Kadant Carmanah, Hexion Announce Collaborative Partnership

As a manufacturer of stranding equipment used in the production of oriented strandboard (OSB) panels, Kadant Carmanah views its collaborative partnership with Hexion and the integration of Hexion’s Smartech artificial intelligence (AI) technology as a natural evolution of its flagship “SmartRING” strander product line and Argus smart-connected technologies platform. According to Todd Macey, president of Kadant Carmanah Design, combining Hexion’s world-class AI-driven autonomous manufacturing solutions with Kadant Carmanah’s expertise in stranding equipment will enable OSB manufacturers to produce higher quality strands, enhance strander performance, and reduce unplanned downtime. Hexion’s Smartech division, which Hexion acquired in 2024, uses AI to improve the manufacturing process for wood panels. The product line includes software and systems solutions such as SmartPress and recently announced SmartQuality, each providing a unique approach to resin application that increases efficiency and product quality, as well as autonomous manufacturing systems, which utilize machine learning to optimize productivity. “The benefit of this collaborative partnership for OSB producers will be the full visibility and connectivity they will now have throughout their entire manufacturing process—from the strander, to the dryer, to the blender, to the forming line, to the press,” says Michael Lefenfeld, President and CEO, Hexion. “As OSB mills continue to face labor challenges and the high variability of log inventory management, Hexion’s advanced AI and machine learning technology will help stabilize the quality of strands from the strander.”