southern africa - wood & timber times. · examples of wood chips: from the left are micro-chips...

Southern AfricaApril 2017 Vol.42 No.6

Join us at L I G N A22 to 26 May 2017

HUSQVARNAIFC

1April 2017 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times

EDITORIAL ...............................................................................2

FORESTRY............................. .......................Biomass is important – Waste not the wood waste..............3

Wood fuel: the renewable and carbon lean source of energy..................................................................................5

Latest research activities in the spotlight at ICFR Annual Research Meeting...................................................................6

ICFR 70th birthday celebrations to coincide with forest science symposium..............................................................10

Pine tree pest biocontrol – imagine a world without forests........................................................................11

28th Annual meeting of the TPCP and CTHB.......................14

Small growers will soon receive international PEFC accreditation...............................................................15

SAIF Continuous Service Excellence Award for April: Marcel Verleur.......................................................................16

Mozambique extends ban on logging for three months...17

Chainsaws can be dangerous – always wear appropriate and top quality PPE..............................................................18

SAIF tree facts for April..........................................................20

SAWMILLING ..............................................Wood-Mizer Africa dealership network expands................22

Wood-Mizer at Ligna 2017....................................................23

Nukor Sawmilling at Ligna 22 – 26 May 2017......................26

Q becomes V – New wire erosion tools to keep your finger on the pulse..........................................................................35

Manufacture circular saws in one go.................................36

Forestry sector transformation codes gazetted – at last!...37

Saw doctor trade qualification enters the registration process..................................................................................38

Draft resource plan slammed for ignoring co-generation.......................................................................40

Compliant timber roof truss construction essential for sound roof structure..........................................................................41

Builders learn from the timber construction experts...........44

WOODWORKING.......................................Austro at Ligna 22 to 26 May 2017......................................46

Vermont Sales open days the best in the history of the

event......................................................................................58

A brief walk through time and into the future with Arnold Geerlings...............................................................................60

Focus on the digital factory with the SCM Group at Ligna 2017.......................................................................................61

Geerlings hold successful open days in Johannesburg...62

The gold standard in coatings.............................................64

That perfect finish..................................................................69

Thresholds of furniture designations for local content debated................................................................................74

Furntech wins top international business incubator award.....................................................................................78

Kitchen trends and economies of scale.............................80

Smart machines for modern furniture production: Holz-Her at Ligna.................................................................................82

The FX Group announces exciting new joint venture with China FOMA.........................................................................84

The illusive “Corolla” of the woodworking industry..............85

CLASSIFIEDS..........................................88

April 2017 Vol. 42 No.6

2 April 2017 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times

April 2017 Vol. 42 No. 6Publisher: Ken Nortje [email protected]

Editor: Joy Crane [email protected] 082 330 0777 Johan Meyer [email protected] 084 354 1849 Mickey Petersen [email protected] 082 321 0371Sales manager: Sophia Nel [email protected]

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Dispatch: Willie Molefe

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editorial

By Joy Crane

A revolution of things without boundaries

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The World Economic Forum (WEF), which was established in 1971, is holding its conference in Durban, and I thought it is fitting to start with a quote by the founder of the WEF, Prof Klaus Schwab.

He says “The Fourth Industrial Revolution can compromise humanity's traditional sources of meaning – work, community, family, and identity – or it can lift humanity into a new collective and moral consciousness based on a sense of shared destiny. The choice is ours.”

The Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0 as it is known in forestry sector, is part of the so-called Internet of Things (IoT). In simple terms, it is about connecting devices over the internet and letting them talk to us, applications, and each other. IoT is not new, and the first internet connected toaster was unveiled in 1989.

Connected traffic signals, for example, have been around for many years and we take it for granted that alarm systems, baby monitors, geysers, and bank accounts are all “smart” and can communicate with us.

According to BI Intelligence, IoT devices connected to the Internet will more than triple by 2020, from 10 billion to 34 billion. IoT devices will account for 24 billion, while traditional computing devices (e.g. smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, etc.) will comprise 10 billion.

The numerous socio-, political and economic challenges facing companies today are making it increasingly inevitable that businesses will welcome this revolution.

South African visitors to Ligna 2017, the world’s largest technology fair, are doing so because they know IoT is useful for organising tools, machines and people and tracking where they are.

They will use it to lower operating costs, increase productivity, and expand to new markets or develop new product offerings.

It is important, however, to manage the creep of IoT carefully.

When efficiencies involve machines, logs, ergonomics and tools it is easy to accept the potential benefit, but when it is people wearing smart devices (maybe a fitwork-bit?) to see where they are and what they are doing to squeeze them for more productivity, there may be a backlash.

STOP PRESSOn 9 April, the sad news broke that legendary industry stalwart, David Crickmay, passed away. The staff of WSA&TT and our publisher, Malnor, offer our sincerest condolences to David’s family.

He will be missed and never forgotten. The May issue of the magazine will focus on David and his contribution to the industry.


WP Chipper Hire & Sales, which trades as Africa Biomass Company (ABC), is a leading national service provider of equipment for converting waste wood into useable end

products, including decorative wood chips, mulch, boiler fuel, biochar, wood pellets, charcoal and packaging material.

"There are huge opportunities for entrepreneurs who enjoy the outdoors to start a business and hire or buy a portable or static chipping machine," says Willem van der Merwe, general manager of ABC. "But biomass isn't always an exact science because different markets and different applications require distinct kinds of chips to achieve maximum efficiency. In other words, size and quality matters."

Van der Merwe explains that biomass markets can range from large–scale operations like power generating plants, to sawmills, universities, municipalities, farmers, land owners, nurseries, tree felling and garden service companies, forestry companies, pulp and paper mills, wildfire rehabilitation organisations, garden centres, and factories looking to convert old coal or heavy-fuel boilers to wood.

"To get the best of all worlds for these ever-expanding markets, versatile machines that can be adjusted to produce the size and quality of chips required for each client are necessary. And, for the business to be sustainable, the machines must be able to deliver the best possible production without losing throwing power, knife-life, or fuel efficiency."

ABC is the agent for the USA's heavy-duty tree and wood waste processing equipment manufacturer, Bandit Industries, in southern Africa. "Bandit appointed us because we are their biggest customer in southern Africa and over the years our technicians and machine

operators have become experts in all aspects of the equipment," says van der Merwe.

"ABC provides products, services and advice that keeps us and our clients profitable. We consider the unique requirements of each client, no matter whether they are hiring our machines, buying machines or using our services to do the chipping for them," says van der Merwe. "We have spent the money, have the equipment and can expand and work anywhere in southern Africa. Our biggest advantage is that we have the backing of Bandit Industries, which I believe is the best brand in the world. We can work anywhere in any area in the country."

ABC is fully equipped to provide technical support, spares and machine maintenance services for Bandit owners. There are more than 50 different types of Bandit machines:

• Hand-fed chippers • Stump grinders• The Beast range of horizontal grinders• Skid-steer attachments• Whole-tree chippers• Stationary chippers• Track carriers• Forestry mowers• Stump grinding heads

"Micro, small and medium–sized businesses in the forest-based industries should consider investing in technological innovations like the Bandit 3590 chipper, which is capable of feeding two different markets such as small chips for coal boilers and bigger chips for power plants."

Van der Merwe quotes the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), which says wood provides the world with roughly 40% of current

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Biomass is important – waste not the wood waste

These large wood chips can be used in a wide range of applications

Large–scale biomass power plants continue to go online around the world, and smaller scale biomass applications are also growing in popularity. Whether large or small, central to these facilities is high-quality biomass fuel, and that of course starts with wood chips.


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Biomass is important – waste not the wood waste

global renewable energy supply, much more than solar, hydroelectric or wind power.

"Wood fuel can offer a new local market for plantations, alien invasive vegetation and wood lands. It can minimise

transport distances and costs, and bring wood lands which were previously uneconomic to harvest back into management. Increased demand for wood fuel will offer a stimulus for landowners and the agro-forestry industry and create jobs while caring for the environment."

Examples of wood chips: from the left are micro-chips (6-8 mm) that are the chips of choice for white wood pellet production, medium chips (15-22 mm) commonly used for co-energy plants and as a source of energy, and larger chips (35-50 mm) that are used in the making of charcoal and specialist power generation plants


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Biomass such as wood fuel is unique because it can supply energy on demand, unlike other renewable resources, such as wind power, whose availability is intermittent. Although primarily a

local source of energy, biomass is also an internationally tradable commodity.

Willem van der Merwe of Africa Biomass Company (ABC) says that wood fuel from sustainably managed forests have a key role in meeting several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and providing solutions for a growing green economy.

"Wood fuel is a carbon lean source of energy which, if sourced sustainably and used efficiently, can deliver carbon emissions reductions of over 90% compared to fossil fuels," comments van der Merwe. "Trees play a crucial role in regulating our climate by taking up carbon as they grow. When wood is burned, the same amount of carbon that was absorbed over its lifespan is emitted.

"As trees mature, the rate at which they absorb carbon slows.

"So, by maintaining a constant cycle of growth and harvesting, managed forests and woodlands can play a vital role in climate regulation."

He explains that wood fuel is described as carbon lean – not neutral – because some carbon is emitted during its production and transportation. However, if the fuel is sourced locally, these are much lower than the emissions from fossil fuels.

"In addition, it is important to remember that wood fuel is exempt from carbon tax. According to the international carbon accounting principle, when combusted for energy, biomass does not contribute to global climate change as growing trees sequester carbon from the atmosphere via photosynthesis."

Wood fuel: the renewable and carbon lean source of energy

An Africa Biomass Company Bandit model 2680 Beast Recycler (horizontal grinder) recycling Casuarina trees


The Annual Research Meeting of the Institute for Commercial Forestry Research (ICFR) offers staff and postgraduate students the platform to inform the industry about their research outcomes, progress

and activities.

Research at the ICFR supports the forestry sector by producing the technical and scientific knowledge needed to grow trees successfully and profitably. It delivers recommendations that are accessible and relevant to all tree growers. This includes the need to produce more wood that is fit for purpose in several different markets, more efficiently and with less risk of crop loss.

This month Wood SA features tree breeding, research, nurseries, soil and site preparation and seedlings. The opportunity to report on the ICFR's annual meeting provides a perfect occasion to include relevant, edited extracts from the presentations.

The interaction between pitting method and fertiliser application in eucalypts and pines By Nkosinathi Kaptein

Soil preparation prior to planting is no longer a purely manual operation and other options such as semi-mechanised and mechanised pitting techniques are in use.

While manual pitting is well understood in South Africa, there is limited information on the impact of other pitting techniques on tree performance. In addition, the impact of fertiliser application and placement in pits created by semi-mechanised and mechanised pitting is not fully understood.

Two trials were established adjacent to each other; one planted with Eucalyptus grandis x Eucalyptus nitens and the second with Pinus elliottii x Pinus caribaea to investigate the effect of pitting techniques and fertiliser application and placement on tree survival, growth, and uniformity.

Three pitting techniques were tested:• Manual (standard road pick)• Semi-mechanised (motor manual auger)• Mechanised (excavator mounted pitting-head)

Three fertiliser treatments were also tested:• Granular fertiliser (10 cm and 20 cm away from the tree) • A pesticide impregnated fertiliser tablet• An untreated control (no fertiliser)

Pitting methods had no significant (p > 0,05) effect on tree performance across the two trials at 12 months after planting. Growth rates following the various treatments were: granular fertilisers > tablet > no fertiliser for eucalypts and pine.

Results suggest that when choosing the pitting technique, factors other than tree performance can be considered. The current ICFR recommended fertiliser and placement (15 cm away from the tree) can be followed for improved early tree growth and uniformity.

Improving the rooting ability of black wattle cuttings By Olwethu Madikane Mlungwane

Black wattle (Acacia mearnsii de Wild) of the family Fabaceae is one of the leading economic and commercially valuable plantation tree species in South Africa. Through conventional breeding by the ICFR significant improvement to commercial traits of black wattle has been achieved over the past several decades, resulting in substantial genetic gain.

The application of vegetative propagation in black wattle is hampered by poor rooting ability. This ongoing study aims to investigate and develop effective vegetative propagation protocols using cuttings from elite black wattle trees. The study involves investigating ways to induce juvenile shooting from adult trees; testing different rooting products and antioxidants to improve rooting, and testing the effect of pre-conditioning hedges under different levels of shading, on rooting. Some of the methodologies, early findings and work in progress will be discussed.

Finding new ways of reducing white grub impact By Benice Sivparsad

Serious pests of establishment are mostly soil dwellers that can result in high losses of plants and related expenses in replanting afflicted areas. A complex of indigenous soil pests that affect the establishment of pine, wattle and eucalypt seedlings have been reported to occur in shallow soils with a high organic carbon and humus content.

The pest complex includes termites, white grubs, cutworms, tipulid larvae, wireworms, millipedes and nematodes. Of these pests, white grubs are the most important during wattle establishment because of their abundance, frequency of occurrence and type of damage.

Benice Sivparsad

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Latest research activities in the spotlight at ICFR Annual Research Meeting

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Nkosinathi Kaptein

Nkosinathi Kaptein

Nosipho Vava

Sasha Pay


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White grub is the collective term given to the larval stages of the scarab beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). The second and third instar stages of white grubs are known to feed on the fine roots of newly planted seedlings. Root damage results in the reduction of tree growth and frequent death of young transplants.

An effective control measure for soil-borne pests is deltramethrin, a chemical banned by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) but used by the forestry industry under temporary derogation.

Therefore, there is an urgent need to find alternative chemical and biological control measures that comply with FSC regulations, for the management of soil pests.

There have been numerous studies conducted at the ICFR to evaluate the effectiveness of cultural, biological and chemical control methods for soil-borne pests.

These studies have been inconclusive due to the absence of soil-borne pests at the field trial locations. Therefore, to circumvent the sporadic distribution of white grubs in the field, the main objectives of this study are to:

• Conduct a pot trial evaluation of alternative ecologically sound insecticides and biologicals to reduce the impact white grub feeding on post-plant performance • Monitor the incidence of white grub and cutworm in selected sites to provide spatial and temporal trends of pest activity.

Results from this study will form the basis for formulating an alternative FSC-compliant strategy to control soil-borne pests in regeneration.

The value of ICFR commercial eucalypt seed production By Nosipho Vava

No statistics exist for the overall seed requirement of the commercial forestry sector in South Africa but an

estimate of 115 kg of clean eucalypt seed per annum is made based on reasonable assumptions. The ICFR supplies some 20% of the annual eucalypt seed requirement and the production of high–quality seed is paramount.

The ICFR uses the tree climbing technique to collect the capsules of the seed from the crowns of the trees. Once the seed has been extracted from the capsules, it is taken to Sappi for final cleaning. During seed collection, quality checks such as purity and regular germination tests are made to ensure a maximum viability potential of seed. The ICFR also ensures that all seed harvesting operations adhere to the highest safety regulations to mitigate risks associated with tree climbing.

The ICFR seed orchards fulfil two major roles; firstly, as the source of seed for new breeding cycles, and secondly as a source seed for commercial planting stock production. For this second purpose, seed is collected and offered, at cost, to ICFR member organisations that have funded the eucalypt breeding programmes over the last five years, or have seed orchards located on their land holdings using a proportional allocation formula. If these ICFR member organisations do not take their allocations, the seed is then made available, firstly to other funding ICFR member organisations, and then to other acceptable customers.

All seed production is underpinned by ICFR breeding programmes which means all seed is from genetically improved sources. Genetic gain trials in South Africa have shown a 14% gain per generation over three cycles breeding with E. grandis, an 8% gain using seed orchard sources for five eucalypt species, and from 9,3 to 94,4% gain from seed orchard E. nitens.

from page 6Latest research activities in the spotlight at ICFR...

Scientists who work hard to keep the industry competitive enjoyed the Annual ICFR Research Meeting

Nosipho Vava

Nkosinathi Kaptein

Nosipho Vava

Sasha Pay


Using estimates of the area that can be planted from expected ICFR seedling yield per kilogram seed and seedling usage per hectare planted), a mean annual increment (MAI) of 17 m3 ha-1 y-1) and rotation length of 10 years with an 8% genetic gain, the additional harvest derived from using ICFR seed is estimated at R10 million at a standing value of R250 per wwt.

Hence, the ICFR's production of commercial genetically improved eucalypt seed for its funding member organisations plays an important role in raising the future sustainable harvest from the plantation resource.

Elite clonal seed orchard management By Sascha Pay

For several of the temperate eucalypts important to commercial plantation forestry in South Africa, production of sufficient improved seed from orchards is a major constraint to deploying genetic gain. This is primarily as they are neither precocious nor prolific flowerers, resulting in slow development of seed production and uncertain outcrossing success in new seed orchards.

Within the Enabling Technologies Project at the ICFR, the objective is to develop elite clonal seed orchard management protocols that will increase the quantity and genetic quality of temperate eucalypt seed production from orchards in South Africa. The current focus is on identifying rootstocks that will improve clonal seed orchard production. The use of prolific flowering, precocious, inductive or low-chill-requiring rootstocks could offer numerous advantages to eucalypt breeders and seed producers, with the ultimate goal of increasing seed yield per unit orchard area.

In September 2016, the first grafting operation was conducted where two scion species (E. nitens and E. smithii) were grafted onto commercial hybrid rootstocks, selected for their flowering ability. The criteria for the hybrid rootstocks selected was that they had E. grandis and the scion parent as the hybrid partners.

• For the E. nitens scion parent, scion was collected from five provenances (Tallaganda, Nerriga, Belimbra, Mt Dromedary and Larry's Mountain) and grafted onto 20 rootstocks, including an E. nitens commercial seedling control. There were five ramets per rootstock/ scion combination, replicated three times.

Results after four months showed that 19 rootstocks responded, with a graft take averaging between 3,3 and 26,7%. The origin of the scion had a significant effect of graft take, with scion from Tallaganda outperforming the other provenances.

• For the E. smithii scion parent, scion was collected from five provenances (Tallaganda, Barrington Tops, Badja, Ebor and Barren Mountain) and grafted onto 11 rootstocks, including an E. smithii commercial seedling control. There were two/three ramets per rootstock–scion combination, replicated 3 times.

Results after four months showed that 10 rootstocks responded, with a graft take averaging between 1,7 and 28,0%. The origin of the scion had a significant effect on graft take, with scion from Belimbra outperforming the other provenances.

Due to the low number of successful grafts per rootstock, grafts will be kept in the ICFR nursery and planted out in 2018 together with grafted material from 2017. This will enable a more well-replicated trial to be established, that will provide valuable information with regards to compatibility and inferred flowering ability from the rootstocks in the field.

Sascha Pay

Nkosinathi Kaptein

Nosipho Vava

Sasha Pay

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ICFR 70th birthday celebrations to coincide with forest science symposium

The Institute for Commercial Forestry Research (ICFR), the International Union of Forest Research Organisations (IUFRO), the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), and its

research partners is hosting the 7th biennial Forest Science Symposium on 18 to 20 July 2017.

This event coincides with the ICFR's 70th anniversary and presents the perfect opportunity to celebrate the institute's extensive experience and expertise in applied forestry research, and its indispensable role as the preferred research partner that supports a vibrant, sustainable, productive, and globally competitive forestry sector in southern Africa.

Sally Upfold the ICFR's knowledge manager says the theme of the symposium is: Research underpinning the sustainability of a diverse forestry sector.

The three-day event showcases the depth and breadth of forestry research across southern Africa. It will look at the role of research in:• providing innovation, knowledge and technology to advance operational and management objectives• influencing policy and strategic decision-making• growing the skills and knowledge base• encouraging collaboration, partnerships and dialogue

It will explore forestry research in the broadest sense looking at natural forests, plantations and woodlands, the range of genera and species, geographical and environmental variation, and the diversity of people and products.

On the menuUpfold explains that the symposium will provide for varied forms of knowledge sharing, including plenary and normal papers, facilitated panel discussions. The innovative "speakers corners" will let new and upcoming researchers deliver short and concise presentations to their peers.

Keynote speakers targeted for the symposium are recognised leaders in forestry research who will highlight research initiatives from across the region's forest research community. They will promote the relevance, excellence and critical role of research in supporting decision-making at all levels across both public and private sectors.

Upfold is pleased to announce the following confirmed invited speakers:• Prof Gary Hodge (Director: CAMCORE and Professor of Forestry at North Carolina State University)• Prof Bruce Sithole (Director at Forestry & Forest Products Research Centre, UKZN/CSIR)• Ms Cathy Sutherland (Research & Academic Leader; Development Studies, UKZN)• Dr Gillian Petrokovsky (IUFRO-SPDC & Oxford University)• Prof Mary Scholes (Wits)• Prof Colin Dyer (ICFR Director)• Prof Brian Via (Auburn University)• Dr Andrew Morris (ICFR Research Manager)

IUFRO, through their Special Programme for Development of Capacities (IUFRO-SPDC), whose mandate is to expand and foster forest research capacity in developing and economically disadvantaged countries, will host a pre-symposium workshop.

A further key initiative will be the involvement of youth, and the ICFR is collaborating with the International Forestry Students Association (IFSA) who are holding their annual congress in South Africa in 2017. IFSA have agreed to link their congress to the symposium with students attending at least part of the symposium and possibly relevant satellite events, benefiting from the many networking and information sharing opportunities. The symposium will be held in Pietermaritzburg. Registration is opend and delegates must complete their registration forms and return it with proof of payment by 30 June. For more information contact Sally Upfold on: tel 033 386 2314 or 082 570 0851 or e mail: [email protected]


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Pine tree pest biocontrol – imagine a world without forests

Our economies and our ecosystems rely heavily on trees; that means the health of our planet depends on the health of our forests.

Yet now, more than ever before, many trees are sick and dying because of pests and the diseases they cause. And plantation forests – trees planted to meet an ever–growing human demand for wood and wood products – are even more at risk than natural forests.

The Sirex woodwasp (Sirex noctilo), which targets pine trees specifically, poses one of the biggest threats to many of the world's pine forests.

Methods to control this pest exist, but a solution that works in South Africa does not necessarily work in Brazil, and vice versa. Successful eradication often depends on local conditions, such as the variation of wasp, or tree species found in a specific area.

What would happen if we don't find better ways to control pests like Sirex? What if global Sirex infestations become unmanageable? Imagine a world without pine trees and other forests. Imagine the cost of having to import forest products. Imagine the impossibility of reviving a collapsed forest industry. Imagine what would happen to the six of the world – that's over a billion people – who rely directly on forests for their livelihoods.

Government doesn't want that to happen. The forest industry doesn't want that to happen.

SolutionScientists can help make sure it doesn't happen, by helping government and industry approach the problem scientifically. Researchers at The Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) at the University of Pretoria study tree health from every possible angle to support forest pest management locally and internationally.

When it comes to the Sirex woodwasp, FABI wants to understand every aspect of the pest so that they can fine-tune control strategies. They've known for some time that microscopic worms called nematodes can be used against Sirex in an approach known as biocontrol: the nematodes infect wasp larvae, the females of which ultimately become sterile.

A fungus that lives in symbiosis with the wasp plays a key role in this biocontrol approach, since the

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nematodes must feed and breed on this fungus in one phase of their lives in order to infect the wasp larvae in another.

But how effective a nematode is at controlling wasp population depends very much on the characteristics of the nematodes, fungi, wasps and even the pine trees into which the wasp injects its eggs.

To select the best nematode option for a specific region, all the links in this complex food chain must be understood. One big leap forward is the sequencing of each organism's genome by FABI researchers.

With the blueprint of what makes each character in this story the way they are, scientists can hone in on the characteristics that matter for effective biocontrol.

ProgressAn understanding of genetics also allows FABI to develop tools to select the best nematode for the job, to create global maps of the natural distribution of different variants of nematodes, wasps and trees, and to investigate new potential methods of biocontrol, such as creating sterile male wasps to introduce into the wild.

FABI shares new findings with government and industry to keep our trees healthy through the Tree Protection Cooperative Programme (TPCP) and a national Sirex Control Programme. It is a model partnership between different sectors, namely business, policy-makers and scientists.

FABI, as a global front-runner in holistic tree health research, has in fact called on world leaders to adopt a similar model, and to tackle the problem on a global scale through international collaborations and multi-disciplinary research.

How does Sirex destroy pine trees?The female Sirex woodwasp lays its eggs within a hole it bores into pine trees. The fungus that lives in symbiosis with Sirex, Amylostereum areolatum, resides in a sac at the base of the needle the wasp uses to drill into the wood.

When she deposits her eggs within the tree, she also deposits some of the fungus, and a toxin that weakens the tree, allowing the fungus to take hold and start feeding on the wood. In this way, the tree's cellulose is broken down into sugars, which become food for the wasp larvae.

The fungus will continue to spread, feed on the tree and eventually kill it. The new adult wasps that grow from the larvae will take some of the fungi to another tree to repeat the cycle.

Ludwig Eksteen, a PhD student at FABI, studies the characteristics of pine trees to find out what makes some more susceptible to the wasp toxin than others. Ludwig is also a talented photographer, and has taken many close-ups of S. Noctilo.

FABI researchers have recently summarised much of the information scientists have about managing Sirex.

Why is the Sirex wasp a threat to our economy?Nearly 20% of the world's population depend on forests. In South Africa, 170 000 people are employed in forestry industries, which exports $1,7 billion worth of wood products every year.

Those exports largely depend on South Africa's 1,3 million hectares of plantation forests, half of which (51%) are pine. Pine trees in plantations are much more vulnerable to pests like Sirex than pine trees in natural forests.

Globally, over the past 25 years, 129 million hectares (an area about the size of South Africa) of natural forests have been lost due to society's needs for wood, clearing for agriculture and other man-made threats.

The remaining natural forests are vulnerable to invasive pests and to pests in general because of stress factors like pollution and ecosystem disturbances. The 110 million hectares of planted forests that have replaced lost natural forests are, as mentioned, even more vulnerable to pests.

from page 11Pine tree pest biocontrol – imagine a world without...


Why are plantation forests more vulnerable to Sirex than natural forests?Pine is not indigenous to South Africa, so pine plantations have to be carefully looked after to ensure they are not stressed by threats they have not evolved to deal with. Such threats weaken the tree defences, making them even more vulnerable to attack by their own natural enemies like the Sirex woodwasp.

In addition, because Sirex is not naturally found in South Africa, the wasp has no natural enemies here. Invasive pests like Sirex can thus easily flourish if not managed properly, and have done so in recent years, causing billions of rands of damage in southern hemisphere plantations including Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Australia and South Africa.

Finally, plantations are often made up of a single species of tree, all of the same age, meaning that a pest or disease can rapidly devastate an entire plantation if the species is vulnerable to that threat.

How do nematodes control Sirex wasp outbreaks?The Deladenus siricidicola nematode is a tiny worm-like creature that feeds and breeds on the wasps' fungal passenger during one stage of its lifecycle. This does not contribute to biocontrol, but rather allows the nematode to reach another stage of its lifecycle where it is able to infect the larvae of the wasp.

When the larvae eventually develop into adult wasps, the nematode infects the eggs of female wasps, rendering them sterile. These sterile females don't themselves die, but all the eggs that they will lay as adults will not develop into new larvae. Instead, the eggs are filled with nematodes, so the wasp pests themselves start spreading the biocontrol agent to other trees.

In this way, the wasps produce less offspring every generation, and so the population gets smaller and smaller over time.

Nematodes are introduced into affected trees in a process known as inoculation when wasp pest outbreaks are detected.

After inoculation, the nematodes spread naturally through Sirex populations, parasitising between 5 and 99% of a given Sirex population. In South Africa in 2014, D. siricidicola infected an average of 50% of Sirex woodwasps sampled from various populations.

Through this process (or one very similar), Australia, South Africa and other countries have managed to limit Sirex infestations to an average of 3% in most plantations. This changes constantly, however, as Sirex spreads to new areas or new strains evolve to avoid current biocontrol strategies.

In Brazil, researchers estimate that an Integrated Pest Management plan for controlling Sirex using nematodes would save US $6,6 million annually in lost income.

Why are nematodes not always effective at controlling wasps?There are many genetic and environmental factors that determine the success or failure of Sirex wasp populations to grow. These factors include the age and location of its pine tree host, the presence of other competitor organisms or natural enemies, its own genetics and the genetics of its fungal passenger. The nematode biocontrol agent has to be precisely tuned into all of these variables in order to beat its opponent. It's a war where both sides have incredibly complex strategies; if the nematodes are to win, they have to exploit specific weaknesses of the Sirex wasp and its fungus.

How does FABI help to solve the problem?If scientists don't understand the survival strategies of Sirex, its fungal symbiont, its pine tree host, and its natural nematode enemy, they won't be able to optimise biocontrol strategies.

The FABI lab generates over 1 billion nematodes each year to assist with biocontrol in South Africa, and they've been doing so for more than a decade. This is enough to inoculate 10 000 trees annually.

In 2014, 8 836 trees were inoculated in South Africa. Thanks to these efforts, FABI has saved the South African Sirex Control Programme tens of millions of rands in nematode production costs, and hundreds of millions of rands in avoided loss of trees and tree products.

To ensure that these nematodes are suited to their task in different locations and under different circumstances, a team of researchers are constantly looking at new ways to improve management strategies, from many different angles. They also actively share new knowledge with the world.

The research team is led by Prof Bernard Slippers, Dr Brett Hurley, Dr Jeff Garnas and Prof Mike Wingfield.

Source: www.researchmatters.up.ac.za

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The annual meeting of the Tree Protection Co-operative Programme (TPCP) and DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology (CTHB), has become one of the most important meetings

relating to forest tree health in South Africa and globally.

The 2017 meetings will take place from Monday, 15 to Wednesday, 17 May at the FABI and Sanlam Auditorium, Hillcrest campus of the University of Pretoria. The main TPCP Symposium will be on 16 and 17 May. Satellite meetings, lab and facility visits and a meeting of the core team members of the CTHB will be held on Monday, 15 May.

The events are open to staff of member companies of the TPCP and other stakeholders in the TPCP and CTHB.

As has been the case in the past, the 28th annual meeting of the TPCP will focus on key issues relating to forest tree health in South Africa.

Importantly, the meeting will again seek to provide feedback to the forest industry and other stakeholders on programmes focused on dealing with threatening

pest and disease problems following an integrated pest management approach.

The meeting boasts prominent local and international speakers, including Prof Colin Dyer (Director of the Institute for Commercial Forestry Research (ICFR), Prof Mike Wingfield (Director of FABI and TPCP, IUFRO president), Dr Eckehard Brockerhoff (ScionResearch, New Zealand), Prof Bernard Slippers (FABI, TPCP), Prof Tom Bruns (University of California, Berkeley, USA), Prof Rytas Vilgalys (Duke University, USA), Prof Jolanda Roux (FABI, TPCP), Prof Diana Six (University of Montana, USA), Prof Emma Steenkamp (FABI, TPCP), Prof Paolo Gonthier (University of Torino, Italy), Dr Brett Hurley (FABI, TPCP), Prof Simon Lawson (University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia), Prof Wilhelm de Beer (FABI, TPCP), Prof Kamal Ghandi (University of Georgia, USA), Dr Jeremy Allison (Natural Resources, Canada) and many more.

The meetings will kick off with a number of CTHB presentations, discussions and board events on 15 May, with the 28th Annual Meeting of the TPCP and CTHB scheduled to take place on 16 and 17 May.

28th Annual meeting of the TPCP and CTHB

15

Forestry South Africa (FSA) has launched an initiative to provide timber growers with a certification system for small-scale timber growers that will give them more flexibility and security in the marketplace.

FSA's Environmental Committee has set up a sub-committee to develop an independent South African auditable certification standard and system that could be endorsed by the world's largest forest certification body, the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification systems (PEFC) by mid-2018.

Members of the PECF sub-committee are Craig Norris of NCT, Johan Nel of TWK, Dave Everard of Sappi and independent forestry consultant Steve Germishuizen. NCT, TWK and Sappi procure timber from many small-scale timber growers who have not been able to get their operations certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). All three companies, whose own operations are FSC certified, sell timber and timber products in global markets that demand that the timber they buy is certified by a recognised certification body.

Despite the possible trade barrier, small growers find FSC certification to be unattainable because it is expensive and complex to manage. They prefer a standard that considers the local market and environmental conditions they operate in.

The National Forest Act of 1998 binds forestry operations to principles of sustainable forest management and promotes the development of a system of Principles, Criteria, Indicators, and Standards (PCI&S) for sustainable forest management. The committee intends to use the national PCI&S framework as a basis for developing the standard.

The steps being followed to develop the certification system in South Africa include: • Establishing a national governing body (NGB) responsible for the governance and administration of the system. This body will include broad stakeholder interests and will oversee the system. The NGB will apply to become a member of the PEFC• Formal approval from government for the use of the national PCI&S framework to develop the standard• Gazetting of the PCI&S framework for public use• Developing an auditable standard using the PCI&S framework as a template• Developing certification, accreditation, and chain of custody procedures

• Developing group certification procedures that will enable smallholders to achieve certification (risk-based certification of landscapes)

PEFC facts and figuresThe PEFC is an international non-profit, non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management through independent third-party certification. It works throughout the entire forest supply chain to promote good practice in the forest and to ensure that timber and non-timber forest products are produced with respect for the highest ecological, social and ethical standards. Thanks to its eco-label, customers and consumers can identify products from sustainably managed forests.

PEFC is an umbrella organisation. It works by endorsing national forest certification systems developed through multi-stakeholder processes and tailored to local priorities and conditions. Each national forest certification system undergoes rigorous third-party assessment against PEFC's unique sustainability benchmarks to ensure consistency with international requirements.

The PEFC is the world's largest certification system:• More than 300 million hectares of forest area are managed in compliance with PEFC's internationally accepted sustainability benchmarks–that's roughly the size of Egypt, South Africa and Turkey combined• Two-thirds of all certified forests globally are certified to PEFC• Currently more than 18 800 companies and organisations have achieved PEFC Chain of Custody certification• One-third of all chains of custody globally have been awarded by PEFC• 46 national members and 38 endorsed national certification systems have joined forces under the PEFC umbrella to collaboratively promote sustainable forest management• PEFC certification is a standard of choice for public timber procurement policies in, for example, the UK, Germany and Japan in addition to numerous private timber procurement policies

Small growers will soon receive international PEFC accreditation

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The use of the PEFC logo is strictly controlled. These are examples of approved logos used by various countries


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Sirex is the first major insect pest to threaten South African plantations. In 2007, the threat was estimated by Forestry SA to have an actual impact of R150 million in affected areas and a potential

impact of R440 million in areas not yet affected at that stage.

Marcel was employed as manager special projects (silviculture) within Sappi Forests at the time of the initial Sirex outbreak in KwaZulu-Natal. However, his entomology training and skillset made him the most suitable candidate within Sappi to assist the South African Sirex Control Programme (SASCP). Marcel took on this responsibility in 2002 over and above his job responsibilities at that time. His investigations and research efforts were instrumental in improving the knowledge with regards to differences in biological control of Sirex in the Western Cape compared to Kwa-zulu Natal.

Apart from a very efficient control programme today, Philip Croft and Marcel Verleur have adapted procedures from other countries and developed new ones that are suitable for South African conditions. This includes:

• The development of standard operating procedures for inoculating trees:

• Chain of custody to ensure quality control is achieved• Job creation for several contractors and their teams• Safety standards for the field teams• Setting up the emergence cage depots• Strong collaboration with the University of Pretoria who supply the biological control agents Scheduling and logistics to ensure that the narrow window of opportunity for inoculation is utilised optimally

Marcel was instrumental in bringing out Dr Robin Bedding to South Africa to share his experience with the team. Also, in the development of trap-tree plots to gain efficiencies for monitoring the pest and for the introduction of biological control agents. Marcel was awarded an MTech degree from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) in 2009 for his work on managing Sirex infestations on Sappi holdings.

Furthermore, his studies contributed towards refinement of various procedures within the control programme, for example: • Methodology of inoculation of trees with the nematode, Deladenus siricidicola• Identification of the most suitable herbicide to use for establishment of trap tree plots

Marcel also played a critical role in collection of Ibalia parasitic wasps from the Western Cape and the subsequent successful introduction and establishment of this biological control agent of Sirex in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga. Marcel recorded his research in a MSc thesis titled: "The Bio-Control of Sirex noctilio on Sappi landholdings" through the NMMU and co-authored several research publications.

"The role that Marcel Verleur has played, and continues to play, for the SASCP has had a significant impact on reducing the risk from this pest and in so doing has saved the industry many millions of rand in potential loss of timber production. The work that Marcel has done for Sirex, and the lessons learnt from this, provide a valuable platform for dealing with other major forests pests into the future," the SAIF says in its April newsletter.

SAIF Continuous Service Excellence Award for April: Marcel VerleurThe April 2017 newsletter of the Southern African Institute for Forestry (SAIF) awarded its Continuous Service Excellence Award to Marcel Verleur for the work he has done over the past 15 years on managing the threat of Sirex noctilio to southern African pine plantations.


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The Mozambique government has extended the ban on logging, in force since the beginning of the year, for a further three months.

The Minister for Land, Environment and Rural Development, Celso Correia, said the decision was made to allow the reassessment of operating licences "because we feel that there is dishonest use, which we call daylight robbery."

Correia recalled that illegal logging has cost the country an average of US$200 million a year and gave the example that one cubic metre of wood can be purchased on the domestic market for 350 meticais (about US$5) and resold on the international market for more than US$300.

In March the government of Mozambique launched Operação Tronco (Operation Log), a mechanism to assess the degree of compliance with the Forest Act, by checking export records against evidence gathered on the ground. The operation is under way in the northern provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula and central provinces of Zambezia, Tete, Manica and Sofala, which have the highest levels of logging.

The ministry is deploying inspectors to look at the real situation of logging on the ground, and assess how effective local monitoring by forest wardens has been. Correia says the ministry inspected over 120 timber yards and discovered that over 75% of the companies inspected had committed serious violations and 150 000 cubic metres of timber was seized and fines amounting to 157 million meticais (US$2,2 million) issued.

The timber operators told Correia that they were in favour of Operation Log, but condemned the alleged lack of transparency in the sale of the seized timber at public auction, which they claimed could encourage illegal logging. Correia denied this and explained that the operation was undertaken with full transparency. He reported that the seized wood would be used to make school desks.

He warned that the government is determined to protect Mozambique's natural resources and the logging ban would continue while all timber licences are reviewed. Such measures will eventually help the companies with a forestry concession to run at a profit, create jobs, and ensure that the business will survive into future generations.

Mozambique extends ban on logging by three months


Using chainsaws exposes operators to high levels of noise, hand-arm vibration, muscular pain and strains, and, potentially fatal cuts. The international supplier of portable tree felling and fire control

equipment, Husqvarna, advises all operators that suitable protective clothing and equipment should be worn when using a chainsaw, no matter how small the job.

Modern personal protective equipment (PPE) is easy to wear, long lasting and could prevent death or serious injury. Husqvarna has dedicated years of research and in-field trials to make its chainsaws as ergonomically safe as possible while increasing its productivity and fuel efficiencies. It has devoted the same amount of time and energy to develop its range of PPE for chainsaw operators.

The company reminds all chainsaw buyers and users that safety equipment is compulsory and should conform with local and international performance specifications.

The following safety equipment should be available and used:• Safety helmet • Suitable eye protection – visor and/or safety glasses• Hearing protection• Chainsaw gloves with protective pad on the back of the left hand• Leg protection incorporating sprocket clogging material • Safety boots with steel toecaps and a good grip • Non-snag close-fitting outer clothing• First aid kit that includes large wound dressing

Husqvarna supplies the following – world class PPE

Helmet equipped with face visor and hearing protectionThe safety helmet is crucial as it is designed to protect you from falling branches, tree debris and other impacts. Forestry helmets come in a variety of designs but one common design feature on all Husqvarna helmets is that they are equipped with hearing protectors and a face visor.

The visor should cover the entire face area to protect against scratches, wood chips and the like, and provide good visibility. The mesh in the face visor on the latest

Husqvarna models is designed to be nearly invisible. Earmuffs protect against harmful noise emissions by reducing noise to below the acceptable 85 dB(A).

Husqvarna's functional and technical helmetsHave a neck protector to shelter you from rain or sun. While it is not a requirement, it is recommended to combine the helmet with protective glasses as additional protection for your eyes.

The inserts for your ear muffs will eventually become worn and unhygienic and must be replaced regularly. Husqvarna supplies a hygiene pack that enables users to replace the muffs on their ear protectors. All forest helmets have a shelf life. The plastic material in the helmet ages and eventually becomes brittle due mainly to UV radiation. For this reason, you should replace a helmet within five years from the date of manufacture, or a maximum of three years after removing it from its original packaging. Husqvarna's helmets feature a small moulded calendar where you can mark the first day of usage.

Husqvarna's innovatively designed Forest Helmet Technical wowed the Red Dot judging panel in 2015 and they awarded it the Red Dot 'Best of the Best' Award. The judges said: "The Husqvarna Forest Helmet Technical is perfectly tuned for hard forestry work. Its forward-focusing design features an excellent fit and can be adjusted comfortably to individual needs. Its harmonious design encompasses well thought-through details such as an innovative visor and an efficient ventilation system in a highly consistent manner."

Another new kid on the block in Husqvarna's helmet line-up is the Forest Helmet – Entry It has a six-point harness for good weight distribution and an easy size adjustment. Hearing protection can be adjusted in height and angle to get optimal fit and protection and can be folded out to a "stand by position". The helmet has a large metal mesh visor. Best of all, it is the most affordable option in Husqvarna's range – putting safety within everyone's grasp.

Wear colours that popIt is recommended – and often regulated – that operators

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Chainsaws can be dangerous – always wear appropriate and top quality PPE

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wear high visibility clothes, such as a fluorescent coloured jacket or tunic. This is especially important for those who work in a forest environment as high visibility of chainsaw operators is critical for safety.

Protective clothingProtective trousers, gloves and boots are essential when operating a chainsaw. Safety trousers contain long fibres that, when cut or severed, become entangled in the saw chain and drive sprocket and stop the chain in a fraction of a second. If these sprocket clogging protective layers are damaged, the trousers will no longer be operational and must be discarded.

All Husqvarna's protective trousers are fitted with saw protection that meets EN381 international standards, rated for chain speeds of 20 m/s. To properly maintain your trousers, it is important that you follow the manufacturer's washing guidelines. Husqvarna's most popular protective trousers in South Africa are light weight and are equipped with much needed ventilation zippers at the back.Husqvarna's protective gloves are also available with the same sprocket-clogging fabric as found in the trousers to provide the ultimate hand protection when operating and handling a chainsaw and when handling the saw chain.

Protective footwear is compulsory. The Husqvarna boots are fitted with steel toe caps, saw protection and deep treaded anti-slip soles in accordance with international standards.

Essential tools and emergency equipmentApart from wearing your PPE, and ensuring that your chainsaw is in good working order, there are other useful and essential items that should accompany you in the field when working with a chainsaw. A mobile phone, whistle and first aid kit are at the top of the list. Husqvarna has specially designed tool belts that contain holsters for first aid kits, lifting hooks, lifting tongs, combination spanners and measuring tape.

You should also bring along filing equipment, wedges and a breaking or impact bar or an axe. And don't forget the Husqvarna combi-can featuring separate containers for chain oil and mixed petrol, combined into one product. Husqvarna's new combi-can has a handy toolbox compartment and non-spill spouts to eliminate waste.

Husqvarna's national network of servicing dealers can assist you with choosing the best PPE for your needs.

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1 Forest Helmet Technical2 Entry level helmet3 Forest Helmet Functional4 Chainsaw gloves5 Leather boots with steel toe caps6 Classic Husqvarna trousers

7 High visibility jacket8 First aid kit9 Handy tool belt10 The combi-can for oil and fuel

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Wood-Mizer Africa dealership network expands

Wood-Mizer Africa has added another authorised dealership to its network with the announcement that it has opened in the Republic of Cameroon's capital, Yaoundé,

raising the number of locations where Wood-Mizer has a dealership presence of 30.

Wood-Mizer Industries' decision in 2011 to increase its drive into Africa through its local subsidiary, Wood-Mizer Africa, relied on rolling out a dealership network across Africa that can give sawmillers the service and support they deserve.

Wood-Mizer saw how limited technical, maintenance and training support, and the short supply of spare parts has restricted the ability of African sawmillers to tap into their rich timber resources. This has contributed to the trend of exporting logs with limited local processing.

Wood-Mizer's dealership network in Africa gives sawmillers access to the good expertise, service and after-sales support they need to run profitable sawmilling businesses across the continent.

Wood-Mizer Africa and Est Snoop Import-Export recently the dealership appointment agreement at Promote 2017, a trade show in Cameroon. Est Snoop Import-Export is a specialist in the timber industry with offices in Cameroon and Belgium.

Wood-Mizer currently has over 50 sawmills operating in Cameroon with this number positioned to grow rapidly now that machines, blades and spares are readily available.

"The partnership promises the right mix of advice, support and care that sawmillers in Cameroon can rely on to start

profitable sawmilling businesses in Cameroon," JJ Oelofse, Wood-Mizer's corporate director for emerging markets, said during the conclusion of the agreement between the two companies.

Joris Smeets, Est Snoop Import-Export's managing director, added that the company has wide experience trading in Cameroon. "The company's sales, service and support infrastructure in the country has already broadened its scope to include Wood-Mizer's complete range. Wood-Mizer has a strong service and support tradition that we are now eager to copy in Cameroon.

"We look forward to adding our weight to the successes that Wood-Mizer has already achieved on the continent," Smeets concluded.

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A large diameter hardwood, 1,9 tonnes Padauk log cut into high–value export–quality timber on a Wood-Mizer LT70 Super hydraulic sawmill in Cameroon

Wood-Mizer Africa's busy stand at the Promote trade show in Cameroon.


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Wood-Mizer at Ligna 2017

Visitors to Wood-Mizer's stand (FG K44) at Ligna 2017 will be presented with new high–volume sawmilling equipment alongside the company's well-known professional sawmill models.

The company has made great strides forward with expanding its product technology into new product ranges, and Wood-Mizer TITAN represents a giant leap forward for the company into high– volume timber processing. The ruggedly constructed equipment is designed for maximum endurance and consistent high–volume output. TITAN lines, currently in operation around the globe, are capable of producing up to 150+ cubic metres of round sawn timber per shift.

Wood-Mizer TITAN

TITAN lines, currently in operation around the globe, are capable of producing up to 150+ cubic metres of round sawn timber per shift

>>24


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A new addition to the TITAN product range is Wood-Mizer's WB2000 wideband sawmill, which was debuted at LIGNA 2015. Previously shown in green and grey, the WB2000 in 2017 has been added to the TITAN product range and will debut in TITAN blue with a new head shape, and a new enclosed operator cabin. The WB2000 has seen an increase in enquiries and orders from around the globe, and was successfully installed on six continents in 2016 alone. The WB2000 is addressing customer requirements for ease-of-use, affordability, durability, and a wideband capacity of 75 to 100 mm.

But the blue equipment will not be the only new sawmill line to be launched at LIGNA.

Wood-Mizer LX sawmillsWood-Mizer has been actively developing a new line of LX sawmills, which present alternative features and capacity to the LT line of sawmills. Newly designed from the ground up, the LX sawmills were built according to feedback received especially from emerging sawmill markets, and also from Russia and the USA. The LX series of sawmills will demonstrate features and construction (such as the new xFRAME) that Wood-Mizer has never offered before. The LX100 sawmill was released in 2016, and a new LX sawmill will be unveiled for the first time in Europe at LIGNA 2017.

The LX series of sawmills will demonstrate features and construction (such as the new xFRAME) that Wood-Mizer has never offered before

from page 23Wood-Mizer at Ligna 2017

The new Wood-Mizer TITAN line of high–volume sawmilling equipment will be represented at LIGNA 2017 by several individual units – the WB2000 wideband sawmill, a wideband Twin Vertical Saw, and a high capacity TITAN Multirip and the TITAN Edger. Wood-Mizer TITAN machines are blue, to differentiate the new high output, wideband line from Wood-Mizer's narrowband industrial sawmills and the professional and mobile sawmills.

The WB2000 has seen an increase in enquiries and orders from around the globe, and was successfully installed on six continents in 2016 alone


Wood-Mizer narrowband industrial sawmills

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A comprehensive range of circular saw blades, frame saw blades, planer knives, wideband blades and more – was debuted at LIGNA 2015, and will be presented in an expanded format at LIGNA 2017. Sales for TOOLS products tripled in 2016, and Wood-Mizer expects that trend to continue as more and more of their extensive worldwide network of representatives actively supply these high-quality blades in their respective markets.

Wood-Mizer TOOLS

Other equipment at LIGNA 2017 will be the HR700 high–capacity modular resaw (capable of sawing 400 mm square cants) with a never before seen Merry-Go-Round cant return system, several sawmills from the well-known LT range, blade maintenance equipment for both wide and narrow bandsaws, and Wood-Mizer's comprehensive offering of narrowband sawmill blades.

New advances in narrowband blade technology will be shown as well, particularly the new Vortex sawdust removal blade profile. This revolutionary profile results in practically zero sawdust left on the board surface. This is highly valuable for pallet producers, who often have to use a second process to remove sawdust from boards before the kiln drying process. The Vortex blade was developed in the USA, and has been very well received by the market there, and initial tests in Europe, Africa and Asia have demonstrated significant interest from customers for this new blade profile.

Wood-Mizer blade technology – new releases

LIGNA 2017 will mark the beginning of a new era for Wood-Mizer as the company expands both its product ranges and global footprint.

Visit the Wood-Mizer stand and witness the future of sawmilling!

Wood-Mizer TOOLS – a comprehensive range of circular saw blades, frame saw blades, planer knives, wideband blades and more

Other equipment at LIGNA 2017 will be the HR700 high–capacity modular resaw

The new Vortex sawdust removal blade profile which leaves practically zero sawdust on the board surface


JOIN THE NUKOR GROUP AT LIGNA

The HB Goup will be at Ligna to explain and demonstrate exactly why their drying systems are "simply better". The company says that: "There is a motto that reflects what we do: simply better.

Because that's what we are–hard workers who listen to you, the customer, and do our very best for you. It's that simple."

Steam drying kilns In these kilns the wood is dried with superheated steam. During the pre-heating phase in the steam drying kiln all air is turned into steam. The relative humidity of the air during this phase is kept at a maximum level close to 100% saturation. An overpressure valve prevents overpressure in the kiln, which occurs due to the increase of temperature and the supply of steam.

When the temperature of the drying medium approaches 100 °C, it becomes saturated steam, which when heated further becomes super-heated, causing the free water inside the timber to boil. The temperature of the timber will stay at the boiling point of water, if the moisture content is above the timber's fibre saturation point. This boiling effect causes a slight overpressure within the wood, which speeds up moisture transport from the core to the surface

of the timber and consequently increases the drying rate. In general, the drying time will be 50% less than in a regular drying process and the quality will be maintained at the same level.

Conventional drying kilnsConventional drying kilns only use heat from a hot water or steam boiler as an energy source. This is particularly suitable when there are sufficient inexpensive sources of energy available, such as sawdust or wood waste. It produces excellent drying results

The heated air circulates through the stacked timber and slowly raises the temperature and relative humidity. When the air reaches the set point (depending on the type of timber), the control system opens the exhaust valves. While a small amount of the hot wet air is vented to the outside the same amount of fresh outside air is drawn into the kiln and is heated, which drops the relative humidity and the moisture content in the timber falls. These drying kilns are very well insulated and their walls are absolutely vapour tight. The kilns are complete with air circulation fans and heater between the roof and the double ceiling.

Condensation drying kilns

The air in the drying kiln is heated up and is fanned through the stacked timber. In this manner, the air absorbs a greater amount of moisture from the warming timber. When the required minimum temperature of 30 ºC and humidity are reached, the dehumidification process starts. The air is cooled down in the condensation dryer and the heat that is released is reused. These kilns are highly efficient and deliver optimal drying results when combined with the HB control system.

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HB GROUP, a Munters CompanyHALL : 25STAND : J45

Drying systems that are built to last



The world's largest supplier of sawmilling equipment, Linck, is represented in South Africa by the Nukor Group. Linck is Nukor's most long-standing supplier, founded 170 years ago in Oberkirch, in the Black

Forest of Germany, where it is still located today.

Linck manufactures state-of-the-art sawmill machinery, and plans and produces complete sawmill installations for the biggest sawmills in Europe. The Linck product range includes all the machines and installations, including control equipment needed for producing the types of sawn timber generally available on the international market. Such machinery includes: gang saws, chipper canters, profiler units, universal circular saw, circular resaw, horizontal gang saws, double arbor gangs, board edgers, sorting and stacking plants and conveying equipment.

Sawmill owners and operators from all over the world count on Linck's more than 170 years' experience in the woodworking industry.

ProductsSawmill machines, project planning, software for sawmill technology, profiling lines, reducer sawlines, board edgers and board edger plants, gangsaws, round log sorting plants, log feeding systems, conveying equipment, chipper canters, cutterheads, profiler units, circular saws, centering systems, feeding systems, circular trim saws, multiple circular saws, double arbor circular saws

At the showLinck is presenting many new detailed solutions for increasing the efficiency of Linck saw lines.

The first machine combination is the VZO recut chipper canter with separate outfeed system. This outfeed system is equipped with vertical and horizontal roller pairs for reliable and continuous feeding of the cants. The precise, servo-hydraulic positioning of the roller pairs allows active curve sawing of the two-sided cants.

The Linck 6-curve scanner accurately scans the cant curvature. An essential feature of this scanner is that movements of the cant during scanning do not have adverse effects on the scanning result. Therefore scanning can also take place in case the cant is moved, for example, by centering rollers. The result is a considerable reduction of the overall length of a saw line which makes it possible to integrate this scanner in existing saw lines.

On our stand we will have a live demonstration of energy recovery using a cant turner. The high piece count and the high speed necessary for turning a two- or four-sided cant requires an initial high acceleration of the cant turner rotor. The energy released by the subsequently necessary strong braking of the rotor is not converted into heat but into electrical energy, which is then fed back into the power network.

A roller conveyor designed for up to 200m/min line speed will also be shown. With such high speeds, conventional roller drives present a high noise level and suffer from heavy wear. Both factors are considerably reduced by replacing the chain with a belt.

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LINCK HOLZVERARBEITUNGSTECHNIKHALL : 25STAND : F45

Largest supplier of sawmilling equipment will demonstrate why it is a market leader


Microtec presents the world of wood scanning technology

Microtec CEO Federico Giudiceandrea with the award-winning CT Log scanner

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As the consolidated global leader in opto-electronic wood grading applications, we specialise in multi-sensor quality scanning technologies that include proprietary cameras,

lasers and X-ray sensors to optimise, automate and streamline all kind, of production processes. Innovation is our passion. Microtec continues innovating to offer customers the best scanning and optimisation solutions for log breakdown and lumber processing.

HALL: 27STAND: F27

Microtec will exhibit the following machines:• Goldeneye 300 best-value quality scanner for optimised chop processing and sorting• Goldeneye 500 for perfect grading, chopping and sorting• Goldeneye 700 the best multi-sensor quality scanner and certified strength grader• Goldeneye 800 featuring three X-ray sources for precise pith and knot area ratio detection at feed speeds of up to 1200 m/min • Goldeneye 600 for ripping and edging wide lumber stock• Goldeneye 900 no.1 multi-sensor quality scanner in transverse transport for rip, trim and sorting optimisation

HALL: 25STAND: F39

The following will be show cased:Microtec's CT Log simulator. It represents the new frontier in sawmilling, offering maximum value generation for sawmills.

The groundbreaking solution for virtual grading and sawing, provides continuous qualitative full 3D stem and log reconstruction. Using the internal defects, CT Log 360° X-ray CT-sawing optimisation evaluates appearance, quality and strength before the breakdown of the log.

Microtec and its partner, Springer, are exhibiting the newest scanning technology in sawmilling: • Virtual light barrier technology for cost-effective and flexible PLC solutions• Stereoscopy technology for measuring logs and volume on trucks• Logeye for log dimension scanning featuring multi- sensor cameras and sensors as well as next generation X-ray technology

We live quality and service throughout our company" states Microtec CSO

Armin von Grebmer

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MICROTECHALL : 25 & 27STAND : F39 & F27



Under the umbrella brand name Weinig, six specialised companies and their high– performance machines and systems cover the whole process chain of solid wood processing.

One of these companies is Raimann, which is represented by Nukor in South Africa. Raimann specialises in the break out, or first step, operations of wood product manufacturing.

Width-cutting, generally described as ripping, together with lengthwise or cross-cutting, represent the initial processing step of any solid-wood woodworking. It builds the foundation of a quality product and efficient production. Mistakes made during break out, such as wood loss, shortage of pieces or excessive stock, are carried through the entire production process and can have a lasting negative influence on the operations.

For this reason, efficient, accurate and top quality cutting is indispensable. Andreas Maier of Nukor explains that Nukor is proud to be associated with Weinig Raimann because of its trend-setting and innovative ripping systems.

Some of the products and processes that will be on show include:

Valu-Rip system Easy to use, the Raimann Valu-Rip 2D optimising software solutions are upgradeable and provide today's sawmills with the ability to predict process yields and improve quality control.

It uses single point width measuring technology to measure the width of the board and to present the optimised ripping solution to the operator via laser lights. Valu-Rip can also position the board in front of the rip saw and automatically feed it into the saw, ensuring that the operator produces the best material in the right quantity and at the right time.

The embedded simulation software application lets sawmills manage their workflow and outline the best scenarios for day-to-day operations, based on specific materials, measurements, and the desired yields. The simulation determines material yield before ripping a single board. It is compatible with most office computers,

and can run independently without disrupting sawmill operations. This is a great job-costing tool.

While the Valu-Rip system is "intelligent" and learns how to automatically resize the saw arbors, it is also outfitted with a simple override application; providing operators with the control they may need.

The system can generate reports such as input/output analysis, real-time statistics of rip sizes, comparison of your vendors, and yield and wood distribution. These reports can be printed in full colour and can be exported in a complete list of data formats, including Excel, Word and HTML.

ProfiRip 450M Speed ripping to width is of key importance in solid woodworking because rip optimising means minimising costs. Whether producing moulder blanks, planed lumber, or ripping for glued-up panels, Raimann's ProfiRip provides high productivity and yield, with minimal changeovers, and the fastest return on investment.

The ProfiRip system is available as a multi-ripsaw or as an optimising ripsaw with moveable blade technology. The versatile application possibilities make these saws ideal for any woodworking factory including sawmills, furniture manufacturers and solid wood panels.

FlexiRip systemsThe FlexiRip machines can be used wherever planks, boards or panels are cut to size. They have established a respected reputation for efficient and flexible ripping and cross-cutting processes. Above all, FlexiRip owners appreciate the flexibility, optimum material yield and the fact that it only needs one operator.

In addition to solid wood, many other materials such as plastics, aluminium and panel products can be cut to size. The cutting length and width of the FlexiRip are determined by the dimensions of your materials. Simply position the workpiece on the machine table and use the foot pedal to begin cutting. When the pedal is released the sawblade descends and returns to the start position. The infinitely variable cutting speeds range is 1 to 80m/min.

The UniRip 310The Raimann UniRip 310 is the ideal fixed arbor ripsaw for small businesses with high expectations of quality and focus on simple applications. The compact machine is robust and easy to operate. With a cutting height of up to 110 mm and high feed speeds, it is highly flexible and the patented Quickfix arbor ensures rapid changeovers. It comes standard with a range of equipment and can be upgraded with the addition of ValueRip software.

The VarioRip 310The compact, robustly built VarioRip is the ideal machine for small and medium–sized companies. Irrespective of whether it is a gang rip or optimising ripsaw, VarioRip comes standard with a range of high–quality equipment and is user-friendly.

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RAIMANN HOLZOPTIMIERUNGHALL : 27STAND : D40, D50, D60, D74, E40

Ripping systems for the future



Oest was established in Germany in the early 1960s, and its mechanical engineering department has an experienced team that is constantly reengineering processes for the

woodworking industry. According to local supplier, the Nukor Group, today Oest is a leading manufacturer of dosing, mixing and application systems for glue mixtures and PUR adhesives.

Oest invites you to visit their stand at Ligna to discuss the various solutions they offer for the solid wood structural industry, furniture and door industries and the panel and plywood industry.

Some of the technologies at the show are: Series OA100TFlexible dosing and application units for single component PUR adhesives for automatic gluing of surfaces. This includes products like glulam, duo/trio beams, cross laminated timber (CLT), other building panels:

• Valuetac G with a spreading bar and an application width of 300 mm to 1800 mm, at feed speeds up to 150m/min• Profitac FN with a high-pressure needle valve. The standard application width is up to 300 mm at feed speeds up to 300 m/min• Facetac FG for surface applications by means of a combination of fixed and adjustable segments for application widths up to 3 600 mm and feed speeds up to 100 m/min

Series OC100T Dosing and application units for two component adhesives for products like duo/trio beams, cross laminated timber (CLT), other building panels:• Ecotop TD ribbon coater• Separate application of resin and hardener for glulam lamellas• Hydromix dosing unit

Series OC300T finger joint applicator for two component adhesive systems. Mainly melamine adhesives are processed – mixed or unmixed.

Others• Facetac MD: Extruder heads for surface application of two component mixed adhesives for widths up to 300 mm.• Facetac T: Extruder heads for separation application of MUF adhesive and hardener for application widths up to 1 800 mm• Valuetac GT: Extruder heads for separate application of MUF adhesive and hardener for application widths up to 800 mm.• Series OA300T single component adhesives systems for automatic gluing of finger joints of all kinds • Ecotac C: Single component application comb for finger joint profiles with the new comb design with a single metal sheet layer• Combitac KBE: For contactless application comb for finger joint profiles using a combination of adhesive valves and nozzle bar • Profitac KBN single component contactless application comb for finger joint profiles by means of a single needle valve for high pressure volumes• Mixing units for the automatic supply of glue spreaders for furniture, doors, plywood, panels and parquet

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The patented Quickfix arbor ensures rapid changeovers and the SafetyPlus system provides maximum operator safety. When upgraded with moveable sawblades, the VarioRip is effectively an optimising ripsaw.

Weinig BKSNukor also supplies the BKS range of wideband resaws for woodworkers and wood processors. The BKS bandsaws deliver quality cutting and long service life. They are

robust, have a solid construction and cut with exceptional accuracy. Standard features include the steplessly adjustable electronic feed speed of up to 40 m/min.

The bevel cut device lets the saw cut angles up to 45 degrees with continuous dimensional accuracy thanks to its hydraulic blade tensioning system. It is simple and quick to set the machines and have a long life if when they are regularly cleaned and maintained.

OEST MASCHINENBAUHALL : 27STAND : B28

Adhesives dosing and application equipment for the woodworking industry


JOIN THE NUKOR GROUP AT LIGNASa

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A family business based in Friesach, Austria, Springer has been designing, developing and manufacturing custom-built machinery and conveyor systems for the woodworking and

timber processing industry since 1952. It specialises in top–quality advanced lumber transporting, sorting and grading. The Springer Group, which employs a staff of 500 worldwide, is today managed by third-generation family members, brothers Timo Springer and Gero Springer.

The Springer Robotic Labelling System The new Springer Robotic Labelling System (RLS) is fully automated and prints labels on packages and stacks. Package details like the board dimensions and number of pieces are automatically read by the system and transferred via a high–resolution thermo-printer. A single, specially developed multi-tool takes care of the consecutive steps in handling, resulting in highly optimised production times and manpower needs throughout the production process.

The extremely agile and speedy robot allows two packing slips to be attached to two different sides of the package or stack in the space of a very brief cycle, either after packaging or wrapping. Equipped with an intelligent storage system featuring a capacity of about 8 000 staples, the unit can operate non-stop for as long as a full week. Storage capacity is also available for roughly 4 500 adhesive labels. The unit is supplied in modules, so that the components in the labelling area and the number of staples can be varied individually to meet the requirements or any customer or existing line.

The launch of the Microtec TrueyeUsually, numerous sensors including light barriers, light grids or proximity sensors are required to ensure the

smooth operation of a production line at a sawmill, or log and lumber processing plant. The effort and expense associated with installing these sensors can be considerable. In addition, changes in ambient conditions, including dirt and broken pieces of material, often lead to breakdowns or faulty measurements.

To solve this problem and to further enhance Springer's log and lumber handling systems, Microtec recently developed the Microtec Trueye, an intelligent monitoring system for PLC optimisation. With the help of cameras mounted in any desired area along the line, the system detects the quantity and position of objects within the camera images.

The high-resolution images are processed in real time by a central analysis unit. Sensors such as light barriers and light grids can be positioned anywhere within the camera image with just a mouse click. In this way sensors can be added or moved without any additional effort by a mechanic or electrician, at no additional expense. This procedure allows you to run your lumber processing system with enhanced control and efficiency.

Springer E-Feeder 4.0Mature, proven technology is the basis for any reliable materials handling system. The Springer Group's E-Feeder mechanical system is increasingly in demand from global sawmills because of its ability to carefully handle boards of highly varying dimensions.

The Microtec Trueye system can be retrofitted into existing lumber handling lines and makes the lines more efficient and lowers the cost of staff and maintenance.

SPRINGER MASCHINENFABRIKHALL : 25STAND : F26

Springer presents two brand new innovative products



South Africa's well-known Nukor Group has for many years represented Vollmer's wide range of products in southern Africa.

With its comprehensive range of machinery, the VollmerGroup, which has its head office in Germany, has branches in Austria, Great Britain, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, the USA, Brazil, Japan, China, South Korea, India and Russia enjoys global success as a tool machining specialist in terms of both production and service.

Andreas Maier of Nukor explains that Vollmer is a technological leader and its range of products contains the most advanced grinding, eroding and machine tools for rotary tools, circular saws and band saws in the wood and metalworking industries.

Vollmer relies heavily on tradition and its strengths include quick decisions and rapid action by a family-run company.

The group currently employs approximately 750 workers worldwide, with around 550 of these at the main headquarters in Biberach, Germany alone, including more than 50 trainees. The company invests up to 10% of its turnover to research and development of new technologies and products.

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Urbas, which is represented by Nukor, are exhibiting their range of biomass processing plants. Urbas has been designing, building and pioneering energy systems for the intelligent use of biomass

fuels for over 20 years.

The systems are specially designed to extract energy from the most wet and coarse wood fuels from sawmills, woodworking factories and general forestry thinnings.

Constant innovation and research in this field allows us to be able to optimise each individual plant so that it can best meet customer requirements. To date, Urbas has successfully designed and installed over 1 000 plants throughout Europe, with power ratings ranging from 500 kW to 15 MW .

Visitors to the stand will be able to hear and see the products, including:

Belt dryerSystems for continuous drying of sawdust. It is a low-temperature dryer with a drying capacity up to 20 tonnes per hour.• Plants for wood gas generating Wood gas co-generation plants in modular design with electric power from 100 to 250 kW• Wood combustion plant for power generation

Biomass combined heat and power (CHP) co-generation plants for converting sawmill by-products and waste wood into energy in power ranges up to 30 MWel. The company also does turnkey construction of complete heating plants.• Wood combustion plant for steam generation Equipment for converting sawmill by-products and waste wood to produce low and high–pressure steam up to 30 tonnes per hour• Wood combustion plant for hot gas generation Equipment for the energy use of sawmill by-products and waste wood in the power range 1 to 50 MW

Vollmer in South Africa

The VGrind 360 grinding machine for carbide tools will be on show at Ligna

URBAS MASCHINENFABRIKHALL : 23STAND : B23

Biomass solutions provider on show



In line with its motto "Dialogue on Precision", the sharpening specialist, Vollmer, will present its range of grinding and eroding machines designed to sharpen circular, band and gang saws and rotary tools used

by furniture makers, wood material manufacturers and sharpening services.

Dr Stefan Brand, CEO of Vollmer says: "The Ligna trade fair is an excellent forum for us to speak with representatives from the woodworking industry. Alongside our sharpening machines, we are demonstrating our wide range of services which are tailored to meet the needs of our customers and which range from training and financing schemes to maintenance and repair."

Visitors to the trade fair will be able to get a closer look at the latest sharpening technologies such as the:Vollmer CC 355 production system for circular sawsThe new CC 355 production system is suitable for manufacturers of carbide-tipped circular saws for use in wood cutting. The CC 355 enables large numbers of circular saw blades to be fully sharpened – including all tooth faces, tooth tops and side angles – in a single working cycle. Four grip arms automatically carry the saw blades, which can range from 150 mm to 355 mm in diameter, from the loading system to the three machining stations.

Vollmer CP 650 sharpening machineThe CP 650 sharpening machine is suitable for sharpening tooth faces and tooth tops on carbide-tipped circular saw blades between 80 mm and 650 mm in diameter.

Modified QXD 250 eroding machine for PCD-tipped rotary toolsTools that feature polycrystalline diamond (PCD) tips are vitally important in the production of wood and composite materials. Vollmer provides PCD tool manufacturers with a range of eroding machines. The QXD 250 disc erosion machine will be on show in Hanover. Thanks to its modified generator and expanded programme functionalities, it enables highly efficient, quick, and precise machining. With the HC 5 pallet circulation magazine, the QXD 250 can be expanded by up to 28 workpiece positions.

VGrind 360 grinding machine for carbide toolsThe VGrind 360 grinding machine is suitable for machining carbide tools such as drills and milling cutters used in timber construction and furniture manufacturing. Thanks to two vertically positioned spindles, the VGrind 360 machines and finishes rotary tools in large quantities quickly and precisely. Its enhanced travel distances enable carbide-tipped steel bodies up to a diameter of 200 mm to be machined, depending on their geometry. With the VGrind 360, Vollmer provides tool manufacturers around the world with solutions for rotary workpieces of varying geometries.

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Vollmer's QXD 250 eroding machine for PCD-tipped rotary toolsThe Vollmer CP 650 sharpening machine

VOLLMERHALL : 27STAND : B60

Tool sharpening


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Q becomes V: New wire erosion tools to keep your finger on the pulse

Vollmer's VPulse 500 is the successor to the QWD machines and comes as standard with technology that enables high-quality polycarbide diamond (PCD)-tipped tools to be manufactured

at incredibly high productivity levels, whether for production or servicing.

At the human-machine interface the adjustable control panel, which includes a touchscreen, offers user-friendly menu navigation and intuitive operation, that allows even complex tasks to be carried out after a short training period.

The PCD tools are measured and eroded in one clamping process in which simultaneous path interpolation along five CNC axes guarantees that milling cutters, drills and multi-stage tools are machined precisely. The machining process is carried out with unsupported clamping or, optionally, with a counter point unit for machining between the tool centres.

The beating heart of the new VPulse 500 is the VPulse EDM generator technology. This newly developed high-performance generator ensures higher stock removal rates or improved surface quality. As is the case for the previous QWD machines, the eroding wire for the VPulse 500 also functions as an electrode. The wire is guided close enough to the workpiece that a spark is generated between the electrode and the workpiece and removes the material from the PCD-tipped cutting edge. Thanks to the fine eroding wire, complex geometries and the smallest inner radii can be machined precisely.

The VPulse 500 integrated technology database makes handling preconfigured parameters simpler and improves its user-friendliness, as the material-specific machining programs can be quickly selected. Depending on the requirements of the tool manufacturer, the technology database can be added to individually. Intelligent automation solutions allow the wire erosion machines to be operated on a multi-shift basis, or in unmanned operation at weekends.

Workpiece storage for the VPulse 500 is available for 16, 28 and 65 workpieces. PCD tools weighing up to 25 kilograms can be machined using the Vollmer machine. Workpieces with a length of up to 500 millimetres and a diameter of up to 320 millimetres can be accommodated in the interior space.

"The VPulse 500 marks the beginning of a new era of wire erosion for us – not only in terms of technology and applications –but also in our naming style," states Dr Stefan Brand, CEO of the Vollmer Group. "The V stands for VOLLMER and the second part of the name describes

the technology. 'Pulse' refers to the generator technology which is used in the VPulse 500 and sets a faster pace for the erosion process.

"With the VPulse 500 wire erosion machine, we have begun a new chapter in our 25-year long history of eroding tools."

The wire in the Vollmer VPulse 500 wire erosion machine is guided close to the workpiece until a spark is generated and removes the PCD material


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Manufacture circular saws in one go

Joiners, carpenters and furniture makers all use hand-held and table-top circular saws to cut pieces of wood or chipboard to size every single day. This means that the demand for circular saw blades

that are premium quality, yet cost-effective, is high.

Vollmer has developed the CC 355 production system for manufacturing carbide-tipped circular saw blades. This system is designed to fully machine circular saws in a single working cycle. The CC 355 sharpens the tooth face, tooth top and side angle of saw teeth at the same time, working through up to 800 teeth per hour. The system can produce large volumes of circular saws with a diameter of between 150 mm and 355 mm.

The CC 355 is equipped with two machining stations for tooth faces and tooth tops, plus one station for side angles. Circular saw manufacturers can position the stack of unmachined parts either on the left or on the right, which means that users are free to choose the direction of the machining sequence and the order in which saw teeth are machined.

A total of 17 CNC axes precisely control the procedure to fully machine all known tooth geometries in just one cycle. An integrated handling system with four grip arms passes the circular saws securely from one station to the next. The intuitive Vollmer operating concept employed in the CC 355 makes the system easy to operate and gives users a complete overview of each machining station. Users can take the mobile control panel with them from station to station.

"The linchpin of our CC 355 is sharpening technology for carbide-tipped circular saws that has been over six decades in the making and that we have continued to improve ever since its creation," says Dr Stefan Brand, CEO of the Vollmer Group. "Its automated system makes the CC 355 perfect for saw manufacturers who want to produce large volumes of parts and who also place exacting demands on the tools they use for woodworking."

The CC 355 from Vollmer has three stations, all of which can be used for machining tooth faces and tooth tops and two of which can be used to machine side angles

Carbide-tipped circular saw teeth can be machined in a single working cycle – including tooth face, tooth top and side angle – with the Vollmer CC 355 production system


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Forestry sector transformation codes gazetted – at last!

It has taken six months since the Amended Forestry Sector Code (AFSC) was signed by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies, on 4 November 2016, for the code to be finally gazetted on 21 April 2017.

After many years in the drafting it is tailored expressly for the forest sector. Sawmilling SA, Forestry SA and PAMSA played a substantial role in the process of aligning these codes with the DTI’s generic codes.

As with other Amended Sector Codes gazetted to date, there is no transition period and the AFSC comes into effect from the date of publication.

The following table summarises the points per element under the AFSC and compares the same points per the Amended Codes of Good Practice (CoGP).

According to Davies, the forestry sector is one of the sectors that can stimulate and accelerate rural

development because most of its operations are primarily situated in rural and under developed areas.

The scope of application for the codes includes all enterprises involved with commercial forestry and first level processing of wood products.

This covers the following industries:

• Growers (plantations, nurseries and indigenous forests) • Contractors (forestry contractors in silviculture, harvesting, fire-fighting services and other forestry contracting services that are not covered by their own Sector Charters) • Fibre: (pulp, paper, paperboard, timber board product, woodchip and wattle bark manufacturers) • Sawmilling: (industrial, structural and mining timber sawmills and match producers) • Pole treatment plants • Charcoal producers

Safcol has one year to apply for and be granted BEE facilitator status. Until such time companies are entitled to exclude procurement from Safcol when determining Total Measured Procurement Spend for scoring procurement from black owned suppliers.


After a marathon 17 months of hard work, Sawmilling SA reports that the development phase of the saw doctor qualification has been completed and, when it receives the go-ahead,

the process for the development of learning materials and assessment tools will begin.

Over the next six months the curriculum, qualification and assessment specification documents will be submitted by the Fibre Processing & Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority (FP&M Seta) to the Quality Council for Trade and Occupations (QCTO) and the South African qualifications assurance body (SAQA) for final perusal and registration.

Dianne Randall, Sawmilling SA project manager for qualifications development, explains that the processes for developing the learning materials and assessment tools for the Saw Doctor trade qualification will be initiated and implemented under the auspices of the FP&M Seta, National Artisan Moderation Body (NAMB) and Sawmilling SA.

The request to develop the qualification Saw Maker and Repairer as a trade under the specialisation title of Saw Doctor (2015-652403) was made by the FP&M Seta to the QCTO in October 2015. This required an appointed qualifications development facilitator (QDF) who would facilitate the process of curriculum development with the community of expert practitioners (CEP) in the field. Teboho Motseki was appointed as the QDF for the development of the curriculum of the trade, and Randall was appointed as the Learner QDF.

The curriculum of the trade qualification development phase required at least four workshops. The working group members were: Roy Southey; Teboho Motseki; Ronnie Maartens; Fanie Smit; Peter Stohr; Wilhelm Meyer; Ashly Volker; Robert Welsh; Henco Viljoen, Keith Bailey and George Johnson.

These meetings clarified the:• Occupational profile• Knowledge module specifications• Practical skills module specifications• Work experience module specifications

Randall circulated requests for participation to all members of the industry, and a working group of experts committed their time and expertise to the qualification development process.

"The workshops were held in KwaZulu-Natal from February to July 2016. After each workshop the documents developed were widely circulated for comments to the broader CEP. Comments received were analysed by the working group and the curriculum documents were amended accordingly," Randall explains.

Gerrie van Staden from NAMB joined the workshops as the quality partner for the development of the trade test assessment criteria. Ronnie Maartens was appointed as the trade qualification's NAMB contact to ensure that all quality standards are met for acceptance of Saw Doctor as trade.

"We held a verification meeting with the QCTO and NAMB on 17 February 2017, and the final documents were circulated to the CEP in March. The comments received from industry members were most positive," says Randall.

"All the documents have now been lodged with the FP&M Seta, which will do a final analysis prior to submission to the QCTO."

Randall says Sawmilling SA would like to thank the working group and CEP team members, who were both physically and digitally present, for their valuable time and expertise, which they have given willingly and unstintingly over the past year. "Each workshop produced work of the highest quality from experts in the industry; all passionate about the development of the trade that will give recognition via certification for the Saw Doctors, who are traditionally overlooked within the South African economy."

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Saw Doctor trade qualification enters the registration process

Distinguished sawmilling industry stalwart, Don Priest, with photographs taken several years ago of the only saw doctors in the industry


Draft resource plan slammed for ignoring co-generation

Jane Molony, executive director of the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (Pamsa) slams the Department of Energy's draft integrated resource plan for energy because it excludes co-

generation as a viable, green technology.

Molony is also the vice chair of the International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA), which represents more than 30 national and regional forest and paper associations around the world. She explains that the global forestry industry plays a significant role in contributing to the production of renewable energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels by using wood manufacturing residuals, by-products, and forest residues – collectively known as biomass – to produce much of the energy required for its operations.

"The local pulp and paper sector is in some instances self-sufficient and has additional power to sell into the grid. This energy produced by the co-generation process and biomass-based lignin content in black liquor, uses less water and emits less carbon dioxide than regular coal–based power production," explains Molony. "This is why it is particularly galling that the department's draft Integrated

Resource Plan for energy excludes co-generation as a viable, green technology."

According to the international carbon accounting principle, when combusted for energy, biomass does not contribute to global climate change as growing trees sequester carbon from the atmosphere via photosynthesis.

"The forest-based industry also can substitute for a wide range of fossil fuel-based products on the market, hence providing additional climate benefits as well as welfare to society," says ICFPA president, Elizabeth de Carvalhaes.

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The local pulp and paper sector is in some instances self-sufficient and has additional power to sell into the

grid. This energy produced by the co-generation process and biomass-based lignin content in black liquor,

uses less water and emits less carbon dioxide than regular coal-based

power production

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The roof is one of the largest, heaviest, and most costly structures in any home design and a great deal of planning should be invested in its design and construction so that it can safely bear the

weight of the completed roof and offer acceptable longevity and aesthetic appeal. Unfortunately, tight budgets and unscrupulous manufacturers tempt home and business owners to choose price over quality when it comes to workmanship and materials, which can have costly and oftentimes devastating implications.

Important legislationRoof truss designs are assessed in accordance with Part L of the National Building Regulations (SANS 10400) and a national standard that is supposed to be applied by all local authorities when assessing a building plan application. The legal mandate for the National Building Regulations is the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act (Act 103 of 1977) (NBR).

In line with the Construction Regulation 2014, Government Gazette No 37305, of 7 February 2014, Structures 11, (2), an owner of a structure must ensure that: • Inspections of the structure are carried out periodically by competent persons to render the structure safe for continued use• The inspections contemplated in paragraph (a) are carried out at least once every six months for the first two years and thereafter yearly• The structure is maintained in such a manner that it remains safe for continued use• The records of inspections and maintenance are kept and made available on request to an inspector

This clearly points out the responsibilities of the owners of buildings and if something untoward should happen and the roof was not inspected in the year, they would be hard pressed to explain why not. That said this does not free the designer, the truss plant and ultimately the system supplier of their moral responsibility in the matter.

>>42

Compliant timber roof truss construction essential for sound roof structure Poorly constructed roofs are a real concern in residential South Africa. The Institute for Timber Construction South Africa (ITC-SA) offers roof truss manufacturers insight into legislation governing this aspect of a building as well as guidelines for a correctly built, sound timber roof structure.

Compliant timber roof truss construction is essential for sound roof structure" - Institute for Timber Construction South Africa

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Sourcing reputable fabricators and engineersThe ITC-SA makes it easy to source a reputable roof fabricator or engineer; this can be done by contacting the institute directly or visiting its website at www.itc-sa.co.za. It has a comprehensive list of all the truss manufacturers across the country, noting the engineering systems each fabricator uses, so that any preferential requirements can be assessed. Each truss manufacturer is also categorised in accordance with complexity ratings.

All ITC-SA-approved fabricators are audited on an annual basis, and are assessed according to quality, competence and compliance to the South African National Standards, SANS 10243. Should the audit be successful, an annual Certificate of Competence is issued to confirm that the fabricator complies with the National Standards and has been audited by the ITC-SA.

There are four elements in roof truss construction that are vital: 1. The timber used must be structural timber and comply with the design intent (SATAS or SABS marked)

Structural timber needs to be marked with red ink on the face of the timber at 1 m intervals. If it does not bear these structural markings, it will be condemned. Beware of unmarked timber, as this is not structurally graded timber.

2. The designer must create an accurate cutting list The cutting list specifies the exact lengths and angles at which the timber must be cut for proper assembly.

3. ITC-SA accredited system suppliers must be usedThe metal connector plates used must be supplied by the specific engineering system that is being used. In addition, these plates must be the correct size, and positioned in the right locations as per the standard methods and tolerances.

4. All connections and bracing details must be in accordance with the design intentEverything that holds the structure together, such as the number of nails, bolts, washers, brackets and cleats, must be in accordance with the engineering design. All necessary bracing accessories must be stipulated on the design plans.

Common errorsThe most common errors made with new residential roof construction are:

Choosing price over quality The old adage of what you pay for is what you get could never be truer than when it comes to roof construction. Many people try to save on the roof construction and often end up spending more remedying the problems that arise from using sub-standard materials and workmanship.

Bear in mind that in order to create a professional and sound end result, it is imperative to employ the know-how of professional, knowledgeable and experienced individuals, whose expertise will no doubt cost more initially than non-qualified individuals off the street, but will save a great deal of money and stress down the line.

Choosing the wrong engineer It is important to use a qualified structural engineer to design and sign off the roof and to ensure that the chosen engineer has good working knowledge of timber and roof construction.

Using site-made trusses Prefabricated roof trusses are cut by advanced, specially designed machinery and are therefore far more accurate than their hand-made counterparts. Hand-made trusses assembled on site are a recipe for disaster. Prefabricated trusses also use less timber and are more likely to comply with NBR requirements if they are designed by a qualified engineer.

Using an unknown fabricator with no track record Using reputable fabricators, such as those registered with the ITC-SA, offers peace of mind that these companies or individuals are regularly audited and monitored, and that should something go wrong with their workmanship, there is recourse.

Part of the membership requirements for engineers accredited by the ITC-SA is that they all carry their own personal indemnity insurance policy which will cover any negligence on their part with regards to the specific structures they sign off on and take responsibility for.

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from page 41 Compliant timber roof truss construction essential ...


Builders learn from the timber construction experts

The National Building Regulations are not strictly adhered to by all construction professionals, resulting in a large percentage of new buildings not being compliant.

A main contributor to this phenomenon is a lack of knowledge regarding the roles and responsibilities of each function in the construction work flow. There are also misconceptions among professionals and contractors in the built environment about the extent of their involvement in a project and how this impacts on compliance with the conditions of the National Building Regulations.

The Lephalale Municipality took the initiative and hosted its second annual builders workshop to address the laws governing energy usage and energy efficiency of buildings, and the importance of complying with the National Building Regulations. The regulations provide standardised rules for correct and legal construction in South Africa, and local authorities, professional architects and engineers are responsible for implementing it.

The workshop was addressed by representatives from the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS), the Institute for Timber Construction South Africa (ITC-SA),

the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) and the South African Glass and Glazing Association (SAGGA).

It covered the legal roles and responsibilities of professional practitioners in the built environment with regards to the implementation of SANS10400-XA (energy usage in buildings) and SANS204 (energy efficiency in buildings). The event informed the people responsible for submitting building applications to their local authorities about their legal responsibilities and clarified any misconceptions about their accountability and responsibility in the process.

The municipal building control office relies on the sound knowledge and integrity of the professionals involved in construction projects, from start to completion, to ensure conformance to the regulations by issuing a certificate of compliance.

The delegates at the workshop were taken through the founding principles of the National Building Regulations to help them understand and interpret it correctly. They were advised to use the technical details of the documents as a checklist and ensure that they have a firm grasp of their contents.

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Standing from left to right: Danie Steenkamp (SAGGA), Gert de Jager, Roly Adams and Amanda Obbes (ITC-SA), MG Makgamatha (Acting Municipal Manager), Thabiso Mabale (Manager: Building Control), Alfred Matjila (Building Inspector), Thapelo Sibanda (NHBRC) and Catchlife Mutshavi (Manager: Land Use). Sitting: William Matlou (Admin Officer: Building Department), Given Gabara (Building Inspector) and Tsakani Baloi (Building Inspector). Photo courtesy of: Mogol Post

The second Annual Builder's Workshop was made possible by Lephalale Municipality. The Institute for Timber Construction South Africa (ITC-SA) arranged for the NRCS to present on the National Building Regulations, sponsored

the venue, refreshments, and promotional caps and registered the workshop through the South African Institute of Architects (SAIA) and the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), rendering the event CPD accredited.

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AT LIGNA

AUSTRO JOHANNESBURG Tel: +27 (0) 11 222 8300

AUSTRO CAPE TOWNTel: +27 (0)21 905 0430

AUSTRO DURBANTel: +27 (0)31 700 1820

AUSTRO EAST LONDONTel: +27 (0)87 350 8746

AUSTRO NELSPRUITTel: +27 (0)13 753 2879

www.austro.co.za

22 TO 26 MAY 2017

HALL 11 - STAND A13, A16, A46, A47, B16, B32, B46, B78

HALL 27 - STAND FSD

HALL 13 - STAND B68, B74, B80, C68, C74, C80, E68, E74, E79, E80, G68

HALL 27 - STAND D40, D50, D60, D66, D74, E40, E50, E60

HALL 11 - STAND E83

HALL 12 - STAND B29

HALL 11 - STAND B78HALL 15 - STAND B05

OPEN AIR SITE (FG) - EAST SIDE OF HALL 27 WEST SIDE OF HALL 25, MOBILE SAWS AVE -STAND 41

HALL 11 - STAND A13, A16, A46, A47, B16, B32, B46, B78

HALL 13 - STAND B22


JOIN AUSTRO AT LIGNA

"thinkforward' is all about Biesse's ability to innovate, to provide integrated solutions that

are complex but easy to use, allowing us to produce more, better, and at a lower cost," says Raphaël Prati, marketing and communication director for Biesse Group in the run-up to Ligna 2017, to be held in Hanover, Germany from 22 to 26 May.

"It encourages us to keep looking ahead, to get a better feel for how we need to act today.

"'Thinkforward' was also the concept for our stand at Ligna. Five thousand square metres of innovation and technology where visitors will experience how the digital factory can change the way we perceive and produce things.

Over 40 fully functional solutions will be on display targeting all manufacturers from large companies with significant production, to companies that need to produce thousands of unique products, each designed for the personalised needs of a given customer, to small companies, who often focus on artisanship.

Thanks to Biesse's 4.0-ready solutions, these companies can become fully fledged smart factories.

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR WOODWORKING

The Twin Pusher, an exclusive patent for all Biesse panel saws, consists of two complementary pushing devices. This NC controlled beam saw series contains technology solutions that make it suitable for small to medium sized companies, thanks to its easy to use controls, axes speed and precision, increasing productivity by up to 60%.

The Biesse Selco SK4 Series.






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Biesse at Ligna 2017: live the experience

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JOIN AUSTRO AT LIGNAW

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"Important innovations designed for the emerging wood construction sector will also be presented as part of our rich range of technological solutions and turn-key projects for the production of doors, windows, beams and wall panels. This will be on display in a dedicated stand at pavilion 13."

Visitors to Hall 11, where Biesse will be situated for the duration of the Ligna trade fair, will be able to come within reach of the technological solutions developed for advanced materials, a sector that is expanding significantly. Biesse employs its unparalleled experience with machining centres to provide the full precision and reliability needed by all who work with plastics and composite materials.

The new Biesse Services department will also be presented, as well as the full Customer Care Experience, which further strengthens customer engagement.

As part of the 'Thinkforward' philosophy, a Biesse classic bLab will also be featured. bLab is a laboratory where the best software in the sector can be tested and machines and manufactured items can be rendered digitally, allowing them to run tests even before production begins physically.

"The things visitors will see and feel at our stands are the fruit of the challenges Biesse has recently faced and overcome," says Federico Broccoli, director of the Wood/Sales Division and director of the Branches Division."We decided to invest and believe in our abilities. This strategic decision brought great results. We've hired new people both in Italy and at our branch offices; incoming orders and our market share have increased, and our revenues are up by over 17%, outdoing the extraordinary €600 million target, backed by 60% growth over the past three years.

"These numbers confirm our group's position as the top Italian player in the sector and the second player globally in terms of revenue, with significantly higher growth rates than our key competitors.

"Our growth is certainly extraordinary, but it's no coincidence. It's the fruit of having invested in assets we consider strategic: sales intelligence, distribution, marketing and communication, using growth plans and targeted tools, applying the company's 'Thinkforward' philosophy to increase our presence in the territory we serve, and drawing nearer to Biesse's true asset, our customers."

And it's in that forward-thinking spirit that Biesse will participate in the Hanover Messe 2017, the most important trade fair for innovation anywhere in the world.

In collaboration with Accenture and Microsoft, the company will present an icon for cutting-edge Biesse technology, a Rover Machining Centre with its 5-axis electro-spindle connected to the cloud. A solid example of Biesse's ability to innovate.

"Biesse's stand at Ligna 2017 will definitely be a must-see for those who want to get wind of the innovation Biesse brings to every sector, our solid experience and the ability to determine how technology will shape the future of manufacturing.

Visit Biesse at Hall 11 where they will be bringing you the latest in technology and innovation.



Ligna 2017 will feature the Weinig Group for the first time presenting its complete range for solid wood and panel processing in Hall 27 at the Hanover Fairground in Germany, from 22 to 26 May.

The 4 000 m2 stand will provide customers with a unique offering for small business and industry under the motto "Think Weinig".

Future-oriented production with the Weinig GroupHigh-tech solutions place high demands on operating personnel. If businesses are to remain fully operational at a time when qualified personnel remain scarce, operation of complex production systems must be kept as simple as possible. Hence, simplification is a central challenge for manufacturers.

At the heart of this are expert systems that support personnel via the screen and eliminate malfunctions. Weinig creates optimal working conditions via user-friendly control systems.

OptiCom/Plus software, used in all machines and systems from the product unit cutting, provides a uniform user interface.

With the cost of personnel, raw materials and equipment on the increase, resource efficiency will become increasingly important in production. This is where optimisation can play a decisive role. Scanner systems for quality assessment and sorting will surely also soon be standard in smaller operations.

Flexibilisation: Today, modern production systems must be capable of creating single-item batches and industrial series production equally profitably. At the same time, processes and working methods industry and small

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INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY FORSOLID WOOD

The WEINIG Unimat series offers an excellent price-performance ratio combined with outstanding quality. from the high-quality cast iron frame, to safe operation usage. The sophisticated technology guarantees a high level of production efficiency.

The highest achievement in jointing technology.






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Digitised production at the customer's service

>>50


business are merging. Consequently, operations require variable, modular systems based upon leading-edge technology.

The Weinig Powermat worldIn the Powermat, Weinig has created a modular system that fulfils these precise requirements. The new Powermat 2400 will celebrate its world première at Ligna.

The moulder is designed for industrial bead production at feed speeds up to 100 m/min and will be demonstrated in a mechanised process with charging and discharge. The 3D version can produce freely programmable structured surfaces during throughfeed. A new feature is the facility to produce work pieces with conical or curved contours on the machine.

The Weinig Conturex worldThe second generation of the successful Weinig Conturex system comprises a wide range of CNC centres for window and furniture production, all of which are based upon the same principle of the patented clamping table.

The seamless connection to all standard sector software opens up the Weinig Solid Woodwork Flow (WF) system to a wide variety of working environments. Pre-planing, wood optimisation and extensive automation are now incorporated by Weinig as a matter of course and, together with the Conturex, form a highly efficient production cell. Until now, the CNC centre has been predominantly used in window production.

Smarttech: maximum transparency of processesThe networked systems of the future demand an integrated software solution from idea to finished product. Only this can guarantee maximum transparency of processes. Work piece recognition via QR code, barcode or RFID are important aids. The operator benefits from short throughput times and elimination of sources of error. In Hanover, the Weinig Group systems and numerous machines on display will be equipped with corresponding systems.

On the Powermat, part recognition supports highly precise processing when it comes to 3D structuring. The cross-cut saws at Ligna will use fully automatic work piece recognition combined with the application of high-resolution logos.

Monitoring and predictive maintenance: an insight into your own productionMaximum availability of machines and systems is a top priority for customers. Hence, optimal production planning and control are essential, as is regular information on service intervals, tool service life and usage.

Modern machine monitoring tools and maintenance systems are capable of delivering all of this. Weinig will demonstrate this connection to monitoring at Ligna using running machines. This will include a demonstration of production monitoring in window production on the Conturex CNC centre.

Integration: Production cells increase productivityStandalone machines are largely consigned to history. Integration, therefore, is a key concept in modern production. One data set is sufficient to network a wide range of components in a production cell together. Master computer technology makes it possible to cover the most complex processes.

At Ligna, the Weinig Group will be presenting production cells of wide-ranging complexities for a broad spectrum of demands under their unique selling proposition "Everything from a single source".

Gluing: two Ligna premieresTwo machines not incorporated into a production line but that can be integrated at any time will also celebrate their premières in Hanover. One is the new ProfiPress T Next Generation. The automatic gluing press is a newly developed machine from the ground up and achieves 25% more output.

Meanwhile, "Making scantlings the fast and easy way" is the motto of the ProfiPress L B, which also makes its world première. New features of the high-frequency press


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include cylinders that can be switched off, ensuring short auxiliary processing times. Special top pressure ensures the lowest possible height offset. A press cylinder that extends synchronously avoids length offset.

System expertise: the power of innovation across the groupA central feature of Weinig's appearance at Ligna will be project business. The Weinig Concept business unit, which brings together the entire expertise of the Weinig Group, will present four current activities.

One is a production line for formwork girders for the construction industry. Particular features include the flexible system size and the opportunity for individual adaptation.

The second project is the butt-joint block gluing, which was awarded the Schweighofer Prize. The system is now available in three performance classes, ranging from an entry-level solution for small businesses to the highest level of equipment.

Weinig have also recently completed a system for layer production for one of the largest CLT produc-tion lines in

Europe. At Ligna, the company will present the material flow and highlight the overall expertise of the Weinig Group across the entire value chain.

The fourth activity that will be presented is the palm oil wood research and development project. In conjunction with partners, Weinig has successfully completed some basic tests regarding the machinability of the material. The status of this project will be documented at Ligna

The Weinig Group: everything from a single source"Weinig offers more" is not merely a slogan. It is an unconditional promise when it comes to quality, reliability, value creation and consultancy services. Everything from a single source.

Consequently, ample space at Ligna has been dedicated to the comprehensive range of services offered by the Weinig Group. Weinig specialists will be on hand for customers throughout all four days of the trade fair, answering any questions covering pre-owned machines, service and finance segments.


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The Weinig Group will present 40 machines live at its stand in Hall 27. And one of them will soon be winging its way to a lucky customer's premises free of charge. The machine in question is a latest

generation Cube Plus.

The winner of the compact four-sider will be determined via a prize draw. The spectacular competition is a tribute from the world market leader in solid wood and panel processing to its customers. "A thank you for the loyalty demonstrated to us by record incoming orders in 2016," says Gregor Baumbusch, chief sales and marketing officer.

"The Cube is a machine that all solid wood processors need," says Klaus Müller, head of marketing and communication. Many customers use the compact four-sider, also known as the 'Magic Cube' due to its shape and qualities, sporadically for quick orders.

For others, it represents an entry into automated four-sided solid wood processing. Thanks to the Cube's intuitive operation, planing is simpler than ever and 10 times faster than using a traditional jointer and thickness planer.

"There is no other comparable machine in this performance category," underlines Müller. "Even for panel specialists who process solid wood as a sideline, the Cube

is an interesting addition to their equipment."Since its launch in 2011, the Cube has successfully established itself worldwide. It has quickly become indispensable for many woodworking professionals and achieved cult status.

Consequently, more and more customers are taking advantage of the available customisation option. One recent customer, for example, had their machine painted with a graffiti design. The four-sider will play a particularly prominent role at Ligna.

The Cube Plus provided for the prize draw will be wrapped in a red ribbon. Tickets for the competition will be available at the 'Winner's Point'.

Customers can also take their chances online. Weinig has created its own LIGNA website at ligna.weinig.de.

Tickets can be downloaded via the website. However, they can only be entered into the draw at the "Winner's Point" at the trade fair. Shortly after LIGNA, Weinig will announce the name of the customer for whom the four-sider's advertising slogan "CUBEing pays. It's magic!" has become a reality.

Weinig Cube prize draw at Ligna



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Vertical sawing facilitates encompass more than just the sizing cut of wood-based materials – much more. This year's Striebig presentation at Ligna, to be held in Hanover, Germany from

22 to 26 May, is based on the motto of "diversity".

The trade fair stand will focus on the extensive range, customised special solutions and the diversity of the panel materials that can be processed–plus a few innovations that the Swiss company will surprise visitors to the Ligna with.

Vertical sawing with Striebig starts with the Compact, followed by the Standard and the premium Evolution and Control models, and culminates in the high-end 4D saw.

According to the manufacturer, the range of saw sizes covers what is thought to be the most diverse area of application of all the market players. The basic equipment also surpasses the standard market provision.

Surprisingly diverse sawing technology

The range at a glance: vertical sawing with Striebig starts with the Compact, followed by the Standard and the premium Evolution and Control models, and culminates in the high-end 4D saw

Saves time and money and ensures longer tool service lives. The VSA scoring saw unit improves the cutting quality with coated panels



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Optional equipment is available for users who would like to enhance the options provided by their vertical saw.

The VSA scoring saw unit is a must for extending the service life of the saw blade and for ensuring that damage to the edges is prevented.

Processors who need more than just panel cutting should consider enhancing their Striebig with a grooving accessory (NVV). It enables grooving and routing work to be performed without problems on the vertical saw.

The range of materials which can be processed is extremely diverse: sandwich panel materials up to 25 m², with a thickness of 130 mm, composite panels up to 30 m², as well as 80 mm thick aluminium panels for vehicle construction.

Striebig is able to produce sawing solutions for demanding requirements of this kind thanks to its engineering expertise.

Innovativeness and durability are the main features of Striebig's corporate philosophy and have ensured high quality and excellent service for a great many years.

Visit the Streibig stand at Ligna: Hall 12, Stand B29

Fully equipped Striebig CONTROL. ABO for the automated top trimming cut and EPS.y for horizontal positioning of the unit are standard. Additional equipment: 4SB system for the automated bottom trimming cut and EPS.x for vertical positioning

STRIEBIG COMPACT This entry level series, which enables small and medium sized businesses to move into the world of precision and quality vertical panel saws. The COMPACT combines exemplary ergonomics and high-quality visual appearance with unmatched functionality. The COMPACT model series is �exible and economical in use.

STRIEBIG COMPACT

ENTRY LEVEL TO QUALITY AND PRECISION






www.austro.co.zawww.austro.co.za



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Italian packaging systems company Panotec is gearing up to showcase the latest in their extensive range of automated packaging solutions at Ligna 2017, scheduled to be held at Hanover, Germany from

22 to 26 May.

Panotec is a global technological leader in the automated packaging industry, having revolutionized the box making industry with its highly advanced "Box On Demand" (BOD) systems.

Started in Italy nearly 30 years ago, Panotec is today a market leader in the packaging industry, with their systems distributed in more than 30 countries globally.

According to Panotec area manager, Rudi Nesta, the high and varied demand internationally for the right size boxes, short lead times, reduced packaging cost, and reduced ecological impact of packaging, prompted the company to come up with this highly productive range of machines, that sport many additional features, like optional print on demand capabilities, labelling, and size detection stations.

"Panotec provides, through a simple machine, the right size

box, where you want it, when you want it and as many as you want, all in one piece," says Nesta.

"For the customer whose box needs are complex or constantly changing in size or configuration, the BOD supply chain is simple and more cost-effective than traditional packaging means.

"Instead of the traditional box supply process where you order and store premade boxes, with Box On Demand you use BOD machinery and fanfold (corrugated cardboard) to make customised boxes as you need them.

"Fanfold corrugated cardboard is supplied to you in various sizes, is easy to store and is very efficient to use. The BOD machinery converts this fanfold into the boxes you need, in any size or style. Since you are able to eliminate wasteful filler material from each carton, Box On Demand allows you to improve the ecological impact of your packaging."

The Box On Demand system is simple and intuitive, and features quick set-up times which maximise production speed. Corrugated cardboard costs remain

Thinking outside the box

Panotec stand at Ligna 2017 will feature brand new technology in the form of their MIDI Compack 1.4








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COMPACK SERIES

Packaging can be a challenge if your products constantly change in size and are highly configurable or require customisation. “Box on Demand” is an approach to sourcing corrugated packaging for companies that ship a complex and shifting mix of products.

With our offerings you can easily and costeffectively produce custom corrugated packaging in your own facility. Because you order raw, un-converted material, your packaging costs are consistent across any configuration, quantity, or design.

PANTOTEC COMPACK

YOUR ULTIMATE PACKAGING SOLUTION

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Panotec stand at Ligna 2017 will feature brand new technology in the form of their Compack EVO

consistent regardless of the configuration or quantity of boxes produced. Set-up charges and minimum quantity orders are eliminated and lead times are drastically reduced. Box On Demand makes it easier for you to take control of your packaging process.

For their stand at Ligna 2017, Panotec, in addition to their existing range, will feature their latest technology in the form of the Compack EVO, and its little sister, the MIDI Compack 1.4, which made its debut in South Africa during the 2016 Austro Show.

"The furniture market is always an important source of inspiration for Panotec," says Mestra. "The first machines years ago were made specifically for that market. Now the Box On Demand concept is also used by e-commerce (Amazon, Express Gift, Hunter Douglas and more), the automotive industry (Denso, Caterpillar, Dolphin and more), the lighting industry (Philips, Dextra and more), online printing (Cimpress Group) and many more sectors.

"South Africa is an important market for us, and you will be able to see one of our new Box On Demand systems in action at our South African distributor, Austro, in the near future."



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Founded in 1876 in Oberkochen, Southern Germany, the Leitz Group is the worldwide leading manufacturer of tools for industrial processing of wood, wood derived materials, plastic and

compound materials. For decades, Leitz innovations have moved customers forward in a competitive market, keeping them one step ahead with creative processing solutions that ensure quality and efficiency.

Their progressive thinking and technology continue to set trends, achieving solutions that make production processes faster, more flexible and cost-effective, and ensure the highest quality – while maximising the combination of ecology and economy.

Year after year, Leitz sets the benchmark for new, future-oriented technologies and products with ground-breaking solutions. At Ligna 2017, Leitz will again demonstrate its innovation power.

Sustainability Consistently optimising the application of valuable resources, new ideas and methods are essential. Leitz is the first in the industry to invest in its own coating research and technology.

Their customised Marathon high-performance coating, increases tool life significantly and improves productivity. With their thin-kerf saw blade technology, Leitz demonstrates that less is much more – improving material utilisation with the most minimal cutting widths.

FlexibilityTheir comprehensive range of products offers a multitude of options that provide excellent solutions for every application. In addition to this extensive offering,

technology combinations such as hybrid, integral and RipTec tools provide more ways to increase flexibility in production.

Their resharpenable, constant diameter tooling systems ProFix and ProFix C, combined with the changeable knife system of ProfilCut Q, offer a customised and efficient solution for each customer requirement. This diversity is unmatched in the market.

Productivity and efficiencyWith ProfilCut Q Premium, Leitz offers the fastest profile tooling system in the industry. Users can run faster cutting speeds with the same number of teeth, achieving higher productivity and improved output.

ProfilCut Q also sets new standards in precision, cutting quality and handling. Additionally, the lifetime of the tool is significantly increased by the Marathon high-performance coating on the knives.

Leitz EdgeExpert diamond tools are another solution for profitable production in many application areas. Beyond processing, Leitz focuses on reduced set-up and machine downtime, optimising the production process.

An example is the Leitz BrillianceCut saw blade, which eliminates one complete working step. Through the combination of two tooling systems, the perfect synthesis of processing quality and cost-efficiency becomes possible.

Leitz hybrid technology combines tungsten carbide tooling systems with diamond cutting edges, decisively optimising production processes. A significant increase in performance and efficiency is also realised with Leitz Integral Technology – pre-cutting and finish processing in one tool.

Solutions in new dimensions

The Leitz ProfilCut Q Premium is the fastest profile tooling system in the industry. Users can run higher cutting speeds with the same number of teeth, achieving higher productivity and improved output



ExpertiseOnly the perfect interaction of human being, machine, workpiece and tool ensures optimal quality and efficiency that is critical to economic success.

With more than 140 years of experience and process knowledge, Leitz is the only choice for achieving maximum functionality, process safety and efficiency with the most expansive and innovative product offering.

ReliabilityLeitz is a manufacturing service provider and reliable partner to its customers. From their technical expertise when selecting the ideal solution from the Leitz assortment, through pick-up and delivery service, to trouble-free tool supply (CompleteCare) in various levels of tool management solutions – reliable and world-wide, Leitz is always the supplier of choice.

Discover how Leitz continues on the path of innovation at Ligna 2017. Visit them in hall 15, stand F16, where they will present their "Solutions to new dimensions".

The Marathon high-performance coating, designed by Leitz, increases tool life and consistently improves productivity

The Leitz BrillianceCut circular saw blade eliminates one complete working step, optimising the production process

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Vermont Sales open days the best in the history of the event

The annual Vermont Sales Open Trade Days were created back in 2000 and they have since then grown into hugely popular annual events. The last open trade days, which were held on 24 and

25 March, however, will go down in Vermont history as likely the biggest and best open days to date.

"We really put everything into this year's open days," says Ryan Hunt, sales director for Vermont Sales. "We once again invited all the key international suppliers of our leading brands, who were in attendance at their stands, meeting with customers and demonstrating all their products.

"We have always had a great line up of overseas guests but this year's was one of or our best to date, with many of the top executives from all our leading brands attending the show, rolling up their sleeves and getting actively involved.

"Top suppliers like Paul Souber, managing director of Souber Tools, Moshe Abraham, president from NesTools Israel, the colourful owner and CEO of Alpen Drills Austria, Max Reischl, who launched their all new revolutionary and technically advanced Sprint MASTER and Professional range over the two days. The new ranges offer three times the service life, are 30% faster, are tougher, highly accurate and more precise, than anything else on the market today; the ultimate in HSS twist drill design from the leaders in drills and drilling technology," says Hunt.

Also, appearing for the first time was the USA vice-president of Key back/T-Reign, Mike Winegar, the popular teams from Festool Germany headed by export manager Ernst Pfender, Bessey Germany's export manager, Ernst Muhl, another leading German brand, Felo, represented by export manager Catalin Veverita, Fixman, the leading tool

company represented by international sales manager, Jack Zhang, and the UK's Mark Owen, international business development manager from the famous Kreg Company.

The original company that created the Rawlplug was represented by business development director, Bogdun Myczaj and the legendry Imperial Blades company was represented by international sales manager, Neal Roberts.

"It was the perfect opportunity to meet with the international experts to discuss these hugely successful brands and products, view the demonstrations and see the latest products in action," says Vermont Sales commercial director, Dale Engelbrecht. "The new power tools and accessories were mind boggling and the technology that is now available is really out of this world. This, along with the really clever range of new products, is taking tools and accessories to a completely new level.

"These open days allow us to meet with our customers, demonstrate the tools and accessories-which is a huge benefit to our clients as it allows us to demonstrate, educate and offer solutions for customers.

"They can also see all the tools in action, ask the questions and see what they are capable of Trade customers can sign up on the day for any of the many free training courses that we have running this year," says Engelbrecht.

This year's open days had a record 180 display stands. Well over 60 brands were on display, with the product range running into the thousand. Over the two days, more than 100 demonstrations took place in the main arena as well as at the international stands. Customer attendance was again excellent with well over 1 000 guests attending the open days.


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A brief walk through time and into the future with Arnold Geerlings

During a wide-ranging interview that spanned more than seven decades of South Africa's woodworking history, Arnold shared some of his views, personal philosophy and experiences.

1947-1999Arnold described how Geerlings, the company, became closely entwined in the country's history when World War II ended and his grandfather, first generation Dutch immigrant Jan Hendrik Geerlings settled in South Africa in the late 1930s. He decided the time was right in 1947 to open a saw sharpening company that later developed into a woodworking machinery company, JH Geerlings and Son, in Krugersdorp.

The company grew on the back of an increasingly industrialised economy and Arnold's father, Jan Geerlings, decided to set the company on a new path when he returned from training at the Wadkin factory in the UK. In March 1965, Geerlings (Pty) Ltd was officially registered and ventured into the second-hand machinery sales and maintenance market. In 1980 Hetti Geerlings, Jan's wife, joined the firm and 10 years later her determination and administration knowledge saw her appointed as the company chairman.

"The fact that a woman was the head of a woodworking machinery company in the eighties is one of our trend-setting legacies. I joined the family business in 1990 and worked my way up from the factory floor. This was

an excellent experience and after heading the sales department in the mid-90s I eventually became managing director," says Arnold.

"To meet the changing market needs we decided to sell new machinery and, in 1994, embarked on a strategy of identifying and securing agencies for the best quality international equipment for the local market." In 1995 Jan and Arnold attended the Ligna trade fair in Hanover and returned with several European manufacturing agencies that they signed up over the next few years. These included SCM, Cefla, Freud Tooling and Holytek.

The new millenniumDuring the conversation with Wood SA, Arnold made the following observations:

"Businesses survive by learning and reinventing themselves. The new millennium brought momentous changes in South Africa and the world, and we used this period to consolidate our product range and deepen the existing supplier-client relationships. We encourage our clients to embrace technology and today all our successful clients are those that invested in technology to increase their output and the skills levels of their employees.

"Yes, it is important to create opportunities for wealth creation through employment, but this cannot happen if your company is unsustainable. It is as important to work efficiently and productively, and the only way to do this is

Arnold Geerlings, the chairman of Geerlings Machinery and Tooling, travelled around the country in March to host the company's in-house exhibitions, and managed to catch up with him when he officially launched the relocated premises of the Cape Town branch in Cathedral Park in Saxonburg, Blackheath.

Celebrating the launch were, from the back left: Claudio Bianchi (SCM), Henk de Vries (director and Cape branch manager), Arnold Geerlings (chairman). Antonio Dalla Lasta (SCM), Cornelis Rostoff (managing director), Mike Wheeler (client consultant), and Sean Heveleigh (head technician)


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to use technology, and manufacture faster, smarter and more cost-effectively.

"The manufacturing sector in Cape Town is rapidly expanding towards the north and east. I have heard that more than 300 families are moving to the city and its surrounds each month, and these people all need houses and furniture. The growth in our client base supports this and we decided to buy premises in the well-located industrial park in Blackheath. We have the capacity to grow into more sections of the complex as we expand our operation in the Cape.

"Geerlings, the company, is an extension of the Geerlings family. Everything we do is based on sound family principles and we believe everyone should be treated with respect and dignity. We are very blessed to have people working for us who share our values and who cooperate to create a healthy working environment. Henk de Vries, the Cape branch manager, is a case in point – his father, Jan de Vries, worked for Geerlings for many years and, although Henk left the company to work in industry for four years, he has returned with a clear understanding of production flow, time and motion studies and the real challenges facing manufacturers."

Into the futureArnold said the following about the future:

"The solid wood industry is declining now, but it will not disappear. Ours is a diverse customer base that includes

micro and small to medium-sized businesses, and larger independent manufacturers who invest in technologically advanced processing equipment. Smaller and start-up businesses either buy their board products from independent board suppliers who use our equipment, or they buy refurbished traditional woodworking equipment from us.

"Quality surface finishing is a money saver and we have partnered with Cefla for 15 years now. The trick is to use the best technology you can afford to achieve the desired finish. This will save on rework time, materials and labour costs.

"I don't believe you can stay sustainable if you water down your offering. Geerlings is a one-stop shop for machines and equipment. We are not experts in adhesives, edging material and saw doctoring and do not intend to be. We refer our clients to specialist partners in those fields so that we can concentrate on what we are good at.

"Geerlings is and will always be the product of excellent teamwork, honest retrospection, and a drive to continuously examine ourselves to make things simpler, work smarter, and cut out processes that waste time.

"Risk management and succession planning is important. Give people the opportunity to show what they can do. Our top management are shareholders and have a direct interest in the success of the company. I am confident that in future we will expand shareholding opportunities to include other employees."

Focus on the digital factory with the SCM Group at Ligna 2017

Local woodworking machinery experts, Geerlings invites everyone attending Ligna to meet them and its supplier, the SCM Group, to experience the advantages of embracing the digital revolution by

migrating to Industry 4.0.

The SCM stand will celebrate the digital factory by demonstrating an example of a cell system that produces furniture components. The system seamlessly integrates a range of CNC machines. The system's capacity is between eight and 10 sets per shift.

It is fully automated system, and control over the entire process – from raw panels to the finished components – is complete. Cornelius Rostoff, CEO of Geerlings, explains that this cell system solution stands out for its low operational costs, as it

requires only a single operator and has minimum handling requirements, thus preventing production defects. It has a "lean" flow, with no interruptions, bottlenecks and extraordinary maintenance.


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Geerlings hold successful open days in Johannesburg

Local woodworking machine supplier, Geerlings, held its open days at its Krugersdorp-based factory and showroom recently, and pulled out all the stops to make this a successful event.

Boasting a brand new showroom–tripled in size–with a much wider range of machines on display, the open days drew customers, and potential customers, from far and wide over the three days that it was held.

Their ultra high–tech SCM and Cefla premium ranges stole the show, as expected, but they also had on display some of their other offerings such as Chinese and Taiwanese mid-range machines, as well as their refurbished second-hand machines, which were on display in another viewing area upstairs.

"We've based our new showroom on the SCM showroom in Italy," says Jacqueline Geerlings, adding that they've brought in a complete nesting line, from start to finish, with all the processes integrated via software.

"The bigger showroom allows us to display our high–tech lines on the showroom floor, with more traditional and even refurbished machines on display in the upstairs area."

According to Geerlings, the aim is to hold the open days annually, as a way to not only give potential new customers the chance to view the machines in action and meet the Geerlings team and OEM principals, but also as a way of thanking their loyal customers for their continued support.

Geerlings also announced a new deal, which saw them becoming the sole agents for Italian biomass specialists and dust extraction system manufacturers, Imas Aeromechanica, in southern Africa.

The ultra high-tech SCM and Cefla premium ranges stole the show at Geerlings Krugersdorp's open days


Contact us at one of our branches or from our website www.geerlings.co.zaJHB: 011.259.5900 / DBN: 031.914.0085 / CPT: 021.021.987.3408

Managing Director: Cornelis Rostoll 082 415 4653 [email protected] Director: Martiens Bezuidenhout 082 334 3841 [email protected]

Cape Manager: Henk de Vries 082 415 1972 [email protected] Manager: Eric Rosenstrauch 082 415 1973 [email protected]

In partnership with SCM Group for over 20 years

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64 March 2017 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times

The gold standard in coatings

WoodGlass Coatings MD John Wanliss has spent 44 years in the paint and coatings industry, striking out on his own as a consultant to the paint and furniture industry in 2001. In

2011, he was offered an opportunity he could not resist.

“I felt at the time that there was a strong need for new, good quality products in the South African wood and glass coatings market,” says John.

“So when global industry leader and one of the largest privately-owned wood and glass coatings manufacturers in Europe, ICA, approached me to distribute their products in sub-Saharan Africa, I jumped at the chance.

“ICA is a phenomenally progressive group sporting a complete range of excellent high quality water and solvent based stains, as well as a complete range of superiorwater based mono and dual component coatings for both interior and exterior timber, clear and pigmented polyurethane systems, polyester base and top coats, a

comprehensive range of UV curing products in clear and colours.

Glass coatings form important part of the ICA product offering; flat glass for splash backs and interior partitioning, glass bottles and ornamental glass can all be coated with either water or solvent based systems. New products are constantly being developed to ensure that the demands of the industry are met, and exceeded.”

In a woodworking industry where seamless, high quality, high gloss products are all the rage, the new MY LAB range from ICA, sporting a phenomenal range of metal effect colours called liquid metals, is set to take the local woodworking world by storm.

Another recent development now available are the mar resistant ultra matt (2 gloss) coatings.

The name MY LAB was chosen to compliment the experimental nature of the product and the continuous

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65March 2017 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times

evolution of the range, and consisting of water-based mono and bi-component coatings with reduced levels of environmental impact.

In addition to the MY LAB range, ICA also sports a highly popular and incredibly wide range of water and solvent based stains and glazes for wood, for both outdoor and indoor use, as well as an extensive and innovative range of water based mono and bi-component wood coatings.

These were awarded the European Union LIFE mark for sustainable development due to the product’s low ecological affect and the company’s endeavours to reduce pollution by making use of clean technologies.

The ICA range of products does not just boast with eco-friendly water-based coatings, but with products with low levels of environmental impact across their entire range.

“I’ve based WoodGlass on a business model that I had the privilege to experience first hand in Italy.

Niche markets and customers are identified and the focus is on superior service, product quality and technical expertise” says John. The target market includes the likes of the kitchen and office furniture industry, outdoor wooden furniture industry, the modern contemporary furniture industry, the period furniture industry, as well as manufacturers of wall cladding, mostly for the corporate and hospitality sectors.

According to John, the ICA product range is constantly evolving with 64 research engineers, with fully equipped, state of the art on site laboratories and full time paint application specialists working to constantly refine and expand the already impressive product ranges that the company offers.

“We do not just supply coatings,” says John. “We come up with solutions and systems that are tailored to suit the client’s needs.”


Intra. Independent. Angular. Experimental. The faults, cracks and leaching of this black stained oak show signs of natural wear and tear. In contrast to darker wood, the original bright colour has been revealed here and there. This makes it easier to combine the decor with other materials and uni colours.

Kronberg. This planked oak originated from old railway sleepers. The timber, strongly parched by the sun for years, displays authentic discolourations, seasonal marks and cracks. Completely natural.

S I X PA C K

2 0 1 7 S T R O N GCHARACTERS

Interprint presents self-confident décor statementsIn a world of fast changes, the design of living space primarily reflects individual needs and desires. The Interprint Design Team gives valuable orientation in the multiplicity of possibilities: With its 'Six Pack' 2017, the international décor printer presents six focused décor statements with great potential for international market success.

The new 'Six Pack' was presented early for the first time during the Interprint Furniture Days in Arnsberg at the beginning of November: The décors proved their strong character not only as décor material versions (melamine surface, Xelio finish foil, edge banding, thermoplastic foil, EIR surface) but also directly on furniture.

The Interprint décor recommendations are self-confident interpretations of current trends and styles. The main oak topic is presented in three very different interpretations: from experimental and natural to handicraft country-style. One marble design, one chestnut design and one walnut design embody authentic lifestyles. The attraction of all six décors lies in their strong materiality and naturalness.

The look & feel of the new Interprint décor trends primarily harmonise with three of the currently popular design styles: 'Nature' as an expression of relaxed naturalness, 'Industrial' for all purists who like imperfection and functionality, and 'Material' as haptic, uncompromising counter concept to the digital lifestyle. With their authentic naturalness, the 'Six Pack' décors are just as trendy as timeless.

For more information: www.interprint.com


Ladin. Striking oak in a rustic mountain chalet look. Sandblasting and brushing techniques have transformed the original wood and given it a rough appeal. In this way, an effect has been achieved that nature would have needed decades for.

Lavant. Horizontal becomes diagonal: The texture of this marble creates completely new 45 degree aesthetics. This makes it convincing on work surfaces and on the front of furniture. Alternating quartzite sections create an intensive white-grey interplay of colours. The overall unconventional impression is rounded off by a trendy matt finish.

Nairo. A very original chestnut with a rough texture. The wood has greyed partially due to weathering. The decor displays a broad range of natural colour nuances. It also owes its vivid look to the counterflowing flowers and branches.

Paldao. This decor is named after a tropical timber that is often used instead of walnut. Inspired by the strong character of the image of the original material, a surprising reinterpretation has been achieved. Cut flowers and light-dark nuances add depth. Now a stylish walnut classic with an unmistakable look.


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Thermosystems South Africa was established in 1987 as a plant design and manufacturing company for the paint and surface finishing industry.

The emphasis was on the supply of paint and surface coating plants within the wood finishing industry for panel, door and furniture manufacturing to ensure reliability and functional design of equipment suited to customer requirements.

The capabilities of the equipment are based on the production requirements of each individual customer, taking into account the existing factory layout and floor space constraints.

Total control over the in-house manufacturing process is key to successful customer relations, as it ensures quality equipment, manufactured on time and to sound engineering principles.

The company offers a special programme for high-quality paint finishing equipment based on each production sequence and product output requirements, and can tailor each plant for the correct application to best suit the customer's requirements.

Plant design, manufacturing and implementation are achieved by informed decisions that are integrated timeously into a production sequence.

Many clients demand an overall package solution and Thermosystems can provide the total installation on a turnkey basis, with knowledge and capability based on many successful installations throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

Automatic coating and sprayingComplete automatic plant painting lines are chosen for continuous production of the required component

That perfect finish

>>70


parts to be coated based on production requirements and type of finish to be achieved.

The design and layout of the plant is fashioned around the component shape, quantity of components per shift to processed, and paint material to be used.

Multi coating, base and top coat operations have to be implemented into the plant system,whether for solvent or water-based material, the complete plant includes material handling, pre-treatment, automatic coating and final paint curing.

A full production analysis of the parts to be coated is required to optimise the plant design and ensure the correct and most effective painting process with the emphasis on factory floor space and energy consumption of the plant.

Spray boothsThermosystems' range of wood finishing spray booths are custom designed and built for all paint coating requirements.

The company has developed a number of special measures to provide the best and most affordable equipment to comply with fire and health regulations and assure the customer of the correct spray plant for either intermittent jobbing or continuous production requirements.

They have tailored, for the demands of the industry, a range of air and paint filtration systems that offer either dry filtration, or water-wash filtration with paint removal, which is fail safe and dependable in any spray painting environment. A professional paint finish is assured to suit your production needs.

Sanding, polishing and extractionThe Sandeck range of equipment includes sanding and polishing benches and booths, which provide for manual operation, whether for simple or complex pieces.

The suction benches can be connected to the existing factory central dust extraction system or have an independent dust extractor fitted.

The suction benches create negative pressure and provide for elimination and collection of fine dust generated during the sanding and polishing process, keeping working conditions in line with health and environmental regulations.

The slotted work surface features a suction velocity of 0,5 m/s across the entire work surface, with the heaver dust dropping down into collection drawers for removal.

For 3D large component products, the dust-off booth is utilised, enabling the product to be positioned within the booth suction area, then cleaning with compressed air blow-off can be undertaken, ensuring the airborne dust is removed and gathered in the booth exhaust filter system.

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from page 69That perfect finish

Thermosystems provide a wide range of automatic coating solutions


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Wood finishingSurface finishing is an essential part of the furniture and wood finishing industry. Thermosystems offers a wide range of finishing plants and equipment to ensure a high quality and aesthetic coating to the finished product, depending on the customer output.

Investment in top of the range equipment is a must for companies with–long term goals and objectives to achieve their potential in reaching optimum production targets.

Their products have gained a successful reputation through their quality and reliability, meeting, and exceeding the ever-changing technological advances in the furniture and wood finishing industry.

Panel and door coatingThermosystems offer a wide range of automatic coating and spraying plants from LEIF & LORENTZ, manufactured and imported from Europe.

The selection of machinery covers a wide range of applications including flat pack and profile coating with patented technology and years of successful installations around the world.

They offer complete finishing lines, from standard convection drying, to UV curing combined with automatic spraying and sanding of the work pieces to be processed.

Thermosystems offers a wide range of finishing plants and equipment


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Representative's from the Department of Trade and Industry's (the dti) furniture sector desk recently travelled to Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg to meet furniture products suppliers

and debate the necessity of revising the current minimum stipulated thresholds because of the lack of capabilities within the industry.

The workshops were hosted by the South African Furniture Initiative (SAFI) and facilitated by Dr Tebogo Makube who is the chief director for industrial development division at the dti. He explained that the dti has introduced designations for local procurement to ensure local production at a specified level of local content. All public sector entities at all levels of government, are required to observe an Instruction Note in terms of the Preferential Procurement Regulation Policy Framework Act (PPPFA), issued by the Minister of Finance for the designation of certain furniture products.

The note stipulates the percentage amount of local content:

Furniture products: % local content Office furniture 85% School furniture 100% Base and mattress 90%

Makube explained that the issue of threshold limits arises when, for example, a municipal tender specifies bamboo flooring or furniture with aluminium components. Decisions must then be made by the dti on whether to grant exemptions to suppliers who say these products cannot be sourced locally.

He added that the present designations are targeting 15% of the market and the question is whether any items could be designated in the remaining 85%, which comprises mainly the household furnishings market.

"The dti will consider feedback from industry and amend the Instruction Note if necessary. For example, questions are being asked about whether outdoor furniture and commercial furniture should be included and whether more detail is required in the note."

Government considers local content to be a policy lever in the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP), as it leverages

public expenditure and responds to a myriad of economic challenges facing South Africa. The IPAP and the National Industrial Policy Framework identify the furniture manufacturing industry as having significant potential to create a labour-intensive industry that can grow jobs through expanding production.

"The industry's current production capacity is underutilised, and it can capitalise on available opportunities and grow prospects that will contribute to employment and economic growth," Makube said. He added that the harsh reality is that the furniture manufacturing sector has been the worst affected by the economic slowdown and has seen the contribution to the GDP standing at 1,1% in 2014 and the production in the sector fell 1,6% in 2014 on an annual basis. Employment decreased from 38 267 people in 2009 to slightly over 26 000 in 2014 and continues to drop.

"From 2006 the furniture industry has posted a negative trade balance due to the influx of imports. Government wants to support local industry by slowing imports. The downgrading of our economy means more support is needed for local industry," commented Makube.

Speaking at the Cape Town workshop, Malibongwe Vusani of the Western Cape provincial treasury said the economic objective of local procurement is for local manufacturers to receive a substantial share of government business, where sustainable order books will contribute to the development of local industries and the creation of jobs. He explained the relationship between the Central Supplier Database (CSD) and the procedures suppliers need to go through to register on Ariba's provincial supplier database.

Industry feedbackThe industry workshop discussions raised a range of topics including:• Exemptions are granted based on importation of a component and not on the finished product• Suppliers who want to register on the CSD need to comply with stipulated broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) requirements• How does the local industry compete against cheaper imports when local manufacturers can't meet the prices of imported products?• Tender writers don't know the difference between local and imported products – they see something

Thresholds of furniture designations for local content debated

>>76

The chief director for industrial development at the dti, Dr Tebogo Makube, discussed the implications of the designation of furniture products with industry


they like in a catalogue or picture and decide that is what they want, without questioning its provenance• Suppliers need to have an opportunity to meet the specifiers or tender writers to clarify questions• There needs to be a local content technical committee in each province to find out whether something is locally available or not• There should be an ombudsman or whistle-blowing mechanism to report bad practice, such as the Western Cape's Red Tape Reduction Unit• The biggest challenge is access to technology not skills• How do suppliers who tender for contracts larger than R30 million find sub-contractors they can work with, particularly given the short submission deadlines?• The SA Bureau of Standards (SABS) takes far too long to respond to requests to test products and it is costly to incorporate their logo on products• How do qualifying BBBEE sub-contractors that have not previously registered on the CSD reach out to larger tenderers?

• There must be some form of grading system so that

suppliers and sub-contractors that have not met quality

or time deadlines do not stay on the database until

remediation has taken place

SAFI's Bernadette Isaacs pointed out that local content

must not be seen only as a supply chain instrument to be

implemented by procurement officers. Well-designed and

implemented local content can open opportunities for

local economic development in the furniture industry.

"A key objective of SAFI is to constantly improve the

industry's competitiveness, and the furniture industry

should not seek to compete at low price or quality

levels, but should rather focus on quality, reliability and

differentiated designs," said Isaacs

Makube appealed to the furniture industry to give

direction on circulars and notes issued by treasury and the

dti, because he would like to finalise any revisions within

the next two months.

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from page 74Thresholds of furniture designations for local content...

The Cape Town furniture industry workshop was attended by local and Garden Route manufacturers


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The International Business Incubation Association (InBIA) unanimously chose South Africa's leading business incubator, Furntech, as the winner of the Speciality Entrepreneurial Centre of the Year during

its annual conference in Seattle.

"We now have confirmation that Furntech and its single focus business incubation programme is truly world class," says Michael Reddy, CEO of the Furniture Technology Centre Trust (Furntech). "This recognition by our international peers has taken time, and although we were runner-up in 2013, it is only now that our entrepreneurial development model is mature enough to be recognised as trend-setting."

Furntech specialises in helping start-up, new and existing entrepreneurs to develop sustainable micro, small and medium-sized businesses in the furniture and wood products sector. This is done through skills development and business incubation programmes, both at its eight

centres in the country and at the client's premises. When Reddy was notified that Furntech was once again shortlisted for the prestigious award, the Board of Trustees approved Reddy's travel to the USA. He proudly returned with two trophies, the Speciality Entrepreneurial Centre of the Year and the annual Dinah Adkins award. In addition, Furntech also received a cheque for USD1 000 that the organisation will use to develop the businesses in its incubation programme and to further refine and innovate its offerings.

"This achievement is by South Africans for Africans," says Reddy. "Too often international, and sadly some local organisations, have no faith in the competencies of our people to design and develop innovative and appropriate solutions to problems," comments Reddy.

"Since our launch in 2001, Furntech's board has stuck to its strategy to not dilute our services by expanding into projects outside of our scope of operations. This allows

Furntech wins top international business incubator award

Michael Reddy, Furntech CEO


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us to tailor our services to best respond to the needs and priorities of our diverse range of stakeholders. We are proud that the benefits of our commitment to and success in business incubation and skills development are shared by the furniture manufacturing industry and South Africa as a nation."

Furntech is also accredited and recognised by the Fibre Processing and Manufacturing Sector Education and Training Authority (FP&M Seta) as centre of excellence in the provision of furniture making vocational skills.

This year incubation experts from 67 countries attended the conference. The InBIA is a global non-profit organisation that for 31 years has guided, mentored and developed sustainable entrepreneur support programmes in every industry and demographic in the word.

It has more than 2 200 members and its goal is to provide industry resources, education, events and programmes to help its members better serve the needs of their unique communities and regions.

Sitting on seagrass, potatoes or leaves? Furniture designers are discovering nature as a source of inspiration and are creating classic seating furniture with green criteria.

In their search for materials that conserve resources, designers today are discovering natural materials as a source of inspiration. Waste products are being processed into raw and recyclable materials for new chair models. Many designers are experimenting with plant and vegetable waste and similar organic debris.

They are putting highly unusual sources of raw materials to the test to produce bioplastics for seat shells, for example. In contrast to conventional materials, these biobased materials offer crucial benefits: the raw materials are freely available in large quantities and can be sustainably exploited.

Interzum is the world’s largest trade fair for furniture designs, trends and consumables. Don’t miss the sustainable materials stand in Hall 4.2 at Interzum in Cologne from 16 to 19 May.

Interzum: Chairs made from biomaterials


Worldwide, kitchen manufacturing accounts for close to 40% of the furniture industry, and CNC machines, modern materials handling systems, an understanding of the target market's

psyche, lean and smart manufacturing and economies of scale, are all-important when it comes to remaining competitive the kitchen and built-in cupboards industry.

It is important to remember that household furniture is largely sold through retailers and is produced first and sold later. A kitchen, however, is usually sold first, and then manufactured. This is an obstacle for small businesses because anything that is sold first and made later needs careful planning and innovation so that its value proposition stays relevant and does not restrict the growth of the company.

A few years ago, aesthetics and modularity were deciding factors for customers. Lately, however, efficient use of space, ergonomics and functionality are also important. Furniture hardware has become a predominant factor while designing a modern kitchen, particularly with the changing role of the kitchen from the back of the house to becoming a central "living" and meeting space.

Kitchen design is in a transformation stage with technology starting to become main stream in playing an increasing role in redefining kitchens. Everyone will soon want to open a kitchen drawer by simply clicking on their iPad, tablet or mobile phone and LCD displays with Wi-Fi connectivity and a charging deck for mobile tech will become an integral part of any kitchen.

Ergonomics has also become a crucial element in kitchen design. In Europe height adjustable wall units, and base units with control panels to raise and lower individual cabinets, are increasingly popular. These haven't yet made a big impact locally; however, it is clear that kitchens are evolving to fit with the lifestyles of those using it.

In South Africa, the general market tends to accept modular kitchen and cupboard designs, largely because of the prohibitive costs associated with customised cabinetry.

Standardisation reduces wastage of material and machine set-up time. Large volumes enable manufacturers to produce at lower cost, and to transfer that benefit to the end consumer, which helps expand the market. For example, Nobilia, the largest kitchen manufacturing company in the world, makes about 2 800 kitchens per day and intends to scale up to 3 400 by the end of 2017. Despite doing so many kitchens a day, with over 75 models on display, Nobilia's basic kitchen cabinetry is plain white.

By using innovative techniques, kitchen manufacturers can create enough value for the end customer by combining luxury and affordability. For instance, instead of using three cabinets of 600 mm each, costs can be reduced by using two heavy duty drawers of 900 mm each that can carry 40 kg to 80 kg. This not only reduces the cost of manufacture but also increases the real space for customers, since extra dividing panels are not required. Similarly, the use of push-to-open drawers eliminates the need for handles while improving the visual appeal. Also, there is an emerging trend of replacing side mounted doors and top-mounted flaps with sliding systems because they don't get in the way where space is at a premium.

Large capacities are therefore necessary to reach the right price point and value proposition for the customer and the manufacturer. This can only be achieved by having a forward-looking business plan and investing in machines and skills for that future. The excess capacities can be used by striking strategic partnerships with other assemblers or manufacturers on a stand-alone or reciprocal basis, depending upon the business model.

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Kitchen trends and economies of scaleBy Joy Crane


JOIN HÜSTER AT LIGNA

Visitors to the Holz-Her stand at Ligna will be treated to live displays of the company's comprehensive range of machines and equipment for both solid wood and board-

based products. Holz-Her is a member of the Weining Group and is the specialist manufacturer of machines to cut, edge, and machine boards and turn them into top quality furniture, shop fitting and home décor products.

The company will display the following ranges:• Accura and Lumina edge banders• PUR Glu Jet stations• LTronic laser edging system• Sector 1255 and 1260 vertical panel saws• Dynestic 7505, 7507 and 7532 gantry CNC machines• New Nextec nesting centre that can produce furniture without programming

HOLZ-HERHALL: 27STAND: D66

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Smart machines for modern furniture production

The Holzher benchmark setting "ACCURAte" edgebander comes standard with the Glu Jet glue station that can accommodate 2kg glue sticks

The Holz-her range of machines are available in South Africa from Huester Machinetool Company.


The new joint venture will be known as FOMA Southern Africa.

According to The FX Group CEO, Mohammed Bera, FX Group has been working with China FOMA, a state-owned company, formerly known as the Machinery Company of the Ministry of Forestry – a chairman unit of the China Forestry Machinery Association – on several projects for some years already, and it has always been a dream to bring the best of the Chinese wood machinery industry to South Africa.

Shanghai Fuma Woodworking and Machinery Company was founded by Wang Kui in 1998. Wang has 30 years of experience in the Chinese woodworking industry and is well known and highly regarded as one of the foremost experts in the industry.

"We have been importing machinery from China, both for The FX Group and for third-party clients, for several years now, and we believe the time is ripe for a business that showcases not only where the Chinese woodworking machinery industry is at now, but also where it is going in terms of technology, design, efficiency and practicality. The joint venture will supply quality and reasonably priced range of machines that caters for the panel processing and furniture industry, including edgebanders, table saws, finger jointers, spindle moulders, dust extraction systems, glue applicators and spreaders, and sanders." According to Bera, the progression of the Chinese woodworking machinery industry and the technological advancement in the industry is astounding.

"One of the main misconceptions that exist is that Chinese equals cheap and low-quality," says Bera. "But that simply is not true. China is no longer a cheap labour market and the level of detail and focus that goes into producing technologically advanced and good quality machines is clearly evident. It is a well-known fact that some of the most sophisticated consumer technology products in the world are manufactured in China."

The Chinese furniture industry has gone from strength to strength in recent years, with the total revenue in 2016 reaching R1,7 trillion, an 8,57% increase from 2015, with 794,6 million pieces manufactured.

The Chinese woodworking and forestry machinery industry is showing equal strength with total revenue in 2014 reaching R400 billion and showing stable growth to the extent that China has now reached a spot in the top three woodworking and forestry machinery exporters globally.

FOMA Southern Africa will be located conveniently just off the N17, at the Osbourne Business Park on Osbourne Road in Wadeville, Germiston, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng

"We are planning a soft opening around end May, and an official launch and opening in July. That will give us time to ensure that all the logistics are ironed out properly," says Bera, stressing that FOMA Southern Africa will not simply be an importer and distributor of Chinese woodworking machinery, but will also provide technical back-up and support as well as after sales service and spares for the full range of machines.

"We will also be able to, over and above the run-of-the-mill quotation and sales of machines, provide clients with optimal solutions for whichever end product they wish to manufacture, or for specialised projects.

"Between The FX Group's extensive knowledge and experience of the southern African woodworking market (26 retail outlets and counting), and China FOMA and Shanghai Fuma's technical knowledge of the machines, we have all the right tools to make this a great success story, not only for our partners, but for the South African woodworking industry, that will now have access to top quality and affordable Chinese woodworking machinery, with full after sales service and technical back-up, which has previously been absent."

Bera goes on to say that he hopes that the accessibility of good quality, affordable machinery will help in the rejuvenation of the South African furniture manufacturing industry.

"There are huge market opportunities available in the furniture manufacturing industry in South Africa," says Bera. "And as The FX Group, we are excited to play a role in the coming reindustrialisation of the local furniture manufacturing industry."

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The FX Group announces exciting new joint venture with China FOMAThe FX Group has announced an exciting joint venture with China FOMA Group and the Shanghai Fuma Woodworking and Machinery Company, to import and distribute the best in Chinese woodworking machinery in South Africa.

A4

C F M CFOMASOUTHERN AFRICA PTY LTDTimber & Board Machinery Suppliers

C F M C Timber & Board Machinery Suppliers

FOMASOUTHERN AFRICA PTY LTD


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There is no doubt that the unstable rand, political turmoil, shaky electricity supply, and other factors have wreaked havoc on every sector of South African business over the last few years.

Recent goings on, including the axing of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and the resulting downgrade of South Africa's credit ratings to junk status – by two rating agencies, no less – are guaranteed to take their toll in the short term and also in the long term.

The average consumer is barely holding his own. Mounting debt and the ever-increasing cost of living – not helped by the fact that annual salary increases have all but disappeared in most sectors – are forcing people to cut down on spending money on new furniture, to name but one.

All of the above have conspired to force the woodworking industry, among others, to find ways to work more efficiently,

cut costs wherever they can, and increase their market share through efficiency and value for money offerings, rather than a perceived higher quality of a premium name brand product.

The woodworking industry is no exception to the rule, and while there is still a significant, yet shrinking, market for the premium (read expensive) name brand product, it has become necessary for most woodworking machinery suppliers to seek alternatives to the traditional high-cost European woodworking and forestry machines that have become so entrenched in the industry.

The rapid rise in sales figures in the second-hand markets in recent years, and the fact that refurbishers of second-hand machines are, bar none, fully booked with job offers piling up to their waists, is a clear indication of that.

To an extent, the industry in South Africa has been lucky thus far, showing that it was much more

The illusive "Corolla" of the woodworking industryWood SA & Timber Times editor Johan Meyer, looks at the rise of good quality, lower cost woodworking machinery in South Africa in search of the so-called "Corolla" of the industry.

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robust than many other sectors, but it was inevitable that we would eventually be forced to face the reality of the situation: the industry, in its entirety, cannot be sustained by the top European machines any longer. A viable, good quality, lower-cost alternative has to be found. But where?

The obvious place to look, and one where most large – and many smaller – machine suppliers have looked, is China. The Chinese have come a long way in terms of their offerings in the woodworking and forestry machinery sector and have gone to great lengths to dispel the age-old "cheap Chinese crap" argument. But have they done enough?

One of the problems that I have had navigating through the quagmire of trying to identify a reasonably good quality Chinese brand is that there are so many of them. Where does one start? China has been a manufacturing giant across nearly all sectors, save maybe for cars, for many years now.

Known as a cheap labour country and with a bad reputation as a market that churns out cheap, sub-par machines by the boatload, with no technical support or after sales service to speak of, there are so many different manufacturers in the country that it is nearly impossible to wade through all the mountains of information and separate the wheat from the chaff.

They must be doing something right though. The Chinese furniture industry showed a total revenue of R1,7 trillion in 2016, up 8,57% from 2015, with 794,6 million pieces manufactured – all with Chinese machines, no doubt.

Their woodworking and forestry machinery industry is not lagging behind, having had a total revenue of R400 billion in 2014 and climbing steadily, to the extent that the country is now among the top three woodworking and forestry machinery exporters in the world.

Local company FX Group, with its newly clenched deal with two Chinese companies, one of which is a wholly state-owned enterprise and a chairman unit of the China Forestry Machinery Association, may well be on the right track, providing not only an impressive range of machines,

but also full technical training, technical support, and after sales service.

The other option, although a lot more obscure in South Africa, due mostly to our government's political affiliations with the Chinese, and signatory status to the "One China Policy", is Taiwan. Although a fair amount of business is done with Taiwanese companies in this country, especially around energy generation, I gather that, in order to do so, the Taiwanese companies have to have "shareholders" in China, through which they can officially conduct their affairs in South Africa.

Taiwan has been a manufacturing powerhouse for many years now and while they are, on average, not quite as cheap as China, they are not in the least haunted by the whole low cost/low quality ghost, as are their would be colonisers.

In fact, Taiwanese machinery manufacturers on the whole have a rather good reputation for making reasonably priced, good quality machines across all sectors in general. I have no real knowledge of Taiwanese woodworking machinery, the only ones I've seen being at a prominent local machinery supplier recently, brought in as a lower cost alternative for the emerging market and ordered especially for a client.

But the good reputation of Taiwanese manufacturers overall got me thinking that this may be a good place to start searching for that illusive "Corolla" of the woodworking and forestry industry.

The fact is that there is a lot of space in the local market for emerging furniture manufacturers. And government has certainly been pushing hard in that direction with a number of workshops, competitions, and other initiatives run through the Department of Trade and Industry over the last few years.

One of the major battles that these up-and-coming businesses face, is the staggering cost of some of the top European machines. Especially considering that, initially at least, many of them would be catering either for the informal market, or some smaller niche market.

That being said, it is also not viable to buy a machine that would bankrupt you before you've made your first piece of furniture.

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from page 85The illusive "Corolla" of the woodworking industry


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