An equipment manufacturer stated, “Sawmills have seen better prices on their lumber and 2022 looks to be very strong for both sawmills and equipment manufacturers.” Add in some headwinds – transportation problems, difficulty getting raw materials and labor shortages – and you have a pretty good picture of equipment and services suppliers to the Softwood lumber industry in the new year.
Paul Cleereman
Cleereman Industries and Cleereman Controls
Newald, WI
In 2021, we saw an increase in capital spending in both hardwood and Softwood sawmills. A lot of mills were replacing older equipment and controls that will help them maximize speed and yield recovery. Sawmills have seen better prices on their lumber and 2022 looks to be very strong for both sawmills and equipment manufacturers. One problem that both sawmills and equipment manufacturers are experiencing is a labor shortage. With the government handing out the stimulus checks and free money we have basically trained people not to work. We have also seen our steel prices triple on a lot of steel since 2020. Purchased items have also skyrocketed and lead times to get items keep getting longer and longer. It has been very challenging to get enough purchased parts to keep up with manufacturing of our equipment. The outlook for 2022 on purchase parts doesn’t look much better.
Cleereman Industries/Cleereman Controls introduced our new Cleereman Edger Line for the sawmill industry. We have installed a couple of our optimized Edgers, and customers are reporting increased production and yield. The newly designed Edger fits into existing Edger locations with minimal modifications to surrounding equipment. Our Edger was designed to help increase production and reduce operator fatigue and gain the mill maximum yield. At the time of writing this article we have sold 14 Edgers since Richmond Expo and customers seem to be very pleased with price and quality.
Cleereman Controls builds Carriage Controls, Edger Controls, both optimized and non-optimized, along with Debarker, Trimmer, Resaw, Slabber and material handling. Cleereman Industries has an in-house engineering department to serve our customers’ needs. We offer everything from single piece equipment to complete turn-key sawmill design.
Over the last several years we have seen our industry go more towards the one stop shop style of purchasing. Our in-house engineering department has allowed us to handle not only equipment but also electrical MCC/Starter design of cabinets and building/foundation layouts. We are able to assist our customers from start to finish on their sawmill projects.
Cleereman Industries/Cleereman Controls offer everything from single piece equipment to turn-key sawmills. We offer custom sawmill controls and on-site consultation and installation services. We stock all parts for all machines in-house for same day shipment or pick-up. Our in-house engineering department can handle all our customers’ needs from start to finish. Our product line includes Stave Mills, Lumber-Pro Thin Kerf Bandmills, Debarkers, Log Hauls, Metal Detectors, Log Decks, Log Turners, Track Frames, Rail, Husks, Drop-Belts, Rollcases, Transfers, Resaws, Edgers, Trimmers, Material Handling Lines, Carriage Drives, Operators Cabs and custom purpose built sawmill equipment.
Frances Cooper
Cooper Machine
Wadley, GA
2021 has been a good year for Cooper Machine. The new year began with a new pallet mill order, and machine sales have been over-average since, while parts sales and upgrades have been up as well. We anticipate that the demand for both new and used equipment will continue into 2022.
Like most companies, we are struggling with getting parts in a timely fashion and finding reliable trucking when needed. Currently we have a block cutter we ordered stuck in Chile that is having to be air freighted out. This is because the original booking was rolled four times before the shipping company cancelled it. No one is taking any new bookings until January 2022. Having parts delayed has slowed down production a little, but we still have good labor in place and are moving full steam ahead. There is pressure on pay for our labor and I do not see that letting up in the immediate future.
Our biggest sellers are the Scraggs that we are best known for. Customers get so much more life out of a Cooper Scragg than they would from many of our competitors’ machines. Orders for both our Tandem Sharp Chain Scraggs and Overhead Scraggs are up this year, and we are seeing the pallet industry taking off based on the orders we are receiving. Cooper Machine also currently has Yield Champ we are rebuilding and have a pole sorting system in production as well. Another Optimized Edger and Gang is on order, and we continue to have great reviews on our Optimized Edgers. Another slab recovery system and cant sorter is on order as well.
In 2022, we expect sorting/stacking will be attractive for our customers considering the current labor market. Not only do we offer a cant stacking system, but Cooper Machine is also rolling out a new lumber sorter as a more economical solution for our small-to mid-sized customers. Cooper Machine is also offering slab recovery systems that can include a VSA and Trimmer for pallet slabs. We also are offering Slab Edgers. We are also seeing more optimization happening with more of our customers who might not have optimized in the past. Due to labor issues, it makes economic sense now.
For 2022, we expect the pallet industry to continue to be good. We have several new pallet mill sales going in 2022. More pole and Softwood mills are being put in and improved upon, as well. Based on what we are seeing, quite a few of our hardwood manufacturers have switched over to producing Pine.
The Cooper Machine company name continues to stand for quality and service, and as more customers are looking at ways to optimize their mills, cut down on labor, and get more out of every log, we expect business to continue to be bright.
For more information on our offerings view our website at www.coopermachine.com, contact Frances Cooper at 478-252-5885 or email us at info@coopermachine.com.
Stacy Mellott
Mellott Mfg. Co., Inc.
Mercersburg, PA
The trends for 2021 were long lead times, inadequate supplies and price increases. The rate of price increases has slowed and, as supply slowly catches up with demand, we expect to see prices plateauing in 2022 and holding steady with lead times slowly decreasing.
We expect replacement equipment by repeat customers and custom machinery to remain strong throughout 2022.
Most new equipment in 2022 will be purchased in order to increase yield and efficiency. For improved productivity, Mellott has added a log flare butt reducer to the mill infeed system equipment line. This machine can be installed as a stand-alone machine or can be supplied with infeed decks and log trough conveyors.
Mellott uses the latest “off the shelf” control components from Rockwell Automation and Delta Computer Systems. Machine troubleshooting and logic changes are provided remotely via the internet.
Since 1965, Mellott Manufacturing has been designing and manufacturing quality log and lumber handling equipment. Mellott has an onsite engineering and design team available to provide solutions for your next project and will consult and work with you to present the best options for your application. We offer material handling integration with new and existing systems. Mellott offers a full line of log and lumber handling equipment along with debarkers, log flare butt reducer, bandsaws, linebars, drop saw trimmers, tilt hoists, crane mat drilling and a full line of tie handling equipment (sorting, stacking, dapping, end plating).
Dan Mathews
A.I.A. President
SII Dry Kilns
Lexington, NC
In 2021, we have seen hardwood mills purchasing equipment for drying Yellow Pine and/or utilizing hardwood kilns for drying Pine. We have also seen several Softwood manufacturers expanding production of existing facilities and the replacement of older batch kilns with modern energy-efficient kilns. As the cost of energy rises in the future, many companies will find that running older equipment with poor energy efficiency will become too costly to operate. That is not to say that older and “paid for” kilns cannot generate a profit; however, the use of more efficient equipment can certainly add to the bottom line.
In 2022, we expect to see much of the same; however, with so many material delays in the supply chain, labor shortages, and overseas shipping issues, it would be surprising to see capital equipment purchases continue at the same rate as 2021. Many equipment suppliers are already quoting deliveries into 2023. We aren’t there yet, but it is getting close.
We have been fortunate to have gotten through most of 2021 without major material or labor shortages, however electronic components are beginning to impact our ability to complete some orders.
While many Softwood companies have seen the improvements in quality in lumber being produced in continuous kilns or DPK’s, there are some obvious takeaways. The reduction in variation or deviation in moisture content of the load is an obvious improvement, but the addition of moisture to the exterior skin of the boards in the “extensions” is the other. This added moisture is something that has been done in hardwood kilns forever (called “conditioning,” which improves grade and reduces stress which creates better machinability). SII offers a cool water high-pressure spray system, EMC Mistifyer, for batch kilns that do not have steam available but would like to improve grade of kiln-dried lumber. These systems can be installed in new or existing kilns.
For producers who are frustrated with high fuel costs, we offer our SII-HX heat exchanger for new or retrofit projects. These units can save up to 70 percent of the latent heat that is exhausted while venting all the moist air out of the kiln. These units are designed specifically for “batch” Softwood and hardwood kilns and are compatible with other kiln manufacturers’ control systems.
The design of our control systems is based on the idea that our customers know what is best for their operation rather than assuming that we know your lumber better than you do. We utilize Allen Bradley PLC’s with Factory Talk and Siemens PLC’s with Wonderware software to create our “KILN DRY” software. From manual to semi-automatic to fully automatic control options, we provide them all.
For over 50 years, we have put our experience to work for you – our customers –while building long-term relationships. SII is a full-service dry-kiln manufacturer offering custom designed Dual Path Continuous (DPK) kilns, “batch” track kilns, package kilns, large capacity center-fan wall-package kilns and pallet/firewood heat treaters.
We also offer thermal modification units, a heat treatment versus chemical treatment for outdoor lumber use, from WDE Maspell, the world’s most respected name in vacuum drying. As thermally modified wood becomes more popular, the opportunities for many of our customers to produce product for a fraction of the cost that custom treaters charge becomes a considerable improvement to profits.
Peter McCarty
TS Manufacturing
Lindsay, ON
2021 was a very successful year for us despite all the supply chain challenges we have faced and continue to face. Getting components, steel prices, trucking availability and pricing and getting good workers will continue to be a challenge in 2022.
We were lucky to have a very minimal impact from COVID in 2021. Getting startup personnel to mill site for commissioning proved to be a challenge. Developing and following COVID 19 protocols in the workplace has used some resources and time but is necessary to keep all our employees safe.
Companies with sawmills and planner mills are our main customer base. Sorter and stacker lines were our biggest sellers. We sold pieces of equipment that can reduce labor in the mill and allow mills to run more efficiently with the limited number of workers that most mills can get these days.
Our AccuTally software system came online strong in 2021. It was developed in 2019/2020 but really took off in 2021 after customers were able to talk to other customers that had now used it for a year and have the confidence to move forward with it. We now have almost 50 units sold.
We have concrete poured for a 10,000-square-foot building expansion and are just waiting for the steel building to arrive. We will expand our machine shop in one section, add more office space in another section and use the rest for assembly and shipping staging.
As for transportation, getting trucks in a timely manner to service our customers was a problem. There seem to be fewer and fewer truckers every few months.
Eric Degenfelder
CEO U-C Coatings
with headquarters in Buffalo, NY
and branches in Seattle, WA,
Portland, OR and Kenosha, WI
In 2021 raw material supply has been difficult with several shortages, but we have done well to keep our customers continually supplied. Raw material costs have escalated, and finding production staff was challenging. Transportation has been difficult, especially for our imported raw materials and exported products. The carriers we partner with in North America have done a good job with deliveries despite the state of the overall industry.
In 2022 we will introduce new paints and stains from our Eco Chemical® division for the prefinished siding and fencing markets. We are also introducing new grades of Gempaint for panel manufacturers, such as ULTRA for concrete form board edge sealing. We will continue our market launch of Fence Guard®, an innovative water-based alkyd stain concentrate designed for new and old fences.
U-C Coatings is a leading manufacturer and supplier of premium wood protection products. We offer the Contechem® product line featuring Britewood for mold and sapstain control in Softwood and hardwood applications. Our Eco Chemical® division provides water-based wood stains and other coatings for the rapidly expanding pre-stained pressure treated lumber market as well as the pre-stained fencing and decking market. We are well-known for Anchorseal® end sealers, Gempaint® and Gempaint Plus for lumber and plywood branding. Seal-Once® is a line of eco-friendly, long lasting, water-based sealers for wood and concrete that provides excellent water repellant performance.
Chris Blomquist
Senior Vice President
USNR, Woodland, WA
We’ve seen more and more hardwood companies add optimization to their mills and reman operations especially as automated grading for hardwoods becomes a reality. We anticipate these trends will continue to grow as this advanced technology is installed in the hardwood market.
So far, we have been able to get parts delivered and labor resources made available as needed.
USNR and Wood Fiber Group recently merged, and the combined company is the largest supplier of cutting tools to the wood products industry. The Global brand supplies knives, cutter heads, and support accessories to millwork producers around the world.
USNR’s robust offerings in planer mill auto-grading bring advanced vision grading to hardwood mills for lumber production and flooring applications. The Lineal and Transverse High Grader (LHG / THG) systems enable mills to increase value with smarter cutting decisions allowing the recovery of more high-grade lumber. Mills processing a combination of hardwood and Pine benefit from system evaluation for structural grading and MSR.
USNR’s AddVantage system provides visual grading, shop logic, and four-sided color vision scanning for flooring, doors and windows, and value-added secondary reman industries.
Full hardwood grading capability is made possible by USNR’s Deep Learning AI defecting platform. It is the foundation of highly precise defect detection and highly accurate grading. Deep Learning increases the speed and accuracy of defect detection and enables the accurate identification of defects unique to a species, region, or grade, that would otherwise be difficult and time-consuming to identify using conventional methods. The system is proven on red oak, white oak, poplar, cypress, aspen, birch, maple, hickory, and eucalyptus. It delivers more value and recovery through advanced optimization, and significantly reduces the time required for start-up and commissioning of auto-grading systems. Deep Learning is applied to BioVision for sawmill grading at the edger and trimmer, and to the LHG/THG grading systems in the planer mill. The system is already delivering results in over 170 mills around the world.
USNR’s AddVantage system with Deep Learning A.I. is capable of recognizing defects within defects, significantly boosting solution accuracy. It currently detects over 15+ types of visual and geometric defects and growing. AddVantage can be configured to run multiple species with the click of a button. Deep Learning dramatically reduces the false positives in defect detection. The system is able to scan tongue and groove and can sort based on the coloration of wood.
USNR provides primary breakdown machinery, horizontal and vertical gangs, resaws, as well as advanced edger and trimmer automation with full species grading optimization for NHLA grade rules that are fully customizable to customer specifications.
USNR also offers the SuperSaver line that is well suited for lower end grade sawing applications. The SuperSaver concept for log and cant breakdown applies a merry-go-round layout directing material from one process back through the same cutting tools to perform the next process. The equipment performs multiple-duty processing for increased flexibility and takes advantage of available space and capital investment all with one operator.
Regarding USNR’s hardwood package kilns and the popular Kiln Boss control system for lumber drying, Kiln Boss systems provide the capabilities and functions of a much larger and more complex control system, but at a fraction of the cost. The typical mill can expect payback in less than one year.
USNR has the industry’s largest service staff positioned around the world for fast and efficient service. The team’s high-speed internet connections enable them to provide system support while your mill is running. USNR is committed to supporting mill equipment and personnel with technicians available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Our customer service team is cross-trained to support all regions and product lines, and we pride ourselves on setting industry standards for excellence in quality and customer satisfaction.
Steve Dagenhart
Air Systems Mfg. of Lenoir, Inc.,
Lenoir, NC
In 2021, upgrading equipment and services in mills have been strong. Lead times and deliveries on equipment have been slow and hard to manage.
In 2022, hopefully timing will improve, and business will stay steady. Parts can be obtained but lead times are long. Transportation has not been an issue. Additional labor is difficult to hire.
Being a dust collection provider, we see mills going to higher production equipment which many times involves new and/or revised dust system equipment and piping. Meeting combustible dust safety regulations will be an important part of the upgrades in many of our customers’ mills.
The latest technology includes: electrical control panels with screens and controls that direct the user to more easily identify dust system problems, energy efficient blowers and variable frequency drives to help control utility costs, and spark detection/suppression systems to protect workers and facilities.
We provide: turn-key dust collection/filtration systems with energy efficient control systems and protective spark detection and suppression systems
