.S. The glulam plant has a projected 80MMBF annual production, and can produce beams up to 60 ft. long, 24 in. wide and 79 in. deep.

Investing in the glulam plant gives

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SmartLam North America the capacity and flexibility to fully meet each segment of the mass timber market with timely production of all components from a single source. “Ideally, the general contractors all want the CLT and glulam to come from the same source, already CNC’d, with the hardware attached,” says SmartLam North America CEO Derek Ratchford, who joined the company in 2021 after 27 years of experience in the wood products industry.

To be able to produce both simultaneously gives SmartLam North America not only the ability to offer a onestop full product line but also the capability to quickly meet project timelines.

He adds that the industry’s lack of ability to deliver glulam in a timely manner has been a drag on mass timber market expansion.

Meanwhile, on the manufacturing side, glulam can be a limiting factor be-

Adding a glulam plant opens a whole new mass timber product line for SmartLam

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The new plant is a turnkey project from Ledinek.

cause of the extensive lumber prep and layup process and finishing processes that include CNC work and attaching steel hardware. Suppliers can produce CLT a lot faster, and not having enough glulam capacity typically means holding back how many projects a plant can take on, Ratchford says.

“We wanted to be able to capture everything in mass timber,” he adds, citing SmartLam North America’s sales, engineering and design capacity to become a single source for fully finished and ready to install CLT and glulam products delivered on time. “We believe you can service your customers better that way. The faster you can deliver, the faster they can go vertical, and that makes a difference,” Ratchford says.

That’s a big reason the two facilities in Dothan are operated independently of each other, and each with their own fingerjoint and lumber prep line. All projects and orders are not equal: Some are more heavy to CLT or glulam, and glulam orders and projects tend to be a combination of custom beams and commodity type standard sizes. Not having a single fingerjoint line split time between producing both CLT stock and glulam material is a game changer.

“Having the ability to do multiple large projects with glulam allows you to run more CLT,” Ratchford says.

Operating separate finger joint lines for the glulam and CLT plants benefits both.

BACKGROUND Founded in 2012 in Columbia Falls.

Mont., SmartLam was the first commercial manufacturer of CLT in the U.S. In 2019, working with industry veteran Brian Fehr and his Brian Fehr Group that made a significant investment in the company, SmartLam relaunched as SmartLam North America and acquired the International Beams CLT plant in Dothan,

Ala. that was just moving into startup.

Emerging from COVID in 2022 along with the rest of the economy, the SmartLam North America board announced a major $80 million capital investment plan that included the new $60 million glulam plant and $20 million to more fully automate the existing Dothan and Columbia Falls facilities.

The glulam plant is a turnkey project from Ledinek Engineering, which supPanelWorld • MAY 2025 • 23

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Fingerjoint assembly area feeds to RF curing tunnel.

plied all production machinery, software and controls technology. The company specializes in innovative mass timber production solutions, energy-saving, smart cold press systems, and next-generation non-reactive, fastcuring glue systems.

While there are multiple good equipment and system suppliers out there, Ratchford says that after an internal evaluation, “We felt Ledinek had the equipment and capability to help us do what we wanted to do.”

He adds that the system’s flexibility was a big factor in Ledinek getting the order, and also that the project would be using proven technology: all equipment is standard.

At Dothan, Ledinek supplied its Kontizink H 4000 longitudinal fingerjointing machine and the Stratoplan planer.

The project included the Ledinek ZPress for edge-gluing and wide face lamination, the high-performance Rotopress, and the multi-functional Flexipress Column. Ledinek also provided a band saw for longitudinal cutting of glued beams, a cosmetic upgrade station for eliminating visual defects, the Superles 1300 planing machine with integrated top bottom sanding units for glued beams, and the XXL-Cut saw for cutting to length. Ledinek also supplied all lumber, lamella and beam handling equipment, from lumber package infeed to finished beam stacking.

ON SITE

Glulam finishing area covers final inspection, attachment install.

After making the decision to build the new plant, in September 2023 site prep work began on a new 144,000 sq. ft. building to house the operation.

Ledinek personnel were on site in January 2024 to begin installation. Ratchford says the equipment installation and mechanical work went smoothly and relatively simple with Ledinek and Peak North America Construction the two main vendors on site and working together well. Also, he was impressed how Ledinek managed logistics to get equipment to the job site in a timely manner, and most of the equipment installation was finished by early August 2024.

The fingerjoint line had started up a bit sooner, in July. The Rotopress started up in October 2024, and the Flexipress started up in January 2025. Including the two new Hundegger ROBOT-Max CNC machines that were added to the CLT plant, 2024 was a hectic time with machines and process-

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SmartLam NA CEO Derek Ratchford

CLT panels exiting Ledinek X-Press are moved to Costa sanding line, in background

es all starting up from summer through the rest of the year. “We’re still learning how to run some of the equipment, doing some training and debugging,” Ratchford said in early March when Panel World visited. He added that he hoped to be moving out of the startup phase by May and moving into the “optimization” phase where plant oper-

ators, after having trained on the equipment and learned the process, begin to ramp up and increase feed speeds and production.

A big part of the startup is working with Ledinek’s iLam Manager PC level supervision system provided by Ledinek in a package with hardware scheduling software that automates the

complete process, from lumber infeed to beam stacking. The system allows operators throughout the plant to keep track of each machine and its operating status. Each beam including its lumber configuration is tracked throughout the production process. “Everything is automated,” Ratchford says.

Lumber packs are delivered to glulam

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24 in. wide and 79.1 in. deep.

After pressing, each beam has an ID tag attached. If needed, beams are split through a band saw, planed and sanded, then are end trimmed before being cut to final length, then stacked before going to the finishing department that includes two Hundegger CNC machines.

Although he likes the progress so far, Ratchford says it will likely take a while for the plant to get fully up to speed as operators become more proficient and each process is tuned up. “It takes some time to learn it and it’s complicated,” he says, adding that Ledinek has done a great job on the training phase.

CLT CLT layup system builds billets, applies glue.

infeed via forklift. Pieces receive an initial end trim, then are fingerjointed on both ends. The line then feeds to an RF tunnel. After a flying cutoff saw lamellas are planed, then transferred to nine trays that feed lamellas into the proper

press line. Adhesive is Hexion melamine. The Rotopress handles single width glulam beams and split lam beams up to 12.25 in., in depths up to 57 in. The Flexipress handles all split lam beam sizes above 12.25 in., up to

Started up in 2019, the CLT plant features a Ledinek X-Press system and has its own dual lumber processing lines: one for fingerjointing and building long pieces, plus a line that produces cross lam pieces that are cut to length and planed.

On the long side, lumber is fingerjointed on both ends, then glue is ap-

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plied and the lamella goes through an RF Specialties RF curing tunnel. The production schedule details the final lengths that are cut, then lamellas are moved to a transfer deck and on to a Weinig planer. Long pieces are fed to a transfer table that moves pieces to the Ledinek press layup area for final billet stacking, with cross-lam lumber fed from the other side. Vacuum arms pick up each layer of lumber and place it on an infeed table that moves back and forth while an Oest glue system applies adhesive prior to press infeed.

The Ledinek X-Press cross-laminated timber press features a pneumatic pressure buildup system for customers who want to get away from hydraulic systems and the support required for them. The press is built modularly from robust modules, each 79 in. long and weighing 55,000 lbs. The pneumatic pressure technology is an environmentally friendly and powerful source of pressure, requiring significantly lower nominal pressure.

Exiting the press, panels are moved to the floor briefly and inspected, with any putty or upgrade work handled right there before panels are moved to a Costa 12 ft. panel sander.

After sanding, panels are stored on the floor before they are moved to the CNC area that includes a Biesse Uniteam E Mix CNC machine and a Hundegger UFA CNC machine. “Ultimately we’re going to need another CNC machine in two or three years,” Ratchford says, adding that the CLT plant is currently putting in a spray booth to apply sealer for some products.

BRIGHT FUTURE As the mass timber market has seen solid growth the past few years in the U.S., with 248 mass timber buildings completed and an additional 460 in design at the end of 2023, Ratchford likes what the future holds for the facility and the industry as a whole.

In addition to the new investment and the plant’s location in the heart of the southern yellow pine belt, another big plus for SmartLam North America is the strength of its ownership: In addition to major shareholder Brian Fehr Group and all the resources that brings, the next four largest shareholders are Rex Lumber, Two Rivers Lumber, Collum’s Lumber Products and Charles In-

gram Lumber Co. All are successful independent southern pine producers and survivors with hundreds of years of sawmill experience among them.

Ratchford says the group has been a calming influence and a great source of advice as the glulam project developed.

“They’ve all been through multiple startups and upgrades, seen up and down markets and happy to share their experience,” he says, adding that the ownership group has also been active in developing manufacturing approaches to support lam stock production and the sizes and grades the glulam plant needs.

Groups such as the American Wood Council, WoodWorks and the Softwood Lumber Board have been supportive and helpful on the mass timber front, Ratchford adds. “There’s a lot of people who have a vested interest in seeing the mass timber market grow and succeed because it’s a truly new market that doesn’t displace other wood products.” With the company’s investments in capacity and technology, SmartLam North America is at the forefront of helping make mass timber construction a significant part of the PW overall forest products market.

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PROSPECTS FOR CLT, LSL, LVL AND OTHER EWPS DURING UNPREDICTABLE PERIOD AHEAD There’s long-term optimism despite current uncertainty around production and usage.

BY RICHARD (RICH) BALDWIN, FREDERICK T. KURPIEL, AND RICHARD (DICK) BALDWIN

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article preceding Ligna 2025 is the next chapter in an occasional Panel World series about production, usage and innovations of Engineered Wood Products. “Assessment of the Ever-Evolving Engineered Wood Industry in 2023” was published in May 2023 and “Engineered Wood Products: Current Status & Future Potential” appeared in November 2024. ngineered wood product (EWP) demand has steadily grown in recent years, even if less than expected. Expansion of the Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) industry in North America was based on optimistic forecasts of a decade ago. Usage has increased at a slower pace than predicted and the resulting low capacity utilization is financially stressing producers.

On the other hand, veneer shortages limit Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) production. Natural demand greater than supply allows producers to influence prices, and good margins persist five years after the Pandemic.

E

LONG-TERM Long-term prospects for commercial and residential construction remain positive. First, the trend of white collar employees working from home is ending. Employers again require 9-to-

5 office attendance.

Second, environmentally conscience consumers increasingly worry about climate change. Wood building materials permanently sequester large masses of atmospheric carbon. Architects and structural engineers have increasingly responded to these concerns by specifying EWP buildings.

For example, well-known technology businesses—such as Meta (Facebook), Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Alphabet (Google)—power data cen-

ters and cryptocurrency miners with electricity from nonrenewable resources. Companies burnish their green credentials by building offices, warehouses, and data centers with ecologically responsible mass timber.

Finally, while estimates differ, reputable economists calculate that a shortfall of several million residential units has accrued since the U.S. housing bust of 2008. Given its relative fire resistance, mass timber may become a preferred building material in regions

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prone to forest fires.

Nevertheless, rapid growth in the next few years is uncertain. Eco n omists fear that promised policies of the new Trump administration regarding tariffs, immigration, and inflation may adversely impact U.S. housing demand and building material imports.

Canadian producers that supply U.S. markets particularly could suffer from market disruptions.

A few bold investors have enough confidence to develop new plants. Weyerhaeuser announced a new greenfield Laminated Strand Lumber (LSL) mill in Arkansas. Timberlab and Sierra Institute are developing new CLT factories in Oregon and California, respectively.

PROFIT MARGINS The North American LVL industry has nine producers with 18 mills. Boise Cascade and Weyerhaeuser share 54% of North American productive capacity; Pacific Woodtech and Roseburg control an additional 33%; and five small mills divide the remaining 13%. Perpetual shortages of stress-rated veneer limit growing industry capacity utilization

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public disclosures of Boise Cascade and Weyerhaeuser. Mathematically, the mean industry price must be close to the two most important producers.

Average LVL price of $30 per ft^3 during 2024 fell 20% versus the 2022 peak. However, prices remain 40-50% higher than the typical pre-Pandemic price of about $20 per ft^3. Production and demand correlate with construction starts—higher during the 2020-2022 housing boom and now lower with higher interest rates.

Assuming that LVL inputs (veneer, labor, adhesives, energy) roughly follow softwood plywood trends, total production costs are about 20-30% higher than the pre-2020 norm. With unit revenue 40-50% higher and unit costs up 20-30%, operating margin remains better than pre-pandemic.

LSL SUBSTITUTE

much beyond 65%.

Expensive workarounds to limited veneer supply include shipping Douglas fir veneer from West Coast veneer mills to Southeast LVL mills; Boise Cascade acquiring the two Coastal plywood mills for $500 million; and Weyerhaeuser’s recent purchases of forestlands in Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina for more than $700 million.

However, a beneficial side effect of

the production constraint is that supply remains lower than natural demand.

Given there is no product standard for LVL that leads to commodification (unlike softwood plywood, OSB, or CLT), limited production allows makers to maintain pricing discipline.

APA—The Engineered Wood Assn. tracks North American LVL production.

To the authors’ knowledge, no thirdparty source reports market prices. We estimate the typical market price through

Wood suitable for stranding is cheaper, achieves superior yield, and is more flexible in terms of size, quality, and species relative to solid lumber and veneer-based products.

Laminated Strand Lumber is based on oiented strandboard (OSB) process technology. The OSB production process makes a structural plywood panel substitute from shorter strands laid down in cross-banded layers. In contrast, the LSL manufacturing process makes thicker dimension-lumber equivalents from longer parallel strands.

Two North American mills currently make LSL. Weyerhaeuser’s LSL mill in Kenora, Ontario produces the “TrusJoist Timberstrand” brand. Tolko’s OSB mill in Slave Lake, Alberta also makes the

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“T-Tec” brand of LSL. Tolko’s plant makes as much high-value LSL as possible, and then converts leftover short strands into lowervalue OSB. The Godfrey OSB mill announced for an abandoned paper mill site in Jay, Maine also may manufacture thin LSL. Relative to a strictly OSB mill, a dual capability factory requires additional investment in strand storage and processing.

In November 2024, Weyerhaeuser announced it will invest $500 million for a greenfield LSL mill in Monticello, Ark. The Arkansas and Ontario plants will have similar rated capacities (about 10 million ft^3 per year). The company expects to open this mill in 2027.

Weyerhaeuser will supply its new mill from 1.2 million acres of forestlands in southern Arkansas. Better logs will go to the nearby sawmill and plywood plant, and lower quality wood fiber to this LSL mill. The company expects that Arkansas pine will make stronger LSL than Ontario aspen.

CLT PAINS The authors count 13 active CLT mills in North America (six in Canada and seven in the U.S). Many mills were developed around a decade ago, with several Canadian mills among the first to open. Project justifications reflected the then consensus that building with CLT would rapidly increase.

CLT usage has grown, but less than expected. A 2013 forecast was that U.S. demand would eventually expand to 60180 million ft^3. Usage (local production plus net imports) in 2023 turned out to be around 20 million ft^3.

Two new mills already liquidated their machinery as CLT production capacity has “right-sized” to better match supply with demand. Notably, DR Johnson, the first U.S. maker, exited following a rough start. (Dozens of panels delaminated in 2018 during construction of the replacement School of Forestry 36 • MAY 2025 • PanelWorld

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ship of the sawmill that supplies raw lumber and use of a flexible Radio Frequency press from Kallesoe will lower business risk. Timberlab anticipates opening in 2027.

After decades of public timberlands neglect and hostility to wood products manufacturers, forest fires ravage California every year. In March 2025, the advocacy non-profit Sierra Institute ordered a 30,000 m^3 (1.05 million ft^3) CLT line from Ledinek. The Crescent Mills, Calif. plant will use surplus wood fiber from national forests of the northern Sierra Nevada mountains.

During April 2025, builders completed installation of all mass timber components for five mid-rise buildings at Walmart’s new headquarters campus in Bentonville, Ark. With floor area of 1.23 million ft^2 and mass timber usage of 0.74 million ft^3, the structures are part of the largest mass timber office complex in the U.S. Mercer supplied the CLT and Glulam from its Conway, Ark. mill. Panel installation began in spring 2024 and the buildings will be ready for occupancy by early 2026.

CASE STUDY

building at Oregon State University.)

Capacity utilization greatly varies among CLT mills, even after market growth and mill closures. Certain mills operate at less than 50% capacity.

Mercer International—a British Columbia pulp mill operator in Germany and Western Canada—has become North America’s largest CLT producer through acquiring distressed assets at pennies on the dollar. Mercer purchased the Spokane, Wash. mill from bankrupt Katerra in 2021 and the Conway, Ark. and Penicton, BC mills from bankrupt Structurlam in 2023. The U.S. continues to import substantial CLT volumes from Canada and Austria. Efficient Canadian

and European producers regularly underbid U.S. producers in spite of higher transportation costs. In particular, CLT from Canada does not pay the tariffs that the U.S. otherwise imposes on lumber.

Nevertheless, CLT is here to stay in spite of growing pains. Promoters and Investors remain confident that CLT construction will become widespread.

SmartLam in Dothan, Ala. has opened a new Glulam line adjacent its enhanced CLT plant.

Timberlab recently broke ground on a 100,000 m^3 (3.5 million ft^3) CLT mill in Millersburg, Ore. The parent company already has mass timber experience as a builder. Timberlab believes that owner-

Southstone Yards in Frisco, Texas is the first mass timber office in the Dallas Fort Worth metropolitan area. The building is next to the tollway between the rapidly-growing north Dallas suburbs and DFW airport.

The seven-story mid-rise building contains 240,000 ft^2 of usable space.

The first floor and service cores of the top six floors are concrete and steel, and the building shells are CLT and Glulam.

The building structure was erected in less than a year. SmartLam timely supplied southern yellow pine mass timber from its Dothan mill. However, installation of the glass windows delayed project completion.

The North American headquarters of Toyota is across the tollway. Many of Toyota’s 4,000 local corporate employees still work at home. Toyota Financial Services leased the entire building in February 2025 and will bring its workforce back to the office.

The ecological virtuousness of a mass timber building plus convenient Class A office space available for immediate occupancy were important considerations for Toyota.

Crow Holdings, a leading commercial and multi-family real estate developer, owns Southstone Yards. Crow

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bought an empty lot next door and may build another CLT office now that this first project has a tenant.

OTHER EWP There are other commercial EWPs, but these veneer or strand products are produced in much smaller volumes than LVL, LSL, and CLT. l Mass Plywood Panel (MPP) Plywood panels (lamellas) of defined

properties are scarfed and cold-set bonded under pressure to make large raw MPP billets. Like CLT, the factory CNC machines the raw billets into engineered sizes and shapes.

Freres Lumber Co. in Lyons, Ore. is the only maker of this clever innovation. Because the MPP line also can make LVL, the mill produces MPP or LVL from its valuable stress-rated veneer according to demand.

MPP matches the structural attributes

of CLT with 20-30% less wood fiber, with pre-prepared panels equally straightforward to assemble at the jobsite. Production is trending up as specifiers learn about MPP. l Parallel Strand Lumber (PSL) PSL is made from veneer sheets not suitable for plywood or LVL. Veneer is clipped into strands, adhesive applied to all wood surfaces, parallel glued strands formed into mats, and mats cured under heat and pressure in

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a microwave continuous press. Billets can be cold-set glued to make thicker panels. PSL also adds strength through densifying the strand mat.

Weyerhaeuser’s mills in Annacis Island, BC and Buckhannon, W.Va. are the only two operating facilities. Weyerhaeuser easily sells for a high price everything that it makes. PSL adds considerable value to veneer, but suitable veneer is finite and costly. PSL production is capital intensive and no new mills have opened in decades.

POSITIVE OUTLOOK The impact of President Trump’s promised political and economic policies on North American forest products manufacturers remains unknown. While individual companies could benefit, in aggregate there could be more losers than winners from any trade war between Canada and the U.S. Higher import taxes could lower demand for Canadian and European products. U.S. manufacturers may win additional sales through replacing imports, but costs for building material users could increase. Higher prices could constrain total engineered wood product usage.

On March 1, President Trump signed two executive orders intended to benefit the domestic forestry and wood products industry. The orders ease timber harvest restrictions in national forests and designate wood product supply as a national security concern. In early March 2025, the Trump administration imposed the threatened 25% tariff on Canadian wood imports but several days later postponed enforcement until April.

Political and economic unknowns in 2025 heighten the medium-term risks facing engineered wood producers.

Nevertheless, long-term secular trends causing increased usage of engineered wood products—such as the accumulated housing deficit, concerns about the environment, and the changing wood raw material base—remain unPW changed.

Data and opinions in this article are provided by the authors: Richard W. (Rich) Baldwin, Chief Investment Officer of Oak Creek Investments (Texas, USA); Frederick T. Kurpiel, President of Georgia Research Institute (Georgia, USA), and CoChair of PELICE; and Richard F. (Dick) Baldwin, Managing Partner of Oak Creek Investments (Texas, USA) and an investor in wood and non-wood businesses.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: The following companies—which are exhibiting at Ligna, May 26-30, in Hannover, Germany, and also advertising in this issue—submitted these editorial profiles and images to complement their advertisements placed elsewhere in this issue.

Please refer to those advertisements for web site and contact information. All statements and claims are attributable to the companies.

ANDRITZ The Austria-based technology and service leader drives change and enables its customers to achieve their sustainability goals with individual Andritz solutions for new frond-end systems or innovative service possibilities (wood yard, chip storage, chip washing, pressurized refining, and wastewater evaporation). Experience how Andritz prioritizes reducing costs and minimizing environmental impact and is always eager to optimize processes and enhance expertise to achieve unparalleled operational efficiency.

Andritz also focuses on waste-to-value recycling to create valuable secondary raw materials as well as sustainable resources for energy generation. The company is for example supplying a fiberboard recycling line in Portugal that will recycle end-of-life fiberboards back into valuable fibers as new raw material for the fiberboard production.

Andritz emphasizes operational efficiency.

Explore diverse business segments and uncover the latest advancements in wood processing equipment and panelboard services. Take the Andritz Xtender Screw as an example of one of the latest innovations for cost savings and a significantly extended service life. In terms of sustainability and performance control Andritz also contributes to the market with the Adjustable Plug Screw Feeder—a patented world innovation that transforms a static system into a dynamic one.

Andritz is also at the forefront of its transformation, leveraging digital innovations along with deep operational and technical expertise to improve process efficiency, quality management and production availability. The focus lies in process optimization, to support efficient and sustainable operations by combining automation, intelligent instrumentation and digitalization to create measurable value throughout the full life cycle.

Andritz provides complete capabilities ranging from engineering to equipment supply to erection and startup and offers full line service support for any kind of machine, independent of the OEM. Take the chance to learn more about the Andritz innovations and meet their experts in person at Ligna.

Hall 26, Booth D27

ANGELO CREMONA Angelo Cremona, founded in 1892, will once again be present at the 50th anniversary edition of Ligna. A brand-new booth dedicated to the latest production technologies for woodworking machinery awaits you.

This year, our focus will be on the digitalization of our machines for layup, pressing, drying, peeling, and slicing.

We will be pleased to showcase the latest innovations in all our products, offering maximum flexibility, reliability, enabling high production capacity with minimal workforce requirements.

Our roller and bar dryers have been upgraded with next-generation data analysis systems, allowing our customers to have a more energyfocus overview of the lines.

By the end of the year, new products from the Angelo Cremona product range will be introduced, developed with the goal of maximizAngelo Cremona showcases production technologies. ing line efficiency.

The optimization of resource usage is a key focus that Angelo Cremona is increasingly integrating into its DNA. Our latest installations will be showcased on our LED wall at the booth.

We look forward to welcoming you and collaborating on projects for a greener and more sustainable future.

Hall 12, Booth 26

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ANTHON Australian Panels, a company owned by Borg Manufacturing, is currently setting up a very large wood-based panels manufacturing and melamine press facility in Mount Gambier, SA, Australia.

For the finishing line equipment behind the new MDF production line, Borg relies on a high-performance solution made by Anthon that saves material.

The line has special features such as a device to keep the material moving, a station to separate the material into different grades, a station to test the surface quality, and a device to separate the boards according to their size. The sanding and cutting line has a special saw configuration that allows it to work at its highest capacity while wasting as little material as possible.

For cutting along the length of the board, the line will have an Anthon PVL through-feed saw with two hoggers and two saw aggregates, each with a scoring saw aggregate to ensure a perfect Anthon finishing technology with high capacity and lowest edge. The sanded MDF will be fed through the saw at a speed of material losses 120 m per minute, which easily enables all possible sanding speeds.

The saw kerf is 4.4 mm, and the trimming margin can be less than this. Compared to a standard solution with a book saw for rip cuts, very little waste will be produced.

For cross cutting, the line will be equipped with an Anthon LNC book saw executed as double aggregate containing 1 main saw aggregate, 1 hogger aggregate and 1 scoring saw aggregate. The saw can cut books up to 220 mm high. Trimming is always done with the hogger and the scoring saw, which allows very small trimming widths to be achieved at full speed. The trimming width depends on how accurate the raw board is, and this is determined by the diagonal saw located behind the press line. If the raw board is accurate enough, you can trim it between 1 and 3 mm.

The capacity of both the rip and cross-cut saws is greater than that of the sanding machine, allowing the full sanding capacity of the line to be utilized.

You are welcome to visit us and the 2 saws during Ligna.

Hall 15, Booth G79

ARGOS SOLUTIONS Argos Solutions’ automated grading and repair systems are revolutionizing the panel industry by offering manufacturers a faster, more accurate, and more efficient way to grade and repair panels.

Argos Solutions has been providing advanced grading solutions for the wood industry for several years. Their cutting-edge technology enables panelboard manufacturers to automate the grading process for plywood, particleboard, and other panel products. The most recent development includes a grading system specifically targeted toward laminate flooring.

The surface grading technology not only improves the quality of the final product but also reduces material waste, enabling manufacturers to utilize more of the wood and optimize their production.

The company is bringing a demo system for the surface grading of panels, allowing attendees to see the technology in action. The demo will showcase the speed, accuracy, and consistency of the system and high“Your quality! Our focus!” Argos Solutions demonstrates light how it can benefit manufacturers of all sizes.

In addition Argos will show its latest development of the Argos Edge the benefits of automated surface grading. grading technology offering new possibilities to inspect edges even around the corner.

One of the most significant advantages of Argos Solutions’ automated grading system is the pace at which it can grade panels. Compared to traditional methods, the system can grade panels at a faster rate, eliminating the need for manual grading. Additionally, the automated grading system is much more consistent and accurate, ensuring that panel producers can deliver the desired quality to their customers. The reduction in downgrades has a direct impact on a manufacturer’s bottom line by reducing material waste and improving the efficiency of the production line.

With implementation of AI technology into the decorative surface grading solution from earlier developments for the plywood industry, Argos is continuing to lead the developments in surface grading. l Argos Solutions’ panel repair system is changing the way manufacturers approach panel repairs, making the process more accurate, faster, and more environmentally friendly. Argos Solutions is at the forefront of this technology and is dedicated to helpPanelWorld • MAY 2025 • 43

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ing manufacturers improve their operations.

Traditionally, panel repairs involved operators manually using putty and other materials to fill in damaged areas. Argos Solutions’ panel repair system makes repairs more accurate and faster, using less poly and putty. The system enables manufacturers to allocate human resources to other operations, improving overall production efficiency and reducing production costs. The increased speed means that manufacturers can repair more panels in less time, improving overall production efficiency.

Hall 26, Booth E49/1

BAUMER INSPECTION The ColourBrain Panel 4.0 system from Baumer Inspection sets new standards in the quality assurance of coated wood fiber boards.

Integrated directly into press and coating lines, it enables precise defect detection and thus reduces waste, material consumption and energy costs. Companies benefit from consistently high product quality and efficient process optimization.

Thanks to the combination of state-of-the-art sensor technology and intelligent classification using QBrain, the Panel 4.0 system follows a three-stage optimization approach: l SEE: Defects are detected in real time and stored in a central database. The distinction between sporadic and systematic defects enables the production team to intervene in good time to eliminate the Defects detected by Baumer Smart Learning sources of defects. l THINK: Q-Live provides powerful analysis and reporting tools. These provide a detailed overview of production, help to identify sources of defect and carry out simulations. l ACT: The knowledge gained leads to sustainable measures to minimize waste and optimize processes. Companies can establish uniform quality standards across all locations.

ColourBrain Panel 4.0 is based on the proven ColourBrain MFC 4.0 system family and combines established technology with innovative new features. The optimized design ensures compact integration into existing systems and increased tolerance to vibrations and height changes in the transport system.

With its focus on sustainability, user-friendliness and added value, the system offers companies a decisive competitive advantage.

A highlight of the latest version is the Smart Learning function. In view of the increasingly frequent introduction of new decors and smaller production batches, the system ensures that it automatically adapts to these changes during the teach-in process without necessarily requiring a faultless component. This takes the strain off the operating personnel and significantly increases efficiency.

A particular advantage: The system compensates for defects in the reference data for later evaluation—without manual confirmation by the user. This eliminates potential defects and ensures that only flawless products leave production.

Thanks to this innovation, it is possible to evaluate the decor image even in batch size 1 and the quality of the first component can already be assessed. This means maximum flexibility and future-proofing for a wide range of applications.

With Panel 4.0 and the new Smart Learning function, Baumer Inspection is redefining quality assurance—for intelligent, resourcesaving and economical production.

Hall 15, Booth G67

BIELE GROUP Biele Group is an international benchmark in engineering and automation systems, providing the design and manufacture of complex turnkey projects to the woodworking industry.

Biele will show equipment featuring the following innovations: l High Performance Saw —Biele develops customized complete sawing solutions for the lengthwise and crosswise cutting operations. The saw is a multiple tool machine including scoring saws and hoggers, adaptable to different products, making it a very flexible tool with minimal downtime and easy maintenance.

Biele press technology l EVO Handling Technology Already implemented in various industries (wood, building, metal, etc.) for many years, the EVO handling system now offers new features and applications, such as: —High Speed: EVO technology enables extremely high output and performance in feeding, stacking, and conveying pieces, now replacing traditional feeders.

—Flexibility: The same machine can be used as a feeder, stacker, and conveyor, allowing new and simplified line configurations.

—Accuracy: The system allows accurate positioning in feeding or stacking applications through vacuum force control.

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—Energy Efficiency: The system minimizes energy requirements for most applications compared to traditional vacuum feeding systems.

—Easy Maintenance and Troubleshooting: With fewer moving parts in its design, the EVO is the simplest machine to maintain and troubleshoot.

—Computer Vision: Biele Digital, the Biele Group company responsible for vision systems and management software, adds customized QC applications to the EVO, detecting various features like colors, dimensions, and defects. l The sustainability megatrend requires new ways of processing recycling materials to produce boards. Biele has developed new pressing systems to allow the production of boards from different recycled materials while guaranteeing the quality, cost efficiency, and safety of the process.

The prototype press shown at Ligna will be equipped with the following systems: thickness control by means of an accurate position control technology; steam collection system and energy recovery; press feeding system with screen belts for continuous mat. l In addition to the machines mentioned, Biele will present our digital corner, showcasing developments in our computer vision systems and additional features of Biele’s Operation Advisor self-developed software. The Energy Tracker module has been enhanced with further information. All this data will be connected in real-time with the machines at the booth.

Additionally, Biele will introduce its latest innovations for the woodworking industry, organized into: layup and press lines; finishing lines; packing lines; and handling solutions.

Hall 26, Booth C62

BÜTTNER Büttner Energie- und Trocknungstechnik GmbH—part of the Siempelkamp Group —has a long and storied tradition: August Büttner founded the company in 1874 in Krefeld, Germany.

Büttner operates globally as supplier of burners, drying and energy systems as well as environmental technology, delivering single solutions or the complete dryer island. Reliable, efficient and at the highest technical level, countless Büttner facilities are in use around the world, particularly for the production of wood-based panels (particleboard, OSB, MDF and insulation boards), in the production of pellets, in the sugar industry, in the field of biomass fuels and in various other industries.

Büttner has expanded its drying and emissions control technologies.

Büttner’s product portfolio comprises drying systems for numerous types of bulk solids and fibers as well as drum dryers, tube bundle dryers, flash tube and most recently belt dryers in cooperation with Swiss Combi. In addition to a cooperation in sales, the cooperation agreement between Büttner and Swiss Combi includes collaboration in process engineering, automation, assembly and commissioning.

In the field of energy systems, the product range includes thermal oil heaters and steam generators for the utilization of biomass, dust and primary fuels; in line burners and multi-fuel combination burners for dust, gas and oil.

In 2022, Büttner took the next logical step and sustainably expanded its product range in the field of environmental technology, underlining the status as manufacturer of complete plants. Along with its experienced team of specialists at the new location Kaiserslautern, Büttner designs and manufactures both dry electrostatic filters (ESP) to separate ash from hot flue gases in energy plants and wet electrostatic precipitators (WESP) to reduce particles and volatile emissions from the waste air emitted by drying and press systems. This gives new customers the opportunity to already focus on energy efficiency and the reduction of emissions during the planning and design stages of their plants. The new competence team is able to help current customers in regard to the modernization, conversion and extension of their existing plants.

Whether single components or a turnkey energy system, dryer or burner, the Büttner Service Center (BSC) assists as a reliable partner throughout the entire life cycle of the plant, offering modernization and performance optimization for plants and burners of every make.

Büttner is committed to setting pioneering standards in the fields of energy, drying and environmental technology.

Hall 26, Booth E27

46 • MAY 2025 • PanelWorld

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C.F. NIELSEN The panel industry produces vast amounts of MDF dust, which is often seen as a costly waste. But what if this dust could be transformed into a valuable resource? As energy costs rise and sustainability requirements tighten, innovative solutions are needed to turn waste into profit. A manufacturer in Canterbury, New Zealand has found a way to do just that by implementing a briquetting solution from C.F. Nielsen (RUF Briquetting Systems).

Southern Pine Products faced a major issue with the accumulation of MDF dust. Disposing of this byproduct was not only expensive but also posed environmental and safety concerns. Traditional disposal methods were inefficient, leading to unnecessary costs and wasted potential. With energy prices increasing, the company sought a more sustainable and cost-effective approach.

Turning MDF dust into valuable briquettes—a sustainSouthern Pine Products installed a C.F. Nielsen briquetting press, en- able solution from C.F. Nielsen abling them to convert MDF dust into high-energy briquettes. These briquettes could then be used as boiler fuel, providing a closed-loop energy solution that not only eliminated disposal costs but also reduced reliance on external fuel sources. Unlike dust, with briquettes you get a storage-stable product that can be stored year-round. This is a significant advantage for MDF producers, as they can use the briquettes according to their heating needs, depending on the season.

—Briquettes are easy to store, unlike dust.

—Significant cost savings, with more than $180,000 saved annually on waste disposal.

—Elimination of waste transportation costs, reducing logistical expenses and environmental impact.

—A cleaner and safer working environment, minimizing MDF dust accumulation and associated risks.

—Creation of a valuable fuel source, optimizing in-house energy use and reducing dependency on external suppliers.

—Lower CO footprint, aligning with sustainability goals and industry regulations.

—A more efficient and profitable waste management process.

With increasing energy prices and stricter environmental regulations, solutions like briquetting are becoming more relevant than ever. By transforming waste into a valuable fuel source, panel manufacturers can achieve both economic and environmental benefits.

C.F. Nielsen continues to lead the way in helping the panel industry optimize production by turning MDF dust into an opportunity rather than an obstacle.

Interested in learning more about how briquetting can transform your MDF waste into a profitable energy solution? Meet us at Ligna.

Hall 25, Booth J49

COLOMBO EREDI The Colombo Eredi Group, established in 1961, has its operating Italian headquarters at Villasanta with subsidiaries, stores and global network agents throughout the world for supplying individual machinery or complete facilities to worldwide wood mills. The Group is the leader in pre-owned or fully refurbished equipment for wood-based panels industries including peeled, sliced and decorative veneers, plywood, blockboards. LVL, PB and decorative laminating.

The Group is working in large production sites with several equipment stores placed in different countries and an ample pre-owned, some already fully refurbished individual machinery and complete production lines always available in stock.

A focal point of the Group is the supply of equipment or complete facilities in working condition or in fully renovated state, based on the Colombo Eredi specializes in machinery refurbishment. customers’ requirements and investments.

2025 will mark the 64th anniversary of the Group, always committed to the principles of “COLOMBO EREDI APPROVED,”with more than 169 complete plants transferred in 128 countries. Building on this experience in commissioning and relocation of equipment and their unique state-of-the-art renewing technology, the Group continues to focus on establishing new standards in reconditioning and in advanced package services.

Hall 26, Booth F77

48 • MAY 2025 • PanelWorld

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COMBILIFT Materials-handling specialist Combilift is thrilled to return to Ligna, where it will showcase its innovative range of safe, efficient, and spacesaving materials-handling equipment, designed for the unique challenges faced by the woodworking and timber industry.

The Irish manufacturer offers a wide array of products, including multidirectional forklifts such as the C-Series and Combi-CB, the articulated Aisle Master, pedestrian stackers, powered pallet trucks, Straddle Carriers and the Combi-CSS for safely loading and unloading containers. Around 15 exhibits will demonstrate that Combilift has a solution for every handling and storage scenario that companies in the timber, joinery and furniture sectors face.

Ligna 2023 coincided with the company’s 25th anniversary and saw the launch of the multidirectional Combi-CB 155, showcasing the Combilift’s Combi-CSS container loader company’s dedication to the timber industry. The electric Combi-CB 155E, which will be showcased at Ligna, is the most compact 15,000 lbs. lifting capacity counterbalance model of its capacity. Its small footprint and lateral movement allow for easy navigation through confined spaces and narrow aisles, making it perfect for transporting long and bulky loads of timber. Designed for driver comfort, it received the prestigious “Ergonomic Innovation of the Year” award at the most recent UK Materials Handling Assn. Awards.

Additionally, the Combi-CSS Container Slip-Sheet will also be showcased, designed to load and offload containers quickly and safely. It allows for quick and safe loading and offloading of containers. It efficiently handles rough-sawn timber, flat-packed goods, and panel products, with a maximum capacity of 65,000 lbs. and it can complete a full load cycle for a 40 ft. container in under six minutes.

Discover how Combilift can enhance the safety, productivity, and sustainability of your timber operations by visiting its extensive outdoor and indoor stands.

Outdoor, FG, Booth M61 Indoor, Hall 13, Booth G23

CROSS WRAP As a wood board manufacturer, your end product is highly valuable.

Whether you are producing plywood, veneer, MDF or OSB, the boards need to be packaged efficiently for transportation, handling and storage. You wouldn’t want to lose any product to damages during the transportation or storage, would you?

The Cross Wrap board packaging line ensures durable protection of boards and keeps your product safe during handling and storage. Cross Wrap automates the packaging of a variety of stacked board sizes, all on the same line.

Cross Wrap’s innovative, efficient, and cost-effective method packs board stacks using only stretch film. No straps, or corner and side covers required. Our packaging method provides “all sides covered” packaging protection that safeguards the boards from damage during demanding handling and transport conditions. You don’t have to worry about the elements, as the crosswrapping method prevents any mois- The Cross Wrap board packaging line has been a reliable ture from entering the package. The wrapping film we use is also 100% solution for the wood industry for more than 30 years. recyclable.

The many optional features of the CW board packaging line offer ways to increase production rate, lower material and labor costs, and improve the automation level and material quality. The Cross Wrap board packaging line eliminates the need for manual packaging operation. It also reduces the dependence on multiple packaging materials, and minimizes potential damages caused by traditional handling and transport and storing methods.

The durable wrapping film also provides a more visually appealing wrapped package, plus an option to enhance your company’s image with branded film wrap. An optional labeling robot makes sure all necessary information, including your company logo, is easily visible from the side of the stack.

Cross Wrap currently has 600 machines running in 60 countries. Our first machines were delivered in the early 1990s and are still running like new—this speaks volumes about the robustness, quality and durability of our solutions. Machine lifetime is guaranteed with high-quality service, including maintenance, operator training, and spare part packages.

Swing by our booth for an in-depth machine tour, ask about our optional features, and get to know our top-class service products.

Hall 26, Booth A40

50 • MAY 2025 • PanelWorld

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DIEFFENBACHER This year’s Ligna appearance by German machine and plant manufacturer Dieffenbacher is all about helping its customers and partners tackle the varied challenges facing the wood-based panels industry worldwide. The Dieffenbacher team will highlight solutions that address five of the industry’s toughest challenges: raw material supply, shortage of skilled workers, cost pressures, energy supply and environmental impact.

“Over the past two years since Ligna 2023, we’ve listened intently to what our partners are saying about their challenges in this era of economic and political turbulence and disruption,” says Stefan Zipf, Head of the Wood Business Unit at Dieffenbacher. “At Ligna 2025, we’ll present our solutions—both brand new and tried-and-tested, as well as those that have undergone significant further development—to meet these challenges.”

Examples include Dieffenbacher’s pioneering Fiber2Fiber technology for recy- Dieffenbacher Wireless STS storage system cling MDF, HDF, THDF and wood fiber insulation boards, including post-consumer material; the AI-based digital platform EVORIS, which includes the company’s new online carbon footprint calculation and reporting; Dieffenbacher’s many proven solutions for reducing energy and raw material consumption including the new forming station PB, the EVOjet M 2.0, the EVOscreen and the new Wireless STS storage system; and Dieffenbacher Energy’s bubbling fluidized-bed firing systems for generating energy from low-cost and sustainable refuse-derived fuels (RDF), i.e., fuels made from various types of waste.

“In addition to these solutions, we’ll also focus on our new Lifetime Service approach,” Zipf says. “Visitors to Ligna will get a first glimpse of our new customer portal, an advanced solution to support their daily processes.”

The Dieffenbacher Lifetime Service team will also feature its “One Face to the Customer” approach and expanded global service network with extended spare parts inventories and new offices and stronger teams in Southeast Asia and Latin America.

“So much is going on in the world right now. However, when we consider the challenges we’ve conquered together with our partners and are still mastering today, I’m nevertheless optimistic about the future,” Zipf sums up. “Let’s spend five great days in Hannover, build on existing partnerships, find new common ground and tackle these challenges together. The entire Dieffenbacher team is ready and looking forward to it.”

Hall 26, Booth C41

ELECTRONIC WOOD SYSTEMS Electronic Wood Systems (EWS) offers a complete range of quality inspection systems as well as spark detection and extinguishing systems—developed and manufactured in the headquarters in Germany and in close cooperation with EWS North America LLC. The EWS technology provides practice-oriented solutions for engineered wood products based on applied research and features high reliability, precision, efficiency, robustness, system integration and low maintenance.

After more than 10 successful years of the predecessor model, the new generation spark detection and extinguishing systems is available featuring an outstanding flexibility with state-of-the-art technology. Previous spark detection and extinguishing systems are organized in lines representing single protection areas with fixed hardware modules and wirings. The new EWS system does not have this limitation.

Almost any number of electronic inputs and outputs (I/Os) are connected to a control system and can be flexibly configured in a matrix by means of an exclusively software-based mapping. In order to increase the level of protection, different areas can individually be connected, which enables cross-area actions for detection, extinguishing or machine shutdown.

Furthermore, the design of the new EWS system enables the decentralized moni- EWS inline measuring and inspection for varitoring of a plant. Sub-control-centers can be installed in different sections with net- ous tasks as well as spark detection and extinwork connection to the main control center, e.g. a compact unit in the control room. guishing in wood-based panel production.

The new High-Sensitive Spark Detector (HSSD) is a further development. Working like a temperature sensor, it detects very low-energy ignition potentials depending on the material temperature. The HSSD can also be applied for reliable spark detection in case of the presence of extraneous light in addition to the standard one developed for closed ducts. Accordingly, two types of detectors are available optimally suited to the application conditions—without any need for an expensive one-fits-all device.

EWS measuring and inspection systems provide the reliable and precise process data, which is required for the today’s central topic in the industry—Digitalization and Data. In the latest innovation, EWS area weight measuring systems are applied in Siempelkamp’s adaptive forming systems, which automatically optimize the material distribution in engineered wood products like MDF and particle54 • MAY 2025 • PanelWorld

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board. Consistently low forming tolerances are continuously created without dependence on individual operators.

Such automation, digitalization, and in the next step smart and autonomous control of production processes with considerably reduced operator interaction can only be as good as the input data to the algorithms. Therefore, all EWS systems are continuously re-designed and efficiently tailored to the customer’s requirements, e.g. considering data interfaces or the increasing variety raw material for panel manufacturing.

Beyond technology, individually suited maintenance management concepts are developed including on-site service and spare part packages with a main focus on preventive maintenance considering local conditions and performance of the production line. This helps the customer to decrease downtime with consequently higher equipment effectiveness.

Hall 26, E49

FAGUS GRECON 15-minute testing—the next generation in formaldehyde emission testing is here!

The GreCon GASANALYSER MC is an innovative laboratory test device for measuring formaldehyde emission from wood-based materials. The heart of GASANALYSER MC is a state-of-the-art infrared laser analyzer that allows the user to run fully automated emission tests without involving any chemicals. The tests are carried out at 25°C (passively controlled by the room temperature) and 50% humidity (actively controlled) within only 15 minutes per sample. In addition, the device is very easy to operate via the touch panel.

Some of the key benefits of the GASANALYSER MC are: —Determination of formaldehyde emission according to ISO 12460-2:2024 —Close-meshed factory production control due to short testing time (15 min) —Very high (repeatable) accuracy through the use of state-of-the-art laser spectroscopy —Stable operation without necessary drift correction and long calibration interval GreCon GASANALYSER MC—rapid —Fully automated analysis; no wet chemistry formaldehyde emission testing —Significant time saving for laboratory staff —Excellent correlatability of results to reference methods The heart of GASANALYSER MC is a laser infrared analyzer that measures the optical absorption of released formaldehyde. The measurement principle is as follows: l A laser LED generates infrared laser light that is passed through an optical cell. l The laser cell is flushed with the sample gas of the test chamber. l Part of the light is attenuated by the formaldehyde in the sample gas. l The detector detects the amount of missing light and can precisely calculate the amount of formaldehyde in the gas.

GASANALYSER MC is completely operated via the touch panel of the device. The recorded measured values are represented and evaluated graphically in real time. The measured data can be provided both graphically and numerically to its users. This includes HCHO concentration in the sample gas flow (in parts per million, ppm) as a function of testing time and temperature, along with air flow rate and humidity in the test chamber as a function of testing time.

Results and raw data of the test emission curves can be either exported via the USB or web interface.

Hall 26, Booth C42

GRENZEBACH Grenzebach is setting new standards in real-time surface inspection, developing modular, high-performance solutions for veneer and wood quality assessment. With a strong focus on efficiency and precision, the company offers a fully automated and reliable sorting process that optimizes production workflows and minimizes waste. Thinking ahead, Grenzebach continuously refines its technologies to drive innovation and meet future industry demands.

More than just a scanner, Grenzebach’s ROSI is an advanced optical measurement solution powered by artificial intelligence. Integrating external data with AI-driven image analysis creates a reliable quality measurement framework. The process starts with high-resolution image capture and precise board measurement. Features are detected, classified, and incorporated into a quality evaluation, which accurately determines the overall grade of the sheets. With smart algorithms, the system improves defect de- Grenzebach Real-Time Optical Surface Inspection (ROSI) tection, providing a highly reliable and efficient sorting process.

Grenzebach’s optical inspection technology is based on a camera solution intelligently combined with state-of-the-art LED illumination. This advanced machine vision technology enables more accurate detection of color deviations and features, such as cracks, knots, 56 • MAY 2025 • PanelWorld

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or surface roughness. The inspection is performed simultaneously in reflection and transmission illumination, providing comprehensive defect detection.

Beyond qualitative assessment, the system provides high-precision measurement of boards and their characteristics. It simultaneously calculates multiple geometric parameters of boards in real-time. Operating with exceptional speed, ROSI is seamlessly integrated into the production process without compromising throughput.

Grenzebach’s intelligent software provides precise and automated quality grading based on prior image analysis. Utilizing all acquired board information, predefined customer-specific grading rules are applied, resulting in an individual quality grade. For optimized sorting, changes to evaluation rules can be simulated offline without inline experimentation. A user-friendly interface offers operators comprehensive statistical insights and real-time monitoring capabilities.

Thanks to its modular design, the system adapts to various production requirements. Its high mechanical stability provides long-term reliability with minimal maintenance. The web-based user interface is network-compatible via Ethernet, enabling seamless integration.

Additionally, remote access offers fast maintenance and service support.

Discover the potential of AI-powered optical quality measurement, and discuss your specific requirements with the experts.

Hall 26, Booth F45

HAPCO HAPCO was established in 1996, mainly dedicated to designing, manufacturing and sales of short-cycle press lines (melamine lamination press lines) according to any specific requirements and production capacity needs of customers with excellent design and processing technology.

HAPCO offers advanced and reliable hot press systems and handling systems with world-class automation technology: l Flexible production l 24h uninterrupted production l High-performance Automatic Paper Layup l Embossed in Register System (Sychronized EIR) l 3D Deep Embossing l HHC Patented hydraulic loader & unloader l High-efficiency Automatic Caul Plate Replacement System l Multilateral Chamfering 3.0 HAPCO press technology l Online Visual Surface Inspection l Automatic stacking and packaging With the concept of taking customers’ value first, offering superior-quality machines and top service, HAPCO has expanded business fast and improved its presence in the market greatly. Currently, HAPCO has a new factory under construction, which is scheduled for completion in October 2025. Greater manufacturing capacity will be achieved to meet customer demands.

HAPCO designs, erects and commissions production lines, including —Melamine Short-Cycle Press Line —Veneer Lamination Line —Flooring Lamination Line —Plywood Lamination Line —Cold Press Equipment —Laboratory Hot Press Equipment Visit us at Ligna to experience and communicate the technology and future trend of lamination.

Hall 26, Booth A28/1

MÜNZING Münzing is a highly regarded, privately owned specialty additive company with headquarters in Abstatt, Germany. We have a presence in more than 40 countries and are a technology-driven organization with an extensive staff of highly experienced R&D and technical service personnel in Europe, the Americas and Australia. Our manufacturing plants in Germany, the U.S., Australia, and Asia have broad synthesis and formulation capabilities in order to best serve our global customer base. We are committed to creating value and improving our customers’ formulations with our complete range of specialty additives. These additives, which include defoamers, dispersants, rheology modifiers, emulsifiers, wetting and leveling agents, micronized and coated waxes as well as wax dispersions and emulsions have achieved worldwide recognition for their performance, quality, and technical innovation.

Besides our holistic portfolio of additives for laminating, wood processing and engineered wood, we will highlight the topics of Easy-to-Clean, Novel Scavenging, and Electrical Conductivity. We look forward to discussing the latest industry trends with you.

Hall 26, Booth D28 58 • MAY 2025 • PanelWorld

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HASHIMOTO DENKI Hashimoto Denki Co., Ltd. was established in 1946 at the capital city of Japanese plywood and veneer making machinery, Nagoya. Since then, as one of the leading machinery manufacturers, we have been supplying our machines worldwide, including the well respected dry veneer composer, dryer, dryer outfeed (unloader and stacker), veneer and plywood grading scanner with AI system.

In 2002, Hashimoto Denki acquired Uroko Machinery Corp., which specializes in veneer lathe and veneer drying. Through this acquisition, Hashimoto Denki has been supplying total solutions of veneer, plywood and LVL manufacturing machinery to the global industry—from upstream to downstream.

Our AI system plywood grading scanning system “GAIA Panel” is Hashimoto GAIA plywood grading analyzer verified for using the JAS (Japan Agricultural Standard). Now, the plywood panel grading section has been automated in Japan and we are ready to expand it worldwide.

The automation of production lines is one of the most valuable points in veneer, plywood and LVL production in terms of stability and quality of final products. With our long-established company history and experience, we can provide solutions to improve your issues. We are all looking forward to discussing with you at Ligna how to improve your production.

Hall 27, Booth A53

HYMMEN “We expect Ligna 2025 to have a positive impact on the entire investment climate,” emphasizes Dr. René Pankoke, managing partner and CEO of Hymmen. With this view to the future, Hymmen has even increased its stand space at Ligna this year.

The aim is, on the one hand, to have time for an intensive exchange with familiar and new visitors in a pleasant lounge atmosphere. At the same time, Hymmen presents all the latest production technologies and industry intelligence solutions to manufacturers of flooring, furniture, laminates, wood-based materials, building materials and engineered wood.

This year, as so often, Hymmen is once again focusing on the presentation of product samples from its own customers: The lounge seating areas are placed on digitally decorated and textured flooring (JUPITER and Digital Lacquer Embossing DLEplus) from producers around the world. Surfaces that have been run through Hymmen systems are installed in a kitchen unit: —high gloss and super matt cabinet doors from Calender Coating Inert CCI technology —digitally printed and textured cabinet doors and a wall panel from JUPITER, DLEplus and liquid coating technology —a worktop coated with laminate from a double belt press —a small bar counter with a compact panel from a multi-daylight press and —the body of the kitchen cabinets with foil lamination and edge wrapping using a Hymmen laminating system.

The whole setting is placed in a house with wooden beams, which presents multi-layer Hymmen combi-coater roller application panels and veneer plywood on the back for the reference to engineered wood.

“We want to show that we are the usual dependable experts in machine and plant construction and at the same time always think one step ahead in process improvement,” Pankoke enphasizes. With these two goals in mind, a single-daylight laboratory press in innovative design colors will be on display.

Another area of the trade fair stand will attract newly interested visitors. This is Hymmen’s Industry Intelligence Solutions. The Digital Twin will bring production systems to the trade fair stand virtually. Visitors can follow the production on a large monitor. Or—even more exciting—AR (augmented reality) glasses transport the visitor into the production hall virtually.

The Industry Intelligence Solution smart2i from Hymmen also increases efficiency during commissioning and throughout the customer’s entire production operation. And not just for Hymmen systems, also other industries or system brands can use smart2i in their interlinked production processes. Dashboards show visitors diagrams displaying relevant data transparently and how KPIs can identify potential for improvement following an intelligent analysis.

If you need refreshments after the intensive technical discussions and virtual experiences at the Hymmen stand, the Hymmen team looks forward to serving you at the fair booth.

Hall 26, Booth F46

60 • MAY 2025 • PanelWorld

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IMALPAL GROUP Specialists in engineering as well as the supply of machinery and complete plants, the IMALPAL Group prides itself on its innovative solutions in four principal areas of business: wood-based panels, pressed wood packaging, pellets & energy, and wood recycling and waste treatment.

IMALPAL Group will be exhibiting in an area of more than 750 square meters, where its “masterpieces” will be in the spotlight. Furthermore, IMALPAL Group will be hosting a truly unique activity-experience at their stand, designed to involve visitors in an immersive and interactive experience. Without revealing too much, we can anticipate that this will be an irresistible chance to discover our products in an innovative and engaging way. You will have the opportunity to come into direct contact with the most advanced solutions and to have a close-up view of the technological evolution that has taken place in the wood industry.

Imagine the stand as a complete wood processing plant, where produc- ImalPal-Globus knife ring flaker tion starts from the log yard. Here you will find Globus, specialized in the management and handling of logs and a global leader in the installation of chipping lines and mills. In recent years the company has focused significant effort and research on enhancing its knife ring flaker (SRC) product line, significantly improving its design for greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The new system uses fewer knives, resulting in higher quality flakes.

The next area is the preparation area where PAL continues to make substantial investments in the design of high-tech integrated solutions for wood preparation. A major innovation is the new technology applied in recycling MDF, a system that selects it from recycled chips, separates it out, and then passes the fiber through a complex cleaning system so that it may be reintroduced into the work process for the production of MDF or fiber for insulation. After spending some years analyzing and testing the process in the laboratory, PAL has successfully produced boards starting from 20% recycled fiber through to 100% recycled fiber. PAL is able to supply the most suitable, flexible, reliable and customized solutions with extremely rapid response times through a customer-oriented service.

Lastly, you will find IMAL, with its long and consolidated experience in all the other stages of the board production process: drying, dosing and blending, pressing, on-line and laboratory control equipment and process control. IMAL will be showcasing the latest evolution of the DYNADRYER, a highly efficient, low temperature belt dryer for PB and OSB production lines with virtually no dust or VOC emission, a system that has already been installed in more than 30 production facilities. The interactive experience that we have prepared for you involves in fact the drying process.

We can’t wait to see you at our stand and where you will have the chance to enjoy this unique experience.

Hall 26, Booth E61-E71-D72

IMEAS IMEAS, headquartered in Villa Cortese (Milan), Italy, with offices in China, the U.S., and Australia, will showcase its advanced solutions for wood-based and synthetic panel sanding and finishing at Ligna.

The EvoL range is designed for processing MDF, HDF, particleboard, plywood, OSB, and similar panels, standing out for its remarkable versatility and adaptability to various production scenarios. Thanks to customizable configurations, the EvoL enables the sanding of panels with thicknesses starting from 1.5 mm (1⁄16 in.) and achieves production speeds of up to 180 m/min, catering to high-productivity manufacturing lines. Within the EvoL family, two key developments are revolutionizing the sector: l EvoL-CLT, optimized for sanding Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) panels, offers working widths of up to 4000 mm and thicknesses up to 700 mm. With more than 50 machines installed and more than 90 sanding heads in operation, IMEAS reaffirms its leadership in this segment. l EvoL-GLT, dedicated to Glulam beam processing, handles sections up to 2600x700 mm (104x28 in.) with four-side sanding in a single pass. It is now available with an “Edge Easing” option, enabling continuous chamfering or rounding of edges for an optimal finish.

Beyond wood-based materials, IMEAS has developed innovative solutions for synthetic panels such as HPL. The new HS (HPL Sander) is a modular and compact machine suitable for both sheet and continuous processing. Available with either upper or IMEAS Evol caters to high production. lower heads, it is designed for easy installation and quick production startup.

On the automation front, IMEAS has further enhanced its Full Control System (FCS) technology by integrating artificial intelligence and predictive analysis for advanced sanding process management. The FCS system enables fully automated operations, minimizing 62 • MAY 2025 • PanelWorld

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human intervention and errors, improving product quality, and ensuring real-time production monitoring.

IMEAS invites you to experience its latest innovations firsthand and explore the best solutions for your production needs.

Hall 26, Booth E58

INTO CHEMICALS In today’s construction and wood industry, safety is a priority that cannot be overlooked. At Into Chemicals, we understand the importance of fire safety and provide advanced fire-retardant additives designed to make wooden structures and products more fire-resistant. These innovations not only protect buildings and infrastructure but also help achieve sustainability goals and improve overall product quality.

The demand for fire-safe wood products is expected to continue growing, particularly in urban areas where wooden constructions are becoming more popular due to their aesthetic and sustainable qualities. Into Chemicals plays a key role in this trend by offering innovative fire-retardant solutions that meet the needs of the modern construction sector.

With continuous advancements in fire safety technologies, Into Chemicals remains committed to providing products that enhance the safety and sustainability of wooden applications worldwide. By using our advanced additives, Into Chemicals innovation for safety and quality the wood industry not only meets the highest fire safety standards but also contributes to a safer and more sustainable future.

At Into Chemicals, innovation is at the heart of what we do. With a laboratory full of knowledge and a strong R&D department, we are constantly developing and improving our products. We listen to customer needs and adapt our solutions to meet the ever-evolving demands of the market. Our experts continuously improve products, ensuring we deliver the best and most efficient fire-retardant additives.

One of our latest innovations is a fire-retardant additive for MDF. This product significantly improves the internal bond, resulting in stronger and more durable MDF. This development provides considerable benefits for the furniture and construction sectors, where the safety of wood materials is crucial.

Additionally, Into Chemicals offers solutions for other panels and other cellulose-based applications. IC WT-30 is a powerful fire-retardant additive that effectively protects wood products from the spread of fire without compromising the aesthetics or strength of the wood. Ideal for applications such as cladding, verandas, and structural components, this product also offers extra benefits: It is overpaintable and weather-resistant. IC WT-30 remains highly effective even in varying weather conditions and can be easily overpainted to achieve the desired finish. This makes it an ideal solution for sustainable and fire-safe wood projects used both indoors and outdoors. Enhance the safety and longevity of your wooden applications with IC WT-30.

Into Chemicals provides the wood industry with reliable, efficient, and eco-friendly fire-retardant solutions that are essential for ensuring the safety and integrity of wooden structures.

Hall 26, Booth D36

IPCO IPCO will use Ligna 2025 to highlight the service and support services it provides to press manufacturers and WBP producers alike.

IPCO is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of steel press belts for the wood-based panel industry, supplying to all major press OEMs and end users around the world. This history of partnership extends back to 1901 with the production of the world’s first steel belt. Other major milestones include the first stainless steel belt, the first endless steel belt, the first 3 mm thick steel belt, and the largest press belt ever produced.

Innovation remains a key focus to this day and Ligna will see the launch of IPCO’s ProRelease release agent delivery system. Specifically designed for the WBP industry, the system applies release agent onto the press belt with such efficiency and accuracy that one company involved in trials reported a 90% reduction in consumption. Other benefits include a premium Press belt manufacturer IPCO provides engineering and quality board, increased productivity, reduced environmental footprint and service expertise. a cleaner working environment.

IPCO’s stand will also feature a dedicated productivity center where repair and maintenance techniques will be explained. Tools on show will include the company’s Shotpeener Pro, a unit used to restore deformed steel belts to a totally flat condition, and the QuickDisc Plus 500, a portable tool used for replacing the damaged area of a belt.

IPCO’s locally-based service teams have the skills and state-of-the-art tools to carry out everything from belt installation to equip64 • MAY 2025 • PanelWorld

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ment inspections, repairs, regular maintenance and general engineering services. And more serious issues can be handled by IPCO’s Press Priority Team, specialists who can offer practical support anywhere in the world at short notice.

IPCO will be showcasing its precision scattering technologies via a demo model. The company’s ScatterPro C system, designed for corundum scattering, is used in conjunction with IPCO’s ThermoPress double belt press systems to form a continuous production process for abrasion-resistant flooring. IPCO has the world’s broadest portfolio of scattering and pressing systems and these can be combined for the production of a wide range of flooring products.

The company will also be highlighting the role that its steel belts and High Speed Tracking (HST) system can play in delivering faster, more precise digital printing. Research carried out by Fraunhofer IPT has shown steel belts to be as much as 6x more stable than plastic. This performance is further enhanced by the use of a tracking system accurate to an incredible +/- 0.01 mm and capable of operating at belt speeds up to 25 m/s (1500 m/min).

Hall 26, Booth D58

JOHN KING CHAINS Once again, John King Chains is proud to be returning to Ligna, where we’ll be showcasing our complete, end-to-end material handling solutions, including our specialized capabilities for the timber sector.

With more than 100 years of industry experience, we deliver integrated services covering design, manufacturing, installation, maintenance, and global after sales support.

Our British manufacturing facilities maintain the highest quality standards, adhering strictly to ISO 9001:2015. Every product we supply includes a full manufacturer’s warranty.

With strategically placed locations across four continents, we offer rapid dispatch and availability, significantly reducing operational downtime. Our extensive inventory ensures immediate fulfillment of most customer needs.

We offer complete in-house manufacturing capabilities, including precision laser and plasma cutting, CNC machining, fabrication, and advanced robotic welding.

By controlling every aspect of production, we deliver customized, highquality components specifically designed to withstand demanding timber industry environments.

Our dedicated technical team provides tailored design and engineering support throughout every project stage. From initial consultation and bespoke designs to installation and ongoing assistance, our engineers work closely with your team to achieve optimal performance.

Our experienced site service team delivers comprehensive installation, regular inspections, proactive maintenance, and responsive breakdown support. This ensures your equipment consistently operates at peak performance, even under challenging conditions.

John King timber industry chains: —JKF Series: Internationally recognized forged fork link chains offering exceptional strength, versatility, and abrasion resistance, ideal for drag and en-masse conveying applications.

—WH Series: Durable welded steel chains with offset side plates and circumferentially welded bushes. Featuring induction-hardened pins, these are built for superior toughness and wear performance in demanding timber environments.

—WHM Series: Welded steel chains dimensionally equivalent to DIN 8167 M Series, offering a direct replacement with no sprocket modifications needed. With up to 65% greater tensile strength than standard M Series chains, plus through-hardened and inductionhardened components, WHM chains offer enhanced shock resistance, simplified maintenance, and extended service life.

—M Series: The most widely used European engineering class chain, enhanced through superior materials and heat treatments for increased strength and wear resistance. Available in bush, small roller, and large carrier roller types.

—FV Series: A complementary metric chain to the M Series, differing in key dimensions and strength ratings. Built with the same high spec materials and heat treatments, offering reliable performance across timber conveying applications.

Visit us to learn how our integrated solutions and specialized conveyor chains can transform your timber operations, improving productivity, minimizing downtime, and delivering sustained operational excellence.

Hall 26, Booth D11

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LEDINEK Ledinek Engineering’s participation in Ligna is highly anticipated, given its reputation for delivering advanced, customized solutions in mass timber production. Their presence highlights the company’s commitment to innovation and its role as a key player in the global woodworking machinery market, particularly in CLT and Glulam production solutions, as well as planing and moulding technology. Ledinek’s exhibits are expected to attract significant attention from industry stakeholders looking to optimize production processes and enhance efficiency.

Ledinek’s main focus will be a new segment of production lines designed for small- and medium-sized companies looking to Ledinek XE-PRESS as part of a smart compact CLT production line enter the lucrative mass timber production market. These compa- at Holzbau Driendl in Germany nies, whether from developed or emerging markets, can now benefit from compact mass timber solutions tailored to their specific needs, enabling an easy and efficient market entry.

Compact production lines retain the core functionality and flexibility of larger systems but at a lower investment cost. They are designed for straightforward, flexible operation and easy maintenance. Additionally, the level of automation in these lines can be customized to meet customer requirements, ranging from manual production in separate workstations to fully automated, compact hybrid lines for CLT and Glulam production.

The straightforward design enables efficient operation with a minimal team of operators who require only basic woodworking skills.

Additionally, the equipment can be adapted for emerging markets, where subsidies may be available to support the employment of larger operational and maintenance teams.

Ledinek will showcase a CLT press module from a new class of CLT presses, along with a component of a new fingerjointing system—both featured as part of the Compact Smart Line. This innovative solution is set to be delivered to a customer in California shortly after the fair.

In addition to these two machines, Ledinek will also present an upgraded eight-spindle heavy-duty planer, highlighting its expertise in the planing segment. This new machine can be seamlessly integrated into both existing and new North American planing lines. With its modernized features, it excels in terms of planing and moulding quality while offering maximum operational flexibility.

Ledinek’s latest advancements in machine technology, smart manufacturing, and custom production lines reflect a forward-thinking approach to meeting the evolving needs of wood product manufacturers. The future of woodworking technology looks promising, with companies like Ledinek at the forefront of developing solutions that are both efficient and environmentally responsible.

At this year’s event, Ledinek’s three core equipment pillars will be well represented through the exhibited machinery. Their slogan— “Innovative, Powerful, Durable”—has never been more fitting as they showcase their latest innovations at the industry’s premier woodworking event.

Hall 27, Booth C20

LIMAB LIMAB is a market leader in non-contact laser measurement of wood-based panels. We started in 1979 with laser technology in Gothenburg, Sweden and developed our own application specific laser sensors, in-house mechanical system solutions and specialized software for the three different industries—Building Material, Metals, and Wood/Sawmill.

Our PanelProfiler system is an excellent in-line quality and process control tool for all types of panels, like MDF, plywood, OSB, particleboard, hardboard and engineered LIMAB in-line laser measurement wood products. The system can help improve both the product quality and process in presses, sanding and finishing lines.

The unique laser-based PanelProfiler measurement system is nearly maintenace free. There are no moving parts like contact rolls that wear and require expensive replacement and frequent cleaning. This gives you very low maintenance work and low total cost of ownership.

The system is available in several versions including single and multiple fixed position measurement tracks, traversing single track and automatically width adjustable outer tracks for varying product widths. It is also possible to install up to three or four measurement stations combined in one single system computer. This is very useful in sanding lines before/between/after sanders to see how much has been sanded off and for quick trouble shooting help for out-of-tolerance conditions.

There are many advantages with our non-contact measurement technology, such as a very high and consistent accuracy for all types of products, also for thin and rough surfaced panels, and importantly, it measures the complete panel from the very beginning of front 68 • MAY 2025 • PanelWorld

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edge. This is also valid for continuous and high speed lines.

On panels after sanding, there will not be any scratch or dirt marks on panels.

LIMAB has also developed non-contact solutions for both length and width as an option to our thickness measurement system and fully integrated in the software and HMI. All measured data will be stored in a database for further analysis and process improvements.

With the PanelProfiler, sold all over the world for 30 years, we have developed a temperature stable design that gives consistent and accurate measurements even with big local temperature changes.

You are welcome to visit us and we will tell you more about our solutions.

Hall 26, Booth E07

LONGONI ROBERTO Longoni Roberto e figli s.r.l. (LRF) works in the field of plastic decorative laminates (HPL, CPL), melamine faced panels (TFL, LPL), and finish foils.

Being highly specialized in the production process of these components, LRF supplies the required machineries, materials and technology suitable to meet the specific demand of each client.

Some examples of LRF activities: l Know-how —Know-how for the production of resins and impregnated Longoni provides new and reconditioned machinery solutions. papers for special applications in HPL, CPL and short-cycle lamination (exterior grade, phenol-free resins, liquid and solid overlay application for laminate flooring, high glossy hot-hot cycle lamination, anti-fingerprint effect...)

—Feasibility studies and cost analysis including advanced technologies and of the sources of alternative raw materials or semi-finished products —Studies for lowering production costs —Studies for making changes on existing plants to improve performance and the quality of products l Materials: —melamine, phenol, urea and melamine resins components —plasticizing agents —release, wetting, special application agents, etc.

—decorative press plates —press pads —decorative paper —finish foil —aluminum foil —overlay —parchment paper l Machinery: —LRF supplies brand-new, second-hand or reconditioned machinery, according to the customer’s needs.

—LRF can make an evaluation of a second-hand plants still working or no longer in use and offer a project based on the working parts of the plant integrated with other machinery brand new or reconditioned.

—LRF and its partner companies supply complete turnkey plants, technical assistance for dismantling, reconditioning, erecting and starting up plants, including after-sales service for raw materials, consumable products and spare parts.

LRF has a tight cooperation with many industrial partners. Among them, the most successful is with machine manufacturer IMPTECH as exclusive agent for their paper impregnation lines. Our latest generation of impregnation lines is the best choice for companies with a high demand on quality, performance and price advantage.

LRF has recently developed the industrialization of LAMIDRY technology, a patented solution to treat decorative and kraft paper surface with dry resin, which gives totally new perspective in the lamination industry. Compared to standard wet process, LAMIDRY uses less resin, avoids polluted emissions, reduces energy consumption and machinery investment cost.

The LRF philosophy is to provide up-to-date solutions complying to a basic principle: highest quality at minimum cost.

Hall 26, Booth H58

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MEINAN Meinan Machinery Works is excited to return to Ligna for the first time since 2013, when we showcased the TEC-4. After 12 years of continuous innovation, we are proud to introduce our latest advancement—the TEC-8 Green Veneer Composer.

Since our last appearance at Ligna, Meinan has developed the TEC5, TEC-6, and TEC-8, refining our veneer composing technology to better meet customer needs. The TEC-8 is designed to produce three sizes of jointed veneers: 4x8, 8x4, and 8x8, which offers greater flexibility and efficiency in veneer processing.

The fundamental principle behind the TEC Composer series is to enhance veneer quality and production efficiency by: * Removing defects from raw random veneers and discarding unusable section * Joining veneers into fixed-length sheets by applying paper tape on Meinan introduces the TEC-8 Green Veneer Composer. both sides and heat-pressing with a jointer This process increases dryer efficiency, reduces energy consumption, and optimizes production output. Additionally, fixed-length veneer sheets simplify both manual and automatic feeding into the dryer, reducing labor costs and improving workflow.

These benefits remain central to the TEC-8, which we are excited to showcase at Ligna.

Meinan has successfully sold and installed 10 TEC units (TEC-4, TEC-5, and TEC-8) across North America, where they have been seamlessly integrated into 8 ft. and 10 ft. Meinan lathe lines. This has significantly improved operational efficiency, and we remain committed to further developing the TEC Green Veneer Composer series in response to customer needs.

Alongside the TEC-8, we will also be showcasing a range of other cutting-edge Meinan innovations. We invite you to visit us. We look forward to meeting you!

Hall 26, Booth H27

MINDA With more than 45 years of experience and as one of the first Ligna exhibitors, MINDA will again be part of this mega event in Hannover, which is close to our headquarters in Minden. You will find us in two different exhibition halls.

In Hall 26, Booth F27, you will meet our intralogistics specialist for the wood-based panel industry.

They will show customized solutions for safe and smart transport of stacks, made from wood-based boards. We develop innovative, solution-oriented, and tailor-made ideas according to your demands and requirements and, if needed, together with a 3D-layout for your planning. Our solutions convey your raw panels in a safe and gentle way throughout the entire process chain—from production through intermediate storage and converting machines to pallet securing of finished goods.

In Hall 27, Booth F38, MINDA presents the latest technologies for Mass Timber production. The first main topic is on the efficient manufacturing of Mass Timber products like cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glulam. The MINDA stack transport and storage technology focus lies on saving resources and manpower. MINDA lines produce high quality products with less operators, wood, energy and space and, therefore, build the vanguard of modern production plants. From CLT panels with preproduced cutouts and built-in wood insulation panels, to fully automated presses for curved beams: MINDA presents the state-of-the-art technology.

The second main topic is on our MINDA Flowmate software as an in-house programmed machine execution software which is the backbone of modern and flexible Mass Timber production. More than 35 years of experience in the development of process control systems have led to the newest version being launched in 2021. The whole production is visualized in 3D with this system and synchronized with the real line. With additional features, like statistics, it gives the operator the perfect overview and helps him to make the best decisions.

If you are interested in seeing machines live in action, you can have a look at our latest TimberPress R414—built for glulam beams for a German customer—at our headquarters in Minden just 50 minutes away from Ligna.

Hall 26, Booth F27 Hall 27, Booth F38

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MINGKE Mingke focuses on the production and manufacturing of highstrength endless steel belts, and provides continuous process solutions with steel belts as carriers, and is committed to creating a world-class champion enterprise in subdivided categories. , Our factory is located in Nanjing, covering an area of 40000 square meters and has more than 100 employees; our headquarter and R&D center (Shanghai Mingke Process Systems Co., Ltd.) are located in Shanghai. Our core team members come from well-known universities such as Zhejiang University, Xiamen University, Dalian University of Technology, Southeast University, and Nanyang Technological University, and we have sales and service centers in more than a dozen countries around the world. Adhering to more than 10 years of innovation and industry experience, we have obtained more than 40 technical patents and honors.

We focus on wood-based-panel industry, and we provide steel belts for continuous presses, including our MT1650 martensitic Mingke steel belt for WBF presses stainless steel belt for Mende & double belt press and our carbon steel belt for single-opening press. We have won the support and trust of many customers worldwide, like Kronospan, Unilin, Arauco, Dieffenbacher-SWPM, China Foma, Vanachai, Yildiz, Berneck, etc.

We have a professional steel belt after-sale service centers located in nearly 10 countries and regions, including Poland in Europe.

Hall 26, Booth D08

NESTEC NESTEC is a leading supplier of air emission control systems at wood products facilities, with systems installed on dryers, press vents, hammermills and pellet coolers. NESTEC technologies include regenerative thermal and catalytic oxidizers (RTOs, RCOs), wet electrostatic precipitators (Wet ESPs), wet scrubbers and irrigated quench duct systems.

NESTEC’s project capabilities include engineering, equipment supply, installation, and startup services. NESTEC has turnkey project capabilities that provide customers with a single point of contact and streamlined project execution utilizing 3D design software and other modern applications and management systems.

NESTEC is staffed with an experienced team of engineers and NESTEC has come on strong with air emission control technologies. professionals that are focused on process expertise, demonstrated solutions and customer support. Its unique technologies combined with in-depth experience and valuable knowledge of the upstream processes make NESTEC a leader in wood products emission control systems.

NESTEC has had tremendous growth and success in the wood products industry over the past five years. NESTEC has installed RTO, RCO, or Wet ESP air emission control systems at wood panelboard and wood pellet plants around North America. NESTEC also frequently works on existing RTO and Wet ESP systems, providing rebuilds and upgrades, including of competitors’ systems.

Product development and technology advancements are taking place in the newly renovated NESTEC Research and Development Lab. Capabilities of this new lab include physical modeling and new product testing. This capability also allows analysis of existing installations for improvements in airflow, reduced energy consumption and solve difficult maintenance problems.

The NESTEC field service team is staffed with experienced technicians located throughout the U.S. that understand wood products applications and the upstream processes. Our technicians are knowledgeable with all aspects of oxidation and WESP systems, including the following sub-components: PLC controls, fans, fuel trains and burners, RTO valves, transformer rectifiers, centrifuges, pumps, electrodes etc. Services provided include routine inspections, startup and commissioning, operator training, energy audits, emergency support and spare parts sourcing.

NESTEC, Inc. is a private, employee-owned company located in eastern Pennsylvania with several remote offices throughout the U.S. Hall 26, Booth H50

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OMECO Omeco has improved its dryers making them even more efficient and productive. Some of the features are insulated flooring, automatic air moisture control with Zirconia sensors, infeed and outfeed smoke sections to allow working with very high air moisture content, zone temperature control, air moisturing, high temperature condensate, direct drive fans, vacuum feeder that gives up to 22 cycles per minute, synchronizing outfeed section to avoid veneer overlapping at dryer outfeed, automatic veneer moisture detector with automatic dryer control to automatically adjust speed of the dryer according to veneer moisture and grading and stacking lines.

The result of all these improvements makes it possible that actual 4 deck dryers produce more than 1 m3 per section with only 22 kw, based on pine veneer with 560 kgwater/m3 to be evaporated and consuming less than 350.000kcal/m3.

Omeco high efficiency veneer dryers Hall 26,Booth G24/1

PIKA RETECH Founded in 2017, Pika ReTech stands at the forefront of technological innovation in the wood-based panel industry. With a firm commitment to redefining traditional methodologies, we leverage cutting-edge technologies to enhance efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness. Our guiding principle, “Reinventing the Wheel,” drives us to challenge industry norms, uncover new efficiencies, and introduce groundbreaking advancements.

ReJIT, our pioneering Nano paraffin emulsion system, has redefined paraffin consumption in wood panel production. By transforming wax or emulsion into nano-scale paraffin, ReJIT significantly reduces the required paraffin volume, leading to: l Faster Processing Times—Improved penetration and distribution enhance efficiency. l Lower Material Costs—Reduces reliance on high-quality raw materials without compromising performance.

Pika ReTech resin-saving system, ReFogger l Optimized Resource Utilization—Enhances adhesion and moisture resistance, increasing the durability of panels.

Since its launch in 2023, ReJIT has gained rapid adoption, proving to be a game-changer in wood panel manufacturing.

ReFogger, our patented resin-saving system, revolutionizes resin application by utilizing an innovative steam chamber design. This advanced system: l Prevents Nozzle Clogging—Resin is pulverized before application, ensuring smooth and consistent distribution. l Minimizes Resin Consumption—Achieves optimal mechanical resistance values with reduced resin usage. l Enhances Operational Efficiency—Delivers seamless performance, eliminating process disruptions.

With 42 ReFogger and 15 ReJIT systems currently operating worldwide, businesses are experiencing significant cost savings and operational improvements.

Recognizing the immense value of our innovations, global technology leader Siempelkamp formed a strategic partnership with Pika ReTech in 2023. As part of this collaboration, ReFogger glue-saving systems are now integrated into Siempelkamp projects worldwide.

Our technologies are deployed across Asia, Europe, South Africa, South America, Australia, New Zealand, and North America, reinforcing our presence in key markets.

—USA Expansion: Our first U.S. ReFogger installation was successfully completed at Swiss Krono Barnwell in 2022, followed by a second deployment for a Siempelkamp project.

—Breakthrough in North America: The first ReJIT project in the U.S. was executed at West Fraser Cordele in 2024, leading to a subsequent installation at the Grand Prairie facility, Canada.

—Strategic Industry Collaborations: Pika ReTech partners with leading chemical and additive manufacturers in North America and Europe to drive further innovation.

We continue to push boundaries and share our latest advancements with the industry. Exciting innovations will be unveiled at Ligna.

Hall 26, Booth D09/1

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PLYTEC Recent years have been a busy and rewarding period for Plytec.

With the help of our dedicated existing customers and new clients, the company has developed steadily and gathered further experience by handling larger scope deliveries. With great interest, we have focused on our customers’ needs and requests, ensuring that all projects have achieved positive outcomes. Dry veneer handling, layup, veneer patching, and scarf-jointing remain Plytec’s main products.

In veneer scarf-jointing technology, Plytec has been a leading supplier for years. Maximizing raw material output, as well as increasing line capacity and efficiency, has been a key focus of our latest scarf-jointing line deliveries. Recently, deliveries to birch-growing areas in Northern Europe have been a highlight. Plytec scarfjointing lines are tailored to meet each customer’s specific needs, considering factors such as raw material type, capacity demand, Plytec automatic veneer patching line local labor costs, and available space.

Over the past few years, Plytec has secured contracts for several automatic layup lines. These lines feature either a traditional roller glue spreader or gluing technology system based on extrusion, where adhesive is fed through both ends of a customized spreader pipe.

The lines also incorporate a camera control system to ensure the quality of veneers before glue spreading. All improvements focus on increasing capacity, effectiveness, and glue consumption efficiency.

The latest developed product is an automatic veneer patching line. This system combines veneer patching machines, a color camera, and linear manipulators, enabling the automation of the veneer patching process.

Plytec Oy will participate in Ligna alongside our long-term partner, Elliott Bay Industries from the U.S., and Manitek Oy, a leading Finnish specialist in panel handling machinery. You can find our sales team as well as our global representatives.

Hall 26, Booth G76

RAUTE At Ligna we are excited to showcase Raute’s unique position as the leading technology partner for veneer, plywood, and LVL production. From log handling to final panel trimming, and through every data-driven optimization step in between, we deliver integrated solutions that help you maximize yield, boost productivity, and improve resource efficiency.

Our strength is in our Complete Mill expertise, seamless integration of machinery, analyzers, automation, and lifecycle support across every production stage. From individual machines to complete production lines, Raute’s offering helps mills modernize operations, reduce costs, and meet evolving industry needs—whether working with Raute or non-Raute equipment.

Visit us to discuss how we can help take your production efficiency to the next level. Discover our latest innovations in engineered wood production, including: l Smarter Decisions with AI Analyzers —Our AI Analyzers use neural network-based intelligence to achieve highly accurate veneer defect detection and grading, supporting better raw material recovery, lower production costs, and higher end-product quality. l Hybrid Peeling to the Smallest Core —The Veneer Peeling Line R7-Hybrid maximizes material yield by peeling down to a 25 mm core, reduces energy use by up to 30%, and ensures consistent, high-quality veneer—all with single-operator efficiency. l Data into Actionable Insights —With Raute MillSIGHTS, real-time production data becomes a tool for optimizing performance, reducing downtime, and enabling predictive decision-making.

Let’s shape the future of engineered wood production—together. Meet us at Ligna and connect with our experts.

Hall 26, Booth G61

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SIEMPELKAMP “Smart. Sustainable. Siempelkamp.”

Siempelkamp will be present at Ligna under this motto, with a focus on visionary concepts for the wood-based panel industry.

For example, Siempelkamp will showcase its digital platform “IQ” under the keyword “Smart.” Visitors to the booth can explore the holistic concept for the analysis, control and optimization of complete plants. The “control room of the future” also represents a milestone toward complete plant autonomy.

Siempelkamp’s “Smart” concept also includes the service experts’ Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) process.

The second component of Siempelkamp’s trade fair motto “Sustainable” can also be experienced. It combines sustainability and resource efficiency, innovation and social responsibility. A booth highlight in this regard is the Recycling Tower: It illustrates Siempelkamp’s technologies and research activities relating to sustainable recycling solutions via augmented reality.

The Siempelkamp service illustrates, among other things, which options modernizations open up for CO2 savings. The topics of energy and material savings as well as energy recovery can also be explored.

Hall 26, Booth E27

SMARTECH Catch the “Manewfacturing Revolution” at Ligna!

SMARTECH is everywhere—and for good reason. As the wood panel industry evolves, manufacturers face rising material costs, growing sustainability demands, and an urgent shortage of skilled operators. SMARTECH is overcoming these industry challenges through AI-powered solutions that deliver real impact—across production lines and across the globe.

At Ligna SMARTECH takes center stage, integrated into multiple partner booths including Hexion, Siempelkamp, and Andritz, alongside our own dedicated presence. This year’s theme—SMARTECH EVERYWHERE—is more than a slogan. It’s a reality made possi- SMARTECH: AI powering the future of wood manufacturing ble by our deep partnerships and our bold new chapter as part of Hexion.

Since joining Hexion, SMARTECH has accelerated its innovation roadmap with expanded resources and R&D capabilities. The synergy between SMARTECH’s AI-driven systems and Hexion’s industry-leading chemistry creates a unique advantage: integrated solutions that optimize raw material use, increase profitability, and drive sustainable growth.

With our SMARTWAX and SMARTMDI systems, manufacturers are already seeing dramatic reductions—up to 40% in wax and 15% in resin consumption—without compromising panel quality. Our solutions work in real time, learning and adapting from every panel produced to maximize efficiency and consistency.

But it’s not just about cutting costs. It’s about empowering teams. And that brings us to one of the biggest challenges in today’s factories: training new operators quickly and effectively.

That’s why we’re especially excited to launch a groundbreaking AI solution at Ligna that improves panel quality while helping onboard new operators in record time. This innovation addresses a critical pain point in the industry and promises to bring confidence, clarity and control to every shift on the production floor.

Whether you’re focused on cost savings, quality control, or scaling your operations with fast-tracked operator onboarding, SMARTECH is your partner in smart production.

And there’s more to celebrate. SMARTECH was recently named “Smart Manufacturing Company of the Year” at the 2025 IoT Breakthrough Awards, a recognition of our commitment to digital transformation, operational excellence, and customer success.

Smartech brings new technologies to the manufacturing industry. We call it Manewfacturing!

Find SMARTECH everywhere at Ligna: SMARTECH: Hall 26, Booth C38 Hexion: Hall 26, Booth D77 Siempelkamp: Hall 26, Booth E27 Andritz: Hall 26, Booth D27

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TENTOMA PACKAGING SOLUTIONS Tentoma Packaging Solutions will present its advanced RoRo StretchPack packaging machine, suitable for wood, engineered panels, and other types of wooden materials. RoRo StretchPack offers automated six-sided packaging, which is 100% waterproof. Sealing is performed during the packaging process, reducing the number of operations on the packaging line. RoRo StretchPack is a beneficial alternative to conventional solutions such as orbital wrapping and heat shrink packaging.

RoRo StretchPack uses a tubular stretch hood film that provides complete six-sided coverage with only short, strong seals at the ends.

This eliminates the need for long side welds, which can be a weak point in conventional packaging. As a result, it ensures a 100% waterproof and durable protective barrier around engineered wood panels, for example. The tubular stretch hood film is suitable for printing the company logo and graphics for branding purposes.

Tentoma RoRo StretchPack packaging machine performs For wood products that require ventilation, such as moist timber, the six-sided packaging using a tubular stretch hood film. system offers options for perforated film or four- to five-sided packaging to allow controlled evaporation. This flexibility ensures that the packaging solution aligns with specific product requirements.

The RoRo StretchPack packaging machine allows for a fully automated packaging process, significantly enhancing efficiency and throughput. It can be seamlessly integrated into existing production lines, either as an in-line solution or a stand-alone unit. The high repeatability of the process ensures consistent packaging quality and minimizes downtime. Additionally, customized conveyor solutions and optional features, such as corner protection for doors and panels, further optimize the packaging process for specific product types.

Compared to conventional packaging methods like shrink wrapping or orbital wrapping, this solution reduces film consumption by 25-60%. The tight, form-fitting packaging eliminates excess material, leading to both film savings and a more sustainable operation.

Switching from heat shrink packaging to RoRo StretchPack will also enable energy savings and a better production environment by removing the heat shrink oven from the packaging line.

Tentoma has developed and manufactured RoRo StretchPack packaging machines for sealed packaging of larger products, rolls, and building materials for the past 10 years. The RoRo StretchPack technology draws upon the well-established technology used in vertical stretch hood packaging. Tentoma A/S, based in Denmark, installs and services RoRo StretchPack packaging solutions globally.

Hall 26, Booth F15

TSI At TSI, we take pride in being a leading provider of advanced machinery solutions tailored for the wood processing industry.

Rooted in our commitment to “Responsible Innovation,” we are committed to delivering cutting-edge solutions that balance efficiency, sustainability, and reliability, eschewing novelty for novelty’s sake.

Our products include rotary drum dryers integrated with heat energy systems, and pollution control equipment—collectively known as the “Dryer Island”— for the wood-based panel and wood pellet industries. Each piece of equipment and system is optimized to meet the unique needs of each customer and site—no two mills are identical!

TSI dryer is part of its dryer island solutions.

Expanding our solutions, we have introduced the TSI Torreactor, a state-of-the-art torrefaction reactor capable of thermally upgrading various biomass types to any level. Leveraging decades of experience in drying, this proprietary technology ensures uniform torrefaction across diverse biomass feedstocks, and material sizes, allowing our clients to customize the process and maximize feedstock value.

Critical to our customers’ success is a focus on safety, operational efficiency, and scalability. With our extensive experience in constructing some of the world’s largest rotary dryers for OSB and wood pellet production, we ensure that our clients receive safe, robust, reliable machinery that meets their production demands while maintaining cost-effectiveness.

Our dedication to customer satisfaction extends beyond equipment design. We prioritize on-time delivery, seamless startup processes, and dependable operation, ensuring that our clients achieve a reliable return on investment. With a proven track record of building hundreds of dryers for demanding customers worldwide, we stand as a trusted partner in the wood processing industry, committed to supporting our clients’ success through innovative and customized solutions.

Hall 26, Booth F76 82 • MAY 2025 • PanelWorld

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USNR USNR is the most diverse supplier of high-quality veneer and EWP production equipment. USNR solutions feature tightly integrated mechanical systems and optimization that bring huge value.

USNR’s product portfolio includes industry leading equipment for the production of high-quality veneer including peeling systems, drying systems, stackers, and layup lines. USNR also manufactures equipment for the production of CLT, laminated beams, LVL, and composite products.

USNR has a strong legacy of veneer production centered around the robust Coe product line. USNR’s legendary Coe lathe and BlockLogix optimization system provide the highest recovery, greatest throughput, and highest quality veneer. USNR’s AI-driven NV4G grade scanner scans the ribbon for grade and clip decisions before sheets, random width veneer, and trash are sorted by the original and patented Ventek spike-belt Multiple Point Diverter System (MPDS) before being sent to the sheet and random stackers.

USNR’s Coe veneer dryers are renowned for consistently producing high-quality veneer with a uniform dry moisture content and aesthetic ap- USNR manufactures complete press systems for LVL, pearance for softwood and hardwood applications. Decades of develop- OSB, MDF, doorskins, particleboard, CLT, rubber ment have made USNR drying systems the most productive and efficient products, and other composites. in the industry, all while using the least amount of energy and minimizing exhaust. Dry veneer is scanned by our AI-driven Ventek visual grade, roughness, and moisture scanning technology prior to stacking.

Offering complete press systems for LVL, OSB, MDF, doorskins, particleboard, CLT, rubber products, and other composites, USNR proudly builds upon the tradition of excellence begun by Washington Iron Works, Pathex, and Mann-Russell to modernize and improve the next generation of equipment. Our systems can be optimized for commodity products as well as the ever-expanding value-added market.

USNR’s state-of-the-art hydraulic system is the simplest in the industry to operate and service. By utilizing many of the same components throughout the system, we minimize the number of unique spare parts to be stocked. Every hydraulic system includes built-in redundancy to keep your press system running even when service is needed. With a variety of robust mechanical press designs available, USNR can deliver a long-lasting system tailored to the unique needs of our customers.

Hall 25, Booth D65

WEMHÖNER Wemhöner Surface Technologies, Wemhoener (Changzhou) Machinery Manufacturing and Wemhoener (Changzhou) Machinery Technology invite you to Ligna . Get inspired about the innovations on the subject of flexible and economical surface finishing solutions.

Industrial short-cycle press systems are the central topic at the world market leader for short-cycle press lines. Other topics include the further developed Wemhöner 3D VARIOPRESS technology for the production of furniture fronts and furniture components based on thermoplastic foils.

Other topics include lacquering lines, hot coating systems together with interactive software and hardware solutions, networked manufacturing systems and materials management. l Designed and built by Wemhöner: —Melamine Short-Cycle Press Lines —Wemhöner MasterLine – Lacquering and Printing —3D VARIOPRESS equipment with and without membrane —Surface Laminating Systems and Roller Coaters Wemhöner short-cycle press line —Lightweight Panel Equipment —Throughfeed Press Lines in single- and multi-daylight automation —Special Press Plants, Customized Systems —Laboratory Presses —Handling and logistic concepts We look forward to seeing you! “Technology, quality, innovation - that’s Wemhöner.”

This year Wemhöner celebrates its 100th anniversary.

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BÜRKLE Robert Bürkle GmbH, a global leader in press and coating technology, will present its latest innovations at Ligna, highlighting advancements in automation, sustainability, and energy-efficient plant technology, underscoring its commitment to shaping the future of wood processing.

A key highlight will be Bürkle’s new generation of all-electric roller coating machines, designed to deliver precise material application while reducing energy and maintenance costs. These machines operate entirely without pneumatic components, enhancing sustainability and efficiency. They are fully compatible with digital production environments, offering seamless integration into smart manufacturing systems.

Bürkle also introduces cutting-edge UV-LED drying technology, which significantly lowers energy consumption while maintaining top-tier performance in lacquering applications. These advancements contribute to reduced operating costs and a smaller environmental footprint, aligning with the industry’s growing focus on sustainability.

Bürkle: Innovation meets efficiency Automation and digitalization remain at the forefront of Bürkle’s innovation strategy.

The company will showcase modular automation solutions suitable for both large-scale manufacturers and mid-sized businesses. Developed in collaboration with Siemens, Bürkle’s latest IoT solutions and intelligent production monitoring systems provide real-time data insights to optimize efficiency and minimize downtime. A new HMI interface will also be introduced, enhancing user experience and process control.

Bürkle’s high-end system solutions will be on display, featuring innovations in lacquering, laminating, pressing, and door production lines. Additionally, the company will highlight its expanded engineering services, including digital twin technology, which enables customers to simulate and optimize production processes before implementation. A broader range of retrofit solutions will also be available, allowing manufacturers to modernize existing systems with Bürkle’s latest technology.

The company’s expert team will be available to discuss tailor-made solutions, ensuring customers receive the best technologies for their production needs. Explore how Burkle pioneering innovations can elevate your production capabilities.

Hall 17, Booth F19

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UPDATE

USFS SEEKS 25% MORE TIMBER SALES

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins issued a Secretarial Memo in early April to establish an “Emergency Situation Determination” on 112,646,000 acres of National Forestry System (NFS) land, following President Trump’s Executive Order to expand American timber production by 25%.

“Healthy forests require work, and right now we’re facing a national forest emergency. We have an abundance of timber at high risk of wildfires in our national forests,” Rollins says. “I am proud to follow the bold leadership of President Trump by empowering forest managers to reduce constraints and minimize the risks of fire, insects, and disease so that we can strengthen American timber industry and further enrich our forests with the resources they need to thrive.”

The Memo spurs immediate action from the U.S. Forest Service directing field leadership to increase timber out-

puts, simplify permitting, remove National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) processes, reduce implementation and contracting burdens, and to work directly with states, local government, and forest product producers to ensure that the Forest Service delivers a reliable and consistent supply of timber.

Upon Rollins’ announcement, Acting Associate Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, Christopher French, issued a directive to the Deputy Chief of the National Forest System, in consultation with other deputy chiefs, to immediately develop a national strategy that outlines the agency’s goals, objectives and initial actions related to increasing active forest management.

French also directs all regional foresters to develop five-year strategies, tiered to the national strategy to increase their timber volume offered, leading to an agency-wide increase of 25% over the next four to give years. These regional timber strategies will include an assessment of their current five-year program of work (POW) that includes timber vol-

ume, opportunities to expand that POW, a wood utilization facility risk assessment, barriers to achieving a 25% increase in volume (including information beyond funding needed), and potential solutions to overcoming those barriers.

French is also directing district rangers and forest supervisors, in addition to regular timber sale solicitations, to utilize direct timber sale opportunities with interested purchasers operating on and around forests. All agency timber sales will use base rates or minimum rates, where appropriate, based on the Emergency Authorizations outlined by the Secretary. In addition, within 90 days, Regions will establish standard appraisal rates that can be applied and used over a geographic area where similar conditions exist.

“Within the next 24 months, I expect each Regional Forester to establish two years worth of ‘shelf stock’ of timber volume coming from project decisions for out-year implementation of their timber related program of work.

“I further direct all Line Officers to use innovative and efficient ap- ‰ 92

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UPDATE

88 ‰ proaches to meeting the minimum requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Endangered Species Act, National Historic Preservation Act, and other environmental laws, including categorical exclusions, emergency authorities (including the Secretary’s recent expanded Emergency Situation Determination), condition-based management, determinations of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) adequacy, and staged or tiered decisionmaking.”

BLANCHETTE SUCCEEDS CARLSON AT HUBER Huber Engineered Woods (HEW) announced that Kirk Blanchette will become President of HEW, succeeding Brian Carlson, who is retiring as of July 1.

Blanchette will bring more than 25 years of experience in finance, corporate strategy and leadership to the role.

He is currently Chief Financial Officer & Vice President of Strategy for HEW. In addition to currently leading the Mar-

Left to right, Carlson and Blanchette

keting, Strategy, Finance & Accounting, Purchasing and Risk functions for HEW, he previously had responsibility for the Logistics, Sales & Operations Planning, Inside Sales, Information Technology and Industrial/OEM functions as well.

Prior to joining HEW in 2012, Blanchette held numerous roles in the venture capital and private equity industries, most recently as a Partner at Seguin Partners, a middle-market-focused fund. Prior to his principle invest-

ing roles he was an investment banker with Bank of America focused on Mergers & Acquisitions and corporate finance for industrial clients.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and Investments from Babson College and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Penn syl vania.

“I am honored to step into this role and continue building on the foundation of success established by Brian Carlson and our incredible HEW team,” Blanchette says. “As a family-owned business, we remain committed to our core values— the Huber Principles—and our valued employees and customers. I look forward to leading the organization to deliver outstanding results for our customers and shareholders into the future.”

TIMBERHP EXPECTS LONG-TERM SUCCESS TimberHP, a Maine-based manufacturer of wood fiber insulation, announced that it has filed a voluntary, pre-negotiated Chapter 11 plan of reorganization in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The plan, according to the company, with the support of its stakeholders, will significantly strengthen the company’s balance sheet and position it for long-term success.

The company states that during the court-supervised reorganization process, business will continue as usual and without interruption, including the production and sales of its two, well received, existing product lines, TimberBatt and TimberFill.

“TimberHP is grateful to its sales partners, vendors, employee partners, and bondholders for standing by the company through this challenging, but necessary process,” comments TimberHP CEO Matthew O’Malia. “TimberHP has an incredible product line, and we are pleased to have the support and capital required to execute our business plan and address the growing demand for sustainable insulation materials in the U.S. construction industry.”

The company expects to expedite the Chapter 11 process and emerge from bankruptcy within the coming months to a strengthened financial position and access to growth capital to complete construction of the manufacturing line for its third product, TimberBoard.

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SUPPLY

LINES

CON-VEY EXPANDS ROSEBURG OPERATIONS

Con-Vey announced the expansion of its operations with the acquisition of 15 acres, including 150,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space. Strategically located with both highway and freeway access, this new facility strengthens Con-Vey’s commitment to long-term growth in Roseburg, Ore. “We’re excited about the opportunity that this acquisition gives us for growth and diversification,” comments Dave

Larecy, CEO & President of Con-Vey, who spearheaded the purchase. “This expansion allows us to continue building on our legacy of innovation while increasing our manufacturing capacity.”

The facility, formerly occupied by Orenco Composites, was acquired on January 22. Located just six miles from Con-Vey’s headquarters near downtown Roseburg, this space will provide the company with increased flexibility and operational capacity.

Over the coming months, Con-Vey will relocate select personnel into the of-

fice and manufacturing spaces, ramping up operations to accommodate increased demand. Initially, the facility will focus on the assembly and testing of automated equipment, with plans to further expand manufacturing capabilities.

As part of this expansion, Con-Vey is planning to grow its workforce by hiring additional employees at the new facility. l Con-Vey also announced the promotion of Travis Pritchett to Operations Manager. Pritchett has been a key member of the Con-Vey team since 2012, first joining as production manager be-

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SUPPLY

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fore being promoted to plant manager in 2014. This newly created role reflects the company’s continued growth and the increasing scope of its operations.

Pritchett will oversee all aspects of Con-Vey’s manufacturing processes.

served as project engineer, project manager, and more recently as Group Manager of Solid Wood.

MID-SOUTH REPORTS NEW LEADERSHIP

SMARTECH, a leader in AI-powered industrial solutions, was named “Smart Manufacturing Company of the Year” at the 2025 IoT Breakthrough Awards.

This recognition underscores SMARTECH’s pioneering role in advancing autonomous manufacturing through AI and IoT-driven innovation.

The IoT Breakthrough Awards program celebrates the world’s most innovative companies, technologies, and products transforming the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem.

SMARTECH’s proprietary AI/MLpowered autonomous manufacturing technology seamlessly integrates realtime IoT data with advanced analytics.

“This award reinforces SMARTECH’s position as a key player in shaping the fu-

Mid-South Engineering recently bid a happy retirement to President Marc Stewart after 27 years with the company.

“Leaving my daily interactions with this team leaves a Mid-South-logo-shaped hole in my heart,” Stewart comments.

Assuming the role of President is Chris Brown, who has been with the company for 28 years, most recently as vice president. Devoting his entire career to the building products industry, his vast project and process knowledge will allow him to support project execution in its entirety.

John Westerman becomes Vice President in Brown’s place. Westerman has

SMARTECH RECOGNIZED FOR INNOVATION

ture of smart manufacturing,” comments Hanoch Magid, CEO of SMARTECH. “Our AI-driven solutions empower manufacturers to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving industry by unlocking new levels of efficiency, productivity, and sustainability.”

TIMBERLAB CALLS ON ITALY’S SCM Italian manufacturer SCM is supplying two highly innovative technologies for the new Timberlab cross-laminated timber plant in Millersburg, Ore. SCM will supply a new CELASCHI XL profiling machine and double-end tenoner that will ensure the processing of panels more than 18 m long, at a rate of 1 every 15 minutes, and an AREA XL 5-axis CNC machining center with a mobile gantry structure and pendulum processing, developed specifically for the industrial production of large format CLT panels (up to 60 ft. x 11.5 ft.).

96 • MAY 2025 • PanelWorld

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PROJECTS WALMART INSTALLS MERCER CLT, GLULAM

Mercer Mass Timber (MMT), a manufacturer of sustainable timber building materials and a subsidiary of Mercer International Inc., announced the completion of a key role in the construction of Walmart’s new Home Office in Bentonville, Ark.—the largest mass timber corporate campus in the U.S. The installation of Mercer mass timber panels began in spring 2024 and is now complete.

Shawmut Design and Construction and Layton Construction selected MMT to provide cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glue-laminated timber (Glulam) for two major sections of the campus, opening in late 2025 to early 2026: —Zone 1: Four hybrid mass timber buildings (four stories each) totaling 897,500 sq. ft. of office space and parking decks.

“This project showcases how mass timber can transform commercial construction,” comments Nick Milestone, SVP at Mercer Mass Timber. “We’re proud to support Walmart’s sustainability vision and demonstrate how local, eco-friendly materials create beautiful, high-performance workplaces.”

“This marks the completion of our first major mass timber Mercer Mass Timber provided mass timber products contract, but it’s just the befor Walmart’s new Home Office. ginning,” adds Ricardo Brites, Director of Engineering & VDC at MMT. “We look forward to —Zone 3: Additional offices built leading more projects that showcase with full mass timber frames including mass timber’s potential.” a single five-story building with a total Mercer International Inc. is a global area of 332,615 sq. ft. forest products company with operaMercer Conway, located in Conway, tions in Germany, U.S. and Canada and Ark., supplied a total of 21,000 m3 of CLT and Glulam while providing jobs reports 210,000 m3 of CLT and 45,000 for 58 employees. m3 of glulam capacity. ‰ 101

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VENEER/PANEL SUPPLIERS

DIRECTORY AUSTRALIA/OCEANIA

n Ontario

n Indiana Amos-Hill Associates, Inc.

113 Years Experience

Quality Veneers Manufacturers of Decorative Hardwood Veneer Domestic and International Markets Species include: Walnut, White Oak, Red Oak, Hard Maple, Cherry and Birch “Quality is the Lifeblood of our Business” 112 Shelby Ave. u P.O. Box 7 Edinburgh, IN 46124 Phone: 812-526-2671 u Fax: 812-526-5865 E-mail: info@amoshill.com Website: www.amoshill.com

In Wood

SPECIALISTS IN AUSTRALIAN & PACIFIC VENEERS FSC & PEFC ECO-CERT

Veneers from around the world Over 150 species in stock Reconstituted veneer/spliced faces/rotary veneers Website: www.briggs.com.au Email: admin@briggs.com.au Tel: +61 2 9732-7888

The mark of responsible forestry FSC Supplier: SCS-COC-002445 * SCS-CW-002445

www.fsc.org

n Quebec

NORSTAM VENEERS, INC. Proud to announce we have the “Newest Veneer Mill in the World”

Reserve your space today.

Call Melissa McKenzie 800-669-5613

MANUFACTURER OF QUALITY HARDWOOD AND SOFTWOOD VENEERS

Kiln Dried Thick Backing Boards

P.O. BOX 32 HWY. 135 BUS: 812.732.4391 MAUCKPORT, IN 47142 FAX: 812.732.4803 www.norstam.com • info@norstam.com

NORTH AMERICA n United States

n Canada n British Columbia

n Georgia

Next Deadline: September 23, 2025

6670 - 144th Street, Surrey, BC Canada V3W 5R5 Plant: (604) 572-8968

Producers of high quality fine face veneers.

Specializing in species indigenous to the West Coast. We manufacture Music grade solids and veneers. We also offer custom slicing, cut-to-size and log breakdown.

Fir • Hemlock • Spruce • Pacific Maple (Figured and Plain) • Alder • Western Red Cedar

05/25

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VENEER/PANEL SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY n Michigan

n Ohio

ESTABLISHED 1972

Proudly serving our clients in the hardwood and softwood plywood sheetstock, plywood component, solid wood component, and face and core veneer markets for over 50 years. Looking forward to applying our worldwide knowledge and resources to help create the solution you need. inquiry@pittsburghforest.com Office: 724.969.5000 375 Valley Brook Rd, McMurray, PA 15367

Next Deadline: September 23, 2025

Promote your veneer and plywood or located veneer and plywood products and services worldwide.

Reserve your space today.

n Pennsylvania

n Vermont

Call Melissa McKenzie 334/834-1170 Fax: 334/834-4525 melissa@hattonbrown.com n Mississippi

VENEER/PANEL SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY NEXT CLOSING: SEPTEMBER 23, 2025 Send your ad information on a separate sheet of paper, or send via email, and we will typeset it for you for FREE. Please be sure to include appropriate contact information so we may contact you for questions and payment.

Make sure to send any artwork that should be included in your ad. It should be a good-quality print or high resolution logo. We will fax or email you a proof before final print for your approval.

Send ad info to: VENEER/PANEL SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY PO Box 2268 Montgomery, AL 36102-2268 or send ad to: melissa@hattonbrown.com

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PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Recruiting Services

1615

Executive – Managerial – Technical - Sales

JOHN GANDEE

& ASSOCIATES, INC Contingency or Retained Search

9237

Depending on Circumstances / Needs

“Your Success Is Our Business” Serving the Wood Products and Building Materials Industries For more than 32 years.

512-795-4244 Call or Email me anytime! john@johngandee.com www.johngandee.com 3220

Top Wood Jobs 1009

Recruiting and Staffing Ashley Wright Ashley@TopWoodJobs.com www.TopWoodJobs.com (803) 905-1298 3779

Jon Olson

Tel: (800) 985-5191

jon@olsonsearch.com Custom search & recruitment services for the complete range of composite panel and related careers in the U.S., Canada and Europe. www.olsonsearch.com

4231

Austin, Texas

THE Forest Products Group

PROJECTS

98 ‰

UNILIN GEARS UP FOR RECYCLING In October 2024, Unilin and Dieffenbacher announced an agreement to introduce and further commercialize Unilin’s “Osiris” wood fiberboard recycling technology.

Now, the companies are taking the next step in their partnership with Dieffenbacher supplying Unilin with an industrial-scale fiberboard recycling plant called “Osiris 2.0,” which succeeds Unilin’s “Osiris 1.0” industrial pilot installation at its MDF plant in Bazeilles, France. The new plant will boost Unilin’s fiberboard recycling capacity from 1 to 10 tonnes per hour and will be able to process post-consumer MDF material.

Dieffenbacher’s scope of supply includes the fiber transport and storage system, fiber sifters, glue preparation and dosing, PROjet glue-saving system, pneumatic systems and an emission control S=system. The steam explosion vessel for the re-fibering pro-

cess was newly designed by Dieffenbacher Energy and optimized for fiberboard recycling.

Startup of the fiberboard recycling plant is planned for the fall of 2025.

BOISE INSTALLS NEW CHARGER AT FLORIEN Boise Cascade in Florien, La. breathed new life into its mill by installing a new M777 Charger Frame with 760 Pendulum from USNR. The previous USNR equipment was ready to retire. It had received periodic repairs but compromised metal forced the mill to search for other options.

“We chose USNR because of the quality of workmanship, installation support, and the relationships we have with USNR personnel,” comments Green End Superintendent Stewart Smith.

With the new charger and pendulum, the Florien plant has been able to speed up charge time and increase pro-

duction. Tightening the tolerances at load and at the lathe have also led to increased recovery.

WISEWOOD STARTS UP REFINING SYSTEM Andritz has started up a second pressurized refining system at the Wisewoods mill in Phetchaburi, Thailand. The new system produces fibers from rubberwood for high-quality medium density fiberboard, significantly increasing the mill’s production capacity.

The heart of the 30 t/h system is the high-efficiency pressurized refiner, which delivers superior fiber quality at reduced energy consumption. Andritz also supplied a plug-screw feeder designed to optimize dewatering prior to refining, ensuring efficient presteaming and reducing specific energy consumption.

Wisewoods Co., Ltd is a renowned player in the wood panel industry, manufacturing MDF products for the Middle East and Asia.

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EVENTS MAY 26-30 • Ligna: World Fair For The Forestry And Wood Industries, Hannover Exhibition Grounds, Hannover, Germany.

Call +49 511 89-0; fax +49 511 89-32626; visit ligna.de.

JUNE 15-20 • Forest Products Society and Society of Wood Science and Technology Joint Convention, Marriott Hotel, Fort Collins, Colo. Call 706-443-1337; visit fpsconference.org.

JULY 22-25 • AWFS Fair 2025, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV. Call 800-946-2937; visit awfsfair.org.

AUGUST 6-8 • Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Expo, Music City Center, Nashville, Tenn. Call 504-443-4464; visit sfpaexpo.com.

SEPTEMBER 3-5 • Wood, Jyvaskylan Paviljonki, Jyvaskyla, Finland.

Call +358-14-334-0000; visit puumessut.fi.

7-11 • American Wood Protection Assn. Technical Committee meeting, Savannah, Ga. Call 205-733-4077; visit awpa.com.

9 • Pennsylvania Forest Products Assn. annual meeting, Wyndham Garden State College, Boalsburg, Pa. Call 717-9010420; visit paforestproducts.org.

9-12 • WMF: Shanghai Int'l Furniture Mach. & Woodworking Mach. Fair, National Exhib. and Conv. Center, Shanghai, China. Call (852) 2516 3518; visit woodworkfair.com.

21-23 • Composite Panel Assn. Fall meeting, Hyatt Regency, Austin, Tex. Call 703-724-1128; visit compositepanel.org.

OCTOBER 4-7 • APA-Engineered Wood Assn. annual meeting and Engineered Wood Technology Assn. Info Fair, Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass, Phoenix, Ariz. Call 253-565-6600; visit apawood.org and engineeredwood.org.

Listings are submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with contacts prior to making plans to attend.

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