vee

- ay makes n@ sense to ship
, knots and sawdust halfway
- around the world.’’

_- We've got to start looking at
what's between the knots,’’
Those words were spoken by

Peter. Woodbridge, a forest in-
dustry consultant, at a seminar
on value-added wood products
nearly two years ago, There has
been a pervading philosophy in
- all sectors of the local forest in-
dustry for years that our mills
have to start producing. more
finished products that employ
more people and sell for a higher
value, but until now the mills in
the region, with a few small ex-
ceptions, continue to churn out
export-market dimension
lumber. .

The situation will change early
‘next year.
On the site of the former B.C,

Timber maintenance shops on:

the West Kalum logging road, a
new sawmill is under construc-
tion that will. use all that clear
wood between the knots, and
any knots and sawdust left will
be shipped to the pulp boilers in
Prince Rupert, not halfway
around the world. .
Dave Rice arrived in Terrace a
‘couple of weeks ago to find that
:the sawmill he had been hired to
‘build and manage, Kalum Wood
Products, was behind schedule.
Like many project. “managers in
_ the region, he ran ‘up against ‘a
shortage of trades people due to
the drain exerted by major con-
struction shows in Kemano and
- Kitimat. He now hopes the new
value-added mill will be ready to
go sometime in January. -
_ _ The steel is up, three sides are
sheeted in, and most of the
machinery is in place. During a
tour of the plant, Rice said it will
be set up to use timber that. is
often left on the ground by ex-

isting mill operations. Kalum is

set up to take the logs that are
rotted in center or that might

. break apart on the mill carriage
in a high-volume dimension
lumber type of mill.

The object is quality rather
than quantity. Kalum will be
selling its 22 million board feet
of annual production to the
‘Japanese . consjruction market

low waste

and a variety of other buyers
who need clear, high quality

softwood products.

- .When logs are dropped at the
entry bin, they are bucked with a

- saw operated by a controller in a

tower at the north end of the
complex. They go from there in-
to a drum de-barker. Rice points
out that the drum system (‘‘it
literally beats the bark off the
logs’’) gives the mill flexibility
because it can accommodate
nearly any diameter of log.

The de-barked logs will be
conveyed by a carriage to the
head rig, which Rice describes as
being the only piece of really
-high-tech equipment in the
plant. The lumber then goes into
a second saw arrangement, set
up to cut 105x105 millimeter
_(four and a quarter inch square)
stock, a size that is to the
Japanese construction industry

what two-by-fours are to North

American builders.

On the other side of the saw
the lumber goes through a three-
way sort: acceptable quality
105x105 go for packaging and
shipping, wood that needs
‘reworking is sent through an
edger, and wood that can’t be
used goes to the hogger, where it

is pulverized and subsequently -

sent off to the pulp mill in
Prince Rupert to be used as

boiler fuel. There’s no burner, .

and nothing is wasted.

- One of the uses for products -

that come out of the edger, Rice
said, is clear softwood blanks
for making musical instruments.
Those are remanufactured at a
mill in the lower mainland.
Rice has had difficulty hiring
building trades people, but one
thing he had no problems with
was finding skilled and ex-
perienced sawmill workers. His
staff of 14 are already hired,

with one notable exception. “I {

need a grade sawyer,’’ he re-

marked. ‘‘That’s the key posi-. -

tion.’”’

' When told that people in the
area have been discussing the

possibility of a high-efficiency

value-added wood processing
plant for years, Rice replied,
“*Well, now they’ve got it.’’

dJezebel’s Cabaret
is Giving Away a

- 1980 Camero ¢
Saturday, October 28th

| Vi Middleton 635-8672

Dennis Thompson was the first staff member hired by Kalum Wood Products, the new -
value-added sawmill being built west of Terrace. Last week he was occupied with the.

“Terrace Review — - Wednesday, October 25, 198

details of installing the mill's head-rig carriage.

——————
THE.SIGN OFA

GOOD BUSINESS
NEIGHBOR . . .

THE SIGN OF
‘A MERCHANT
WHO CARES
ABOUT PEOPLE ...

This emblem Identifies.

. the civic-minded
businessmen who sponsor

Yetome Wagon.

in the community.

Terry Kendell 638-8178

' Preliminary Draws will be made:
October 20th & 21st and October 26th & 27th

for the final draw at the

Halloween Party
Saturday, October 28th

at Jezebel’s Cabaret. |
CASH PRIZES FOR BEST COSTUME!

‘Sponsored By: dezebel’s Cabaret &

PUBLIC”

British Columbia Legislative Assembly
SELECT STANDING COMMITTEE
ON FORESTS AND LANDS

~ PRINCE RUPERT © WED, NOV. 1/89 11:00 A.M.
.The Prince Rupert Hotel « 2nd Ave., & 6th Street
- STEWART » THURS, NOV. 2/89.¢ 10:00 A.M.
Banquet Hall « Stewart Arena
DAWSON CREEK « FRI, NOV. 3/89 « 9:00 A.M.
The George Dawson Inn + Tremblay Room © 11705 - 8th Street
VANCOUVER = WED., NOV. 8/89 » 9:00 A.M.
The Westin Bayshore « Stanley Room « 1601 W. Georgia
KELOWNA * THURS, NOV. 9/89 « 9:00 A.M.
The Lodge Motor Inn « 2170 Harvey Avenue

DUNCAN « WED, NOV. 15/89 « 10:00 A.M.
The Silver Bridge Inn « 140 Trans Canada Highway

The purpose of these meetings is to receive
submissions on the criteria and gsistore for
determining the availabili e exemptions
pursuant to Section 136 of. the Forest. Act and
conditions, fees and permits imposed pursuant to
Section 137 of the Forest Act.

The committee may, at its discretion, hear views
with respect to the prices of timber bought, sold or
traded on the Vancouver Log Market; whether such
prices represent or reflect the true market value of
species for export or domestic use and the suitabili
of such prices for determining the relative values o
different species for the purpose of calculating
stumpage payable under the Forest Act.

Those wishing to appear at the above locations
should notify the Clerk of Committees as soon as
possible supplying him with 12 copies of any
printed material intended for presentation to the
committee.

Address all correspondence or inquiries to:

Mr. Craig H. James

Clerk of Committees

Room 236 Parliament Buildings
Victoria, British Columbia

V8V 1X4

Telephone: 356-2933 Fax: 356-8172

Mr. Graham Bruce, M. L.A.
CHAIRMAN

al

ree eo pry tne SA mp atm

aren