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Increased recovery and better chip quality [Holz-Zentralblatt 2005-07-15]
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Increased recovery and better chip quality [Holz-Zentralblatt 2005-07-15]
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| The Stora Enso sawmill at Zdírec approaches an annual processing of one million cubic metres of round logs |
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| ba. Mid of last year, the company Stora Enso Timber started extensive measures to modernize its Czech sawmill in Zdirec. After a shutdown of only seven weeks, the sawmill restarted its production in the first week of February with a modern profiling line. The Holz-Zentralblatt already included a short notice on the modification work in its issue no. 44 of June 3. Here is a detailed report. |
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View into the sawmill building with the new Linck profiling line with sideboard optimisation.
Photos: Bernd Amschl |
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An average number of 3500-4000 m³ of round sawlogs are supplied to the mill per day, mainly on truck. About 1/3 are long logs.
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The sawmill Zdírec has its own works siding, about 1/4 of the round logs is presently supplied by train.
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A large number of lumber also leaves the sawmill by train: presently about 70 %.
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Loading of by-products. Main purchaser of chips is Biocel in Paskov. Sawdust is purchased by Kronospan in Jihlava.
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The whole production line is controlled from this place. The operator mainly controls the feeding station in front of the sawline. The sawline is working automatically.
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The investment project with an extent of 9 Million Euro, called “Zdirec up”, was started mid of 2004 and realized in two stages. The first stage included the replacement of the existing Linck chipper canter-circular saw-combination with separate sideboard edging (former Schweighofer mill) by installing a profiling line with integrated sideboard optimisation of the same manufacturer.
The Linck-line was supplied at a price of 6 Million Euro.
The second stage covered the installation of eight Mühlböck drying kilns at a price of 3 Million Euro. Sawmill manager Pavel Urban: “Our aim was to keep the production shutdown as short as possible when installing the profiling line. The fast realisation allowed Stora Enso to save a lot of money, the loss of production was small”. The advantage was that there was enough space available in the sawmill building to install the new sawline parallel to the old one. The seven weeks shutdown mainly resulted by reconditioning two circular saws of the old line in the Linck factory in Oberkirch and their re-assembly in the sawline.
This investment allowed Stora Enso to increase the production capacity considerably. The processing of 850.000 cubic metres of round logs is scheduled for this year and 1.050.000 cubic metres for the year to come. Future lumber production shall achieve 620.000 m³ compared with 480.000 m³ before replacement of the old sawline.
Not only the processing of round logs could be exceeded by 30 %, but above all the side lumber recovery. Furthermore it was possible to improve the chip quality. Chips are mainly supplied to Biocel in Paskov (Czech Republic). 95 % of the sawdust is supplied to Kronospan in Jihlava (also Czech Republic) for particle board production.
Where do all the logs come from ?
Sawmill manager Pavel Urban states: “We do not have many possibilities. As we intend to process over one million of cubic metres of round logs, we have to purchase logs from all over the Czech Republic.” However, this could change in the future with logs coming from Slovakia, Poland and even from Germany, however in small quantities only. This year the question of price and quantity is not important due to the heavy storm in Slovakia on November 19, 2004. As Mayr-Melnhof in Paskov also buys large quantities of logs there, Pavel Urban expects a strain in the log supply for the coming year because Stora Enso Timber and Mayr-Melnhof intend to process about 1 Million cubic metres of round logs each. Indeed Urban points out that the production of solid structural timber in Zdirec especially requires fresh and crack-free logs. Log supplies in the Czech Republic are guaranteed by long-term contracts with the state forests and private forest owners. Even small-scale forest owners supply a certain amount of the raw material: Stora Enso Timber sources logs from about 500 suppliers. Pavel Urban assumes that the purchasing of logs is going to change in the near future, i.e. small-scale forest owners will become increasingly important for the company. It will therefore be necessary to contact more of them. Presently 60 % of the logs come from state forests.
The log yard is able to accommodate a maximum of 45.000 cubic metres of round logs, normally about 30.000 cubic metres are on stock. A quantity between 25.000 and 28.000 cubic metres makes good economic sense. Species are spruce, average log diameter is 26 cm, log lengths range from 3 to 6 metres. Presently the sawline mainly processes 4 and 5 m long logs. In this connection, Urban refers to the stem length logs which account for about 30 % of the quantity supplied. “Especially these logs are suitable to produce the lengths required at Zdirec and this is our big advantage on the market”, says Urban.
Why the decision to buy a Linck-sawline?
The main reason for buying a Linck sawline was the great experience of this company. Nearly all modern sawmills are operating Linck lines and especially Austrian sawmills made good and extensive experiences with this manufacturer. The new sawline is working very flexible as it is processing logs from 14 to 50 cm top end diameter. The first machine combination consists of an infeed system EV 50 (with automatic log orientation, turning the curved log into the optimum sawing position) and a chipper canter VM 45. The turning angle for the sawlogs is calculated from the data of a 3D-scanner.
The second machine combination in line for recut is an infeed system EVP 50 followed by a chipper canter VM 45. The design of the infeed system allows the diagonal alignment of the two-sided cant prior to feeding it into the chipper canter. When processing curved logs, the cutting pattern is placed on the surface limit of the two-sided cant by taking advantage of the taper to avoid a non-conforming wane on the inner curve. This results in a higher recovery.
Following the second chipper canter, the four cant surfaces are measured. Based on these values and on a configurable table provided by the operator, the sideboard optimisation system chooses the optimum lumber dimensions. Length and width of the sideboards as well as their position in the cant can be different on all four sides.
The first profiling machine combination in the line produces maximum 2 x 2 sideboards. The machine group consists of a two profiler units VPF and VPKS. A double arbor circular saw unit VS 80 from the old sawline takes over the separation of the four sideboards.
The second profiling machine combination also consists of two profiler units VPF and VPKS followed by a double arbor circular saw MKV, even coming from the old sawline. This machine combination as well produces maximum 2 x 2 sideboards and splits the centre products in one working operation.
Czech Republic, Austria - Japan, Germany - the lumber is sold to everywhere
The main market of the Zdirec sawmill is the Czech Republic followed by Austria, Germany and Italy. But the company also supplies lumber to Japan, the USA, England and Australia, the Middle East, France, Greece, Spain and the Slovakia. The main product of Stora Enso Timber in Zdirec is lumber for solid structural timber (43 %) and glue-lam beams (8 %). That is why the sawmill differs from the other mills of the company in Central Europe which also produce planed timber for Japan, Australia, the USA and Great Britain.
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Infeed system leading the diagonally aligned two-sided cant into the second chipper canter
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Board separator separating sideboards and centre products
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Future extension of the site envisaged
Pavel Urban affirmed that it is envisaged to establish more lumber processing plants in the region around Zdirec. Various steps are planned such as e.g. the production of glue-lam beams or even three-ply panels and formwork panels. It is also considered to produce pellets, however the appropriate infrastructure in the Czech Republic is still missing. The pellet consumption is to date very low.
In this context, Pavel Urban stated the present surplus production of pellets in Austria. “If we process one million cubic metres of round logs, we will of course have to think about the handling of the by-products.” A cooperation with pellet producers similar to the Austrian Stora Enso Timber mills in Ybbs or Sollenau and Brand is taken into consideration. This idea has not yet been thought about in detail, however such copperation is though possible in the future.
Pavel Urban agrees with the opinion of the President of the European Organisation of sawmills (EOC), Hans Michael Offner, i.e. the one who does not invest in his sawmill in the coming five years, will have to close it. “We at Zdirec look optimistic into the future and operate a sawmill producing at competitive prices. We have set the scene to allow future investments.”
Regarding the question whether timber has a future in the Czech Republic, Urban answers: “We believe the Czech market is open for any kind of lumber as we could make good experience in the expired year.” About 10 % of the lumber production in Zdirec – excluding solid structural timber – were sold on the Czech market, i.e. about 110.000 m³. The increased use of timber in the Czech Republic is of course also a political matter. Urban admits that the use of timber in Austria is rich in tradition, the Czech people only know little about it, their knowledge has to be extended.
The question whether Stora Enso gets involved in increasing the consumption of timber per head in the Czech Republic is answered as follows: “A forum called “Timber for the life” will be established in which other large Czech companies will take part.” In the end, hopes are placed that architects and as a consequence also people learn to appreciate the building material timber
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Pavel Urban, Milll Manager of Stora Enso Timber in Zdirect since 1998
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Overview of the log yard. In the background the heating power station with two boilers with outputs of 6 and 8 MW. The sorting line comprises 52 bins. Sorting takes place in four shifts, seven days a week, whereas there is a break on Saturday morning for maintenance and adjustment work.
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