All posts by Jo English

Pulp Mill

Pulp Mill Holding acquired the Voronezh “Europeans”

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The group of companies Pulp Mill Holding announces the conclusion of a transaction for the acquisition of 100% of the shares of OOO Evropak, a corrugated cardboard and corrugated packaging plant in the Voronezh Region (Maslovsky, 1st Parkovaya Street).

The amount of the transaction was not disclosed.

The asset of Pulp Mill Holding – OOO “Evropak” – is registered at the address Voronezh, Zemlyachki, 15, off.22.

At the moment the plant of the Group of Companies is in the final stage of construction and commissioning. Irina Galakhova, executive director and head of the business unit “Corrugated packaging” of ARHBUM, explained that the Group’s Voronezh asset will be equipped with high-tech equipment of European and Japanese production, which will allow production of the highest quality in accordance with the standards adopted by Arkhbum.

Irina Galakhova also informed that by the end of 2018 the plant will be put into operation and will start producing finished products. The equipment “Europeak” will produce products similar to those produced at the sites of JSC “Arkhbum” in Podolsk and Istra district: 3-and 5-layer corrugated products – 4-valve corrugated boxes, boxes of rotary and flat die-cutting. .

Within a year after the transfer of the asset to Pulp Mill Holding, the shipment of the products will be carried out on behalf of OOO Evropak (Maslovsky, 1st Parkovaya Street). At the same time, Pulp Mill Holding will focus on the implementation of the modernization program “Europeak” and the building of the sales concept of the enterprise.

After this transitional period in 2020, Europeak will be fully integrated into Arkhbum. And, thus, the corrugated divisions Pulp Mill Holding will include three sites – Podolsky, Istra and Voronezh branches “Arkhbum”.

Commenting on the transaction, a member of the Board of Directors of Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Mill, Vladimir Krupchak, stressed that the main purpose of acquiring an asset in Voronezh is to expand processing facilities for expansion to the south of Russia – one of the main consumer centers of corrugated packaging in the country. He also noted that from the point of view of logistics (the shoulder of delivery is about 700 km) and the projected volumes of orders of the market of the south of Russia, this asset is also profitable.

“Acquisition Europeak gives the highest synergetic effect within our vertically integrated structure, as the capacities of the Arkhangelsk Pulp and Paper Mill in connection with the modernization of KDM-2 are increased by 100 thousand tons of cardboard per year,” said Vladimir Krupchak. “We are also increasing the processing volume in the Istra branch of Arkhbum JSC due to the launch of the second phase in 2019”.

Thus, JSC “Arkhbum” taking into account four processing centers (Podolsk, Istra-1, Istra-2 and Voronezh) becomes the leader of the Russian Federation for the production of corrugated packaging with an annual capacity of 850 million m².

Juken

Juken New Zealand announces proposal to modernise Kaitaia Triboard Mill

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Forestry and wood processing company, Juken New Zealand Ltd (JNL) has announced a proposal to modernise its Kaitaia Triboard mill.

The company is proposing to make a significant investment over the next few years to upgrade and modernise the mill. The mill’s engineered wood Triboard product is globally unique and is used to build houses.

The proposal to make the 30-year old mill modern, safer and return it to profitability will see a shut down across parts of the mill to carry out the upgrade, a change to a more efficient operating structure, and investment in new technology and machinery to streamline production.

JNL has today meet with employees at the mill to start consulting with them on the proposal and the potential changes.

New Zealand General Manager of JNL, Dave Hilliard, says that although the proposal involves some hard decisions, it will give certainty to the Northland community about the long-term future of the mill.

“The Triboard mill is important to JNL and to Kaitaia, and we want to keep it open for the long-term, which is why we’re proposing to make a multi-million dollar investment in upgrading the site.

“This investment will result in a modern, safer and more efficient mill which can continue to be one of Kaitaia’s largest employers well into the future.

“We are being upfront though that the steps required to be taken to address the mill’s issues are unfortunately likely to result in some job losses.”

Hilliard says that there are three major issues relating to plant, people, and production that currently make it hard for the mill to operate in a sustainable way.

“The mill’s machinery and technology is old, despite investment in recent years the site presents Health and Safety challenges that need to be urgently addressed, and the mill’s production is severely constrained by inadequate and uncertain log supply in Northland. Because of these issues, the mill is making a substantial loss.

“The plan we have begun consulting our people at the Triboard mill on today will modernise the mill and address the key issues in these three areas. The changes aimed at streamlining production are likely to impact staffing levels. Juken employs around 250 full-time staff across its Northland operations. These proposed changes would reduce numbers of full-time employees at the Triboard mill. However, the final number of roles impacted won’t be known until consultation with staff and unions has been completed and a final decision made.”

One of the major issues facing the mill is a shortage of logs from Northland forests and an uncertain supply picture in the future.

Security of log supply in Northland is not an issue JNL can fix on its own says Hilliard.

“We are in early but constructive discussions with the Government about the shortage and how it can be solved. This is an issue that is impacting all Northland mills and creating real uncertainty around wood processing in the region.

“I’d like to acknowledge the efforts of the Minister of Forestry, the Hon Shane Jones who is actively working with us to help resolve the supply shortage and is a strong advocate for the forestry sector.” Juken will now undertake a two-week consultation period with staff in Kaitaia. After that, it will consider feedback on the proposed changes before making any final decisions on the future structure of the Triboard Mill.

 

About Juken New Zealand Limited

  • Juken has over 30,000 hectares of sustainably managed and certified plantation forests in East Coast and Wairarapa.
  • It has four wood processing mills to produce advanced and innovative wood products timber products from its Radiata Pine forests in Kaitaia, Gisborne and Wairarapa for local and export markets.
  • The company employs around 1000 people across its forestry and processing businesses in New Zealand.
  • Juken makes a wide range of engineered wood (LVL, Plywood, Panels) and solid wood products for structural and non-structural building uses including external, internal appearance and non-appearance finishes.
  • The company is owned by parent company WoodOne Ltd, a major international housing materials and componentry company, which has invested over $NZ700 million into its forest and processing operations in New Zealand in the past 20 years.
  • Juken New Zealand was established as a subsidiary of WoodOne by its founder Toshio Nakamoto in 1990.
  • Toshio Nakamoto was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit in June 2005 for services to New Zealand – Japanese Relations.
  • WoodOne remains family owned by the Nakamoto family and Mr Nakamoto’s son, Yousho is now the President and Director of Juken New Zealand.

www.jnl.co.nz

 

Photo: JNL’s engineered wood Triboard product made in Kaitaia is unique globally and used in residential and commercial buildings

Canfor

Canfor Pulp announces extended production outage

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Canfor Pulp Products Inc. will extend its scheduled maintenance outage on one production line at its Northwood Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft (“NBSK”) pulp mill located in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada.

The outage is to enable necessary tube replacements to its No. 5 recovery boiler to rectify damage discovered during routine preventative maintenance inspections.

Based on a preliminary review, the Company currently estimates that the extended downtime will be approximately 70-80 days with a reduction in production of NBSK pulp of 60,000-70,000 tonnes, as well as higher associated maintenance costs. Canfor Pulp will continue to operate the second production line at the Northwood pulp mill over this period.

Due to the mitigation efforts by Canfor Pulp, the temporary outage is not expected to have a material impact on the financial condition of the Company.

Canfor is a leading integrated forest products company based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Canfor produces primarily softwood lumber and also owns a 54.8% interest in Canfor Pulp Products Inc., which is one of the largest global producers of market northern bleached softwood kraft pulp and a leading producer of high performance kraft paper.

Softwood Lumber Board

Softwood Lumber Board names Maureen Pello as VP

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As part of its aggressive five-year strategic plan and transition to new leadership, the Softwood Lumber Board announced has announced that Maureen T. Pello has been selected to serve as the SLB’s Vice President for Operations beginning October 1, 2018. Maureen is a seasoned professional with a successful track record at the U.S. Department of Agriculture guiding USDA check-offs and marketing orders to implement solutions that work for industry and USDA. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture and an MBA in marketing and has 34 years senior level experience in management, business development and working with Agriculture boards of directors.

“As part of the SLB’s succession process we determined that Maureen is the right leader to take over as VP for Operations for the SLB,” said Marc Brinkmeyer, chairman of the Softwood Lumber Board of Directors. “Maureen has a proven ability to achieve results and an impressive breadth of experience.  We have enjoyed working with her over the last nine years as she worked with our industry and are delighted to welcome her to the SLB.”

Maureen currently serves as a senior marketing specialist at USDA where she oversees research and promotion programs. Prior to her current position she served as an assistant regional manager overseeing eleven California marketing order programs that covered 18,000 growers with budgets totaling $54 million.   She was also responsible for oversight of board financial operations, program compliance, and rulemakings, and worked with USDA Office of General Counsel and Department of Justice to defend and enforce programs.

“Maureen’s previous experience is naturally transferrable, and with her knowledge of the industry from her years of work with the SLB, she will be able to hit the ground running,” said Steve Lovett, outgoing SLB CEO. “I am delighted to welcome her to the SLB team and am confident that she will help our investors and Board achieve a smooth transition to SLB 2.0.”

 

About the Softwood Lumber Board:
The Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) is an industry-funded initiative established to promote the benefits and uses of softwood lumber products in outdoor, residential, and non-residential construction and to increase demand for appearance and softwood lumber products. Through strategic investments in pro-wood communications, standards development, design and engineering assistance, research, demonstrations and partnerships, the organization seeks to make softwood lumber the preferred material choice from both an economic and environmental standpoint.

Enviva

Enviva Holdings, LP’s off-take contract with Sumitomo becomes firm

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Enviva Holdings, LP announced that its previously disclosed take-or-pay off-take contract to supply Sumitomo Corporation with 250,000 metric tons per year of wood pellets is now firm, as all conditions precedent to the effectiveness of the contract have been satisfied.

Deliveries under the contract are scheduled to commence in 2021 and continue through 2036.

Enviva Holdings, LP is the world’s largest producer of wood pellets, a renewable and sustainable energy source used to generate electricity and heat.

Through its subsidiaries, Enviva Holdings, LP owns and operates wood pellet processing plants and deep-water export terminals in the Southeastern United States.

Stella-Jones

Stella-Jones appoints Katherine Lehman

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Stella-Jones Inc. appoints independent Director, Katherine A. Lehman as the Company’s Chair of the Board of Directors (the “Board”).

Ms. Lehman has served on Stella-Jones’ Board of Directors and Audit Committee since 2016. She is Managing Partner at Hilltop Private Capital LLC, a private equity firm based in New York and has garnered more than a decade of experience in private equity executive roles and board memberships, including public and private and profit and not-for-profit entities.

Holding a Masters in Business Administration from Columbia Business School and a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Ms. Lehman’s background in financial analysis, capital allocation and her governance expertise positions her well to lead Stella-Jones’ Board.

President and CEO, Brian McManus said, “The appointment of an independent Chair is one of many steps toward the implementation of a robust corporate governance framework, drawing on the Board’s collective experience while welcoming new and refreshed perspectives”.

Stella-Jones Inc. is a leading producer and marketer of pressure treated wood products. The Company supplies North America’s railroad operators with railway ties and timbers, and the continent’s electrical utilities and telecommunication companies with utility poles.

Archer Forest

Archer Forest Products to invest $15 million

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Archer Forest Products, a supplier of wood pellets to the European industrial market, will create 35 jobs and invest $15 million in Brantley County, Georgia, as the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) reports.

Archer Forest Products is a division of Fram Renewable Fuels. Fram was established in 2005 as a significant, reliable and sustainable supplier of wood pellets to the growing European industrial market.

“Archer Forest Products, LLC is a very important project to the Fram Renewable Fuels Family due to its strategic location. Archer Forest Products, LLC will be supplying wood pellets to help Fram Renewable Fuels to meet increasing demand,” said Harold L. Arnold, President of Fram Renewable Fuels.

One of the first large scale producers in the U.S. Southeast, Fram has experience in raw material sourcing, pellet production, quality control and logistics. Archer Forest Products will be its fourth full production facility.

planer

Gilbert Mass Timber Planer enters the market

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Building on the success of its high-speed equipment, Gilbert has added to its product line a planer for mass timber lumber. Built to the same high-quality standards which established its reputation for its planing equipment, the Mass Timber Planer was designed to meet the high expectations of the engineered wood industry for the production of glulam timber, CLT timber and all types of beams.

The equipment has a heavy-duty frame and is designed to plane mass timber up to a thickness of 16 inches and a width of 36 inches. Furthermore, the Gilbert Automatic Positioning System which controls the cutterheads and axes ensures optimal operating precision allowing for the production of high-quality lumber.

“Our clients are breaking new ground in engineered wood products and we are pleased to offer Gilbert expertise to support them in their projects with our high-quality equipment which will, without a doubt, respond to their expectations”, states Heidi Danbrook, sales director at Gilbert.

Gilbert is proud to have its first planer running in a high class glulam operation in Arkansas USA. For more information regarding the Gilbert Mass Timber Planer, sawmills are invited to visit our website at: www.gilbert-tech.com/en/sawmilling/ or to contact the Sales Department at 1-418-275-5041 ext. 2234.

For the past 30 years, Gilbert has been a recognized leader in the design and manufacture of forestry, sawmill, construction and surfacing equipment. The company is located in Roberval and employs almost 100 people who devote themselves to offering the best planer expertise and technology on the market.

Visit our website at:  www.gilbert-tech.com/en/

Contact :
Heidi Danbrook
Sales director-Sawmill Division
418 275-5041 #2231
Heidi.danbrook@gilbert-tech.com

L-series II skidders

New John Deere L-Series II Skidders and Wheeled Feller Bunchers provide simplified, reliable machines for loggers

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Continuously evolving to better its machines and exceed customer expectations, John Deere is excited to introduce the new L-Series II Skidders and Wheeled Feller Bunchers. The new L-Series II machines feature a simplified design, providing a reliable, powerful solution, while still maintaining the productivity-boosting features of the original line, including an increase in hydraulic speed, large grapples and an improvement in weight distribution.

“With the new L-Series II machines, we wanted to build upon the best features of the original machines, while also simplifying the design to increase reliability,” said Brandon O’Neal, product marketing manager, John Deere Construction and Forestry. “Listening to our customers, we reworked the machines, making significant improvements under the hood. The new L-Series II machines offer decreased downtime without any changes to power and productivity.”

The new, simpler L-Series II models enhance customer experience by reducing maintenance and increasing uptime due to a number of part changes. Other changes to the machines include a reduction to the complexities of the electrical and hydraulic systems and improvements to component placements. “They [John Deere] rerouted it so the wires wouldn’t be so bunched up in the machine,” noted Wayne Sugg of Sugg Logging, who was one of the first loggers to test the new machines. “Since we’ve had the L-Series II 843 we’ve put 300 hours on it and haven’t had any downtime whatsoever. Uptime is important, because if the wood’s not going out getting on the trucks I’m not making any money.”

The L-Series II machines also include changes to boost productivity. The new skidder models offer increased grapple squeeze force of up to 10 percent. Articulation steering sensors improve the operator experience, ultimately increasing productivity. A new two-speed 4000 winch replaces the previous single-speed winch. “The machine is better, stronger and faster than the original. These machines – on a daily basis – they just they take a beating. The more you beef it up, the stronger it’s going to be, and the better it’ll be for us.” said Zane Winfield of Southern Logging, who also got a chance to experience the new machines.

In addition to the new changes, the L-Series II Skidders and Wheeled Feller Bunchers retain the productivity-boosting features that loggers loved in the original models. From a comfortable operator station to durable axles and rugged, large grapples, the L-Series II models offer loggers the features they need to tackle tough jobs. “We’ve spent countless hours collecting customer feedback to ensure our new machines met their needs, understanding the demands they face daily,” said O’Neal.

The cabs on all skidders and wheeled feller bunchers are equipped with features designed to maximize comfort, ultimately increasing productivity. Amenities like the efficient HVAC system, improved ergonomic controls and storage space offer the creature comforts loggers desire. Joystick steering and an optional rotating seat reduces strain on the operator’s body.

The L-Series II Skidder models feature the powerful Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT), which combines the smoothness of a hydrostatic transmission with the fuel efficiency of a lockup torque converter. This combination enables the skidders to boast excellent fuel efficiency, longer engine life and enhanced operator comfort.

Offering a one-button Quick Dump feature, the wheeled feller bunchers improves efficiency with the push of one button to release trees in a single, smooth motion. Additionally, the head-tilt and arm functions are combined to help minimize fatigue while improving productivity.

Another industry-changing feature on our skidders that carried over from the previous models are the durable axles – particularly the Outboard-Extreme™ axles. The models feature a pressurized continuous-lube system and independent axle filters that extend wear life. The rugged Outboard-Extreme axles – standard on the 848 and 948 models, and optional on the 748 machines – feature larger components, delivering maximum jobsite durability and a heavier weight for boosted machine stability.

These new models retain the impressive weight distribution, tire options and increased hydraulic speed that current machine-owners commend.

To learn more about the L- Series II Skidders and Wheeled Feller Bunchers, visit www.johndeere.com

Contact
Justin McDermott
Forestry Sales Manager – U.S. & Canada
JustinMcDermott@JohnDeere.com