Destroying Responsibly

Making use of scraps

By Grace Tatigian

The wood industry prides itself on its longevity and resilience, and nothing highlighted that more than the COVID-19 pandemic. Operations worldwide had to rearrange machinery, re-staff production lines, and space out employees. Despite these challenges, the wood industry continues to thrive and is finally coming back together on the show floor.

Trade shows in the industry can produce a lot of waste, so WEIMA has stepped in with their Destroy Responsibly™ program to ensure that this waste is dealt with effectively. This initiative involves the installation of a WEIMA single-shaft shredder behind the tradeshow hall that grinds up the wood waste created during demonstrations on the show floor. Attendees and exhibitors alike are encouraged to take a walk out back and watch their materials as they are shredded to a homogenous size. All OSB, plywood, and MDF are shredded in separate batches to ensure as much wood is donated as possible.

“The reinvention of scrap is what WEIMA is all about!” says Audrey Brewer, North American marketing manager. “Shredding this wood waste on the spot gives show-goers an opportunity to think critically and creatively about the scrap they create in their own shops and how it can be reimagined.”

The shredded solid wood is usually donated to local university agricultural programs to be used as compost and ground cover. This wood scrap would otherwise be sent to a landfill, so WEIMA was happy to give the wood a second life.

The WEIMA team is also out there to educate show-goers on the benefits of size reduction for the wood industry. Not only does shredding wood waste save space, but it often creates a second revenue stream for wood shops who no longer must pay high haul-away costs.

“We acknowledge that waste comes in different shapes and sizes and that every application is unique,” explains Brewer. “We have a solution that will fit the needs of any operation and turn waste into profit. We want you to benefit from our decades of innovation and experience.”

The workforce deficits presented by the pandemic have been extreme, so maximizing labor efforts is critical. Moving bulky waste around a plant is time-consuming and unnecessarily laborious. The Destroy Responsibly™ program demonstrates that a shredder can be placed next to machinery that typically generates wood waste so that the hands of your employee are freed up to do other things that are more beneficial for an operation.

NOT ONLY DOES SHREDDING WOOD WASTE SAVE SPACE, BUT IT OFTEN CREATES A SECOND REVENUE STREAM FOR WOOD SHOPS WHO NO LONGER MUST PAY HIGH HAUL-AWAY COSTS.