Visiting Arch Timber Protection‘s Amsterdam timber treatment plant is a futuristic experience. The whole facility is an example of how hi-tech timber treatment plants can happily co-exist with the environment. It sits alongside the Amsterdam docks, with herons patrolling and fishermen casting their lines, confident that its modern design and facilities can perform an industrial, chemical treatment to timber without affecting its surroundings.
The biggest move forward, however, is in the control of the treatment facility and what it can now produce in addition to treated timber.
Plant manager Rob van Camp does not even have to come into contact with the preservative treatment solution, which was certainly not the case in the past.
Long gone are the days of manually mixing preservative ready for the treatment process. The preservative concentrate is now delivered to site by tanker and the free flowing liquid is transferred to the storage tank in a fully enclosed, controlled operation.
However, the latest innovation allows even more control to the actual treatment process and it is all done at the push of a button through AutoTreaterTM – brand new computer software developed by Arch Timber Protection.
Where once the plant operator would have relied upon his own calculations and judgement, computer sensors linked to pipes, valves, flow meters and tanks within the treatment facility now do this work for him, as well as relieving him of both physical tasks and the potential to come into contact with the chemicals. Two full-time staff manage the automated operation, giving an immediate improvement on staff efficiency.
The current treatment set-up, including a Hi-Fix® rapid steam fixation system, was established 10 years ago but it is only over the past 12 months that AutoTreater has been added and developed to control the whole process. The PC/Windows-based software system is quick and simple to use, with accurate and ‘real time’ graphic screen displays monitoring the mixing and treatment operations. The system can also be operated from a remote location to the plant, if required.
Full control
Through AutoTreater the operator has full control and optimisation of treatment cycles, including automated treatment solution strength determination and adjustment. Also, there are easy to select and programmable, customised treatment cycles capable of treating to BS and EN standards, amongst other criteria.
AutoTreater automatically generates and electronically stores both treatment charge sheets and certificates, which can be printed off if required or later examined to confirm treatment details. It will also allow the generation of valuable management reports, which can help determine the efficiency of the whole operation. It is therefore more than just an automation system; it can become a valuable business tool.
From a safety angle AutoTreater also has a built-in alarm notification system to alert the operator to any malfunction, helping to minimise any down time in the event of an operational problem.
Arno van Oosten is the general manager of Arch’s Dutch and Belgian business and has worked for the company for seven years. He said that AutoTreater had dramatically improved the overall efficiency and turnover of treated timber at the plant as well as changed the working patterns. ‘Its flexibility means that our managers can access the system from other locations and even from home, if required. Time and effort is saved if any adjustments or problem solving can be made electronically,’ he said.
‘AutoTreater also allows our operators time to carry out other work which we used to contract out. We save on labour and costs. It has also taken the human error element out of the treatment calculations, allowing a more reliable and consistent end result.’
Janet Brown, marketing manager of Arch Timber Protection, added: ‘Arch customers throughout Europe are using AutoTreater and we believe it is the most advanced system of its kind. The system has a multilingual capability, can reduce cycle times and help optimise preservative usage. We see AutoTreater as a further advancement of timber treatment application technology that will help improve the efficiency of our own and our customers’ businesses. It can be fitted to new or existing plants of both vacuum/pressure and double vacuum design and, initially, we see AutoTreater creating a real interest to treaters in the UK and Eire who have a large throughput of timber for treatment.’
UK installations
In the UK, AutoTreater has been successfully installed as part of a new double vacuum treatment facility at RTD Crawford of Belfast and as part of the vacuum/ pressure plant of the Preston service treat-ment facility of Arch Timber Protection.
Arch Timber Protection is a relatively new name in the timber protection industry but it hides a wealth of knowledge and tradition. Resulting from last year’s takeover of Hickson by Arch Chemicals Inc, the previous business of Hickson Timber Products Ltd now forms a major part of the treatment sector of the Arch worldwide chemicals business. This business is quite diverse in being one of the leading suppliers of chlorinated chemicals for swimming pools and its monomethyldrazine helps provide the power to manoeuvre the space shuttle in orbit. Its products are also used in microelectronic circuits, in cosmetics and furniture coatings.
The worldwide timber protection business was identified as one of the key attractions for the takeover, particularly in having common commitments to research and development of new products and technologies. Arch Timber Protection’s recent introduction of Tanalith E as an effective alternative to traditional CCA based treatments is an example of new product development as it starts to establish itself throughout Europe and now in the UK.
And Arch certainly hopes AutoTreater will be the latest example of moving the timber protection industry forward.
