By Robert Forrest
Copyright 1997. Contact publisher for permission to use.

As the fibre supply continues to shrink on the West Coast and the new softwood lumber agreement with the US cuts into traditional markets, new ways to add value and create jobs are needed. One option is the development of a strong remanufacturing sector.

The result is a new focus on value-added hardwood production, possible construction of a flooring mill, and modernization of their veneer mill.

The Ontario government has restricted white pine sawlog harvesting in the Algoma region stretching from North Bay to Sault Ste. Marie. And in a further cost-cutting measure, they have handed off forest management, traditionally handled by their Ministry of Natural Resources, to the companies themselves.

Currently, there are more than 500 value-added remanufacturing operations in BC. In 1990, there were 12,000 workers in BC's value-added sector and predictions suggest over 30,000 by 2001. But one problem facing the value-added sector is a serious shortage of skilled workers. "We have a skills gap in the province in the value-added area,'' says Peter Vogt, director of the newly created Forest Renewal BC Value Added Skills Centre that opened in Abbotsford, BC last October.

"The aim of the Centre is to fill that gap," says Vogt. "We offer the Master Wood Machinists Program. It has four disciplines plus an entry-level course called The Base Wood Technology Course. The disciplines are Gluing, Sawing, Surfacing and Profiling Technologies. Each discipline is broken down into one-week, severalcourse modules."

Timber Sales Fund Innovative Harvesting Training Program
Eighteen people are learning new harvesting techniques.

Riding the OSB boom
Hedging against a downturn, Weyerhaeuser invests $16 million to improve recovery at its OSB plant at Slave Lake, Alberta.

Cost conscious cut-to-length
Setting up a new CTL show in remote northern Manitoba, Art Riemer wanted dependable equipment - but not at a price that would turn his accountant surly.

Sticking in a Tough Market
At Fort Nelson, the world's largest chopstick plant produces eight million units a day for demanding Japanese buyers.

CCMC Furthering Aspen as a Commercial Species in BC
CCMC is a pioneering company making exclusive use of high-quality aspen.

Tech Update: Cable Yarding Systems
A review of the different cable yarding systems that are available on the marketplace

Helicopter Logging Capability Guide
Heli-logging remains a practical harvesting alternative in many of British Columbia's mountainous regions.

The Eagle Flies
At the site of an abandoned chip mill in Miramichi, Eagle Forest Products turns the key on a new $100 million OSB plant.

• Blockades mar Eagle startup
  

New Centre Targets Value-Aded Training
With an estimated 30,000 skilled workers needed in the value-added sector in BC by 2001, the industry has moved to address a potentially serious training shortfall.

Haliburton: A Multi-Use Model
Ontario's Haliburton Forest, a popular recreation site, also hosts extensive forestry research and education programs - and a unique 'one stem at a time' selective logging program.

Yard Handling and Storage Critical to Aspen Quality
Few mill yards contain a fridge for wood, a fibre source to keep a manufacturing plant in business when green production is curtailed.

Northern Mills Address Need for Added Kiln Proficiency
The added market value of kiln-dried lumber is driving a push for new technology and added training for operators.

Supplier Newsline
Trade magazine ads pay off.