Tigercat continues to evolve the purpose-built 855 forestry carrier platform with the introduction of an improved cab.

The 855E machine platform can be configured as a harvester, feller buncher or shovel logger and is well recognized and field proven in some of the toughest forestry applications and climates on the planet.

The 855 E-series carriers takes line of sight to the next level with larger side windows, narrower side posts, more cab lights and standard equipped skyVIEW and rearVIEW camera systems – all for improved operator visibility.

Ergonomic design is key to operator comfort. With a redesigned hinge, the front access door now requires a lot less effort when entering and exiting the cab. The electronic control module is now a larger touch screen display on an adjustable mount and frequently used controls have been integrated into the joystick pods for ease of use.

Improved sealing around the exterior of the cab significantly reduces noise levels inside allowing operators to take full advantage of the new Bluetooth® sound system with hands free calling.

During November and December Renholmen has taken on five new contracts in Norway, Finland and Sweden.

“The sawmill industry is running flat out and views us as a competent partner. During the year we have made preparations to meet demand and simultaneously develop our offers,” says Bernt-Ove Andersson, Marketing Manager at Renholmen.

The Nordic sawmill industry is currently in a better state than it has been for some time and increasing numbers of companies are needing to invest in increased capacity. Renholmen is going to supply and install a new green sorter for Hedlunds Timber in Dalarna,which will replace the existing one that Renholmen installed in the 1970s. The delivery comprises a new infeed for the green sorter, a trimmer and a new bin section with 40 bins.

“We have long enjoyed a trusting collaboration with Hedlunds, which now needs to implement a significant upgrade. Partly in order to improve the working environment and accessibility, but also to be able to increase its capacity in the future. Having the opportunity to contribute to their progress is fantastic,” says Bernt-Ove Andersson.

Finland second domestic market
Renholmen can now call Finland its second domestic market. During the late autumn of 2018 it will be supplying a packet stacker to the family-owned sawmill, JPJ Wood, in the Finnish municipality of Juupajoki. Among other things, the packet stacker is equipped with Renholmen’s newly developed packet elevator for optimum packet change speed, which will contribute to substantially increased capacity.

Norway’s largest sawmill, Moelven Våler has renewed its confidence in Renholmen during the autumn. In summer 2018 a new intake for the dry sorting plant will be supplied by Renholmen. The delivery includes a By Pass-elevator which makes it possible to process larger dimensions without using the elevator, which spares the timber.

“We already have two ongoing projects in Norway and the delivery to Våler confirms our strong position in the Norwegian market too,” Bernt-Ove Andersson says.

Successes producing new recruitment
During 2018, Renholmen will also be rebuilding the packet stacker at Kirkenaer bruk in Norway. Upgrades and refurbishment of the sticker stacker will also be carried out at Höglunds såg & hyvleri in Anundsjö. In order to meet demand and simultaneously prepare for further development of Renholmen as one of the country’s leading companies within lumber handling equipment, the company has taken on four new employees during the year.

“We are growing and have employed new recruits, principally within automation, service and mechanics. We are looking for the most competent people within each area and continuously conducting interviews to find the most capable employees,” Bernt-Ove Andersson says.

For more information, please contact:
Bernt-Ove Andersson, Marketing Manager, Renholmen Telephone +46 (0)76-836 08 56 Gunnar Marklund, CEO, Renholmen Tel. +46 (0)70-206 16 07

FACTS RENHOLMEN:
Renholmen AB with its Head Office in Byske, Sweden, was founded in 1952 and is one of Europe’s leading suppliers of lumber-handling equipment for the sawmill and lumber-processing industry. With a long history of successful concepts the company has, since 1972, completed over 1,200 deliveries to customers all over the world, but primarily in and around the Nordic region. The company has a turnover in excess of SEK 100 million per year. Over the years Renholmen has acquired Eve maskiner, Smedbolaget, Hammars, Forslunds Maskin and Vitech. Renholmen currently has around 35 employees of its own within mechanical design, automation, project management, service, marketing, purchasing and administration.

In autumn 2017, 6.7 million seedlings from Södra were planted. This represents an increase of 600,000 seedlings compared with autumn planting in 2016, and 1.9 million compared with 2015. In 2017, Södra supplied a total of 36.3 million seedlings.

Södra has set a record during autumn planting for the third consecutive year. Not since after the storm years of 2005 and 2007 have so many seedlings been planted in the autumn as in 2015, 2016 and 2017. The success factors include increased digitisation and greater awareness of the benefits of autumn planting.

“ We are delighted to have set a record for the third consecutive year. Our focus on more digitised production is starting to yield results in the form of higher volumes, and improved seedlings with more even quality. Forests are growing better and faster now, and the high volume of seedlings that are planted every autumn will ensure that this trend continues,” said Johan Jonsson, Head of Södra Skogsplantor.

The benefits of planting early in the autumn are that the roots of the seedlings descend immediately into the soil, enabling strong growth in the following year.

Of the seedlings supplied by Södra in the autumn, 90 percent are either untreated or protected with mechanical insecticides and therefore chemical-free.

“ We see continued high demand for our mechanically protected seedlings, which is very positive for both the environment and forest growth. We now have twice the amount of forest as 100 years ago and today’s planting sites will form the basis for tomorrow’s bioeconomy, in which wood can be used to replace many other fossil fuels,” said Johan Jonsson.

Contact:
Johan Jonsson, Head of Södra Skogsplantor
Tel: +46 (0)470-893 34
E-mail: mailto:johan.jonsson@sodra.com

Södra was founded in 1938 and is the largest forest-owner association in Sweden, with a membership of more than 50,000 forest owners. We engage in modern and responsible forestry, and operate state-of-the-art mills in which we process our raw material. Through value-generating relationships and a long-term approach, Södra is leading the way for the next generation of forestry.

Blue Ridge Lumber will create seventeen new jobs and invest nearly $2.7 million at the company’s lumber yard in Essex County.

The company is adding new dry kiln capacity to increase hardwood exports and has committed to purchase more than $5.2 million of Virginia-grown logs and lumber over the next three years. Blue Ridge Lumber has been selling Appalachian hardwoods since 1981, operating six facilities throughout Virginia and exporting products around the world.

“Blue Ridge Lumber’s continued growth and investment in Essex County is great indicator of the strength of Virginia’s forestry industry,” said Governor McAuliffe. “Investments like these create jobs and open new markets for Virginia’s forestland owners and their success reflects the strong relationship growers and producers have with manufacturers and businesses across the Commonwealth. Today’s announcement is a great win for forestry in the Commonwealth as we continue with our ongoing efforts to build a new Virginia economy.”

“Through its commitment to sourcing logs and lumber from Virginia, Blue Ridge Lumber is further supporting Virginia’s loggers and forestland owners,” said Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Basil Gooden. “Virginia’s forestry industry contributes a $21 billion annual economic impact, and I am pleased the Commonwealth could partner with Essex County through the AFID Program to support this local business in a flourishing industry.”

“The mission of Blue Ridge Lumber is to manufacture and sell quality hardwoods, offering honest value to a global market,” said Blue Ridge Lumber President Thomas Sheets. “This new expansion enables us to expand upon this mission.”

“On behalf of the Essex County Board of Supervisors, we are all excited to see this grant award by the Commonwealth, coupled with the investment of private money by a local company,” said Timothy Wilson, Essex County Administrator. “This expansion of Blue Ridge Lumber will help maintain the viability and add to the value of forestry as a continuing and vibrant segment of our local, regional, and state economy.”

“Essex County has a long tradition of supporting agriculture and forestry, which are our largest industries,” said Bill Croxton, Chairman of the Essex County Economic Development Authority. “The expansion of Blue Ridge Lumber into our area, the investment and the new jobs it brings are very exciting and welcome.”

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services worked with Essex County and Blue Ridge Lumber Co., LLC to secure this project for Virginia. Governor McAuliffe approved a $50,000 grant from the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) Fund, which Essex County will match with local funds.

Source: Augusta Free Press

Blue Ridge Lumber has been selling Appalachian hardwoods since 1981, operating six facilities throughout Virginia and exporting products around the world.

RemaSawco receives an order for SEK 6.3 million ($770,538) from Vika Wood SIA in Latvia. The order comprises a complete system for optimisation, quality sorting and strength grading to be installed in the new dry sorter being built at the Vika Wood’s sawmill. The software includes RS-BoardScannerQ with additions RS-StrengthGrader and RS-EndSorter. Commissioning is planned for August-September 2018.

Together with this project, RemaSawco will upgrade the log sorting station. Amongst other things, the ergonomic operator’s chair RS-FlexCon will be added.

”We are very happy and proud that Vika Wood has chosen RS-BoardScannerQ to be a part of their new high performance dry sorter. RemaSawco and Vika Wood have a long history of close cooperation, which is now further strengthened and deepened,” says Johan Friberg, Managing Director of Image Systems.

“It is also satisfying that we, after our success in Estonia, are breaking new ground in the Baltic countries with Vika Wood and our first delivery to Latvia,” Johan Friberg continues.

RemaSawco is a modern, innovative and original company working within the sawmill industry. The products consist of sophisticated measurement techniques covering the entire process from log sorters to dry sorters and planers.

Roseburg Forest Products has appointed Phil Odom as Business Manager for Roseburg’s Plywood and Lumber Business, effective January 1, 2018.

The newly created role consolidates the reporting structure of the company’s plywood and lumber sales organization. James (JT) Taylor, Kevin Smith and Kelly Robertson – sales managers for lumber, softwood plywood and hardwood plywood – will report to Odom. In addition, Central Planning Manager Patrick Schleisman and the plywood field sales team including John Biedermann, Bob Clark, Gary Hayes and Robin Long will report to Odom.

Odom has held several roles at BlueLinx Corporation, where he most recently served as Vice President of National Business Development. During his time at BlueLinx and earlier at Georgia-Pacific, he managed sales, distribution, manufacturing and operations teams. He has developed national sales strategies and built out new channels, markets and product lines.

Roseburg Forest Products is a wood products company headquartered in Springfield, Oregon, USA.

Roseburg Forest Products has announced that Steve Courtney will join the Roseburg team as the Director of Solid Wood Resource Procurement, effective Jan. 22, 2018. In this newly created role, Courtney will be responsible for planning, sourcing and managing the log supply requirements for the Solid Wood Business and will report directly to Steve Killgore, Senior Vice President of Solid Wood.

As a member of the Solid Wood operations leadership team, Courtney will work closely with Roseburg’s Resource group and will coordinate log supply planning and procurement with Gabe Crane, who will transition out of the log procurement role to assume expanded responsibilities within the Resource group. Crane will continue to report to Scott Folk, Senior Vice President of Resources.

“The creation of this new role and organizational structure reflects Roseburg’s ongoing efforts to optimize value within the company’s manufacturing and resource businesses,” Killgore said. “We are excited to bring Steve on board.”

Courtney served most recently as the General Manager of Wood Procurement for the northwest operations of Interfor Corporation, a large North American lumber company. He brings more than 25 years of industry experience and has been active in industry affairs. He currently serves as chairman of the American Forest Resources Council (AFRC). He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Engineering from Oregon State University and an MBA from National University.

He will work from the company’s Western Regional Office in Dillard, Ore.

Roseburg Forest Products is a wood products company headquartered in Springfield, Oregon, USA.

Södra and Statkraft have made a decision to invest in a new demo facility for fossil-free fuel. The biofuel will be based on forest raw material and the demo facility is expected to be in operation by spring 2019. The total investment will be approximately SEK 500 million ($58.8 million).

The investment will be made through the joint company Silva Green Fuel AS, in partnership with technology provider Steeper Energy Aps and Norwegian financing partner Enova.

The demo facility will be located in Tofte, Norway, and project planning will commence in the winter. Start-up is planned for spring 2019, with a capacity of about 4,000 litres per day. The raw material will consist of residual products from the forest industry.

The demo facility is a first step towards a full-scale facility. It will be used to develop both the process and the technology for producing the new biofuel. In the next stage, the plan is to establish a full-scale facility, with biofuel production for various types of transport, including road and air.

Founded in 1938, Södra is Sweden’s largest forest-owner association, with more than 50,000 forest owners as its members.

Statkraft is a leading international hydropower company, the largest renewable energy provider in Europe and the fourth-largest electricity producer in Sweden.

Engineering and technology group SENER has signed a contract with ENCE Energía y Celulosa to build a new low-emission biomass electricity generation plant in its energy complex in Huelva, Spain.

The contract signed is a turnkey arrangement whereby SENER will design, supply, build and commission the plant, as well as operate and maintain it during the first years of operation. The new facility will consist of an electricity generation plant using biomass from the forestry and farming industries.

With a 40 MW gross nominal electricity output it will be one of the largest high-efficiency low-emission biomass renewable energy plants in Spain. The plant is projected to enter into operation in the 3Q 2019.

Due to the variety of types of biomass to be used, the plant will be equipped with an advanced fuel handing system, both for incoming biomass and for its preparation and storage.

The plant will also boast one of the best gas combustion and treatment systems, guaranteeing compliance with the demanding requirements of the new European standard, BREF (Best Available Techniques Reference), which establishes the best practices for the industry’s Large Combustion Plants in Europe.

Ence is one of the main European producers of eucalyptus pulp, the most important Spanish company in the production of renewable energy using forest biomass.

Again, after an incredibly busy year, the Forest Industry Engineering Association (FIEA) has in conjunction with a wide cross section of industry on both sides of the Tasman, developed an Events Planner for next year. With again very high turnouts at all FIEA technology events that have been run this year, we’re really excited with what 2018 holds.

The Events Planner will enable; forestry and wood products companies to pencil the dates into your own calendar for next year and industry associations, research organisations and those involved in setting up your own programmes for 2018 to take note of the dates (and ideally look to dovetail in to the tech events timing and location to add value to the industry and those likely to attend).

For product and service suppliers, we hope this forward planning will also enable you to schedule your involvement and to budget early on in the year to the relevant tech event and for overseas suppliers, it will enable you to lock in a time to plan visits to your key customers or distributors in Australia and New Zealand and to link in to the relevant technology events in this part of the world next year.

FIEA forestry or wood products technology events being planned for 2018 include;

 1. Woodflow 2018
20-21 June 2018, Melbourne, Australia
26-27 June 2018, Rotorua, New Zealand
http://www.woodflow.events

2. Forest Industry Safety & Technology Conference
8 August 2018, Rotorua, New Zealand
15 August 2018, Melbourne, Australia
www.forestsafety.events

3. WoodTECH 2018 – Wood Manufacturing
Dry-mill Scanning, Wood Machining, Timber Manufacturing
11-12 September 2018, Melbourne, Australia
18-19 September 2018, Rotorua, New Zealand
www.woodtech.events

4. ForestTECH 2018
Data Collection & Management – Remote Sensing – Mobile Communications & GIS
14-15 November 2018, Rotorua, New Zealand
20-21 November 2018, Melbourne, Australia
www.foresttech.events

Other forestry technology events being planned include;

1. ForestTECHx
6-7 March 2018, Vancouver, Canada
http://www.foresttechx.events

2. MobileTECH 2018
Primary Industries – Innovation through Smart Data
27-28 March, Rotorua, New Zealand
http://www.mobileTECH.events

Mark the dates into your 2018 calendars. At this early stage, if interested in either presenting or exhibiting, let us know early on and if appropriate, we can look to build you into the planned programmes.