Schneider builds ultra-modern German sawmill
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Best wood Schneider announced that it will build a new sawmill at Messkirch in Germany . According to a press release by the company , Schneider intends to increase the automation significantly and is relying on a mix of German , Finnish and Swedish manufacturers for the machines .
Schneider plans to build a new production plant for about EUR80-million , which will increase the production of sawn timber to 200 000m 3 ( 85 000 MBF ) and of plank plywood to 100 000m 3 per year .
Schneider ordered the log yard mechanisation from Holtec . The concept does not provide an independent log yard . The logs are fed separately according to small and large diameters on two independent feeding conveyors . The line for small diameters is designed that small cutting sets are pre-sorted according to diameter ranges over several sorting decks and are transferred online to the sawline .
The line for large diameters operates online without pre-sorting . In the infeed area a butt end reducer will be placed . All lumber drying will be performed in four OTC model continuous kilns from Sweden ' s Valutec .
" We were looking for a kiln supplier who could provide highcapacity lumber kilns that required minimal maintenance , and Valutec was able to offer the best solution . They also have extensive experience of continuous kilns and excellent references here in Germany . It ’ s why we chose them ," says Andreas Schilling , MBA , project manager , Technical Systems Planning at best wood Schneider .
The sawmill in Messkirch is a greenfield project , and it will be one of Europe ' s most modern sawmills once completed . For example , forklifts will be replaced by gantries between the lumber feed and the trimmers .
The kilns are built in stainless steel and equipped with Valutec ' s latest Valmatics 4.0 control system . It is the only system on the market to use built-in simulator technology to optimise drying processes for all types of lumber kilns .
OTC kiln assembly will begin in the summer of 2021 , and commissioning is scheduled for the following winter . The sawn timber produced and dried at the location is used exclusively in the course of own further processing .
More LUS opportunities bodes well
Responding to the overall decline in availability of the
commercially most popular tropical species , particularly if certified , and the objective of improving returns to sustainable tropical forest operations , tropical wood marketing activities in Europe led by the STTC and the ATIBT Fair & Precious campaigns are focusing heavily on promoting lesser used species ( LUS ).
These activities combine testing of the technical properties of LUS with close monitoring of market developments to identify emerging niche applications for which these species are well adapted and to allow targeted communication campaigns .
This approach is well illustrated by a civil engineering application testing programme of a range of tropical certified LUS at a marina facility in the Netherlands , on-going now for 10 years which will soon come to fruition with publication of a full set results on the STTC website in the coming weeks ( http :// www . europeansttc . com /).
Funding for the testing programme is from FSC Netherlands and the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water , with financial contributions from Van Swaay Harlingen BV , GWW Houtimport BV and Precious Woods Europe BV who also provided part of the timber in 2009 . The assessment was undertaken by the Stichting Hout Research ( SHR , a testing and knowledge institute for o . a . timber ) at the Houtexpo duurzame waterbouw site ( Sustainable wood for waterways expo ) in Akkrum .
The latter was established in 2009 and forms part of a working marina , so the material is effectively tested in real life situations . Some of the timber has been evaluated in water contact , with a view to use in such applications as pile planking , with other types tested in different forms , such as decking and beams . A particular focus was to test the various hardwoods in applications where they are currently not generally used . Among the more than 20 species involved in the project , which also included some temperate varieties , are Muiracatiara , Sapupira , Angelim da Campina , Fava Amargoza , Acariquar , Gindya udu ( Tanimbuca ) and Manbarklak .
SHR undertook field evaluation of the timber in situ at the Houtexpo , comprising visual inspection and strength and resistance testing , followed by testing of samples at its laboratory . At the recent STTC webinar , it was highlighted that additional new opportunities for tropical LUS in the European market may arise from a forthcoming EU ban on creosote for wood treatment .
John Williams , a principal consultant at the structural engineering group , RSK , noted that it is highly likely that the EU will ban creosote in 2021 . He also mentioned that the UK alone uses 10 000cu . m of creosoted softwood each year . In response to the anticipated ban , end users are now looking at cast concrete , steel or plastics as alternatives . According to Mr Williams “ there may also be an opportunity for tropical hardwood , but it will need investment , determination and momentum ”.
www . timberiq . co . za // FEBRUARY / MARCH 2021 5