We hope that you and your business have a good start of the year. For Valutec, 2022 was a year when the interest in our technology for lumber drying took major steps forward in North America. Today we have TC continuous kilns running in states and provinces in both the United States and Canada. Further there has been a magnificent response from the industry when it comes to the added value provided by our world leading control system Valmatics 4.0.

If there's anything sawmills are used to, it's markets that fluctuate wildly. 2022 had plenty of that to offer. For many, it's now all about shifting focus from the highest possible capacity to resource-optimized production with secured profitability in a new pricing situation.

Robert Andersson is a production manager at Martinsons Byggsystem Skellefteå, Sweden. He has managed many major timber construction projects over the years. Sara Kulturhus in Skellefteå, Sweden a 85 meter tall building with a CLT and glulam frame, is a project that stands out from the crowd. 

Wet bulbs play an essential role in every lumber kiln. They are needed to measure moisture, which is an important control parameter during the drying process. Valutec’s wet bulb cloths are made in Burträsk, about 30 miles south of Skellefteå, and play an important part in Daglig Verksamhet (an employment placement service for the disabled).