On May 3rd, Microtec announced the official integration and inclusion of FinScan and WoodEye into the Microtec family. Following this news, Microtec presents now a new generation of longitudinal scanners for sawmill, remanufacturing and 2nd processing applications to the industry.

Meet the new range from Microtec

“Together with our colleagues in Italy, we have worked hard during the past year to be able to launch a new range of scanners , which combines the best of the two worlds from Woodeye and Goldeneye. With the new common platform for longitudinal scanning we will take wood scanning solutions to a whole new level”, says Stefan Nilsson, CSO of Microtec Linköping.

The range will thereby be defined by two product lines: the new Microtec Goldeneye scanners for softwood applications and the Woodeye scanners for hardwood applications. The scanners are based on a new common platform, developed by a joint team from Italy and Sweden.

The result of a common approach

The new common platform and movement technology combines the strengths and experience of both development teams, offering better precision in detection at higher speeds, with optimal resolution and extended possibilities to optimize for different material sizes and applications. It will also be delivered with a brand new control station that puts usability in focus and easily adapts to the comfort of the operator.

“We are also working on a common AI (Artificial Intelligence) platform that is integrated in the new product range. This AI solution represents the collaboration between all four Microtec companies in Italy, Finland, Sweden and the U.S.”, states Arianna Giudiceandrea, CSO of Microtec Headquarters in Bressanone.

The estonian wood industry company Kaamos Timber invests in a new sawmill in Mozyr / Belarus and chooses Mühlböck as partner for drying technology. For the drying in the new sawmill they decided on Mühlböck dry kilns 1306 PRO. The acquired dryers ensure a production volume of at least 100,000 m3 per year.

“The 4 dryers ordered from Mühlböck with a total value of 800,000 euros are Kaamos Timber’s largest investment in Mühlböck equipment so far. Mühlböck equipment is like Mercedes in the world of dryers, ie the best and highest quality dryers in the field, ”praised Tõnu Bergmann, CEO of Kaamos Timber.

The dryers will be part of the Mozyr sawmill equipment which is currently under construction, which will be delivered to Belarus in 2022. The sawmill will start operating in the third quarter of 2022.

“To be part in this ambitious project in Mozyr is a great achievement for us and gives us once again the opportunity to show our strengths in innovation with our 1306 PRO dry kilns. We are pleased to continue succesful cooperation together. It is a confirmation of high satisfaction with Mühlböck”, commented Gerhard Huber from Mühlböck.

EACOM Timber Corporation has 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.

Visit their website at www.EACOM.ca and follow on Twitter @EACOMTimberCo.

Norra Timber management is very knowledgeable, progressive, and interested in driving sawmill technology forward.

Now they have invested in a third edger to handle the large number of side boards from the saw line.

This new Catech edger system features a capacity of 57 boards per minute.

“The investment in the edger is an important factor in achieving the target of increasing production by 6% per year. We are now more efficient because the two older edgers were a bottleneck. We previously had to choose between slowing things down or running with wider log gaps. With our latest investment we can optimize the choice of edgers, and continue to maintain a steady pace at all times,” says Tom Löfgren, production engineer at Norra Timber.

Click here to read the full article, and see a video of the system in operation.

Photo : Tom Löfgren (left), production technician at Norra Timber and Johan Fredriksson, Technical Production Manager at Sävar Såg.

Stora Enso and packaging technology company Pulpex join forces to industrialize the production of eco-friendly paper bottles and containers made from wood fiber pulp. These renewable products will offer an alternative to PET plastics and glass. The exclusive partnership leverages Stora Enso’s formed fiber technologies and ability to convert end-products at an industrial scale.

The joint development agreement is formed exclusively between Stora Enso and Pulpex, a sustainable packaging technology company established by Diageo (makers of Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff and Guinness) and Pilot Lite (a venture management company). The partnership aims for large-scale industrial production of renewable and recyclable paper bottles and containers that degrade readily in the natural environment. Produced with sustainably sourced formed fiber pulp, the bottles and containers would enable a significantly lower carbon footprint compared with glass or PET. A formed fiber product is manufactured by pressing various wood-based pulps into a three-dimensional shape in a moulding machine. The focus of the partnership now is on developing a high-speed production line which is expected to be operational in 2022.

“We see great potential in combining development skills of Pulpex with our industrial capabilities, says Sohrab Kazemahvazi, SVP Formed Fiber at Stora Enso. “This cooperation marks an important step in bringing to market a truly sustainable alternative to plastic bottles and containers, while offering end-user qualities that match those of traditional packaging in the beverage market.”

Using Stora Enso’s formed fiber material, Pulpex will produce paper bottles for an array of global brands across a variety of market applications, from homecare and personal care products to alcohol- and non-alcohol beverages and liquid foods. All of Stora Enso’s wood fiber pulp comes from sustainable, verified sources. The customizable Pulpex bottle allows for embossing, labelling and coloured pigments to fit brand needs and easily integrates into any packaging manufacturer’s existing filling infrastructure.

“We are delighted to have Stora Enso involved with Pulpex and are looking forward to the tangible benefits of such a formidable collaboration that will undoubtedly help us over the coming months as we seek to make our new, high-speed production lines available to all our partners”, says Scott Winston, Director, Pulpex Limited.

The global beverage packaging market is worth an estimated $117bn and is forecast to grow by 4.5% and reach $170bn by 2027. Globally, plastic packaging is currently growing at 5% CAGR and represents about 40% of global beverage packaging. Across the EU and US today, only around 30-40% of all plastic bottles are collected for recycling. However, for paper and cardboard recycling, the average is nearer 80%, just ahead of glass and aluminium (75-80%).

Pulpex Limited (www.pulpex.com) is a new world-leading sustainable packaging technology company established by venture management firm Pilot Lite and spirits producer Diageo. The company has developed the world’s first 100% PET-free paper bottle. Made from sustainably sourced pulp, the Pulpex bottle meets food safety standards and will be recyclable in standard paper waste streams, which have a far higher yield than plastic waste streams.

Leading consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, including Diageo, PepsiCo, Unilever, GSK Consumer Healthcare and Castrol, have joined the Pulpex global partner consortium. Each company has committed to incorporating Pulpex technology into its brand packaging and collectively aim to produce 750m paper bottles per year.

For further information, please contact:
Carl Norell
Press officer
tel. +46 72 241 0349

Pulpex is a collaboration between Pilot Lite and Diageo. Pilot Lite is a pioneer and international leader in venture management with a successful track record helping Fortune 500/FTSE 100 corporates accelerate the commercialization of innovation. Through its Pilot Lite Capital arm, Pilot Lite directly invests in and converts corporate IP into free-standing, revenue-generating businesses. Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO).

Part of the bioeconomy, Stora Enso is a leading global provider of renewable solutions in packaging, biomaterials, wooden constructions and paper. We believe that everything that is made from fossil-based materials today can be made from a tree tomorrow. Stora Enso has some 23 000 employees, and sales in over 50 countries. Our sales in 2020 were EUR 8.6 billion. Stora Enso shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki (STEAV, STERV) and Nasdaq Stockholm (STE A, STE R). In addition, the shares are traded in the USA as ADRs (SEOAY). storaenso.com

Every year, Ponsse selects a Finnish and international supplier of the year from its supplier network as a recognition of productive cooperation. In 2020, Lapp Connecto Oy was selected the Finnish supplier of the year and ZF Friedrichshafen AG the international supplier of the year.

Currently, Ponsse’s supplier network consists of more than 250 companies, and Ponsse is continuously engaged in close cooperation with the network. The supplier of the year award is a recognition of productive cooperation, and its recipients are selected from among Finnish and international suppliers. Criteria for the recognition include the quality of products, delivery reliability, the development of prices, and operational and strategic cooperation. The awards are distributed at an annual supplier network event. Themes of this year’s event were competitiveness, cost efficiency and responsibility. The Finnish supplier of the year was selected at the Ponsse studio on 21 April and the international supplier of the year on 27 April 2021.

Lapp Connecto Oy selected the Finnish supplier of the year

“Our cooperation with Lapp Connecto has been seamless in all areas. The will to make Ponsse’s products and to adhere to Ponsse’s quality can be seen clearly. This cooperation really works. Lapp Connecto has shown excellent improvements in its ability to produce quality, and its active profit-making capabilities are reflected in cost development and projects”, says Tuomas Yli-Marttila, procurement and logistics manager at Ponsse. ,

“We have been engaged in first-rate cooperation with Ponsse for years now, and we are very proud to receive this recognition”, says Ilpo Mäkelä, managing director of Lapp Connecto, who received the award. 

Lapp Connecto manufactures cable sets and wiring systems for demanding mechanical and industrial applications. Its product range also includes busducts and busbar trunking systems, the assembly and testing of control units, and demanding electrotechnical assemblies. The comprehensive service range guarantees cost-effective overall solutions at all times. Lapp Connecto was established in 1988, and it has nearly 400 employees in its network. Its facilities are located in Hyvinkää and Vieremä, Finland, and in Poland.

ZF Friedrichshafen AG selected the international supplier of the year

“Our cooperation with ZF in the development of technology is very flexible and active. In addition, the company has a strong ability to produce quality and a high delivery reliability. Our partnership in research and development is excellent, and our openness is exemplary”, Yli-Marttila says.

“This is a great honour to us, and we are grateful to accept this recognition. We are proud of being a Ponsse supplier, and we expect our productive cooperation to continue in the future”, says Fritz Riedl, Key Account Manager at ZF Group, who accepted the award.

ZF (Friedrichshafen AG) is an international technology company which delivers the next generation’s systems for vehicles and industrial technologies, and provides integrated solutions for vehicles in the transport and automotive industries.

Further information: 
Ponsse Plc
Tuomas Yli-Marttila Procurement and logistics manager
+358 40 630 5237
tuomas.yli-marttila@ponsse.com
lappconnecto.lappgroup.com/en.html
www.zf.com

Ponsse is launching a new debarking PONSSE H7 HD Euca harvester head alongside the previously released H8 HD Euca. The new powerful harvester head further strengthens Ponsse’s strategy to be the leading global manufacturer of harvester heads.

“This new harvester head has been developed together with our customers, based on their feedback. We wanted to introduce an even more powerful and productive harvester head for processing eucalyptus trees that withstands even the most extreme conditions, and we succeeded in this with the H7 HD Euca harvester head”, says Janne Loponen, harvester head product manager at Ponsse.

The H7 HD Euca harvester head can be fitted on the PONSSE Cobra, Scorpion King and Ergo harvesters, but it can also be installed on 16–22-ton track-based base machines.

The frame of the PONSSE H7 HD Euca harvester head is made of the Heavy-Duty structure, developed by Ponsse. It withstands even the most extreme conditions both in forest machines and track-based machines. The geometry and technical solutions of the new harvester head have been made to ensure maximum efficiency during debarking, feeding and sawing. The development of the harvester head has also focused on mechanical durability and the ease of maintenance.

Its efficient feed rollers and debarking knives guarantee first-rate debarking results from start to finish. The solid frame and robust tilt frame give the harvester head the durability needed in debarking. Automated functions control saw movements according to the tree diameter and saw bar position and allow trees to be cut quickly.

All PONSSE harvester heads have been designed to withstand even the toughest conditions. They are characterised by a simple and solid structure which is why they can be used in various harvesting applications, ranging from harvesters to track-based solutions. All PONSSE harvester heads are manufactured and designed at the Ponsse factory in Vieremä, Finland. Comprehensive design applies to both mechanical components and the electronic control system, controls and software. The manufacturing process is highly automated, guaranteeing a high level of quality and measuring accuracy. Durable hoses and delimbing knives form an important part of reliability.

FURTHER INFORMATION:
Janne Loponen, Ponsse Plc, Product Manager, harvester heads,
janne.loponen@ponsse.com, tel. +358 40 502 8018.

(OPINION) Forest 360 Marcus Musson – Throw away the compass captain, we’re now officially in unchartered territory. While most in the game were expecting flat to slightly increased export prices for May, there were more than a few double-takes when prices were released by export companies at around $10/JAS above April levels. This puts A grade in the $160’s/JAS which is the highest since the extremely short price spike of ’93. This is not because of low shipping costs or foreign exchange rates, it’s purely a supply and demand imbalance situation caused by strong demand in China and poor supply from other regions.

New Zealand log exporters had a record supply month in March with over 2 million cubic metres exported to China and April/May are looking similar. Nothing has changed with the Australia/China situation as logs are still banned from being imported into China from our trans-Tasman friends and, in fact, there appears to be a deepening rift as all sorts of accusations are getting thrown around from both sides. European log exports are stymied by container freight cost increases and lack of available containers so it’s very unlikely we’ll see any significant supply increases from there. The European lumber exports to China (which complete with logs) are also significantly down as supply is diverted to the US to cope with the housing boom created by US Govt stimulus packages.

China is entering its hot season which generally sees demand reduce by 15-20%, however as NZ enters winter, we too see supply levels reduce therefore the overall balance is likely (fingers crossed) to be maintained. Current inventory in China continues to recede with most commentators putting levels at 3.8Mm3 and demand at 80Km3 per day.

Nanaia Mahuta mentioned in a speech a few weeks ago that NZ exporters should look to diversify away from China rather than risk a similar issue that Australia is battling with. This was reiterated by the Prime Minister last week, albeit with a bit more tact. Let’s hope they can keep their comments in check going forward and that they’re not softening us up for crack at our major trading partner. The economic effects that Australia are feeling now with their breakdown foreign relations with China would pale in comparison with what we would experience as a country if China were to take similar action economically against us.

Local sawmillers are having a few sleepless nights as higher export prices force them to increase their already increased log purchase price levels. This will undoubtedly flow onto price increases for wood-based building products in the medium term – if there are any products left on the shelf.

Congestion throughout the supply chain remains an issue, primarily due to a lack of labour. This was demonstrated on a recent visit to a major port where, due to lack of staff, a log vessel was getting loaded 50% of the normal load rate. This flows through with inability to scale and unload trucks and trains in a timely manner (as the same people that load vessels unload trucks and trains) resulting in longer wait times, less uplift in the forest and ultimately lower productivity. While we are seeing less reliance on labour with increased mechanisation and the advent of robotics for log scaling (each export log must be measured), skilled people will always be required and are an important piece of the puzzle.

The government has announced the re-branding of Te Uru Rakau to Te Uru Rakau – New Zealand Forest Service. Te Uru Rakau was setup in 2018 under the MPI banner to focus on and grow the forest industry with a strong focus on dealing with climate change and our commitments under the Kyoto protocol. The head office will now be moved from Wellington to a new build Rotorua in an effort to get closer to the core of the industry. While any government directed change is generally slow, it does show a commitment by the Minister to the sector and has been well received. It is hoped that this will assist our sector with better policy, funding and a focus on getting more people into what a great industry with a vast range of career paths.

All in all, labour issues aside, we’re having a dream run. Returns to forest owners have never been consistently better, low interest rates are helping contractors expand and upgrade their machinery and carbon prices keep creeping up. Who knows what the rest of 2021 will bring? We have demonstrated our resilience as an industry and its important to bank your wins, as we know too well that Murphy is always waiting around the corner.

Forest360 provides specialist forest management and land use advice to private forest owners across New Zealand.

Source: Woodweek News

Following a successful test installation, Norra Timber has chosen to move forward with a condition monitoring solution from SPM Instrument for its new high-tech band saw line at the Sävar Sawmill near Umeå in northern Sweden, aiming to ensure high machine availability and long pre-warning times.

Sävar Sawmill is a high-tech band saw line specializing in processing spruce and pine, a raw material from Norra Skog’s catchment area, which extends over half of northern Sweden. This modern plant has a high saw yield and is equipped with X-ray technology – the world’s first CT Log (*) – directly in the saw line, enabling the optimization of each log and production of high-quality goods. The annual production amounts to 320,000 cubic meters of sawn goods.

To ensure high machine availability and secure delivery, the sawmill has chosen to install SPM Instruments’ latest and most high-tech online system, Intellinova Parallel EN, after a successful pilot test. The system provides exceptionally long pre-warning times for deteriorating mechanical condition and lubrication condition, with extremely clear measurement results that make it possible to detect early damage such as sub-surface cracks in bearings.

Three Intellinova Parallel EN units, one thirty-two channel version and two with sixteen channels, and fifty-one DuoTech accelerometers cover the entire band saw line. DuoTech combines vibration and shock pulse measurement in the same sensor, using the patented HD measurement technologies HD ENV and SPM HD. Measurement data is stored and analyzed in the Condmaster Ruby 2020 software, with the possibility of integration into the plant’s control system or desired IoT platform through Rest API or OPC UA.

Using the SPM ServiceNet portal, SPM Instrument also performs condition monitoring of Sävar Sawmill, where machine condition is monitored via remote analysis by SPM’s service engineers. The sawmill staff can easily follow the work through the web application Condmaster.NET via smartphones, tablets, and computers for an immediate overview of the mechanical condition of critical assets in the facility.

Joakim Jonasson, Maintenance Manager Mechanics at Norra Timber, commented on the investment: “The purpose of our investment has always been to avoid corrective maintenance as much as possible, to allow ourselves to plan the right maintenance effort at the right time, and thus work proactively and preventively.

Unplanned stops in the major drives in the process can take anything from one to several shifts to rectify, which results in major production loss, which is difficult to catch up on since more or less everything we produce are sold products. With the measurement system, we can maintain higher machine availability and better profitability.

The investment has already started to pay off as we have avoided replacing a large plant part in conjunction with a major breakdown. This was possible because extra control measurements could be performed via the measurement system. These measurements showed good values, giving us a decision basis to avoid unnecessary replacement of process parts.

Another significant advantage, or security, that the system provides is increased safety in the form of reduced risk of fire in the event of bearing failure, which is otherwise something that we in the industry have great respect for.“

Norra Timber‘s task is to run the industrial operation, and market and sell the wood products manufactured at the three sawmills in Kåge, Sävar, and Hissmofors and the units for added value products. Norra Timber’s owner is Norra Skog, an association of 27,000 individual forest owners with a total holding of roughly 5.2 million acres of forest land. Refining forests throughout northern Sweden, Norra Skog had a turnover of approximately SEK 4.7 billion in 2020.

(*) Computed tomography, also known as CAT scan.

Photo: Log feeding system at Sävar Sawmill. Photo: Norra Timber4/16/2021

Versowood will increase the Vierumäki unit’s annual sawmill production from the current 475,000 cubic metre level to more than 600,000 cubic metres. The company will replace one of their sawmill lines in Vierumäki and build a new green sorting line during the spring of 2022. This investment will significantly improve the cost efficiency and productivity of the line and unit.

The sawmill line will be delivered by Veisto Oy from Mäntyharju and the green sorting line by Jartek Oy from Lahti. The total value of the investments will reach about MEUR 15. At the same time, the annual sawmill production of the company will increase to more than 1.5 million cubic metres.

The company estimates that the current fiscal year, ending 6/2021, will reach a turnover of more than MEUR 450 and a total production quantity of approximately 1.4 million cubic metres sawn timber.

Further information:
Ville Kopra, Chief Executive Officer, Versowood Oy
tel. +358 50 023 5701
ville.kopra@versowood.fi