July 2020
Cover: Tolko Meadow Lake Knows What Works
MEADOW LAKE, Saskatchewan – Tolko Industries’ Meadow Lake division, a three-hour drive north of Saskatoon, Canada, is remote. Vast aspen forests and grain fields dominate the landscape. The OSB mill here opened in 2003, built by Tolko in partnership with the government of Saskatchewan and First Nations and Metis communities. Tolko became sole owner in 2012.
Article by Martin Koepenick, freelancer for Kadant Carmanah
Inside This Issue
Taking Stock: Not Exactly Steinbeck But We’ll Take It
We’ve all been confined to our small corners of the world for the past three months, but my wife and I ventured forth and made the drive from Montgomery, Alabama to Denver, Colorado at the end of May to visit my daughter and son-in-law and our 11-month-old granddaughter. We hadn’t seen them since Christmas and our duty was to load our giant Suburban with a bunch of their stuff that they didn’t want to take with them to Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, where they were bound in early June so my daughter could complete a year-long dermatopathology fellowship. Read more
Article by Rich Donnell, Editor-in-Chief, Panel World
UPDATE
- Simpson Stepped Up When Louisiana-Pacific Corp. Was Down
- Idaho Veneer Closes Doors
- SmartLam Teams With RedBuilt
- Forest Service May Extend Contracts
- Arauco Closes MDF Facility
- NW Deal Opens Door For Talks
- Hardwood Lumbermen Feel The Pain
Easing Your Way Through Startup: A Roadmap For Maintenance
Starting production on a new or largely upgraded facility is guaranteed to be stressful. This is a period in which many players are involved in multiple disciplines and activities, with a wide array of goals and visions. This article discusses the challenges that maintenance departments commonly face in new and upgraded wood processing facilities, and provides a guideline to help your maintenance team be less reactive to changes taking place and more prepared for every milestone of the project and the team’s increased involvement in the startup of the plant.
Article by Adrian Pirraglia, Project Manager, Evergreen Engineering
PELICE Speakers Addressed Processing, Handling, Engineering, Air Emissions
This is part two of a three part series on the coverage of the Panel & Engineered Lumber International Conference & Expo (PELICE) held March 12-13 at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center in Atlanta. Part one, which appeared in the May 2020 issue, focused on presentations from speakers representing mostly wood products producers. Part two here reviews the presentations of speakers in log processing, material handling, construction and engineering, air emissions technology and process improvement. The biennial event, held as the COVID-19 pandemic had just surfaced, featured 34 speakers, 80 equipment exhibitors, and a total attendance of 287. The next PELICE will be held at the Omni Hotel in Atlanta on March 31-April 1, 2022.
Article by Dan Shell and Rich Donnell
Global Tech
The following companies submitted editorial profiles and images with regard to their planned exhibits at IWF in Atlanta on August 25-28. Though IWF has been cancelled, the information and technologies submitted here remain significant:
- Biele
- Fagus GreCon
- IMAL-PAL
- USNR
- Wemhöner
Resins, Applications
The following companies submitted these editorial profiles and images to complement their advertisements, which can be found throughout the July 2020 issue:
- Dieffenbacher Dry Resin Application
- Hexion Promotes Sustainability
- Imal Expands On Gluing Expertise
- Roo Glue Bonds Together
- SparTek Enriches Pressing Cycles
Projects
Composer Upgrade Can Pay Off, Article Submitted by Raute
Supply Lines
- Büttner Gains Rice Straw Plant Order
- Con-Vey Launches Robotics Company
- Con-Vey Names Product Manager
- Westmill Reveals New Infeed Tipple
- SEAMLESS Research Project Begins
- APPbyYOU Teams With Dieffenbacher
- GreCon Names Director Of Sales
- Roo Glue Enhances Technical Team
- VR Business Club Adds Siempelkamp
- TSI Offers Dryer Replacement Plan
- Dieffenbacher Opens Bangkok Warehouse
Clippings
- APA Announces 2019 Safety Awards
- APA Names Director Of Quality Services
Find Us On Social
Tolko Meadow Lake Knows What Works
Article by Martin Koepenick, Freelancer for Kadant Carmanah
MEADOW LAKE, Saskatchewan – Tolko Industries’ Meadow Lake division, a three-hour drive north of Saskatoon, Canada, is remote. Vast aspen forests and grain fields dominate the landscape. The OSB mill here opened in 2003, built by Tolko in partnership with the government of Saskatchewan and First Nations and Metis communities. Tolko became sole owner in 2012.
Safety is Meadow Lake’s number one value, closely followed by an attitude of inclusion, which is evident to anyone visiting the plant. At the time of this writing they had run 379 days with no recordable incident and 1,538 days without a lost time incident.
According to Trevor Brander, plant manager at Meadow Lake, “I am always impressed by the professionalism and response time of everyone involved when it comes to safety. Ranging from a fire we had in 2018, where we had no injuries, to countless safety measures on a daily basis, our people are well trained to be proactive. That’s why our safety record is so strong.”
Tolko’s Thomas Klonda, left, and Kadant Carmanah’s Jeff Beaulieu check out the strander knives.
Control room operator Garry Opikokew shares in the diversity of the Meadow Lake facility.
Want More Content?
Panel World is delivered six times per year to North American and international professionals, who represent primary panel production operations. Subscriptions are FREE to qualified individuals.
Newsletter
The monthly Panel World Industry Newsletter reaches over 3,000 who represent primary panel production operations.
Subscribe/Renew
Panel World is delivered six times per year to North American and international professionals, who represent primary panel production operations. Subscriptions are FREE to qualified individuals.
Advertise
Complete the online form so we can direct you to the appropriate Sales Representative. Contact us today!