Since 1928, Hultdins has been developing, manufacturing, and perfecting tomorrow’s tools and components for forestry and construction equipment. Its legendary products are used worldwide every day, says the company.
The refreshed new Hultdins logo and brand encompasses the company’s renewed commitment and constant drive to develop and manufacture innovative products for the forestry, construction and other heavy equipment industries.
For over 90 years in Europe and over 25 years in North America, Hultdins has been known for high quality reliable products and trusted product support. This has been Hultdins’ way of business from the beginning—and this will continue with a fresh new look.
The C.D. Howe Institute has a new report titled, “Branching Out: How Canada’s Forest Products Sector is Reshaping its Future”, that explores current industry trends and advancements that the forest products sector has made in the face of growing business challenges.
The report also provides a number of recommendations, which would enable the sector to enhance its contributions to the Canadian economy and the country’s environmental goals.
The report proposed the following ideas for action: scale-up government contributions to FPInnovations, a non-profit innovation hub for the forestry industry, and other vehicles with a successful track record of commercialization; consolidate the early product and process innovations supported by the federal government in partnership with the industry to make Canada a global leader in the emerging tall wood building space; endeavor to ensure regulatory neutrality for the use of emerging wood and wood-based products; create a window supported by carbon tax revenues to drive innovative local solutions to forest management, adaption and utilization; and, develop a sectoral arrangement on trade in forest products with China, focused on the construction sector.
“Canada’s forest products sector is undergoing a period of massive and exciting transformation,” says Derek Nighbor, President and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC). “This is critical to sustaining and growing job opportunities for workers and families in our northern and rural forestry communities.”
Brandt adds Hitachi to product lineThe Brandt Group of Companies has been named a Hitachi forestry products dealer.
Brandt says that Hitachi’s purpose-built forestry products will be a strong complement to their full-line John Deere offering and are a natural fit, as both product lines are designed and manufactured through a joint venture—Deere-Hitachi Specialty Products (DHSP)—in Langley, B.C.
“This is an exciting day for Brandt and a big win for Hitachi equipment owners,” says Shaun Semple, Brandt President and CEO. “Hitachi’s strong forestry lineup is highly compatible with our existing John Deere offering, so loggers currently operating Hitachi equipment will be able to come directly to Brandt for unparalleled customer support from Day One.”
Semple added that the dealer change will give Hitachi equipment owners the opportunity to increase their operational uptime, thanks to a larger-than-ever offering of products, parts and services, including Isuzu engine parts, available via Brandt’s extensive service network and warehouse facilities. Existing Brandt customers will also benefit from additional forestry product options.
Brandt’s area of responsibility will include Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and PEI.
Equipment supplier Logset names new CEOTommi Ekman has been appointed Logset Oy´s CEO and will start in his new position in late 2019.
Ekman comes to Logset from John Deere Forestry Oy, where he has worked as General Manager, Marketing & Order Fulfillment. Ekman has 19 years of experience from different demanding tasks within the global forest machine industry and he has worked for several years for John Deere and Waratah Forestry Attachments.
“I’ve been following the good development of Logset for a while. When they contacted me, I didn’t hesitate to seize the opportunity,” says Ekman. “Logset’s leadership in hybrid technology, its investments in distribution, and its modern, high end products convinced me that the company can reach its growth goals. I want to contribute to the growth process with my own experience and energy.”
“With Tommi Ekman, we will have a real forest machine man in the company management. The Board of Directors was convinced by his solid experience of different demanding tasks in the industry. Tommi can increase our competence and expertise in all our business areas and operations, and his positive energy makes him easy to follow as a leader,” said Tapio Nikkanen, Chairman of the Board at Logset.
Logset Oy has established a subsidiary named Logset Inc in Ottawa.
Eberl achieves 500 vacuum kiln sales in 20 yearsManufacturing vacuum kilns since 1999, Eberl Vacuum Kilns says that it is a pioneer and leader in high efficiency vacuum wood drying technology.
Such drying technologies require a high degree of engineering and wood science knowledge and precision manufacturing capability. Innovations like Eberl’s heat pump vacuum kiln are especially appropriate for clients with limited or no available steam or hot water supply. Using a heat pump system eliminates the need to purchase a new boiler system and could be of interest to those with access to low cost green power. If a thermal source is available on site, this can be used without the heat pump system or can be combined with the heat pump where kiln pre-heating would be hot water or steam and the drying conducted by the heat pump.
All Eberl vacuum kilns accept standard lumber packs stickered with conventional stickers. Kiln capacities can range from 1500 board feet to 30,000 board feet. Vacuum kilns can be strategically configured side-by-side using lateral transfer carts and loaded and unloaded automatically. They can also be configured so that two vacuum kilns face each other sharing a common track system.
Eberl can dry all species and dimensions from green, partially air-dried or pre-dried, using the client’s PLC-PC control system.
The company is supported by several satellite offices world-wide including an office in Ottawa.
Peterson introduces 1700D horizontal grinderPeterson Pacific Corp, a manufacturer of industry leading wood grinding and chipping machines, now offers the new Peterson 1700D horizontal grinder.
“The new 1700D is smaller and lighter than our other grinders, but still packs impressive performance,” says Jody Volner, President of Peterson Pacific Corp.
“The 1700D is ideal for small mulch, compost, or pallet grinding operations, as well as municipalities looking for a smaller machine, but still needing excellent throughput for a grinder of this size.”
Heavy duty and mobile, the 1700D can readily reduce a wide range of materials. Its large feed opening measures 54” x 27”. When boosted by Peterson’s high-lift feed roll, the feed opening’s maximum lift of 41.5” can tackle the largest of feedstock, and allows excellent accessibility to the rotor for maintenance.
The 1700D horizontal grinder is equipped with a Caterpillar Tier IV C9.3 455 hp engine, or an optional, export-only C9 Tier III, 350 hp engine. At 41,000 lbs, it is the lightest of Peterson’s grinder series, and is easily transportable, says the company.
West Salem Machinery (WSM) says that its customers and prospective customers can use their size reduction and screening test facility in Salem, Oregon to test feedstock.
The testing and refining of processes and sometimes equipment often results in improving the customer’s operations or helps them to make informed, confident machine purchases.
Whether operations involve: green or dry wood fibre preparation; biomass fuel preparation; fibre prep for pellets, briquettes, or co-firing; converting ag-residuals for bio-fuels; mulch processing; animal bedding; or other fine-grind materials, WSM’s lab can simulate various size production settings and volumes, as well as provide detailed screen analysis. Depending on the amount of detail required, WSM can supply complete reporting, including sieve analysis and energy usage.
The test facility is equipped with a horizontal grinder, primary shredder, high-speed hammermill, full air discharge capabilities, disc screen, oscillating screen, and screening equipment for sieve analysis. One of its key features is a variable frequency drive system, allowing machines to be run at different speeds to simulate different operating conditions.
Lucidyne and Wolftek team up in CanadaLucidyne Technologies, Inc. of Corvallis, Oregon, and Wolftek Industries, Inc. of Prince George, B.C. proudly announce Wolftek’s representation of Lucidyne’s products in Canada.
Lucidyne’s flagship product, the GradeScan Automated Lumber Scanner, uses Deep Learning artificial intelligence to grade lumber. With Perceptive Sight, defect detection and classification take a quantum leap in accuracy and results, says the company. And GradeScan is now scalable so there is a GradeScan that is right for every mill, from a stud mill to a high-volume/high-speed planer mill with multiple products, grades, and species.
From left to right: Chris Cournyer, Lucidyne Technologies - Engineering Sales Manager; Kenzie Hand, Lucidyne Technologies - Marketing Manager; and Jamie Hull, Wolftek Industries, Sales/Director.
GradeScan delivers unparalleled defect detection, for maximum optimization, and an ROI that makes GradeScan a solid choice for sawmills, say the companies.
Wolftek’s long relationship with Canadian mills makes them the ideal partner to represent Lucidyne’s products. Their knowledge of the unique needs and challenges of the Canadian market positions Wolftek to help mills understand how automated grading, and the advantages of Perceptive Sight Intelligent Grading, can help them maximize value and fibre recovery.
On the Cover:
Tom Fisher Logging conducts selective harvesting in a forest that consists of several high-value wood species, which provides him with the opportunity to tap into a variety of markets for his wood products. Fisher very ably maintains good relations with inquisitive local cottage owners about the sound of logging equipment and resource road traffic as they enjoy their lake properties. (Cover shot of a Tigercat 822C feller buncher with a 22” hotsaw head by Tony Kryzanowski)
A win-win forest management plan
The First Nations-owned Agoke Development Corporation is working on a forest management plan that could revolutionize the economic structure of forest management in northwestern Ontario—and deliver benefits to First Nations communities and the forest industry.
Managing all the moving parts
Veteran Ontario logger Tom Fisher has plenty of experience at managing the many moving parts—including keeping local cottage owners in the know—that are involved in harvesting high value hardwood forests.
Bright future for fiberboard operation
With a steady source of residual wood supply from mill operations in the region, the MDF plant in Pembroke, Ontario is looking forward to a positive future under its new ownership, Roseburg Forest Products.
Taking their logging to a whole new level
Ontario’s Henry Petkau had modest goals when he started Henry’s Trucking—but with his son, Bob, joining the operation, they have now expanded, and added new Southstar processing equipment that has taken timber production to a whole new level.
Getting higher OSB production at High Prairie
With a $50 million capital investment, forest company Tolko Industries has re-opened and boosted the production capacity at its re-commissioned High Prairie oriented strand board plant in Alberta by 40 per cent.
Sorting it all out—log-wise
The Shoal Island logging sort in B.C. truly lives up to its name, doing upwards of up to 180 log sorts, but doing it all with the environment in mind.
B.C. FNFC launches new First Nations workforce strategy
The Edge
Included in this edition of The Edge, Canada’s leading publication on research in the forest industry, are stories from Alberta Innovates, Canadian Wood Fibre Centre (CWFC) and FPInnovations.
The Last Word
Tony Kryzanowski says the Forest Machinery Connectivity project is a good investment in “What If” science.
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