Arauco, Dieffenbacher Sign Supply Contracts For Michigan Panel Plant

Arauco is investing in the construction of a new particleboard plant with a planned capacity of 800,000 square meters per year in Grayling, Michigan. For the first time, the company is purchasing a complete plant from Dieffenbacher. The two companies decided to work together in January 2016, followed by a phase of detailed engineering and concluding with the signing of supply contracts at the end of 2016.

The highlights of the scope of supply are Dieffenbacher’s EVOjet P gluing system, which reportedly uses up to 15 percent less glue; and the continuous CPS+ press, which, at 10 feet wide and 52.5 meters long, will be one of the largest particleboard presses in the world.

“Arauco always exercises prudence when it comes to committing to new development. Therefore, we are all the more pleased with the confidence that Arauco has shown in us with its decision to choose the CPS+,” says Bernd Bielfeldt, head of the Wood Business Unit at Dieffenbacher.

The two driers, together with the associated energy system that Chile-based Arauco also commissioned from Dieffenbacher, are large parts of the new operation. Grayling is located in the northern part of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.

The contract also includes dosing silos for the chips, a glue mixing station, forming stations and the forming line; as well as the raw board handling system, the sanding line and the Lukki bearing system, which Arauco has already had experience with at its other sites.

From Woodworking Network: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-industry-news/arauco-and-dieffenbacher-sign-supply-contracts-new-michigan-panel?ss=news,news,woodworking_industry_news,news,almanac_market_data,news,canadian_news

Borg Manufacturing Orders Particleboard Plants From Siempelkamp

Two successful sales confirm that Siempelkamp’s expertise enjoys best reputation in Down Under as well: Borg Manufacturing Pty. Ltd., a leading Australian producer of melamine-laminated boards, has ordered a new particleboard plant for its Oberon location. Moreover, Borg has ordered a retrofitting concept from Siempelkamp to use their latest technologies effectively in their existing plant.

The new particleboard plant will be set up in Oberon in the Australian state of New South Wales, where Borg Manufacturing operates a facility for wood-panel surfacing. Impressive investments will enhance its market value significantly. Having so far purchased all their particleboard the company now strives for more autonomy by running their own production facility.

In this Borg relies on Siempelkamp’s support: The Krefeld-based machinery and plant manufacturer received the order for a particleboard plant including a Generation 8-ContiRoll (pressing format 8’ x 40.4 m, designed for an output of 1,500 m³/day). In this plant, two important technological core competences will be realized: for one the almost isobaric pressure distribution in the press and secondly the latest forming technology, presently representing the latest benchmark with respect to raw material consumption.

This is achieved, amongst others, by an optimized material feed into the dosing bins and by two field proven EcoFormers, which are wind formers for producing the surface layers. The mat former system is completed with two CageFormers for producing the core layers; the formers are equipped with modules designed to adjust the weight-per-unit area of the mat. The interplay of these components enables a high forming precision and – along with the almost isobaric pressure distribution in the ContiRoll – ensures an especially material- and cost-efficient particleboard production. These important features have contributed to convince our customer.

From Woodworking Network: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-industry-news/borg-manufacturing-orders-new-particleboard-plants-siempelkamp

B.C. Particleboard Plant Revamps For Pellet Production

A Northern Engineered Wood Products (NEWPRO) particleboard facility is filing a permit amendment to become a wood pellet manufacturing plant. Particleboard production has been halted at the Smithers, BC, plant since January 2014.

Although not typically required when reducing emissions, a full consultation report will be submitted to the Ministry of Environment Aug. 3, said Rebecca Martin of SLR Consulting, who is overseeing work on the plant. News reports of the application say it shows the switch will result in 94 percent decrease in total particulate matter, from 432 to 26 tons per year. Modeling was done to predict the emissions levels.

Martin said NEWPRO’s use of the best available control technology will make the facility a new provincial standard for wood pellet plants. Among the upgrades to be made are state-of-the-art dryers.

When it reopens, the plant will bring an estimated 30 full time jobs, and 10 contractual jobs to the area, Martin added.

From Woodworking Network: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/canadian-news/particleboard-plant-revamps-pellet-production

Uniboard Invests $53 Million In Particleboard, TFL Plant

Uniboard announced it will invest more than $53 million at its Val-d’Or particleboard and thermally fused laminate (TFL) facility as part of the panel producer’s plan to increase productivity and upgrade key production areas.

The company produces particleboard, MDF and TFL from mills in Val-d’Or, Sayabec, Mont-Laurier and Laval. Uniboard’s composite panel products are used in cabinetry, furniture, casegoods and flooring.

In making the February 5 announcement, Uniboard President and CEO James N. Hogg said the project will enable the company to enhance its engineered wood and value-added product offerings. “Over recent years, Uniboard has invested heavily into product development, launching new color collections including North America’s first registered embossed thermofused laminate panels as well as expanding our successful NU Green range of low and no-formaldehyde products,” he added.

The company received assistance from provincial and federal agencies including Investissement Québec and Economic Development Agency of Canada for the regions of Québec.

Founded in 1976, Uniboard employs more than 800 people, including 186 at the Val-d’Or facility. The company says it has an installed capacity of more than 640 million square feet of raw particleboard, high-density and medium-density fiberboard, of which more than 50 percent is converted into value-added thermally fused laminate and laminate flooring products. Uniboard was acquired by Kaycan in 2012.

From Woodworking Network: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/wood/panel-supply/Uniboard-Invests-53-Million-in-Particleboard-TFL-Plant-290986351.html#sthash.DrmfgcDP.d3FU2JWJ.dpbs