Swedish drying kiln and equipment supplier, WSAB, has received a large order from Sib Export Group in Russia including two progressive kilns and seven compartment kilns. The deal is a part of the largest sawmill investment program in Russia where $100 million is being poured into a green-field sawmill close to Irkutsk in Siberia.

The order is one of WSAB’s largest orders ever eclipsing the previous record order, also from Russia, when Sawmill 25 in Arkhangelsk invested in kiln dryers. These are now installed and in full production. WSAB General Manager Timo Kanerva said the deal was the result of intensive sales efforts in Russia: “Our Russian speaking sales and construction personnel played an important part in this success.” The kiln dryers in Siberia will be built in stainless steel and be fully equipped according to Scandinavian standards, including fully automatic kiln dryer function, pressure frames. A total of 243 000 m3 of wood in different qualities and dimensions will be dried to different end moisture contents in the range of 12-18%. WSAB sales manager on the Russian market Viktor Lyjine: “We had tough competition from suppliers from Central Europe – offering another drying concept – and other Scandinavian suppliers. The good outcome of the Arkhangelsk investment at Sawmill 25 contributed strongly to the customer’s decision to place the order with us. “It will be a massive logistic project to transport all material to Siberia, a total of 60 railway carts will be used. The sawmill fortunately has its own rails all the way to the site.” WSAB has received several orders from other Russian sawmills, one of which is a large modernisation project at Sawmill 3 in Arkhangelsk, where all their existing Valmet kilns will be renovated.