IN THIS EDITIONIN THIS EDITIONThin-kerf sawmilling gaining ground in Asia
Wood-Mizer sawmills in Bhutan
Noah's Ark replica built in USA
3
14
26
Cutting edge news and stories from the sawmilling industry
ASIA EDITION 2016
Profitable Sawmilling
REPORTThin-kerf sawmilling gaining ground in Asia
INDIA REPORTKolkata timber company expanding with Wood-Mizer sawmills
SRI LANKA REPORTFrom engineering to sawmilling in Sri Lanka
1414 Modernising Bhutan's Sawmilling Industry
CONTENTS
3
10
2029
26
1
New products such as our large capacity HR700
multihead resaw have seen great success in Asia
this year, with multiple installations. And on the
entry-level side, the LT15 POWER is a great new
low budget sawmilling option.
We also launched a new website for Wood-Mizer
Asia that is mobile-device friendly, and full of
articles, on-location videos and case studies. Visit
www.woodmizerasia.com and please subscribe to
our e-newsletter to always have the latest
information in your inbox.
We are here to help you achieve your goals, so
please contact me with any inquiries, and enjoy the
magazine!
James Wong
James Wong – Wood-Mizer Asia Regional Manager
Wood-Mizer Asia Pte Ltd.1 North Bridge Road, #19-09 High Street Centre, Singapore 179094
Tel: +65 81216910 E-mail: [email protected]
28
NEW PRODUCTSLX100 — A new economic sawmill for heavy use
BLADESCut tropical hardwoods with RazorTIP Carbide blades
INTERNETNew Asia website & e-newsletter
WORLD NEWS$100 million Noah's Ark built with timber from Wood-Mizer sawmills
30
INTRODUCTION
Hello friends,
Last year was a landmark year for Wood-Mizer in
Asia, with several countries achieving record sales
levels. As the first article in the magazine reports,
thin-kerf technology is being adopted across Asia at
a growing rate.
As well, I’m pleased to introduce Mr. Jean-Jaques
Oelofse, Wood-Mizer’s newly appointed Director of
Emerging Markets. Mr. Oelofse has joined us
following his very successful management of
Wood-Mizer Africa for the last several years. Now
he has joined with the teams in Asia, Africa and
South America to coordinate Wood-Mizer’s
strategies across these areas. We’re looking
forward to continue building our team, further
strengthening our dealers throughout the region,
and keep the current momentum going strong.
JJ Oelofse - Director Emerging Markets ([email protected])
REPORTThin-kerf sawmilling gaining ground in Asia
INDIA REPORTKolkata timber company expanding with Wood-Mizer sawmills
SRI LANKA REPORTFrom engineering to sawmilling in Sri Lanka
1414 Modernising Bhutan's Sawmilling Industry
CONTENTS
3
10
2029
26
1
New products such as our large capacity HR700
multihead resaw have seen great success in Asia
this year, with multiple installations. And on the
entry-level side, the LT15 POWER is a great new
low budget sawmilling option.
We also launched a new website for Wood-Mizer
Asia that is mobile-device friendly, and full of
articles, on-location videos and case studies. Visit
www.woodmizerasia.com and please subscribe to
our e-newsletter to always have the latest
information in your inbox.
We are here to help you achieve your goals, so
please contact me with any inquiries, and enjoy the
magazine!
James Wong
James Wong – Wood-Mizer Asia Regional Manager
Wood-Mizer Asia Pte Ltd.1 North Bridge Road, #19-09 High Street Centre, Singapore 179094
Tel: +65 81216910 E-mail: [email protected]
28
NEW PRODUCTSLX100 — A new economic sawmill for heavy use
BLADESCut tropical hardwoods with RazorTIP Carbide blades
INTERNETNew Asia website & e-newsletter
WORLD NEWS$100 million Noah's Ark built with timber from Wood-Mizer sawmills
30
INTRODUCTION
Hello friends,
Last year was a landmark year for Wood-Mizer in
Asia, with several countries achieving record sales
levels. As the first article in the magazine reports,
thin-kerf technology is being adopted across Asia at
a growing rate.
As well, I’m pleased to introduce Mr. Jean-Jaques
Oelofse, Wood-Mizer’s newly appointed Director of
Emerging Markets. Mr. Oelofse has joined us
following his very successful management of
Wood-Mizer Africa for the last several years. Now
he has joined with the teams in Asia, Africa and
South America to coordinate Wood-Mizer’s
strategies across these areas. We’re looking
forward to continue building our team, further
strengthening our dealers throughout the region,
and keep the current momentum going strong.
JJ Oelofse - Director Emerging Markets ([email protected])
Thin-kerf sawmilling
gaining ground in Asia
By Jacob Mooney
REPORT
32 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
A two week survey of sawmillers in Sri Lanka, India, and Bhutan confirms that the thin-kerf benefits of modernisation, higher yields, and waste/cost reduction are driving the adoption of Wood-Mizer sawmills in Asia.
Thin-kerf sawmilling
gaining ground in Asia
By Jacob Mooney
REPORT
32 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
A two week survey of sawmillers in Sri Lanka, India, and Bhutan confirms that the thin-kerf benefits of modernisation, higher yields, and waste/cost reduction are driving the adoption of Wood-Mizer sawmills in Asia.
In early 2016, I spent two weeks traveling
throughout the jungles of Sri Lanka, three distinct
regions in India, and then up to the mountain
kingdom of Bhutan, each day visiting sawmillers
who have recently adopted thin-kerf sawmills into
their companies.
Agreement regarding thin-kerf benefits
I asked each of them why they chose a thin-kerf
sawmill imported from Europe over a cheaper,
locally produced bandsaw or frame saw machine,
and their answers focused on higher yield, lower
electricity consumption, additional safety features,
and the lower blade costs that thin-kerf sawmills
provide.
Upul Ekanayake is one of the directors of
ElectroRef Engineers in Colombo, Sri Lanka. 10
years ago, his company bought a sawmill for their
own timber production, and as a result began
importing thin-kerf sawmills from Europe and
selling them in Sri Lanka.
"In Sri Lanka the price of electricity
is very high. The Wood-Mizer is the
best option to achieve low
consumption of electricity.
4 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016 5
Mr. Vikas Choudhry's LT15 sawmill cutting teak cants imported from Africa to New Delhi
Upul Ekanayake, a director of ElectroRef Engineers in Sri Lanka
In early 2016, I spent two weeks traveling
throughout the jungles of Sri Lanka, three distinct
regions in India, and then up to the mountain
kingdom of Bhutan, each day visiting sawmillers
who have recently adopted thin-kerf sawmills into
their companies.
Agreement regarding thin-kerf benefits
I asked each of them why they chose a thin-kerf
sawmill imported from Europe over a cheaper,
locally produced bandsaw or frame saw machine,
and their answers focused on higher yield, lower
electricity consumption, additional safety features,
and the lower blade costs that thin-kerf sawmills
provide.
Upul Ekanayake is one of the directors of
ElectroRef Engineers in Colombo, Sri Lanka. 10
years ago, his company bought a sawmill for their
own timber production, and as a result began
importing thin-kerf sawmills from Europe and
selling them in Sri Lanka.
"In Sri Lanka the price of electricity
is very high. The Wood-Mizer is the
best option to achieve low
consumption of electricity.
4 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016 5
Mr. Vikas Choudhry's LT15 sawmill cutting teak cants imported from Africa to New Delhi
Upul Ekanayake, a director of ElectroRef Engineers in Sri Lanka
76 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
"We have expensive hardwood materials, so if you
gain another piece of sawn timber by using thin-kerf
blades, the savings is great for everybody."
Mr. Mahawatta from Aturugiriya, Sri Lanka, owner of
Sampath Sawmill, shares, "You can get 85% yield
from a good quality log if you use a thin-kerf sawmill.
In the old days, we were only getting 50-60% yield
from our logs.
"I spent five million Sri Lankan
rupees for this [LT40] sawmill. In
one and half years, I have earned
my investment back three times.
High on a Bhutanese mountain ridge at around
3,000 metres in elevation, I interviewed Mr. Karma
Thinley, Building Project Director for the Royal
Academy in Bhutan, which will require 28,000 cubic
metres of timber over the course of eight years to
complete, all of which they are sawing on-site. In
order to meet their objectives for timber production,
they added an LT70 sawmill, after already having a
swing-blade sawmill on site.
"In Bhutan, traditional design means lots of timber
is going to be used." Mr. Karma Thinley shared.
"Prior to the Wood-Mizer we had a
[different] portable sawmill. We find
a difference of almost 15-20%, in
terms of waste reduction.
Mr. Mahawatta, sawmiller from Sri Lanka
A traditional sawmill in Sri Lanka
Mr. Karma Thinley, Building Project Director for the Royal Academy in Bhutan
"And when we did a calculation on the costs of the
wastage of timber, we found that approximately one
third of the total timber requirement for the project,
just from the waste alone, we can recover the costs
of by investing in the Wood-Mizer." No small sum
when considering the project calls for 28,000 cubic
metres of timber!
In Delhi, Mr. Vikas Choudhry from Sree Rani Sati
Overseas shared that their company was already
using thin-kerf sawmills in Africa, when they
decided to import a sawmill to their Delhi factory as
well. "In teak wood we have to saw small sizes like
25 mm. The traditional bandsaw that we are using
in India, the thickness of the blade is 3 mm and
something.
"And [the LT15] consumes only
1.5 mm. That is the basic reason
we imported this machine.
Mr. Vikas Choudhry from Delhi, India
"I would advise sawmillers who are using the local
bandsaw machines in India that they should go for
this, because whatever the cost is, I know we can
recover it within a year."
Thin-kerf suppliers have a positive outlook
James Wong, Wood-Mizer’s regional manager for
Asia, gave me a big picture perspective, coming
from his experiences managing thin-kerf sawmill
sales into the whole of Asia. "We are using narrow-
band, thin-kerf blades and when timber is becoming
more expensive, increasing the yield becomes
important. In addition, due to their customers
pressing for lower price for their products, most
manufacturers are trying to find ways to increase the
yield and cut down the number of processing steps
to produce their product."
The thin-kerf formula, although still not welcomed
with open arms by many traditional sawmillers, is
catching on, James says, especially among
manufacturers pressured to make changes to
improve their overhead, and younger sawmillers
taking up the business operations from their fathers.
"In 2015 we had the best year for India," James
shares. "We managed to put five machines in a
timber market in Delhi. For India, manufacturers are
Thin-kerf sawmill blades remove a fraction of the wood removed by traditional blades
76 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
"We have expensive hardwood materials, so if you
gain another piece of sawn timber by using thin-kerf
blades, the savings is great for everybody."
Mr. Mahawatta from Aturugiriya, Sri Lanka, owner of
Sampath Sawmill, shares, "You can get 85% yield
from a good quality log if you use a thin-kerf sawmill.
In the old days, we were only getting 50-60% yield
from our logs.
"I spent five million Sri Lankan
rupees for this [LT40] sawmill. In
one and half years, I have earned
my investment back three times.
High on a Bhutanese mountain ridge at around
3,000 metres in elevation, I interviewed Mr. Karma
Thinley, Building Project Director for the Royal
Academy in Bhutan, which will require 28,000 cubic
metres of timber over the course of eight years to
complete, all of which they are sawing on-site. In
order to meet their objectives for timber production,
they added an LT70 sawmill, after already having a
swing-blade sawmill on site.
"In Bhutan, traditional design means lots of timber
is going to be used." Mr. Karma Thinley shared.
"Prior to the Wood-Mizer we had a
[different] portable sawmill. We find
a difference of almost 15-20%, in
terms of waste reduction.
Mr. Mahawatta, sawmiller from Sri Lanka
A traditional sawmill in Sri Lanka
Mr. Karma Thinley, Building Project Director for the Royal Academy in Bhutan
"And when we did a calculation on the costs of the
wastage of timber, we found that approximately one
third of the total timber requirement for the project,
just from the waste alone, we can recover the costs
of by investing in the Wood-Mizer." No small sum
when considering the project calls for 28,000 cubic
metres of timber!
In Delhi, Mr. Vikas Choudhry from Sree Rani Sati
Overseas shared that their company was already
using thin-kerf sawmills in Africa, when they
decided to import a sawmill to their Delhi factory as
well. "In teak wood we have to saw small sizes like
25 mm. The traditional bandsaw that we are using
in India, the thickness of the blade is 3 mm and
something.
"And [the LT15] consumes only
1.5 mm. That is the basic reason
we imported this machine.
Mr. Vikas Choudhry from Delhi, India
"I would advise sawmillers who are using the local
bandsaw machines in India that they should go for
this, because whatever the cost is, I know we can
recover it within a year."
Thin-kerf suppliers have a positive outlook
James Wong, Wood-Mizer’s regional manager for
Asia, gave me a big picture perspective, coming
from his experiences managing thin-kerf sawmill
sales into the whole of Asia. "We are using narrow-
band, thin-kerf blades and when timber is becoming
more expensive, increasing the yield becomes
important. In addition, due to their customers
pressing for lower price for their products, most
manufacturers are trying to find ways to increase the
yield and cut down the number of processing steps
to produce their product."
The thin-kerf formula, although still not welcomed
with open arms by many traditional sawmillers, is
catching on, James says, especially among
manufacturers pressured to make changes to
improve their overhead, and younger sawmillers
taking up the business operations from their fathers.
"In 2015 we had the best year for India," James
shares. "We managed to put five machines in a
timber market in Delhi. For India, manufacturers are
Thin-kerf sawmill blades remove a fraction of the wood removed by traditional blades
98 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
Mr. Passang, an experienced sawmiller and Wood-Mizer's representative in Bhutan
finding ways to cut down their production cost as
most of their wood is imported – teak, African
hardwood, Pine from New Zealand and Europe."
Traditionally, thin-kerf sawmills have been proven
in softwoods and for low to medium-production
levels, but according to Mr. Wong, that is changing
as Wood-Mizer adds more industrial sawmilling
equipment to their product range, and is now
supplying carbide-tipped blades for cutting tough
hardwoods.
"We worked with Wood-Mizer USA to manufacture
Carbide blades to cater to this market," James
shares.
Thin-kerf looking forward
In regard to next additional steps for the future, Mr.
Wong insists that thin-kerf multihead resaws hold
huge potential for India and the rest of Asia.
"As more countries are banning the export of logs,
our Horizontal Resaws are becoming more
important for the market," James says. "There will
also be demand for our Smart Log Processing
Lines as plantation timber are becoming smaller.
Therefore using labour intensive traditional
bandsaws will not be productive."
Thin-kerf sawmilling benefits conservation
objectives
From Bhutan, Mr. Passang, a sawmiller and
sawmill sales agent, is certain that thin-kerf
sawmills are the answer to the challenges the wood
industry faces there, and even insists that sawing
with a narrower bandsaw blade is in line with
Bhutan’s famous GNH governmental policy.
"GNH means ‘Gross National Happiness’. This was
one of the ideas from our former King of Bhutan," Mr.
Passang shares.
"The whole idea is to make the
maximum out of our resources.
And this particular technology –
thin-kerf technology – is actually
saving our resource.
"Because to build a house, for instance, we may
require ten trees. Now, with this technology, we
require eight trees, or maybe seven trees. The
remaining three trees remain there unfelled for the
next generation to utilise."
Sawmillers around the world are benefiting from the
h igh qua l i t y sawmi l l i ng p roduc ts be ing
manufactured by Wood-Mizer. All Wood-Mizer
Wood-Mizer Sawmills Manufacturing
products are manufactured in the USA and in
Europe, at recently expanded and upgraded
facilities.
Wood-Mizer's new production hall in Batesville, Indiana was recently completed in 2015
Wood-Mizer's European Headquarters and production hall are located in Poland
98 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
Mr. Passang, an experienced sawmiller and Wood-Mizer's representative in Bhutan
finding ways to cut down their production cost as
most of their wood is imported – teak, African
hardwood, Pine from New Zealand and Europe."
Traditionally, thin-kerf sawmills have been proven
in softwoods and for low to medium-production
levels, but according to Mr. Wong, that is changing
as Wood-Mizer adds more industrial sawmilling
equipment to their product range, and is now
supplying carbide-tipped blades for cutting tough
hardwoods.
"We worked with Wood-Mizer USA to manufacture
Carbide blades to cater to this market," James
shares.
Thin-kerf looking forward
In regard to next additional steps for the future, Mr.
Wong insists that thin-kerf multihead resaws hold
huge potential for India and the rest of Asia.
"As more countries are banning the export of logs,
our Horizontal Resaws are becoming more
important for the market," James says. "There will
also be demand for our Smart Log Processing
Lines as plantation timber are becoming smaller.
Therefore using labour intensive traditional
bandsaws will not be productive."
Thin-kerf sawmilling benefits conservation
objectives
From Bhutan, Mr. Passang, a sawmiller and
sawmill sales agent, is certain that thin-kerf
sawmills are the answer to the challenges the wood
industry faces there, and even insists that sawing
with a narrower bandsaw blade is in line with
Bhutan’s famous GNH governmental policy.
"GNH means ‘Gross National Happiness’. This was
one of the ideas from our former King of Bhutan," Mr.
Passang shares.
"The whole idea is to make the
maximum out of our resources.
And this particular technology –
thin-kerf technology – is actually
saving our resource.
"Because to build a house, for instance, we may
require ten trees. Now, with this technology, we
require eight trees, or maybe seven trees. The
remaining three trees remain there unfelled for the
next generation to utilise."
Sawmillers around the world are benefiting from the
h igh qua l i t y sawmi l l i ng p roduc ts be ing
manufactured by Wood-Mizer. All Wood-Mizer
Wood-Mizer Sawmills Manufacturing
products are manufactured in the USA and in
Europe, at recently expanded and upgraded
facilities.
Wood-Mizer's new production hall in Batesville, Indiana was recently completed in 2015
Wood-Mizer's European Headquarters and production hall are located in Poland
Sylvan Plyboard in Kolkata has been a family timber
business for around 65 years, and is continuing to
grow. Now at around 1,500 employees across their
various product divisions, the company processes
approximately 700m3 of timber daily.
Although traditional bandsaws are used throughout
the production area, over the past several years
more and more machinery utilising thin-kerf
bandsaw blades have appeared and been
incorporated into the production process.
The first two Wood-Mizer machines implemented
were a WM3500 industrial sawmill and an LT15
sawmill with a 15-metre cutting length capacity.
Mr. Anand Kumar Singh, the Managing Director,
stresses that quality, productivity, and reduced
waste were driving factors in the acquisition and
implementation of the new Wood-Mizer machines.
"We use the LT15 or the WM3500 to cut the logs into
the various sizes as required," shares Mr. Singh.
"Performance is very good. And the productivity –
what we get from the machine – is better, because
the blade thickness is less. The kerf thickness is
around 1.5 or 1.6 mm, so in every cut we get 1 mm
saving, which is a big benefit with this machine.
"We can realize the cost of the
machine within one or two years.
REPORT: INDIA
11
By Jacob Mooney
10 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
Kolkata timber company expanding with Wood-Mizer sawmills
Sylvan Plyboard India Pvt Ltd. has added additional Wood-Mizer sawmills to continue optimising their timber production, which produces
3around 700m of timber daily
Three LT20B sawmills are connected together to form a mega-sawmill that is 20 metres long
Mr. Anand Kumar Singh, the Managing Director of Sylvan Plyboard India
Sylvan Plyboard in Kolkata has been a family timber
business for around 65 years, and is continuing to
grow. Now at around 1,500 employees across their
various product divisions, the company processes
approximately 700m3 of timber daily.
Although traditional bandsaws are used throughout
the production area, over the past several years
more and more machinery utilising thin-kerf
bandsaw blades have appeared and been
incorporated into the production process.
The first two Wood-Mizer machines implemented
were a WM3500 industrial sawmill and an LT15
sawmill with a 15-metre cutting length capacity.
Mr. Anand Kumar Singh, the Managing Director,
stresses that quality, productivity, and reduced
waste were driving factors in the acquisition and
implementation of the new Wood-Mizer machines.
"We use the LT15 or the WM3500 to cut the logs into
the various sizes as required," shares Mr. Singh.
"Performance is very good. And the productivity –
what we get from the machine – is better, because
the blade thickness is less. The kerf thickness is
around 1.5 or 1.6 mm, so in every cut we get 1 mm
saving, which is a big benefit with this machine.
"We can realize the cost of the
machine within one or two years.
REPORT: INDIA
11
By Jacob Mooney
10 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
Kolkata timber company expanding with Wood-Mizer sawmills
Sylvan Plyboard India Pvt Ltd. has added additional Wood-Mizer sawmills to continue optimising their timber production, which produces
3around 700m of timber daily
Three LT20B sawmills are connected together to form a mega-sawmill that is 20 metres long
Mr. Anand Kumar Singh, the Managing Director of Sylvan Plyboard India
1312 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
"We are focused on quality and customer
satisfaction. We are trying to produce the plywood
or timber with the proper dimensions as required –
that is the main thing. Quality is to be good!"
First sawmill upgrade
The WM3500 is a robustly constructed thin-kerf
sawmill designed for high volume production of
larger diameter, 6-metre pine logs into 200+ mm
thicknesses with the wane included. The
bidirectional chain turners, hydraulic rollers and
heavy-duty log clamp provides for easy handling
and processing of large diameter logs efficiently.
The operator station gives the operator full control
over the entire process. The electronic Setworks
allows cutting lists to be pre-programmed, with the
head adjusting automatically for each pass to cut
the required thickness of the board.
Next to the WM3500 sits the Wood-Mizer LT15 mill
— a very basic, but capable sawmill which Sylvan
Plyboard uses to cut smaller diameter pine logs into
boards for use for blockboard manufacturing. The
LT15 has been extended to a total length of around
15 metres so that long logs can be cut easily, or so
that two logs can be loaded on the sawmill end-to-
end to increase productivity.
New sawmills added
Sylvan Plyboard has very recently implemented a
whole new line of Wood-Mizer sawmills. The line
begins with three LT20B sawmills connected in
series. Three teams of workers keep each sawmill
head busy, as logs can be added to the bed
anywhere along the whole 20-metre length. Logs
are simply cut on one side, flipped 180 degrees, and
a second cut is made.
The two-sided cants are then taken to the SVS
(Single Vertical saw) which removes the third side of
the cant. The cant is then passed through Wood-
Mizer’s new industrial HR700 multihead resaw.
With a large square cant capacity of 400mm X 400
mm, the HR700 cuts the cant down to the final
required board sizes. The HR700 can be configured
from one to six sawing heads, and is equipped with
electronic setworks for quickly adjusting cut sizes
depending on the orders being fulfilled.
Any boards that still have bark or wane are then
passed through Wood-Mizer’s EG300 board edger
for further trimming.
The result?
"We always tell everyone to buy Wood-Mizer
machines because of the excellent performance,"
shares Mr. Singh.
The extended LT15 sawmill is all manual but can cut logs up to 15 metres long
The WM3500 was one of the first stages of Sylvan's timber processing modernisation
The HR700 large capacity resaw is a new machine on the market
1312 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
"We are focused on quality and customer
satisfaction. We are trying to produce the plywood
or timber with the proper dimensions as required –
that is the main thing. Quality is to be good!"
First sawmill upgrade
The WM3500 is a robustly constructed thin-kerf
sawmill designed for high volume production of
larger diameter, 6-metre pine logs into 200+ mm
thicknesses with the wane included. The
bidirectional chain turners, hydraulic rollers and
heavy-duty log clamp provides for easy handling
and processing of large diameter logs efficiently.
The operator station gives the operator full control
over the entire process. The electronic Setworks
allows cutting lists to be pre-programmed, with the
head adjusting automatically for each pass to cut
the required thickness of the board.
Next to the WM3500 sits the Wood-Mizer LT15 mill
— a very basic, but capable sawmill which Sylvan
Plyboard uses to cut smaller diameter pine logs into
boards for use for blockboard manufacturing. The
LT15 has been extended to a total length of around
15 metres so that long logs can be cut easily, or so
that two logs can be loaded on the sawmill end-to-
end to increase productivity.
New sawmills added
Sylvan Plyboard has very recently implemented a
whole new line of Wood-Mizer sawmills. The line
begins with three LT20B sawmills connected in
series. Three teams of workers keep each sawmill
head busy, as logs can be added to the bed
anywhere along the whole 20-metre length. Logs
are simply cut on one side, flipped 180 degrees, and
a second cut is made.
The two-sided cants are then taken to the SVS
(Single Vertical saw) which removes the third side of
the cant. The cant is then passed through Wood-
Mizer’s new industrial HR700 multihead resaw.
With a large square cant capacity of 400mm X 400
mm, the HR700 cuts the cant down to the final
required board sizes. The HR700 can be configured
from one to six sawing heads, and is equipped with
electronic setworks for quickly adjusting cut sizes
depending on the orders being fulfilled.
Any boards that still have bark or wane are then
passed through Wood-Mizer’s EG300 board edger
for further trimming.
The result?
"We always tell everyone to buy Wood-Mizer
machines because of the excellent performance,"
shares Mr. Singh.
The extended LT15 sawmill is all manual but can cut logs up to 15 metres long
The WM3500 was one of the first stages of Sylvan's timber processing modernisation
The HR700 large capacity resaw is a new machine on the market
The Himalayan country’s conservation-focused forestry policies are causing big changes in the sawmilling sector
Modernising Bhutan's Sawmilling IndustryBy Jacob Mooney
REPORT: BHUTAN
1514 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
The Himalayan country’s conservation-focused forestry policies are causing big changes in the sawmilling sector
Modernising Bhutan's Sawmilling IndustryBy Jacob Mooney
REPORT: BHUTAN
1514 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
"Gross National Happiness is more important than
Gross National Product," His Majesty Jigme Singye
Wangchuck, the Fourth King of Bhutan, once said.
In 1972, he conceived and enacted Bhutan’s
development philosophy that is known as Gross
National Happiness, or GNH for short.
According to the present King, His Majesty Jigme
Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck — "Today GNH has
come to mean so many things to so many people,
but to me it signifies simply – development with
values."
To learn more about how Bhutan’s forestry, logging
and sawmilling industries are abiding by GNH
principles, I visited Mr. Deo Kumar Biswa, General
Manager of the Business Development &
Marketing Division of a government owned
company, Natural Resources Development
Corporation Limited (NRDCL).
This Corporation is in charge of carrying out logging
operations as per the forestry policy, and controls all
commercial logging and carries out replanting
activities in logged and barren areas of the country.
They manage the logging process, and then sell the
logs to private sawmills at regulated prices. Bhutan
is a country with rich natural resources, a small
population of around 750,000, and there are only
about one hundred private sawmills in the country
currently. However, there is a big demand for
timber, as traditional Bhutanese architecture uses
timber as a principle structural element.
"We have a very lofty ideal set by the constitution of
Bhutan – at any point in time, we should maintain at
1716 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
Mr. Deo Kumar Biswa of the Natural Resources Development Corporation Limited (NRDCL) in Bhutan
The entrance to the NRDCL in Thimphu where national forestry policies are enacted
Logs are sold at regulated prices to private sawmilling firms, while the NRDCL sawmills unwanted logs into usable timber
least 60% forest cover," shares Mr. Biswa.
Currently, forests covers around 70% of the
country.
"We were mandated from the beginning to take
care of the natural resources, mainly timber," he
continues. "We are quite cautious and mindful of
replenishing what we extract."
As environmentally sound as their forestry
conservation and logging policies have been, the
Natural Resources Development Corporation
Limited is quite concerned by the current level of
outdated technology being used by private
sawmills to convert carefully grown and logged
trees into sawn timber. Older, traditional Indian-
made sawmills are still used by a majority of
sawmillers in Bhutan, which require significant
energy to operate, have low recovery rates and
frequently contribute to workplace accidents.
In the last few years, some thin-kerf sawmills have
appeared in various regions throughout Bhutan, but
wide-spread adoption has yet to be seen. So in
order to promote the adoption of smarter sawmilling
technologies among private sawmill companies, the
Natural Resources Development Corporation
Limited had to think about more proactive
strategies, so they bought a Wood-Mizer LT70
sawmill themselves.
"The government thinks that somebody should do
proper value-addition study on wastage through
sawing by using the old machines and cater to
individual customer requirements," Mr. Biswa
shares. "That is the whole reason why we had to
come up with a sawmill. We thought that this would
be the ideal investment for us. And of course this is
one thing we can actually trust in terms of recovery
and lowered waste."
But the Natural Resources Development
Corporation Limited is also aware that they don’t
want to actively compete with and take business
away from the private sector, but rather act as a
showcase for the benefits of thin-kerf sawmilling.
"So what we are doing right now is we are actually
"Gross National Happiness is more important than
Gross National Product," His Majesty Jigme Singye
Wangchuck, the Fourth King of Bhutan, once said.
In 1972, he conceived and enacted Bhutan’s
development philosophy that is known as Gross
National Happiness, or GNH for short.
According to the present King, His Majesty Jigme
Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck — "Today GNH has
come to mean so many things to so many people,
but to me it signifies simply – development with
values."
To learn more about how Bhutan’s forestry, logging
and sawmilling industries are abiding by GNH
principles, I visited Mr. Deo Kumar Biswa, General
Manager of the Business Development &
Marketing Division of a government owned
company, Natural Resources Development
Corporation Limited (NRDCL).
This Corporation is in charge of carrying out logging
operations as per the forestry policy, and controls all
commercial logging and carries out replanting
activities in logged and barren areas of the country.
They manage the logging process, and then sell the
logs to private sawmills at regulated prices. Bhutan
is a country with rich natural resources, a small
population of around 750,000, and there are only
about one hundred private sawmills in the country
currently. However, there is a big demand for
timber, as traditional Bhutanese architecture uses
timber as a principle structural element.
"We have a very lofty ideal set by the constitution of
Bhutan – at any point in time, we should maintain at
1716 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
Mr. Deo Kumar Biswa of the Natural Resources Development Corporation Limited (NRDCL) in Bhutan
The entrance to the NRDCL in Thimphu where national forestry policies are enacted
Logs are sold at regulated prices to private sawmilling firms, while the NRDCL sawmills unwanted logs into usable timber
least 60% forest cover," shares Mr. Biswa.
Currently, forests covers around 70% of the
country.
"We were mandated from the beginning to take
care of the natural resources, mainly timber," he
continues. "We are quite cautious and mindful of
replenishing what we extract."
As environmentally sound as their forestry
conservation and logging policies have been, the
Natural Resources Development Corporation
Limited is quite concerned by the current level of
outdated technology being used by private
sawmills to convert carefully grown and logged
trees into sawn timber. Older, traditional Indian-
made sawmills are still used by a majority of
sawmillers in Bhutan, which require significant
energy to operate, have low recovery rates and
frequently contribute to workplace accidents.
In the last few years, some thin-kerf sawmills have
appeared in various regions throughout Bhutan, but
wide-spread adoption has yet to be seen. So in
order to promote the adoption of smarter sawmilling
technologies among private sawmill companies, the
Natural Resources Development Corporation
Limited had to think about more proactive
strategies, so they bought a Wood-Mizer LT70
sawmill themselves.
"The government thinks that somebody should do
proper value-addition study on wastage through
sawing by using the old machines and cater to
individual customer requirements," Mr. Biswa
shares. "That is the whole reason why we had to
come up with a sawmill. We thought that this would
be the ideal investment for us. And of course this is
one thing we can actually trust in terms of recovery
and lowered waste."
But the Natural Resources Development
Corporation Limited is also aware that they don’t
want to actively compete with and take business
away from the private sector, but rather act as a
showcase for the benefits of thin-kerf sawmilling.
"So what we are doing right now is we are actually
19
sawing for those interested customers who buy
logs from us," Mr. Biswa explains. "If they find value
sawing in our sawmill, then we do it. We also saw
unsold,old timber to salvage it… We just want to set
a benchmark. We don’t want to waste anything that
is not required by the sawmillers."
"Value addition is something that we are very
mindful," he continues. "Whatever we have done by
getting this technology, the Wood-Mizer sawmill,
we feel that this is so far the best technology, in
terms of recovery percentage, and in terms of the
robustness of the machines."
The LT70 requires only one operator, who uses
hydraulic and electric functions to load, turn, and
then saw logs as required, all from the comfort of
the operator seat. Another worker removes boards
by hand and stacks the lumber. The operator uses
the sophisticated onboard computer to pre-set
board sizes, so no manual calculations are needed,
and production can continue without slowing down
when the operator wishes to change a board size.
Mr. Passang is a sawmiller who uses thin-kerf
equipment in his own furniture and door factory just
outside of Thimphu.
"The whole idea is to make a maximum out of our
resources," shares Mr. Passang. "And this
particular technology – Wood-Mizer technology – is
actually saving our resources. For instance, when
building a house we may require ten trees. With this
technology, we require eight trees, or maybe seven
trees. The remaining three trees remain there
unfelled for the next generation to utilise. And this
will conserve our resources for the future
generation."
18 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
Traditional Bhutanese construction requires a lot of timber, like this Dzong – a Bhutanese fortress
The NRDCL's LT70 sawmill which they use to demonstrate the advantages of thin-kerf technology to the rest of the industry
19
sawing for those interested customers who buy
logs from us," Mr. Biswa explains. "If they find value
sawing in our sawmill, then we do it. We also saw
unsold,old timber to salvage it… We just want to set
a benchmark. We don’t want to waste anything that
is not required by the sawmillers."
"Value addition is something that we are very
mindful," he continues. "Whatever we have done by
getting this technology, the Wood-Mizer sawmill,
we feel that this is so far the best technology, in
terms of recovery percentage, and in terms of the
robustness of the machines."
The LT70 requires only one operator, who uses
hydraulic and electric functions to load, turn, and
then saw logs as required, all from the comfort of
the operator seat. Another worker removes boards
by hand and stacks the lumber. The operator uses
the sophisticated onboard computer to pre-set
board sizes, so no manual calculations are needed,
and production can continue without slowing down
when the operator wishes to change a board size.
Mr. Passang is a sawmiller who uses thin-kerf
equipment in his own furniture and door factory just
outside of Thimphu.
"The whole idea is to make a maximum out of our
resources," shares Mr. Passang. "And this
particular technology – Wood-Mizer technology – is
actually saving our resources. For instance, when
building a house we may require ten trees. With this
technology, we require eight trees, or maybe seven
trees. The remaining three trees remain there
unfelled for the next generation to utilise. And this
will conserve our resources for the future
generation."
18 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
Traditional Bhutanese construction requires a lot of timber, like this Dzong – a Bhutanese fortress
The NRDCL's LT70 sawmill which they use to demonstrate the advantages of thin-kerf technology to the rest of the industry
20 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016 21
ElectroRef Engineers have been sawmilling and selling Wood-Mizer sawmills in Sri Lanka for 10 years. The results have exceeded expectations.
From engineering to sawmilling in Sri LankaBy Jacob Mooney
"The main savings advantage of Wood-Mizer is of wood
and electricity. You will save 60% on electricity and 30%
more wood will be saved from your logs. If you have a
need to cut timber, use a Wood-Mizer sawmill to do it."
REPORT: SRI LANKA
20 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016 21
ElectroRef Engineers have been sawmilling and selling Wood-Mizer sawmills in Sri Lanka for 10 years. The results have exceeded expectations.
From engineering to sawmilling in Sri LankaBy Jacob Mooney
"The main savings advantage of Wood-Mizer is of wood
and electricity. You will save 60% on electricity and 30%
more wood will be saved from your logs. If you have a
need to cut timber, use a Wood-Mizer sawmill to do it."
REPORT: SRI LANKA
2322 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
"Our company directors were visiting the USA when
they happened to see a Wood-Mizer sawmill in
use," Raju, the company sawmill manager shares.
"They realized the potential for Sir Lanka, and when
they returned we discussed the idea together. We
agreed it was a good idea, because in the old days it
was normal to use circular saws that had a ¼” kerf
waste, whereas with a Wood-Mizer, your cutting
width is only around 3mm."
They set up their own sawmill. "We produce planks,
doors, windows, door frames… so we don’t cater to
only one specific type of customer," Raju says. "We
have various types of customers from all over the
country who we supply to - timber for pantry
cupboards, wood components for house
construction — all the way up to the northern tip of
Sri Lanka. We serve everyone with what they need.
Mostly we cut teak, mahogany, Jackwood, etc."
"When you cut a log that has a one foot diameter,
cutting with our Wood-Mizer sawmill will give you an
additional 1” plank, compared to cutting it with a
circular saw. That is a lot of wood saved. Normally,
the price of one square foot of teak wood is 300
rupees. So if you cut a log that is 12 feet long, you
can earn an additional 3,000 rupees, more or less,
from that log."
"Another savings we have found is with electricity.
Traditional sawmills have 25, 30, or 35 hp motors,
but with a small Wood-Mizer sawmill you will only
need a 10 hp motor. Previously, our electricity bill
2322 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
"Our company directors were visiting the USA when
they happened to see a Wood-Mizer sawmill in
use," Raju, the company sawmill manager shares.
"They realized the potential for Sir Lanka, and when
they returned we discussed the idea together. We
agreed it was a good idea, because in the old days it
was normal to use circular saws that had a ¼” kerf
waste, whereas with a Wood-Mizer, your cutting
width is only around 3mm."
They set up their own sawmill. "We produce planks,
doors, windows, door frames… so we don’t cater to
only one specific type of customer," Raju says. "We
have various types of customers from all over the
country who we supply to - timber for pantry
cupboards, wood components for house
construction — all the way up to the northern tip of
Sri Lanka. We serve everyone with what they need.
Mostly we cut teak, mahogany, Jackwood, etc."
"When you cut a log that has a one foot diameter,
cutting with our Wood-Mizer sawmill will give you an
additional 1” plank, compared to cutting it with a
circular saw. That is a lot of wood saved. Normally,
the price of one square foot of teak wood is 300
rupees. So if you cut a log that is 12 feet long, you
can earn an additional 3,000 rupees, more or less,
from that log."
"Another savings we have found is with electricity.
Traditional sawmills have 25, 30, or 35 hp motors,
but with a small Wood-Mizer sawmill you will only
need a 10 hp motor. Previously, our electricity bill
24 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016 25
An LT20 at ElectroRef Engineer's sawmill
was around 65,000-70,000 rupees, but now it is only
30,000 rupees, and that is working 8 hours a day, 24
days per month. So the main savings advantage of
Wood-Mizer is of wood and electricity. You will save
60% on electricity and 30% more wood will be saved
from your logs. If you have a need to cut timber, use a
Wood-Mizer sawmill to do it."
"But another important factor to mention is about the
reduction in workplace accidents. We have several
hundred machines now installed in Sri Lanka, and we
have not received any information about accidents
involving the sawmills. And with two workers, you can
produce 10 cubic metres of timber in a very short time
period."
"We’re very happy, and our customers are also, that
we are able to produce wood with Wood-Mizer
sawmills. If you look at the wood sawn on our
sawmills, you will see that the quality is much better
than if we cut it on a different sawmill. Sawing logs
with other machines results in a lot of waste."
"Another thing is the surface finish of wood sawn on a
Wood-Mizer – it’s excellent! When you use a different
machine to make planks from logs, one end of the
plank will be 1 ¼” and the other end will be 1”! But
when you saw it with a Wood-Mizer, the customers
are very happy that the surface finish and final
dimensions are exactly what they were expecting.
So customers really appreciate that they are getting
what they asked for."
Sales and customer service in Sri Lanka
With such success in their own sawmill, the
company became Wood-Mizer’s authorised dealer
in Sri Lanka about ten years ago. Sales have been
growing year by year. At first, people were hesitant
to trust a new technology over the traditional circle
or frame sawmills they were accustomed to using.
But as more and more sawmillers take advantage of
the savings from the thin-kerf technology, sales are
rising.
"The LT15 and LT20 nowadays are very popular,"
shares Upul Ekanayake, a company director.
"Because with the LT15 you do not have very high
capacity motors – electricity consumption [is low]. In
rural areas, some areas do not have three phase,
they only have single phase."
Crucial to their success has been the sales and
service support they offer around the country. "We
have a separate sales department, and we have
motorbikes for them," shares Mr. Ekanayake. "They
go around and every day they are traveling and
taking inquiries and doing service. Our service is
good, that is why we have survived."
24 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016 25
An LT20 at ElectroRef Engineer's sawmill
was around 65,000-70,000 rupees, but now it is only
30,000 rupees, and that is working 8 hours a day, 24
days per month. So the main savings advantage of
Wood-Mizer is of wood and electricity. You will save
60% on electricity and 30% more wood will be saved
from your logs. If you have a need to cut timber, use a
Wood-Mizer sawmill to do it."
"But another important factor to mention is about the
reduction in workplace accidents. We have several
hundred machines now installed in Sri Lanka, and we
have not received any information about accidents
involving the sawmills. And with two workers, you can
produce 10 cubic metres of timber in a very short time
period."
"We’re very happy, and our customers are also, that
we are able to produce wood with Wood-Mizer
sawmills. If you look at the wood sawn on our
sawmills, you will see that the quality is much better
than if we cut it on a different sawmill. Sawing logs
with other machines results in a lot of waste."
"Another thing is the surface finish of wood sawn on a
Wood-Mizer – it’s excellent! When you use a different
machine to make planks from logs, one end of the
plank will be 1 ¼” and the other end will be 1”! But
when you saw it with a Wood-Mizer, the customers
are very happy that the surface finish and final
dimensions are exactly what they were expecting.
So customers really appreciate that they are getting
what they asked for."
Sales and customer service in Sri Lanka
With such success in their own sawmill, the
company became Wood-Mizer’s authorised dealer
in Sri Lanka about ten years ago. Sales have been
growing year by year. At first, people were hesitant
to trust a new technology over the traditional circle
or frame sawmills they were accustomed to using.
But as more and more sawmillers take advantage of
the savings from the thin-kerf technology, sales are
rising.
"The LT15 and LT20 nowadays are very popular,"
shares Upul Ekanayake, a company director.
"Because with the LT15 you do not have very high
capacity motors – electricity consumption [is low]. In
rural areas, some areas do not have three phase,
they only have single phase."
Crucial to their success has been the sales and
service support they offer around the country. "We
have a separate sales department, and we have
motorbikes for them," shares Mr. Ekanayake. "They
go around and every day they are traveling and
taking inquiries and doing service. Our service is
good, that is why we have survived."
The LX100 is the first in a new line of Wood-Mizer
sawmills, completely redesigned from the ground
up based on the feedback and needs of sawyers
from all over the world. The LX100 sawmill is built for
heavy and continuous sawmilling use and features
many innovations in strength, efficiency, ease of
use, and operator visibility.
LX100 operation
The sawmill controls are centrally located on the
Operator Control Panel. From this position, the
operator always has an excellent view of the cutting
process. A wide, easy-grip handle functions as a
push bar for the sawmill if purchased without the
optional power feed.
For faster production, the variable speed power
feed can be added to precisely control the sawmill
speed as it cuts through the log. The power feed
system is driven on a heavy-duty chain, faster and
more durable than other methods.
The up/down switch moves the powered sawmill
head into place for the next cut. With the Optional
Setworks, just set a board size and with one button,
the sawmill repositions automatically for each cut.
Keeping sap and sawdust from building up on the
blade is easier with automatic blade lubrication that
activates when the blade is engaged, and turns off
when the blade stops. To turn off or adjust the flow,
the lubrication tank has a manual valve within easy
reach of the operator.
LX100 bed
New design for extreme endurance
The LX100 bed is engineered to withstand
continuous and heavy use with thicker steel in the
tubes and cross sections. The cross sections are
higher than the side tubes, so that it is easy to load
logs onto the bed with a forklift, without having to
drop or roll the logs onto the sawmill. The log clamp
is simple and strong and comes with a new
attachment for precisely clamping cants and the
last board. The clamp is always held up out of the
dirt, out of your way, and within easy reaching
distance when you need it. The LX100 cuts logs up
to 70 cm in diameter and of any length by adding
additional modular bed sections.
LX100 A new economic sawmill for heavy use
NEW PRODUCTS
The sawmill controls are centrally located on the Operator Control Panel
The rigid sawmill xFRAME holds the control panel, the motor, and the sawmill head
The log clamp comes with a new attachment for precisely clamping cants and the last board
26 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016 27
The LX100 is the first in a new line of Wood-Mizer
sawmills, completely redesigned from the ground
up based on the feedback and needs of sawyers
from all over the world. The LX100 sawmill is built for
heavy and continuous sawmilling use and features
many innovations in strength, efficiency, ease of
use, and operator visibility.
LX100 operation
The sawmill controls are centrally located on the
Operator Control Panel. From this position, the
operator always has an excellent view of the cutting
process. A wide, easy-grip handle functions as a
push bar for the sawmill if purchased without the
optional power feed.
For faster production, the variable speed power
feed can be added to precisely control the sawmill
speed as it cuts through the log. The power feed
system is driven on a heavy-duty chain, faster and
more durable than other methods.
The up/down switch moves the powered sawmill
head into place for the next cut. With the Optional
Setworks, just set a board size and with one button,
the sawmill repositions automatically for each cut.
Keeping sap and sawdust from building up on the
blade is easier with automatic blade lubrication that
activates when the blade is engaged, and turns off
when the blade stops. To turn off or adjust the flow,
the lubrication tank has a manual valve within easy
reach of the operator.
LX100 bed
New design for extreme endurance
The LX100 bed is engineered to withstand
continuous and heavy use with thicker steel in the
tubes and cross sections. The cross sections are
higher than the side tubes, so that it is easy to load
logs onto the bed with a forklift, without having to
drop or roll the logs onto the sawmill. The log clamp
is simple and strong and comes with a new
attachment for precisely clamping cants and the
last board. The clamp is always held up out of the
dirt, out of your way, and within easy reaching
distance when you need it. The LX100 cuts logs up
to 70 cm in diameter and of any length by adding
additional modular bed sections.
LX100 A new economic sawmill for heavy use
NEW PRODUCTS
The sawmill controls are centrally located on the Operator Control Panel
The rigid sawmill xFRAME holds the control panel, the motor, and the sawmill head
The log clamp comes with a new attachment for precisely clamping cants and the last board
26 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016 27
BLADES
Cut tropical hardwoods with RazorTIP Carbide blades
In order to further expand Wood-Mizer’s range of
hardwood cutting RazorTIP blades, carbide-tipped
blades are now available from Wood-Mizer Asia.
"We worked with Wood-Mizer to manufacture
Carbide blades to cater to this market," James
Wong shares.
A Hawaii tree farmer, Sandy Brodie uses the new
carbide tipped blade for better performance and
increased yield while sawing acacia koa.
"The [limited] availability and cost of the Hawaiian
koa requires economical milling, largely through
less waste," said Sandy. Featuring a triple-chip style
carbide tipped tooth and engineered to create less
sawdust, the RazorTip Carbide blade is designed to
get the most usable lumber out of the hardest of
hardwoods - including koa trees.
Previously using stellite-tipped blades, Sandy
quickly noticed an advantage of sawing the
Hawaiian hardwood with the new carbide-tipped
blade. Sandy reported "the biggest difference is
endurance." Sandy also said he’s seen an uptick in
yield during his experience with the carbide tipped
blades. "I’ve seen less wood loss in the milling
process with a finer kerf, and less sawdust," he said.
"[The blade] creates a nice finished cut, no burn
marks and is still razor sharp after seven hours of
use."
Wood-Mizer’s new RazorTip Carbide blade cuts through the hardest of hardwoods, produces less sawdust, and leaves a smooth surface finish
INTERNET
New Asia website & e-newsletterVisit our newly updated website to see videos of
Wood-Mizer sawmills in use all throughout Asia.
We are actively interviewing customers to bring you
their opinions and success stories in video form. As
well , the new website has more product
information, easy ‘Request a price’ forms
customised for each product, and much much
more!
While you are on the new website, subscribe to our
e-newsletter to get the all the latest information on
Wood-Mizer products and success stories from
other thin-kerf sawmill users in Asia.
www.woodmizerasia.com
28 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016 29
Result after sawing Acacia koa from Hawaii with the new RazorTIP Carbide blade
BLADES
Cut tropical hardwoods with RazorTIP Carbide blades
In order to further expand Wood-Mizer’s range of
hardwood cutting RazorTIP blades, carbide-tipped
blades are now available from Wood-Mizer Asia.
"We worked with Wood-Mizer to manufacture
Carbide blades to cater to this market," James
Wong shares.
A Hawaii tree farmer, Sandy Brodie uses the new
carbide tipped blade for better performance and
increased yield while sawing acacia koa.
"The [limited] availability and cost of the Hawaiian
koa requires economical milling, largely through
less waste," said Sandy. Featuring a triple-chip style
carbide tipped tooth and engineered to create less
sawdust, the RazorTip Carbide blade is designed to
get the most usable lumber out of the hardest of
hardwoods - including koa trees.
Previously using stellite-tipped blades, Sandy
quickly noticed an advantage of sawing the
Hawaiian hardwood with the new carbide-tipped
blade. Sandy reported "the biggest difference is
endurance." Sandy also said he’s seen an uptick in
yield during his experience with the carbide tipped
blades. "I’ve seen less wood loss in the milling
process with a finer kerf, and less sawdust," he said.
"[The blade] creates a nice finished cut, no burn
marks and is still razor sharp after seven hours of
use."
Wood-Mizer’s new RazorTip Carbide blade cuts through the hardest of hardwoods, produces less sawdust, and leaves a smooth surface finish
INTERNET
New Asia website & e-newsletterVisit our newly updated website to see videos of
Wood-Mizer sawmills in use all throughout Asia.
We are actively interviewing customers to bring you
their opinions and success stories in video form. As
well , the new website has more product
information, easy ‘Request a price’ forms
customised for each product, and much much
more!
While you are on the new website, subscribe to our
e-newsletter to get the all the latest information on
Wood-Mizer products and success stories from
other thin-kerf sawmill users in Asia.
www.woodmizerasia.com
28 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016 29
Result after sawing Acacia koa from Hawaii with the new RazorTIP Carbide blade
3130 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
WORLD NEWS
$100 million Noah's Ark built with timber from Wood-Mizer sawmillsSpanning 155 metres long, 26 metres wide, and 28 metres high, a life-size Noah’s Ark replica has been completed in Kentucky, USA
3130 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
WORLD NEWS
$100 million Noah's Ark built with timber from Wood-Mizer sawmillsSpanning 155 metres long, 26 metres wide, and 28 metres high, a life-size Noah’s Ark replica has been completed in Kentucky, USA
32 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
© W
ood-M
izer, 2
016
The mammoth Ark Encounter project is being
recognized as the world’s largest timber frame
structure, with 7,300 cubic metres of timber used in
its construction. The Ark’s maximum capacity is
10,000 people, however organizers plan to limit it
to 3,000 inside at any one time.
The $100 million project took just over one year
and a half to build with the timber frame
construction designed and supplied by Colorado
Timberframe in Lafayette, Colorado.
To meet the construction deadlines, Colorado
Timber f rame h i red addi t ional he lp, and
transitioned to a three-shift work schedule for 6
days a week for an entire year.
"We had the capability of doing this entire project,
as we have recently upgraded our equipment,"
said Keenan Tompkins, owner of Colorado
Timberframe. “We were the only company that can
do the sizes of the timbers that they had, and
actually fabricate all the timbers on the machines.”
In addition to more staff, Mr. Tompkins said that
several machines were vital to fulfilling the unique
orders and meeting the tight construction deadlines.
An extended sawmill was used to resize rough-
sawn 610mm x 610mm beams of up to 12m long to
the exact dimensions required for the complex
structure. "50% of the timber had to be resized,"
Tompkins said. "So that’s where we really worked
the Wood-Mizer for a year. We had one full-time guy
resizing timbers for the Ark project."
"Then the timber went through the K2I Hundegger
CNC machine," said Tompkins. "We have a four foot
wide track, and it can do four foot wide to up to 20
inches tall, and 60 feet long. It does all the mortise
and tenon joints, as well as drillings and slot cuts,
and any kind of recesses or notches that the timbers
need to accommodate either the wood connections
or the steel plates."
The Ark Encounter opened to the public July 7, 2016
in Williamstown, Kentucky. More than one million
people are estimated to visit during the first year,
and additional Biblically themed attractions are
already in development for the future.
The Ark Encounter is recognized as the world's largest timber frame construction
The world's largest freestanding timber frame under construction
Massive reclaimed spruce and Douglas fir logs line the center of the Ark
A Wood-Mizer LT40 sawmill on-site for custom wood projects
32 PROFITABLE SAWMILLING 2016
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The mammoth Ark Encounter project is being
recognized as the world’s largest timber frame
structure, with 7,300 cubic metres of timber used in
its construction. The Ark’s maximum capacity is
10,000 people, however organizers plan to limit it
to 3,000 inside at any one time.
The $100 million project took just over one year
and a half to build with the timber frame
construction designed and supplied by Colorado
Timberframe in Lafayette, Colorado.
To meet the construction deadlines, Colorado
Timber f rame h i red addi t ional he lp, and
transitioned to a three-shift work schedule for 6
days a week for an entire year.
"We had the capability of doing this entire project,
as we have recently upgraded our equipment,"
said Keenan Tompkins, owner of Colorado
Timberframe. “We were the only company that can
do the sizes of the timbers that they had, and
actually fabricate all the timbers on the machines.”
In addition to more staff, Mr. Tompkins said that
several machines were vital to fulfilling the unique
orders and meeting the tight construction deadlines.
An extended sawmill was used to resize rough-
sawn 610mm x 610mm beams of up to 12m long to
the exact dimensions required for the complex
structure. "50% of the timber had to be resized,"
Tompkins said. "So that’s where we really worked
the Wood-Mizer for a year. We had one full-time guy
resizing timbers for the Ark project."
"Then the timber went through the K2I Hundegger
CNC machine," said Tompkins. "We have a four foot
wide track, and it can do four foot wide to up to 20
inches tall, and 60 feet long. It does all the mortise
and tenon joints, as well as drillings and slot cuts,
and any kind of recesses or notches that the timbers
need to accommodate either the wood connections
or the steel plates."
The Ark Encounter opened to the public July 7, 2016
in Williamstown, Kentucky. More than one million
people are estimated to visit during the first year,
and additional Biblically themed attractions are
already in development for the future.
The Ark Encounter is recognized as the world's largest timber frame construction
The world's largest freestanding timber frame under construction
Massive reclaimed spruce and Douglas fir logs line the center of the Ark
A Wood-Mizer LT40 sawmill on-site for custom wood projects
