2017 International Forest Industries Magazines June July 2017 | Page 38

LUMBER PROCESSING
SAWLINES – USNR
Aiming for a speed record
Log infeed by Soderhamn Eriksson / USNR
North American sawmill
supplying giant, USNR,
is challenging the
market with a unique
bandsaw line
A
comprehensive
modernization of the
Northern Forest Owners
bandsaw line in Savar, Sweden, will
lead to much higher cutting speed
and higher yield of sawn timber.
The first phase was replacing
the edger and the second phase
will see the installation of a new
bandsaw line.
The investment is estimated at
SEK56 million (US$6 million), with
the first log to be sawn in August
2017.
Bandsaw lines produce thin
pieces of fiber, thus high yield of
sawn products, but they cannot
operate with the same high speeds
as circular saws.
“We want to recover as
much as possible of the timber,
and together with Söderhamn
Eriksson/USNR, we set a target of
doubling the speed and halving
the cut surfaces. These are very
challenging goals,” says Stig
Grundberg, Sawmill Manager at
Savar and Technical Director for
Northern Forest Owners.
“It is satisfying to see that
the sawmill industry in Sweden
32 International Forest Industries | JUNE / JULY 2017
is confident about the future and
shows a willingness to invest.”
Christian Winlöf, Sales and
Marketing Manager at Söderhamn
Eriksson/USNR: “Söderhamn
Eriksson is a technology driver,
and the cooperation with Northern
Forest Owners in such a major,
radical project will enable us to
help propel development forward.
It is very revolutionary project for
the entire industry.”
The Sävar saw line processes
a wide range of timber in all
dimensions, from 120 mm (5 in)
to 400 mm (15 in) at the top of the
range, and log weight can vary
from about 70 kg to 1,000 t. The
average speed of the old line is 65
m/minute, while the new one will
exceed 135 m/minute on average.
“We can achieve this level of
throughput by first placing two
reducers in the line to open both
USNR’s Savar sawmill manager, Stig Grundberg with Christian Winlöf