Established over 20 years ago, Bayram is a market leading timber processor and manufacturer, and a key supplier into the UK caravan, leisure home and garden sectors. Operating from a 17 acre site in Melton, East Yorkshire, the business has annual sales of £30 million and employs over 160 people.
The acquisition of Bayram will strengthen BSW’s value-added processing capabilities and further broaden BSW’s product offering and service to customers.

Following the acquisition, BSW plans to undertake a significant capital investment program in the Melton site to increase capacity and broaden the capabilities of the business.

Geoff Goodwin, Chairman of Bayram, said: “We are proud of what we have achieved at Bayram over the last 20 years and delighted to be selling the business to such a good home in BSW.

“Bayram has a strong position within the caravan and timber market, and by being a valued supplier into BSW for many years, we feel this acquisition is hugely positive for our employees, customers and the whole supply chain”.

Tony Hackney, CEO of BSW, added: “We are very pleased to be strengthening our position in the value-added timber market by acquiring Bayram. The opportunity to enhance our supply chain and additionally widen our product offering is exciting.

“This represents another major milestone in the growth of BSW and provides our customers with a more robust and broader range of products. We are looking forward to drawing on the expertise and knowledge of Geoff, Chris Husband and the whole team at Bayram. I would also like to thank the Endless LLP team for their support in acquiring Bayram.”

Bayram will be integrated with BSW Timber Solutions Ltd and will continue to operate from the existing site in Melton. Bayram processes 120,000m³ of machined and further refined timber annually, with the support of 160 colleagues. Bayram supplies bespoke components for many markets including garden, caravan manufacturers; timber merchants; and decking and cladding retailers.

AFRY has acquired MosaicMill Oy, a leading, Finland-based company that applies drone and satellite image data for forest inventory services. Through this acquisition, AFRY takes a significant step to become the global leader in Smart Forestry digital services and solutions.

”We warmly welcome MosaicMill as part of AFRY. Their competence and technology for accurate inventory data will play a key role as we develop our full offering of Smart Forestry digital services and solutions for the global market,” says Saara Söderberg, VP of Bioindustry Management Consulting, AFRY.

MosaicMill’s technology enables forestry planning without traditional field work. With digitally collected, accurate data, owners can make well-informed and timely decisions for sustainable forest asset management.

“MosaicMill has developed drone based tree-wise inventory method since 2017. The solution enables fully digital work flow and forms a good basis for precision forestry applications,” said Ismo Hippi, Managing Director of MosaicMill. “We are excited to join forces with AFRY to continue to grow the business and expand AFRY Smart Forestry service offering.”

Today AFRY has also announced the acquisition of Simosol Oy, a Finland-based forestry technology company specialising in advanced simulation and optimisation for forestry. AFRY’s new, unique and exciting combined portfolio of technologies will create basis for precision forestry, by combining accurate tree-level inventory to other data sources and using proven simulation and optimization platform.

Together with MosaicMill and Simosol’s competence and technologies, AFRY can provide clients with a global Smart Forestry centre of excellence and be the forerunner for unique digital solutions and services for sustainable forest management.

”With high-quality inventory data and a world-class simulation and optimisation platform, AFRY will be able to serve major players in the market and integrate with forest management systems of all kinds, whilst strengthening our own offering for the whole forest management value chain,” continues Saara Söderberg.​

MosaicMill’s net sales in 2020 were SEK 4 million. The company will be consolidated into AFRY from June 2021.

For more information, please contact:

Saara Söderberg
Vice President, Bioindustry Management Consulting, AFRY
Tel. +358 40 5336658
saara.soderberg@afry.com

AFRY is a European leader in engineering, design, and advisory services, with a global reach. We accelerate the transition towards a sustainable society.

We are 16,000 devoted experts in infrastructure, industry, energy and digitalisation, creating sustainable solutions for generations to come.

Making Future

EACOM Timber Corporation recently announced an investment of $8.9M to equip its Elk Lake sawmill with a new, state-of-the art continuous dry kiln (CDK). Expected to be fully operational by early fall, the CDK will allow for continuous drying of lumber, reducing production bottlenecks and energy consumption. This will be the second such installation for EACOM, the first having been installed in 2017 at its Timmins sawmill.

“This significant investment in Elk Lake is a testament not only to EACOM’s commitment to technological innovation and being best-in-class, but also to our long-term vision for this region. Built over 50 years ago, this mill has thrived alongside the community thanks to sustainable forestry practices, and now, with this latest addition, we are confident it will be an important partner for many more years to come,” EACOM President and CEO Kevin Edgson.

In addition to being more energy efficient, the new system will eliminate the use of both diesel fuel and propane which are currently being used as part of the energy mix for heating the buildings on-site and two kilns. Going forward, all building heat and the new CDK will be exclusively powered by direct fired natural gas, a much cleaner energy source.

“The pandemic and subsequent demand for our essential products highlighted the need to fast track some of these investments and maximize our production capacity. We are proud that the fiber we harvest sustainably around Elk Lake is turned into homes for families across North America, as well as paper, cardboard, sanitary masks, and is even used in medication,” explains Mr. Edgson.

The Elk Lake sawmill is an economic driver for the town and surrounding area, supporting over 140 workers directly, a further 210 jobs in woodlands operations, and hundreds more via vendors, contractors and transporters. Since 2016, EACOM has invested nearly $100M across its 9 facilities to maintain and upgrade equipment.

About EACOM Timber Corporation

EACOM Timber Corporation is a major Eastern Canadian wood products company. Operations include the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of lumber and wood-based value-added products, and the management of forest resources. EACOM owns seven sawmills, a remanufacturing facility, and an engineered I-joist plant with over 1,200 employees. The Company is committed to investing in strong assets, including healthy forests, advanced technology, and talented people.

EACOM Timber Corporation recently announced an investment of $7.7M to equip its Matagami sawmill with a new state-of-the-art continuous kiln (CDK). The kiln, which is expected to be fully operational by October 2021, will allow lumber to be dried 24 hours a day, without interruption, directly at the facility.

“The City of Matagami is thrilled with this significant investment for the future of the sawmill and our city. It is a strong gesture that shows that we are all in this for the long haul and demonstrates the spirit of sustainable partnership that has developed between us and EACOM Timber Corporation over the years. The development of renewable resources is essential for the communities of our region and they must be able to benefit in the long term, and as a priority, from stable fiber supplies so that today’s wonderful announcement is the first of many.” – Mr. René Dubé, Mayor of the City of Matagami.

The Matagami sawmill is an economic driver for the city and surrounding region, supporting more than 80 workers directly, another 240 jobs in forestry operations and hundreds more through vendors, contractors and transporters.

“The critical nature of our products has been highlighted over the past year and we have made the strategic choice to accelerate some of these investments and maximize our production capacity. We are proud to contribute to the construction of homes for families across North America, as well as the production of paper, cardboard, sanitary masks, and even medicines with the fiber we sustainably harvest around Matagami.” – Kevin Edgson, President and CEO of EACOM.

In addition to being more energy efficient, the CDK will allow more control over the process locally and maximize the quality of the fiber produced at the mill. The addition of overall drying capacity will allow EACOM to increase its total yield of forest products.

About EACOM Timber Corporation

EACOM Timber Corporation is a major Eastern Canadian wood products company. Operations include the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of lumber and wood-based value-added products, and the management of forest resources. EACOM owns seven sawmills, a remanufacturing facility, and an engineered I-joist plant with over 1,200 employees. The Company is committed to investing in strong assets, including healthy forests, advanced technology, and talented people.

Twitter @EACOMTimberCo

For interviews or additional information:  Biliana Necheva Senior Advisor, Public Relations  514.867.7245                                                                        

Biliana.Necheva@EACOM.ca

INTERFOR CORPORATION (“Interfor” or the “Company”) (TSX: IFP) announced last week that it has reached an agreement with Georgia-Pacific Wood Products LLC and GP Wood Products LLC (collectively “Georgia-Pacific”) to acquire four of its sawmill operations located in Bay Springs, MS, Fayette, AL, DeQuincy, LA and Philomath, OR (collectively the “Sawmill Operations”). The total purchase price of US$375 MM, which includes working capital, will be funded entirely from cash on hand.

The Sawmill Operations are highly complementary to Interfor’s existing platforms in the US South and the US Northwest, and the acquisition will support accelerated growth and enhance the Company’s position to benefit from robust market conditions. The acquisition will be immediately accretive to Interfor’s earnings and is expected to provide attractive returns in both the near-term and over the long-term.

“This acquisition enhances Interfor’s growth-focused strategy as a pure-play lumber producer, and provides significant economies of scale given the complementary geographic fit with our existing US operations” said Ian Fillinger, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We’re excited to acquire these high-quality assets as part of our balanced approach to capital allocation to drive shareholder value.”

The Sawmill Operations have a combined annual lumber production capacity of 720 million board feet. The Bay Springs, Fayette and Philomath sawmills are currently operating on a full-shifting basis. The DeQuincy sawmill, which was idled in May 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, has an annual capacity of 200 million board feet. Interfor is currently evaluating its strategy and options for the site, including re-start plans.

On a pro-forma basis, Interfor’s total annual lumber production capacity will increase to 3.9 billion board feet, of which 3.0 billion board feet or 77% will be US-based and not subject to softwood lumber duties. Interfor’s US South production capacity will grow by 500 million board feet, or 29%, to 2.2 billion, while production capacity in the US Northwest will grow by 220 million, or 40%, to 770 million board feet. Following the transaction, 57% of Interfor’s production capacity will be in the US South, 20% will be in the US Northwest and the remaining 23% will be in British Columbia.

The Sawmill Operations, excluding the DeQuincy sawmill, generated US$53 million of EBITDA1 in the first quarter of 2021, reflecting an EBITDA1 margin of US$508 or $643 per thousand board feet. This compares favorably with Interfor’s EBITDA margin of $589 per thousand board feet for the same period.

Following the completion of this transaction Interfor will continue to have significant financial flexibility to consider additional value-creating capital deployment options. As of April 30, 2021 Interfor was in a net cash position of approximately $380 million. Proforma this acquisition and the special dividend announced on May 12, 2021, Interfor’s Net Debt to Invested Capital ratio as of April 30, 2021 would increase to 13%. Similarly, proforma liquidity as of April 30, 2021 would be approximately $500 million, before consideration of significant additional borrowing capacity available under existing credit limits and continued strong near-term operating cash flows.

The completion of the acquisition is subject to customary conditions and regulatory approvals for a transaction of this kind and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2021.

ABOUT INTERFOR

Interfor is a growth-oriented forest products company with operations in Canada and the United States. The Company has annual production capacity of approximately 3.2 billion board feet and offers a diverse line of lumber products to customers around the world. For more information about Interfor, visit our website.

The results of Brazilian plantation companies and other actors’ long-term work in the Atlantic rainforest restoration has been highlighted in the WWF, Birdlife and Wildlife Conservation Society report on forest restoration published in May 2021.

The study points to the Atlantic Forest in Brazil as one of the success stories for regeneration, where an estimated 4.2 million hectares – an area roughly the size of the Netherlands – has regrown since 2000. Read the full study here.

Veracel, Stora Enso’s 50/50 joint operation in the Bahía state of Eastern Brazil, consisting of a pulp mill and eucalyptus tree plantations, has been restoring rainforest since 1994. When Veracel started operations in 1991, less than 7% of the original Atlantic rainforest was left in the region following extensive logging and clearing for cattle ranching between the 1950s and 1980s. Veracel’s eucalypts plantations have been established on degraded pasture lands in the Atlantic rainforest biome. Approximately half of Veracel’s 213 000 hectares of land are dedicated to rainforest conservation and restoration. Veracel has restored in total, 7 200 hectares of the Atlantic rainforest – between 1994 and the end of 2020.

Since the plantations were established, Veracel has worked systematically to protect and restore local biodiversity. Veracel’s contribution to the conservation of natural Atlantic rainforest and its rich biodiversity has been recognised by both the Brazilian authorities and international stakeholders.

With automatic dozing, rough cut to finish grade, make every pass count

The faster your construction crew reaches a state of maximum productivity, the better it is for your bottom line. Have you ever watched crews, surrounded by modern equipment, begin a job by pounding a wooden stake into the ground and think, “Isn’t there a better way?” There is.

With innovative intelligent Machine Control (iMC 2.0), Komatsu’s smallest intelligent dozer, the D39i-24 lets you program 3D design data directly into the 105 HP machine. Operators — even those with less experience — can work with utmost efficiency, guided by sophisticated automation. Through automatic dozing, rough cut to finish grade, Komatsu’s iMC 2.0-equipped D39i-24 helps make every pass count for superior production, compared to traditional aftermarket systems.

With a factory-installed, integrated system, the D39i-24 has been upgraded with a number of new intelligent features.

Learns as it works
With proactive dozing control, the dozer measures the terrain it tracks over and uses that data to plan the next pass so even less experienced operators can automatically cut/strip from existing terrain. Productivity can improve by up to 60% versus previous generation.

Reduces operator fatigue in rough dozing
Tilt steering control automatically tilts the blade to maintain straight travel during rough dozing, reducing operator steering input by up to 80%.

Spreads fill material automatically
With the press of a button, lift layer control puts in repeated consistent lifts. Time savings are realized because each layer is precise, reducing or eliminating the need to rework for over compaction or under compaction.

Quick surface creation
Operators can create a temporary design surface with the press of a button with quick surface creation. Combined with other iMC 2.0 functions, crews can begin stripping or spreading using automated input while waiting for the finish grade model.

For more information about the new D39i-24 dozer, click here.

About Komatsu
Komatsu is an industry-leading manufacturer and supplier of equipment, technologies and services for the construction, forklift, mining, industrial and forestry markets.

Note: All comparisons and claims of improved performance made herein are made with respect to the prior Komatsu model unless otherwise specifically stated. Materials and specifications are subject to change without notice

Photo: Komatsu’s smallest intelligent dozer, the D39i-24 lets you program 3D design data directly into the 105 HP machine

From June 1, the cutting unit on all C-heads, Constant Cut, will receive an upgraded design. The upgrade contains no less than 25 points and represents a number of improvements for customers, both in terms of increased productivity and better flow in the production.

Constant Cut, Komatsu’s intelligent cutting unit, ensures that the head has a constant and efficient saw chain speed throughout the complete cutting cycle. This ensures efficient cutting and limits problems with cutting cracks. Now the cutting unit has undergone a major upgrade, which means that all C-units get a new, fresh Constant Cut with productive benefits. Below are some of the biggest new features.

It’s news that we believe our customers are happy to hear. The improvements come from customer feedback and we have implemented it in our development. In this way, it is an important team work where we together develop our products, in this case heads, says Tobias Ettemo, Product manager for Harvesters and Heads.

Less unplanned stops

The chain tensioning of the Constant Cut function is improved, this reduces expensive downtime for the contractor. Another advantage of a better and smoother chain tensioning is that both chain and saw bar can be used longer.

The saw bar mount has a more robust design for increased service-life. The mechanics around these components have been optimised to ensure that the saw bar is more stable inside the saw box.

Customers who have tested the new cutting unit feel that they get a straighter cut, and that the saw bar does not sway as much. Another advantage is that the chain lubrication has improved, as the oil is better steered into the lubrication groove and out to the bar. Better chain lubrication also extends the life of the saw bar, explains Tobias Ettemo.

Better protection and stronger material

A new protective cover has been introduced for the auto-release feature, which protects the saw bar mount from sawdust and debris. This means that when changing the chain, the operator does not have to clean the saw bar mount and the saw bar clamp as often as before, thereby reducing downtime.

Several components of the cutting unit have been upgraded with a stronger and more durable material, which increases the service-life of the entire cutting unit.

The bearing between the swivel housing and the saw motor has a better fit to reduce unwanted movements, providing a more stable cutting unit and also less abrasion on the swivel seals. The material in the swivel seals has been replaced with one that is more flexible during movement and less sensitive to abrasion, which reduces the risk of oil leakage. The new swivel seals are also much easier to install as they do not damage as easily when installed. In addition, no special tool is needed to change them, which facilitates service in the field.

Forest Pro has moved its Ashland location, previously located on Air Park Road, to 1056 Richmond Tappahannock Hwy in Manquin, Virginia.

The new site allows Forest Pro to serve the needs of its customers more efficiently as Manquin is a more convenient location for many of the loggers in the area. “We know time is money and strive to succeed in getting customers up and running as fast as possible,” states office manager Tory Campbell. “The Manquin store is fully staffed with the finest personnel out there.”

Branch location: 1056 Richmond Tappahannock Hwy, Manquin, VA 23106
Contact: Robbie Ligon, parts manager, 804-752-7500, robbie@forestproinc.com

MidSouth Forestry Equipment has announced the opening of a third Tigercat dealership location.

The facility is located in Springfield, Arkansas, in the heart of Birdtown on Highway 9. “It sits on five acres and is just a short distance from the Ouachita National Forest and the Ozark National Forest,” says general manager Jeff Rains. “With several mills in the surrounding areas, this allows us to better support our north and west Arkansas customers and grow our business. We are looking forward to the growth of our customers and being able to support them in this new location with Tigercat equipment, parts, sales and service.”

Branch location: 4337 Hwy 9, Springfield, AR 72157
Contact: Garrett Thurman, parts counter/store supervisor, 501-977-0338, gthurman@midsouthforestryequip.com