Iggesund Timber was naturally concerned about the impact of closing its well-known sister sawmill at Domsjo. The facility, which had for years shipped its famous MODO marked redwood across Europe and beyond, was showing its age and would have needed massive investment. Instead, after parent group Holmen sold its fine paper business last year, it was decided that it made more sense to funnel the cash into the already modern plant at Iggesund. But although this means the latter becoming one of the most advanced and well-equipped sawmills in Europe, there were fears that some Domsjo customers might be reluctant to transfer their business.
‘Naturally there was a strong loyalty to Domsjo,’ said Iain Lang, managing director of the UK business Iggesund Timber Sales Ltd. ‘It had a good reputation and served many customers well for years.’
But, while Iggesund is not taking anything for granted, it does now seem that it needn’t have worried.
‘We’ve taken Domsjo customers around Iggesund to show them how we’re developing the site and what we’re trying to achieve, and they’ve all been very positive and impressed,’ said Mr Lang. ‘The key aim is to show them that we’re not simply concerned with processing the timber, kilning it and shipping it out. We’re constantly trying to develop new techniques to improve the process and come up with new products.’
The recent changes at Iggesund, he added, have not just been about closing an old mill and switching production to a more modern one. They resulted from a strategic reappraisal of the market and the company’s place within it. Previously Domsjo and Iggesund had combined annual output of around 375,000m³. The former focused on redwood, the latter on a mix of redwood and whitewood. With Domsjo closed, Iggesund now concentrates exclusively on redwood, with production running between 235,000-240,000m³.
‘Redwood prices are better than whitewood, and focusing on one material makes processing more straightforward, cost-effective and consistent. But we’re also deliberately targeting the business at the quality end of the market, notably the specialist joinery sector and its suppliers who want redwood because of its superior machining qualities,’ said Mr Lang. ‘The reason overall output is reduced is because of redwood’s longer kilning times.’
Iggesund has, of course, for quite a few years marketed its products on the standard of its drying methods; in Mr Lang’s words, the ‘absolute key to timber quality’. It has even branded its special super hot steam kilning system, ‘Relax’. Having built up a reputation as a specialist in the field, it was natural that the first part of the recent investment programme should be focused on expanding kilning capacity and drying research facilities. In fact, Iggesund has doubled its kiln total to 44 at a cost of SKr100m, giving it one of the largest capacities for special kilning of any mill in Europe.
The new kilns were made to specification by ABB Fläkt and are all chamber-type and made in stainless steel, which, Iggesund maintains, makes them more precise and durable.
‘The kilns are designed so the top frame acts as a press to hold the timber flat and prevent deviation during drying,’ said Mr Lang. ‘We also dry using 13 sticks per 6m length which further improves the process.’
Energy efficiency was also high on Iggesund’s list of specifications for the kilns.
‘They use recycled steam from the neighbouring Iggesund paper plant – which burns woodwaste from the sawmill for power,’ said Mr Lang. ‘The stainless steel construction also makes them very economical.’
The new kilns enable Iggesund to push its special drying capacity to 70% of sawmill output (with moisture content options of 8, 10, 12 and 14%).
How to Relax
The company’s Relax kilning method involves steaming the timber at temperatures up to 45OC then, after the drying cycle, giving it a second burst of steam to level out moisture content through to the core of the material. At the end of the process, the differential between the outside and centre is less than 1%.
‘It’s a more expensive method and takes time,’ said Mr Lang. ‘But it ensures much fewer problems with uneven drying. It gives shake- and tension-free timber and minimises cupping and twist.’
The whole drying system is highly computerised, enabling the operator team to track the progress of each pack from the comfort of the control room. The system also helps ensure the timber gets from mill to kiln within two to four hours, which Iggesund’s research has shown minimises microchecks.
‘The control room can also e-mail the forklift drivers in their vehicles to tell them which kilns to load or unload,’ said Mr Lang. ‘That’s particularly popular in the winter because it means staff don’t have to venture out into the snow!’
Another development that is clearly the apple of Iggesund’s eye is its new drying laboratory. Developed in association with the University of Lulea, this is equipped with a 1.5m³ pilot kiln and is used both for general kilning research and test drying for individual customers.
The lab team also undertakes drying detective work. If a customer has a problem with timber performance, they can be supplied with special climate monitoring tags. Left in the factory, they enable Iggesund to monitor the ups and downs of humidity over time. The same conditions can then be reproduced in the laboratory and the effect they have on timber evaluated.
‘The tags are very accurate and useful tools, although one initially told a confusing story,’ said Mr Lang. ‘It showed the climate of a customer’s factory fluctuating violently, but with one short period of fairly constant conditions. It turned out that he’d had the tag with him when he was in a hotel.’
In its next development phase, Iggesund is building a new finishing plant at a cost of SKr190m. The facility, due for completion in autumn next year, will feature optical grading, optimising/cutting systems for component production and flexible packaging facilities. Planing is also a possibility.
The set-up, said Mr Lang, will be geared to achieving consistent, predictable quality and minimising waste (a process which runs right through the company’s operations, starting with the mill’s 74-bin log sorting line which uses an X-ray system for precision log pre-grading).
‘It’s all about securing the benefits for us and the customer that come from not shipping rubbish with the good material,’ said Mr Lang.
The new finishing plant will also strengthen Iggesund’s growing reputation in component timber.
‘Of course, there will always be a strong market for sawfalling material which we continue to serve, but there is increasing demand for components for a range of applications and markets,’ said Mr Lang. ‘Again it’s about waste minimisation and meeting customers’ specific requirements.
‘It gives the furniture manufacturer, for example, a range of benefits. They know precisely what they’re getting and can feed the components directly into the production line, which cuts handling and reduces risk of damage to the timber.’
Adding value
In line with its focus on adding value, Iggesund is looking for further market growth and development of its specially selected and cut centre-free Monolit® timber and its Quatrolit™ product.
The latter, which is effectively a log turned inside out, with the timber cut into four sections and then bonded back together with the fresh-knotted heartwood on the outside, has gained a strong following in the joinery and furniture sectors and now Iggesund is looking to push into other markets.
‘Quatrolit’s turning and machining advantages make it ideal for products like pedestal legs, porch pillars, CCTV posts and heavy-duty furniture components,’ said Mr Lang. ‘Now a steel connection system is undergoing tests which will take it into general construction.’
The latest evolution of Quatrolit is guided by the same motivation and objectives as the development of Iggesund overall. It’s not just about turning trees into timber.
Mr Lang summed it up: ‘The aim is to get the best out of the raw material from the forest and take the best total concept to the market.’
