The University of Maine has been issued a patent for a process to create construction materials that are bound with cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) and offer increased durability and environmental friendliness. While the technology can be used to create a variety of commonly used building materials, the primary application for this patent focuses on a replacement for particle board, which is …
Linda Sewell steps down from OFO
OneFortyOne Plantations announced this week that Linda Sewell has announced her resignation as Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective 28 August, 2020. In a statement released from the Board of Directors, it states that the news comes with regret but also great respect and support for Linda in her decision. After nearly eight years of demanding hard work, a …
Niagara Sawmilling invests in BioVision technology
Niagara Sawmilling of Invercargill, New Zealand is investing in BioVision for its edger and trimmer lines. The mill is replacing older scanning and optimization systems. This new technology will improve the quality of the material it is sending to its reman plant, increasing the efficiency and throughput of that operation. These systems are scheduled to be installed in December 2020. …
Augmented Reality Headset for Service & Training
Van Dyk Vision-AR is a voice-activated computer that you wear as a headset. It includes a camera, headphones, microphones, and a 1-inch computer that displays to the eye as a 7-inch tablet. It uses camera streaming and “augmented reality” (AR) to simulate an in-person service visit or training session. It allows you to communicate with our service desk more clearly …
Bright future for sustainable wood pellets
Earlier this year Natures Flame successfully completed a major capacity expansion of its wood pellet plant at Taupo in New Zealand, and over the next few weeks, as reported in last week’s issue, the company will start supplying pellets to Fonterra’s milk processing facility at nearby Te Awamuta. The first delivery to Fonterra will take place late in August and …
Accsys forms Accoya USA joint venture
Accsys and Eastman Chemical Company, a world leader in the production of acetyls, have formed a joint venture company, Accoya USA LLC. The joint venture intends to construct and operate an Accoya® wood production plant to serve the North American market. The new company has been formed and a technology licence entered into so that front-end engineering and design for …
Hyne Timber proposal to process export logs
Australian family owned Hyne Timber is looking for government support for an initiative that will see saw logs destined for export, processed at its Tumbarumba Mill, protecting hundreds of jobs locally and along the timber supply chain, helping the Australian economy recover from bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic. Following discussions with suppliers in Victoria and South Australia, Hyne Timber has …
Fonterra’s first wood pellet-fuelled plant ready
Fonterra is one step away from pushing the go button on its first factory to convert from coal to wood pellet energy. The dairy company’s Te Awamutu plant in the Waikato, New Zealand, is putting the finishing touches on the NZ$11 million power source conversion which could be used as a blueprint for its other factories around the country. It …
Hyne Timber unveils new glue laminating plant
Marking the completion of commissioning, Hyne Timber welcomed Queensland Minister for State Development, the Hon. Kate Jones and Member for Maryborough, Bruce Saunders to the unveiling of the new Glue Laminated Timber Plant in Maryborough. The AU$23 million investment generating 80 jobs during construction and over 40 jobs once fully operational included the engagement of 40 local contractors, worth over …