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VIDA invests €10 million in lumber kilns
Lumber drying is a quality-critical, energy intensive part of a sawmill's processing operation, and as quality and environmental requirements increase, it is subject to ever greater attention.
"At VIDA, we work every day at reducing our carbon footprint. The new continuous kilns combine high capacity with continuity, which brings great advantages in terms of energy efficiency," says Jonas Axelsson, Technical Manager, VIDA.
Swedish VIDA is investing in continuous kilns for six of the group’s sawmills. The investment totals more than €10 million. It will increase the annual drying capacity by around 400,000 cubic meters (169.5 million board feet), while streamlining energy consumption and raising drying quality.
Lumber drying is a quality-critical, energy intensive part of a sawmill's processing operation, and as quality and environmental requirements increase, it is subject to ever greater attention.
"At VIDA, we work every day at reducing our carbon footprint. The new continuous kilns combine high capacity with continuity, which brings great advantages in terms of energy efficiency," says Jonas Axelsson, Technical Manager, VIDA.
For Valutec, the VIDA order is the latest in a long line of deliveries to the Group.
"We've worked together with Vida very well for many years, and we see their choosing us again as a great honor " says Robert Larsson, Valutec CEO.
He continues:
"Also, VIDA places high demands on technology and the process. It’s an important part of our collaboration and contributes to our ongoing development work. This is valuable and fully in line with our desire to increase the use of sustainably produced lumber."
Vida is a global supplier of manufactured products from sustainable Swedish forests. The group employs 1,250 people in 22 production plants, including twelve sawmills. Production is mainly focused on structural timber for a number of global markets. Seventy-five percent of Vida’s sawn wood products are exported to Europe, USA, Australia, Africa and Asia. 2019 Canadian Canfor, one of the world’s largest producers of sawn wood products, became the majority shareholder in VIDA.
The current investment comprises a total of six continuous kilns, namely FB continuous kilns for the sawmills in Alvesta, Tranemo, Vimmerby and Vislanda, an OTC model for the sawmill in Bruza, and VIDA's first TC model in Borgstena.
"Today, we're selling TC continuous kilns in markets all over the world. "This breakthrough is the result of thousands of development hours during which we studied, evaluated, tested and reinvented every part of a type of lumber kiln which, in its original design, was first used back in 1927," says Robert Larsson.
The great technological leap forward in this new generation of TC continuous kilns is the individual temperature and air circulation control in different zones. Integrated simulator technology gives the user great freedom when choosing the dimensions of lumber for drying, thus optimizing processes and providing high capacity.
"VIDA strives to have the latest technology at all times. It will be very interesting to evaluate how much the TC kiln can help us streamline our production," says Axelsson.
All of the continuous kilns are supplied with Valutec's new Valmatics 4.0 control system. Valmatics 4.0 is the only control system to combine simulator technology with adaptive control, enabling the simultaneous optimization of capacity, quality and energy consumption.
"We have a long relationship with Valutec, and they always meet VIDA’s expectations and requirements, both in terms of the product and project implementation. Valutec is a great partner," says Axelsson.
All kilns will be in operation in 2022.
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