At the Core
Ligna Fair Lifts Industry Spirits Out of Doldrum
Almost immediately upon stepping off the plane at the Hannover airport prior to the Ligna show in May, I learned that Dieffenbacher had purchased Shanghai Wood Based Panel Machinery (SWPM) from the Kronospan group. SWPM’s broad product range includes multi-opening presses and more recently a 4 ft. wide continuous press. The transaction emphasizes Dieffenbacher’s continued commitment to China and should heighten logistic costs efficiencies. Dieffenbacher plans to concentrate its China services from SWPM’s Shanghai plant.
Five days later, while awaiting departure at the Hannover airport, I learned that a non-wood board mill project in the U.S., long thought lost to the ages, is percolating again and my be closer to actually happening than it ever has been. I should have more specifics in an upcoming issue.
Feature
Fuel Free Regenerative Catalytic Oxidizer by Tom Truppi
Rising natural gas fuel costs and a desire to create a smaller carbon footprint have led plant operators and air pollution control equipment suppliers to seek alterative technologies to reduce operating costs associated with emissions control. Although the Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) is generally considered the most energy efficient Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) control technology available, it could still be expensive to operate when handling large airflows with low VOC concentrations.
Recent Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have allowed for emission reduction as low as 90% for Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) on some applications (e.g. Wood Products MACT). This has opened the door for alternatives to the RTO which typically achieve much higher destruction and removal (DRE) efficiencies, in excess of 98%.
Management Keeps Eye on the Future by Jennifer McCary
Veneer sales are down slightly, but not dramatically, reports Klaus Krajewski, co-owner and President of Universal Veneer Corp. However, the continuing housing slump is taking a significant toll on the availability of raw material.
“Our biggest challenge right now is our raw material resource,” he states. “The lumber business is down to such an extent that people are not cutting logs, which decreases the logs that they would be able to sell to veneer mills.”
Timber Products Laminating Plant Pushes Certified Panel Products by Dan Shell
With recently expanded capabilities, Timber Products Co.’s Spectrum Div. functions as a valuable service point for Timber Products Co. customers who want CARB- and FSC-certified panels and components in mixed volumes.
“We knew that, as a panel producer, we’d have to get both certifications,” says Patrick Cowan, plant manager. “With CARB, the issue is simply if you want to produce and sell into California, you will meet these regulations. The company has also always been good stewards of the land, so it was almost inevitable that we’d pursue the FSC certification as well.”
Projects
Recent Mill Orders, Installations & Startups
Flakeboard has ordered its third EVOjet dry-resin blending system from Sunds MDF Technologies for the MDF production line in St. Stephen, New Brunswick. Installation is scheduled in the coming months. The EVOjet is designed for a capacity of 15t/h.
This will be the fifth EVOjet unit engineered and delivered by Sunds MDF Technologies. “The EVOjet offers our customers possibilities to substantially cut variable costs in MDF production through the reduction in resin consumption,” says Thomas Olofsson, Managing Director of Sunds.
Supply Lines
Equipment & Supplier News
Dieffenbacher group has concluded an agreement with Kronospan group to purchase Shanghai Wood Based Panel Machinery (SWPM). Dieffenbacher is strengthening its position in the Chinese market and is underlining its strategy to be present with sales, engineering and manufacturing organizations and to provide repair and spare parts after sales service close to its customer base.
SWPM has specialized in marketing and production of multi-opening lines for MDF and particleboard and in the production of short cycle lamination lines and presses for HPL and rubber belt. SWPM has also recently developed a 4 ft. wide continuous press. The Chinese domestic market, South Asia, Middle East and South America have been the core markets for SWPM.
Taking Stock
Certified Products Projected to Expand, Provide Opportunity by Dan Shell
The lead for this month’s cover article on Timber Products Co.’s Spectrum Div. laminating operation was tough to write: Do you go with the new pre-finishing line and CNC point-to-point drilling? The willingness to go the extra step in value-added? How about the new CARB- and FSC-certified products?
The two types of certification couldn’t be more different: CARB’s regulations are essentially a cost of doing business if you want to sell product into California, which has a state economy larger than most national economies. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, however, is a cost of choice in the marketplace, a way of certifying that a company is conducting business in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner. For more furniture and homebuilders and building products retailers, offering environmentally certified products is a way to respond to a growing market segment that desires and in some cases demands such products.
Update
Breaking News
Hubei Baoyuan Group of China is building an OSB plant near Jingmen, Hubei Province with a 220,000 m3 per year production capacity. Startup is scheduled for third quarter 2010.
The company has contracted with Dieffenbacher for the turnkey supply, including an 8 ft. wide by 30 m long CPS continuous press.
The Dieffenbacher supply also includes a drum dryer supplied by Schenkmann-Piel Engineering and a Dieffenbacher three head forming system. Front end and back end systems, including automation and controls will be supplied by various Dieffenbacher companies.