2002-02-11

Ala Sågverk outsources all timber and lumber handling to Kalmar

The agreement with Stora Enso Timber in Ljusne is the first of its kind, where Kalmar Sweden takes over all handling of timber and lumber at the sawmill. The organization now includes twenty-five people who work with three wood machines and seven forklifts, all under the management of Kjell Andersson. Work is carried out on a two- and three-shift schedule, Monday to Friday, and includes servicing the kilns on the weekends.

"Our task is to deliver the right logs and boards or planks to the right place at the right time," explains Kalmar's site manager. This requires knowledge of the process, the products, and efficient and safe handling of our machinery.

Flexibility and cost per cubic meter

Ala Sågverk was attracted to Kalmar's offer to take over all timber and lumber handling from a previous contractor. The combination of a recognized machine supplier with broad expertise, strong service organization, reliable spare parts supply, and knowledgeable personnel was a good starting point. This was followed by extensive negotiations to create a flexible long-term agreement.

"Kalmar has broad experience of timber and lumber handling, which offers possibilities for continuous benchmarking and development," says Mika Kärnä. "We’ve reached an agreement on basic capacity and we can buy additional services to meet temporary peak needs. This makes it easier to budget, with a price related to the work carried out, and we avoid expensive investments in machinery. In addition Kalmar is responsible for personnel, education, and advanced training in handling."

Two maintenance technicians service the machinery on site, and specialists form Kalmar and other machinery suppliers are called when needed. Five new 16-ton Kalmar trucks have been added this year. In March 2002 two new Kalmar Log Stackers, RTD 3026, will be delivered, with a grip capacity of 8.5 m².

From log to finished plank

Production at the saw is based on customer orders. It includes about 375 different end products, made up of forty-five different raw materials and based on quality, size, and drying requirements. Sawing takes place on two lines, one for thinner and one for heavier lumber. Wood machines get the wood from different stacks of logs and feed it to the appropriate saw line.

A total of eight forklifts with 16 tons lifting capacity are used to handle sawn products. Six of the machines are constantly occupied driving the sawn timber, divided into three different positions.

"The truck drivers carry out specialized tasks in each position, requiring knowledge of both process and product," says Kjell Andersson, who was previously production planner at the saw.

Once the boards and planks leave the line they are stacked on skids. The lumber is picked up by trucks, which drive it to the previously determined kiln. After drying the lumber is stacked for acclimatization before being driven to the trimming center. Planks and boards are cut to their final measurements here before they are packaged.

The trucks drive the lumber in stacks of four packages to the warehouse. When it is time for unloading, the third truck team is responsible for driving to the harbor or loading onto trucks. The job also includes tasks handling lumber that comes from other sawmills to be unloaded in Ljusne.