Abenaki Timber Corporation Promotes Parker Dukas and Kurtis Mahoney
Abenaki Timber, located in Epping, NH and Belington, WV, recently announced that Parker Dukas has been promoted to sales manager and that Kurtis Mahoney has been promoted to management.
Abenaki is a concentration yard that purchases 15 million board feet annually to ship globally. They offer Northern Red and White Oak, Yellow Birch, Hard and Soft Maple, Northern and Appalachian Cherry, White Ash, Yellow Poplar and American and European Beech.
Abenaki’s facility is equipped with a Newman high speed helical planer, on site hardwood lumber inspection services, container loading, custom sorting and packaging, warehousing and storage options as well as package tallies with bar coding capabilities.
Dukas has been with Abenaki for five years and spent three years as the sales coordinator and an export salesman for Europe and Asia before being promoted to sales manager. He also has experience as a lumber grader. While this is his first job in the forest products industry, he has a lifetime of experience in Maple syrup production in Northern Vermont.
Dukas went to Bellows Free Academy in St. Albans, VT, and the University of New Hampshire in Durham, NH, where he earned a degree in the studies of marketing and entrepreneurship. He also attended the National Hardwood Lumber Association ITSEF school.
In his spare time, Dukas enjoys golf, water skiing, running and Maple syrup. He is engaged to Mariah Ouellette.
Mahoney started in the forest products industry as soon as he graduated high school at Abenaki Timber in 2011 as a lumber handler and was recently promoted into management.
Mahoney graduated from Philip Barbour High School, in Philippi, WV, in 2011 and then went on to graduate from Davis and Elkins College, in Elkins, WV, in 2016, earning a master’s in business management and a master’s in marketing. He also graduated from the National Hardwood Lumber Association’s Inspector Training School’s 185th class.
Mahoney enjoys hunting, fishing, golfing and spending time with his son, Maverick.
Abenaki is a member of National Hardwood Lumber Association, Hardwood Manufacturers Association, Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Inc., Penn York Lumbermen’s Club, American Hardwood Export Council, Hardwood Federation, New England Lumbermen’s and Canadian Hardwood Bureau.
For more information, call Dukas at 603-702-5004, email parker@abenakitimber.com, call Mahoney at 304-823-1422 or visit www.abenakitimber.com.
Cardin Forest Products LLC Recently Installed a TS Manufacturing Optimized Trim Sort Stack Line
TS Manufacturing, located in Lindsay, ON, recently announced the successful start up of a new optimized trim sort stack line at Cardin Forest Products in South Pittsburgh, TN. The new line replaces their existing drop saw trimmer and manual green pull chain in their sawmill.
The new line is positioned after their existing unscrambler, which consists of a lug loader, an automatic drop out tipple for large cants, two station shark fin grading chain handing off to an A&E 3D Geometric hardwood trimmer optimizer, dropsaw trimmer with all electric servo positioning fence, 70 bin sorter feeding a new all electric servo stacker and an automatic dip tank system with bypass.
The project will also include a TS AccuTally tally software system for pack calculation and shift reporting. Since TS developed the AccuTally five years ago, they have sold over 50 systems.
For more than 50 years, TS Manufacturing has been offering a complete line of machinery, controls and software to fit their customers’ mills. For more information on their complete line of sawmill and planer mill offerings, contact them at sales@tsman.com or 705-324-3762, or visit www.tsman.com.
Delta Forestry Group Makes New Installation
Delta Forestry Group’s Halo Sawmill, located in Pitt Meadows, BC, recently installed a Raptor automated trim line and 80 bin sorter with an automated stacker. The trim line is modified to allow up to 6 inch thick pieces as well as shorts and timbers.
This installation will enable the Delta Forestry Group to increase their production and add value with improved trimming decisions. This capital investment will also help to improve productivity and ensure long term employment for the company’s 100 valued employees, according to a company spokesperson.
Delta Forestry Group is a vertically integrated company offering premium timber products. With four divisions: Delta Cedar Specialties, Delta Cedar Sawmill, Halo Sawmill and Delta Timber, Delta Forestry Group works across the entire timber lifecycle. Delta Cedar has been processing Cedar, Hemlock and Fir logs into rough cut specialty lumber and grades for over 60 years.
For more information, visit www.deltaforestrygroup.com.
TS Manufacturing Installs New Dry Hardwood Sorting and Stacking Line
TS Manufacturing, located in Lindsay, ON, announced that the Baillie Group recently started up a new Dry Hardwood Sorting and Stacking line at their Smyrna, NY, concentration yard. The line replaces a pull chain where packs were manually stacked.
The project consists of a 60 Bin Sorter with TS AccuTally sorter controls, an Automated Course Makeup System, Servo Electric Package Maker, Auto Strapping and an in line Vision Tally system. The system automates the entire process of making up finished packs with a minimal amount of labor.
The process begins after grading and trimming. The TS AccuTally software and controls take over from there, assigning boards to the proper bin. Auto Bin Haulout feature manages the discharge of lumber from the bins and the flow of lumber from the sorter to the stacker based on user assigned priorities. The lumber is singulated by a TS unscrambler and loaded on lugs via the Versa Cam Lug Loader. It is then scanned and based on that information is transferred to one of several trays where boards are dealt in order to maximize both the course width efficiency and the appearance of the finished pack. When a course is finished, it is released to the TS Electric Servo Package Maker with a Continuous Hoist to eliminate time lost waiting for a pack to discharge. When discharged from the stacker the pack is conveyed to an Auto Strapper with end bump and side squeeze functions and dunnage placement. Once strapped it conveys to a Vision Tally system.
Working with the customer during the design phase TS was able to position the line so most of the machinery could be installed while the old line was running, minimizing downtime for installation and commissioning.
TS Manufacturing offers a complete line of machinery, controls and software to fit their customers’ mill. For more information on their complete line of sawmill and planer mill offerings, contact TS at sales@tsman.com or 705-324-3762 or visit www.tsman.com.
Cleereman Industries Installs a Turn-Key Mill at Buchan Sawmill and Welcomes Fourth Generation
Cleereman Industries, located in Newald, WI, designed a new ground up hardwood grade mill for Buchan Sawmill, located in New Haven, IN.
After several site visits and meetings, the decision was made to go with a Cleereman 62-inch Lumber-Pro
thin kerf double cut moving band mill. The stationary carriage is a four headblock tilt LP-42 linear carriage. The carriage has Cleereman Linear controls with optimization. The Lumber-Pro feeds a Cleereman optimized edger. Once the lumber leaves the edger it goes through a Mellott trim and grading line that feeds Mellott drop saw trimmer. This was a turn-key mill that Cleereman Industries engineered.
Other items Cleereman provided included all the electrical cabinets with starters, and sub-steel for all equipment. Cleereman Industries also built the log decks, headrig roll case, transfer decks and operator’s platforms with staircases and railings. Cleereman Controls took care of all the controls and dispatch in the new mill.
Cleereman Industries also recently announced the newest member of their team, Trevor Cleereman. “As a family-run business, we take great pride in introducing Trevor, the fourth generation of Cleeremans to contribute to Cleereman Industries,” said Paul Cleereman, vice president of Cleereman Industries. Trevor’s lineage traces back to his great-grandfather, Francis Cleereman Sr., the visionary inventor of the Cleereman carriage. Now, Trevor joins his father, Paul, and his grandfather, Fran.
Trevor recently transitioned to a full-time role with the company. He was valedictorian of his high school class and graduating in the top 10 percent of his college class with a bachelor’s degree in engineering technology from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Trevor is based at the company’s Crandon, WI, location where he specializes in edger design along with many other Cleereman engineering projects.
Having immersed himself in Cleereman Industries shop environment from a young age, Trevor has long been a familiar presence at the company. Over the past eight years, he has worked part-time work during his high school and college years. He has been involved in multiple installations and startups of mill projects over the last several years for both Cleereman Industries and Cleereman Controls. This hands-on experience has allowed Trevor to gain experience and understanding of the industry and the company.
Trevor enjoys hunting or spending time with his girlfriend, Maddi, and their two-year-old son, Hudson. He also enjoys going to church and spending time with his grandfather Fran.
For more information, visit www.cleereman.com.
MiCROTEC Introduces Norvin Laudon As New Head Of Sales
Norvin Laudon is the new head of sales at MiCROTEC, in Corvallis, OR. Laudon’s team serves the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand markets, offering optimized wood scanning solutions. Laudon has 21 years of wood products industry experience, with beginnings in board scanning and moving into log scanning and optimization. Laudon has been with MiCROTEC for 16 years, where he was a key developer of the CT Log; using computed tomography technology to provide a complete reconstruction of a logs’ internal features and optimized cutting solutions.
With the new role, Laudon is excited to introduce the industry-changing fingerprint system, MiCROTEC Connect, integrated with CT technology for hardwood and softwood mills across North America. The system offers massive benefits for mill-wide value and recovery optimization.
MiCROTEC is the only company offering scanning and optimization solutions from log to final board, providing innovative scanning solutions focused on recovery and sustainability. MiCROTEC’s customer support is backed by a team of industry experts, including ex-graders, engineers and specialized technicians. The scanning solutions offered by MiCROTEC allows logs to be graded and sorted by quality and optimizes the cutting solution with the highest value in real time. The company’s board scanning technology is well- known in the industry in the Lucidyne and Goldeneye scanners, revolutionizing automated defect detection and grading.
MiCROTEC is a member of the Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association, Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Association, Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association, Southern Forest Products Association, National Hardwood Lumber Association, Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association and the Western Wood Products Association.
For more information on Laudon’s new role or MiCROTEC’s solutions, call 541-753-5111, email norvin.laudon@microtec.us or visit www.microtec.us.
Heartland Hardwoods Enhances Drying Capacity with Additional Nyle Kiln
Nyle Dry Kilns, headquartered in Brewer, ME, recently announced the successful installation of a new 40 thousand board foot dehumidification kiln at Heartland Hardwoods’ sawmill in Effingham, IL. According to a company representative, this advanced kiln system significantly enhances the mill’s White Oak and Walnut drying capacity, ensuring improved efficiency and superior product quality.
Working closely with Heartland Hardwoods’ engineering team, Nyle ensured seamless integration of the new kiln with the existing 35 thousand board foot kiln, which Nyle installed in 2017. The new kiln features a robust 600,000 BTUH gas preheat, eight 36-inch circulating fans, and an advanced control system for precise temperature and humidity management. This installation is part of Heartland Hardwoods’ ongoing commitment to upgrading its facilities to meet the increasing demand for high-quality hardwood products.
For more information on Nyle Dry Kilns’ wide range of products and services, call 800-777-6953 or visit www.nyle.com.
USNR Improves Kiln Efficiency At Toney Lumber
USNR, located in Woodland, WA, recently implemented several upgrades to the batch kiln at Toney Lumber in Louisburg, NC, that purchases 100 percent Southern Yellow Pine. This project included reskinning the kiln, replacing the doors and upgrading to more efficient materials. The all-aluminum door panels and skins with wrap-around style corners minimize leaks, improving drying times and providing better structural integrity to produce top-quality lumber products.
According to a company representative, USNR is proud to work with Toney Lumber in Louisburg on these essential maintenance and upgrade projects.
Visit www.usnr.com to learn more.
King City Forwarding USA Welcomes Vicky Quiñones Simms
King City Forwarding USA Inc, based in Chesapeake, VA, is a freight forwarding company that recently welcomed Vicky Quiñones Simms. Simms, with her office based in Collierville, TN, is the business development manager and helps to promote King City within the U.S. forest products market.
Simms started in the forest products industry as the membership development manager at the National Hardwood Lumber Association, where she recruited new members and provided marketing solutions for members through advertising and sponsorship opportunities.
Simms earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of California in Riverside, CA.
For more information, call 901-581-2349 or visit www.kingcitynorthamerica.com.
SFPA Receives $1.24M in RAPP Funding for International SYP Promotion
The Southern Forest Products Association (SFPA), located in Metairie, LA, has received approval for $1.24 million in funding over five years from the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service’s (FAS) Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP).
The USDA recently announced the funding for the $1.2 billion program launched in 2023 to support market development activities to expand exports, address trade barriers, and showcase American agricultural products in new and diverse markets.
“The RAPP program allows SFPA to complement established promotional efforts that educate trade and consumers about the benefits of Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) lumber in two important markets: Egypt and the Caribbean,” said SFPA Executive Director Eric Gee. “RAPP’s five-year award will expand efforts to lay a firm foundation of knowledge about SYP in Egypt and provide a long-term strategy of consistency and presence in the Caribbean region, where sustainably grown SYP from the United States is desired for its strength and quality.”
The RAPP program aims to diversify and expand market opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products beyond the traditional top customers – Canada, Mexico, the European Union and China (including Hong Kong and Macau) – which collectively comprise nearly 60 percent of U.S. agricultural export sales, according to FAS. Instead, RAPP will focus on enhancing U.S. exports to new markets in parts of the world – including South and Southeast Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa – where the middle class is growing.
SFPA has facilitated international trade of Southern Pine lumber for more than 35 years, receiving federal funding to assist in foreign market development. The RAPP funds will bolster SFPA’s international program, which offers companies a variety of ways to get engaged and take advantage of the promotion opportunities.
SFPA is a nonprofit trade association that has represented manufacturers of Southern Pine lumber since 1915. Today, SFPA is the leading source of information about Southern Pine lumber products for design-build professionals and consumers.
Lacey Act Applies to All Plant Products
Recently the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced the implementation of Phase VII of the Lacey Act. This extends coverage to a wider range of products. Now, declarations will be required for all plant products, including wooden furniture and timber, unless they are made of 100 percent composite materials.
Per the Federal Register notice: “Currently, most of Harmonized Tariff Schedule chapter 4412 has already been implemented, with two specified exemptions (44129906 and 441229957). APHIS established the exemptions in 2009 as a temporary exception for plywood that contained composite material. Since then, APHIS has established a special use designation for such material and is therefore eliminating the exemptions, and the entire chapter will be covered.”
For more information, visit www.federalregister.gov or www.greenworldwide.com.
