TP_0226_bkj.qxp_Layout 1 1/23/26 1:12 PM Page 30
SAWMILL VIDEO MONITORING Shuqualak Lumber streamlines across all sites.
S
awmills are unique, fast-paced, harsh environments where visibility matters. From operator feeds to monitoring machinery and keeping employees safe, video monitoring plays an important role in daily operations. But for Shuqualak Lumber, a Mississippi-based lumber company with three sites, that visibility used to come with more frustration than function. Before working with Opticom Tech, Shuqualak Lumber’s video system was a patchwork of different cameras, software, and recording devices. The system was managed by a local installer that didn’t have sawmill expertise. “We had multiple DVRs (digital video recorders) and NVRs (network video recorders) scattered throughout our sites,” says Jessica Atkins, Vice President of HR and Safety at Shuqualak Lumber. “Some were analog, some were IP (internet protocol), and we had multiple apps and logins to try to keep up with. Nothing was cohesive.” Some cameras came from reputable brands, while others were just from eBay. Cameras kept failing because they couldn’t withstand the harsh sawmill conditions, which cost Shuqualak in several different ways, including: —Production downtime —Camera and part replacement —Contracting costs for the local installer Shuqualak also had little control over who accessed the feeds, and network security was an issue. Over time, camera counts grew—15 turned into 80 at the sawmill, with another 30 at the planer mill—and reliability faltered. Failures
New monitoring systems leaves no facet of the operation unseen.
were common, troubleshooting was constant, and remote access was a no-go. Operators could only see what was connected to their own NVRs, and managers couldn’t get a full view of operations across all facilities. Security and production monitoring suffered as a result.
SMARTER SOLUTION Atkins first learned about Opticom Tech through a family connection—her uncle met Heidi Schmidt, Global Sales Manager, at an industry expo. That meeting led to a walkthrough at Shuqualak’s mill and a plan to modernize the company’s video in-
Shuqualak implemented a centralized viewing platform.
frastructure without starting from scratch. “Heidi came in with affordable solutions that made sense,” Atkins says. “We were able to use some of what we already had while upgrading where it really mattered.” Opticom designed a system that ties Shuqualak’s three sites together (two sites are currently up and running). The system was designed to use equipment Shuqualak already had in order to save costs. But reuse was balanced with adding industrial sawmill cameras in the right areas where commercial cameras were failing and durability matters most. But before any cameras could be installed, Shuqualak had to tackle some foundational network challenges. After guidance on network requirements from Opticom, they brought in a new IT provider to rebuild the network from the ground up. They set up a virtual server for the cameras and made sure video monitoring was on a separate network from other business operations—which is industry best practice. In this process, they transitioned everything to IP, implemented a centralized viewing platform, and provided remote access so managers could securely monitor operations no matter where they were. “We knew analog was going away, so we had to move in the IP direction,” Atkins says.
30 n JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026 n TIMBER PROCESSING
CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY OPTED IN!