Finnish HaSa reduces its carbon footprint with new TC-continuous kiln

– With the new kiln we’ll have the possibility to increase our production capacity and optimize our product range according to the market situation. The energy efficiency is optimized and the carbon footprint is minimized, says Mika Hakulinen, production Manager, Ha-Sa.

To increase capacity, and replace older dryers, Finnish HaSa invests in a continuous TC kiln from Valutec Oy to its sawmill in Haapajärvi. When commissioned, the new kiln will deliver an accurate moisture content and guarantee that Ha-Sa continues to provide its clients with high quality timber.

HaSa is a modern sawmill, with long industrial traditions, with production facilities in Haapajärvi, Haapavesi and Eskola. Continuous quality assurance and automatic camera-based sorting are features of modern sawmill technology which ensure that customers receive the products they ordered every time.
– Our cooperation with Ha-Sa goes a long way back. They are renowned for their quality and environmental responsibility. It’s both an honor and a pleasure to accompany them on their journey, says Mikko Pitkänen, Managing Director for Valutec Oy.

HaSa obtains its raw timber from responsibly managed, PEFC certified forests. As a guarantee of this, Hasa has been granted a wood origin chain management certificate. Wood is unique through its combination of high strength and low weight. Like no other supporting material it is renewable and requires less energy both in production, transport and in the energy consumption of the house.
– Timber usage in the building industry will increase due to its low carbon footprint and in Finland we’ve plenty of high-quality wood, says Hakulinen.

With its investment in a TC kiln, HaSa follows a clear trend in the sawmill industry. During the past year, the new generation of TC kilns from Valutec have been sold to sawmills around the world and the company has reached new markets.
– Behind the technological advance lies thousands of product development hours, where we studied, evaluated, tested and invented new things in all parts of a type of kiln that was used, in its first form, back in 1927. It’s a unique kiln that helps increasing the usage of wood, which is Valutec’s fundamental reason for existing, says Pitkänen.

– HaSa values Finnish industrial knowledge. The fact that Valutec has a long experience from timber drying, delivering state of the art dry kilns and has well-functioning service, spare part and user support were deciding factors when choosing kiln supplier, declares Hakulinen

The TC kiln HaSa invests in has six drying zones and will solely be used to dry side boards. The annual capacity is approximately 85 000 cubic meters. It is built of stainless steel and equipped with pressure frames for minimal deformation of the uppermost lumber layer, heat recovery system and the Valmatics 4.0 control system. Valmatics 4.0 is the only control system for timber drying that combines simulator technology with adaptive control, and enables optimization of the capacity, quality and energy consumption simultaneously.

The assembly of the TC kiln will start during the second half of 2022.

Facts about TC continuous kilns.
TC is the abbreviation of the Swedish for “cross circulation”. The principle is based on the lumber package being fed lengthwise through zones where the air circulates laterally across the drying channel. This enables the separate regulation of the climate in different zones according to a schedule that comes very close to the ideal schedule of a batch kiln. The significant improvement relates to the way the temperature and the air speed are controlled individually in different zones by utilizing integrated simulator technology. Thanks to this development, the sawmill has greater freedom to mix the dimensions of the lumber it wants to dry, which is something that was previously impossible in a continuous kiln.