International Forest Industries Magazine Aug Sept 2013

e VOL ONE

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CONTENTSAUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013

41Shredders & Grinders: International Forest Industries’reporter Paul Moore looksthrough some of the moredurable size reductionequipment on the market that is being applied largely for thebusiness of recycling

4 Sawpoints 12 World Markets 70 Cutting Edge 72 Advertising Index

COVER: HewSaw SL250 3.4 – Sawing Line with all the modern features

R E G U L A R F E A T U R E S

3220 53

ELMIA REVIEW ISSUE – PART TWO

20 Scanning & Optimisation:This year’s Scanning & Optimisationtechnology review could be the precursor tosome true revelations for the sawmillingsector in the years to follow

36 Scanning & Optimisation –Operation Focus:The East Alabama Lumber company andindustry partner Autolog early this yearchallenged themselves with a seamlessinstallation and commissioning of a state-of-the-art optimisation system

50 Shredders & Grinders –Operation Focus: Morbark

53 Skidder Technology:Stronger markets doesn’t mean frivolousforestry practices, according to several leadingskidder suppliers that continue to focus onkeeping fuel costs and maintenance time down, while keeping the machine in the forest longer

60 Company Focus – Rottne:International Forest Industries took theopportunity to visit local Swedish successstory, Rottne, in the lead up to Elmia to get anadvance look at the new technology that wouldbe on show and see how the team putstogether a range of machines that has grown tochallenge some of the biggest in the industry

32 Scanning & Optimisation -Operation Focus:USNR’s Transverse High Grader (THG) made its debut recently grading the verychallenging green douglas fir at adimension lumber mill in Oregon.

62 High Profile – Rottne:International Forest Industries EditorChris Cann shared a bench on the Rottnestand at Elmia with Managing DirectorRolf Andersson and discussed his life inthe forestry, the emergence of Rottne asan international power, and theimportance of a holiday

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013 | International Forest Industries 1

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OPERATION FOCUS

Sawmillers as a group have probablybeen driven to give up reading overthe past few years.

The mainstream press has carriedgenerally upsetting news of recession,economic crisis in Europe, and flatnumbers for the all-important US housingmarket, while industry publications likethis one have had little positive sawmillingnews with which to fill their pages – for ashort while in 2009 it seemed everysecond story outlined the demise of asawmill or sawmill supplier.

Then things went quiet. The sawmillingsector lost its voice. Managementenergies were directed toward cost cuttingand efficiencies. Those left standing werepleased to be around but remained insurvival mode. Austerity was not just abuzzword for European politicians.

But earlier this year, through themouthpiece of Ligna in Germany,murmurings were heard from thesawmilling industry once more. Newtechnology was released. Newinstallations were announced. Freshcontracts were signed.

In this edition of International ForestIndustries, there is again plenty of contentthat would urge the sawmilling communityto reach for their collective readingglasses.

World wood markets are responding toan uptick in demand for sawnwoodproducts. The US housing market isstrengthening, which, along with generallybetter economic data out of the world’slargest economy, has increased thedemand for sawnwood products. This hasbeen particularly true for domesticsuppliers but Canadian sawmills are alsocashing in on the US recovery – Canadianmills are expected to enjoy a doubling ofpre-tax profits in the current year.

Also adding to the good mood inCanada is the return to form of China.Canada joins Russia as the leading

suppliers of sawnwood products into theChinese market. The world’s mostpowerfully emerging economy had been inrelative hiatus, prompting manyeconomists to predict a major and lastingslowdown in its growth. This slowdownnow seems to have been overestimated.

Even more encouraging has been theresponse from European sawmills toChina’s resurgence. The EU, typically not abig player in Southeast Asian markets,accounted for 8% of shipments into Chinain the June quarter. Growth in the EUremains flat but stability has returned.

Backing up the hard numbers has beencomment from suppliers. Those IFI hasspoken to over the past couple of monthshave showed optimism absent for years.More commanding has been their actions– there has been a major upturn in theengagement of the sawmilling industrywith the press to promote newtechnologies and installations.

If the past five years has taught usanything, it is to expect the unexpected.But it is difficult to ignore the massimprovements for sawmills, sawnwoodpricing, and sawmill technology. Such auniform step forward is the best indication– and possibly only indication – we’ve hadthat the sawmilling industry is due for aperiod of much brighter days.

Enjoy Chris CannE DITO R

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Editor Chris [email protected]

Editorial BoardDr Patrick Moore – Chairman and ChiefScientist of Greenspirit (Canada)

Darren Oldham – Managing DirectorSöderhamn Eriksson (UK)

Allan Hansard – Chief Executive of theNational Association of Forest Industries(Australia)

Professor Piotr Paschalis-Jakubowicz –Warsaw Agricultural University (Poland)

Andre de FreitasForest Stewardship CouncilHead of Operations

Eduardo MoralesSouth American Forestry Consultant

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International Forest Industries is publishedby International Forest Industries Ltd,2 Claridge Court, Lower Kings RoadBerkhamsted, Herts. HP4 2AF, UK

International Forest Industries (ISSN 1755-6732) ispublished monthly by International forest Industries LtdGBR and distributed in the USA by SPP, 17B S MiddlesexAve, Monroe NJ 08831. Periodicals postage paid at NewBrunswick, NJ. Postmaster: send address changes toInternational Forest Industries, 17B S Middlesex Ave,Monroe NJ 08831.

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2 International Forest Industries | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013

EDITOR’S COMMENT

Sharpen your blades

ISSUE 35

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013

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Tigercat 08.2013_Layout 1 29/08/2013 12:10 Page 1

http://www.tigercat.com

SAWPOINTS

John Deere Forestry is responding strongly to changes in the forestry markets,

as well as driving Deere & Company’s strategic initiatives to enhance focus

on forestry customers and to deliver increased customer value by expanding

and strengthening its distribution network in Europe with three new dealers


In Bulgaria, Sofia-headquartered Megatron has along history of serving as John

Deere’s exclusive Agricultural andTurf equipment distributor since1998. The company employs about100 people in seven locations and22 service points in Bulgaria. Inaddition to John Deere equipment,Megatron also distributesattachments and constructionmachines. The company’s missionis fully aligned with that of Deere& Company – to providecustomers with the most reliable,efficient and cost effectivesolutions and the highest level ofafter-sales support.

In Portugal, Pinto & CruzMotores e Equipamentos has beenappointed as John Deere Forestry’snew country-wide distributor. Themother company, established in1935, is active in many fields ofengineering services, such asheating, lifts, engines and pipes.The company employs some 400people and has several offices inPortugal, Angola andMozambique. Pinto & CruzMotores e Equipamentos has

sales and service facilities inOporto and Benavente. In additionto John Deere forestry equipment,the company distributes cargohandling equipment, engines andgensets, as well as smaller-scaleforest and garden equipment.

Öforst Forsttechnik, JohnDeere’s forestry equipmentdistributor in Austria since 2009,has been appointed as soledistributor for Hungary. Thecompany employs 14 people andhas its headquarters in Judenburg,Steiermark. Besides John Deereequipment, Öforst Forsttechnikdistributes forestry attachments,forestry excavators and forestrytractors. Despite its relativelyshort history as a Deeredistributor, the company hasalready been granted John Deere’s‘Dealer Excellence Award’ for itsexceptional customer supportperformance.

In Hungary, Öforst Forsttechnikwill have Hungarian-speakingsales and service staff, as well astwo local service partners. Furthersupport is provided by the existingand proven organissation in

Austria.“Europe continues to be a

primary market area for ourequipment and, along with thedevelopment of the Europeaneconomy and forestry practices,we are expanding our distributionto new markets and enhancing ourcustomer service and satisfactionin existing markets,” JanneMärkälä, John Deere ForestryGeneral Manager, Marketing &Order Fulfillment, said.

“All the above new distributorsare professional and sustainablebusinesses, with a high level ofcustomer orientation, andperfectly aligned with John Deere’sdistribution philosophy.”

Meanwhile, Timo Ylänen hasbeen positioned as Director ofWorldwide Wheeled Cut-To-LengthProducts & Forestry Europe.

Ylänen started in the rolein Julyand is responsible for all aspectsof Deere’s forestry business inEurope, as well as the stewardshipof the Wheeled CTL product linesglobally. The position is beingestablished to enhance thecompany’s focus on forestry

customers and the forestrybusiness, as well as to improvealignment and management ofthese product lines and toenhance Deere Forestry’sworldwide position.

After graduating with MScdegrees in Forestry and Economicsfrom the University of Helsinki andthe Helsinki School of Economicsand Business Administration,Ylänen has held various positionswithin the forestry industry,including roles with increasingresponsibility at Timberjack, Deere& Company, and Waratah between1994 and 2006. In 2007, Ylänenwas hired by Komatsu Forestwhere he advanced from theposition of Managing Director ofFinnish Operations to become theExecutive Vice President withglobal responsibility for KomatsuForest’s sales and marketing.

Deere strengthens European presence and appoints CTL specialist

Timo Ylänen

Canada’s boreal, an equal to the AmazonScientists have identified the 485 MhaCanadian boreal forest as the largest intactforest and wetland ecosystem remaining onearth. Rivalling the Amazon in size andecological importance, Canada’s borealsupports the world's most extensive network ofpure lakes, rivers and wetlands and capturesand stores twice as much carbon as tropicalforests. It teems with wildlife – includingbillions of migratory songbirds, 10s of millionsof ducks and geese, and millions of caribou.The Canadian boreal is an irreplaceable globaltreasure.

But, the boreal is under growing pressure.Recent studies have shown that globally, borealforests are being lost faster than any other

ecosystem, largely due to logging, mining andoil and gas development.

To date, Environmental trust, Pew, along with

its Canadian partners have worked to securethe protection of 75 Mha as parks, refuges andother nature reserves – about a third theamount scientists recognise as necessary tosustain the ecosystem over time.

Bold new conservation measures have comefrom Ontario and Quebec and other provincialgovernments, First Nations and federalministries. Most recently, Pew and its partnersengaged the forest products industry in whatcould become the largest forest conservationplan in history. The trends bode well, promisingto eventually make Canada's boreal the mostprotected forest on earth.The dark green strip of forest that runs from the

west to east coasts across Canada and parts ofAlaska is the massive and endangered borealforest – a rival to the Amazon in size andenvironmental wealth

IFI_PG04_11_Sawpoints_HR 29/08/2013 13:56 Page 4


http://www.deere.com/forestry

New Forests and the Clean EnergyFinance Corporation have executed acollaboration agreement to finance new

bioenergy and biofuel developments. Theinvestments could include combined heat andpower projects or renewable fuels projectsfeaturing biodiesel or syngas associated withforestry investments in regional Australia.

New Forests has invested in extensiveforestry plantations in Australia, and theagreement may support establishment of newdomestic markets for hardwood and softwoodtimber as well as traditional forestry andsawmill waste products. Under thecollaboration agreement, New Forests will seekto develop commercially-oriented investmentopportunities in renewable energy thatcomplement regional forest sectors.

“This is an opportunity to diversify Australianmarkets for timber, turn waste material intoenergy, and create new jobs and investment inrural Australia,” New Forests Managing DirectorDavid Brand said. “We see biomass basedenergy and liquid fuels as an area of substantialpotential for growth, and an opportunity thatcould rival the size of traditional timber marketsin the next 10 or 20 years.”

CEFC CEO Oliver Yates described the deal as“an excellent demonstration” of the CEFC’s

ability to partner with the forestry industry inbioenergy developments “that will fulfil thepotential for the industry to convert its wasteproducts into a valuable renewable energysource”.

“Investment in bioenergy can help reducecarbon emissions, lessen the reliance ontraditional electricity and has the potential toboost productivity through reduced energy andoperating costs,” he said.

Bioenergy presently provides 0.9% ofAustralia’s electricity generation, but the CleanEnergy Council estimates that this has thepotential to increase six-fold by 2020 with theright support in place.

“Linking Australia’s very significant forestryresources and skills and enhancing thesethrough new clean energy technologies utilisingcellulosic biomass will build a new industry ofnational value”, Mr Yates added.

New Forests’ investments already include375,000 ha of land and timber plantation assetsin Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria,South Australia, Tasmania, and WesternAustralia and Timberlink Australia, with twosoftwood sawmills located in Tasmania andSouth Australia. Many of these plantationswere established under managed investmentschemes and now need concerted effort to

develop markets and infrastructure. “Market development is a key part of the

work that needs to be done to repositionAustralia’s plantation forestry sector for thefuture,” Brand said. “As an Australian businesswe seek to achieve excellent returns forinvestors, and innovation is a key part of thatwork.”

The collaboration agreement is open to anyprojects brought forward by New Forests thatmeet the CEFC investment criteria. New Forestshas identified a bioenergy plant in the GreenTriangle alongside the Tarpeena sawmill as animmediate priority, as well as an assessment ofthe potential to use hardwood plantations forbioenergy and biofuel production at otherlocations.

SAWPOINTS

Bioenergy to benefit in Aussie partnership


Cat teams with SATCO on attachments dealCaterpillar Forest Products andSATCO have signed an agreementthat gives Caterpillar the rights tosell and support SATCO harvestingattachments and parts worldwide.Caterpillar is the exclusivedistributor everywhere exceptAustralia, New Zealand and Brazil,where SATCO products will beoffered both through SATCO'sdistributors and select Cat dealers.

Headquartered in New Zealand,SATCO designs and manufactures awide range of forestry attachments.

“With this alliance, we can offera full line of processing anddirectional felling heads for ourFMs, track feller bunchers and the501HD harvester,” Mike Duncan,Caterpillar Forest Products IndustryManager, said. “Cat dealers willoffer a package fully supported byCaterpillar.”

Products will continue to carry

the SATCO brand name.Built to handle the rugged

logging conditions in New Zealandand Australia, the beefy heads areconstructed using high-gradematerials. Hoses from the carrier tothe head are routed through thelinkage and are not exposed. Thisprotects the hoses from damageand prevents them from over-bending causing premature failure.

The line includes sevenprocessing heads and twodirectional felling heads. Theprocessing heads range from aweight of 1,190 kg (2,618 lb) with amaximum cutting diameter of 635mm (25 in) to 3,850 kg (8,500 lb)with a cutting diameter of 800 mm(32 in). The felling heads arecontinuous rotation with optimalsingle stem felling ranges of 305-508 mm (12-20 in) and 457-762mm (18-30 in).

SATCO also offers debarkingconfigurations for its products, inaddition to a specifically designeddebarking processor head. Allheads are designed to be matchedwith Cat Forestry Machines (FMs),track feller bunchers and the Cat501HD harvester.

The computer system in theprocessing heads is simple andeasy to use. Main valves are ratedat 420 bar (6,100 PSI) and caneasily handle carrier pressures.Roller arm pins are 80 mm (3+ in).The heavy duty 3/4 in main saw

system features a 45 cc saw motorand large diameter bearing forsmooth cross cutting and felling oflarge diameter trees.

The directional felling heads arefully hydraulic with no electronicsand have the same structuralbeefiness of the SATCO processingheads. Both heads can be used forshovel logging. One of the heads,the SAT420, can also be used toload trucks. Simple and strong,these heads are low maintenanceand an economical first step upfrom manual felling.



http://www.banditchippers.com

SAWPOINTS

New Micro Chip drum option available for select Bandit Whole Tree ChippersA specialized micro-chip drum from Bandit

Industries is now available for select Bandit whole

tree chippers.

European forest related organisations areconcerned about the European Commission’sdelay in publishing the new EU Forest Strategy.

The European Commission is postponingpublication of the strategy, even though forestsrepresent 40% of land use in Europe.

“The clock is ticking,” Juha Hakkarainen,Chairman of the EU Advisory Group on Forestryand Cork said. “Further delay in proposing acoherent approach on Europe’s forests can onlylead to more fragmented and possiblycontradictory decisions.”

It seems that the European Commission ishesitant in embracing a consistent andcoherent approach on forests and forestry. TheAdvisory Group on Forestry and Cork, as well asMember States representatives (via theStanding Forestry Committee), recently urgedthe Commission to overcome the last obstaclesand to release the strategy so that it can beexamined by the European Parliament and theEU Council. Still, no action had been taken at

time of writing.The expected European Commission

Communication on a new EU Forest Strategywould update and replace the existing ForestryStrategy that dates back to 1998. It would takeinto account the new challenges for forests andforestry policy in reference to climate change,renewable energy, biodiversity, resourceefficiency and the green economy and establisha coherent framework with other policy areas.Moreover, the new Strategy would be based onthe concept of sustainable forest managementand the multifunctional role of forests.

The new drum design featuresdouble the knives found on astandard drum, delivering

twice the cuts per rotation toproduce wood chips as small as3/16” in size. The micro-chip drumcan also be easily converted to anormal chipping configuration forstandard sized chips, allowingusers to conveniently produceseveral different chip sizes to servemultiple markets.

“Bandit chippers are alreadyknown for producing a great chip,but with biomass marketsexpanding rapidly around theworld, we knew it was time to takean extra step for our customers,”said Bandit Industries PresidentJerry Morey. “Chip size certainlymatters, but it usually comes at acost of machine efficiency andperformance. We set out to build achipper that could make the bestmicro-chip on the market withoutgiving up the performance people

expect from Bandit. And that’sexactly what we have with our newmicro-chip drum.”

The drum works in conjunctionwith Bandit’s flow control optionfor the feed system, which fine-tunes the feed rate of the machineto achieve minimum chip size withmaximum production and fuelefficiency. A new chip breakersystem further enhances chipquality, serving to screen and breakdown oversize material exiting thedrum. The end result is aspecifically sized micro-chip that isunmatched in consistency.

Chip throwing power isunaffected by the design changes.The Bandit micro-chip drum andbreaker system allow chips to exitthe machine at high velocitieswithout the need for a separateblower or chip accelerator.

The combination of aggressivefeed systems, smooth chipping andstrong chip throwing adds to the

overall efficiency of Bandit’s wholetree chippers using the drum.Compared to similar machinesproducing micro-chips, Banditwhole tree chippers are averaging33 percent better on fuel economybased on testing and customerfeedback.

“Customers using our micro-chipdrum are consistently telling usjust how hard the machine throwsthe chips, just like our standardwhole tree chippers,” said Morey.“They are also reporting fuelconsumption rates of roughly threetons per gallon depending on the

material, and throwing 40 to 50loads per a set of knives isn’t aproblem. We’re very pleased withthe responses we’ve received onthe micro-chip drum. It’s the idealsetup to serve any fuel woodmarket anywhere in the world.”

The drum is an available optionfor the Model 2590, Model 3090and Model 3590 whole treechippers. The drum andaccompanying systems can also beretrofitted to existing Bandit wholetree chippers.

EU stalls forestry framework


November 6-8 2013



http://www.fecon.com

Weyerhaeuser is dedicated to industryleadership in forest stewardship andsustainability, and we will continue

that leadership as we bring the recentlyacquired Longview Timber operations into ourportfolio,” said Tom Gideon, Weyerhaeuser’sexecutive vice president of Timberlands. “All ofWeyerhaeuser’s North American forests willcontinue to be certified to the SustainableForestry Initiative® standard, which ensuresthat our forest management practices meet abroad spectrum of social, economic andenvironmental requirements.”

With more than 240 million acres within itspurview, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative isthe largest forest certification standard in theworld. Certification criteria are established by adiverse group of community organizations,environmental groups, industry, academia andgovernment agencies.

“By successfully achieving independent,third-party certification of its lands to the SFIstandard, Weyerhaeuser has demonstrated a

strong commitment to responsible forestry andto the communities that depend on a variety offorest benefits,” said Kathy Abusow, presidentand CEO of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.

To become SFI certified, auditors assesscompliance in dozens of factors key toresponsible, renewable forest management,including demonstrated performance in forestproductivity and health, sustainable harvesting,protection of water resources, promotion ofbiodiversity and fish and wildlife habitat,protection of at-risk species, legal compliance,training, ongoing research and continuousimprovement, and more.

“Customers expect accountable foreststewardship, and consumers want to makeinformed buying decisions,” Gideon said. “SFIcertification, along with complementary programssuch as the American Tree Farm System for familyforest owners, provides assurance thatWeyerhaeuser wood is sourced responsibly.”

These market forces are spurring significantgrowth in forest certification. For example, the

acreage certified by the Sustainable ForestryInitiative has grown 71% since 2007. Despitesuch growth, however, global forest certificationstands at about 10%. In contrast, 100% ofWeyerhaeuser’s forests worldwide are certified.

“We achieved 100% certification in our NorthAmerican operations several years ago, and thisyear we also achieved full certification for ourforests in Uruguay,” Gideon said. “It’s astandard we’ve set for all of our operations.”

Previously Manager, Strategic Planning, Ms. Janzen is aRegistered Professional Forester and clearlydemonstrates the leadership qualities required for therole of Chief Forester. She brings over 10 years'experience in developing and implementing land usepolicies and practices.

Ms. Janzen also has a proven track record of buildingstrategic relationships and partnerships with FirstNations, Environmental groups and various levels ofGovernment on the coast of British Columbia.

In her new role, Ms. Janzen is accountable fordeveloping and implementing economically viable andenvironmentally responsible strategies and solutionsassociated with business investments on crown lands toadvance the Company's strategy. She will also ensurethe Company continues to demonstrate sustainabilityacross its operations and through the safe managementof its forest tenures.

"I am very pleased that Shannon has accepted the

role of Chief Forester," said Don Demens, President andCEO. "She has been instrumental in helping us establishpositive business relationships and joint ventures withFirst Nations and her knowledge of our industry hasbeen critical in defining our long-term strategy atWestern. I am confident her leadership will continue tostrengthen Western's position as a globally competitiveforest products business."

Western Forest Products is an integrated Canadianforest products company and the largest coastal BritishColumbia woodland operator and lumber producer withan annual available harvest of approximately 6.4 millioncubic metres of timber, of which approximately 6.2million cubic metres is from Crown lands and lumbercapacity in excess of 1.1 billion board feet from eightsawmills and two remanufacturing plants. Principalactivities conducted by the Company include timberharvesting, reforestation, sawmilling logs into lumberand wood chips and value-added remanufacturing.

SAWPOINTS

Weyerhaeuser Company maintainssustainable growth objectivesWeyerhaeuser Company now owns or manages approximately 20.5million acres of forestland in the U.S. and Canada including acquisition of Longview Timber’s approximately 645,000 acres of forestland inWashington state and Oregon in July, making the company one of NorthAmerica’s and the world’s largest private sustainable forestry operations.

New Chief Forester at Western Forest Products Inc.Western Forest Products Inc. has appointed Shannon Janzen as Chief Forester.

“

Shannon Janzen, ChiefForester Western ForestProducts Inc




http://www.barko.com

Pellet exports from the twoprimary pellet-producingregions on the North

American continent – the USSouth and British Columbia –showed no signs of slowing inearly 2013, with the rate of growthlikely to accelerate in the secondhalf of the year. In the US South,pellet export volumes to Europeresumed their double-digit growthafter a brief pause in the fourthquarter last year. Export volumes,based on information fromindustry sources as well as tradedata in Europe and North America,showed exports in excess of 1.7Mt in 2012, as reported in theNorth American Wood Fiber

Review (www.woodprices.com). Canadian exports also rose in

2012 to 1.5 Mt, but this increasewas less than that seen in the US.During the March quarter, totalpellet exports from North Americareached a new record of more than1 Mt for the quarter. This can becompared to the annualshipments of 750,000 t just fouryears ago.

The United Kingdom continuesto strengthen its claim as theprimary destination for NorthAmerican pellets with over two-thirds of the export volume fromthe US and Canada going to theUK in the first term.

The story of Drax’s plans for its

large power plant conversion fromcoal to biomass in Selby, England,continues to make news acrossNorth America. Earlier in thespring, Drax Biomass International(DBi), a US-based subsidiary toDrax Power, announced that it willdevelop, construct and managetwo pellet plants, a port storageand a loading facility in the USSouth, which will be sendingpellets to fuel the company’s UKfacility.

Also, in Eastern Canada, pelletproducer Rentech announced anoff-take agreement with DraxBiomass, which will result in newinvestment in ports to increasepellet-loading capacity, and in rail

transportation, along with theconstruction and operation of twopellet facilities themselves.

The increase in pelletproduction in Western Canada haspushed sawdust prices upwardthe past few years, with 2013prices being about 15% higherthan they were in 2010, asreported in the NAWFR.

In the US South, where smallerlogs from thinnings and treetopsare commonly used for pelletmanufacturing, there has not yetbeen any region-wide upwardprice pressure as a result of thenew wood-consuming sector inthe region.

“Canada’s wood products industryis cashing in on the recovery in theUS housing market and strongChinese demand for woodproducts,” said Lin Ai, an inhouseeconomist. Highlights include;

• Price improvements and higherproduction mean that industryrevenues will rise to a six-yearhigh, reaching $C24 billion in2013

• Production increases will drivecosts higher, but revenue gainswill be more than sufficient tocover them

• The industry continues to reapthe benefits of cost-cuttingmeasures undertaken evenbefore the 2008-09 economicrecession. The end result is that

2013 will be the fourthconsecutive year of profitability.The positive news is tempered

by weakness in the domestichousing market, but the reboundin the US housing market androbust exports to China will morethan offset the slackening demandat home.

Industry production willcontinue to rise each year through2017. However, the pace of growthwill slow down in the outer yearsof the forecast, as production willbe constrained by lower timbersupply – a result of the mountainpine beetle infestation in BritishColumbia.

Some 6,000 new workers areexpected to be added to payrollsin 2013. However, producers are

facing a skilled-worker shortage,which will pose a major challengefor the industry going forward.

In contrast to the surgingoutlook for wood products, thisyear is shaping up to be adisappointing one for Canada’sPaper Products Industry.

Revenues will drop slightly dueto weaker production, which hasalso resulted in declines in bothmaterial inputs and employment.Although costs should be lowerthis year, it will not be enough tokeep the industry in the black. Theindustry is expected to record apre-tax loss of $213 million in2013. The industry is expected toturn a pre-tax profit 2014, butprofit margins will remain thinover the next four years.

Bright spots in the paperindustry outlook include risingdemand from emerging marketsand growth in certain segments ofthe industry, such as sanitarypaper and other higher value-added paper products, all of whichare helping to offset decliningdemand for newsprint.


WORLD MARKETS

American pellet exportshit record levelsNorth American wood pellet exports reached a new record

of more than 1 Mt in the first quarter, according to the

North American Wood Fiber Review. There has been

steady growth in shipments from both the US and Canada

the past few years, mainly as a result of the continued

increase in demand for pellets in the United Kingdom

Sawmills to spring back to lifePre-tax profits in Canada’s wood products industry are expected to more than

double this year and reach an eight-year high, according to The Conference

Board of Canada’s Spring 2013 outlook

IFI_PG12_19_World Markets_HR 29/08/2013 13:08 Page 12


http://www.mtu-online.com

WWorldwide net sales andrevenues increased 4% tomore than $10 billion for

the third quarter and rose 8% forthe nine months. Net sales of theequipment operations were $9.32billion for the quarter and $26.37billion for nine months, comparedwith $8.93 billion and $24.45 billionfor the same periods last year.

“John Deere is well on the roadto another year of impressiveperformance after reporting recordthird-quarter results,” Chairmanand Chief Executive Samuel Allensaid. “Sales and income for the

period were higher than in anyprior third quarter.

“Deere’s success is a reflectionof considerable strength in thefarm sector, especially in Northand South America. We also aremaking further progress executingour wide-ranging operating andmarketing plans, which call forexpanding our global marketpresence while keeping a closewatch on costs and assets.”

For the Construction andforestry division, however, thingswere less bullish. Sales decreased11% for the quarter and 8% for

nine months mainly as a result oflower shipment volumes.Operating profit was $107 millionfor the quarter and $259 millionfor nine months, compared with$113 million and $356 million lastyear.

The quarterly operating-profitdecline was primarily because ofdecreased shipment volumes.Reduced shipment volumes alsohad an impact on the nine monthfigures, though increases inproduction costs, an unfavourableproduct mix and higher selling,administrative and general

expenses, also caused problems.Price realisation and lowerresearch and developmentexpenses largely offset thenegative influences.

Deere’s worldwide sales ofconstruction and forestryequipment are forecast todecrease by about 8% for 2013.The decline mostly reflects acautious outlook for US economicgrowth. Global forestry sales areexpected to be higher for the yearas improved US demand morethan offsets weakness inEuropean markets.

Deere records tumble despiteconstruction, forestry struggleNet income for Deere & Company for its third quarter was $996.5 million, or

$2.56/sh compared to $788 million for the same period last year. For the first nine

months of the year, the group netted an impressive $2.73 billion up from $2.377

billion last year


WORLD MARKETS

After a decline in importation oflogs and lumber into China in 2012and early 2013, the country cameroaring back to life in the secondquarter with the import valueincreasing by more than 30% year-over-year, as reported in the WoodResource Quarterly.

The total value of importedsoftwood logs and lumber wasmore than $2.2 billion in the Junequarter, an increase of almost$600 million from the previousquarter.

The higher demand for woodproducts comes as house-buildingactivities have increased in the

first half of 2013 as compared tothe same period in 2012. Year-over-year, investments were up13% in residential buildings, and23% in commercial buildings,according to recently publishedofficial Chinese statistics.

During the past few years,importation of lumber has grownat a faster pace than that of logimports with the share of lumberof the total import value havinggone up from 35% in 2010 to 42%in the June term. The importvolumes have almost tripled infour years with Russia and Canadahaving been the two major

suppliers of softwood lumber,together accounting for almost80% of all lumber imported toChina over the period. Europeansawmills have not had a majorpresence in the Chinese woodmarket but this is changing.

In June of this year, Europeanshipments accounted for over 8%of the total lumber imports toChina. It can be expected thatmore containers of lumber willfind their way from Europe toChina in the coming years. TheChinese log import market, whichonce was completely dominatedby Russia, has evolved the past

four years to a more diversifiedgroup of supplying countries, asreported in the Wood ResourceQuarterly.

New Zealand has become thelargest softwood log supplier toChina, Russia’s presence hasdiminished, and the US andCanada currently supply 25% ofall logs imported to China.Russia’s log exports to China arelikely to continue to decline, butthere will likely be opportunitiesfor Russian sawmills to increasetheir shipments in the future.

Dragon regains its appetite


http://www.tamtron.fi

WORLD MARKETS


Canfor reports second quarter 2013 results

Canfor Corporation reportednet income attributable toshareholders (“shareholder

net income”) of $110.3 million, or$0.77/sh, for the second quarter of2013, compared to $61.9 million,or $0.43/sh, for the first quarter of2013 and $2.6 million, or$0.02/sh, for the second quarterof 2012. For the six months endedJune 30, 2013, the Company’sshareholder net income was

$172.2 million, or $1.21/sh,compared to a shareholder netloss of $15.4 million, or $0.1/sh,reported for the first half of 2012.

The shareholder net income forthe second quarter of 2013included various items affectingcomparability with prior periods,which had an overall net positiveimpact on the Company’s results of$22.6 million, or $0.16 per share.After adjusting for such items, the

Company’s adjusted shareholdernet income for the second quarterof 2013 was $87.7 million, or$0.61/sh, up $17.4 million, or$0.12/sh, from an adjustedshareholder net income of $70.3million, or $0.49/sh, for the firstquarter of 2013. Adjustedshareholder net income for thesecond quarter of 2012 was $9.2million, or $0.07/sh.

The Company reported

operating income of $128.2 millionfor the second quarter of 2013,compared to operating income of$100 million for the first quarter.The positive variance reflectedimproved results in the lumbersegment mostly as a result ofincreased shipments and, to alesser extent, lower manufacturing costs.

Norbord Inc. has reported EBITDAof $102 million in the secondquarter of 2013, compared to $31million in the same quarter lastyear and $111 million in the firstquarter of 2013. North Americanoperations generated EBITDA of$92 million in the quarter versus$26 million last year and $106million in the prior quarter.European operations generatedEBITDA of $12 million in thequarter versus $9 million last yearand $10 million in the prior quarter.

Norbord recorded $53 million ofearnings in the second quarter of2013 compared to $6 million in thesame quarter last year and $67million in the prior quarter.

“In North America, weexperienced a significant OSB pricecorrection in the second quarter,”Barrie Shineton, President and CEOsaid. “Although prices wereexpected to adjust after reachingrecord levels in the first quarter, Iwas surprised by the degree of thecorrection. OSB prices are now

recovering and I believe this trendwill continue as the fundamentalssupporting US new homeconstruction remain very strong.”

“In Europe, panel demand andprices, particularly for OSB andparticleboard, improved again thisquarter and are reflected in ourfinancial results. And, we arebeginning to see early signs of afundamental turnaround in UKhousing. This is encouraging as theUK continues to be Norbord’s mostimportant European market.”

June year-to-date US housingstarts and permits were both 24%higher than the same period lastyear. Single family starts were20% better. Other key housingmetrics, including home prices,existing home sales and theinventory of foreclosed homes,continued to improve. Theconsensus forecast of US housingeconomists remains at 1.0 millionstarts for 2013, a 28% increaseover last year.

Norbord credits OSB prices and housingrecovery for upsurge in earnings


http://www.NorwoodSawmills.com

CEPI has released the latest Europeanpulp and paper industry statistics, whichgive a clear picture of the performance of

the industry in 2012 and do not make for prettyreading. These key statistics include data aboutproduction, consumption and the trade of pulp,paper and raw materials, as well as dataconcerning energy, environment, and socialaffairs.

European pulp and paper production in 2012continued to be affected by the economicslowdown that began in mid-2011. Notably, its

performance remains above other energy-intensive sectors in Europe. The Europeanpaper industry is looking for a healthier supplyand demand balance and is modernising itsindustrial base to remain competitive.

The overall output performance of all CEPImember countries during 2012 was similar tothat of other major traditional paper producingworld regions, such as USA, Japan and SouthKorea. Only China and Brazil performed better.

CEPI members produced 92.1 Mt of paperand board in 2012, which represents a decrease

of 1.6% over 2011. The pre-crisis production in2008 totalled 97.9 Mt. Pulp production fell by1% while the output of market pulp increasedby 4.3%.

Exports of paper and board outside Europeshowed an increase by 5.3% whilst imports fellby 9.7% when compared with 2011. The overallconsumption of paper and board in CEPI fell by3.8% last year. In comparison the overall GDP inEurope decreased by 0.3% in 2012, but it willrecover in 2014 with a 1.4% increase (source:Eurostat – EU27).


WORLD MARKETS

Slowdown in paper and board consumption

NZ Log Export UpdateNew Zealand exports Prices have decreased inexport destinations, which are pushing downprices at the wharf gate, though as expectedthis has been mitigated to some extent by thedrop in the NZ dollar. Most prices this monthhave remained flat though export pruned priceshave dropped considerably.

Pruned exports are down $6/t on average,though the largest drop has come in thenorthern North Island where prices are down$10/t. The rest of the country has averageddrops of closer to $3/t. This is due to the sapstain issues logs have been having in ports inChina, and has had more effect on at-wharf-gatereturns as the demand is still high for prunedlogs which is supporting the current in-marketlog prices.

NZ had a very large month for log exportsduring May, exporting 1.4/mt, including over 1million tonnes to China. This left NZ well ontrack to exceed the highest half year total everfor exports, despite including the typically slowJanuary and February period. Exports this yearso far are averaging just under 1.3/mt permonth.

May was a month of record exports fromTauranga, with 620,000t exported during themonth. This was a large step up from the monthprevious. But over the last year, growth inTauranga has not been as rapid as out ofWhangarei, which had a 38% increase year onyear for the year to May.

China imported another very large amount oflogs in May, slightly down on April’s recordvolume, but at just over 2.9 million m3 it hascontributed to a huge first half of 2013 for logimports. 12.4 million m3 have been imported thisyear to May. NZ is now consistently the largestsupplier of logs to China, and has a 36% marketshare, compared to Russia’s 30% and the PacificNorth West with 23%. This is a 2% increase ofmarket share for NZ, compared with a drop of10% year-on-year for Russia’s market share.

Investment in wood manufacturing withinChina has increased in May, and has been

relatively high through the start of 2013. For thefirst five months of the year, cumulativeinvestment has been 32% higher than the startof 2012. Investment typically rises in the fromApril onwards and so while it has been apromising start the total investment is stillaround 30% lower than when log prices reachedtheir peak in 2011.

Exports to South Korea dropped back slightlyin May, though are still close to the 200,000million mark. Though the South Koreaneconomy has been slowing and there have beenissues around slow building and bad weather, itis proving to be a very steady market. The start

to exports this year has been 9% higher thanthe five year average. While exports to SouthKorea tend to be cheaper industrial K – gradelogs, compared to the larger A-grade logs sentto China, the strong prices in China have causedthe Korean market to lift as well so that averageexport prices are 17% above year ago levels asat May.

Exports to India have been much steadier thisyear than in 2012 when there were large monthto month fluctuations. The Indian economy isstagnating, while inflation is growing whileproductivity wanes.

Source: www.nzxagri.co.nz/agrifax

Significant growth seen for wood plastic compositesWood and other natural fibres have been used incomposites for many years. Recently there hasbeen a resurgence of interest, particularlydevelopment of the wood-plastic compositesindustry and nanocellulose composites reportsPlasemart. The global market for applications ofwood-plastic composites (WPCs), cellulosicplastics, plastic lumber and natural fibrecomposites was estimated at about 2.4 millionmetric tons in 2011. By 2016, it is estimated atnearly 4.6 million metric tons and rising at arobust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of13.8%, as per BCC Research.

The market for building products is expectedto experience the highest growth, at a compoundannual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.4% during the5-year period from 2011 to 2016. This sector isexpected to be worth 1.7 mt in 2011 and nearly3.2 mt in 2016. The market for automotiveapplications is estimated at 350,000 metric tonsin 2011 and is expected to increase at 17.1%compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to reachnearly 8,00,000 mt in 2016. US demand forwood-plastic composite and plastic lumber isprojected to advance over 13% pa to $5.4 billionin 2015. Advances will be driven by a rebound inconstruction expenditures from a depressed2010 base. Further growth will be boosted by

increasing consumer demand for buildingproducts made from composite and plasticlumber, instead of more traditional materials,such as natural wood.

Wood-plastic composite lumber will registermore rapid gains than plastic lumber, advancingover 16% pa to US$2.5 billion in 2015. Gains willbe driven by ongoing consumer interest in thematerial as a substitute for natural woodproducts in such applications as decking andfencing. Moreover, because wood-plasticcomposite lumber incorporates recycledmaterials, it is seen as an environmentallyfriendly building material.

As per Research and Markets, firm growth isforecast for wood plastics composites in Europedespite financial woes. From a slow start around40 years ago, in the automotive sector, Europeanproduction of wood plastics composites has bothdiversified in its applications and grown rapidlyover the last five years to reach 193,000 tons by2010. Another report forecasts continuing growthto almost 360,000 t by 2015, which represents –average annual growth of 13%, but neverthelessa slowing in growth compared with the 2005-10period, as a result of the continuing difficulties inEuropean economies.

Source: Plasemart.com


WORLD MARKETS


Ilim Group inaugurates the world’s largestfiberline built under the big Bratsk project

Ilim Group recently inaugurated its new pulpmill in Bratsk (Irkutsk Oblast), the largestinvestment project completed in the Russian

pulp and paper industry over the last 30 years andthe world's largest fiberline. A symbolic “keyturning” ceremony was attended by DmitryMedvedev, Russian Prime Minister, ZakharSmushkin, Chairman of the Board of Directors ofIlim Group, John Faraci, Chairman and ChiefExecutive Officer of International Paper, andSergey Eroschenko, Governor of the Irkutsk Oblast.

Total investments in the Big Bratsk projectexceeded $800 million. Annual capacity of the newfiberline after ramp-up will reach 720,000 t ofbleached softwood market pulp, with the totalannual pulp and paper products output of theBratsk Mill of OJSC Ilim Group exceeding 1 milliontons per year.

This successfully completed project will makethe Bratsk Mill more efficient and moreenvironmentally friendly. In addition to theconstruction of a new fiberline, the projectinvolved the upgrade of the infrastructure,including construction of a new recovery boiler,new woodyard, new chemicals preparation plant,etc. The Mill is now fitted with the cutting edgeequipment supplied by the world’s leadingmanufacturers.

In his speech Dmitry Medvedev congratulated

the participants of the inauguration ceremonywith a start up of the new fiberline. “This is animportant and long-awaited event. This industryhas not seen such large investments over a longtime, and this is a remarkable milestone for theentire industry,” said the Prime Minister. “The BigBratsk project is a good example of well-coordinated efforts of business community andregional and federal authorities.”

“We have completed an ambitious project.Rebuild of the Bratsk Mill will give a new impetus

to the development of the mill, the city and theregion as a whole. New high-qualified jobs havebeen created together with new opportunities forimplementation of social programs, said ZakharSmushkin. “In the immediate future we will belearning to ramp up the new fiberline. I would likethank all those who have been involved in theimplementation of the project: our millemployees, our contractors, and all vendors who have worked with us.”

Canadian sawmills recordhighest level of sales since 2007According to the Canada's National StatisticalAgency, total sales in the wood product industrywere up 19.7% over the 12-month period fromJune 2012 to May 2013 compared with the sameperiod one year earlier. By comparison, totalmanufacturing sales in Canada, excluding woodproducts, decreased 1.1% over the same period.

Wood product manufacturing was one of onlyeight industries where sales increased from June2012 to May 2013, and represented both thelargest dollar gain and largest percentage gainby industry. Sales in wood productmanufacturing reached $22.7 billion from June2012 to May 2013, their highest point since2007/2008.

The rise in exports was largely attributable togrowth in the US housing market. Datapublished by the US Census Bureau report thatunadjusted housing units started in the UnitedStates reached 863,600 units from June 2012 toMay 2013, up 28.9% compared with the sameperiod a year earlier. The IPPI indicates thatwood prices in sawmills and wood preservationindustry have risen 10.5% over this period as aresult of increased demand.


http://www.jeffreyrader.com/

New Forests closed out theNew Forests Tropical AsiaForest Fund (TAFF) in July

with a total of $AU170 million incapital commitments, which willbe invested in sustainableplantation forestry investments inSoutheast Asia, with a primaryfocus on Malaysia, Indonesia, andVietnam.

By the time the fund closed,New Forests had also completedthe fund’s first investment, theacquisition of a majority interestin the Hijauan group, whichincludes the wholly-ownedHijauan Bengkoka Plantations anda 50% shareholding in AcaciaForest Industries. Together, thesetwo companies are responsible formanagement, harvest, and futurerotations of an Acacia mangiumplantation in northern Sabah,Malaysia. The plantation areacurrently includes approximately11,000 ha of acacia plantation,producing sawlogs and pulpwoodfor domestic and regional exportmarkets.

“The Hijauan plantation estateis an excellent first exposure forTAFF into the high-growth timbermarkets of Southeast Asia,” NewForests Managing Director DavidBrand said. “The asset is a strong

fit for TAFF as it will generateimmediate cash flow from maturetimber and have exposure toexport markets offering a premiumfor the asset’s FSC-certifiedtimber. The investment alsoprovides opportunities for TAFF tomake management, governance,technical, and operationalimprovements that will increasethe value of the estate.”

As timber supply from naturalforests in Southeast Asia declines,there is an increasing need forinvestment in high quality,sustainably managed plantationforests. TAFF is the first privateinvestment vehicle dedicated tosustainable plantation timberproduction in Southeast Asiausing long-term, institutionalcapital. TAFF will establish aportfolio of assets producing highvalue sawlogs and veneer logs.The fund’s investments areoverseen by New Forests Asia(Singapore) and managed by co-portfolio managers Darius Sarsharand Paul Speed, supported by ateam of specialist forestry andinvestment professionals.

“TAFF will participate in thedevelopment of Southeast Asia’splantation forest industry,” saidNew Forests Asia Director PaulSpeed. “The fund offers the scaleand resources to provide ourclients with a regional forestryportfolio diversified acrossspecies, countries, and marketexposures within Asia. Forestryinvestment in emerging marketsrequires the disciplined approachof traditional timberlandinvestment but also demands ahigh standard for managingenvironmental, social, andgovernance aspects ofinvestments.”

New Forests is a signatory tothe UN-backed Principles forResponsible Investment andoperates a corporate social andenvironmental management

system. These commitmentssupport New Forests’ riskmanagement systems using third-party forest certification andperformance standards.

“A sustainable investmentapproach is necessary inSoutheast Asia, in order tobalance a growing wood demandwith positive community relationsand environmental stewardship,”remarked fellow New Forests AsiaDireector, Darius Sarshar.

A few days before TAFF wasclosed, New Forests closed aneven bigger fund worth $AU570million targeting Australian andNew Zealand investments calledthe Australia New Zealand ForestFund 2 (ANZFF2). The fund willtarget hardwood and softwoodtimber plantation investments.

ANZFF2 is New Forests’ secondtimberland fund investing in theforest sectors of Australia andNew Zealand. The company’s firstsuch fund, ANZFF, closed inOctober 2010 with $AU490 millionin commitments and is now fullyinvested. Including co-investmentswith ANZFF, New Forests hasinvested more than $AU1 billion inthe regional forestry sector for itsclients over the past three years.

ANZFF2 offers qualifiedinvestors exposure to a regionwith strong forest sectorfundamentals, including a robustoperating environment, lowtechnical risk, establisheddomestic and export timbermarkets, and nearly 4 Mha ofexisting timber plantation assetsacross the two countries. Australiaand New Zealand have seen anincrease in institutional ownership

of forests as the industryrestructures, reducing corporateand government ownership. NewForests has estimated that overthe next five years, approximately25% of global institutionaltimberland investmenttransactions will occur in Australiaand New Zealand.

“Australia and New Zealandoffer attractive but distincttimberland investmentopportunities, with some premierassets likely to come to marketover the next two to three years,”Brand said. “New Forests hasdemonstrated an ability to investsuccessfully in our region. Weoffer our clients specialistexpertise and local knowledge in aregion exposed to demand growthfrom both domestic and Asianexport markets.”

New Forests’ investmentbusiness is led by Brand and Headof Funds Management JamesDavies. The ANZFF2 portfolio willbe managed from the company’sSydney headquarters with Directorof Investment Programs DavidShelton leading acquisitions andDirector of Operations Keith Lambleading asset management. SinceNew Forests’ establishment in2005, Lamb and Shelton haveundertaken numerousinvestments in Australia and NewZealand including both softwoodand hardwood plantations and theTimberlink softwood timberprocessing, sales and distributionbusiness.


WORLD MARKETS

Forestry fundstarget AustralasiaTwo forestry funds dedicated to Australiasia have been

armed with $AU740 million that will be used to buy up

sustainable plantation investments

Dr. David BrandManaging Director

Darius SarsharDirector, NewForests Asia

Dave SheltonDirector, InvestmentPrograms, Australia-

New Zealand

November 6-8 2013



WORLD MARKETS

Plum Creek Timber announcessecond quarter 2013 earningsPlum Creek Timber Company, Inc. announced second quarter earnings of $46

million, or $0.28/sh, on revenues of $303 million. Earnings for the second quarter

of 2012 were $36 million, or $0.22/sh, on revenues of $294 million.

Earnings for the first sixmonths of 2013 improved$37 million compared to the

same period of 2012. Earnings were$102 million, or $0.62/sh, onrevenues of $643 million. Earningsfor the first six months of 2012were $65 million, or $0.40/sh, onrevenues of $631 million.

Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAPmeasure of operating performance,for the first six months of 2013 was$232 million, similar to the $234million in the same period of 2012.Plum Creek Timber ended thequarter with $355 million in cashand cash equivalents. Areconciliation of adjusted EBITDAto net income and cash flow fromoperations is provided as anattachment to this release.

“Each of our business segmentsperformed well during the secondquarter,” said Rick Holley, chiefexecutive officer. “We areexperiencing fundamental demandimprovement and better pricing;

although, we remain in the veryearly stages of the housingrecovery. As the industry adjusts tothis change in the demandenvironment, regional markets weserve are recovering at differentrates. This is when our unmatched,geographic diversity gives ustremendous operating flexibility. Itallows us to act and capitalize onstrong local markets, growingearnings and cash flow whilemaximizing the long-term value ofour asset base.”

The Northern Resourcessegment reported operating profitof $8 million during the secondquarter, an increase of $4 millioncompared to the second quarter of2012. Average sawlog pricesincreased $8 t, or 11%, comparedto second quarter 2012 levels onimproved demand from bothdomestic and export customers.Pulpwood prices were similar tothe prices realized during thesecond quarter of 2012. As

planned, total Northern segmentvolumes decreased approximately160,000 tons, or 17%, from thesecond quarter harvest of 2012.Most of the reduction in harvestvolume consisted of lower-marginpulpwood.

Operating profit in the SouthernResources segment was $23million, up $1 million from the $22million reported for second quarterof 2012. Higher prices for bothsawlogs and pulpwood offset lowerharvest volumes. Sawlog pricesincreased $1 t, or 5 percent, andpulpwood prices increased $1 t, or10 %, compared to the secondquarter of 2012. Overall theSouthern harvest declined about500,000 tons, or 14%, compared tothe second quarter of 2012. Whileour full-year 2013 Southern harvestis planned to be similar to 2012’sharvest level, the 2013 harvest isweighted to the second half of theyear to capture the expectedimprovement in log prices.

The Manufacturing segmentreported operating income of $14million, a $5 million improvementover the second quarter of 2012.Strong demand and pricingcontinued to benefit each of thecompany’s manufactured productlines. Plywood prices increased13% compared to the secondquarter of 2012 on strong industrialdemand. Plywood sales volumedeclined 6% compared to the sameperiod of 2012 due to reduced logavailability. MDF prices were up 8% compared to second quarter2012 while sales volume grew 15%.

In April of this year, the companyre-opened its Evergreen lumbermill, boosting lumber sales volumeby 21 % compared to the secondquarter of 2012. Average lumberprices declined approximately 1%as the product mix shifted toinclude lower-priced stud lumberfrom the re-opened mill.

Timber giant Weyerhaeuser Co. hasacquired Longview Timber and its645,000 acres of timberlandholdings in Oregon andWashington for $2.65 billion. Thedeal closed on July 23rd.

Brookfield Asset ManagementInc., the Toronto-based seller, isalso selling its Longview FibrePaper and Packaging Corp. toKapStone Paper and PackagingCorp. for just over $1 billion. Thecompany operates a Longview,Wash., paper mill and seven paper-and-cardboard in the PacificNorthwest.

Brookfield had acquired theproperties for $2.15 billion in 2007.

The timberland deal, announcedSunday and expected to close inJuly, would be the third-largestforestry acquisition in NorthAmerican history, Bloomberg Newsreported. It increases the PacificNorthwest holdings of Federal Way,

Wash.,-based Weyerhaeuser byone-third, the company said.

“This is a one-of-a-kindacquisition,” Tom Gideon,Weyerhaeuser's vice president fortimberland, said in a conferencecall for investors and analysts. “Itis highly unlikely that theopportunity to acquire high-valueand high-quality timberland of thismagnitude in the Pacific Northwestwill reappear again.”

The eye-popping purchase priceincludes debt Weyerhaeuser willtake on. The company said it willfinance the deal by selling $2.45billion in long-term debt andequity, and it announced it wouldoffer 10 million mandatoryconvertible preference shares at$50 a share. The shares willautomatically convert to a variablenumber of common shares on July1, 2016.

Upon completing the

acquisition, Weyerhaeuser said itwould increase its quarterlydividend to 22 cents a share, upfrom 20.

The Portland-based law firmStoel Rives represented Brookfieldin acquiring the timberland andpaper operation, then a singlecompany, and restructuring andselling both.

“We don't see transactions ofthis size in Oregon and Washingtonall that frequently,” said Greg D.Corbin, head of the law firm'sforest products initiative. “Whatthis shows is a strong, healthyinterest in timberland ownershipwhich is tied to what we're seeingin the economic recovery, both inthe housing market and domesticdemand and overseas exports.”

Weyerhaeuser said the deal willexpand its reach in internationalmarkets. About 20 percent of itstimberlands revenue comes from

sales to Japan, China and Korea,and Pacific Northwest timberlandsare strategically located for exportto Asia.

The primarily older trees, mostlyDouglas fir, will let Weyerhaeuserimmediately start harvestingexport-quality logs earlier that arelarge enough for use in Japanesepost-and-beam house construction,and the distribution of tree age willallow for continuous harvesting.

“While the total acreage isimportant, it is the location ofthese timberlands, along the WestCoast and in particular west of theCascade mountain range, thatmakes this so compelling,”Weyerhaeuser executive vicepresident Patty Bedient said in theconference call.

The company also installedDoyle Simons, formerly chiefexecutive of forest productscompany Temple-Inland, as CEO.

Weyerhaeuser pays $2.65 billion for Oregon, Washington timberlands



SCANNING & OPTIMISATION

Scanning forblue skies

It’s taken what has felt like aneternity, but finally thingsseem to be picking up for

sawmillers. That’s what ourcontacts amongst the sawmillsupplying community are tellingus, anyway.

It has been a long, slow crawlout of the mire for the sawn woodproducts industry in comparisonto the logging sector but bettertimes do now seem to havearrived. The recovery has been ledof course by the US, where thecrucial indicator, housing starts,has been on the improve andgeneral economic data hasprompted economists the worldover to call the end to uncertaintyand the return to some sort ofnormal growth, albeit at a mutedrate.

Across the ditch in Europe,things are not as bright but thevolatility appears to have abated.The serious threat of Eurozonedisaster is no longer at the headof national papers and, while theeconomic prospects of manynations remains subdued, thechances of more crisis has beenlargely removed. Giving more

credence to the sawmilling revivalhas been the continued relativestrength of the Nordic economies,which are not only Europe’s bestperforming centres but are alsothose with the most significantforest industries.

It is in this light that this year’sScanning & Optimisation reviewmust be viewed. This year therehas not been a huge unveiling ofindustry-changing technology butsuppliers have been busy. Most ofthe scanning improvements havecentred on better vision anddefect detection in the cant ratherthan on cost-effective productsand services. Though sawmills arestill keen to minimise theiroutlays, this demand for higherperforming technologies is new.

Suppliers have not spent asmuch as previous years on theirproduct development but thosethat have survived have also notput away the cheque bookaltogether. Now that there is anuptick in the sector, this magazinewould speculate that spendingwill increase – funded largely bythe early stages of the currentsurge in orders – and there is

likely to be a whole new series ofscanning and optimisationtechnology across these pages inthe next five years.

The upturn in the economy hashad Lucidyne hopping to keep upwith orders for its GradeScanlumber grading system andcontinuing its efforts to advanceits technologies toward fullyunderstanding the characteristicsof wood fibre strength andappearance. Continued research isaimed at accuracy improvementsin strength grading, partially fromusing a new 3D grain anglesensor. More success withidentifying the best production-capable configuration for its T3decay sensor will finally get it outof the lab and into two Canadianmills this year.

There are high expectationsthat the T3 addition to Tolko andWestern Forest Products plantswill also improve other areas offibre analysis. Two specificchallenges have been accuratelymeasuring knots when they arecovered with blue stain or whenthe knot head is the same colour

An installation of the Goldeneye-500

This year’s

Scanning &

Optimisation

technology

review could be

the precursor to

some true

revelations for

the sawmilling

sector in the

years to follow

http://www.lucidyne.com


as the surrounding fibre. “Improvements here will help

reduce grading errors and in turngenerate more value for owners ofthis technology,” Lucidyne said.

One more technology leaptakes another challenging defectoff the list – ‘timber break’. Thisdefect leaves the fibre fracturedacross the grain and makes aboard very weak. It can regularlybe found when a grader turns theboard over by hand because thereis sometimes enough damage toto be seen or damage can be ‘felt’or ‘heard’ through vibrations.Automated turners reduce thisopportunity.

“It is easy to find it with acontinuous bending machine, butonly mills that strength grade forMSR or MEL products are likely tohave that tool,” the supplier said.“Visual scanners are less effectivethan a grader since they do not‘touch’ the board.”

Lucidyne’s success came froman increase in its scan density. Thedefect is not easily seen whenlooking at the colour image here,but the high-definition view fromthe company’s tracheid sensormakes the defect much moreobvious. This sensor takesadvantage of the physics ofsoftwood tracheid cells and lightenergy, sometimes referred to asthe T1 effect, showing that thelight traveling along the tracheidcells is disturbed by the suddenfracture perpendicular to thetracheid alignment.

Some of Lucidyne’s more recentinstallations have uniquechallenges, as each one iscustomised for its respective mill.Anthony Timberlands in Bearden,Arkansas, had experienced grader-assisted geometric grading andwas looking forward to steppingup to implementing full biologicalscanning. Four months afterinstallation, Timberlands bought asecond GradeScan scanner for theMalvern mill for installation at theend of this year.

Idaho Forest Group recentlytook over a Potlatch mill inLewiston, Idaho and completedthe first phase of an automatedgrading project. Its firstGradeScan was brought intoproduction in the plant just thisAugust, replacing a geometric-only system. After the remainingmechanical equipment is installedand the project completed at theend of August, its GradeScan willfirst scan boards, trim, and thendirect them to either a tray sorteror bin sorter. The uniqueconfiguration of this system takesadvantage of the scanner’s abilityto grade and monitor an unlimitednumber of boards and use itsTrue-Q lumber tracking system tomake sure they get to the rightdestination.

A True-Q on each sorter line willmonitor the lumber, evenrecognising boards that have beencut-in-two. To comprehend thesignificance of this, consider thathalf of a cut-in-two board may get

sent to the tray sorter and theother half to the bin sorter – True-Q must recognise both sectionsusing only the surface image ofthe lumber (no ink or paintmarks).

“This is truly a first in ourindustry and is one way to takeadvantage of the many possiblecombinations of lengths andgrades available from automatedgrading – instead of beingconstrained by limited sortingcapacity,” Lucidyne said.

IFG has a second GradeScanscheduled for installation laterthis Fall for its Laclede, Idaho,facility.

Collum’s Lumber Products inAllendale, South Carolina, is in thefine-tuning phase of its first monthof production with its newGradeScan system. The mill’smove to a Lucidyne scanner wasmade after thorough testing ofboth lineal and transversetechniques and determining thatthe product requirements couldonly be met with Lucidyne’s high-resolution lineal scanner. This millgrades 25-100 mm (1-4 in)dimension and appearanceproducts.

Among some of the GradeScaninstallations planned for 2014 is asystem for Lampe & MalphrusLumber Company in Smithfield,

North Carolina. This Februaryinstallation will see GradeScandoing more appearance gradingfor high-quality Southern YellowPine products. From due-diligenceefforts leading up to its purchasedecision, the mill expects to seesome great improvements in gradeyield and volume as productivitybecomes even more consistent.

Swedish laser sensor andmeasuring systems specialist,LIMAB, has introduced a newboard scanning systems to itsrange of laser inspection systems.

The LIMAB BoardProfiler 3D,was launched at the Ligna 2013wood and forestry tradeshow inGermany. The system is nowalready running in its firstinstallation.

The BoardProfiler 3D is a boardscanning system for dimensionalmeasurements and defectsdetection. LIMAB said that theproduct builds on the success ofthe earlier generationBoardProfiler that is used in morethan 170 sawmills all over theworld.

LIMAB has used its expertise insensors to develop a new 3D laserprofile sensor that provides a“much more accurate and detailedanalysis of the board thanpreviously possible”. As an

Colour picture of board withtimber break

Tracheid image of the same boardshowing timber break

GradeScan installed at Collum’s Lumber Products on planer outfeed

This is truly a first in our industry and is one way to takeadvantage of the many possible combinations of lengths

and grades available from automated grading – instead ofbeing constrained by limited sorting capacity – Lucidyne


example, the thickness accuracyalong the board is as good as +/-0.05 mm. The system processes12.5 million measurementcoordinates every second.

“Defects such as holes, cracksand knots as small as 2 mm² canbe detected,” the companyreported. “The system measuresboards with high accuracy in allproduction speeds up to rates of200 boards/m and is unaffectedby board movements orvibrations.”

In addition, the system isWindows-based and provides theuser with all the measurementdata information, includingcomplete wane data, optimisationof cutting for trimmers, reject orturning before edgers and “muchmore”.

The BoardProfiler 3D is acomplete stand-alone system tomeasure board profiles intransversal and lineal processes.The system incorporates LIMAB’snewly developed ProfiCura 600sensor that measures everymillimetre for the best accuracy at

high speeds. LIMAB’s BoardProfiler 3D

sensor delivers a profile scan ofthe board at a measurement rateof 1,000 profiles/second. Thesystem is ideal for high-speedscanning of boards and for

optimisation and gradingapplications in the harsh sawmillenvironment.

The BoardProfiler 3D systemcan also be combined withPreciCura 1D sensors for a morecost effective solution than a

multipoint or camera-basedsystem.



A BoardProfiler installation

http://www.autolog.com

Because of wide application rangeand high grading capacity, theBoardMaster system from FinScanis one of the most famous boardgrading scanner at sawmillsaround the world. It can be usedfor green grading and edgerapplications at the sawmill, forgrading of dry and rough boardsas well as for final sorting ofplaned boards.

“When grading in the greenline, it is important to remove thedefects as early as possible in theproduction process with anautomatic quality gradingsystem,” Finscan said. “Then thedrying can be optimised and thefinal sorting can be run with

higher capacity.” The FinScan grading system

scans individual boards from alldirections for fast imageprocessing and board qualityanalysis. Based on requiredgrades, it optimises the boardgiving detailed instructions fortrimming, cutting, ripping andsorting. The system includes allcommon international gradingrules for a wide variety ofsoftwood species. It has also awide selection of applicationprograms for differentremanufacturing purposes.

The latest version,BoardMasterHDL, includes lots oftechnical improvements, many of


When grading in the green line, it is important to removethe defects as early as possible in the production process

with an automatic quality grading system – Finscan


A look at BoardProfiler 3D applicationsOptimisation for trimmers: calculates the optimum cutting position foreach board based on customers specified rule tables.

Defect detection: The system looks after thickness variations, holes,cracks and knots along the board in both transversal and linealprocesses. Cutting, sorting and rejecting according to deviations inspecified rule tables.

Reject or turning before edgers: The BoardProfiler 3D will determinewhich side of the board has wane so the board can be turned beforethe camera.

Deformation measurement: The overall shape such as flat bow, sidebow and twist will be determined and classified according to specifiedrule tables.

Thickness and width sorting: The overall dimensions of finishedboards are accurately measured at multiple positions along the boardlength for quality assurance purposes.

“The innovation results in much more accurate board measurementand a higher production yield for the sawmill [and] is easy to installand has a quick payback.”

Defects detected by the BoardProfiler

BoardMaster system from FinScan


which can be implemented asupgrade kits in older installations.

Key benefits ofBoardMaster• Increases the value yield of the

sawmill• Optimises the production

according to raw material andcustomer requirements

• Manages complex productionrequirements

• Secures constant quality ofboard production and deliveries.

EndSpy – board endanalyserWith EndSpy, it is possible toanalyse the distance of the annualrings. It detects also cracks,

bluestain and rot in the board end.By exact detection of heart pithposition, EndSpy can be used, forexample, for board turner controlin the planer lines.

MoistSpy – moistureanalyserMoistSpy analyses the moisture ofthe board from up to eightpositions. It performs fast andaccurate moisture profilemeasurement, which can be usedfor grading and analysing ofdrying errors.

The FinScan board gradingsystem is being used for strengthgrading of structural timber. Itgives comprehensive informationon lumber defects and expectedstrength value. The system isequally well suited for large andsmall sawmills.

FinScan has delivered over 300board grading systems to sawmillsin Europe, Russia, North-Americaand Asia.

At Ligna this year, Microtecintroduced a completely re-engineered multi-sensor scannerplatform. The first to have beenlaunched was the basic edition,


Parameters are refined with the sawmill to ensure the best result isreturned from the Goldeneye-500

All parameters and gradingrules are refined togetherwith our engineeringteams in order to get the most out of yourproduction – MiCROTEC

http://www.lmi3D.com


Goldeneye-300, delivering multi-sensorscanning performance for sorting and gradinglines up to 100 m/minute (ft/minute). On July 1,the brand new Goldeneye-500 was officiallylaunched with the first installation completed inRomania.

The Goldeneye-500 builds on the sameradical design and technological innovations asthe Goldeneye-300. Microtec optimisationboosts both recovery and value in woodcomponent manufacturing.

“All parameters and grading rules are refinedtogether with our engineering teams in order toget the most out of your production,” Microtecsaid.

“The Goldeneye series is a comprehensive

product family delivering multi-sensor solutionsin order to boost recovery, quality and value forthe lumber processing industry. Whether inlongitudinal or in transversal transport, forgreen or for dry boards or panels, to rip orchop, in low or in ultra-high capacity plants,Goldeneye multi-sensor quality scannersaccurately sort and grade it all.”

The Goldeneye-500 has been designed withthree goals in mind:• To boost value in wood component

manufacturing• To make scanning more accurate and reliable• To provide advanced yet easy to useoptimization solutions.

Designed to lastMulti-sensor scanning accurately and reliablydetects and recognises wood properties. Thisallows sawmills to streamline and optimise theproduction strategy. The value optimisation isbased on customer-specific parameters, such asdefect definitions, grading, chopping andsorting rules.

Goldeneye-500 is being used for sorting andgrading lines up to 300 m/minute (1,000ft/minute). The design of the Goldeneyeplatform is based on a modular concept andhas been unified throughout the series socustomers can easily upgrade their modules.

Microtec takes advantage of the nextgeneration Crometic HD-sensors, featuring an


An installation of the Microtec Goldeneye-500

http://www.toughestvideocamera.com

http://www.microtec.eu


even faster image acquisition anda more powerful digital imageprocessing core. The new X-raysources have integrated coolingsystems, are extremely low inmaintenance, and are designedfor continuous workloads – 24hours a day, seven days a week.

For the site managers whotravel a lot, Microtec hasdeveloped an additionalapplication to access theGoldeneye system with a smartdevice, phone or tablet. Androidand iOS are both fully supportedand can access all productiondata.

“The Goldeneye-500 is atechnological jewel – the best wehave ever made,” FedericoGiudiceandrea, CEO of Microtec,said. “We have designed theGoldeneye from ground up inorder to deliver the best scanningexperience for our customers: wehave designed new sensors, newX-ray sources, re-engineered theinternals, implemented 64 bitperformance everywhere andgiven the scanner a brand new

housing to solve some of thetricky issues of cleaning,maintenance and upgraderequirements.”

Three models to choose fromMicrotec offers three models ofthe Goldeneye-500 (501, 502 and506). All models have the samevisual scanning options (3Dscanning, colour scanning, andscatter scanning). The models 502and 506 feature the new X-rayscanner. The 506 includes Viscan,a stress grading scanner certifiedby ALSC in transversal transport.The upper limit of cross-cuts is100 mm x 225 mm (4 in x 9 in).

First installation inRomaniaLeading European woodworkingcompany, Schweighofer, is basedin Austria but has various branchesacross Europe, including Romania.Schweighofer’s solidwood panelmanufacturing plant in Siret,Romania, was the first to have theGoldeneye-500 installed.

Installation was completed inMay while start-up was carried outacross mid-June. The multi-sensorscanner is integrated into thelamella sorting line of system.

“The scanner is a significantrelief,” Schweighofer CEO GeraldSchweighofer said. “Before we hadto manually sort the lamella. “Afterserious market research and basedon the outstanding cost benefit, wechose, again, our long-termpartner Microtec.”

The plant managers andoperators have been trained at theheadquarters in Bressanone, Italy.“Plus, the start-up and the overallproject management have beenimplemented in a serious andprofessional manner. We are veryhappy with the performance,”Schweighofer said.

The grading results of eachboard are sent directly to the chopsaw of the system, in order tocontrol the value optimisedchopping. Some 1 million m3 of

lamellas will be processed everyyear. Schweighofer managementexpects a significant boost inadded-value with help of the multi-sensor scanner Goldeneye-500.

The JS-20 MX is JoeScan’smedium-range scanner, ideallysuited for a broad range ofapplications. This single-laserscanner can deliver fast andaccurate measurements at anoperating distance up to 2.1 m (7ft), with a field of view up to 1,025mm (41 in) wide.

The MX is based on JoeScan’sproven and reliable JS-20 scanner

platform, developed tomake scanning systemseasier to install andmaintain. It requires only24 VDC and an Ethernetconnection for operation,and it can be installed inany orientation in minutesusing the optional MountKit.

Because the scanneruses an Ethernetinterface, it is easy tocommunicate with thescanner without specialhardware or proprietarysoftware. This interfacealso allows users to viewreal-time profile data and

camera images, and to configureand calibrate the scanner using asimple Web browser on their PC.

The MX is fully compatible withall scanners in the JS-20 family. Allscanners use JoeScan’s reliableQuickPulse laser technology,which keeps all scan headssynchronised and helps maximisethe laser life.

“Like all JoeScan products, thismodel is backed by a five-yearmanufacturer defect warranty and10-year support life guarantee,”the supplier said. “JoeScanscanners have been in sawmillingenvironments since 2002 and


Characteristics of

GOLDENEYE-500 • Next generation sensors• New x-Ray technology • 64-bit power operation

system for faster imageprocessing

• All new technology withmodular arrangement anddurable scanningperformance

• Go mobile with Apps foriPhone, iPad and Adroiddevices

• GOLDENEYE-500 is equippedwith multiple cameras perside for high speed woodcomponent manufacturing.

The Microtec Goldeneye-300 wasthe first of the Goldeneye seriesunveiled at Ligna

JoeScan scanners have been in sawmilling environments since2002 and have a solid reputation for quality products with

superior customer service – JoeScan

The JS-20 MX is JoeScan’s mostversatile, medium range scanner.

It is ideally suited for a broadrange of applications that require

accurate profile measurements

Depth of View20” to 84”

Field of View10” @ 20”standoff41” @ 84”standoff


have a solid reputation for quality productswith superior customer service.”

Key Features• Single laser with field of view up to 41”• Scan rate up to 275 profiles per second• Scan resolution up to +/- 0.025”• Easy-to-use Ethernet interface• One-click, automatic calibration• Encoder-synchronized scanning• Rugged, fully sealed aluminum housing• Image View feature for easy troubleshooting• 5-year defect warranty & 10-year support life

guarantee

It has been almost 20 years since Comact firststarted to work on visual images in order tograde lumber. The first prototype was installedin Northern Quebec and was based around thetrimmer-optimiser platform, which used onlygeometrical sensors back then. Later on, laserprofiles coupled with colour cameras wereinstalled on an inclined transverse transfer andthe GradExpert was born.

“The goal was to get into the dry endlumber market, but no one expected it to be sosuccessful,” Comact recalled. “At the time, noone could imagine Comact having as manyautomatic graders in operation as it hastoday.”

Comact uses different types of colourcameras to detect visual defects on any type ofwood. Moreover, these cameras are specially-designed for logs, cants, flitches (sideboards),rough boards, and dressed lumber. ‘Areacameras’ (which, as you’d expect, scan areas)are used for scanning large sections of woodlike log ends and mainly measure in a linealway. ‘Linescan cameras’ (for lines) are used forscanning boards in a transverse way.

Cameras are combined with lighting systemsto get better image contrast of darker colouredsections such as splits, rot, and knots. LED

• Single laser with field of view up to 1,025mm

• Scan rate up to 275 profiles/s

• Scan resolution up to +/- 0.025 in

• Easy-to-use Ethernet interface

• One-click, automatic calibration

• Encoder-synchronised scanning

• Rugged, fully sealed aluminium housing

• Image View feature for easytroubleshooting

• Five-year defect warranty & 10-year supportlife guarantee.

JS-20 MX features

http://www.mpmeng.com

panels and/or fluorescent lampsare used for this purpose.

“The main goal here is tomeasure geometrical and visualdefects in order to get a completegrading solution, which cannot beachieved by a geometrical systemalone for most of today’sdemanding applications,” Comactsaid.

The main strength of all Comactgrading systems is that they arebacked by the high level of

expertise of its seasoned team.The technology is there to get veryaccurate images of wood, but thenthis massive amount of data hasto be processed in order to gradethe wood properly.

From the development ofelectronic design to gradingoptimisation algorithms, each millprocess and client need iscarefully assessed, programmed,and customised by seniorprogrammers and certified

graders. This is mainly why todayComact has over 100 visionsystems in operation, including 72GradExperts running up to 250boards/minute.

Comact’s clients are locatedmainly in North America and usevarious vision applications forsorting, edging, trimming, andgrading. Comact has systems,which perform in a wide range ofspecies, namely, SPF (spruce-pine-fir), jack pine, balsam fir, douglasfir, hemlock, SYP (southern yellowpine), many types of hardwood(maple, wild cherry, beech, ash,oak, aspen, etc.), white pine, redpine, cedar, red cedar, greenwood, dry wood, and even radiatapine from New Zealand.

With bench test capacity to runwood at its own shop inBoisbriand, QC, clients bring theirown manually graded lumber tocompare performances with theComact GradExpert. Comact isespecially proud of having manyclients who own more than onesystem, among others, Canfor,with its 21 systems, is worthmentioning. This goes to say thatour vision systems perform

outstandingly and that our teamof experts stands behind themwhile leading the industry.

Traditionally, MPM has suppliedthe wood industry with its logscanning, optimisation, andcontrol systems. A decade ago,customer demand for lumberscanning and optimisation forcedthe expansion of its product lineto include edgers and trimmersand, at the same time, introducedthe development team to sizeinspection data that could be usedto make inferences on upstreamprocess issues.

“A few years ago, in the depthsof the downturn (and prompted bya progressive Scandinavianassociate), it seemed like a goodtime to focus efforts on creating astand-alone size inspectionproduct, drawing from priorexperiences with scanningtechnologies,” the company said.The result of these efforts wasMillEye.

MillEye is MPM’s current woodinspection system. This fullproduct contains options thatallow the system to either be

A close-up view of the Comact EdgeExpert



The Comact TrimExpert

The Comact GradExpert

http://www.joescan.com



married to an MPM centralisedmanagement system or standalone amongst non-MPM systems.

Following MPM’s philosophy ofstaying independent from scannersupply companies, the MillEyesystem interfaces to a variety ofscanners, including SICK, Hermary,JoeScan, and LMI. Each scannermanufacturer has its strengths,and MPM feels thatrecommending the right scannermanufacturer and model for thejob is one of its responsibilities.

Scanning types include bothsingle point and sheet of light,depending on the application. Insome cases, higher visioncomponents (e.g. colour, scatter)can be used to not only providesize measurement but also gradeinspection and comparisonagainst upstream gradeprediction.

In terms of the type of objectbeing measured and verified,MillEye can inspect opening faces,sawn sideboards, slabs, gang-

sawn cants, and trimmer boards.Real-time graphs and statistics aredisplayed, with criticalmeasurement limits warning theoperator both visually andthrough other optional electronicmethods (e.g. text messaging,email, reader board).

“For example, saw changescheduling can be more precise aswell as more reactive tocircumstances that can quicklychange during a shift,” MPM said.

“The amount of lost productionsaved through preventativemaintenance actions based onaccurate, real-time informationrapidly covers the cost of thesystem.

“In addition, the safety aspectof having sensors caliper allboards rather than your QCpersonnel entering potentiallydangerous working conditions andmeasuring a few boards placesless risk on the factory and itsworkers.” IFI

The amount of lostproduction saved throughpreventative maintenanceactions based on accurate,

real-time informationrapidly covers the cost

of the system – MPM

Engineering

MPM’s MillEye software provides real-time measurement feedback tooperators and QC personnel

MPM’s MillEye monitoring gangboards for sawing deviation andwedging

http://www.gilbert-tech.com


USNR gradingsystem beats

expectationsStrong lumber markets, an obsolete grader

assist scanner, and the need for fencingaccuracy created the perfect storm for

Swanson Group to invest in a fully automatedgrading line at its Glendale, Oregon dimensionmill. The company chose USNR’s THG system,along with key ancillary equipment that togetherare improving the production and grade out forthe operation.

Swanson Group is a privately held forestproducts company thathas been owned andoperated by the Swansonfamily since 1951. Thecompany operates fourOregon wood processingplants: a stud mill atRoseburg; the dimensionlumber mill at Glendale;and two plywood andveneer plants at Glendaleand Springfield.

The Glendale dimensionmill processes greendouglas fir in 50-100 mm(2 in x 4 in) through 50-250 mm (2 in x10 in), and2-6 m (6-20 ft) lengths that are marketeddomestically. The recent major recession forcedthe company to look to new products and globalmarkets to ensure its continued success. Inaddition to standard dimension products, the millalso now produces rail ties and small timbers.The Glendale mill is in the midst of installing drykilns and boilers to allow it to add dry hem fir toits product mix.

Selecting a systemDoug Knous, Corporate Project Manager for theSwanson operations, manages all of the major

capital investments. He explained the reasoningbehind the investment in the THG line. “We hadan outdated geometric grader-assist system andwere still operating with four graders,” he said.“We were targeting getting the grade outconsistently day-in and day-out, as well wewanted to speed up the system and increaseproduction.”

Knous said they reviewed all of the majorautomated grading systems on the market and

quickly narrowed it downto two competingtransverse systems. “Wesent packs of lumber tobe tested by bothsystems. In the end wechose the THG based onthe software, thehardware and how wellthe system functioned.”He went on to say thatthey had also consideredUSNR’s Lineal HighGrader (LHG) system, butthe transverse THG was abetter fit for the milllayout.

Along with the THG, the Glendale mill updatedits trimmer in-feed area with a USNR RevolverLug Loader, MillTrak lumber flow managementsystem, Grade Projector, True-Read grade markreader, Multi-Track Fence, and WinTally sortermanagement system. The PLC system for the linewas updated from PLC5 to ControlLogix.

Window of opportunityKnous explained that the major hurdle the millfaced with the project was a hot market, makingthe window of opportunity very short to shutdown the line for the installation. “We had 11

The True-Read grade markreader reads any marks thecheck grader makes on the

boards and relays themback to the optimization

computer. The system thendirects the PLC to adjust the

Multi-Track Fence paddlepositions and the trimmer's

saws accordingly

USNR's Transverse High

Grader (THG) made its

debut recently grading

the very challenging

green douglas fir at a

dimension lumber mill

in Oregon. Early

indications are that this

new grading line is

meeting or exceeding

the mill's targets for

achieving consistent

grade out, as well as

improving throughput

and the mill's fortunes

SCANNING & OPTIMISATION – OPERATION FOCUS

This system started up on time, we started seeing the grade out

numbers consistently filter into thepercentages that we wanted, andalso started to see our productionnumbers increase within a shorttime of start-up – we were prettyimpressed with that – Doug Knous,

Corporate Project Manager for the

Swanson operations

days to rip the equipment outfrom landing table through thetrimsaws and install newhardware, transfers, THG system,Revolver Lug Loader, new landingtable, etc,” he said.

“We worked 24 hours a daymechanically and 12 hours a dayon the electrical side to geteverything wired up. After install,we still had the task of starting upthe control and optimisationsystems and getting them tunedin.”

Knous said the timing was an“absolute” challenge but the millstarted producing on thescheduled production date. Hesaid it was a “very good” start-up.

Speaking from experienceToday, the Glendale operation hasreduced its grading contingentfrom four manual graders down toone check grader. Knous speaksfrom experience when he says heis pleased and impressed with theperformance of the THG.

“I’ve dealt with some otherautomated grading systems andthey have taken quite some timeto get things tuned in to acomfortable level,” he said.“Above and below grade are veryimportant to us and those tend tobe finicky and take some time toget tuned in, especially with theproduct mix in dimension mills.

“This system started up ontime, and we started seeing thegrade out numbers consistentlyfilter into the percentages that wewanted. We also started to see ourproduction numbers increasewithin a short time of start-up. Wewere pretty impressed with that.”

Knous continued to explain thatthe grade out is equally “as goodor better” than it was with themanual system, but moreconsistent and with increasedproduction. Though theperformance tests haven’t yetbeen done, he is confident theTHG is ready.

“We’ve passed threeinspections by the grading bureau(Western Wood ProcessorsAssociation) and we’re seeing allof our grade out percentagestracking nicely to our projectedtargets.” Knous is convinced thatas the software continues toprogress and the mill gets betterat tuning for its products, thesystem will continue to improvethe mill’s fortunes.

How the system worksThe new USNR equipment supplybegins with the MillTrak camera

controlling the backlog to theRevolver Lug Loader. Once in lugs,the boards are transported on anarrow, flat transfer through theTHG scan frame where they arescanned for the mill’s specifieddefects. The THG’s belted scannertransfer is a key advantage overcompetitive transverse systemsthat require elevation changes andtend to obscure the boards duringscanning. The THG scannertransfer is a simple, flat transportsystem that completely stabilisesthe boards on thin belts that carrythe boards through the scan zone.

These thin belts ensure theBioLuma 2900LVG+ sensors see asmuch of the four surfaces of theboard as possible.

The THG scanner is fitted withtwo rows of sensors positionedoff-axis both above and below thetransfer – in this way all foursurfaces of the board can bescanned using only two rows ofsensors. As well, the THG uses anend grain scanner positioned atlumber line that scans the end ofeach board, and provides theTHG’s GrainMap technology withmeasurement data to identify the

The bottom row of sensors is visible at the THG outfeed


OPERATION FOCUS – SCANNING & OPTIMISATION

We were targeting getting the grade out consistently day-in and day-out, as well

we wanted to speed up the system and increase production – Knous

The grade and cut/trim solutions(see boxes) are projected onto thesurface of the board

pith location relative to the boardfor highly accurate knot sizingcapability.

The THG software classifies thedefects on each board and assignsit a grade based on the size andlocation of the defects togetherwith the mill’s grade definitioninputs. The check grader andGrade Projector are locatedimmediately downstream from theTHG scan frame. As the boardsexit the scanner, the grade and

trim solutions are projected ontothe surface of the board for thecheck grader to view – they caneither agree with the THG’ssolution by letting the board passor override it by making a mark onthe board. The True-Read grademark reader reads any marks thecheck grader has made and feedsthem back to the THG optimiser.The system transmits the finalsolution to the PLC to direct theMulti-Track Fence to adjust the

paddles to position the board, andto direct the trimmer to lower theappropriate trimsaws for the cut.

One hurdle that the USNRengineering teams faced with theGlendale THG unit was grading forgreen doug fir. This is a verychallenging species for scanning.The knots tend to be similar incolour to the rest of the wood,making them difficult to detectthrough visual means. ‘Wet’ woodis also challenging as the moisture

content in the wood can deflectthe laser and vision scans to adegree, distorting the data. Thatbeing said, the Glendale unit hasovercome these challenges basedon the excellent results the mill isachieving.

The importance of pithHarry Ogloff, USNR ProductManager for automated planergrading systems, explained theimportance of the THG’sproprietary end grain scanner indetermining accurate knot sizing.

“The purpose of the end grainscanner is to measure the grain atthe end of the board to determinewhich part of the log the boardoriginated from,” he said.“Knowing the part of the log theboard came from is critical toaccurately determining how thesurface knots are connectedwithin the material.

“The end grain scanner alongwith other attributes of thematerial allows the THG to notonly view the knots from thematerial surfaces, but also knowhow these knots areinterconnected inside thematerial.”

Ogloff went on to say that onekey attribute for structural grading

The check grader can either agree with or change the THG's solution by making a mark on the board

The Grade Projector is located immediately downstream from the THG with projectors mounted above the flow


SCANNING & OPTIMISATION – OPERATION FOCUS

Knowing the part of the log the board came

from is critical toaccurately determininghow the surface knots are connected within

the material – Harry Ogloff,

USNR

http://www.woodexpo2013.com


OPERATION FOCUS – SCANNING & OPTIMISATION

was the amount of knotty materialthat existed in a given crosssection of the board. In a log, theknots typically converge towardthe pith (centre of the log). Todetermine the volume of knottymaterial in a board and assess itsstructural properties, it isessential to know how the surfaceknots connect inside the board.The end grain scanner providesimportant data to assist theoptimiser in that determination.

Strengths of this lineKnous was complimentary aboutthe ancillary equipment that wasinstalled with the project. “TheGrade Projector is a prettyvaluable piece of the checkgrading system. The graders cansee the projected grade, agree ordisagree with it and make changesif they so desire.”

He was particularly impressedwith the Multi-Track Fence: “Thefence is an outstanding system.It’s very smooth and precise andits operation has been flawless.”Knous went on to explain thatpaddle fences typically poseproblems such as an abundance ofmoving parts that require fussytiming and maintenance. “Withthis fence we put it in, set it upand it has been smooth andproblem free from start-up.”

He said his experience with theRevolver Lug Loader was similar –

it went in easily and is running farbetter than others the mill haspreviously used. Knous mentionedthat the MillTrak camera wasworking to minimise crookedboards being fed to the lug loader.“The front end of the line isrunning very well and that is a bigpiece of the production increasewe’re seeing,” he said.

The mill also installed USNR’sWinTally sorter managementsolution. One of the key strengthsafforded this line is theinformation feedback loopcapability when combining theTHG automated grading systemcontrolling the trimming process,with the WinTally systemmanaging the sorting process.This combination offers a verypowerful tool for managingproduct processing and packagemakeup.

“We do some unique thingswith our lumber packs, and wealso produce some premiumgrade, no-wane product,” Knoussaid. “The system allows us toselect how we want to pull thatspecialty grade from our productsand package it. We are utilisingthat capability today on a coupleof items and we have plans to takethat a bit further down the road.We have a lot of future potentialthings that we want to implement,we are just not at that stage of theproject yet.”

TrainingTraining is an essential element ofany new process. It ensures themill receives the best possiblereturn on its capital investment.Training for Glendale personnelwas implemented through avariety of means. The mill sentpacks of lumber to USNR’sEugene, Oregon, facility for testingon the THG during the evaluationphase of the decision makingprocess.

Glendale personnel were onhand once the purchase decisionhad been made, and received boththeoretical (classroom) training aswell as hands-on training on theGlendale unit while it was at theEugene facility. Once installed atthe mill, Glendale personnel wereintimately involved in the THGstart-up phase and tuningprocess.

Looking aheadKnous is optimistic about thefuture direction of the Glendalemill with the new THG line, andwith the added implementation of

lumber drying capability. “Rightnow with the dry kilns coming onand the THG line in place, it willallow some more products as faras species go as well as dry versusgreen products,” he said.

“With the THG, early indicationsare that consistency is better andwe are very close to meeting orexceeding our grade out goals. Weare pretty excited that not only arewe close to meeting our targetsbut we will be able to surpassthem going forward. We areconsistently running moreproduction through the system.We’ve increased speed about 10%and that is now limited by otherequipment.”

Knous also said the Glendaleoperation would have its dry kilnsrunning by the end of 2013, and by2014 the company expected to beproducing some different productsfor the marketplace to allow it tobe more versatile with its productmix. IFI

We are pretty excited that not only are we close to meeting our targets but we will be able to surpass them going forward – Knous

http://www.halcosoftware.com


SCANNING & OPTIMISATION – OPERATION FOCUS: AUTOLOG

The East Alabama LumberCompany from Lafayette,Alabama, USA made the

decision in early January of thisyear to team-up with Autolog, aleader in optimisation andcontrols from eastern Canada, toupgrade its planer operation withnew controls and a fully optimisedlinear ProGrader system.

The mill produces 65 mbfm/yon a single shift in southernyellow pine with products rangingfrom 2-5 m in length, thicknessfrom 50-100 mm and width from100-300 mm. Some 45% of itstotal production consists ofdecking (5/4 X 6 in) withappearance grades. Before theupgrade, grading decisions wereperformed by four to five gradersworking on a flat chain prior to thelug loader. Main equipmentincluded a Newman 990 planerwith hydraulic feed, nine sawtrimmers, smart gates with cut-in-two, and a 40 bins sorter.

This project faced manychallenges and to be successfulboth East Alabama Lumber andAutolog made the commitment toteam-up and work closelytogether. Many meetings werescheduled to plan all details andovercome any unforeseen eventsthat would extend the duration ofthe project.

The main objectives were toperform the install and start-up of

all the equipment and toimplement new optimisationsoftware with appearance gradingwith zero downtime.

Part of the project also includednew A-B ControlLogic PLC andAutolog Sorter system to controlthe line from the planer down tothe MIC (Morris) sorter; in fact,

the control replacement was thefirst phase of the project. The newPLC cabinet was installed andwired up during the week by theEast Alabama Lumber electricalpeople and the Autolog team goton site on a Thursday afternoon toverify all connections, I/Os andtrain customer on the newProSorter system. Transfer fromthe old PLC to the new one wasperformed in a total of four days.The new system was fully

operational on the Mondaymorning.

Part two of the project was toinstall the ProGrader systemwithout interfering with theproduction. All heavy equipmentwas installed on a week-end(optimiser, bridge conveyor,computer cabinet, etc) so the millcould run on the Monday witheverything in place but still havingthe graders make decisions. Withthis set-up, the ProGrader wasgrading the boards off-line andthe Autolog forest engineers werefree to fine-tune the parametersand make changes to the systemwithout any impact on theproduction. After a week, thesystem was turned on-line and theautomatic grading processstarted.

Among the challenges in thisproject was the ability for theProGrader to optimise for deckingmaterial. The 5/4 radius edgedecking (RED) at East AlabamaLumber was a new item for theProGrader. It is graded with acombination of ‘best face-worstface’ rules and 50 mm (2 in)dimension rules. The ProGraderincreased the amount of premiumRED produced by the mill. TheProGrader was able to increasethe amount of premium in somecases by cutting pieces in two andcreating a premium face on eachend of the cut-in-two that would

Risk, trust, successThe East

Alabama Lumber

company and

industry partner

Autolog early this

year challenged

themselves with

a seamless

installation and

commissioning of

a state-of-the-art

optimisation

system

The newly installed Autolog ProGrader linearplaner optimiser at East Alabama Lumber features

appearance grading in decking material

We provide a second-to-none knowledge transferon the many diagnostic

tools, simulation software,its user-friendly interfaceand extensive reporting

system – Autolog

normally be graded a full-lengthstandard. An increase in theamount of ‘No. 1’ produced in 50mm x 100 mm (2 in x4 in) and 50mm x 150 mm (2 in x 6 in) by themill was also noted.

Even if the addition of theappearance grade in 5/4 deckingwas challenging, the Autologvision and optimisation groupknew the end result would behighly satisfactory mostly basedon the quality of the sensors, thecomputer power available and theway the software is designed.

Instead of using self-learningand matching software, theAutolog way is to providealgorithms and parameters foreach defect. The methodologyallows identifying defects easilywithin defects. Also by doing so,the change to a particular defectdoes not alter other defects.

For the East Alabama Lumberproject, the customer sent deckingmaterial to Autolog to be testedlong before the delivery date. Agroup of people from the client,including its local TPIrepresentative, came over andapproved its own system in theAutolog test lab before shipping.This procedure is standard atAutolog and facilitates a quick and

successful start-up.“Automatic grading is complex

and can be scary for a mill withoutin-house technical people thatmay not be familiar with agraderless system,” Autolog said.“We provide a second-to-noneknowledge transfer on the manydiagnostic tools, simulationsoftware, its user-friendlyinterface and extensive reportingsystem. The inherent quality of thesolution comes from it sensorsand their life expectancy and theredundancy built within theircomputer architecture.”

The Autolog ProGrader featuresa unique QC and troubleshootingtool consisting in a board trackingsystem. All the data pertaining toeach board is stored in a SQLdatabase and is available onrequest. Up to 150,000 boards canbe stored with their completeoptimised solution.

The frame of the machine andmechanical components areoverdesigned to maintain uptimeto a maximum. Multi UV ID codesensure code readability at 100%thus eliminating board rejects. ADynamic Grading Zone withmoving colour LED displays anoptimised solution for each boardto help the check grader make

better decisions. A digitalproduction display showsproduction information, reasonsfor stoppage and systeminterlocks for minimal downtime.

Autolog aims to provide only“top-of-the-line” products andsays everything it does is backedwith more than 25 years ofexperience. “In this industry,some companies are supplierswhile others are partners –Autolog is your partner,” Autologsaid.

That sentiment was backed up

by Joey Massingill, Dry EndManager for East AlabamaLumber: “The Autolog ProGradergenerates a very strong uplift inall products but greatest was with5/4,” he said. “Payback will beless than a year.”

“Their install team did a bang-on job on a flawless execution andeducation. The ProGrader willgrade lumber accurately andconsistently at full speed.” IFI


OPERATION FOCUS: AUTOLOG

The Autolog ProGrader features a unique QC and troubleshooting toolconsisting in a board tracking system. All the data pertaining to eachboard is stored in a SQL database and is available on request by keying intheir ID number printed on each board. Up to 150,000 boards can bestored with their complete optimised solution

The Autolog ProGrader generates a very strong uplift in all products but greatest

was with 5/4 – payback will be less than a year – Joey Massingill, EAL

http://www.selectsawmill.com

OPERATION FOCUS – SAW TECHNOLOGY

The company was formed by my uncleErnest Bennett and I with nothing morethan a grinder and a file in my hand,”

Ernest Bennett Chairman Rob Maxey recalled.“Now, we have over £3 million ($4.7 million) ofmachine tools, a high percentage of it beingfrom Vollmer, some that are robotically loadedto run unmanned overnight. Times havecertainly changed since 1964.”

Since its inception, the County Durham-based company has evolved to be the leadingmanufacturer and supplier to the UK andRepublic of Ireland and exporter to manycountries. Ernest Bennett mainly deals inbandsaw blades, TCT & HSS circular sawblades, wood cutter blocks for profiling andprofile knives, and more recently solid carbidespirals and routers for the wood and metalcutting sectors.

As one of the region’s leading manufacturersand service centres, Ernest Bennett hascontinually expanded to fill its current 2.6 hasite – a facility of over 16 km2 (40,000 ft2) with54 staff. The company has notched up a numberof achievements through its 50-year historythat have guaranteed its success.

“We are proud of our zero redundancies, asignificant number of our staff with over 25years company service, and a continuousrigorous apprenticeship scheme that has beenon-going since the company’s inception,”Maxey said. “The [apprenticeship program] hasalways taken account of any losses of

personnel, with apprentices quickly transferredthrough full one-to-one training by skilledpersonnel.”

With company Chairman and his wife, IrisMaxey, taking a back seat, the next generationof the Maxey family has taken the reins throughsons David and Simon, the Managing Director

and Financial Director respectively. And thecompany retains its longstanding relationshipwith Vollmer machine tools.

“The first Vollmer machine acquired was in

the early 1960s – a wide bandsaw tensioningmachine,” David Maxey said. “This wasfollowed by a sharpening machine; a circularplate saw machine and then a TCT sharpeningmachine. A major turning point for us was themove from swaged bandsaws to stellite-tippedbandsaws.

“We were the first and UK’s frontrunner usingautomated technology for the manufacture ofstellite-tipped wide bandsaws. This was onlyachieved with the first Vollmer machines andsupport from the supplier.”

Over the years, the company has purchasedand tirelessly used Vollmer technology in itsmanufacturing processes, making upgrades asthe technology has evolved. At this point, thebusiness buys the next level of technology toimprove its quality and product portfolio –always staying ahead of the competition.

With 60% of Ernest Bennett’s turnoverarriving from the production of 60-300 mm widebandsaw blades, the company was the first inthe UK to invest in Vollmer’s automatic RC100bandsaw tensioning and levelling machine in

Vollmer part ofErnest Bennett family

Celebrating its 50th year of business next year, one of the founding

partners and company chairman at Ernest Bennett (Darlington) puts the

company’s success down to the hard work and support of his family, long

serving staff and a strategy of heavy re-investment in technology


The Ernest Bennett office in front of the factory

Like any business that has arelentless commitment to supplyingits client base with such frequency,

we are heavily reliant on the up-timeof our machine tools and the qualitythey produce – the Vollmer service

and support team give usunparalleled confidence levels in

their ability to minimise anydowntime and issues that may

arise with our machines – David Maxey,

Ernest Bennett

“

IFI_PG38_39 Op Focus Vollmer_HR 29/08/2013 14:03 Page 38

1998. Now running a number ofRC100 machines and looking atthe next generation model, ErnestBennett has 40 machines forprocessing bandsaw blades –mainly Vollmer units.

“As a manufacturer and servicecentre we have a fleet of deliveryvehicles, including 7.5 t lorries,delivering to our customer baseon a daily or weekly schedule,”David Maxey said. “Toaccommodate such punishingdelivery schedules, we haveinvested heavily in dedicatedcomputerised scheduling softwareand a purpose-built loading bay.Our investment in logisticsunderlines our commitment toservicing the customer base.

“However, like any businessthat has a relentless commitmentto supplying its client base withsuch frequency, we are heavilyreliant on the up-time of ourmachine tools and the quality theyproduce. To this end, the Vollmerservice and support team give usunparalleled confidence levels intheir ability to minimise anydowntime and issues that mayarise with our machines.”

With the growth of thecompany’s circular sawbladebusiness, Ernest Bennett has inrecent years moved from Vollmer’smanually loaded TCT sharpeningmachines to robot loaded cellsthat feed the grinding centres. Thefirst robot loaded equipment wasinstalled with a CHD250 grindingmachine in 2005. The additionalcapacity and labour saving wasexceptional. As Bennett's run oneshift/day, the installation enabledthe company to manufacture TCTblades unmanned for 14-15 hoursa day as well as the eight hourmanned shift. This increasedcapacity, profitability, reducedlabour costs and enabled thecompany to 'future proof' its

pricing policy.The success of this equipment

made such an impact that theinnovative business installed amore sophisticated cell inNovember 2012. The new cellconsists of a Vollmer ND250loading station that has fiveloading stacks to feed a VollmerCHF270 side grinding machine anda Vollmer CHD270 top and face

grinding machine. The new cell isrecognised as a UK first with theset-up being able to fully machinenew and service bladesautomatically.

“This cell was a significantinvestment for us and again marksa UK first in the acquisition ofVollmer technology,” Maxeycontinued. “The new cellautomatically checks all toothangles and geometries and grindsour new blades as well as bladesthat are returned for servicing andre-grind operations.

“The ability of the new Vollmercell to automatically check, grindand polish all top side and face

angles has further improved ourprocess capability and productquality beyond that of ourcompetitors. Astonishingly, we cancompletely mix the stacks withnew and re-grind blades and justturn the lights out. The followingmorning the stacking system willbe filled with all the new and re-ground TCT blades ready fordelivery to the customer.”

As the CHD and CHF machinesautomatically measure the teethand geometry on each blade priorto processing and also re-sharpenand re-calibrate the grindingwheels, the precision and qualityof each and every blade is beyond

customer expectations. Bymeasuring the blade size andgeometries, the grinding centresautomatically allocate the correctprogram for each blade to ensurere-ground blades match thequality of new blades. To identifythe blades during the grindingprocess, Bennett's has invested ina laser etching machine toindividually identify all the bladesthe company manufacture.

“The latest Vollmer cell hastaken our business to a new levelwith regard to TCT saw blades,”Maxey concluded. “The quality,precision and consistency of ourTCT blades are second to noneand this improves performance forthe end user. Furthermore, theVollmer cell has improved ourefficiency, delivery lead-times,process capability and reliabilitywhilst reducing our labour andproduction costs. Working withVollmer for almost half a centuryhas paid dividends for ErnestBennett's and we are sure Vollmerwill be part of our success goingforward.” IFI


OPERATION FOCUS – VOLLMER

The CHD270 forms part of the two-machine cell at Ernest Bennett

The first robot-loaded cell acquired by Ernest Bennett in 2005

A major turning point for us was the move from swaged bandsaws to stellite-tipped bandsaws – Maxey

Since the mid-90s,Söderhamn Eriksson andleading suppliers of

measuring and optimisingequipment have togetherdelivered sawlines with thesawing yields previously notthought possible.

Among the company’s mostrecent customers to upgrade itssawline with 3D log infeedalignment, is the privately ownedSwedish sawmill Wallnäs. In thesummer of 2012, the mill’s 20-year-old bandsaw line received anew log measuring conveyor, rotorlog turner and log positioningequipment.

At the same time, the oldsawmill control system wasreplaced by Swedish systemintegrator Milltech. Milltech hasbeen enjoying a long and fruitfulcooperation with Canadian MPMEngineering and, jointly withSöderhamn Eriksson, obtained alarge number of successfulreferences worldwide – fromRussia in the East to Chile in theWest.

In the delivery to Wallnäs,control and optimising systemsconsisted of three main portions:advanced laser measuring headsfrom Sick-IVP; an optimisingsystem from MPM Engineering; aswell as a Modicon TSX controlsystem programmed and suppliedby Milltech. The systems werebased on the latest technology,with Festo I/O islands distributedright on the machines. Allcommunication was handled viaEthernet.

The operator supervisingproduction both in the sawline

and edging line is assisted by two575 mm (23 in) touch screens forprocess control as well as two1,150 mm (46 in) monitorspresenting optimising suggestionsand not least measurementverifications of the finished centregoods leaving the last bandsawgroup.

New mechanics and electronicsmeant Wallnäs has increased itssawing yield and the mill’s totalproduction capacity.

During 2012, SöderhamnEriksson delivered a sawline toMauricio Muñoz in Constitucion,Chile. This SuperSaver line,Söderhamn Eriksson’s merry-go-round system including onebandsaw group and a conveyorcircuit, is a compact solution forhigh flexibility and sawing yield.

Söderhamn Eriksson’s deliveryof 3D log infeed alignmentincludes an MPM optimisingsystem and Milltech mill controlequipment. Milltech also designedand supplied all high-voltageequipment. Distributed I/Oislands right on the machines andEthernet communicationeverywhere are additional Milltechfeatures.

Söderhamn Eriksson’sautomatic speed control systemoptimises the saw line’s feedspeed: data are obtained from logscanning followed by cross-sectional calculations based onlog diameters and saw patterns,and the results of thesecalculations define the saw cutsfor each log and the highestpossible feed speed.

By spring of 2012, SöderhamnEriksson signed a contract for a

new sawline to Bergene Holm,Norway’s largest privately ownedlumber producer. By spring 2013,Söderhamn Eriksson was theprincipal supplier of a log intake,debarking plant, sawline, edgingline and waste handling line.

The plant was installed inNidarå and has a capacity of some100,000 m3/shift a year. BergeneHolm was most interested insawing yield when choosingtechnology and supplier.

The processing line compriseseight AKE bandsaws, two canters,one edger optimiser and a Cambiodebarker, all manufactured bySöderhamn Eriksson. The sawline’s 3D log infeed alignment

includes an MPM optimisingsystem and Milltech line controlsystem. This installation is fittedwith a very large contactorswitchgear featuring up to 100frequency changers, all controlledvia Ethernet.

New for this plant is its state-of-the-art safety system based onCAN-bus distributed safety islandscommunicating via ASI with thesafety equipment along theroughly 200 m long plant. Thisgives the customer high flexibilitywith the highest possible safetywhen accessing machines. IFI


SCANNING & OPTIMISATION – ON THE JOB

Söderhamn Eriksson will be the principal

supplier of a log intake, debarking plant,

sawline, edging line and waste handling line

Söderhamn Erikssontechnology proves global applicationsA string of global orders for Söderhamn

Eriksson’s scanning and optimisation

systems has proven its relevance to

multiple markets

Reclaiming profits

The world of sizereductionmachinery is

booming. Green energy,though it has come offin recent years as theeconomic strain hasshaken governmentfocus on alternativefuels, is still a part ofmany long-termprograms across NorthAmerica, Europe andparts of Australasia.Chipping machines arein high demand asbusinesses looking tolessen their carbonfootprint seek new fuelsand better quality chips.Trans-Atlanticpartnerships betweenraw material suppliersand pelletmanufacturers havebeen formed. As otherparts of the industrylook to regain their feet

in an uncertaineconomic environment,producers of goodquality chips are liningtheir pockets.

But what is oftenoverlooked is the otherpart of the sizereduction game –shredding and grindingfor the recycling sector.Unlike almost any otherindustry, recycling hasgained strength in thepoor economicconditions asbusinesses examine anyalternative avenues to

provide some breathingspace on tight margins.

That means there aremore companies lookingto offload wood wasteand there is big moneyin companies that arewell-equipped to turnthat ‘waste’ into asaleable product.Companies bestequipped to make themost of this phenomenawill have access to someof the machinesfeatured below.

These products haveclear priorities: higher

uptime, better product(often through improvedscreening) and greaterenergy efficiency.Recycling groups thatchoose their toolscarefully will continue toturn old pallets andfurniture into healthyprofit margins. Thosewho don’t will struggle.

When Bandit Industriesunveiled the enhancedline of XP-Series hand-fed chippers in the early1990s, the companyattempted to completely

The Bandit 3680XP is the upgraded model of the popular Beast recyclers

We have customers all around the world using Beast

recyclers, and there isn’t an application where the

new XP-Series won’t make a big difference in

performance and production – Bandit Industries

International

Forest Industries’

reporter

Paul Moore looks

through some of

the more durable

size reduction

equipment on

the market that is

being applied

largely for the

business of

recycling


SHREDDERS & GRINDERS

IFI_PG41_57 Shredders & Grinders_02 29/08/2013 14:05 Page 41

reset the bar for “efficiency,production and longevity in thehand-fed chipper industry. Now,Bandit’s line of Beast recyclers willcarry the XP badge to reflect over35 specific enhancements andadd-ons in eight differentcategories, making an alreadyworld leading line of horizontalgrinders even better.

“Our customers are facing newchallenges every day, so we areconstantly working to develop andimplement the changes they needto stay competitive andprofitable,” Bandit IndustriesPresident Jerry Morey said. “Thishas been the case since the firstBeast recycler in 1995, and with somany enhancements added in justthe past year, we knew it was timeto christen a new line of Beasts.XP stands for extra power, extraperformance, extra production andextra profit, and that’s exactlywhat our customers can expectwith the new XP-Series Beast.”

Model 2680XP, 3680XP and4680XP Beast recyclers nowfeature angled front in-feeds with

larger in-feed drive chains. TrackBeasts feature height-adjustablepans for adjusting feed angle. Anew rail system on the return sideof the in-feed replaces the rollersystem, significantly reducing loadon the tail shaft. These machinesalso offer a new ‘Big Mouth’option that increases the height ofthe opening into the mill. An extra-large 800 mm (32 in) diameterfeed wheel is optional andincludes a brush deflector tobetter direct material into themachine.

Changes continue inside themill housing. Base door openingsare now larger for easier removalof the cuttermill. Replaceablewear plates are now standard onthe left side (radiator side) of the

mill base, and optional on bothsides. A convenient trap doorallows for cleaning in the augerarea, while the auger itself isredesigned and easier to change.

Several new teeth styles areavailable, and they are subjectedto a new proprietarystrengthening process deliveringlonger tooth life. Two-inch (50mm) wide sizes are available formost teeth, allowing operators torun a 30-tooth setup. New teethmounts are now compatible withknife cutterbodies, eliminating theneed to change cutterbodies whenswitching between chipping andgrinding. Freeze-hardened teeth,screens and wear items are alsooptional. For customersexclusively chipping with theBeast, a new chipping drum isavailable.

For engines, adjustable pitchfans are now standard, enhancingengine cooling and fuel efficiency.Mill shafts are larger on the Model1680XP and 2680XP toaccommodate higher HP engines,which are now available for thesemachines.

Numerous convenience optionsand enhancements include

redesigned fuel tanks on trackmachines for better steep-terrainperformance, with increased fuelcapacity on the Model 1680XP.Warning lights for clutch andengine operation are relocated foreasier monitoring. On-board aircompressors are repositioned formore convenient operation, andupgraded impact wrenches arestandard. An over-band magnet isoptional and recommended forboth shingle and pallet grinding.

These are just some of theenhancements found in the newXP-Series Beast recyclers.

“We have customers all aroundthe world using Beast recyclers,and there isn’t an applicationwhere the new XP-Series won’tmake a big difference inperformance and production,”Morey claimed. “Beasts will easilyhandle everything from wastewood to shingles and plastic, andthere isn’t a better machine on themarket for turning bulky chunkwood into a quality, saleableproduct. Whether you are grindingor chipping, the new Beast XP-Series can make a big differencein your operation.”


This adds another elementof versatility to the

RH1754, making it easier to move the machine

around job sites and toperform tasks like

windrowing material orsorting material intodifferent piles – Rayco


The Rayco 1754-240 is an economical solution for producing high quality mulch

Versatility is defined by the Model 3680 Electric. The unit can beconfigured specifically for shingle grinding with technology that allows ahot mix asphalt supplement to be produced in one-pass during anyseason at a rate of 100 tons per hour. For wood materials, a knifeconfiguration on the cuttermill can essentially convert your Beast into awhole tree chipper for producing valuable products for energy industries.



http://www.morbark.com

The only thing better than acompact horizontal grinder is acompact horizontal grinder ontracks, according to machinesupplier, Rayco. The company’sRH1754 horizontal grinder hasbecome available in a self-propelled version that rides on aheavy-duty, steel trackundercarriage.

“This adds another element ofversatility to the RH1754, makingit easier to move the machinearound job sites and to performtasks like windrowing material orsorting material into differentpiles,” Rayco said.

The 240hp, RH1754-240 ontracks weighs just 10.2 t (20,500lb) and is just under 2.5 m (8 ft)wide, to avoid permits whentrailering. A wireless radio remoteoperates each trackindependently, to provide precisecontrol and two speed final drivesallow for creep speed or highspeed travel. The RH1754 is aneconomical solution for producinghigh quality mulch from a varietyof wood waste materials, pallets,wood chips, etc.

“Finally, there’s a horizontalgrinder on tracks within reach ofthe small contractor,” Rayco said.

Suitable for everything from largeland-clearing jobs to green-wasterecycling, the Vermeer Tier 4i(Stage IIIB) HG6000 andHG6000TX horizontal grindershave a number of features that

make them ideal for a wide arrayof operators. Among theinnovations that already make theHG6000 horizontal grinder aremarkable machine is the all-newchip drum, which allows thegrinder to produce a consistentsized chip necessary for manyapplications, including biofuelchip production.

“What we’ve found fromcustomers is that power plants aretransitioning from coal to fuelchips, this is increasing demandfor chips within the biomass andbiofuel markets,” Vermeer’s RyanMarshall said. “This increase indemand led Vermeer to introducethe chip drum. It’s a more robust,fully dedicated drum with knives,so you’re not switching back andforth as you would with a fuel chipattachment.”

One of the premierenhancements is the ability tomodify chip size. Operators canadd or remove spacers to achievethe desired chip size. The chipdrum can produce chip sizesranging from 3-38 mm (0.125-1.5in) with 3 mm (0.125 in) incrementadjustments.

“From fuel chips to playgroundbase to fuel pellets, the drumdesign creates a more useful,higher quality chip,” Marshallsaid.

A major advantage of the newchipper drum is serviceability. Anumber of the high wear areas ofthe drum are protected by

hardened steel parts providinglonger life. These hardened steelparts are also replaceable viathreaded fasteners to reducelabour costs and minimisedowntime.

Helping to minimise operatorcost, screws have replaced theneed for Babbitt on the knives. Auser can now simply adjust theknife via thread fasteners quicklyand safely rather than meltingBabbitt.

Peterson have a complete range ofrugged machines designed forhigh-volume producers withdemanding end productspecifications.

They specialise in developingdelivery and processingequipment that turns low-gradeorganic materials into high valueproducts. We detail just three ofthe machines on offer.

2750C Electric Horizontal GrinderHigh Production Waste WoodGrinding for stationary or semi-stationary operationsPowered by two 300 horsepowerelectric motors, the Peterson2750C provides plenty of power ina compact, high productionhorizontal grinder. The 2750C isideal for operations that can takeadvantage of stationary or semi-stationary operations. Electricpower costs are typically muchlower than diesel fuel costs, andin today’s changing economy,

electric power may just be theanswer to increasing your profits.With a feed opening of 60¾ x 32inches combined with Peterson’shigh lift feed roll for an optionalopening up to 44 inches high, the2750C can readily reduce a widerange of material.

The 2750C utilizes Peterson’snew generation Impact ReleaseSystem that can be set in thedetent mode to provide consistentproduct sizing or switched to thefloating anvil mode for a primaryreduction where accurate sizing isless critical. The floating anvilmode provides a high productionprimary reduction with moreprotection from contaminatedfeedstocks, and reduces energyconsumption. Another majorinnovation is Peterson’s ImpactCushion System. Urethanecushions allow movement of thecompression roll and anvilhousing pivot shaft, cushioningimpacts due to contaminants inthe feed material. Shear pinsabove the cushion combined witha sensing circuit to stop theengine help protect the shaft fromcatastrophic damage in the eventof a severe impact.

The 2750C features a largegrate area that enables the 2750Cto produce materials to exactspecifications. Our quick-changemultiple grate system makes iteasy to customize grateconfigurations to produce a widevariety of finished materials.Grates are removed through anaccess door on the side wall of the2750C.

4710B Track Mounted HorizontalGrinderThe 4710B is designed for high-volume producers with verydemanding end-productspecifications. The Petersonmodel 4710B Horizontal Recycleris a track mounted version of thepopular model 4700B trailer


Vermeer’s HG6000TX kit

Whether bulky branches and cuttings, rootstocks of anysize, or used wood contaminated with contraries, it shreds

it all down to a set particle size – Vermeer


The cob within Vermeer’s HG6000TX grinder



http://www.doppstadt.com


mounted HorizontalRecycler. The recycler has 18inches (457mm) of groundclearance making this modelparticularly suited for landclearing operations or otherapplications where mobilityis desired. Track mountingalso reduces materialhandling costs inconventional recycling yardsas wel• Adaptive Control System• Peterson’s three-stage

grinding process• Quick-change multiple

grate system• Innovative latching Impact

Release System• Impact Cushion System• Rotor options; “drum”

style and “pinned” style

5710C Track MountedHorizontal GrinderPeterson brought a tracked,5710C horizontal grinder toElmia Wood show. Quicklybecoming one of the mostpopular grinders in itsproduct line, the Peterson5710C has the idealcombination of horsepower,machine weight, andthroughput that has provento be a winner in this sizecategory.

“The 5710C was a definitehit at the 2013 Elmia Woodshow” said MichaelSpreadbury, marketingmanager for Peterson. “Wehad a large pile of stumpsand other mixed biomassthat the show organizershad brought for us togrind—many people wouldnot want to run that kind ofmaterial through the

machine, but that is exactlythe kind of product thatpeople use these machinesfor every day. I think wereally opened some eyeswith how quickly the 5710Ccould process the stumpsinto biofuel. We equippedthis machine with a mix ofstandard and knife edgebits, and the processedmaterial coming off the endof the conveyor was cleanand consistent—just whatbiomass fuel buyers arelooking for.”

Powered by theCaterpillar C27 or C32engine, this grinder providesthe highest power to weightratio of any Petersongrinder. At approximately86,000 pounds (39000 kg)the 5710C was designed foroperations requiring highproduction and frequentmoves between jobs. With afeed opening of 60 x 44 in.(152 x 102 cm) combinedwith Peterson’s high lift feedroll, the 5710C can readilyreduce a wide range ofmaterial including stumps.

The 5710C features alarge grate area that enablesthe 5710C to producematerials to exactspecifications. The quick-change multiple gratesystem makes it easy tocustomize grateconfigurations to produce awide variety of finishedmaterials. Grates areremoved through an accessdoor on the side wall of the5710C.

Another major innovationincluded on the 5710C is


Peterson 5710C Track Mounted Horizontal Grinder



Peterson’s Impact CushionSystem. Urethane cushions allowmovement of the compressionroll/anvil housing pivot shaft,cushioning impacts due tocontaminants in the feed material.Shear pins above the cushion anda sensing circuit that stop theengine help protect the shaft fromcatastrophic damage in the eventof a severe impact.

With the Crambo direct, Komptechhas brought another machine fromits Green Efficiency line to market.From the newly developed drive tothe extra large dimensions, thisrepresents a new generation ofshredding machine.

Green Efficiency stands for newtechnologies with substantiallyhigher energy efficiency than themachines and systems currentlyconsidered state-of-the-art. This

new approach to efficiency isevident not just in the drive trainbut also in the shredding action,the user-friendliness and,naturally, the overall economy ofthe Crambo direct.

The Crambo direct has a drivetrain that combines thefunctionality of hydraulic drivewith the efficiency of mechanicaldrive. That means exceptionaleconomy, while retaining allproduct benefits like overloadprotection, reversibility,adaptation to the material etc. Thenew operating panel uses symbolsthat are clearly understandablewithout text. The menu guidancefollows a logic that is easy tounderstand, and the screenimages all machine functionsclearly. “This virtually precludesoperator error,” Vermeer said.

In the large shredding chamber,

two 2.8 m counter-rotatingtoothed drums provide active feedas in other Crambos. “Whetherbulky branches and cuttings,rootstocks of any size, or usedwood contaminated withcontraries, it shreds it all down toa set particle size,” Vermeer said.

The degree of shredding can beadjusted flexibly, either bychanging the screen basket oreven more conveniently bychanging the entire screen basketcartridge – the machine is then

ready for a new job. The Bio-Basket XL is also new. It letsoperators get more fuel productout of green cuttings, whilereducing their own fuelconsumption in the process.

The Crambo direct is poweredby a Caterpillar Level IIIB or IVdiesel engine with the latestexhaust scrubbing. The wholeengine compartment wasredesigned, and now offers eveneasier service and maintenanceaccess. Special insulation reducesnoise emissions.

The Crambo direct’s newmechanical drive naturally has adirect effect on the machine’seconomy.

“It uses up to 30% less fuelthan conventional diesel-hydraulicshredders, for much lower specificoperating costs and in particular asmaller environmental footprint –all arguments that speak volumesfor Komptech’s rigorousimplementation of GreenEfficiency.”

Doppstadts range of shreddersand grinders are designed usingprecision German engineering toproduce the very best qualitymachinery for the waste,composting, wood processing andrecycling industries.

Their robust shredders andgrinders include the high speedAK, the slow speed DW orcombination of both, the DZseries. With this extensive choice,Doppstadt can offer the rightmachine for your application

As one of the market leadersglobally for shredding andgrinding equipment, Doppstadtalso produce a wide range of otherequipment tailored to applicationsfor the production of RefuseDerived Fuel (RDF), Biomass forEnergy, volume reduction andrecycling. Here we look at:

The Doppstadt DW 3060 is ahigh volume slow speed shredder.Available in both wheeled andtracked version for maximumversatility, the DW 3060 isdesigned on the single-shaftprinciple. For machineryprotection and quick applicationchanges, the DW 3060 shredder is

2750C Electric Horizontal Grinder

4710B Track Mounted Horizontal Grinder

The new Crambo direct has much lower fuel consumption combined with higher performance – Green Efficiency inevery sense of the term



fitted with a hydraulicallycontrolled shredding comb.Thanks to various, quicklyreplaceable tools, the DW 3060can be adjusted to the differentshredding tasks. The efficientmechanic power transmission iscarried out by a direct drive withplanetary gear. The noise leveland the fuel consumption of theelectronically controlledMercedes-Benz motor are verylow.

The DW 3060 can be utilised asa wood shredder or is equally athome on a wide range of materialssuch as C&I waste, MSW waste,general waste, pallets, rigidplastics and the shredding ofgreen waste.• 21 roller teeth and 22 combs

shred the material• The cooler is easily accessible.

For self-cleaning, the large fanwheel is reversible. The slowspeed keeps down the noiselevel.

• Powerful direct drive withelectric reversing function. Themotor is easily accessible from 2sides.

• The roller teeth tear the material

through the hydraulicallycontrolled shredding comb, thecomb opens automatically incase of large unshreddablecontaminants in order to protectthe machine and to reduce thetool wear.

• The comb elements are securedby wedges, easily accessiblefrom outside and thus quicklyreplaceable.

• Easy operation, exactadjustment and reading of themachine data ensured with amultifunction display. Themachine can be moved by wheelloader. Machine operation byremote control*.

• Short setup times thanks to thehydraulically foldable rearconveyor.

The AK 430 grinder is extremelyversatile and it suited to grindinga wide variety of materialsincluding wood waste, processinggreen waste and other grindingapplications. The wood grinder iscapable of a high throughput rateand is fitted with a patented load-sensing material feed. Thanks tothe heavy gyrating mass, the flaildrum with 1000 rpm and the free-

swinging flail holders withreplaceable flail tips, this highspeed grinder is unrivaled. Thequickly replaceable grindingsystem is unique and the finalproduct can be changed in lessthan 15 minutes. IFI



The AK 430 grinder isextremely versatile and it suited to grinding a wide

variety of materials including wood waste

http://www.raycomfg.com


SHREDDERS & GRINDERS – OPERATION FOCUS

Going greenWithout a doubt, one of the biggest obstacles

facing business today is the instability offuel costs. Prices, it seems, rise without

warning then stabilise, drop, and begin theirunexplained rise all over again – but from a new,higher plateau than before.

Companies for which fuel usage is a majorcomponent of their operating costs are being forced tofind new ways to cope with this madness or riskliterally being priced out of business. Not one to beforced into a corner of any kind, Warren Kappen, co-owner ofKappen TreeService, lookedat the mulchfacet of hisoperation andidentifiedchanges hecould make toreduce fuelconsumptionand the impact it had on his bottom line. He found itby replacing several of the diesel-poweredcomponents used to grind, screen and colour materialto create high-quality mulch with electric-poweredunits. Doing so resulted in a reduction in power costsfor that part of the business of more than 90% – andan ability to finally loosen the stranglehold such costshad on his business.

Feeling the pinchBased out of Cass City, Michigan, Kappen Tree Servicespecialises in both commercial and residential tree

care, but has really established itself doing lineclearing for many of Michigan’s larger utilitycompanies. Debris from those projects is collected atvarious staging sites throughout the state and thenbrought back to a processing facility in Marlette to beprocessed into mulch. It is there, according to Kappen,that the real effect of rising fuels costs was felt.

“At any given time, we have about 70 trucks out onthe road, clearing for the utilities and generating woodwaste,” he said. “In addition, we also collect greenwaste from smaller municipalities in the region and

have the generalpublic bringingus clean debris.

“In the past,everythingbrought in to theMarlette site wasfirst run througha horizontalgrinder, thenscreened in a

trommel, prior to being fed into a colourising unit.Each one of those machines was diesel-powered – thegrinder alone was a 1,000 hp unit – so our fuelconsumption was huge.”

Kappen is not prone to exaggeration. In its previousset-up, the 1,000 hp grinder to which he refers burnedabout 136 litres/h (30 gallons/h) of diesel, while adiesel-powered trommel and colourising machine eachburned another 23 litres/h (five gallons/h). As fuelcosts fluctuated, always settling higher than in thepast, he knew a change, both in his fuel source and inthe way he processed incoming material, was needed.

The Morbark-Orange woodyard at Kappen Tree Service

Each one of our machines was diesel-powered – the grinder alone was a 1,000 hp unit – so our fuel consumption was huge – Warren Kappen,

Kappen Tree Service

Switching to

environmentally

friendly electric

grinding, screening

and colourising

equipment nets

huge savings.

Larry Trojak,

reports.


Costs using the electric grinding system are down by more than $22,000/month

What not to grindOne of the first thingsKappen realised was thatrunning all their debristhough the grinder wasdefinitely overkill – and acostly effort in more waysthan one.

“The overwhelming bulk ofthe material we take in isfrom our line crews and hasalready been run throughone of the portable Morbarkchippers they take with themto each site,” he said. “Sinceit is essentially alreadydownsized, we knew that, byreconfiguring the processand screening out materialthat could be sent directly tothe colourising unit, wecould dramatically reducethe need for grinding.

“In addition, grindingmaterial that was alreadydownsized out in the fieldwas generating hugevolumes of fines for us –material that wasunnecessarily wasting bothcolourant and water. So itwas simple: reduce thevolume of fines, and wereduce that waste.”

The best way they foundto achieve that was byadding a dual-deck screen inadvance of any grindingeffort. In this way, all theideal-sized material – suchas that coming in from theline crews –could be

screened out and sentdirectly for colourising, whileoversized material could besent to the grinder for furtherdownsizing. Fines could alsobe segregated out and setaside for subsequent use.

Diesel’s wild rideWith a solid approach inmind, Kappen and his teamstarted researching electricpower as a viable alternativeto diesel. That work includedlooking at historical pricesfor each fuel source,determining the costsassociated with making theswitch to electric, andresearching manufacturerswho could best meet theirneeds.

“We looked at how electricpower had trended over thelast 20 years or so versus thesame period for diesel andsaw that there was a lotmore stability in the electricmarket,” he said. “Diesel hasspiked as high as

$22.70/litre ($5/gallon) inthe past and even for largercompanies like ours, it’stough to adjust to that kindof fluctuation; electric justseemed the right way to go.”

He adds that a long-standing relationship withMorbark, evident in the fleetof more than 75 orangemachines the companycurrently runs, led him tobegin talks with the localmanufacturer about both thegrinder and the shakerscreen in electricconfigurations. From there,he moved on to looking foran electric colourising unit tocompliment the operation.

Savings aboundThe net result of the effortwas an undeniably state-of-the-art wood wasteprocessing facility, thecentrepiece of which is thetrio of electric screener,grinder and colourising unit.Fast and efficient, material istaken directly from yardpiles and placed into a loadhopper, which feeds theMorbark 7 X 18 dual-deckscreen (the top deck is 1 -

in, the bottom is 5/8 in). Everything that comes off

the screener as acceptablegoes directly to the colouringmachine, while rejects orovers are sent back to thegrinder for reprocessing. Thegrinder itself, a Morbark

What we got far exceeded what even

we thought we’d see interms of savings – Kappen

IFI_PG50_Shredders & Grinders OP Focus_01 29/08/2013 13:12 Page 51

http://www.pricelogpro.com

3800 Wood Hog, features a pair of 300 hpelectric motors to run the mill and one 100 hpelectric motor to power the hydraulics.

“The savings are the real deal in this, andthey are evident in so many areas,” Kappensaid. “For one, because the grinder will only behandling the overs that come off the screenerand our incoming material coming has alreadybeen chipped, the wear on the unit is onlygoing to be a fraction of what it was in the past.

“Those savings are compounded by the factthat the bulk of the work is being done by thescreening unit, which can be run for a tenth ofthe cost of the grinder. And the wholescreening/grinding/colouring operation ismuch quieter than anything else at the site –afar cry from what it was in the past. The icing onthe cake for me is the fact that this part of theoperation can now be done by just one man.The loader operator has control over the wholeprocess – that’s a really nice benefit.”

He added that the colourising unit the

company eventually selected, a Sahara X3 fromColorbiotics, is equally impressive. Rated toproduce coloured mulch at a rate of up to 300yards/h, it features a sensor that shuts downthe colourising effort when product hasstopped flowing to it.

“They really engineered this machine toeliminate waste,” Kappen said. “Colourant isexpensive, anywhere from $0.80/lb to a $1/lb,and it takes about 3 lb/yard to get the colourwe like, so keeping waste down is key. It is alsoa fast machine, capable of giving us eightloads/day – better than 1,000 yards – which willserve us well in our busy season.”

Hard numbers, easy to takeEven though he was confident in the knowledgehe accrued during the research phase of theswitchover, Kappen was still anxious to see realcomparative numbers once the electricoperation had been in use for a while. Havingstarted this past April, he was finally able to do

so – suffice it to say, he was not disappointed.“With the full diesel setup, our monthly

operating costs for that part were about$24,000,” he said. “We got our first electric billthe other day and were floored to see that itwas only $1,800. Now, granted, there was a fairamount of outlay getting to this point; costs toget the electric service in place, capital costsfor the equipment, and so on. But what we gotfar exceeded what even we thought we’d see interms of savings.

“In addition, the product quality is muchbetter now, we’ve streamlined the wholeoperation, and there is the obvious reduction indiesel emissions.”

Kappen said the company was really excitedabout further growing the mulch side of thebusiness, adding that the demand for productis definitely there.

“When you consider that companies arecurrently bringing in mulch from as far away asthe Upper Peninsula of the state – about 250miles (400 km) away – the changes we’ve madehave put us in a great position to be more thancompetitive.” IFI

Not only are power costs down but the quality of product is up

The overwhelming bulk of thematerial we take in is from our line

crews and has already been runthrough one of the portable Morbarkchippers they take with them to each

site – it is essentially alreadydownsized – Kappen


SHREDDERS & GRINDERS – OPERATION FOCUS

November 6-8 2013


SKIDDERS

Loggers keep eye on costs

Though economicconditions are slowlybeginning to improve,

high fuel costs continue toaffect the forestry industryworldwide. To remaincompetitive, loggers continueto have a need for improvedproductivity and uptime, aswell as low operating costs fortheir equipment. In summary,they need a smart machinethat doesn’t guzzle fuel, andskidders are no exception.

John Deere has one of theindustry’s widest range ofskidder models with differentsizes, power and options “forany logger’s needs”. “Nomatter which option youchoose one constant stays thesame – fuel efficiency,” the

manufacturer said. “With their long wheelbase

and wide stance, John Deere’sstable skidders go where youwant them to go. They’ll pullfaster, and most importantly,won’t surprise you when youfill up the tank.”

By leveraging John DeerePower Systems technologiesand the PowerTech Plusengines, the group’s skiddershave delivered on theircustomers’ demand for greaterfuel efficiency. The H-SeriesSkidders are built to meetthese productivity andoperational challenges.Perhaps the biggestcontribution to the H-Series’fuel efficiency is the field-proven 6.8L Tier III PowerTechPlus emission-certified diesel

engine. The fuel economy isreportedly second-to-none,while packing the HP neededto move the lowest cost pertonne.

The H-series also featuresthe popular AutoShiftfunctionality that eliminatesthe need to shift byautomatically selecting theoptimum gear based on theload. This allows operators touse their right hand to run thegrapple and focus on pullingthe load, which effectivelymakes the Skidder easier tooperate and increasesproductivity. The 748H auto-reversing fan keeps the engineand fuel cooler while blowingaway clogs that reduceefficiency. Its grapple has ahuge 4 m2 area with a 3,250

The John Deere 848H grapple skidder

Stronger markets

doesn’t mean frivolous

forestry practices,

according to several

leading skidder

suppliers that continue

to focus on keeping fuel

costs and maintenance

time down, while

keeping the machine in

the forest longer

IFI_PG53_57_Skidders_HR 29/08/2013 14:10 Page 53

The new Tigercat 615C skidder has a full complement of features but with a lower initial price


SKIDDERS

mm (130 in) wide opening that candeliver more wood to the landingwith fewer skids.

Also contributing to a skidder’sfuel efficiency is maintenance. Aswith all forestry equipment,skidders need proper maintenanceto ensure maximum productivity.John Deere’s JDLink machinemonitoring system keeps track ofmaintenance and monitors amachine’s health. The system,available as a website –JDLink.com – and iPhoneapplication, allows for remoteaccess to fleet location, fleet useand unparalleled diagnostic data.

“By logging on to theiraccounts, customers can easilysee what equipment is earningand which machines are idlingwhile keeping preventative-maintenance tabs on eachmachine,” John Deere said. “Theservice interprets machine datafrom JDLink, technicianinspections and fluid analysis, andadvises the best methods to

proactively control machinehealth. By simplifyingmaintenance scheduling anddocumenting, JDLink assures thatequipment is running as efficientlyas possible.”

The monitoring system alsoboosts uptime by alertingcustomers of potential downtimeand documenting machine andoperator productivity.

In addition to fuel-efficientfeatures, John Deere skiddersrecently gained a significantincrease in performance with anew optional wheel weightpackage that will add 860 kg(1,900 lb) to the front of themachines. The kit is compatiblewith the 640H cable skidder and648H, 748H and 848H grappleskidders. This is a simple solutionthat increases machinecapabilities to help John Deere’scustomers become moreproductive on the job.

“Loggers will see a substantialdifference in the load weight they

are able to pull with the heavierset of wheels,” John Deere said.

The weight package, made foronly the front two wheels,requires the use of dual ringwheels and SWEDA axles. Newwheels with a dual ring that allowthe use of 35.5 tyres are alsoavailable with the optional weightpackage. This new wheel isavailable both as a factory optionand field kit.

Tigercat has developed a full lineof skidders that lead the industryin durability, reliabilityproductivity, fuel efficiency,operator comfort and ergonomics.All Tigercat skidders are designedand built for extreme dutyconditions with strengthoptimised frames, robust, well-protected cylinders and a strongcentre section with large pins andtapered roller bearings. Access todaily service points is and majorcomponents is easy, with aspacious engine house and tilt cab

for access to the pumps, motorsand driveline. The belly pans aregenerously sized. Visibility isexcellent with clear sight lines toall wheels as well as through thearch to the load. The cab is largeand comfortable.

Advantages of hydrostatic driveThere are many advantages toTigercat’s unique electronicallycontrolled hydrostatic drivesystem including increasedefficiency and performance andreduced operator fatigue. Inaddition, drive characteristics areidentical whether in forward orreverse.

Combining electronic controltechnology with a hydrostaticdrive system has allowed the 615Cskidder to operate at variableengine RPM, automaticallyincreasing engine speed whenadditional HP is demanded. Theresult is improved fuel economyand reduced engine noise.


http://www.cleanfix.org

With the 615C, contractorscan now have all the

advantages of a six-wheeldrive skidder – excellent

traction, high performancein steep and soft terrain

and a smoother ride – in acompact package with

a lower initial purchaseprice – Tigercat

SKIDDERS

The Tigercat 630D skidder at work in the Alberta winter

No gear shifting is required. Theoperator commands infinitelyvariable speed control from zeroto maximum simply by depressingthe foot pedal. The skidderoperator does not have tocontinually shift to maintain theoptimal gear for the terrain.Operator fatigue is significantlyreduced.

Because full torque is available

at any engine speed, breakoutperformance is significantly betterthan conventional skidders. Thewheels will maintain the speedcommanded by the drive pedal,regardless of the traction orpulling torque required. Whenmaximum HP is reached, speedreduction occurs automatically.Smooth and continuous tractionallows Tigercat skidders to

operate with minimal wheel spin.The result is reduced sitedisturbance, longer tyre life, lessdriveline stress and improvedperformance in soft or steepterrain.

Because skidder travel ceasesas the drive pedal is released onTigercat skidders, the secondarybraking system is almostredundant. Brake service is

seldom required becausesecondary braking is rarely used.The operator can maintainexcellent vehicle control onslopes.

The line-upAt 142 kW (190 hp), the 604Ccable skidder and 610C grappleskidders share the same engine,drive system, cab and hydraulics



http://www.nokianheavytyres.com

SKIDDERS

systems. The machines are quick,agile and fuel efficient.

The 604C is well suited toselective hardwood logging andsteep terrain while the 610C is aversatile skidder well suited to avariety of clear fell, thinningapplications and specialtyselective felling applications. Bothmachines offer excellentperformance in soft and steepterrain.

The 620D, 630D and 635Dmodels are all available with thelargest capacity grapples andwidest tip-to-tip openings in theirrespective size classes. The 620Dis rated at 164 kW (220 hp) whilethe 630D and 635D have 194 kW(260 hp).

The 620D and 630D are suitedto the vast majority of the world’shigh production skiddingapplications, commonly used inclear fell and plantation thinningapplications, steep ground andsoft soil.

The six-wheel drive 635D withits long wheelbase, low-groundpressure and massive grapple is

designed for long hauls, extremelyheavy loads and very soft or steepterrain. The 635D is also approvedfor use in demanding, high dutycycle ground scarificationapplications and is proving to bethe ideal carrier for scarifying.

The 615C is Tigercat's newestskidder, a quick, compact, six-wheel drive machine, according tothe manufacturer. “Similar incapacity to the 630D, the 615C is aniche machine best suited toextremely soft or steep terrainwhen volumes cannot justify themassive production potential ofthe 635D or when tight spaceslimit the ability of the 635D tooperate effectively,” Tigercatstated.

“With the 615C, contractors cannow have all the advantages of asix-wheel drive skidder – excellenttraction, high performance insteep and soft terrain and asmoother ride – in a compactpackage with a lower initialpurchase price.”

Other benefits include the highcapacity, dual-cylinder Tigercat

grapple with a wide tip-to-tipopening for irregular bunches andan automatic variable pitch,reversing fan for improved fueleconomy and excellent coolingperformance.

Efficient High Speed(EHS)Equipped as standard in the 610Cand 615C is Tigercat’s new EHS(efficient high speed) drivesystem. Similar to the standardhydrostatic drive system, EHSconsists of two variabledisplacement motors as inputs tothe Tigercat transfer case. Frontand rear output shafts areconnected directly to the front andrear axles.

While the current electronicallycontrolled hydrostatic drivesystem found in the D-seriesskidders performs exceptionallywell, EHS is capable of providingthe tractive effort of the deepestgear ratio offered in Tigercat'sstandard transfer case as well asthe top speed of the shallowestgear ratio offered in the standardtransfer case.

This is accomplished with moresophisticated computer logic andthe ability to take one of the drivemotors offline when high tractiveeffort is not required. In this case,all pump flow is directed to onehydraulic motor, increasing bothtravel speed and motor efficiency.

When operating conditionsdemand high tractive effort, bothhydrostatic motors are working.When tractive effort requirements

are minimal – for instance, whentraveling empty – all of the pumpflow is directed to one motor forhigher travel speeds.

TurnaroundOne of the most unique andinnovative features of the skiddersis ‘Turnaround’. The rotating seathas a two-position mechanicallock and provides full rear-facingdrive capability and control of allfunctions. An armrest-mountedjoystick controls the steeringfunction for improved ergonomics.Drive pedals are located at boththe front and rear of the cab.

“With ‘Turnaround’, forward andreverse have become meaninglessterminology,” Tigercat stated.“The operator has control of allmachine functions in eitherseating position and can drivecomfortably with the full speedrange available either blade-forward or grapple-forward.”

Combined with Tigercat'shydrostatic driveline, ‘Turnaround’is an asset in many skiddingapplications where long reversesare necessary such as firstthinning applications where theskidder must back down thethinning corridors as well as shorthaul skidding where the time andfuel required to turn the machinearound has an adverse effect onproductivity and increases costs.

‘Turnaround’ is also useful forpicking up double bunches,loading the grapple with roadsidedebris and angling and placing theload optimally for the processors


Significant structural,powertrain, hydraulic andattachment changes are

part of our continuedcommitment to delivering

critical customer requirements – Caterpillar

The 527 Caterpillar track skidder

The 535C Caterpillar wheel skidder


SKIDDERS


at roadside as well as otherdecking duties.

Recent upgrades to theCaterpillar C Series wheelskidders have increasedperformance, reliability anddurability of theseworkhorses, the manufacturersaid.

“Significant structural,powertrain, hydraulic andattachment changes are partof our continued commitmentto delivering critical customerrequirements,” MattMcDonald, a ProductPerformance Engineer withCaterpillar Forest Products,said.

The Cat C Series lineincludes the 545C with 173 kW(232 hp) gross engine power,the 535C at 163 kW (218 hp)gross, and the 525C with 146kW (196 hp) gross enginepower. The 525C is alsooffered with a DualHP optionthat provides increased powerfor greater productivity in firstgear torque converter lock-upthrough fifth gear.

The C Series skidders areequipped with the Cat C7engine featuring ACERTTechnology. The C7 deliverspower and torque to maximiseproductivity and the ACERTTechnology combinesimprovements in fuel delivery,air management andelectronic control to optimiseengine performance. Thecooling system has a coarsefin-spacing design to keepdust out and the enginerunning cool. The clean-burning engine, along withproper oil sampling, allows oilchange intervals to beextended up to 500 hours.

The five-speed transmissionmatches engine power to theload size and groundconditions and electronic shiftcontrol boosts totalproductivity. A lock-up clutchtorque converter equips the CSeries skidders with all of theoperating advantages oftorque converter operation as

well as the speed and fuelefficiency of direct drive. Thelock-up clutch allows theskidder to be operated eitherin converter drive for greaterpull or direct drive for fastertravel speeds and the mostfuel efficiency. Travel speedscan be as much as 15% higherwith the lock-up clutchengaged.

“It’s easier on the operatorand the machine is moreproductive. It also helps thetyres to last longer bypreventing wheel spin whilestarting a load,” McDonaldsaid.

The variable displacementhydraulic pump draws enginepower only when machinefunctions demand flow orpressure. This conservesengine HP and increases fuelefficiency. Recent refinementsto the hydraulic systemimprove consistency andreduce the noise level in thecab. The wall thickness of allhydraulic tubes has beenincreased — double for thedozer tubes — and theflanges are more robust.

The C Series wheel skiddersuse a weight-forward designfor better balance andexceptional stability ongrades, even when skidding alarge load. The box sectionstructure set the industrystandard for reliable, durablemain frames. The centresection is robust and durablewith heavy-duty pins andstructures. Upgrades to thestructure includestrengthening the sweepmounting and the fenders.Also, a plate added to theboom prevents damage to thegrapple control hoses at thehinge between the arch andboom.

Cat bunching grapplesfeature a strong box-sectiondesign and higher clampingforces for faster log loadingand excellent hold on a load.The ‘Auto-Grab’ grapplehydraulic system monitorsand adjusts tong pressure as

needed to maintain a securegrip on grapple loads withoutwasting power.

Key structuralimprovements to the grappleinclude threaded tong pinsinstead of the flag style pin,thicker and larger supportgussets, larger tong pinreinforcing plates and astronger center plate toimprove support for thebottom access cover.

“The new threaded pindesign significantly improvesrigidity and keeps the pinunder tension to reduce anyopportunity for the nut toloosen,” McDonald explained.

Caterpillar Forest Productsalso offers a track skidder. TheCat 527 delivers the balanceand power needed for safeand productive skidding insteep or poor groundconditions. The skidder isavailable in a variety of trackand grapple or cableconfigurations to suit loggers’requirements in the Asia-Pacific region, South America,Africa and the Middle East.

The skidder is equippedwith the 127 kW (166 hp) Cat3304 DIT engine. Balance isachieved through optimalweight distribution and theextended track roller frame.This also reduces overallground pressure for skiddingon soft ground. The torqueconverter power train andthree-speed transmissiondeliver high HP for moredrawbar pull, improvedskidding performance andease of operation.

Caterpillar’s elevatedsprocket design provides a 711mm (28 in) ground clearancefor a smoother ride. Catheavy-duty track componentsextend undercarriage life.

In grapple skidderapplications, the Cat swingboom increases productivityand reduces soil disturbance.The cable skidder is durableand productive with a winchcapable of 31,389 kg (69,200lb) of line pull. IFI

http://www.indexator.se

COMPANY FOCUS – BANDIT INDUSTRIES

Bandit was born out of a bold move and beingbold is why Bandit continues to expandaggressively 30 years after the company’s

origin,” the company told International ForestIndustries.

“Being bold is why Bandit reached far beyondthe initial hand-fed chipper design that made thecompany famous, creating several lines of specialtywood processing equipment including large wholetree chippers, stump grinders, horizontal woodwaste recyclers, forestry mowers, and yard wasteprocessors.

“Being bold is why Bandit holds patents onnumerous industry-specific designs andcomponents, developed through extensive researchand customer feedback. As a result, Bandit has aproduct for virtually any woods-relatedapplication.”

When it comes to high-production whole treechipping, many loggers over the years have turnedto Bandit’s line of whole-tree chippers because ofthe company’s reputation for solid production,reliability, and chip quality. The range of units hasalso played its part. Bandit has several disc anddrum-style whole-tree chippers that cover thespectrum of applications, with the largest machinesable to process a 540 mm (36 in) diameter wholetree while filling a semi-trailer in eight minutes.

New technologies for Bandit whole tree chippershave given these machines a considerableadvantage in biomass markets. New fingerscreening/breaking systems further enhance chipquality by breaking up larger material, creating a

highly uniform chip of exceptional quality to meetthe most stringent of demands for biomassmarkets.

Bandit’s new specialised microchip drum headfor whole-tree chippers uses a specialised knifearrangement and proprietary designs to producethe highest quality quarter-inch chips available. Thequality of these microchips is such that companiesactively seek material specifically from Banditmachines – and the supplier says clients are willingto pay a premium to get them.

Bandit pioneered self-propelled track whole-treechippers with the world's first unit of this type backin 1990. By taking the chipper to the trees, Bandittrack whole-tree chippers provide the extra mobilityand productivity demanded by many logging, landclearing and biomass professionals, especially insteep or swampy terrain. Bandit continues to be aleader in this segment, providing Caterpillar trackundercarriages as an option for every hand-fed andwhole-tree chipper in the line-up.

Bandit machines use heavy-duty weldedconstruction with the strongest componentsavailable, all Bandit chippers and can be backedwith a five-year GUTS warranty for the disc/drum,feed systems, and related equipment.

Beast horizontal grinders have been one of thewood waste processing machines of choice fornumerous industries since the mid-1990s. For 2013,the entire Beast line is made even better with over35 different enhancements in eight categories. Nowcalled the Beast XP-Series, these machines havefew rivals when it comes to processing everything

Be brave and thrive In our modern world,

the average age of a

company is 15 years.

This year, Bandit

Industries turns 30. A

company doesn’t

reach this milestone

by accident, or good

luck, or even by

having good ideas

This Rottne forwarder is only a few processingsteps from being shipped to a customer


“

The Bandit 3680XP is part of the latest XP-Seriesof machines, which is furnished with more than 35

different enhancements

This year Bandit Industries celebrates 30 years of successful machine

development and sales

IFI_PG58_59 Company Focus Bandit_HR 29/08/2013 14:11 Page 58

from brush, slash, and difficultchunk wood to create a valuableend-product.

Bandit prime movers withforestry mower attachments havebecome extremely popular front-line site clearing machines for avariety of applications, includingutility line clearing, gas and oilexploration, road construction andmore. These machines areROPS/FOPS/OPS certified andfeature both stump grinder headsand rugged, Bandit-designedmower heads. High-capacity,heavy-duty hydraulic systemsensure the cutting head receivesmaximum power, allowing thesemachines to easily mow andmulch large diameter trees. Fourmodels are available – the Model3000, Model 3500, Model 4000and Model 5000.

Thirty years is a long time to bein business, but Bandit isn’tslowing down anytime soon. Injust the last two years, thecompany has added 34 newdealers worldwide while nearlydoubling sales volume, all at atime when many other

manufacturers are struggling. “Having rugged, dependable

equipment is a big part of that,”the supplier told IFI. “Backing up

that equipment with the highestlevel of customer service is also abig part of that. Having devotedcustomers, a dedicated workforce,

a customer-focused dealernetwork and strong leadership isdefinitely part of that.

“But it’s all for nothing withouta bold determination to not followthe leader, but be the leader.That’s the Bandit difference.” IFI

Bandit Model 5000T with Stump Grinder attachment

Bandit was born out of a bold move and

being bold is why Bandit continues to

expand aggressively 30years after the

company’s origin


BANDIT INDUSTRIES – COMPANY FOCUS

The Bandit Model 2590 whole-tree chipper

COMPANY FOCUS – ROTTNE

Asunny week in Sweden for the IFIteam started in the small industrialtown of Rottne, where the namesake

company was founded. Escorted byAssembly Production Manager PerLundkvist, the IFI team was toured aroundthe Rottne factory, which produces almostall its own components for the expert teamto put together individual machines for itsclients.

We have since leaned that constructionof new engineering and training facilities atRottne has also begun. The constructionwill be divided into stages and is expectedto be completed next Spring. The currentconstruction phase will deliver premisesthat will include laboratories forexperimental work covering 1,650 m2 and a750 m2 training area. The next phase is willexpand the spare parts department to2,450 m2.

“We have already started theconstruction building,” Chief Executive RolfAndersson said. “The training buildingstarts a little later.

“It’s a big investment for us at aboutSEK45 million including the spare partsdepartment. We have chosen theconstruction company Granflo Constructionfrom Aseda, which offered the best solutionfor us.”

Today, Rottne has 235 employeessituated mainly in Rottne but also spread

across the Swedish towns of Lenhovda andStensele where the company’s othermanufacturing facilities are found. Annualturnover is some SEK450 million withabout 50% of Rottne machines exported tomainland Europe, Russia, North Americaand Australia.

Today, this private Swedish groupchallenges major internationalcorporations such as John Deere, Komatsu,and Finnish rival Ponsse for market share,but that wasn’t always the case – Rottnehas grown from humble beginnings.

Into the blueInternational Forest Industries

took the opportunity to visit

local Swedish success story,

Rottne, in the lead up to Elmia

to get an advance look at the

new technology that would be

on show and see how the

team puts together a range of

machines that has grown to

challenge some of the

biggest in the industry

This Rottne forwarder is only a few processingsteps from being shipped to a customer


Rolf Andersson, outside the new factory

IFI_PG60-64_Company Focus Rottne_HR 29/08/2013 14:14 Page 60

The story starts almost 60 yearsago with company founder, BörjeKarlsson, who used to help withhis father’s timber business basedin the forest in Löpanäs, justoutside of Rottne. Transport byhorse had been done away with infavour of a tractor but loading wasstill a manual affair and soKarlsson began designing ways ofusing the idling tractor to speedup the process.

Out of these designs cameRottne’s first loader – a basicconstruction consisting of a pair ofplough components, a piece oftimber, a winch fitted to the take-off as well as a piece of wire and apair of timber tongs. The loaderworked well and soon enoughKarlsson had an offer to buy themachine, which he accepted, andwent on designing andmanufacturing more machines tomeet the fledgling local demandfor the product.

Karlsson bought himself a newworkshop and his machines weresoon being exported to Denmarkand Norway, to name a few fairlyproximal international markets,and within 10 years there wereunits on their way to Tanzania andChile – quite a feat in exportlogistics for a small, private,Scandinavian outfit in the 1960s.

Then, in 1968, Rottne deliveredits first modern forwarder – theBlondin (Blonde). The Blondin wasthe company’s first completeforestry machine and became a

best seller because of itsrelatively small size,versatility, loading abilityand handling. By 1977,Karlsson had added the770-processor to the Rottnerange and for the first timethe company was able to boast acomplete equipment range. In1985, the Blondin was finallyretired and replaced by theinnovative Rapid model, whichwas a purpose-built forestrymachine that no longer relied on atractor base.

Throughout the 1990s and intothe last decade, Rottneconsistently proved that it was acompany not simply satisfied withcompeting but was a genuine

desire to lead equipment designfor the forestry sector whereverpossible. The H-series harvesterseries was a testament to that andproved to be a leading selleramongst harvesting contractors.

At Elmia this year, the traditionof leading technology has reacheda new level with the launch of twospecific developments that gotvisitors and competitors aliketalking about Rottne – the H21Dharvester and the second

generation of ComfortLine system, which werecovered in the previousedition of IFI. IFI


COMPANY FOCUS – ROTTNE

Rottne makes most of its own components across its three manufacturing facilities

Rottne employees hold crucialknowledge of the industry that isneeded for optimal machineproduction

Editor Chris Cann is taken through the latestfeatures of the Rottne cab

It’s a big investment for us at about SEK45million including the spare parts department

Rottne Chief Executive, Rolf Andersson

on the factory expansion

Publisher David Lansdowne and Editor Chris Cann inspect some of the Rottne components under

the guidance of Assembly Production Manager Per Lundkvist


HIGH PROFILE

International Forest Industries:How did you get started in theforestry sector?Rolf Andersson: My father had alwaysworked in the forest industries and ourfamily had always owned forests so it wasa fairly natural progression for me to moveinto the forestry business, too. I also wentto the one of Sweden’s specialist forestryschools so you couldsay that it was adecision to go intoforestry but is was avery, very natural andeasy decision to make –it was a family businessbut a passion as well.

I was working as aforwarder operator for aSwedish entrepreneur who had manycontracts at any one time but in 1978 I leftthat employer and went to Rottne, whichat the time needed a demonstrationoperator. Because of my apparent skills asa driver they said that I was a valuableacquisition for them – so that’s where itstarted with Rottne. I also worked as aninstructor with the next generation offorestry operators. I obviously impressed

people higher up at Rottne to be recruitedinternally into the sales department,where I specialised in domestic sales atfirst. I became sales manager for Swedenand then fairly quickly took on the role ofsenior sales specialist for Scandinavia.And this is all within Rottne. I was electedto the role of President in 2005 and havebeen working hard to fulfil the demands of

that role ever since –and I hope I’ve beenreasonable successful.

I was enjoying thesales position but I hadbeen working withinRottne for a long timewhen the opportunitycame up and I kneweveryone including

people who I had been involved withduring my time as an operator instructorwho were now various stages within thegroup. When I was asked one day if Iwould like the job, I thought: ‘why not?’.

I think what I brought to the role was agenuine understanding of the forest andforestry machine – have been workingwith forestry machines in the forest mywhole professional life. There isn’t a

Making a difference

International Forest Industries Editor Chris Cann shared a bench on the Rottne stand at

Elmia with Managing Director Rolf Andersson and discussed his life in the forestry, the

emergence of Rottne as an international power, and the importance of a holiday

Rolf Andersson, RottneManaging Director

Andersson and the team with customers at Elmia this year

I’m still very interested in forestry machines, particularly product

development


specific skills set I’d say suited meto the job but I knew how theforestry industry works and I knewmost of the people who I would bemanaging. I knew where thecompany needed to go, I knew thepeople who would be crucial intaking it there, and I had therelationships and theunderstanding of the industry toensure that Rottne was able tomove successfully in thatdirection. For that matter, I alsoknew all the competitors againstwhich Rottne would be facing offand most of the people whoworked with them so I wasconfident of not only movingRottne forward in line with whatthe company objectives had beenbut I was also certain that I knewhow to position ourselves bestwithin our industry in terms of theopposition. Through time in theindustry, I understood thecompany, I understood thebusiness, I understood ourcompetitors and I knew what thecustomer wanted.

I’m still very interested inforestry machines, particularlyproduct development. I contributea great deal to productdevelopment and very much enjoyworking alongside our designteam to come up with ideas thatare going to actually make adifference to contractors.

IFI: What’s been yourgreatest achievement for Rottne?RA: Things have changed so muchover the time I have been at thehead of the group that thechallenges and achievements havevaried greatly. I think the periodover which we launched the Hseries of harvesters was anextremely important moment forthe company because it was thetransition from the range we usedto have into the current range thatwe have today. That was a wholenew generation of harvester thatwe delivered that had grown fromthe H20 through to the H8 – it wasparticularly satisfying because of

my close involvement with thedesign of these machines andthen of course the reception fromthe market, which reallyappreciated what we had done.

What’s particularly significant isthe size of the company that weare, or were. You are comparingwhat is essentially a small familycompany coming from Rottne, thesmall village you visited, tomultinationals like John Deere,Komatsu and Caterpillar – thereare of course small differencesbetween the machines but ourmachine program I feel is as goodas their machine program. So weare very proud as a small companyto be able to compete withcompanies of that size. We feelthat it is a genuine achievement tobe able to compete with these

guys on an international scale andit is largely down to thedevelopment of the H series ofharvesters and also the F series offorwarders, which was essentiallytheir equivalent.

IFI: What kind of focus doyou have on internationalmarkets as opposed todomestic markets? RA: We are of course well knownon the international market withmany different products – we’reactive in Scandinavia, America andCanada as well as throughoutWestern and Eastern Europe andhave other possibilities to getbigger. It is important for us tofind the right distributors andsales contacts because the aftersales service and the aftermarket

HIGH PROFILE

We’re active in Scandinavia, America and Canada as well as throughout Western and Eastern Europe and

have other possibilities to get bigger

The last 40 years has been an incredible period of development for the forestry sector,

which I believe has surpassed machine development in most other industries

Andersson with Export Manager, Jan Hennberg, who has beeninstrumental in establishing Rottne at the top of the market

Andersson and Hennberg enjoy a rare moment of peace on the busyRottne stand with colleagues



products have to follow the standards of ourmachines – you cannot just go into a country,introduce the product and start sellingmachines, you have to be able to build up areputation for the complete service. That iswhat is crucial for operators who lose moneywhen machines are off the stand being servicedor repaired. It’s no good having a dealer whocan’t assist with parts and servicing.

The machine program we have today issuitable for many markets. We have machinesthat are suited to the Asian market, particularlyon the forward side of the business. They areworking with track-based machines a lot inthose markets so our forwarders are very wellsuited to fit those specific needs. On theharvester side of things at the moment,probably not so much for Asia. On theforwarder side, our machines are also verysuited to the South American market and alsoanywhere that is working heavily throughplantation forests – we have a great range foralmost any need. Our harvesters meanwhile,have the ability to compete with the track-based machines that currently dominate SouthAmerica, mainly because of the heads we canaccommodate on our harvesters. The track-based machines can take possibly three rowsas they move forward, whereas we can workdown the centre of one row and take three rowsto the right and three rows to the left – we takeseven rows. The investment on one of ourmachines is of course higher but theproductivity is much higher and fuelconsumption is far lower, too.

IFI: how long does it take it take toestablish a dealer in a new market?RA: It can take anything from three months upto a year to just to find a dealer and secure acontract and then it takes another year oftraining, education, service technician inductionand general meetings to prepare them to notonly sell but provide that crucial aftersalesservice.

IFI: What products are you working on now?RA: The H21D is an extremely importantlyproduct for us right now. It’s an eight wheelermachines and it’s the new generation offorestry machine. We’re no taking orders justyet but the prototype is operational is will betest driven for a year at least out in the forestand then we have to make modifications beforewe can be comfortable making sales. Maybe ina year or a year-and-a-half it will be on themarket.

IFI: What have been the greatestadvancements in machine technologyover your time in the industry?RA: There have been revolutionarydevelopments from the 1970s until today. The

greatest advances have been in the electronicsand computers through the communicationwith the mill and between the head and thecarrier. There have also been huge leapsforward in machine hydraulics and operatorcomfort, which has really been the focus ofmany manufacturers in the past few years inparticular. It’s been unbelievable what’shappened over those 40 years. It’s been anincredible period of development for theforestry sector, which I believe has surpassedmachine development in most other industries.In the 1970s, some operations were stilloperating with handsaws. Today, operatorsstudy for a long time in order to begin workingon a modern harvester.

Development will continue. The focus willcontinue to be on operator comfort and savingfuel. In that sense I think that hybrid vehiclescould be the next big innovation that has amaterial effect on the businesses of forestrycontractors.

IFI: Would you consider working with anengine manufacturer to produce a hybridengine for your machines?RA: I can’t see any problem whatsoever inworking with an established enginemanufacturer to develop a hybrid solution. Weare already working closely with John Deere onengine production and they of course want tosell more engines and so for them it makessense, also. If another engine manufacturerapproached us to work on something like thenwe of course would also be free to move down asimilar line with them. We have plenty ofoptions when it comes to making somethinghappen on the hybrid front, but that is just oneavenue that we can look.

IFI: Is hybrid technology somethingyou’re actively pursuing at the moment? RA: Yes and no.

We have made initial investigations and arelooking at the possibilities that are in front ofus but are yet to actually commit to full R&D ona hybrid solution.

IFI: What’s your favourite airport?RA: I travel a lot and enjoy Copenhagen airportthe most I think, in Europe at least.Scandinavians tend to like Copenhagen but itjust seems to move efficiently.

IFI: And your least favourite?RA: St Petersburg.

There’s too much bureaucracy. You seem tospend hours in immigration and queuing up forcustoms and security. The queues are long andthey move slowly. That said, it’s animprovement on the situation in the 1970sunder the Soviet Union – it was even worse

We actually just had a major order fromRussia from a company called DLK, whichbought 17 machines including various models

of forwarder and harvesters that we deliveredover six months. It’s quite competitive forbusiness in Russia and having establishedourselves here to a certain degree it is veryimportant that we cement that foundationthrough our dealer. This unfortunately willmean more trips through St Petersburg airport!

The Russian market is an important marketfor us but it’s also a very tricky market. It’s a bigplace and you must not only be able to deliveryour machines to customers but also supply theaftersales service that contractors need to besuccessful. This is a huge challenge for allsuppliers in Russia.

IFI: When do you get a chance to getaway on vacation?RA: Infrequently.

Sometimes when I take a break I prefer to beat home but, if I do choose to travel, I usuallylike to do some downhill skiing in Austria. Inormally go with family and friends and spendabout a week out there. I also do a bit ofhunting at home. I was born there on the farmand have always enjoyed hunting.

It’s extremely important for those at the headof the company in stressful positions to ensurethey take some time off to recharge otherwisethe performance starts to suffer. It is not alwayseasy to do when there are so many demands onyour time but I try to take a full month off eachyear away from Rottne. IFI


HIGH PROFILE

It’s extremely important for those atthe head of the company in stressfulpositions to ensure they take sometime off to recharge otherwise the

performance starts to suffer

ELMIA WOOD REVIEW – PART TWO

CEJN’s eSafe – THE NEW GENERATION COUPLINGeSafe is an innovative and patented safety coupling offering the highest flowcombined with a low pressure drop. In addition eSafe has a low connectingforce, compact and easy to grip design making it the natural choice whenchoosing a safety product with top of the line features. By using eSafe, you’reguaranteed a reliable product for years to come.

The most compact and manoeuvrable PrimeTech modelThe new PT-175 features the same technology and components as the othermodels of the PrimeTech range (the 275 hp PT-300, the 415 hp PT-400 and thepowerful 600 hp PT-600). It encompasses a series of improved features andsolutions that turn it into an even more advanced vehicle.


IFI_PG65_69_Elmia_HR 29/08/2013 14:16 Page 65


EPSILON’s EPSCAB is the only cabin available with an air-suspended seat,which brings together with the seat heating unprecedented standard. EPSILONcabins are being painted in a 3-stage-system comprising KTL prime coat,powder coating and white top painting of the whole cabin with exception of thedoor, which is being painted in black. From now on their cabins can be orderedwith a hydraulic servo control, instead of the conventional manual control.

Bosch RexrothBosch Rexroth launches heavy duty motor range for the forestry industryRexroth MCR-W: 60 % higher radial load capacity compared to standard radialpiston motors

The Bosch Rexroth MCR range of radial piston motors has been specificallydeveloped for a number of forestry vehicle applications including feed rollers,rotator heads, wheel and slew drives. Central to the range is the new MCR-Wtype designed for forestry harvester head feed roller applications.

Bosch RexrothNew series 40 of the A11VO high pressure axial piston unit for especiallydemanding applicationsForestry machines: up to 10 % faster control behaviour of implementhydraulics.- Fast control behaviour for more dynamic implement hydraulics- Efficiency increased to up to 93 %- Optimised housing structure reduces noise emissions

Cummins presented Ultra-low emission engines for forestry use at Elmia WoodCummins Inc. displayed key products from its EU Stage IV / EPA Tier 4 range,37-503 kW (49-675 hp), at Elmia Wood for the first time. The QSF2.8, QSB4.5and QSB6.7 provide a reliable, ultra-low emission product ready to work in keyforestry applications.



New Trailer-mounted HYPRO processorHYPRO has developed a new processor model which wasdisplayed at ElmiaWood. It is a trailer-mounted HYPRO 755processor without crane and winch that will fit on almost anyforest trailer on the market.

Komatsu Forest unveiled three new simulators forharvesters, forwarders and forestry excavators.The new simulators provide more lifelike operation withimproved graphics and more realistic physics.Simulators are an important part of training forest machineoperators and Komatsu Forest’s simulators are widely used fortraining purposes worldwide.

The new simulators are more training-based than previousversions, and now focus more on operating technique and workplanning to further improve methodology training.

Dasa takes Bucking to a new level with ForesterDasa Control Systems AB launched a new generation system foroptimised logging at ElmiaWood 2013. The new generationsystem has been named Forester, which associates it withsustainable forest management and optimum yield for forestrystakeholders.

Forester is the 6th generation system from Dasa and draws onthe company's experiences from previous generation systems.Development was undertaken in close cooperation with leadingmanufacturers of harvesters, forwarders and logging units.



Nokian Forest King TRS LS-2 tyre for skiddersNokian Heavy Tyres displayed the new 35.5L-32 Nokian Forest King TRS LS-2 tyre tocomplement the tyre selection for skidder equipment.– So far, we have been lacking a tyre of the size 35.5L-32. It is a common size, however, andthey are especially sold to North and South America, says Sales Manager Vesa Sampakoskifrom Nokian Heavy Tyres.

The new tyre is five inches wider than before, and when the diameter is 2,010 millimeters, thetotal weight amounts to nearly 600 kilograms’. The load-bearing capacity is high, meaning thatthe tyre meets today’s standards.

Size is not the only new feature of the latest Forest King. The tread pattern has been developedfor even higher traction.

The forwarder that sets a new standard for 20-ton forwardersAt this year’s Elmia Wood, Komatsu Forest displayed its newforwarder, the Komatsu 895, for the first time before a wideinternational audience. Komatsu claim the 895 is the market’sfirst “proper” 20-ton forwarder with powerful chassisconstruction and power train.

Komatsu 895 sets a new standard for the really big forwarders.The new power train has been developed and adapted for 20-tonforwarders. The engine delivers high performance with goodhandling characteristics combined with effective combustion forlow fuel consumption. The transmission system automaticallyadapts to the load, slopes, and obstacles. The transmission canfurther increase traction when the going gets tough and speeddrops. This enables the forwarder to climb obstacles withconsiderable ease compared to machines with the previousgeneration of hydrostatic transmission systems.

NMS displayed their new range of 7-14 ton tractortrailers with sets of cranes between 5,2 – 8,3 meters.Also, a brand new 14 ton forwarder NMS FW1408A wasintroduced for the first time in Sweden. The forwarderhas one of the most durable chassis and maintenance-free bearings available in the market. NMS says thatevery single product they sell is the creation of theircustomers.



Doppstadt Truck-mounted DH810 precision chipperNew compact precision chipper forprocessing logs with diameters upto 600 mm. The revolving uppercarriage makes it very flexible forfeeding and discharge. Truck-mounted operation and transport.DH 810 L is energy efficient andservice friendly. Used for an efficient production of woodchips.The large feed-in roller andthe aggressive apron feederguarantee the in-feed of all kindsand shapes of wood withoutdifficulty.The size of the final product can beregulated.Weight (ton) app. 31 ton includingtruckEngine/Drive 360 kWChipping drum width 85 cmChipping drum Ø 100 cmChipping knives 4 pcs.Speed 610 rpmMax log Ø 60 cm

Hiab, part of Cargotec Corporation, showcased its new forestrycrane – the Hiab Loglift 108S – at the Elmia Wood fair. The crane,developed on the basis of customers’ feedback, was designedaround the favourite features of both the Hiab Jonsered and theHiab Loglift forestry crane ranges. In addition to the new crane,Hiab presented a selection of other forestry cranes that offerworld-class durability, performance, and weight-to-capacityratio.


Konecranes’ CXT Biomass is a fully

automated crane for handling different

kinds of biomass. The crane’s optimised

biomass software enables the power

plants to be efficiently operated 24/7

One of the big advantageswith the CXT Biomasscrane is that it’s more

compact than a traditional loaderconveyor-based solution, whichincreases the fuel storage capacityof a plant. The crane is alsoquieter than conveyor-basedsolutions and also reduces dustand fuel emissions.

The crane is equipped with arange of Smart Features such asslack rope prevention, whichprevents the grab from tilting andhoist ropes from slacking. Swaycontrol is a handy feature thatdramatically reduces the averagework cycle time by keeping theload stable and on its intendedpath. Another smart function thatincreases productivity is ExtendedSpeed Range (ESR) that allows thehoist to run at a higher-than-nominal rated hoisting speed withempty grab, which significantlyreduces cycle times.

Fully automated cranecombined with topmaintenanceThe main task for the CXT biomasscrane is to handle fuels, such aspeat, wood chips or communalwaste. In short, the crane receivesbiomass from a tipping area andlifts it to a storage area or directlyto a feeding hopper. The crane canalso feed biomass from thestorage area to the hopper.

Since biomass handling inautomated plants is one of themost challenging tasks for heavy-duty cranes, operating in acontinuous process, maintenanceis a key factor to keep the processrunning. Konecranes can offercomprehensive maintenance

service through the company’sglobal service network, withalmost 420,000 pieces ofequipment under maintenancecontracts. The maintenanceservices range from mandatoryinspections to preventive or full-service maintenance andoperation partnerships. As amatter of fact, Konecranes canoffer specialised maintenance andmodernization services for alltypes of industrial cranes.

In addition to inspections andpreventive maintenance programs,Konecranes also offers advanceddiagnostics services, such as the

Crane Reliability Survey, anengineering assessment of thecurrent condition and futuremaintenance needs of cranes;RailQ runway assessment, as wellas RopeQ wire rope analysis.These analyses provide customerswith valuable information that canbe used as a guide when planningfuture actions.

Tailored crane solutions tomeet customer needsThe CXT’s compact design, highcapacity and Smart Features werethe main reasons it has beenchosen by Scaldis, a specialist inhandling bulk for continuousprocess industries. The companyrecently delivered a turnkeysystem for biomass handling in abig factory in France thatdiversified its steam productionthat is traditionally based on gas,which required a new biomassboiler.

In close co-operation withKonecranes the feeding systemwas customized to meet thefactory’s exact needs. The craneneeded not only to have sufficientcapacity to provide the boiler’sconsumption flow, but also to fit

into the limited space inside thebuilding. It also needed to beextremely reliable and adaptive,as it was intended to be the soledevice to feed the boiler.

The new boiler started todeliver steam on its target date,and the client has been verysatisfied with the performance ofthe feeding system.

Key facts • Typical conditions in biomass

halls, like dust and highhumidity, have been taken intoaccount by having heaters formotors and inverters asstandard features, rail sweeps inend carriages, and upgradedprotection class for keycomponents, like motors

• Electrical cubicles are usuallyplaced on the bridge, but thecontrol panel is brought to floorlevel for easy and ergonomicaccess. Optionally, cubicles canbe placed in a customer’s controlroom

• The optimal size of a hydraulicclamshell grab is selected basedon a customer’s process needs.The orange peel grab is alsoavailable

• The CXT Biomass crane isavailable in duty class M6 up to10 t and M7 up to 8 t. If heavierloads or a higher duty class isneeded, Konecranes has the GLcrane series, which has provedits performance in various WTEplants around the world.

www.konecranes.co.uk


CUTTING EDGE

The Konecranes CXTbiomass crane issmart and compact

Konecranes CXT Biomass is a fully automated crane for handling different kinds of biomass in a continuous process in demanding surroundings

Hoist for process use in duty class ISO M6 (FEM 3 m) or M7 (FEM 4 m)

Crane classification A6

Bridge travelling machinery class M6

Crane designed for ambient temperature from -10˚C up to +50˚C

Positioning accuracy for axial movements ± 100 mm

Weighing accuracy ±5% (as an option ±2% is available)

Crane classifications

Konecranes CXT Biomass is a fullyautomated crane for handlingdifferent kinds of biomass in acontinuous process in demandingsurroundings

IFI_PG70_71 Cutting Edge_01 29/08/2013 14:19 Page 70

John Deere has released a newmobile version of its parts Website – www.jdparts.deere.com –

designed to utilise smartphonetechnology to help loggers managetheir operations more efficiently.

The new user-friendly site allowsloggers to access criticalequipment parts information withtheir handheld devices, from nearlyany location.

“Our customers are usually inthe woods, at job sites far fromtheir offices, and they can’t wait to

get back to their desks to ordercritical parts,” Shawn Riley,Manager of Parts MarketingOperations, said. “They asked usfor a mobile version of the partssite so they could place orderswhen and where they needed to,so we responded.”

Like the desktop version of thesite, the new mobile version allowscustomers to quickly access partsinformation, view pricing,availability and order parts online.Customers can search by parts

catalogue, model number, partnumber, or keyword to locate theappropriate parts and attachments.

Designed for any web-enabledmobile phone or tablet, the mobileversion is easy to navigate and use.It also features a dealer locationslink to find the closest John Deeredealer to make purchase and pick-up faster and easier.

To access the full capabilities ofthe site, customers will need toestablish accounts through theirJohn Deere dealers. For more

information, contact your local JohnDeere dealer or visitwww.JohnDeere.com


CUTTING EDGE

Deere parts on-the-move

Rexoroth advances suit forestry machines down to the groundThe new series 40 of the RexorothA11VO high pressure axial pistonunit has been designed especiallyfor demanding applications.

Forestry machines placeextremely high demands on thedynamics and stability of theimplement hydraulics in order toachieve maximum productivity. Inthe first heavy-duty seriesapplications, the new A11VO axialpiston variable pump of series 40from Rexroth demonstrates an upto ten percent faster controlbehavior with an efficiencyincreased to up to 93%.

The fast control behaviour ofthe A11VO series 40 increases thedynamics of the implementhydraulics and simultaneouslystabilises load-sensing systems.

As a result, forestry machinesspontaneously respond tooperating commands even underhigh loads or with fast loadchanges, including cases wheremultiple consumers need to besupplied at once. This increasesthe working speed and efficiency,e.g., for harvester heads.

Within the scope of thefundamental redesign of thepump, the Rexroth developershave increased the efficiency to upto 93% and thereby achieve avalue greater than othercomparable pumps. Through thecompact dimensions,manufacturers of forestrymachines can integrate morepower in tight installation spaces.A likewise newly developed

sealing system reliably preventsleakage through a significantreduction in the high-pressuresealing points. Rexroth achievesthe higher control dynamicsthrough an optimised adjustmentsystem based on the proven plainbearing support of theswashplate. Numerous hydraulicand electric controllers, some ofwhich can be controlled remotely,facilitate highly efficient powerand pressure controls as well asstroke limiting and load-sensingfunctions.

An optimised housing structureof the high-pressure pump alsoreduces noise emissionsconsiderably: in pressuring-holding operation, the operatingnoise is up to 3 dB(A) lower than

is typical for other comparablepumps. This reduces the workassociated with reducing noise tothe legal emission limits for themanufacturers of forestrymachinery.

The AV11VO series 40 suppliesthe open circuits typical forforestry machines as needed at anominal pressure of up to 350 barand a maximum pressure of up to420 bar. The universal throughdrive simplifies customcombinations with axial pistonpumps, gear pumps and otherhydraulic pumps. The A11VO isavailable in sizes 110, 145, 175,210 and 280; for sizes 145 andlarger, optionally with integratedcharge pump (impeller) as A11VLO.www.boschrexroth.com

Some of John Deere’s mostpowerful machines, the 900K-Series tracked feller bunchers and900KH-Series tracked harvesters,have been equipped to take oneven more of the forest with theintroduction of an updated boomstructure and cooling system forall models. Also, the Rapid CycleSystem (RCS) has been madestandard on the 900K-Seriestracked feller bunchers, makingboom operation faster and simpler.

“At John Deere, we arecommitted to providing loggerswith improved efficiencies thatmake both the machine and theoperator more productive” NeilHarber, John Deere Construction &Forestry Division ProductMarketing Manager, said. “We’reconfident our customers will

appreciate the higher productivityrates, increased uptime and lowerdaily operating costs with theseimprovements to the tracked fellerbunchers and harvesters.”

The new boom structure isdesigned to maximise loggerproductivity. With an additionalfoot of maximum reach, and 600mm (2 ft) of additional minimumreach, the feller buncher can cover32% more area. Theseimprovements allow the fellinghead to tuck tighter to the machineto improve manoeuvrability inclose quarters, as well as reachstems farther away. Similarly, thenew tracked harvester boomstructure has an improved cuttingswath of 375 mm (1 ft 3 in), withnearly 300 mm of additional reach.

The redesigned boom systems

are designed to be durable,resulting in longer machine lifeand added uptime. In addition,these structures have beenengineered to integrate protectionfor hoses routed along the top ofthe boom. The feller buncher’scrank and link system was alsoredesigned and now features largesteel castings, while the harvesterbooms were designed toaccommodate through nosehydraulic hose routings. Theseroutings guide the harvesting headhoses through the nose of theboom to the harvesting headrotator, up and out of harm’s way,and will require a Waratahharvesting head that is compatiblewith the through nose plumbing.John Deere is the first OEM to offerthis option from the factory.

With this type of improvedproductivity comes a need forincreased cooling capacity, whichis why both the harvesters andfeller bunchers boast a newcooling package design. Thismodel upgrade includes a largerfan for 33% more airflow, largerhydraulic oil cooler and thenecessary interface changes toaccommodate the larger cooler.

Finally, the Rapid Cycle System(RCS) for boom operation is nowan option on all 900K-SeriesTracked Feller Buncher models.The RCS allows the operator tocontrol the boom, stick and fellinghead trajectory with a singlejoystick.

www.JohnDeere.com

John Deere harvesters, FBs get an upgrade

IFI_PG70_71 Cutting Edge_01 29/08/2013 14:19 Page 71

Autolog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23www.autolog.com

Bandit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7www.banditchippers.com

Barko . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11www.barko.com

CONEXPO – CON /AGG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBCwww.conexpoconagg.com

CLEANFIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54www.cleanfix.org

Doppstadt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45www.doppstadt.com

Fecon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9www.fecon.com

Gilbert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31www.gilbert-tech.com

John Deere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7www.deere.com/forestry

Halco Software Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35www.halcosoftware.com

Hewsaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F/Cwww.hewsaw.com

Indexator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57www.indexator.se

Joescan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30www.joescan.com

Jeffrey Rader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17www.terrasource.com

Lucidyne Technologies Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21www.lucidyne.com

LMI Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25www.lmi3D.com

Microtec. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27www.microtec.eu

Morbark . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43www.morbark.com

MPM Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29www.mpmeng.com

MTU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13www.mtu-online.com

Norwood Sawmills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15www.NorwoodSawmills.com

Nokian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55www.nokianheavytyres.com

Opticom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26www.toughestvideocamera.com

Peterson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFCwww.petersoncorp.com

Price Log Pro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51www.pricelogpro.com

Rayco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49www.raycomfg.com

Select Sawmill Co . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37www.selectsawmill.com

Tamtron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14www.tamtron.fi

Tigercat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3www.tigercat.com

USNR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . OBCwww.usnr.com

WoodEXPO 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34www.woodexpo2013.com


ADVERTISERS INDEX

UK, Europe, South Africa, US East CoastCONTACT: Phil Playle or David Lansdowne

Lansdowne Media Services Ltd

Tel: +44 (0)1442 877 777

Fax: +44 (0)1442 870 617

Email: [email protected]

or [email protected]

JapanCONTACT: Yuko Ishihara

Japan Advertising Communications, Inc.

Star Bldg., 3-10-3 Kanda Jimbocho

Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0051

Tel: 81-3-3261-4591

Fax: 81-3-3261-6126


Western USA (AZ, CA, NV, UT) Australia, & New ZealandCONTACT: George Roman

Roy McDonald Associates, Inc

4779 Luna Ridge Court,

Las Vegas NV 89129, USA

Tel: +1 (702) 515 7247

Fax: +1 (702) 515 7248


Western USA (MT, ID, OR,WA) & CanadaCONTACT: Bob Warren

Lansdowne Media Services Ltd

Tel: +44 (0)1442 877 777

Fax: +44 (0)1442 870 617


US Mid-West, Central & MountainCONTACT: Kevin Lapham

J.P.Media Inc

1163 E.Ogden Ave, Ste. 705-359 Naperville

IL 60563, USA

Tel: +1 (630) 420 9752

Fax: +1 (630) 420 9763


South AmericaCONTACT: Ricardo Cortés

Editec S.A.

Avda del Cóndor 844 Of. 205,

Cuidad Empresarial -

Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile

Tel: +56 2 757 4200

Fax: +56 2 757 4201


SALES OFFICES ADVERTISERS INDEX

Bradco Ground Shark welcomes new family memberPaladin Attachments has released the BradcoGround Shark Standard Duty Brush Cutter—thenewest addition to the Ground Shark family. Itbuilds on success of the original Ground SharkExtreme Duty Brush Cutter’s innovative deckdesign, aggressive machine profile and highproductivity, which is the fastest selling productfor Paladin in the light attachment category.

This highly efficient and productiveattachment clears tough ground vegetation,light to medium density brush and hardwoodsup to 100 mm (4 in) in diameter. A dualpressure relief valve on the new hydraulicmotor is standard, protecting against anypressure spikes that could damage the drivesystem. Three bi-directional blades cut in eitherdirection to extend the operational life of theblades, minimising fleet maintenance expenses.The Standard Duty models share many of theengineering innovations incorporated into theExtreme Duty version like a heavy duty 1⁄4 insteel deck, an extremely quiet drive train, and a

shielded motor that protects it from fallingdebris and damage. They are available in threecutting widths: 150 cm, 180 cm, and 198 cm (60in, 72 in, and 78 in) and in a variety of low and high flow GPM ranges to accommodate thehydraulic capabilities of various skid steerloaders.

The addition of the optional pressure gaugeis highly recommended because it allows theoperator to maintain peak performance andprevent stalling. Optional dual steel wheel kits,mounted just behind the front safety chains onthe underside of the deck, help preventscalping. With the addition of the new StandardDuty Brush Cutter to the Ground Shark family,vegetation management professionalsperforming roadside maintenance, right of wayclearing, site preparation, fire control, fence linemaintenance, and trail maintenance now haveaccess to the most reliable, durable, andproductive brush cutters available today.

www.paladinattachments.com

IFI_PG72_ADV INDEX_HR 30/08/2013 13:05 Page 1

ConExpo 06.2013_Layout 1 29/08/2013 13:27 Page 1

http://www.conexpoconagg.com

USNR ad 08.2013_Layout 1 29/08/2013 14:22 Page 1

http://www.usnr.com

International Forest Industries Magazine Aug Sept 2013

Documents

Transcript of International Forest Industries Magazine Aug Sept 2013