Northwest Panel Industry Comes Together 

The 2024 version of the Timber Processing & Energy Expo (TP&EE), held September 25-27 at the Portland Expo Center in Portland, Ore., while as usual heavier to lumber manufacturing, once again drew significant players from the veneer, plywood and engineered wood products industries.

Nearly 1,200 attendees (non-exhibitors) registered for the event, which featured 180 exhibitors on 45,000 sq. ft. of booth space. The biennial event was the sixth TP&EE produced by Hatton-Brown Expositions, an affiliate of Panel World magazine, which served as a media host along with Timber Processing and Wood Bioenergy magazines.

The event included a mini-conference on “Panel Manufacturing Today.”

“Making Wood Matter: Automation Advancements Driving the Mill of the Future” was presented by Connor Eaton, account manager at Raute. Eaton reviewed the company’s versatile R-Series technologies integrated into Raute’s compact layup line and panel repairing stations, with customized options.

How do EWP producers gain an edge? “The answer is clear: embrace automation, AI, and deep data analytics to increase speed, efficiency, output and unit cost,” Eaton said, adding that AI solves two key pressure points for mills—data and manpower.

Eaton said the mill of the future is happening today, and pointed to Raute’s $93 million (Euro) contract for the technology delivery to a new LVL mill for Metsä Wood in Aänekoski, Finland.

George Harmati, Technical Sales Manager, Westmill, spoke on “Advancements in Dryer Technology,” and noted that recent projects for Westmill included the installation last summer of the world’s longest jet dryer at Roseburg in Coquille, Ore., and two new jet dryers for Hood Industries in Beaumont, Miss. with “dual heat” technology; and a new 400 ft. long, 10-deck fiberboard dryer for Huebert Fiberboard in Missouri.

Harmati reviewed the evolution of dryer technology, and pointed to more recent Westmill innovations in dryer design and material handling, including Westmill’s WestVac capture technology, now standard on new Westmill dryers; humidity control enhancements; and Westmill’s electrically actuated tipple.

The next TP&EE is scheduled for September 23-25, 2026 at the Portland Expo Center.

Latest News

Jim Herold Retires From Rainier Veneer

Rainier Veneer, Inc., Spanaway, Wash., announced that Plant Manager Jim Herold retired the first of June after 25 years as manager. Previously Herold worked at Roseburg Forest Products where he was plant manager of the Dillard plywood mill. He began his career at RFP after graduating from Oregon State University in 1974…

West Fraser Announces Senior Leadership Transition Plan

Hank Ketcham, Chairman of West Fraser’s Board of Directors, announced that Ray Ferris, current West Fraser President and Chief Executive Officer, plans to retire on December 31, 2023. Ferris has been with West Fraser for over 26 years in increasingly senior positions culminating in his appointment as President and Chief Operating Officer in 2018 and as a director of the Company in 2019…

. . . And Back In The U.S.

Article by Rich Donnell, Editor-In-Chief, Panel World July 2023 – As has often been the case in my previous trips there, perhaps the leading topic of conversation at the Ligna show in Hannover, Germany in mid-May was the status of multiple new projects back in the United States, such as Roseburg’s new MDF plant in…

Dale Brown Becomes USNR CEO

Wood Technologies International announced that President Dale Brown has been appointed CEO of the company, succeeding Craig Tompkins who now serves as a Strategic Advisor to the Board of Directors of Wood Technologies. “We are proud to have Dale step into this role after eight years of leadership at…

Bruks Siwertell Acquires West Salem Machinery

Bruks Siwertell Group has signed an acquisition contract for North American heavy machinery specialist, West Salem Machinery (WSM), effective July 1, 2023. The Oregon-based engineering and manufacturing company will continue to operate under its current name as a separate internal division within Bruks Siwertell…

Foundation Wants Ill-Fated Huber Project Reviewed

The Blandin Foundation, based in Grand Rapids, Minnesota and aims to help rural communities in the region, has called on Gov. Tim Walz to commission an “after-action review” of the failed Huber mill project in Cohasset, according to local media…

Find Us On Social

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!