2017 International Forest Industries Magazines June July 2017 | Page 24

LUMBER PROCESSING NEWS
Sawmilling tech series ready for September 2017
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; international suppliers along with
exhibitions are also planned.
1. New Technology Updates. • S
 electing, operating and
maintaining log carriage and
optimiser (softwood and
hardwood) operations)
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 involved in
longer presentations include;
USNR, US/Canada, Autolog,
Canada, HewSaw, Finland,
MiCROTEC, Italy, ScanWare,
Sweden, JoeScan, USA. Shorter
tech updates by local and
2. World Class Workshops.
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 centers
and sawing operations. Workshops
of between 60-120 minutes are
being given on;
• Quality & lumber size control
• T  roubleshooting and improving
bandmill, gang and board edger
performance
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, (Author of
the Bandmill Book),Canada Josh
Bergen, Precision Manufacturing,
Canada, Udo Jahn, Modern
Engineering, Canada.
A series of key international
tech providers are also now being
lined up as part of the TECH talks
sessions in the programme on both
sides of the Tasman.
Full details on the programme
in both countries and each of the
workshops can now be found on
the event website, www.woodtech.
events.
• S
 awguide selection, installation,
operati on 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.
CatchMark Partners with MPERS to acquire
North Georgia Timberlands
CatchMark Timber Trust, Inc.
(NYSE: CTT) recently announced
that it has formed a joint venture
with the Missouri Department of
Transportation & Patrol Retirement
System (MPERS), which today
acquired 11,031 acres of high-
quality timberlands in North
Georgia, known as the Dawsonville
Package. Under terms of the
50-50 joint venture with MPERS,
CatchMark will be the fiduciary
for the public pension fund’s
investment and will manage the
timberlands.
The timberlands acquired in the
Dawsonville Package border the
Chattahoochee National Forest and
are located within 90 miles of both
Atlanta and Chattanooga. Heavily
stocked at an average of 51 tons of
merchantable timber per acre, the
timberlands are 75% pine with 41%
sawtimber.
Jerry Barag, CatchMark’s
President and CEO, said: “The
acquisition marks CatchMark’s first
transaction with an institutional
partner and is in keeping with
our strategy to acquire prime
18 International Forest Industries | JUNE / JULY 2017
timberlands with sustainable
characteristics and well above
average harvest stockings to
propel durable revenue growth. The
tracts are extremely well located
in metropolitan growth paths and
over the long-term offer higher-
and-better use options.”
Barag added that CatchMark
“sees further opportunity to
partner with pension funds
and other institutions as these
investors seek the diversification
characteristics and income-
generating benefits of timberland
Jerry Barag, CatchMark’s
President and CEO
investments. In particular, we
look forward to expanding our
relationship with MPERS.”
CatchMark funded its
investment in the joint venture
through its credit facility.