July/August 2011

On the Cover:

Lumber exports from B.C. to China are hitting record levels. Recent trade figures show that the value of softwood lumber exported to China has surpassed the U.S., a powerful signal about the importance of Asia Pacific lumber markets.
Logging and Sawmilling Journal takes a look at the China lumber market in a special supplement beginning on page 36 of this issue. (Cover photo of B.C. lumber being loaded at the Lynnterm facility of Port Metro Vancouver by Rob Stanhope).

Spotlight

The recently created Northwest B.C. Forest Coalition is taking a co-operative approach to marketing the region’s forest resource—the province’s largest uncommitted wood basket—and the response to date has been very positive, with a number of interested parties.

Focus on productive—and safe—working environment

New Tigercat equipment and an innovative business approach have reinforced Alberta logging contractor Jesse Bowman’s focus on a productive, satisfying and safe work logging environment.

Conifex delivers higher value with upgrade

A $31 million upgrade at the Fort St. James, B.C. operation of Conifex is delivering more higher valued lumber products—and resulting in a smoother, more efficient product flow.

The COFI convention is back!

The COFI annual convention is back, and Logging and Sawmilling Journal is the Official Show Guide: Read all about the convention, being held September 15 to 17 in Prince George, and how the recovery of COFI’s lumber producing members is benefiting almost all types of businesses in British Columbia.

The booming China lumber market

China: It’s the single biggest reason for the recovery of the B.C. forest industry and Logging and Sawmilling Journal takes a look at this booming market, and how to meet the needs of customers.

Canucks head to Florida—to help with sawmilling

Florida-based Suwannee Lumber needed to find a way to handle dense, heavy and pitchier Southern Yellow Pine through its sawmill. The solution? Bring in the Canucks, in the form of Bosch Rexroth Canada and its MAC-8 control system.

What’s in…The Edge!

Included in The Edge, Canada’s leading publication on research in the forest industry— now incorporated into Logging and Sawmilling Journal—read all about research projects related to Canadian Wood Fibre Centre/Natural Resources Canada, Alberta Innovates-Bio Solutions and FPInnovations.

Tech Update –
The head’s up on heads

Logging and Sawmilling Journal has the latest information on what’s new in harvesting, processing and felling heads in this issue’s Tech Update.

Supplier newsline

The last word

Or CLICK to download a pdf of this article

Supplier Newsline

By Tony Kryzanowski

Terex enters wood chipper business

Terex Corporation has entered the wood chipper business through the acquisition of Woodsman LLC, a Michigan-based manufacturer of wood processing equipment.

The Woodsman product lines will be integrated into the Materials Processing segment of Terex. The business has a comprehensive line of hand-fed chippers as well as a portfolio of biomass chippers.

Terex will be using a number of well-developed distribution channels to make sure that the particular needs of customers for both hand-fed and biomass chippers are met effectively. The business will be showing its Terex Woodsman 440 biomass chipper, which is equipped with a 50” diameter by 45” wide full pocket cutting drum, and the Terex Woodsman 730, a compact hand-fed machine for customers seeking a compact chipping solution, at various shows this fall.

“We are excited to be joining a company that shares our passion for delivering quality, productivity and value to our customers,” says Bob Engler, Woodsman founder. “In addition, we are pleased that our products are now poised to fully benefit from the business recovery with the solid backing of a global company.”

www.terex.com

Wood-Mizer offers small log processing line

Wood-Mizer Products Inc., manufacturer of both portable sawmills and industrial-grade stationary sawmills, now offers the Small Log Processing (SLP) line.

The SLP is a series of products that work together to improve industrial efficiency, and consists of the Twin Vertical Saw (TVS), Single Vertical Saw (SVS), a single or multi-head horizontal resaw, material handling for loading and transferring, and an EG300 MultiRip Edger.

The system can be set up in a conventional, in-line arrangement for maximum efficiency or it can be set up modularly for convenience.

The TVS features two tilted heads, which remove the slab from each side of the log. Then the SVS, which also features a tilted head design, splits or removes the third side from a two-sided cant as it comes off the TVS. From there, the horizontal resaw recovers as many boards as possible. Lastly, the EG300 MultiRip Edger standardizes up to three board sizes for maximum timber recovery.

www.WoodmizerIndustrial.com

Link-Belt launches X3 series excavators

LBX will introduce five new Link-Belt X3 series excavators over the course of 2011. The introductions began in March with the debut of the 250-, 300- and 350-class machines at ConExpo.

Mid-year, a 250 long-front and 470-class excavator will be made available. The X3 series full-sized conventional models have been completely redesigned with an all new ROPS certified cab and interior, new interim Tier 4A engine technology and up to 10 per cent better fuel efficiency, more lift capacity, faster cycle times and improved serviceability.

Renowned for fuel efficiency, dependability and quietness, Link-Belt says that the advanced, electronically-controlled Isuzu diesel engines in its new excavators have a reputation for providing more work per dollar of fuel than the competition. Isuzu engines deliver unparalleled performance and power to respond to peak demands of heavy digging and lifting applications, according to the company.

The new family of engines powering the X3 series is EPA certified to Interim Tier 4A standards.

www.lbxco.com

WSM introduces biomass super shredders

WSM Biomass Super Shredders combine the efficiency of a high-speed mill with the durability of a heavy-duty grinder.

Available with rotor widths from 60” to 88”, these machines deliver higher tip speed for smaller, consistent fibre sizing, increased screen area for more throughput and flexible/interchangeable tooling.

The largest WSM Biomass Super Shredder—the massive model 4888S—features a 48” by 88” long rotor, and operates with 400 to 800 hp to convert high volumes of pre-processed biomass materials. The Super Shredder has superior production rates of up to 100 tons per hour, eliminating the need for multiple machines.

WSM Biomass Super Shredders include AR interior wear liners, modular sizing screens, dual pivoting hydraulic housing, and reversible/replaceable hammer tips for reduced maintenance and operating costs.