All posts by Jo English

comact

Planned Succession Strategy for Comact

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VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, NOVEMBER 1, 2024 — After more than 10 years of transformational leadership and as part of a planned succession strategy, Comact President & CEO Alistair Cook announced he will take on a new role to help prepare the next generation of Comact leadership and usher in a new era of growth for the company.

On November 1, 2024, Cook will become Executive Chairman of Comact and Simon Potvin, currently President of the company’s Wood Processing unit, will become President & CEO of Comact.

Throughout his tenure, Cook has been instrumental in driving growth and fostering a culture of innovation in pursuit of increasing aftermarket products and services to support Comact’s valued customer base for the long term. His commitment to people and his ability to inspire and develop talent within the organization has been key to Comact’s sustained success and resilience in a competitive landscape.

“It has been one of the greatest honors of my career to lead Comact through a period of remarkable growth and innovation,” said Cook. “I am immensely proud of what our team has accomplished, and I have complete confidence that Simon is the right leader to guide Comact forward. With his deep expertise and commitment to our customers, I know he will build on our legacy and drive the next chapter of success for the company.”

Potvin joined Comact in 1990 as an aspiring mechanical engineer and held various roles of increasing responsibility throughout his esteemed career, most recently with his appointment as President of the Wood Processing unit in 2021. Simon and his talented team are responsible for developing industry changing technologies, value engineered solutions and differentiated aftermarket services for the Wood Processing industry.

“I am very proud to become the new President & CEO of Comact and honoured by this appointment,” said Potvin. “We recently commemorated our 100th anniversary as a company where we celebrated our history of customer commitment and innovation. With this new role, I am excited to pursue our mission and help drive our company forward into its next 100 years. Together with our dedicated team, we will help our customers achieve unprecedented efficiency and keep their businesses thriving.”

For more Comact related posts click here.

 

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Catech

USNR – Catech Edgers with Value Optimization for Moelven Mjösbruket

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USNR’s Catech-brand edgers are known for their high speed and accurate volume recovery. Now, with the addition of full-color vision, they will also be offered with value optimization. Several systems have found their way to the market and Millwide Insider has visited one of them, at Moelven Mjøsbruket in Norway.

The Swedish range of Catech edgers originates from the mid-seventies, when the first computerized edger optimizers were designed. Since then, Catech has been the leading brand in high-speed edging and more than 600 systems have been installed. Catech also pioneered the technology for unmanned operation, and even today most competitors need a dedicated edger operator to run the systems.

Today’s edger optimizers are highly developed precision machines. The geometric scanning and optimization match the speed and accuracy of the mechanical entities, such as the infeed table and edger saw box. In other words, the speed and volume recovery are at the very limit of what is possible for today’s technology.

While European-style edgers traditionally have relied on geometric scanning and optimization for maximum volume, USNR’s North American operations have utilized vision scanning and value optimization since 2009, when the first system was installed in the US.

To read previous USNR posts click here.

 

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Indexator

Indexator – The Importance of Quality and Local Manufacturing in an Increasingly Global Market

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Indexator – In today’s globalized economy, manufacturers face a wide range of choices when it comes to sourcing components and products. While cost-efficiency often drives decisions, the importance of quality, reliability, and local production cannot be overstated, especially in industries like forestry, recycling, and transport, where equipment performance and longevity are critical. This is where the rotator manufacturer Indexator stands apart.

“- At Indexator, we take pride in the fact that all our rotators and key components are manufactured in Sweden. Our commitment to local production allows us to maintain stringent control over every step of the manufacturing process. From design to assembly, each part is crafted with precision and care, ensuring that our products not only meet but exceed the demanding standards of the industries we serve.” Mattias Edin, Production Manager at Indexator.

In contrast, many competitors have opted to source components or even entire products from low-cost countries in Asia. While these imports may come with a lower price tag, they often lack the same level of durability and performance. This is particularly concerning when it comes to equipment that must withstand the harsh conditions and heavy loads typical in forestry and recycling operations.

Furthermore, some manufacturers in the region are branding imported rotators as their own, which can lead to misconceptions about product origin and quality. Customers may assume they are buying locally-made, high-quality products, when in reality, they are purchasing imported goods that may not adhere to the same rigorous standards.

“- At Indexator, we believe that true quality cannot be compromised. By keeping our manufacturing local, we support not only the Swedish economy and workforce but also the environment, through reduced transport emissions and a more sustainable production process. More importantly, it enables us to ensure that every rotator leaving our factory is built to last, offering superior performance and reliability to our customers.” Mattias Edin, Production Manager at Indexator.

In the end, quality speaks for itself. Companies that invest in high-quality components experience fewer breakdowns, longer service life, and ultimately, better value over time. As the industry continues to evolve, Indexator remains committed to upholding the principles of quality, innovation, and local manufacturing that have made them a trusted name in forestry, recycling, and transport technology.

To read previous Indexator posts click here.

 

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video

Heidi Schmidt of Opticom Tech Celebrates 20 Years in Industrial Video Monitoring Leadership

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Opticom Tech proudly announces the 20th anniversary of Heidi Schmidt, a seasoned leader in the video technology industry. With two decades of expertise, Heidi has made significant contributions to the fields of CCTV, industrial video applications, product development, and video network solutions. As a sales leader at Opticom Tech, she has been instrumental in helping customers implement solution-driven video monitoring in some of the most unique and harsh industrial environments.

Since joining the industry, Heidi has continuously pushed the boundaries regarding the different uses of video technology, staying ahead of trends and driving innovation in industrial monitoring. Her dedication to providing reliable, robust solutions has earned her the trust of clients and colleagues alike. From designing custom systems to managing complex integration into existing systems, Heidi has a deep understanding of the technical challenges and solutions that the industrial sector demands.

“Reaching 20 years in a tech-related field is an exciting milestone,” says Schmidt. “The technology has changed dramatically, but the core objective remains the same—ensuring that businesses have the most reliable, secure, and effective video monitoring systems to protect their operations and improve efficiency.”

At Opticom Tech, Heidi’s leadership continues to make a lasting impact as she works closely with clients to solve the unique challenges posed by harsh and hazardous environments. Her passion for innovation and excellence in service has made her a key figure in the industry, and her contributions are expected to shape the future of industrial video technology for years to come.

Click here for more information about Heidi Schmidt’s work and Opticom Tech’s video monitoring solutions.

To read previous Opticom Tech related posts click here.

 

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TP&EE

Industry Comes Together At TP&EE

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The 2024 version of the Timber Processing & Energy Expo (TP&EE) was one of the best yet, as 1,126 attendees joined up with 825 exhibitor personnel at the biennial event held September 25-27 at the Portland Exposition Center in Portland, Ore

It marked the sixth TP&EE produced by Hatton-Brown Expositions, an affiliate of Hatton-Brown Publishers and Timber Processing, Panel World and Wood Bioenergy magazines.

Seventy-five wood producer companies, representing hundreds of lumber and panel mill operations, sent personnel to comb the aisles of 180 exhibitor companies who displayed machinery and supplies on 45,000 square feet of booth space.

“It was the most impressive show floor we’ve ever had,” commented Rich Donnell, TP&EE Show Director and Editor-in-Chief at Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. “Many exhibitors put up big machinery and all of the exhibitor booths were first rate. I can’t express enough my appreciation for their time and efforts.”

Donnell also expressed his appreciation for the numerous wood products producer companies and their personnel. “There have been numerous mill closures in the Northwest in recent years, but if you attended the expo you saw that the wood products industry out here is anything but going away,” Donnell said

Long Lines Moving Fast

The first two mornings saw long lines of registrants getting their badges, but the lines moved briskly thanks to the top-notch registration team. Not even Portland rains kept them away on the first day. Several wood products companies sent dozens of personnel, enjoying a little time away from the mill while enjoying the latest technologies on the show floor.

Person Of The Year

Andy Pollard of Pollard Lumber in Appling, Ga. received the 36th annual Timber Processing Magazine Person of the Year award at a special ceremony on the first day of the show. Pollard co-invented the curve-sawing gang and invented the dual path continuous dry kiln, while along with his family managing a stellar southern yellow pine sawmill and timberlands operation. Several Pollard family members were in attendance as well. A reception hosted by Carbotech followed the presentation and acceptance speeches.

World Famous Indeed

Nelson Brothers Sawmill String Band performed on the show floor stage during lunch on Thursday. The three-piece bluegrass and country group featured Uncle Tony Fuentes and Jeff Nelson of Nelson Brothers Engineering and Joey Nelson, founder of JoeScan. Several listeners informed show organizers that they, too, were in bands, and there’s much discussion already about a multi-band, mini-concert for the 2026 event.

Educational Sessions

The Sawmill Productivity & Efficiency Conference and the Panel Manufacturing Today Conference featured nine speakers. A hot topic was the implementation of Artificial Intelligence throughout mill operations, and the benefits and results seen in process flow, product quality, and safety dynamics. Conference speakers included representatives from Comact, MicCROTEC, Valutec, Carbotech, Biomass Engineering & Equipment, Grenzebach, Evergreen Engineering, Raute and Westmill.

To read previous TP&EE posts click here.

 

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SP

SP new developments

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SP was founded in 1978 and presented the world´s first ever single grip harvester head in 1980. They have the longest experience of all in the field of development and manufacture of harvester heads for the professional forestry,

Wireless harvester head control system – Dasa7

Introducing the Dasa 7 Wireless. The main advantage with the wireless system is that customers will never have to worry about broken data cables again – which of course means increased uptime.

Branches and constant movements will not be a problem since the wireless unit is mounted in the head. Replacing the cables with a high-speed, reliable Wi-Fi connection means communication between the operator and the bucking unit isn’t sensitive to physical circumstances.  This gives you total freedom to move the crane or boom and rotate the head without any risk of communication failure.

The Dasa7 is the latest generation control system and offers lightning fast reaction times, robust/proven modules and a used friendly interface. The Dasa7 Wireless can be supplied in three different versions – H50, H60 or H70 software to be able to perfectly match the needs of your specific logging operation, from the simple and cost effective H50 to the advanced windows based and fully Stanford 2010 compatible H70 system.

New heavy duty frame versions – SP 661 LF and SP 761 LF

In order to be able to offer harvester heads perfectly suited for tracked harvesters and very demanding operations SP have developed heavy-duty, so-called HD versions, of head models SP 661 LF and SP 761 LF.

Both the 661 and 761 head models are available with options such as processing knives, find end sensor and top saw making them just as productive processing decked wood out of a pile as when cutting and processing at the stump

To read previous SP Maskiner posts click here.

 

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544 harvesting head

Tigercat – 544 Harvesting Head

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Tigercat releases lower weight class 544 harvesting head for track carriers.

The new 544 is Tigercat’s lowest weight class harvesting head for track harvesters. Based on the proven 534 design, the 544 is a three-wheel drive head with triangulated wheel arm geometry. The chassis, covers and tilt frame are designed to handle the rigors of track carrier operating conditions. Four cast steel knife arms, and fixed front and back knives provide excellent delimbing quality.

Targeting trees in the 15-50 cm (6-20 in) diameter range, the 544 has a maximum main cut capacity of 790 mm (31 in) along with a 790 mm (31 in) feed wheel opening, and 760 mm (30 in) maximum knife arm opening to handle the occasional larger tree.

Available with an optional 560 mm (22 in) cut capacity top saw , the 544 is a great match for selective harvesting applications in mixed diameter hardwood and conifer stands. Operating weight ranges from 1 700 kg (3,760 lb) with standard rotator and link up to 2 140 kg (4,720 lb), allowing the head to be mated to Tigercat H822 and H855 series carriers with standard or telescopic boom sets.

The hydraulically actuated measuring wheel promotes positive contact and reduces component wear. Diameter measuring on the wheel arms and front knife arms provides accurate measurement. An efficient high-flow hydraulic system matched to Tigercat carriers provides excellent performance and outstanding fuel economy.

Optional 360 degree continuous rotation with through-tip hose routing and robust, stable wireless communication is available on select carriers. Various rotator, feed motor, feed wheel, knife arm, and wheel arm choices are available to tailor the 544 for specific applications.

For maximum productivity and performance in eucalyptus processing applications, the 544 debarking package includes several features to increase productivity and performance. The feed wheels and the wheel arm geometry are designed for debarking, spiraling the trees during feeding for better performance. The feed motor sizes are tuned for high demand and productivity. Unique front and back knife geometry provides comprehensive tree coverage.

To read previous Tigercat posts click here.

To read posts about Harvester heads click here.

 

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Sonae

ANDRITZ to supply world’s first fiberboard recycling line to Sonae Arauco, Portugal

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International technology group ANDRITZ has received an order to supply a dry fiberboard recycling line to Sonae Arauco’s mill in Mangualde, Portugal.

The line will recycle end-of-life fiberboards back into valuable fibers as new raw material for fiberboard production. It will be the first industrial-scale fiberboard recycling line in the world.

Paulo Pinto De Sousa, Director at Sonae Arauco, says: “Recycling fiberboards is an important step towards a circular economy. It reduces the consumption of natural resources and energy. We know ANDRITZ as a strong supplier of solutions for the fiberboard industry and are convinced that they are the right partner for our innovative fiberboard recycling project.”

The dry fiberboard recycling line is based on continuous steam treatment with a special discharging system using the ANDRITZ Steam-Ex discharger, which minimizes steam consumption and maintenance requirements. This allows continuous processing of fiberboard material with very low steam consumption and high runnability.

Michael Frint, Technology Director at ANDRITZ, adds: “By combining our proven pressurized refining systems with ANDRITZ Steam-Ex, our pretreatment process based on steam explosion, we have developed an efficient solution for fiberboard recycling. We are proud that Sonae Arauco placed their trust in us to build world’s first industrial-scale fiberboard recycling line.”

Start-up of the fiberboard recycling line is scheduled for the second quarter of 2025.
Sonae Arauco is one of the world’s largest producers of wood-based panels. This order confirms ANDRITZ’s market position as the leading supplier of machines and systems for the fiberboard industry, and its expertise in high-quality and resource-saving components.

ANDRITZ GROUP

International technology group ANDRITZ offers a broad portfolio of innovative plants, equipment, systems, services and digital solutions for a wide range of industries and end markets.

Photo:
Sonae Arauco’s mill in Mangualde, Portugal, will be the first one worldwide to have a fiberboard recycling line.
© Sonae Arauco

To read previous Andritz Group posts click here.

 

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booth #711

USNR Booth #711- It’s almost time to pull back the curtain!

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Join us as our special guest and witness this exciting moment for yourself at our booth #711. We’ll be unveiling our newest product solution at the Timber Processing & Energy Expo in Portland, OR. It’s shaping up to be an event to remember and we want you to be there!

You can also see our other displays, including new advances in optimization and panel technology and offerings from our parts and upgrades teams.

See you there!

To read previous Timber Processing & Energy Expo posts click here.

To read previous USNR posts click here.

 

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Zeller+Gmelin

Zeller+Gmelin –  Innovation focus on e-mobility and powertrain

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Lubricant specialist Zeller+Gmelin presents its latest developments at the International Suppliers Fair (IZB) in Wolfsburg (October 22nd to 24th) for the first time. At the trade fair stand in Hall 1, Stand 1210, innovative Thermosure products for direct battery cooling and Multicut cutting oils for non-ferrous metal processing will be presented, among other things. The focus is on progresses in the field of e-mobility, thermal management and powertrain.

As an established partner to the automotive industry, Zeller+Gmelin is strengthening its activities in the area of e-mobility. The highlights of the trade fair include the Thermosure products, which were developed specifically for the requirements of direct battery cooling and the cooling of PEM fuel cell technology. “Our Divinol Thermosure products are designed to maximize thermal efficiency in electric vehicles and charging infrastructures,” explains Thorsten Wechmann, Strategic Business Unit Manager at Zeller+Gmelin. “Thanks to their advanced properties, they reliably prevent overheating and improve both the performance and service life of electronic components.”

Efficient thermal management with Divinol Thermosure

The trade fair exhibits include the dielectric coolant Divinol Thermosure BCF 10, which ensures reliable heat dissipation thanks to a high thermal conductivity of 0.136 W/mK at 60 °C. The silicone-free Divinol Thermosure GF28-27 is presented for applications in battery systems and power electronics, which impresses with a high thermal conductivity of 2.8 W/mK and is particularly suitable for automated applications. Another highlight is the glycol-based coolant Divinol Thermosure FC 40, which was
specially developed for cooling PEM fuel cells. It is characterized by a low viscosity of 3 mm²/s at 40 °C and an electrical conductivity of 1.14 μS/cm at 50 °C.

Multicut cutting oils for non-ferrous metal processing

At the IZB, Zeller+Gmelin is also presenting Multicut products that have been specially developed for the requirements of non-ferrous metal processing. Particularly noteworthy are the label-free high-performance cutting oil Multicut FSE HSC 15 NF, which is particularly effective in demanding and precise machining in the décolletage, and the high-performance grinding oil Multicut Grind HP 10 NF for cylindrical and profile grinding.

“With Multicut we meet the growing demands of modern industry. Our cutting oils achieve excellent results, both with difficult-to-cut materials and with sensitive non-ferrous metal alloys such as beryllium copper,” explains Dr. Irene Kreitmeir, product manager at Zeller+Gmelin. She also emphasises that the Multicut NF products are particularly economical due to their reduced consumption: “Due to low oil mist formation and low evaporation loss, consumption drops significantly, which reduces both process costs and environmental impact.”

The portfolio shown at the trade fair also includes the versatile cutting oil Multicut Basic HP 15 Extra NF, which is suitable for the most difficult cutting tasks on steel and non-ferrous metals, as well as Multicut Plus 10 NF, a flexible all-round product for medium-heavy cutting work.

With a view to the Wolfsburg supplier exchange, Dr. Irene Kreitmeir: “All Multicut NF products are compatible with non-ferrous metals and offer decisive advantages for different applications in metal processing. We are glad to provide IZB trade visitors our advice in order to find the optimal solutions for their processes.”

Zubora: More power for the drive

The “Powertrain” division also focuses on the latest water-miscible high-performance cooling lubricants. Worth mentioning is the new, pictogram-free cooling lubricant Zubora TTS PF, which does not contain any critical ingredients and still offers maximum performance. Thorsten Wechmann explains: “This cooling lubricant combines optimal cutting performance with the important requirements for health, occupational and environmental protection. This offers users long-term economic benefits through lower storage and handling costs.”

At the IZB, the experts from Zeller+Gmelin would like to demonstrate how modern lubricant solutions can be optimally tailored to developments in powertrains. “The requirements for the drivetrain are evolving rapidly – both for electric drives and for conventional combustion engines. At Zeller+Gmelin, we therefore attach particular importance to offering holistic solutions that cover both the machining of individual engine components as well as their calibration and forming. With our broad product portfolio, we respond to this dynamic and offer tailor-made lubricants for every link in the drivetrain,” explains Mr. Wechmann. “The IZB offers us the ideal platform to present our latest innovations in the powertrain sector. We look forward to welcoming many trade visitors and presenting our tailor-made solutions to them.”

Cover image: Trade fair stand (Image source: Zeller+Gmelin)

Caption: Zeller+Gmelin at IZB 2024, Hall 1, Stand 1210: The focus this year is on powertrain and e-mobility

To read previous Supplier Fair posts click here.

 

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