2019 International Forest Industries Magazine December / January IFI Dec Jan 2019 Digital | Page 18

LUMBER PROCESSING NEWS
Setra reports 3Q operating profit of SEK 54 million ($6 million)
Wood products company Setra is
reporting an operating profit of
SEK 287 million ($31.9 million)
for the period January–September
2018. Net sales totalled SEK 3,325
million ($369.4 million). Operating
profit for the 3Q amounted to SEK
54 million ($6 million), with net
sales of SEK 966 million ($107.3
million).
“We’re reporting an operating
profit for the first three quarters
of SEK 287 million ($31.9 million),
which is an improvement of SEK
180 million ($20 million) on the
previous year. USA and Europe
have been extremely strong
markets.
The building trade in Sweden
has been subdued because of the
hot summer, although industrial
construction remains strong. We
have seen some uncertainty in
some markets during the third
quarter, with the Chinese market
in particular afflicted by a drop in
deliveries and falling prices. This
is seen as a temporary setback,
however, as consumption is
fundamentally strong. Deliveries
to Egypt have also fallen, primarily
due to a shortage of USD. However,
other markets have been able to
compensate,” explains Hannele
Arvonen, President and CEO at
Setra.
Cash flow from operating
activities for the period January–
September amounted to SEK
318 million ($35.3 million). The
Group’s financial position is strong.
The Group’s financial net debt
amounted to SEK -120 million
($13.3 million) at the end of the
period, which corresponds to a net
Hannele Arvonen,
President and CEO
at Setra
debt/equity ratio of -8%.
Setra is one of Sweden’s largest
wood products companies.
China: Wood processing consolidations
In China, a massive restructuring
effort to eliminate outdated and
polluting wood processing mills,
many of them being plymills had,
by the end of 2017, resulted in
around 3,000 plywood mills across
the country being closed.
A total of 621 fibreboard
production lines were dismantled
or shut down eliminating over 20
million cubic metres of production
capacity. However, within a year
fibreboard output had recovered.
In addition, more than 900
particleboard production lines were
either relocated or closed reducing
the installed production capacity
by around 17 million cubic metres.
Overall in 2017 there was a 15%
decline in the number of wood-
based panel enterprises.
These changes affected mainly
the smaller companies such that by
the end of 2017 production capacity
had consolidated in fewer but large
and medium-sized enterprises.
This restructuring has resulted
in an increase in cross-industry
mergers and acquisitions within
the industry.
By the end of 2017 there were
117 continuous flat pressure
fibreboard production lines throughout the country with an
annual production capacity of 19.4
million cubic metres accounting
for 41% of the national total
production capacity of fibreboard.
There were also 40 continuous flat
pressure particleboard production
lines in operation.
sawmilling, mobile sawmills
are usually powered by electric
motors, often in combination with
suitable generators that produce
the electricity on site. Alternatively,
some versions are equipped with a
combustion engine.
To ensure the sawmills are
as mobile as possible, they are
usually designed to be transported
by car, which means they are
restricted to the maximum towing
weight of 3.5 metric tons. Naturally,
that has implications for the power
and performance of the mobile
sawmill.
However, SERRA started to
wonder what the point is in having
a lightweight mobile saw that is
only ever towed by a heavy tractor
or truck. That question ultimately
led to the development of the new
XT 135 model. The new product
is based directly on the heavy
stationary XE models and features
an extremely robust build. The XT 135 is designed to offer
unlimited equipment options and
aims to impress with its sheer
performance data. For instance
it processes logs up to 135 cm in
diameter, has a large cutting length
thanks to a hydraulically foldable
extension, boasts a variable
saw head with plenty of space
above the saw blade, offers easy
access to the saw blade through
a hydraulic lid opening, and the
weather cover on the lockable
operator station even provides a
little bit of shelter.
When weight counts for nothing!
SERRA XT-135 mobile saw
The sawmill specialists at SERRA
based their new XT 135 mobile saw
on their stationary XE models to
create a whole new performance
class of mobile saws.
SERRA - one of Germany’s most
innovative companies, according
to the judges of the “Top 100”
competition - specializes in sawmill
technology and in particular in
horizontal band saws. However,
it is increasingly also becoming
the go-to company for high-
performance mobile sawmills.
These products help cut down
on product miles, as they are
taken to the raw material (wood)
rather than the other way around.
Predominantly used in contract
16 International Forest Industries | DECEMBER 2018 / JANUARY 2019
SERRA