Forestry

Ponsse is expanding its dealer network in the United States. On 1 July 2024, Ponsse signed a dealer agreement with the company Bailey’s, based in Woodland, California. The new dealer will focus on the sales, servicing and training of PONSSE forest machines in the states of California and Nevada.

The company was founded in 1975 by Bill and Judith Bailey in Laytonville, California. Bailey’s is still a family company, now owned by the second generation – Bill’s sons, Nik and Sam Bailey.

Bailey’s has been in the forestry industry since the beginning. They started by selling chainsaws and accessories, tree care products, work clothing and other forestry equipment. Over time, they have grown into a premier supplier of forestry products in the region and are also known for their marketing catalogue, which is published annually. In 2014, they expanded their product line to include sales and servicing of larger industrial forestry equipment.

“We are thrilled to partner with Ponsse and bring their exceptional forest machines to our customers in California. Ponsse’s equipment is synonymous with quality and innovation, and this partnership allows us to offer our clients the best solutions for their forestry operations. Our team is excited to provide the sales, support and service that Ponsse customers have come to expect.

This new partnership aligns with Bailey’s mission to support the forestry community by offering cutting-edge tools and equipment that enhance productivity, safety and sustainability in the field. Customers in California can now access Ponsse’s complete range of products, backed by Bailey’s industry expertise and dedication to customer service. To celebrate this new partnership, Bailey’s will be hosting a series of launch events across California at which customers can learn more about Ponsse’s machinery, meet with experts, and see demonstrations of the equipment in action,” says Nik Bailey, CEO, Bailey’s.

“The partnership with Bailey’s is an exciting opportunity for Ponsse to expand into a new market area. Logging in California has mainly been done using traditional methods, but there are signs that cut-to-length logging is the future over there as well. There are a few Ponsse machines in the region already, and we hope to increase that number. It will be a long-term process, but we believe Bailey’s is the right partner for us in the region. They are well-connected in the local forestry industry, and as a family company, it is a great cultural match with Ponsse,” says Samuel Vidgren, Ponsse Plc, Area Manager, USA Dealers.

Most of the logging in the region is steep-slope logging in the mountains. The estimated standing timber volume in California is 1.4 billion cubic metres. The forest cover is mostly softwood – mainly pine in the mountainous areas.

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RFS trucks – The Minns Labor Government is preparing for the upcoming bushfire season with the rollout of new firefighting tankers and cutting-edge satellite technology to keep crews connected and safer during emergencies.

In a significant upgrade, RFS vehicles will now be equipped with Vehicle as a Node (VaaN) technology to ensure RFS personnel can communicate during a disaster in the most remote locations or if communication systems go down. The Starlink satellite technology will enable the use of radios, mobile phones, and other handheld devices anywhere and at any time— even in remote areas or if communication infrastructure has been damaged during a disaster.

The upgrade will provide an important backup to communication systems and location-finding technology already in use. It will also give crews the capability to live stream video of fires from anywhere in the state, providing command centres with the latest intelligence about an incident. More than 5,000 RFS operational vehicles will be equipped with the new technology over three years under the $69 million VaaN project.

The RFS is partnering with the NSW Telco Authority to deliver the communications upgrade, with installations beginning this year.

The satellite upgrade comes after the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) delivered 143 new and 69 refurbished firefighting tankers to brigades across the state over the past year. Most new trucks have been deployed to regional areas across the state, benefiting communities from Balranald to Eurobodalla and Armidale to Gilgandra, with the state’s south receiving the largest uplift following the devastating 2019/20 Black Summer fires. Category 1 tankers, which are the most used on the fire front, make up the highest number of trucks dispatched across the state.

The refurbishment of 69 existing trucks will also make them safer for crews, with a halo sprinkler system for the cabin, custom-fitted heat curtains, electric hose reels, and portable Public Safety Network and fireground radio chargers. To meet strict RFS firefighting requirements, the new trucks are being assembled locally at facilities in Kirrawee, Minto, Tomago, and South Windsor.

This follows the NSW Government’s commitment to a new contract for the aerial RFS fleet, which provides certainty and a shift to a predominantly NSW-based crew over the coming decade. The Bush Fire Danger Period for northern parts of the state commenced on 1 August, and the statutory period for the entire state begins on 1 October.

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BATTLE CREEK, MICH — Opticom Tech, a leader in industrial video monitoring solutions, announced today a groundbreaking advancement in industrial camera technology. Opticom’s cameras now offer the unprecedented ability to deliver 10 simultaneous video streams from a single camera, setting a new industry standard.

Opticom Tech cameras can now pull 10 video streams from a single unit—a significant leap from the industry standard of three streams. This capability is a game-changer for industrial facilities, allowing multiple stakeholders—such as operators, managers, supervisors, and security personnel—to access real-time footage simultaneously without having to access the software. Each team member can monitor critical areas without any delay or interruption.

“We are incredibly proud to introduce this innovative feature that our customers have been asking for,” said Heidi Schmidt, Global Sales Manager at Opticom Tech. “Our new 10-stream capability not only enhances security and operational efficiency but also demonstrates our dedication to hearing feedback from customers and developing products based on their needs. This advancement will undoubtedly set a new benchmark in the industry.”

Opticom’s cameras are designed to meet the rigorous demands of industrial environments, providing reliable and high-quality surveillance. This new feature will be available across all Opticom camera models, ensuring that every customer can benefit from enhanced functionality and improved operational oversight.

For more information about Opticom’s new 10-stream capability and other advanced video monitoring solutions, click here.

About Opticom Tech

Founded in 1973, Opticom Tech provides integrated video monitoring solutions for industrial applications, including sawmills, mines, food processing facilities, and more. Built to withstand harsh environments, Opticom’s rugged cameras and equipment stand the test of time. For more information click here.

Main image: Opticom CC04 and MIB-5151SV4 cameras

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The construction of Metsä Group’s Kerto LVL mill in Äänekoski, Finland, has reached a significant milestone as the building has now attained its rooftop height. To mark this achievement, a traditional topping-out ceremony was held on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. The event was attended by key figures including Metsä Wood’s Executive Vice President Jaakko Anttila, Project Director Eero Lampola, and SRV’s Chief Executive Officer Saku Sipola, who all expressed their congratulations and appreciation for the project’s progress.

The construction work, which is progressing according to plan, is expected to be completed by autumn 2025, with production slated to begin in the second half of 2026. “The construction of the Kerto LVL mill in Äänekoski has progressed safely and in a high-quality manner according to plan. A construction project of this magnitude requires excellence and seamless cooperation between different parties, and I would like to thank every partner involved in the project, which has made the project progress to this point,” stated Jaakko Anttila.

SRV’s CEO, Saku Sipola, also emphasized the success of the cooperative project management contract, which has facilitated the creation of mill premises that align with Metsä Group’s modern production processes. He noted, “Metsä Group is a pioneer in the industry’s transition to collaborative project formats for its construction investments. The lessons learned from this project will also be fully utilized in the development phase of Metsä Group’s new 20,000 square metre fibre products mill planned for the Rauma mill site.”

Project Details and Progress

The Kerto LVL mill, spanning an area of five hectares, is a large-scale construction project, with the building measuring 400 meters in length and 150 meters in width. As of now, the construction is approximately halfway completed, with ongoing work inside the building. The structure is divided into six sections, allowing the work to progress in stages. Land construction will continue almost until the project’s completion.

Currently, the construction site is operating at full capacity, with around 200 workers on-site. Over the course of the project, up to 1,000 workers will be involved, with about half of them hailing from Central Finland.

Once completed, the new mill will have an annual production capacity of approximately 160,000 cubic meters of Kerto LVL, significantly increasing Metsä Group’s Kerto LVL capacity by about 50 percent. Kerto LVL, made from wood veneers, is a high-value building material known for its strength and efficiency. Its versatility makes it ideal for various construction applications, including elements and modular construction, while also contributing to carbon storage throughout its lifecycle.

This milestone represents a major step forward in Metsä Group’s ongoing commitment to expanding its sustainable construction materials production, reinforcing the company’s position as a leader in the wood products industry.

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International technology group ANDRITZ has successfully commenced operations at a new pulp mill for Brazilian pulp producer Suzano in Ribas do Rio Pardo, Mato Grosso do Sul. Once fully operational, this facility will be the world’s largest single-line eucalyptus pulp mill, boasting an annual production capacity of 2.55 million tons.

Remarkably, the mill will operate without fossil fuels, utilizing 100% planted trees as raw material. It will be energy self-sufficient, generating surplus green power for local suppliers and the national grid.

“This new pulp mill will increase our production capacity while significantly reducing our environmental impact, supporting our financial and environmental goals. The cutting-edge technologies applied are in line with our commitment to sustainability and innovation. Trust and reliability are essential in a project like this, and we found both in our partnership with ANDRITZ,” stated Maurício Miranda, Director of Engineering at Suzano and responsible for the construction of the mill.

ANDRITZ provided a highly resource-efficient pulp mill featuring advanced technologies for fiber production and chemical recovery on an EPCC basis (Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Civil Works). The supply included a comprehensive wood processing plant with five chipping lines, the world’s largest single-line fiberline (capacity over 8,000 adt/d) with unique washing and bleaching technology based on DD-Washers, an innovative pulp drying system with two energy-efficient drying lines, an energy-efficient black liquor evaporation plant, a HERB recovery boiler to maximize steam production for power generation, a biomass power boiler utilizing ANDRITZ EcoFluid Bubbling Fluidized Bed (BFB) technology, and a complete white liquor plant with recausticizing plant and two lime kilns.

To further enhance the mill’s environmental performance, ANDRITZ is also providing gasification plants for fossil-free operation of the lime kilns and a SulfoLoop sulfuric acid plant to produce commercial-grade sulfuric acid from the mill’s concentrated odorous gases and elemental sulfur. This innovation will recycle sulfur from waste streams, making the mill completely self-sufficient in sulfuric acid.

“We are honored that Suzano has chosen us as their EPCC partner for the implementation of this flagship project, using our most advanced technologies for efficiency and circularity,” said ANDRITZ Executive Board Member Jarno Nymark.

Photo: Suzano’s new pulp mill in Ribas do Rio Pardo, supplied by ANDRITZ. © ANDRITZ

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Johanna Lindén will assume the role of CFO at the wood industry company Setra on 16 September. She has extensive experience in the wood industry and most recently held the position of CFO, Strategy and IT Manager at Södra Wood.

“I am very much looking forward to working with Johanna and warmly welcome her to Setra. With her drive and industry knowledge, she will be a strong addition to our executive management team and contribute to Setra’s development and the ongoing improvement work in the company,” says Setra’s CEO Marcus Westdahl.

Johanna Lindén has previously worked as Head of Business Development at Derome Husproduktion, Chief Financial Officer at Derome Timber, and held several managerial positions at Ringhals Nuclear Power Plant. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Bentley University.

“During my years in the sawmill industry, I have always seen Setra as a stable and solid company. The investment and development journey that Setra is now undergoing to improve its position in the industry is exciting and proactive, and it is something I really want to contribute to,” says Johanna Lindén.

At Setra, we believe in “Grönsamhet”. When a business is profitable for everyone, we call it Grönsamhet – Green profit. Setra is one of Sweden’s largest wood industry companies. We process raw material from responsibly managed forests into climate-friendly products such as glulam, planed products, components, CLT and sawn wood products. We also sell bioproducts such as bark, chips and sawdust to customers in the paper and pulp industry, and for energy production. Our customers are located all over the world. Find out more at setragroup.com

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Timo Savornin has been appointed as Ponsse Area Marketing and Communications Manager, Europe & North America and member of the Ponsse global dealer development team as of 5 August 2024. In his role Timo is responsible for the marketing activities in Europe & North America, managing marketing and customer and dealer communications as well as working for global dealer development.

Timo has 15 years of experience as Area Manager, North America and Sales & Marketing Director for several harvester head manufacturers, most recently at Nisula Forest. He has also worked as harvester and forwarder operator in Finland and France. Timo has a degree in Forestry Engineering and Forest machine operator.

Timo Savornin will be located in Finland, and he will report to Jussi Hentunen, Area VP of Asia and Sales Excellence Team Lead.

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Canfor Corporation has successfully completed the acquisition of a lumber manufacturing facility in Union County, Arkansas, from Arkansas Resolute El Dorado Inc.

This strategic move, initially announced on May 1, 2024, aims to enhance Canfor’s regional operations by integrating the newly acquired facility, now renamed the Iron Mountain sawmill, with its existing El Dorado Laminating Plant and nearby Urbana sawmill.

The acquisition is expected to foster operational synergies and provide vertical integration opportunities with Canfor’s two glulam plants. This expansion will also bolster the company’s capacity to serve customers and markets in the US South more effectively.

Lee Goodloe, President of Canfor Southern Pine, emphasized the strategic nature of this acquisition, highlighting its potential to expand the company’s manufacturing capabilities within Arkansas’ high-quality wood basket. Goodloe also expressed enthusiasm for the investment and expansion plans for the mill, which are poised to offer a more comprehensive product range to customers.

In welcoming the new Iron Mountain employees, Goodloe underscored Canfor’s commitment to local engagement and strengthening relationships with the El Dorado community, as well as with Iron Mountain’s partners, suppliers, and customers.

Canfor Corporation

Canfor Corporation, headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, is a global leader in manufacturing high-value, low-carbon forest products. The company’s diverse portfolio includes dimension and specialty lumber, engineered wood products, pulp and paper, wood pellets, and green energy. Canfor operates over 50 facilities across Canada, the United States, and Europe, and holds significant stakes in Vida AB and Canfor Pulp Products Inc.

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The Canadian and Ontario governments have announced a joint investment of more than $61 million to significantly expand tree-planting efforts across Ontario’s Crown forestland through 2026.

This initiative, unveiled by Marc G. Serré, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and Ontario’s Associate Minister of Natural Resources, Nolan Quinn, aims to enhance forest ecosystems, address climate change, and promote biodiversity.

The program, which forms part of Canada’s 2 Billion Trees initiative, will see both governments contribute equally to silvicultural activities, including site preparation and tree planting. These efforts will focus on areas with minimal or no tree cover, particularly regions impacted by forest fires. The initiative is expected to result in the planting of approximately 60 million trees, depending on the availability of suitable Crown forestland and the specific projects identified by Ontario’s forest managers.

This tree-planting drive is designed to complement existing reforestation activities following commercial harvesting and is part of a broader approach to nature-based climate solutions. Trees play a crucial role in capturing carbon, regulating urban temperatures, reducing wildfire risks, and enhancing public health by creating green spaces. By carefully selecting the right species and planting them in optimal locations, the program aims to create resilient forests that will benefit communities and ecosystems for generations to come.

In addition to environmental benefits, the initiative is expected to generate sustainable jobs and support Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy. The collaboration between federal and provincial governments underscores a shared commitment to achieving climate and biodiversity goals, ensuring that the long-term health of Canada’s forests is maintained.

Since 2021, the Government of Canada has engaged with various organizations to plant trees over a ten-year period, with the goal of planting two billion trees. This partnership with Ontario marks a significant step in fulfilling that commitment, with further agreements being finalized with other provinces and territories to expand tree-planting efforts nationwide​.

Quick facts

• Since 2021, the Government of Canada has been engaging directly with individual organizations across the country to plant trees over 10 years to help meet the Government of Canada’s commitment to planting two billion trees. Working closely with territories and provinces on shared planting plans is vital to support local communities and enable further tree planting as they manage 90 percent of Canada’s forested land. With this agreement, Canada and Ontario are leveraging their shared commitment to delivering social and environmental benefits for communities through tree planting.
• Work is well underway on finalizing additional agreements with provinces and territories to plant more trees across Canada.
• The 2 Billion Trees program collaborates with partners to understand their plans for preparing sites, how they are selecting species and how they plan to monitor after planting. Partners report every year, and the program conducts site visits and will be using remote sensing to monitor the progress and the health of the trees. By ensuring the initial job is done well, nature can then thrive, maintaining the long-term health of forested sites.

Image: Parliamentary Secretary Marc G. Serré announces a joint investment of more than $61 million to launch a new tree-planting program for Crown-owned forest lands in Ontario / Natural Resources Canada

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After a major fire damaged several pieces of equipment at Evergreen Forest in New Meadows, ID, USNR is building new machines to get the mill running at full capacity again.

The initiative will take place over the course of several phases, some of which have already been completed. Evergreen has already received new edger scanning and optimization systems and a pony carriage with controls.

Later this year, they’ll receive a new headrig carriage. They’re also slated to receive a new trimmer with MillExpert optimization and Bioluma 4900LV scanners.

Along with the new equipment, USNR is committed to helping Evergreen Forest bounce back with additional upgrades, training, and 24/7 support to tackle any issues that may arise.

USNR is proud to work with Evergreen on this undertaking to get production running even better than before.

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In the May Business Cycle Barometer of the Confederation of Finnish Industries EK, the business outlook for the sawmill industry and sales price expectations are in steep decline, and the order backlog compared to normal is well below zero, writes Tino Aalto, CEO of the Finnish Sawmill Industries Federation.

Companies in the sawmill industry have invested exceptionally much in their operations in recent years. Global demand for wood products will increase in the long term. The investments will enable sawmills to be technically competitive as the situation in export markets improves.

Unfortunately, the sawmill industry is currently going through exceptionally difficult times. According to many public estimates, this year will be bad and dark clouds are rapidly gathering on the horizon of next year’s export markets.

At the beginning of the year, it looked as if the market situation would improve and interest rate cuts would be made rapidly. It turned out differently.
In addition, the functioning of the market is challenged by many uncertainties, such as the prolonged crisis in the Red Sea, which disrupts logistics flows.

The Natural Resources Institute Finland also recently drew attention to the difficult situation. According to the report, the demand outlook for 2024 is subdued in the sawmill industry. The recovery in construction in both Europe and the United States is expected to begin only with a delay after the central banks’ key interest rate cuts.

In the May Business Cycle Barometer of the Confederation of Finnish Industries EK, the business outlook for the sawmill industry and sales price expectations are in steep decline, and the order backlog compared to normal is well below zero.

The production volume of sawn timber has been falling despite dozens of investments. In 2021, the sawn timber production volume was 11.9 million cubic metres, in 2022 11.2 million cubic metres and in 2023 10.4 million cubic metres.

Between January and April, the production volume has already decreased by seven per cent compared to the previous year.

At the same time as production volumes have fallen, the prices of raw materials, i.e. logs, and end products have taken on a life of their own. The price of logs has risen significantly more than the price of the end product, i.e. sawn timber, even though the use of logs has fallen by more than four million cubic metres since the record year 2021.

The index comparison of log and sawn timber prices, where 2010 is expressed by 100, shows that the index number for pine logs is 152 and for pine sawn timber the index number is 108. For spruce, the corresponding figures are 156 for logs and 123 for sawn timber.

The ratio between log and sawn timber prices has grown higher than in more than 15 years. In other words, from the point of view of the competitiveness of enterprises in the sawmill industry, the situation is extremely difficult.

The rise in the price of logs is due to something other than the market situation in the sawmill industry.

The chemical forest industry has a great need for wood.

The most significant change in the timber market in recent years has been the collapse in the amount of imported wood following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As recently as 2021, nearly 10 million cubic metres of wood were imported from Russia, mainly birch fibre and wood chips for the pulp industry.

The wood market has also been disrupted by the faster-than-expected phasing-out of peat and the resulting increased demand for wood in energy use. Significant amounts of logs are also directed to the pulp boiler instead of being processed into wood products with a long cycle time.

From the perspective of the future of the timber market, one interesting issue to monitor is the timber market study to be launched this year, which will be led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. In the study, it is important to review the functionality and competitiveness of the Finnish timber market.

In addition to an independent investigator, it is good that the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority is involved in the work, as it has strong expertise in investigating whether practices in the timber market, for example, are sound from the point of view of competition law.

The sawmill industry uses one-third of the timber but is responsible for two-thirds of the base income. Finnish forestry needs a vibrant sawmill industry to run.

Tino Aalto
CEO
Finnish Sawmill Industries Federation

This article was originally published in Maaseudun Future 17.6.2024

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