PAGE § SKEENA CELLULOSE INC. Sawmill among world’s most modern Head Sawyer Norm Rolfsen brings space-age technology and years of experience to the main breakdown of logs from his state-of-the-art control booth at Skeena’s sawmill in Terrace. 624-2105 @ TAXE: 50 CAR FLEET (Driver Owned & Operated) ® SIGHTSEEING TOURS © DELIVERY SERVICE * COURIER EXPRESS 24 HOUR SERVICE 624-2185 744 - Std Avenue W. VO) 1M WE MONITOR CHANNEL 4 BC. SKEENA TAX! LTD. “Skeena Cellutose’s new sawrmill is among the most modem in the world,” says Ken Ziegler, Assistant Quality Can- irot Superintendent, who played an in- strumental rote in design management and Installation of the rnill's new technology. Skeena Cellulose was bought by Repap Enterprises in 4986, The new Repap sawmill replaced an outdated mill ouilt In the 4960s. Casting $42 milllan, the new mill was officially opened In September 1988. The original mili was built in: 1952 by Carl Pohle. “People today still refer to it as the Pohle mill,” says Henry Kuehne, Quality Control Superintendent, whe has a record-breaking 38 years of service. “The first mill was powared by a steam boiler,” says Kuehne “hut it burnt down In 4959. By 1960 we'd re-inuilt if. This time wiih efectricily.” The last refic of the “old” mill, the beehive burner, has just been removed. SAWMILLERS DESIGNED AND BUILT MILL in desiging tha new mill, management took an unusual approach. They decid- ed that the best people to design a sciwrnill were sowrnillers — hot engineers or consultants, but people who worked ‘in the mil every day. in other words, the existing workforce had the expertise and know-how fo create a truly exceptional sawmill. A project team was drawn tram the “old mill which continued io operate throughout ihe design and construction phase. The team developed their plan for on Ideal sawmill and consulted and involved peopie at every level, The pro- jJectieam also acted as its own generai contractor during construction. Named Project Starship for its space- age technology. ihe new mill was one. of the first fully-automated sawmills with totally intagrated computer functlons from beginning ta end, What does automation mean? Enhanced worker safely because the {umber is handled fess: more lumber manufactured fram each log because super-afficient computer systems tecover the maximum amount of marketable lumber: a top-quality pro- duct; and flexibility to cut both meiric and imperial lengths for different markets. SUCCESS BASED ON NEW PRODUCT AND MARKETS Today, the scwmik’s versatility. and technical supariority make It successful in new and competitive markets. “Our strategy is to export high quality lumber fo overseas markets Ile Japan and the United Kingdorn.” says Acting Sawmill Manager Rand Menhinick.““We are now @ recognized leader in export markets, “Qur customers know they'e gettifig @ product of outstanding quality. Customer satistaction Is the key to our success. II's what sells our product and Quareniges our jobs, and fhe mill's iong- term prosparity.” LASSE SCANNIRG . The mill's control centre is a roomcon- taining six process control computers, each one costing a million dofiars, “Scanners are the eyes and the key to the system,” says Ziegler. “At each stage in the process laser scanners take a piciure of the log or board as it passes and the computer anyalyzes fi and makes 9 decision on the optimum way to cul the log or trim the boar. “The technology is marvellous, but ifs only as good os the people who use and maintain it," One thing technolegy can't dois judge the quallty of the wood. Graders do that. They look at every In- dividual board to dacide its grade and trim, Graders are highly skilled and make up to 7,000 grade decisians a day. TECHNOLOGY CAN'T REPLACE PEOPLE'S SKILLS & JUDGEMENT Bul it's the marriage of people and technology which creates a truly quall- ty product. : “Lesers can't detect clears (perfect boards with no knots or defects,” says Norm Rolfsen. Head Sawer. “I do that by looking at the log and |} override the computer because: we cut clears dit -ferently: The naw technology leis me concentrate more on detecling clears, and as.q result we cut far more clears than we used to." Rolfsen has seen major changes dur- ing hls 32 years at the mill. “In the ald days we worked oulside with only a bit ofa roof over us. It was freezing. I'd have sawdust piled up on my back and all over me.” OPERATOR'S SKILL CRUCIAL Today Ralfsen sits in a soundoroofed . air-conditioned boath equipped with a dazziing array of technology including two video screens, Although more lumber is recovered fram each fog because of the computer technology, the speed at which It's recovered depends antrely on the operator. Senior Sawmill Supervisor Julius Komlos, @ 29-year mill-employes, con- trasts today with the past, “We used to set all the machines by hand with educated guesswork. Even though we had an excellent craw and high stan- . darcis fo live up to, it was Impossibie to always guess right. If you missacdt — tae bad! “Today. the computers and scanners are marvellous when you compare them with manuat settings. They really help you do a great job.” Three. ganarations of Komias‘s have watked Inthe mill, Jutius worked with his father and both his sons hove also work- ‘ed in the mil, The mut has changed in frat time, and so has Terrace. “When Foame to Terrace in 4954" sys Kuehne, “! thought it was the witd wor. We had wooden sidewalks, ne running water, no pavement and big patholas. “Today we have all these fantastic * facilities inthe town ane inthe mitt, Inthe old days noone owned their own vehi- cla. We were so busy we never hadtime to be bored.”