Two years ago – over two weeks - FIEA’s WoodTECH conference series achieved a record turnout of sawmilling companies drawn from throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Over 350 delegates from all major sawmilling companies in the region in addition to leading technology providers from throughout Australasia, North America and Europe converged on Melbourne, Australia and Rotorua, New Zealand.

Two years later, in September 2017, WoodTECH 2017 will again be attracting scanning and sawing technology specialists, innovators and leading practitioners from around the world. The two-day programmes will provide;

A focused and independent platform will showcase the very latest in wood scanning, sawmilling, and mill optimisation technologies from around the globe. This will be achieved through a series of tailored presentations and on-site exhibitions.

Key companies presenting include; USNR, US/Canada, Autolog, Canada, HewSaw, Finland, MiCROTEC, Italy, ScanWare, Sweden, JoeScan, USA

For the first time in Australia and New Zealand, a series of practical workshops have been set up for local mills. They’re aimed at sawmill production and operational staff. They’ll provide a unique insight into how sawmills can extract the best performance out of their saws, their machine centres and sawing operations. Workshops of between 60-120 minutes are being given on;

1. Quality & lumber size control
2. Troubleshooting and improving bandmill, gang and board edger performance
3. Selecting, operating and maintaining log carriage and optimiser (softwood and hardwood) operations)
4. Sawguide selection, installation, operation and maintenance

The objective this year is to encourage sawmill teams – management, mill production, saw-doctors and maintenance staff – to take advantage of the line-up of international specialists being brought into the region to work alongside local mills. This will ensure that teams can collectively put the practical learnings into practice once back on site.

Workshop presenters include; Nick Barrett, SiCam Systems, Canada, Joe Shields, USNR, USA, Harry Penn, USNR, Canada, Marv Bernhagen, Lewis Controls, USA, Chuck Boaz, Corley Manufacturing, USA, Ralph Wijesinghe, Canada (Author of the Bandmill Book), Josh Bergen, Precision Manufacturing, Canada, Udo Jahn, Modern Engineering, Canada.

The New Zealand and Australian wood processing industry, including:

• Sawmill site managers
• Sawmill green-mill, production and engineering managers
• Mill supervisors, maintenance and production staff
• Mill and lumber Q.C. personnel
• Saw-doctors
• Local and international equipment, product and service suppliers

Don't miss out on this event and industry technology updates.

WoodTECH 2017 sponsorship and exhibition details for both New Zealand and Australia are available. Exhibition spaces are, once again, filling quickly. If you would like to register your interest, please use the included form. Updates on the planned series will also be provided regularly through the region’s most widely read e-newsletters, www.fridayoffcuts.com and www.woodweek.com.

WoodTECH 2015 offered a tremendous opportunity for companies involved in wood scanning, sawing and mill optimisation technologies to maximize their exposure to New Zealand and Australia’s wood processing and manufacturing companies.

Record numbers of key suppliers from throughout Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, Sweden, Finland, the UK and Italy were involved in WoodTECH 2015.

Feedback from all those participating has been overwhelmingly positive with a significant amount of business being done over the two weeks that the WoodTECH 2015 series ran. It was the largest ever gathering yet seen of sawmilling companies and suppliers at one place in both Australia and New Zealand. Exhibition spaces for this event were at a premium and a number who registered interest closer to the events running were unfortunately unable to be accommodated.

FIEA has a well-deserved reputation of providing both sponsors and exhibitors with a unique platform for promoting their products and services to the industry in BOTH New Zealand and Australia. For a full range of event sponsorship options, partnership arrangements and advertising opportunities, please complete the web form or contact;

Gordon Thomson, Sponsorship Manager, (+64) 7 921 1384 or (+64) 27 275 8022, gordon.thomson@fiea.org.nz.

Since 1998 the Forest Industry Engineering Association (FIEA), a division of Innovatek Ltd, has run an extensive series of technology related events for Australasian forest products companies. Over 200 conferences, trade shows and exhibitions have been run for local companies.

FIEA’s objective is to improve the performance and productive capability of forestry and wood products companies in the region. It is now recognized as one of the most effective information providers for the Australasian forestry & wood products industries.

FIEA Contact Details

  (+64) 7 921 1382
  1800 126 398 (from Australia)

• Rotorua Office

  Forest Industry Engineering Association
  Building X91, Sala Street,
  Rotorua 3010, New Zealand

  PO Box 1230,
  Rotorua 3040, New Zealand

  Ph (+64) 7 921 1382

• Dunedin Office

  Forest Industry Engineering Association
  c/o Distinction Dunedin Hotel,
  6 Liverpool Street,
  Dunedin 9016, New Zealand

  PO Box 904,
  Dunedin 9054, New Zealand

  Ph (+64) 3 470 1902