A four-story mixed-use structure in Des Moines, Iowa, will be the first building in the U.S. to be constructed with dowel-laminated timber, an all-wood mass timber product that is held together without nails, glue, or fasteners and can be assembled with friction-fit wood connectors. Designed by Neumann Monson Architects, the 65,000-square-foot building, which houses shops, restaurants, and offices, is made …
New electrical substation for Tarpeena underway
Timberlink continues to significantly invest into its Tarpeena sawmill as it transforms into an internationally competitive radiata pine business. The company is investing AU$90 million over the next 3 years to secure local jobs in the region for the next generation, this is in addition to the significant spend that has already taken place at the mill since Timberlink’s takeover …
Composite deck producer increases capacity
Trex is expanding production of its composite deck products in Virginia and Nevada. Winchester, Va.-based Trex Co. Inc. plans to invest US$200 million in the next two years to increase capacity by 70 percent, with a new plant at its headquarters site and more production lines at its plant in Fernley, Nev. The world’s largest decking and railing producer expects …
Trade in global softwood lumber increases
Global trade of softwood lumber increased in the 1Q/19, US lumber prices were substantially lower than in early 2019 and Russian lumber exports are on the rise, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly. Global trade of softwood lumber reached 120 million m3 in 2018, the second highest level on record. The uptick in demand for lumber continued in early 2019, with …
Wood processing shines at ExportNZ BOP Awards
A tour operator with our national game at heart; an innovative agri-tech company; a General Manager of Sales and Marketing for an organic spice exporter; and a specialist in automation in solid wood processing were the big winners at the ExportNZ Bay of Plenty Awards. The 29th annual awards were presented at a glamorous ‘A Night with the Stars’ gala …
Opportunities with real-time electricity pricing
New Zealand businesses and households will get clearer electricity price signals under the biggest change to the wholesale power market since it was established in 1996. Under the changes planned by the Electricity Authority, customers will be able to react to the half-hour prices they see in real-time rather than finding out for sure what the price at the time …
OneFortyOne set to invest a further AU$19M
When OneFortyOne took ownership of Mount Gambier’s Jubilee Highway Sawmill in 2018, it not only cemented the company’s commitment to the Green Triangle region, but it also marked the first of many significant investments to be made at the site. Over the past 18 months, OneFortyOne has invested AU$19 million in various projects, ensuring the mill remains one of the …
Sawmill machine alignment focus in September
In a recent issue of this newsletter we profiled the series of more practical workshops that will be running alongside sawmilling tech innovations that will be making up the two-yearly technology series ( WoodTECH 2019) being run for this region’s sawmills in September. As part of the workshop series, USNR will be running a session on primary breakdown machine alignment …
Q.C. opportunities for the entire mill
In a previous update on the upcoming sawmilling series ( WoodTECH 2019) running in September, we outlined a series of practical workshops being set up for sawmill production and operational staff which have been integrated into the two-day conference and exhibition. Workshops on primary breakdown and machine alignment and maintenance techniques to improve machine reliability, real-time quality control, condition monitoring, …