2019 International Forest Industries Magazine December / January IFI Dec Jan 2019 Digital | Page 14

LUMBER PROCESSING NEWS
Robust exhibit sales for 2019 Forest Products Expo
Nearly 100 companies have
contracted fully 80% of the
available exhibit space for the
35th Forest Products Machinery &
Equipment Exposition – Expo 2019
– to be held June 26-28, 2019 at
Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress
Center.
“Participation in Expo is
reaching an early sell-out; most
of the larger exhibit spaces
are already occupied. Many of
the exhibiting companies are
determining the equipment they’ll
bring for display in Atlanta. And
some have expanded their exhibit
space based on strong, pre-show
orders,” commented Eric Gee,
SFPA’s exposition director. “Expo
2019 is the best place to be for
companies wanting to showcase
the latest equipment, products and
services for the wood industry,” he
added.
Sponsored and conducted
by the Southern Forest Products
Association (SFPA) every two
years since 1950, this event has
traditionally included many of the
biggest names in the business
displaying everything from
sawmill machinery to materials
handling equipment, attracting
key representatives from the
nation’s largest wood products
manufacturers. Expo 2017 featured
183 exhibitors, with a total
attendance of just over 2,000.
An online sales kit and
exhibit space application is now
available at www.sfpaexpo.com.
“We have also rolled out new
event management software
that streamlines the exhibit
space selection and confirmation
process,” Eric noted.
Eric Gee, SFPA’s
exposition director
CatchMark Timber Trust reports negligible
impacts from recent hurricanes
CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc.
provided an assessment of impacts
on operations following Hurricane
Michael, which affected regions
across Georgia and South Carolina
in the U.S. South Timber Basket. Of
the company’s more than 340,000
acres located in the two states,
only 500 acres suffered blowdown
damage from heavy winds.
Todd Reitz, CatchMark’s
Senior Vice President for Forest
Resources, said: “We were
extremely fortunate in experiencing
negligible damage from recent
storms in the region. The timber
in our affected acreage will be
salvaged immediately, and those
operations have begun and will
be completed during the fourth
quarter. Our thoughts and concerns
are extended to everyone who has
suffered at the hands of Hurricanes
Michael and Florence as well as to
all first responders and volunteers
who are assisting in the ongoing
recovery throughout the area.”
The Georgia Department
of Agriculture has reported
that timber damage, related to
Hurricane Michael, in the state
totaled an estimated $1 billion
from the destruction of about one
million acres.
Holtec supplies log yard to
Piveteau Bois in France
Holtec supplied log yard to
Piveteau Bois in Saint Florence. The
log yard is designed for processing
500,000 cubic metres logs per year.
Short logs and long logs are
loaded, butt-reduced, debarked,
measured, cut and sorted in
parallel. The start-up is closed to
finishing.
Piveteau Bois is one of the three
largest saw mills in France with a
cutting capacity of about 800,000
solid cubic metres and a pellets
production of about 200,000 tons
per year at three sites.
Hyne grows production capacity
Hyne Timber has just announced
a significant expansion to its
Glue Laminated Timber (GLT)
manufacturing capability in
Maryborough, Queensland.
Already a significant
manufacturer of GLT in addition
to softwood timber products,
this expansion investment with
the support of a Queensland
Government Jobs and Regional
Growth Fund will launch
the company into a globally
competitive product offer.
The new state-of-the-
art manufacturing plant will
accompany the existing plant in
Maryborough’s Industrial Estate
which is now in its 40th year of
production.
This announcement comes as
engineered timber manufactured
from plantation softwood is
increasingly preferred for larger
scale commercial and residential
construction projects due to
12 International Forest Industries | DECEMBER 2018 / JANUARY 2019
its superior sustainability and
environmental credentials.
Hyne Timber CEO, Jon
Kleinschmidt said investment to
increase manufacturing capability
has never been more timely.
“GLT is the talk of the design
and construction industry, but
a lack of competitive Australian
supply options has prevented many
projects from using it. “Increased
capability here in Australia will be a
game changer for the construction
sector and a very positive area
of growth for Maryborough.” Mr
Kleinschmidt said. Construction
of the new plant is expected to
commence within a matter of
weeks.