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Euphoric mood [Holzkurier issue 24/2004]
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Euphoric mood [Holzkurier issue 24/2004]
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| Counter-cyclical investment behaviour |
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Family business Hassel: Ulf, Klaus and Oliver (from left)
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Euphoric mood
In Germany the family business Hassel in Stockum-Püschen/Germany announces: “Whether we are aware of or not, I don’t know. But every time business was bad, we invested in our sawline”, states Managing Director and Graduated Engineer (FH) Ulf Hassel. “It’s just the right time for investments, the market needs positive impulses”, compliments even Linck Marketing Director and Graduated Engineer (FH) Manfred Leopold the counter-cyclical investment behaviour of Hassel.
Chipper canter instead of gangsaw in the merry-go-round system
The existing gangsaw was replaced by a chipper canter-circular saw-technology supplied by the company Linck, Oberkirch/Germany. “We already made good experiences with the Linck small diameter log line”, explains the managing director. Therefore the new Linck V 40 sawline was placed parallel to the existing V 25 line. Log lengths up to 14 m can be processed in a merry-go-round system. Shortest log length is 2,5 m. Maximum log diameter is 70 cm, the minimum one 10 cm. Sideboards up to 6,00 m can be handled. A trim saw KCK is installed in the V 40 sawline which cuts sideboards longer than 6,00 m to the preselected lengths.
Like a marriage
The grandfather already was a pure Linck customer. “Linck has a grown tradition and the support is very good”, Hassel is pleased. This relationship also gave son Oliver the idea of doing a practical training in Australia and to continue the family owned business. “This encouraged us to further investments”, according to Hassel.
Customised processing
“We supply each construction timber list. Every customer gets something, even if he only needs 3 m³”, reports Hassel. All lists are entered into the operation scheduling and the log is determined according to the cutting pattern. Data is transferred to the log yard. The scanner in front of the chipper canter again recognises the log and sets the machines accordingly. After measuring, the longitudinal conveyor feeds the log to the infeed system EV 50 with manual remote-controlled orientation. The V40 chipper canter is equipped with stepped cutterheads and saw segments. The saw unit CSMK 375-A3/B3 can produce besides fix size products also five variable size products.
Thought and planned ahead
A centering system VZM follows the board separator with regards to further extending the sawline by a horizontal circular saw. “Even here you can see that the entrepreneur is planning for the future”, certifies Leopold. The sideboards of both lines are transported to the board edger via cross conveyor. 6 bins are available for sorting centre products. “Mechanisation of the lumber side is carried out when it fits. We are still using manpower to a great extent”, describes Hassel. Mainly planks, lamellas, construction timber and boards for laminated construction timber are produced.
Three generations working together
Even the managing director’s father is still busy informing himself about the business development. The present managing director’s great-grandfather had founded the saw mill which celebrated its centennial anniversary in 2002. Ulf Hassel entered the parental business in 1980 after having successfully concluded his studies at the University of Applied Science in Rosenheim/Germany. The succession is granted – his son Oliver is presently finishing his 6th semester at the same university. The globetrotter finished some respective traineeships among others in Australia and South Africa.
One-shift philosophy
“We hold on to the one-shift operation, not least due to the difficult labour situation in a two-shift operation”, explains the managing director. “My father always acted wisely”, Hassel is delighted. Compared with the annual processing of 25.000 m³ round logs in 1980, production could be continuously increased to a present processing of 100.000 m³ round logs per year.
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Chipper canter line with merry-go-round system: One loading station for logs, two-sided...
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... and four-sided cants with lengths up to 14 m.
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Sideboards are separated and transported to the board edger, centre products are transported back to the first machine group via merry-go-round system for a second pass.
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Since Easter, the new V 40 Linck chipper canter line has been in operation - son Oliver is operating the line.
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Move with the small log chipper canter line
In 1989 the company bought a closed down gangsaw operation at the present location as the premises in Altenkirchen/Germany had come to its limits and as there had been complaints from the neighbour residents. Ante then moved the in 1995 completely reconditioned Linck V25 chipper canter line for small logs on short notice. “The sawline then operated like on the first day what it is still doing today”, Hassel is pleased. The small log line is processing sorted logs with a fixed cutting pattern. The circular recut saw VS 33 is splitting the centre products.
The maximum log length is 6.00 m. Sideboards are transported to the board edger. The waney edge is turned upwards and measured. A trim saw is trimming the boards to the proper length. This equipment as well was supplied by Linck.
The sawdust is supplied to the nearby pellet production plant, 80 % of the chips are sold to the paper industry and 20 % to the MDF- and particle board industry. “The good debarking, tool maintenance and screening of the by-products result in an excellent chip quality”. Also the by-product removal system supplied by Haas, Bad Marienberg/Germany is working satisfactorily.
Logs from the Westerwald
Round logs are mainly bought in the area of the Westerwald whereof 60 % originate from the near surrounding. 95 % of the processed logs are tree length logs.
Dried and heat-treated
Further processing is impregnating, drying and planning. The Mühlböck drying kilns represent a drying capacity of 400 m³ lumber per cycle. As the total production has to be dry for export, the drying kilns presently represent a certain bottleneck.
The boiler from Mawera, Hard is already designed for higher drying capacity.
“The innovations of the two Austrian manufacturers convinced us to buy this equipment. Heat-treated lumber is presently strongly required”, explains Hassel.
Sales in Germany dropped
In former days the family owned business supplied lumber especially to the German market, particularly the Ruhr area. Then sales were extended to the North of Germany and meanwhile lumber is sold even abroad. The main market are the Netherlands, however lumber is also supplied to Belgium, Spain and Portugal. The English and Irish market was developed by the managing director’s wife as she is Canadian by birth and so the language does not represent any problem. Lumber has even been sold to China and the United States.
Ecological building is “in fashion”
Lumber will also be competitive in the future. Hassel is sure that despite the use of 15 % construction timber only today, solid wood will also be needed in 10 years from now for buildings. The conventional brick buildings will decrease and the wooden frame construction buildings will increase.
No rebound until the end of the year
“The round log prices dropped due to the storm Lothar and haven’t recovered yet” This also resulted in dropping lumber prices which are not going to recover until the end of the year”, estimates Hassel. JK
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Outfeed conveyor for two-sided cants - sideboards are separated
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Trimming of sideboards directly behind the saw unit
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