June 2004 Volume 10, Number 6
June 2004 Volume 10, Number 6
By Diane Calabrese
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Inovec, a wholly owned subsidiary of InVision Technologies Inc. in Newark, Calif., sees optimization as a tool that is fully realized when it assists an experienced operator of machinery. Depending on the type of optimizing systems installed, Inovec technology can enable mills to increase yield as much as 15%.
| "I’m planning to change the two Ukiah edgers over, add Inovec to them." |
With the headrigs optimized, Charles said it is just a matter of time until the remainder of the line is also optimized. "I’m planning to change the two Ukiah edgers over, add Inovec to them," he said.
Most fencing components produced by Britt Lumber fit into one of three categories. The company cuts 1x4, 1x6 and 1x8 in 6-foot and 8-foot lengths and also 8-foot 2x4 and 12-foot 4x6.
"Our grades are our own," said Charles. "In fencing, there isn’t too much (in the way of) grading rules. Britt Lumber essentially made the rules." The formulation for grading developed by Britt Lumber Co. resulted in the Redwood Inspection Service, or RIS.
Britt Lumber is a member of the California Redwood Association (CRA), a trade group for redwood lumber producers that offers technical assistance to designers and builders. CRA members are committed to ensuring a continuous supply of redwood products as well as responsible stewardship of private redwood forests.
All redwood logs milled by Britt Lumber come from second growth forests, explained Charles. Most of the wholesale customers for the fencing products are in the West. Britt Lumber does no retail sales, and all customers pick up their orders. The company does no trucking.
Arcata, home for Britt Lumber, is in northwest California and has a population of about 16,000 residents. Incorporated in 1858, just eight years after California became a state, Arcata is located 250 miles north of San Francisco. It is home to Humboldt State University. Part of the redwood coast region, Arcata holds its own forested acreage as community land that is used for sustainable timber harvests, recreation and wildlife preservation.
Britt Lumber, with 135 employees, runs two nine-hour shifts, five days per week. "We’re on about nine acres," said Charles. A road separates the 75,000-square-foot sawmill and remanufacturing facility from a 25,000-square-foot planing mill, but they are essentially contiguous. The planing mill is situated on approximately five acres.
Some fence components are planed rough on four sides. Britt Lumber does some specialty cutting, particularly components for playground equipment that are sold to customers in the East.
"We cut about 85 million board feet a year here, net wood," said Charles. Overrun has increased about 8% since adding the Inovec systems, he said.
Besides managing the plant, Charles has another crucial role at Britt Lumber. "I take care of all maintenance and saw filers," he explained.
A native of California, Charles enjoys living and working in the Arcata area. He likes to hunt and fish, and the region has great places for both activities.
| The key was the effort of Inovec personnel. "They have done a great job for us," said Charles. "They’re very knowledgeable on the product." |
The Britt Lumber philosophy of doing business in the context of the community is one Charles likes. "It’s a great place to work," he said. "It’s very family oriented."
Of course, Charles also appreciates the high quality product Britt Lumber churns out. "Redwood makes a beautiful fence," he said. "It lasts. Some customers stain it," but it is not necessary.
Many decades ago, redwood was often referred to as a satiny wood. It was a favorite for shingles when wood roof shingles were in vogue.
Factors other than good looks and lightweight make redwood a sought after material for fencing. The moisture content of coast redwood fluctuates less than other softwoods. As a result, fencing made from the wood is less like likely to warp, split, cup or check.
According to the CRA, the coast redwood grows faster than any other commercial softwood in the nation. In 30 years, the species can reach 130 feet.
Pairing of the beauty of redwood and the precision of Inovec systems has been a big plus for Britt Lumber Co. Charles emphasized that the key to bringing the two together was the effort of Inovec personnel. "They have done a great job for us," said Charles. "They’re very knowledgeable on the product."
Indeed, at the beginning of this year, Inovec announced that it had installed the 100th StereoScan 3-D Scanning System. The company, which sells its products worldwide, put that system in place at B.Y. Lumber Co. in White Plains, N.Y. The first StereoScan systems Inovec produced were sold in 1999.
The Inovec scanning, optimization and control systems are crucial players in improving yield, recovery and speed at mills. Sawmill owners welcome anything that can make the most of each tree. So do individuals outside the wood products industry, especially those who take a keen interest in preservation.
The genus of the coast redwood, Sequoia, takes its name from Sequoyah, the person who invented the means of transcribing the Cherokee language. Sequoyah was the son of an English trader and a Cherokee mother.
The single species of coast redwood grows in a narrow 500-mile long band along the foothills near the Pacific Ocean from the Oregon border and heading south. The region where it grows is relatively warm year-around and records plentiful rainfall, averaging 40 inches per year.
Getting the most from every coast redwood tree is important to everyone, including the CRA. The CRA promotes methods that encourage regeneration of the redwood. Stumps and matted material from dead shoots of redwood make the best substrate for regrowth. The denser the better, since the mats suppress the other plants that are competitors of the redwood. The perfect starting ground for new redwoods is in the coppice of existing ones.
In just 20 years, a coast redwood can grow to a height of 80 feet. That makes the promise of sustainable harvesting at one-generation intervals one that can be fulfilled. Not surprisingly, the redwood is the state tree of California.
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