Wood October 2016

October 2016 Vol. 41. No.
12
October 2016 Vol. 41 No.12
54
Editorial...................................................................................................................... 2 First Cut: 60 years and counting................................................................... 32

Microtecs whole tree log scanner wins award.................................. 34
Forestry Weinig acquires Weinig Grecon................................................................. 33
Cover story: Saws for a Cause: Join in the fight with WoodMac China 2017 postponed............................................................. 33
Husqvarna and #go pink this month......................................................... 4
Elegant Roofing reaps benefits of Biligom beams............................ 36
G&K Mouldings increases wet mill production with a
second Bell logger.............................................................................................. 6 MiTek Top-Hat profiles provide savings for timber
roof structures......................................................................................................... 38
Female saw users opt for Husqvarnas battery
powered products............................................................................................... 9 Safety overhead: The importance of roof maintenance.............. 42
Innovation powers Stihl from good to better to brilliant.................. 12 About the ITC-SA................................................................................................... 42
Local fabricator, Matriarch, field tests new Skogger LCPs Inspecta app makes roof inspections for
and Fastfell machines....................................................................................... 15 SANS 10400 A19 Certificate easy................................................................. 45
In my opinion: Is tropical forest logging sustainable?...................... 17 LCP Inspecta app helps stop illegal roof inspections...................... 48
Dezzi clocks 20 years service to the forestry industry...................... 18 Modern modular timber homes from Swissline grow
Distinguished Forestry Award........................................................................ 20 in popularity............................................................................................................ 49
Saving rhinos with Saws for a Cause ....................................................... 20

Local is still lekker with new Bell L-series TLB....................................... 22
Woodworking
American hard woods make Akin Dubai a hipster
Sawmilling barber shop............................................................................................................ 53
Weza Sawmill starts up new Holtec long-log handling line.......... 24
Studio Bruno Guelaff wins AHEC award................................................. 56
Midlands Pine Products optimises production with wideband
systems....................................................................................................................... 27 Festool launches its Sysrock BR10 construction site radio ............ 66
Wood-Mizer Titan continues to open doors for Karen Boshoff wins the PG Bison 1.618 student design
Patula Sawmills...................................................................................................... 29 competition............................................................................................................. 69
8 24
October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times 1

editorial
are. However, we have no choice:

October 2016 Vol. 41 No. 12 embrace it or hate it, technology
and automation systems are here
Publisher: Ken Nortje to stay.
ken@malnormags.co.za
Editor: Joy Crane The use of drones in forestry
joy@woodsa.co.za mapping, harvesting, and
082-3300777 firefighting applications, and
Sales manager:
the rugby ball carrying remote
Sophia Nel
sophia@malnormags.co.za controlled buggy, are well known.
But did you know that droids can
Marketing and advertising:
count and pick fruit, herd sheep
Mickey Petersen
mickey@woodsa.co.za (my border collie was horrified) and
The times they are tell the difference between weeds
082 321 0371
a-changing and seedlings and poison only the
Secretary: Yoland Lintott
yoland@malnormags.co.za
weeds? Look at the Farm Robots
I had just finished reading
video posted by New Scientist, and
Production: Johan Malherbe the biography of Steve Jobs,
see the future of agro-processing.
Precious Moeng the pioneer of the micro-computer
Accounts: accounts@malnormags.co.za revolution and co-founder of
Last month we mentioned that
Circulation: Marius Nel Apple Inc, when the news broke
local manufacturer, Hin-Tech,
marius@malnormags.co.za that Bob Dylan was awarded the
is developing the first remote
Dispatch: Willie Molefe Nobel prize in literature. For the
controlled shovel yarder. Although
Y-generation and millennials,
the aim is to make the operators
Published and distributed by the out there, both Jobs (an ardent
job safer, it will also increase
proprietor: Malnor (Pty) Limited. Dylan fan) and Dylan were
productivity. In this issue, there are
innovators who thought and many stories on how technology
10 Judges Avenue, Cresta, Johannesburg did things differently.
Private Bag X20, Auckland Park 2006 keeps evolving.
Tel: 011 726 3081, Fax: 011 726 3017
Email: woodsa@malnormags.co.za Jobs said One of my mantras is For example, we describe how
Website: www.woodsa.co.za focus and simplicity. Simple can Wezas log yard has been
be harder than complex: You have transformed to automatically
Subscription rates:
to work hard to get your thinking process logs ranging from 2.4m to
South Africa: R520 incl./annum
Africa: R560/annum clean to make it simple. But it's 24m in length, Microtecs whole
International (Airmail): R2 640/annum worth it in the end because once tree log scanner wins a prestigious
you get there, you can move award, LCP Roofing launches its
mountains. Inspecta roof inspections app, and
how a German joinery company
Dylan is an American songwriter, has networked all its business
Printed by: Typo Colour Printing musician, singer, author and artist practices.
and painter. He was booed and
ISSN 1022-8209
BEE Compliant
chastised by his fans and fellow The point is that new technology
musicians when he incorporated will not necessarily replace old
the electric guitar in his music, technology, but it will date it. But
however they finally had to accept it's like people who had black-
that technology is inevitable. and-white TVs when colour came
out. They eventually decided the
Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times
w
Remote controlled gate openers new technology was worth the

is also available online
Be sure to visit Wood Southern Africa and televisions have been around investment.
& Timber Times at for decades. Our smart phones
www.woodsa.co.za and the myriad of apps that To quote Dylan: You better
make our lives easier, also control start swimming or sink like a
The opinions expressed by contributors do not
necessarily represent the views of the publisher, our leisure activities and report stone, cause the times they are
editorial and advertising staff. No part of this to the cloud exactly where we a-changing.
publication may be reproduced without
written permission of the publisher.
2 October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times

Cover Story
Husqvarna and PinkDrive raise funds for breast cancer research with the limited edition pink chainsaw
SAWS FOR A CAUSE

Join in the fight with Husqvarna
and #goPink this month!
Husqvarna, one of the worlds leading producers of forest, park and garden products, has partnered with local
charity, PinkDrive, to raise the bar for breast cancer awareness during the months of October and November 2016.
B
reast cancer is the most common cause of this group of often forgotten tree-care experts who are out
cancer death for females, and is the second in the field every day taking care of our parks and forests,
most common cancer overall. There is currently says Adrian Beaumont, country manager sales and
no cure for breast cancer which is why research marketing at Husqvarna South Africa.
is of vital importance.
In honour of Breast Cancer Awareness month, Husqvarna
There are thousands of women foresters and arborists has launched a global campaign to raise awareness
around the world. With this campaign we want to honour and donations. The company has produced a limited

Cover Story
edition pink toy chainsaw, available exclusively through
participating Husqvarna servicing dealers while stocks
last. Any customer who spends a minimum of R2 500
in any Husqvarna dealership between 1 October -
15 November 2016 will go into the draw and stand
a chance to win a limited edition pink 450 Rancher
chainsaw valued at R8 000.
Husqvarnas Saws for A Cause initiative is a global

campaign designed to raise awareness and funds for
breast cancer charities, says Beaumont. We all know
The pink 450 Rancher chainsaw from Husqvarna someone who has been affected by some form of
cancer and we all understand the importance of early
detection. PinkDrive is dedicated to providing a free
womens health service to the medically uninsured in
Fast facts on the 450 Rancher
South Africa and advocating for change in the cancer
50.2 cc 2.4kW 15 bar chain pitch .325 5.1kg
space. Husqvarna is honoured to partner with PinkDrive
Powerful, all-round saw
to help raise the bar for breast cancer awareness.
A favourite amongst farmers and part-time users who
require a high performing saw
X-Torq engine means lower fuel consumption &
reduced emissions
Auto return stop switch
Tool-less chain tensioner
Visible fuel level
Equipped with SmartStart
Flip-up tank cap

G&K Mouldings increases wet mill
Forestry
production with a second Bell logger

The scarcity of timber and an unfavourable rand/
dollar exchange rate prompted G & K Mouldings in
the Western Capes Garden Route to invest in timber
handling equipment from Bell Equipment.
G
& K Mouldings is owned by Gerhard and
Karin Botha, the company is located on
the premises of the furniture factory,
Botha & Barnard.
Gerhard Botha and his sister Inge are the third generation
of the Botha clan and are continuing the family tradition
in the timber industry. Their grandfather, Gert Botha,
established Botha & Barnard as a furniture-making
business in 1950. After Gerts passing in 1986 his son, Koos,
took over the business along with his wife, Marlene, and
Gerts widow, Danes, who at a spritely 88 is still involved in
daily affairs. Gerhard Botha of G & K Mouldings
Botha & Barnard manufactures solid wood furniture from a

wide variety of indigenous woods. Their products include The company grew, and in 2006 they built and moved into
traditional and contemporary South African furniture their own sawmill adjacent to the furniture factory. Their
designs made by experienced artisans. My father, Koos, products are supplied to most parts of the Eastern and
spent some time in the building industry before taking over Western Cape.
the business from our late grandfather, says Gerhard.
About 80% of the wood we use is locally grown pine
He saw a gap in the building materials market and but in certain cases we also use exotic hardwoods such
encouraged us to include timber based items specifically as meranti and saligna, Gerhard explains. We import
for the building industry, says Gerhard. American oak and ash as well as balau, a timber from the
Far East which is great for decking, he says.
Gerhard and his wife, Karin, started G & K Mouldings in
2004 as an affiliate of Botha & Barnard. They produce We try and source pine in a radius of less than 120km
and sell solid wood structural products including skirtings, from our sawmill but this has become difficult of late due
architraves for doors and windows, flooring and decking. to increased competition for the resource. Importing timber
>>
8
G & K Mouldings is pleased with the consumption of its Bell 225A loggers at between six and eight litres an hour infield and only five litres an
hour at the mill

Forestry

from page 6
G&K Mouldings increases wet mill production
with a second Bell logger
Forestry
The first Bell 225A Crank Boom Logger was bought to sort and stack timber at roadside depots for further processing. Once crosscut to the
required lengths, this timber is then loaded by the Bell Logger onto trucks that haul the timber to the mill
has also become prohibitively expensive due to the rand/ When it has been crosscut to the required lengths, the
dollar exchange rates. three-wheeled logger loads it onto the trucks for haulage
to our mill by a contractor. The mill has a daily intake
During the second half of 2015, we hit on the idea to of between 60 and 70 cubic metres. Were it not for this
approach private growers and harvest pine ourselves by machine we would have absolutely no hope of attaining
felling, extracting and hauling it to our mill to ensure an these targets.
uninterrupted supply. This has given our business a new sense
of sustainability, and in the process created additional jobs. Since buying our first 225A logger, we realised that
a second machine would be a real asset to our
G & K Mouldings has been able to source mature pine trees wet-mill operation and we brought this plan to fruition in May
from compartments above the Knysna forests, which does 2016, when we took delivery of a second Bell 225A logger.
not make the haul to their mill too far. The terrain is however
very steep in places and Gerhard soon realised that an It has really smoothed out the unloading of timber trucks
effective timber handling tool would be imperative to the and the feeding of the three lines at our mill. The speed
success of sorting and stacking timber at roadside depots. with which it works means that we can get everything
necessary done within a single shift during daylight hours,
Having researched the subject quite extensively, I had which is ideal from a cost and safety point of view.
no hesitation in speaking to Bell Equipment about their
Bell 225A crank boom logger as their machine really does As with any production process, overhead costs are
sell itself in this application, Gerhard says. I have heard watched and with diesel consumption being a major part
other contractors and our own staff refer to the machine of that cost, Gerhard is pleased with the consumption of
not as a logger but simply the Bell. This to me was proof the Bell 225A logger at between six and eight litres an hour
that this machine has a good reputation within the timber infield and only five litres an hour at the mill.
harvesting and handling industry and was worth buying.
Ive learnt a great deal about timber harvesting in a
G & K Mouldings harvesting team consists of 12 people relatively short time. An important thing is that we cannot
who do the felling, de-branching and crosscutting using do without our Bell loggers and that to really speed things
chainsaws. Once weve extracted the felled timber to up with our infield extraction we need to seriously consider
the roadside, we use our Bell logger to sort and stack it for buying a John Deere 640L cable skidder. But that is still a
further processing, Gerhard says. long term goal, Gerhard says.

ADVERTORIAL
Forestry
Female saw users opt for Husqvarnas
battery powered products
Husqvarna recently added a new chapter to its history of innovation: the Husqvarna Battery Series, which offers
professionals and homeowners battery products that do not compromise on the power, performance and intuitive
design expected from Husqvarna.
A
drian Beaumont, country manager sales Our Saws for A Cause Breast Cancer Awareness
and marketing at Husqvarna South Africa campaign is just one way in which Husqvarna shows
says that these products are quiet, clean, consideration for the needs of the fairer sex.
convenient to operate, and the long-lasting
lithium-ion batteries ensure the professional results that Beaumont describes the benefits of Husqvarnas
are required. battery powered tools:
And because our battery products are also lightweight Comfortable to use
and ergonomic, its no surprise that they are fast becoming
Our battery products have a compact, slimmed-down
a favourite with female users.
design, exceptional balance, low weight, comfortable
handle grips and intuitive controls allowing you to work
Husqvarnas range of professional battery products
comfortably in all situations.
includes brush cutters, clearing saws, pole saws, hedge
trimmers, chainsaws, top handle saws and blowers.
Simple operation
Beaumont says these tools are revolutionizing the working Smart and intuitive, our battery machines are operated
lives of arborists, farmers, landscapers, groundskeepers using an interactive keypad. Start and stop the machine
and gardeners across the globe. easily with the push of a button.
>>
10
Husqvarna says its battery powered product range are perfect for operators of the fairer sex

from page 9
Female saw users opt for Husqvarnas
battery powered products
Forestry
Low maintenance Lasting power

No refilling of fuel, less parts to service and an The Li-ion 36V batteries provide long lasting power and
electronically controlled drive system means less top class performance. They are equipped with a cooling
downtime and low operating costs. system, which extends the battery cells lifetime and allows
you to work in high temperatures.
One battery fits all
Our batteries are quick to recharge and even quicker All weather use
to swap. You can even opt for a comfortable backpack Whatever the weather, the Husqvarna Battery Series keeps
battery to keep you going all day long. on working. Rain, humidity or heat won't stop them.
No fumes and less Noise Husqvarnas battery products are tough, efficient,
slimmed down, ergonomic, easy to operate and maintain
With no fumes, Husqvarna battery products are clean
and kind to the environment. If you want to know what
and pleasant to use. And their quiet, powerful, electric
women want from an outdoor power product, this is the
motors mean you can start working earlier, even in noise-
answer, says Beaumont.
sensitive areas.
High performance
Husqvarna brushless motors offer light, durable efficiency For more information about Husqvarna,
and superior torque to many petrol machines. Use with the visit www.husqvarna.co.za or
#6V Li-ion battery pack for long-lasting power.
follow @Husqvarna_ZA on twitter.

ADVERTORIAL
Forestry
Innovation powers STIHL from

good to better to brilliant
STIHL is the worlds best-selling chainsaw brand, with investment in research and development that ensures the
constant upgrading of its products. The latest STIHL chainsaw to be released locally is the MS 382, the enhanced
version of the legendary MS 381, which until now has been the top selling STIHL chainsaw in South Africa.
S
pecially designed for the rigorous demands of rotating mass, there is reduced wear on the main bearing
professional forestry and agricultural applications, and the crankshaft, resulting in enhanced reliability. The
the 3,8kW MS 382 is a worthy heir to the MS 381 new-look starter has a wheel made of polymer instead
legacy. This is a robust fuel-powered chainsaw that of aluminium for improved cooling; as less dirt enters the
is ergonomic and lightweight (6.2kg) with an excellent cylinder fins, so there is less wear and less frequent need
power to weight ratio and numerous enhanced features. for maintenance.
While lightweight to work with, its no lightweight when it
comes to delivery. Jonathan Rencken, forestry manager for Tree Fall
Harvesters, whose teams have been working with the
Impressively economical MS 382 for the past few months, says This is a hassle-free
The MS 382 has a modern two-mix motor that delivers machine that offers better fuel economy we find we
impressive fuel consumption, up to 20 percent less than are saving a tank of petrol a day per machine, which is a
previous models. The STIHL Ematic bar lubrication significant saving.
system adds to the MS 382s economy, ensuring longer
wear and reducing chain oil consumption compared His comments are supported by Andre Barnardo,
to conventional methods of chain lubrication - up to 50 procurement and harvesting manager for Treated Timber
percent less depending on the cutting attachment and Products, who says, The MS 382 has a lot of power yet is
the type of wood being cut. The enhanced oil pump has lighter than the MS 381, which makes my team happy. In
a one-gear drive system and ensures a consistent and addition, we are saving almost a litre and a half of fuel
steady flow of oil to the saw chain links and guide bar rails. per daily set task.
Other upgraded features include an optimised crankshaft The MS 382 has been developed to deliver an impressive
and an improved completely aluminium flywheel with professional-grade performance. It is easier to service,
fewer fins that offers better cooling. Because there is less more cost-effective to maintain, and more comfortable to
>>
14
The new 3,8kW STIHL MS 382 chainsaw is a worthy heir to the MS 381 legacy

from page 12
Innovation powers STIHL from good to better to brilliant
Forestry
operate, with reduced noise levels, lower emissions and a

lighter, ergonomic design for less operator fatigue during
extended work periods.
STIHL quality and focus on service

Whether STIHL develops a machine for heavy-duty
professional work or the less strenuous demands of
home-use applications, there is never a compromise in
standard or innovative features. STIHL is one of the few
manufacturers to control the quality of its power tools by
producing elements such as the chain and guide bars,
carburettors, crankshafts, pistons, cylinders, and outer
housings.
STIHL in South Africa maintains high stock levels of

machines and spares so that STIHL owners never have to
wait for products or spares to be imported. STIHL also offers
a ten year spares availability guarantee after a product
has been discontinued.
Supported by the nationwide network of STIHL dealer

outlets that offer expert advice, servicing and spares, the
new STIHL MS 382 chainsaw continues to maintain the STIHL
legacy of powerful performance, top quality products and
superb after-sales service.
The MS 382 chainsaw is light, fuel-efficient and cost-effective to
maintain, and is operator-friendly

Forestry
Local fabricator, Matriarch, field tests
new Skogger and FASTfell machines
Matriarch Equipment is officially launching its two new product offerings for forestry: The Skogger timber extraction
machine, and a feller buncher called the FASTfell, in January 2017
W
ith its factory located in the heart of
Zululands timber and sugarcane growing
area outside Richards Bay on the east coast
of South Africa; Matriarch Equipment is a
family run business serious about providing cost effective
and competitive handling solutions to the timber industry.
The company was established in 2009 by brothers, Justin

and Ashley Bell, who identified a gap in the market
to develop a basket of niche products for use in both
timber harvesting and sugarcane extraction and loading
operations. Their younger brother Kelvin and father
Peter, soon joined the company to develop engineering
solutions for agricultural applications, particularly the
timber industry. The prototype Skogger is undergoing a robust testing regime and
the first production unit will be ready at the end of the year
Skogger
The Skogger is a four-wheel drive machine designed
with the primary application of timber accumulation
and extraction. It is an articulated, hydrostatically driven
machine equipped with a 0.5 square metre grapple. Safety
and ergonomic considerations include an air-conditioned
cab and a 180 degrees swivelling seat for enhanced
operator visibility when reversing with a load of timber.
Ashley Bell says the Skogger is unique as it can be classified

as a hybrid between a skidder and a logger. It has the
finesse and ability to accumulate timber in field and extract
the load. The Skogger boom configuration allows it to be
used to sort, stack and load timber with ease.
We understand that a weakening currency and the

discontinuation of smaller skidder models by some of The soon to be launched Matriarch FASTFell feller-buncher
in action
the big manufacturers has put forestry companies under
considerable cost pressure with few alternatives. We feel
the size and versatility of the Skogger will assist in filling this
The FASTfell is a hydrostatically driven machine with a low
gap, says Ashley.
centre of gravity and a rubber mounted air-conditioned
operator cab with excellent all-around visibility and
Matriarch have had a prototype Skogger model in
protection. The Matriarch MT50FH in-house developed
operation for over a year now, and the first production
felling head is equipped with a 750mm saw bar, using
machine will roll off the factory floor by the end of this year.
0.404 pitch chain, an auto-chain tensioning system, and is
capable of handling tree diameters of up to 525mm.
FASTfell
The FASTfell is a low-cost production feller buncher. We The low capital acquisition cost coupled with low running
initially realised the need for such a machine when testing costs on this unit makes it an ideal production tool for
the Skogger. We found that the accumulation process both clear-fell and thinnings operations whilst at the same
would be a lot more efficient if the timber was uniformly time enhancing safety in the work environment for the
presented to the Skogger, says Justin. operator, Justin adds. >>
16

from page 15
Local fabricator, Matriarch, field tests new Skogger
and FASTfell machines
Forestry
This business is in our blood

Due to the lengthy process of developing a complete
purpose built machine, in 2009 the brothers initially
developed a range of timber handling grapples for
cranes and excavators. Timber grapples were a good
start-up product for our company as it allowed us to
set up our manufacturing systems and processes on a
relatively simple product explains Ashley.
A critical element to any equipment manufacturing

business is research and development; which is a major
focal point within Matriarch. The Bell family are keen
to explore new territories and market opportunities
for its products. This business is in our blood, we are
continuously looking at ways of doing things better and
improving on the products we offer, says Ashley.
Matriarchs MT600 grapple mounted on an excavator loads logs
Today Matriarch Equipment is a well-established supplier onto a trailer
of timber grapples with a comprehensive range from
0.35 to 1.8 square metres capacity models. We have
developed the MT600 heavy duty whole-stem grapple The design philosophy of the Matriarch Equipment team
following a request from New Zealand, where we hinges on a balance between durability, productivity,
currently have a unit on test. We have also given our efficiency and affordability. Matriarch Equipment is
range of grapples a revamp in the form of the 36LX and shipping its products to customers throughout Africa, and
42LX models, says Kelvin. to Indonesia, Malaysia and South America.

IN MY OPINION
Forestry
Is tropical forest
logging sustainable?
By Michal Brink, director of CMO
I
often get frowned upon for being involved in tropical
forest harvesting activities as many people believe
that any harvesting in the tropics contributes to the
destruction of the rain forests. This even includes some
Innovative forestry fundi, Michal Brink
of my lesser informed forestry colleagues.
Only trees with a diameter in excess of a certain
The question of sustainability is linked to two definite minimum threshold is harvested. In the Congo basin
approaches by the companies who own concessions in for example, only trees larger than around 70 to 90cm
the tropics - those who wish to manage their concessions are cut down, depending on the species. Young trees
responsibly and those who don't. The responsible operators are left to grow.
are the ones that we work with and they are usually
certified under a forest certification system such as the Forests are never clear-felled - only thinned. In fact,
forest stewardship council (FSC). on average only one tree is removed from the
concession forest land per hectare every 35 years!
1. Responsible forest management has three legs to it: That means removing one tree every 35 years from
2. Economic feasibility each area that is more or less the size of a football
3. Environmentally responsible field.
4. Socially agreeable It is virtually impossible to identify extraction routes that
were used within the forest some five years after a
So, by complying to the norms and requirements that harvesting operation is completed.
encapsulate the above, these companies are logging the
forest in such a way that if we were to be able to take a No trees of importance to communities are removed
glimpse 1000 years into the future, then the forests on their or damaged.
concessions will still be there. Trees are removed in consideration of conservation
values such as larger mammal habitats (gorilla,
A few facts to substantiate this: chimpanzee, elephant, etc.).
Many (if not most) operators in tropical forests are not
These companies do an inventory of the whole forest following such practices though and the sooner their
before starting their harvesting activities operations are stopped, the better.
A tropical hardwood forest destroyed by shifting cultivation practiced on a large scale by local communities

Forestry
Desmond Equipments Dezzi AT20B articulated timber truck
Dezzi clocks 20 years service to

the forestry industry
An early morning helicopter flight in the co-pilot seat from Port Shepstone was a first for Wood SA, and a fitting way
to greet the first forestry industry beast called the Dezzi, way back in 1996.
F
rom humble beginnings with one Dezzi 1700 and values to begin manufacturing its own vehicles
front end loader with a timber grab, the Gutzeit and attachments.
family and its company, Desmond Equipment SA
has broadened this base to include a range of Production began with the Dezzi front end loader in
options for forestry materials handling and building and 1996, and the reaction from industry resulted in three
maintaining forest roads. loaders being manufactured and sold in the first year
and five units in 1997. In 1998 sales of the front end loaders
achieved three percent of the market.
The company, owned by the Gutzeit Family, was
established in 1973 as a transport and plant refurbishment
Carl Gutzeit says that since 1998, Desmond Equipment has
business. In 1995 they took stock of their achievements
introduced a new Dezzi product every year and currently
and realised that their factory was large enough, fully
enjoys a population of nearly 4000 units. The range now
equipped and staffed with employees with the right skills
includes wheeled
loaders, haulage
tractors, articulated
4x4 haulers, articulated
6x6, 6x4 and 4x4 dump
trucks and timber
trucks, and a purpose
built tipper trailer,
three-wheel cane and
timber loaders, and a
grader.
We have identified an
additional gap in the
timber market and are
currently developing
another new
and exciting model in
our line-up. watch this
space, says Gutzeit.
The Dezzi timber loader in full swing

Forestry
Distinguished
Forestry Award
The Southern African Institute of Forestry (SAIF) recently
bestowed the Distinguished Forestry Award on Prof
Coert Geldenhuys. The October issue of the SAIF
newsletter paid tribute to Prof Geldenhuys:
C
oert Geldenhuys has certainly done
the professional forestry industry proud
throughout his career. He even has a tree
species named after him! He has over 40
years work in research, resource use management,
forest rehabilitation and education/training in natural
forest and woodland, including forest harvesting and
forest rehabilitation systems. His hobbies are woodwork
and hiking.
Born in Mthata in the Eastern Cape, Coert gained his

MSc degree in forestry at the University of Stellenbosch
and began his career as a forest ecologist in 1969,
working for a branch of the South African Forestry
Research Institute. Over the next 23 years he was
Saving rhinos with
responsible for initiating and developing a research
programme for the ecology and management of
the natural evergreen forests and woodland of South
Saws for a Cause
Africa. This experience led to similar work in Botswana, The devastating decline in our rhino population and
Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the poachers savagery was one of the issues on the
and Madagascar. agenda at this years CITES COP17 Conference recently
held in Johannesburg. Sadly, the battle for the animals
In 1997 he formed his own company, Forestwood, to survival has been a losing one, until recently.
A
carry out his specialisations, including forest inventories
and forest type classification in the natural forests and local rhino-dehorning campaign, using
woodlands of South Africa, southern and central Africa, Husqvarna outdoor power products, is proving
Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Namibia, Gabon, and highly successful in the bid to save these
the Democratic Republic of Congo. His field experience beautiful animals from poachers. The 700ha
covers temperate and tropical forests in Australia, New Gwahumbe Game & Spa in Mid-Illovo, KwaZulu-Natal, is
Zealand, Chile, Brazil, and several European countries. the latest private reserve to join the ranks of others which
have dehorned their rhinos. Its partnership with Husqvarna
In addition, he teaches various forestry courses at and Hilton veterinary surgeon Dr Ryan van Deventer should
NMMU (Saasveld), the University of Stellenbosch, the ensure the survival of the lodges last remaining male
University of Pretoria where he is an Extraordinary rhino, eight-year-old Vuyo, and finally allow the expansion
Professor, and the University of Stellenbosch where he is of its herd.
an Extraordinary / Associate Professor).
The de-horning process was first used to help reduce
Coert began collecting plants in 1970 during his forest poaching pressure in Zimbabwe in the 1980s. When rhinos
inventories, focusing initially on tree species in the South are dehorned professionally, the horn is taken above the
African natural forests and Namibian woodlands. His growth layer of the skin. Rhino horn is like a fingernail: you
pride is the discovery of Apodytes geldenhuysii (A.E. can cut it or trim it without stopping continued growth.
van Wyk & Potgieter), a small tree with very restricted But poachers brutally uproot the entire horn from its base
distribution in isolated mountain forest patches. under the skin in the bone, often resulting in the
animals death.

Forestry
Siya Ndlela (left) and veterinary surgeon Ryan van Deventer use Husqvarnas battery powered chain saw to dehorn anaesthetised eight-
year-old Vuyo at Gwahumbe Game & Spa in KwaZulu-Natal
In some dehorning operations, a petrol saw is used to or completely compromise the re-growth of the horn,
make the initial cut, with a battery saw used for the finer which is why professional dehorning with the right tools by
trimming. But in recent surgeries, some wildlife vets have veterinary surgeons is so important.
opted to rely solely on Husqvarna
battery powered chainsaws. Battery
products are fuel free so produce no
harmful emissions. They are also quieter
than their petrol equivalents and lower
noise levels means less anxiety for the
sedated animal.
Husqvarnas battery blower also

plays a vital role in keeping the
rhinos core body temperature down,
which is particularly important in the
hotter seasons.
First, water is poured on the rhino

and then the blower is used to drop
the surface temperature. The highly
portable battery blower works equally
well in static transport crates when the
rhinos are confined for transport.
If a rhino is dehorned without cutting

into the skull, it can grow back to almost
full size after three years. However,
The following people witnessed the dehorning of Vuyo, they are from the left: Ryan van
if the rhinos skull is damaged while Deventer (Hilton veterinary surgeon), Dylan Lane (managing director Husqvarna Africa),
being dehorned, it could complicate Pavel Hajman (president Husqvarna Division Worldwide), Stefan Terblanche (CEO of Rugby
Legends & former springbok) and Craig MacKenzie (Gwahumbe Game & Spa).

Forestry
Local is still lekker with new

Bell L-series TLB
Bell has extended its range of proudly locally manufactured multifunctional machines with the launch of the L-series
tractor loader backhoe (TLB).
B
ell product manager, Dale Oldridge, says that at The sealed switch module (SSM) in the cab offers a central
first glance the Bell 315SL TLB may be considered location for the machine's functions and is completely
an entry-level machine for general earthworks, sealed to protect against moisture, dust and debris. The SSM
however this is not the case. It has a wide range comes standard with keyless start and a machine-security
of features usually found in much larger and more system, which requires a passcode to prevent unauthorised
sophisticated equipment. operation of the TLB, explains Oldridge.
The 315SL is powered by the proven and dependable To further promote machine protection and lower
John Deere PowerTech engine, which gives it a top speed operating costs, smart technology offers the exclusive Auto
of 40km/h when travelling to a jobsite. The five-speed Shutdown feature, which shuts down the engine after a
PowerShift transmission provides smooth shifting and reliable predetermined time, which can be set through the monitor.
performance with on-the-fly all-wheel drive engagement.
Productivity
Oldridge says these features, together with the standard The new L-series TLB has improved cab ergonomics that
limited-slip differential on the front axle and fully locking makes the operator's workspace even more user-friendly. "The
differential on the rear, deliver best-in-class tractive effort enhanced loader control grip has a new ergonomic design
and overall four wheel drive performance. The rear that integrates fingertip controls into the grip for ease of use.
differential lock protection can also be enabled through the Additionally a multi-function lever has been introduced on
machine's monitor, which prevents potential damage from the steering column to control lights, wipers and indicators,
rear differential lock engagement at high speeds. like a modern car. These features all ensure that the operator
can stay focused on his surrounds while operating in the
loader position," says Oldridge.
The Bell TLB has an exclusive digital monitor providing

best-in-class on-board diagnostics, calibrations and
machine information for ease of maintenance. It also
facilitates the user-friendly set-up of machine features to
promote productivity.
"Ride control is offered as an optional feature, which can

automatically turn on when ground speed exceeds the
speed setting in the monitor. With ride control the front loader
hydraulic cylinders act as a shock absorber to improve drive
comfort and reduce operator fatigue. This also helps to
deliver full loads for better productivity," he explains.
"In keeping with the philosophy that a happy operator is a

productive operator, the TLB has an adjustable mechanical
air-suspension seat and lockable storage in the cab."
Re-designed rear lighting is more robust to facilitate easier

changing of globes and an LED lighting kit is available as
an option, including the choice of spotlights or floodlights to
facilitate longer working hours with better visibility.
Maintenance and reliability

In keeping with proven concepts from the very first Bell
TLBs, Oldridge explains that the L-series retains its unitised

Forestry
mainframe and excavator-style boxed structures. They "Since Bell started manufacturing the only locally produced
are lightweight to provide maximum rigidity and structural TLB in the South African market in 2005, we have continued
integrity for the life of the machine. to develop a solid reputation with a loyal and expanding
customer base. The Bell 315SL is largely the same tried and
A welcome enhancement is the addition of external tested workhorse as the popular K-series TLB but with a few
shimming of the stabilizer legs to reduce machine movement complementary enhancements that we are confident will
and improve accuracy during backhoe operations. The 315SL add further value to machine owners in those important
also comes standard with axle cooling and filtration and an areas of productivity, uptime and lower daily operating costs."
improved wet disc brake set-up for increased durability and
performance especially while travelling between jobsites.
A heavy duty transmission oil filter gives increased reliability

Bell 315SL specifications:
and the hinged cooling package design allows for coolers
to be separated for ease of servicing and cleaning. John Deere PowerTech
Engine
Stage 2
"Ease of maintenance has been an important Net peak engine power 72kW at 2 300 RPM
consideration and the L-series has same-side, ground Standard operating weight 8 280kg
level daily service, including fuel fill. By making daily
Backhoe digging depth 4,17m
checks easier to perform, they are more likely to get
done, reducing inspection time and preventing a major Loader breakout force 46,8kN
failure. Our TLBs also feature an exclusive spring applied, Loader lift capacity, full height 3 322kg
hydraulically released (SAHR) park brake that cannot Backhoe boom lift capacity 1 104kg
be driven through, never needs adjustment and applies Dipper stick force 36,6kN
automatically with engine shutdown while a single, self- Bucket force 55kN
adjusting engine serpentine belt reduces maintenance
time, Oldridge says."

Sawmilling
Aerial view of the infeed area. Logs of 2.4m to 24 m can be handled
Weza Sawmill starts up its new

Holtec long-log handling line
Plantation forestry and sawmilling group, Hans Merensky Holdings, commissioned Holtec to install a new 300 000
cubic metres a year log handling line at Weza Sawmill.
W
ith a total of over 67 000 hectares across Rth says the task was to design a line that can process
South Africa, Merenskys plantations a complete range of logs from 2.4m up to 24m in length.
supply pine and eucalyptus lumber to It needed to cut the tree-length logs to required lengths
southern African and international markets. and sort them. Moving from a mainly manual log yard
These plantations are among the largest privately- handling short logs to a fully-automated merchandising
managed plantations on a saw-log rotation in South yard has enabled us to optimise value from our own grown
Africa. Lumber is processed at Merenskys own mills and plantations as well as supply the new mills raw material
supplied directly or from distribution centres located requirements he says.
throughout the country.
The Holtec line works with two infeed cross conveyors. One
We set the challenge and Holtec delivered, conveyor is used for the short logs of up to 3m in length
says Stephen Rth, engineering manager at Weza and a second one for logs of up to 24m, both equipped
Sawmill. He says the long-log handling line supplied with welded steel chains for increased durability. The short
by Holtec is one of the best references for the German logs are singulated by a step feeder, low in operating
companys work. and maintenance costs due to its chainless design. At the
same time the long logs are transferred by a steep chain
According to Erwin Franzen, Holtecs head of international conveyor with ledges. The singulated logs are ejected by
sales, Holtec is proud to be Merenskys chosen supplier, a disc ejector to a measurement and cutting line with a
particularly since we were previously tasked with replacing Holtec length stopper table.
chain conveyors for Merensky at its Langeni and Singisi
Sawmills in 2011 and 2012. This is Holtecs first tree-length The measurement line detects the diameter of the log on
handling line in South Africa. its full length and determines according to this diameter

Sawmilling
Loading of the long logs The core of the long log line the cutting saw with length stopper
table and synchro rollers
where the cut must be made. The software for this sorted according to diameter classes or alternatively the
optimisation works automatically and enables the cutting functionality exists to kick directly onto one of three infeed
line to operate with up to nine cuts per minute. The logs decks to the wetmill.
are cut into pre-determined lengths, with diameter ranges
from 100mm to 450mm. Being able to handle various tree lengths gives us
more flexibility and increases gain options for the
Franzen says Holtec invented cross cutting technology and cutting process in the sawmill, says Rth, The automated
is continuously improving it. They have supplied more than process ensures consistent quality and significantly
9 000 machines and systems all over the world. This makes increases the mills capacity.
us the market leader worldwide. Crosscutting timber is a
highly efficient, economical and flexible way of producing All Merensky lumber is accredited by the Forest
specific board lengths, says Franzen. Stewardship Council (FSC), which is an international
audit benchmark used by consumers to differentiate
After cross-cutting, the logs are debarked before being sustainably-sourced lumber products from those made
scanned for length and diameter. The logs are then from timber of unknown origin.
>>
26

from page 27
Weza Sawmill starts up its new Holtec long-log
handling line
Sawmilling
Sawmill infeed directly from the sorting conveyor. Feeding of the sawmill and stocking via handling crane in the background
About HOLTEC
Systems for log handling in the sawmill and
wood based panel industries
About the Merensky

H
andling logs is in our blood. Over many
years we have gathered the know-how
Timber Group on how to process logs. More than 300
systems have been supplied during the
last 40 years. From short to long logs, soft wood
With a total of over 67 000 hectares across South Africa, to hard wood, Holtec offers the markets widest
Merenskys plantations supply pine and eucalyptus product range in the field of log handling, always
tailored to our customers needs. Our customers
lumber to southern African and international markets.
are small, medium and large-size businesses from
M
South Africa to Sweden and from Siberia to Texas.
erensky plantations are among the largest
privately-managed plantations on a saw-log
rotation in South Africa. Lumber is processed at Machines and systems for cutting timber
Merenskys own mills and supplied directly, or packages
from distribution centres located throughout the country. We know a lot about crosscut saws because
Holtec invented the technology, continuously
Merenskys drive for improved service is vested in the improved it, and has supplied more than 9000
knowledge and experience of its sales team, which is machines and systems all over the world. We
fully supported and backed-up by the groups network are the market leader. Crosscutting timber is a
of strategically-placed sawmills, distribution centres and highly efficient, economical and flexible way of
sales offices. producing specific board lengths, e. g. to produce
pallets or packaging materials. We supply
All Merensky-grown lumber carries the prestigious Forest portable saws up to fully automated high-capacity
Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. systems with more than 250m timber per day.
More information is available at www.holtec.de.
More information is available at www.merensky.co.za.

Sawmilling
Midlands Pine Products optimises
production with wideband systems
Midlands Pine Products opted for a complete Multisaw wideband sawmilling line during phase one of its mill
upgrade, and is busy with phase two the installation of a Wood-Mizer Titan optimising edger system.
T
he sawmill is located in New Glenside in KwaZulu-
Natal and is part of the wattle extract, sugar and
timber business group, UCL.
UCLs requirements for initiating the upgrade was to

increase production throughput without exceeding
its budget. The phased upgrade is expected to be
completed by early 2017.
Stage one, which went live in late 2015, was the installation
of a complete Multisaw wideband sawmilling line slotting
into place with several new and customised features. It is
running in tandem with the mills existing framesaw line.
Stage two, which is already far advanced, will see the

installation and commissioning of an additional Wood-
The Wood-Mizer Titan T6-TBLT twin vertical 152mm wideband
Mizer Titan T-AE optimising edger on the framesaw end primary breakdown unit at Midlands Pine Products
of the mill to replace a manual edging operation. When
completed the new installations will give the mill the
projected throughput numbers that it is aiming for. transfer materials to the green chain and the waste
to chipping.
The already commissioned Multisaw system includes
primary and secondary breakdown phases with material The sawn timber production process starts with debarked
transfer and waste systems linking the line together to logs that are quickly and accurately loaded and placed
>>
27
Wood-Mizer rebrands and supports

Multisaws wideband technology
Following the recent announcement of Wood-Mizer Holdings acquisition of Multisaws wideband sawmill
equipment range, now known as Wood-Mizer Titan, two case studies highlight the successes of sawmills
already using Wood-Mizer Titan technology.
P
lans are being made to offer Titan wideband Wood-Mizer Titan owners receive the assurance of
products and services to Wood-Mizers global Wood-Mizer approved customer service and after sale
customer base through the companys support. This includes radically up-scaled spare part
international network of representatives. inventories and new supply and technical support team
networks.
The agreement between Wood-Mizer and Multisaw
gives Wood-Mizer a firm foothold in both the narrow The case studies are Patula Sawmills and Midlands
band and wide band saw markets. Pine Products.

from page 27
Midlands Pine Products optimises production with
wideband systems
Sawmilling
Cants processed via a Wood-Mizer Titan T-MR160 circular Sideboards pass through the Wood-Mizer TitanT6-R/TR twin head
multi-rip saw 152mm wideband resaw
by the heavy duty automated log infeed system. This is blade now focussing on cutting instead of also changing
part of the Wood-Mizer Titan T6-TBLT twin vertical 152mm the cutting height. The twin head configuration makes it
(six inch) wideband primary breakdown unit. possible to make two cuts into each sideboard with only
one pass. The wane boards that exit the resaw phase
The 60m/min, high capacity and robustly constructed are transferred down and across via an unscrambler to a
machine achieves equal open face cutting using Wood-Mizer Titan T-AE automated optimising edger. The
pressurised hold-down rollers and a spiky chain feed steep angle unscrambler ensures single board sorting with
system in tandem with servo-enabled size adjustment the dog chain improving traction.
systems that allows for on-the-fly size changes.
The optimising edger uses optical scanning technology to
The outfeed end of the Multisaw includes a new cant achieve high precision and low waste edging of boards.
positioning and sideboard removal system. Pressurised side The automated edging process starts with an initial scan
rollers on either side of the cants accurately position and and analysis of the wane board profile entering the unit to
guide them out of the twin and also allows for controlled determine which cut width will unlock optimal recovery.
sideboard discharge. The cants are transferred down the
line to the automatic discharge unit that kicks the cants Cut decisions are based on volume recovery and product
into a face-up position before they enter the Wood-Mizer value. Feed speed through the unit is up to 140m/min.
TitanT-MR160 double arbour circular multi-rip saw.
The phased project is well on track to deliver on
The heavily constructed and powerful 2 x 75kW motor this objective with the recent agreement between
multi-rip is capable of making multiple high tolerance cuts Wood-Mizer and Multisaw now adding further
in a single pass. The Midlands system was customised up momentum to this process.
from 45 to 75kW to accommodate a larger range of log
diameters and cant sizes that can readily adjust to varying
log supplies.
Boards without wane exiting the multi-rip are transferred

to the green chain for secondary breakdown. Midlands
secondary breakdown unit comes in the shape of the
Wood-Mizer Titan T6-R/TR twin head 6 inch, 2 x 45 kW
wideband resaw. This offers fast size changes through a
servo-enabled head lift size change system.
The servo control ensures accurate and quick size

changes that require as little as 0.3 seconds to change size
for each sideboard passing through. This results in optimal
recovery that unlocks extra product and reduces waste. The entire edging process is automated with an initial scan
The new head lift system also preserves blade life with the of the wane board entering the unit determining which
cut width will produce optimal recovery

Sawmilling
Wood-Mizer Titan continues to
open doors for Patula Sawmills
Emerald Dale Holdings Patula Sawmills continues to reap the rewards of its investment in Multisaws wideband
sawmilling technology, with solid throughput figures improving consistently to unlock more opportunities.
T
he 2013 commissioning of the wideband Multisaw
sawmilling line at Patula Sawmills replaced a
dated narrow band line that gave Emerald Dales
founder, Charles Anderson, an initial foothold in the
sawn timber supply sector, A protracted drought in 1996
forced the Anderson farmstead to look for alternatives to
supplement the farms income. Sawn timber production
was an easy choice for the farming operation that already
had land planted to timber.
The narrow bandsaw and circular sawmilling lines that

ensured Patula Sawmills initial successes in the sawn
timber production sector required upgrading in 2012. The
management team opted for wideband saw technology
to produce the volumes and quality that new structural
timber supply contracts required.
The purpose built Multisaw line and its substantial

investments in drying capacity completed Patula
Sawmills evolution into a SATAS approved structural timber
mill by 2014.
The brief was simple, says the Patula Products

management team consisting of Phillip and William
Anderson and Troy Cooper. We wanted a high
production wideband sawmilling technology that we
could rely on to cut the quality that we want, and with
enough capacity available to ramp up production in the
future, Phillip Anderson says. The Wood-Mizer Titan T6-TBLT twin vertical wideband primary
breakdown saw in action in the Patula Sawmills wetmill
This is exactly what weve now achieved, says Troy
Cooper. In recent months we have increased throughput
by 31 percent.
The elevated Multisaw line consists of primary and

secondary breakdown phases with material transfer and
waste systems linking the line together and transferring the
end-spec material and waste that is generated. The new
agreement between Multisaw and Wood-Mizer has seen
the rebranding of the Multisaw machines, which are now
known as the Wood-Mizer Titan range.
The process starts with a Wood-Mizer Titan T6-TBLT twin

vertical 6 inch (152mm) wideband primary breakdown
saw. The main priority at this primary stage in the log
breakdown process is to achieve equal open faces on the
sawn cants. This allows for higher recovery down the line at End-spec and side boards exiting the Wood-Mizer Titan
the gang saw. >> T-MR160 circular multi-rip saw
30

from page 29
Wood-Mizer Titan continues to open doors
for Patula Sawmills
Sawmilling
The heavily constructed and powerful rip saw is capable

of making multiple high tolerance cuts in a single pass,
which is ideal for high production sawmilling environments.
Its also equipped with optical sensors at the infeed end
that detects the presence of material, and activates the
pneumatically assisted through feed.
The sideboards are sent to the secondary breakdown

Wood-Mizer Titan T6-R/TR twin head 6 Inch (152mm)
wideband resaw. The twin head configuration makes two
cuts into each sideboard with only one pass.
Wane boards pass through the Wood-Mizer Titan manual

board edger system. This machine edges material up to
40mm thick at high speeds. It is adjustable and can be run
at slower feed speeds to rip material up to 107mm thick,
A Wood-Mizer Titan T6-R/TR twin wideband resaw making it an affordable alternative to a multi-rip. The wide
processing side boards into boards with wane arbour can also be packed with multiple blades and, by
aligning the incoming boards accordingly, it is possible to
The cants are cross-transferred to the Wood-Mizer Titan achieve a multitude of product sizes.
T-MR160 circular double arbour multi-rip saw. This saw
produces wane-free boards for the green chain. Side The Patula Sawmills management team is confident that
boards are transferred for later re-sawing. further output increases are available going forward.
Wane boards are edged on one of Patula Sawmills Wood-Mizer Titan T-ELE640 manual board edgers

Sawmilling
First Cut: 60 years and counting

In October First Cut, a leading South African manufacturer and distributor of a range of narrow and wide
band saw, hack saw, circular saw blades, and other cutting consumables, celebrated 60 years of supplying
total cutting solutions.
F
rom modest beginnings as a Cape Town saw Long-standing relationships with world-leading
doctor in 1956, the company has grown into one consumables principals such as Starrett, Eclipse and
which employs 240 people, with management Wikus have developed these brands in South Africa.
based in Johannesburg, a manufacturing facility Complementing First Cut's product range is a highly
in Cape Town and Saw Sharp branches in Durban and knowledgeable and experienced team, most of whom
Port Elizabeth. have many years of service with the company. First Cut
invests substantially in development and training of its
"While First Cut may be 60 years old, we are constantly staff. "Our excellent 60-years track record of service and
developing new cutting solutions in our Cape Town facility; solutions is largely due to the 'can do' attitude of every staff
or sourcing technologically advanced capital equipment member," says McCrystal.
from the world's finest cutting and bending equipment
manufacturers, says First Cut managing director
Andrew Poole.
The factory in Cape

First Cut chief executive officer Ian McCrystal agrees: Town manufacturers
"Integrity and pride in our business practices and in a wide range of saw
the quality of the products we manufacture and blades from imported
steel
supply have been the keys to our longevity. We are
ISO 9001:2008 certified and adhere to the highest safety
and quality standards."
The testing laboratory assistants, Grace du Plessis and Marion

Quality control is a top priority at First Cut and quality controller, Petersen test the hardness of all steel before and during the
Siena Storm, checks every planer blade manufacturing process

Weinig acquires
Sawmilling
Weinig Grecon
Michael Weinig AG has acquired the remaining 40
percent of shares in Weinig Grecon GmbH & Co. KG.
The technology leader for machines and systems
for solid wood processing had already acquired 60
percent of the company in 1998.
A
s a manufacturing subsidiary of Weinig, Alfeld/Leine-
based Weinig Grecon GmbH & Co. KG is one of the
worlds leading specialists in finger-jointing and jointing
technology for all performance categories. With this
step now completed, Weinig strengthens its market position as a
complete provider in solid-wood processing.
The Weinig Group is one of the world's largest manufacturers of

machines and systems for solid wood processing. A number of
individual specialized companies offer a range of products under
the Weinig brand, covering the complete process chain from
the raw material to the end product. Following the integration of
the Holz-Her brand in 2010, the Weinig Group also offers solutions
for processing wooden composites in its portfolio as well as the
expertise that comes with more than 100 years' experience.
WoodMac China 2017 postponed
W
oodMac China and associated events, FurniTek,
WoodBuild China, and Forestry China scheduled
for 7-9 March 2017 in Shanghai is postponed until
2018. The organisers of WoodMac China, China
National Forestry Machinery Association; China International
Exhibitions and Deutsche Messe made the announcement
in October.
Citing reasons for the postponement, Brendan Jennings,

general manager for China International Exhibitions said "The
slowdown of the Chinese economy generally ,and specifically
the drop in new house and apartment building, have had
an adverse effect on the market for wood products used
in building and furniture manufacturing, and consequently
demand for woodworking technology".
He added "The organisers wish to preserve the reputation of
the WoodMac China brand as a quality exhibition for new and
innovative technology. This is best achieved when the market
returns to a growth phase."
WoodMac China has served the Chinese market for

woodworking technology for over two decades; from the first
event in 1995, when the exhibition was exclusively for imported
technology, to the emergence and subsequent domination
of the exhibition by Chinese wood technology brands. In the
current day, a maturing market increasingly needs a dedicated
specialized event to cater to new innovations.
The organisers announced that they will continue to monitor

the Chinese economy and reschedule WoodMac China when
market conditions improve.

Microtecs whole tree log scanner
Sawmilling
wins award
The 2016 Marcus Wallenberg Prize was awarded to mathematician Prof Alexander Katsevich and Microtecs chief
executive, Dr Federico Giudiceandrea for the development of the scanner for whole tree logs. They received the
award from his majesty the King of Sweden at a ceremony in Stockholm in October.
T
he introduction of this new technology marks the
beginning of a new era for the sawmill industry.
The ground breaking research and innovative
implementation have opened new horizons,
facilitating further optimization of the sawing process, says
Marcus Wallenberg, chairman of the board of the Marcus
Wallenberg Prize.
The purpose of the prize is to recognize, encourage and

stimulate path breaking scientific achievements that
contribute significantly to broadening knowledge and
technical development within the fields of importance to
forestry and forest industries.
King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden congratulates Dr Federico
Computed tomography (CT) scans, sometimes also Giudiceandrea of Microtec for his contribution to the
sawmilling industry
referred to as computerised axial tomography (CAT) scans,
are invaluable to diagnostic imaging in medicine. It is an beam geometry, and not wider cone angles required to
imaging technology that produces three-dimensional scan logs quickly.
(3D) representations of objects, based on multiple scans
of the object from different directions with penetrating However, the algorithms, or data calculations, to obtain
X-ray radiation. The technology was used in a research the 3D-pictures are reliable for the small cone angles but
project in a sawmill where whole tree logs were scanned not for the wider cone angles required for tree scanning
by medical scanners. It was found that the output value of because it resulted in blurry images.
the sawn timber products increased dramatically.
Katsevich developed an exact analytical reconstruction
Industrial application was, however, hampered by the algorithm, known as Katsevichs Algorithm, which solved
slow speed of the process. This was because medical CT the cone beam problem and allowed for fast movement
scanners emit the x-ray beam from the source in a cone of logs through the CT scanner.
Microtecs chief executive, Dr Federico Giudiceandrea demonstrates the CT Log whole log scanner

Sawmilling
Elegant Roofing reaps benefits of

Biligom beams
Elegant Roofings strategy of keeping abreast with raw materials research and technological developments assists it
to extend its reputation of designing, manufacturing and installing top quality roof structures.
T
he company specialises in the construction of timber engineering studies he immersed himself in doing what
roof trusses of all types, shapes and sizes, from simple he loves best finding solutions to technical problems and
garages to large and complex multi-profile roof exploiting business opportunities.
spaces. It also installs roof cover in concrete tiles,
slate or metal roof sheeting and waterproofing. An example of his inventiveness is the 16m long laminating
press he designed and built for Elegant Roofings
We never compromise on standards, safety and quality. Laminated beam plant. This machine has been working
Our services are supported by a fully equipped timber truss for many years and despite its simplicity exerts the required
plant, specially designed vehicles and trailers and expertly pneumatic pressure and heat to cure the kiln dried pine
trained and committed staff, says Mattie Oosthuizen, laminated solid wood beams.
managing director of Elegant Roofing.
The company meets all legal standards and regulations
I am just an entrepreneur, is the answer given by and is certified to do its own materials testing. When we
Oosthuizen whenever he is asked questions about the heard there was a testing bench available at a sawmill we
business, himself and his long and diverse career. This immediately bought it. This allows us to test the modulus
modest reply hides his unwavering passion for timber, open of elasticity, which is the grade of hardness, and bending
mindedness in embracing new technologies and forward strength (Modulus of rupture) of all the timber and
looking approach to life. laminated beams. Pine trees are being harvested much
earlier than they used to be, and this can impact on the
Oosthuizens problem solving abilities, self-drive and quality of the trusses and beams. It is essential to grade,
constant flow of intelligent ideas was a constant challenge manufacture and treat pine trusses and beams to the
for his school teachers. When he completed his structural highest standards to maintain our integrity as well as that of
the structures, explains Oosthuizen.
He grabbed the opportunity for Elegant Roofing to

participate in trials when the new finger jointed beam
Johnnie Muller, the production manager with the factorys six-

head moulder in the background
Managing director Mattie Oosthuizen, and a bundle of Biligom

beams at Elegant Roofings plant in Cape Town.

Sawmilling
product, Biligom, was in the research phase by the University
of Stellenbosch. We can honestly say that Biligom is a tried
and tested product. We helped test it and found it to be
structurally superior to pine, says Oosthuizen.
Biligom is now an internationally patented process using

moist eucalyptus timber for building and construction
solutions. Elegant Roofing sources Biligom products from the
manufacturer in Tzaneen in Limpopo. Like Elegants pine
products, it carries the full SATAS quality accreditation mark,
is machine proof graded to 20,8Mpa bending strength and
treated to H2 SANS 1288 specifications.
Dirk van Vuuren, director of Elegant Roofing says the

An example of Elegant Roofings craftsmanship using Biligom as a
investment in research and development, and its multi- ceiling and truss material
disciplined teams has given the company a reputation of
technical expertise and excellent workmanship. All our roof
as required by The Act (Act 103 of 1977) and by the NHBRC.
structures are backed by a guarantee for five years after
A19 Inspections on all our installations followed by an A19
installation. And our on-line roof design system can produce
Certificate once the roof complies with all the necessary
from the most basic to the most complex residential,
criteria, is also available.
commercial and industrial designs., says Van Vuuren.
Regular inspections by the Institute for Timber Construction

Dirk van Vuuren, director of Elegant Roofing says the
(ITC-SA) ensures quality control. An added service offered
investment in research and development, and its multi-
by Elegant Roofing is the inspection and certification of disciplined teams, have given the company a reputation of
timber roof structures in accordance with the National technical expertise and excellent workmanship.
Building Regulations, the relevant SABS codes of practice

ADVERTORIAL

Sawmilling
Safety overhead: The importance

of roof maintenance
The importance of a roof structure as a component of a building and its functioning cannot be overstated,
however it is possibly one of the most neglected parts of a building.
C
hris Hobson, ITC-SA chairperson, says that These may cause leaks, which can damage the interior
while some roof systems call for less intense timber of the roof structure and prompt or accelerate
maintenance than others, all roofing systems wood rot.
should be checked periodically and
maintained accordingly. At the same time, look for open areas around newly
installed antenna shafts and chimneys. The condition of
The Institute for Timber Construction South Africa the waterproofing membranes must also be inspected
(ITC-SA), with the assistance of MiTek Industries SA regularly. Crumbling chimney mortar could signal moisture
and International Truss Systems recommends: penetration and will need to be reapplied.
Prevention is better than cure, and the best preventative
>>
measure to implement in the care of a roof structure is 43
regular inspections to help identify and remedy problems
as and when they occur. A roof withstands more from the
elements than any other component of a building and About the ITC-SA
the frequency of roof inspections and maintenance is The Institute for Timber Construction (ITC-SA) was established
dependent on the geographical location of the building. For more than 40 years ago to regulate the engineered timber
example; if the structure is close to the sea or in similarly harsh roof structure industry and to provide design, manufacturing,
conditions, it will need greater care than a structure inland. erection, inspection and certification for compliance with inter
alia SANS 10400 and SANS 10082, where engineering rational
Preventative maintenance is pivotal in saving money on designs are applicable.
a roof by providing a longer service life. The following is
a guideline towards maintaining a safe and secure roof The ITC-SA is a South African Qualifications Authority (Saqa)
structure for years to come: accredited professional body with a professional membership
and therefore has to comply with the requirements as set
Roof exterior out in the National Qualifications Framework Act (NQF Act
When it comes to the roofs exterior, be sure to check for 67 of 2008 as amended). The ITC-SA is also a Recognised
Voluntary Association in terms of the Engineering Profession
cracked roof tiles, loose sheeting and loose roof screws.
Act, 2000 (Act 46 of 2000).
In 2014, the Institute for Institute for Timber Frame Builders (ITFB)
was incorporated into the ITC-SA to ensure a better and more
uniform representation of the timber engineered practitioners
in the built environment.
For assistance please contact ITC-SA:

Chris Hobson, chairperson
Tel: 011 974 1061
Email: enquiries@itc-sa.org
Web: www.itc-sa.org
Facebook: http://bit.ly/1SVoQcn
Twitter: http://bit.ly/1pwZH0P
LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/1NnOiLx
Google+: http://bit.ly/29hRJ3y
While some roof systems call for less intense maintenance than YouTube: http://bit.ly/2bCftRn
others, the ITC-SA stresses that all roofing systems should be checked
periodically and maintained accordingly
42 October2016
August 2016////Wood
WoodSouthern
SouthernAfrica
Africa&&Timber
TimberTimes
Times
from page 42
Safety overhead: The importance
of roof maintenance
Sawmilling
Timber roof overhangs are most susceptible to the before installation and the truss design should be checked
elements and should be maintained regularly to prevent for added loads. Be sure to use a professional to install
fungal attack or rot from moisture. Loose fascia boards new items in roofs, such as additional ceilings, bulkheads
and leaking gutters are the most common cause of and chimneys.
leaks onto roofing timber. On this note, watch out for any
creeper plants growing onto the overhanging roof timbers. Storage in roofs is not recommended unless the design of
Keep all gutters free from debris and make sure the the roof specifically makes provision for this.
downpipes are draining properly by water testing them.
Legal compliance
If the roof exterior is beginning to collect moss or algae,
The Construction Regulation 2014 of the Occupational
consider installing zinc or lead control strips to help control
Health and Safety Act of 1993, states that an owner of a
the problem. These strips form harmless zinc oxide when
structure must ensure that:
rainwater runs over them, in so doing, carrying with it a
coating preventing further moss or algae growth a. Inspections of the structure are carried out
from occurring. periodically by a competent person in order to render
the structure safe for continued use;
Check all flashings, making sure they are not deteriorated
and secure or replace all loose shingles. Trim back b. That the inspections contemplated in paragraph a)
overhanging tree branches and check any metal on are carried out at least once every six months for the
the roof for signs of rust. Pay attention to all caulking first two years, and thereafter yearly;
and sealants, and scrape and remove caulking that is c. The structure is maintained in such a manner that it
weathered, cracked or damaged, and reapply. If the roof remains safe for continued use;
has gravel surfacing, look out for bare spots, and check for
d. The records of the inspections and maintenance are
blisters in the roofing material.
kept and made available on request to an inspector.
Salt or dirt build-up can encourage rust on steel roofs,
and moss and lichen growth on tiled roofs. Some The roof is a structurally important and very costly
manufacturers warranties advise regular washing, component of a building and the average cost of a roof
particularly in areas that dont receive frequent rain. as a portion of the final building can easily exceed 25%.
Frequent washing and inspection are advised to prevent
salt and dirt build-up. The costs associated with repair or replacement of the
same roof structure will be even more than this due to the
Exposed timber trusses must be treated for exposure to additional work required to establish structural integrity.
the elements.
This is why it is imperative that a roof structure, on
Roof interior residential, commercial and industrial buildings, is regularly
inspected for any anomalies and that remedial action
Cracked timber components in the roof structure are the
is promptly and accordingly taken. A roof is a lifetime
first warning signs that something within the roof structure
investment and should last just as long.
is deteriorating. Inspect all the components of the roof
structure after new services, like plumbing, electrical and/
All nail-plated timber roof structures must be designed,
or a fireplace, are installed. Check the interior of the roof
manufactured, erected and inspected by ITC-SA
for leaks that may indicate a leaking roof membrane.
accredited members who have been awarded a
Certificate of Competence.
If timber is beginning to show signs of rot, painting it will
only worsen the situation. It is advisable to rather replace
An A19 Certificate will be issued on compliance, which
the affected timber. Painting and repainting should only
is required by the Local Authority before issuing an
be done on healthy timber surfaces. Be sure to adhere to
occupation certificate.
the paint or treatment specifications concerning
the application.
Additional loading Prevention is better than cure, and the best preventative
Additions, such as a cooking canopy that extracts smoke measure to implement in the care of a roof structure is regular
or steam from the kitchen, are usually suspended from
inspections to help identify and remedy problems as and
the roof trusses. In the case of additional loading, it is
when they occur.
important to ensure that the load is spread across more
than one truss. The load of the item should be established

Sawmilling
LCPs Inspecta app
makes roof inspections
for SANS10400 A19
Certificate easy
LCP Roofing, South African leaders in roof truss technology, have developed an integrated mobile application
for enhanced, more secure completion and processing of the SANS10400 A19 certificate for a buildings
structural components.
A
s a crucial certification in the roofing industry,
the A19 certificate is underpinned by regulation a. is registered in terms of the Engineering
A19, which forms part of SANS10400, that covers Profession Act, 2000 (Act No. 46 of 2000),
all regulations controlling the building industry. as either a professional engineer or a
Regulation A19s parent category is Part A, which covers professional engineering technologist, or
general regulations and governs principles of requirements.
b. is registered in terms of the Architectural
Profession Act, 2000 (Act No. 44 of 2000),
The A19 certificate, which is a pivotal support document in as a professional architect or a professional
the issuance of a completion certificate for a structure, is senior architectural technologist, and
issued by an engineer and confirms that the structure has
been correctly completed in line with the original design c. is generally recognized as having the
intent and in accordance with national building standards. necessary experience and training to
When it comes to roof inspections, the reality is that for the undertake rational assessments or rational
most part, your roof inspector, who works for an engineer, designs in the field of roofs and roofing
declares satisfaction with the structure to the engineer, who
then signs off the form for the A19 certificate, says Lyndsay
Cotton, LCP Roofing general manager. What gets lost in translation at times with dire
consequences is the and at the end of point b in Part Ls
While this is common practice and, by most accounts, definition of a competent person. The competent person
completely above board, the problem arises when the could be any four of the professionals listed in points a and
engineers that sign off on these forms are not experts in the b, but they must, in addition, be considered to be a roofing
roofing field. expert with the right training and experience, and be able
to do calculations to work out if the trusses designed by a
Who is a competent person? truss plant will be able to withstand a given load,
says Cotton.
SANS10400 Part A defines a competent person as
one that is qualified by virtue of his education, training, The inspector should have sufficient contextual knowledge
experience and contextual knowledge to make a of the Institute for Timber Construction South Africas (ITC-
determination regarding the performance of a building SA) Roof Erectors Handbook Volume 2 and understand
or part thereof in relation to a functional regulation or both SANS and ITC-SA erection principles. Inspectors should
to undertake such duties as may be assigned to him in
not inspect buildings if they know nothing about roofing,
terms of these regulations.
Cotton points out.
SANS10400 Part L, which governs roofing in
This can lead to misunderstandings and large anomalies
particular, provides a clear, though not often correctly
interpreted, definition of a competent person in the in the certification process, and the banks or insurers could
built environment as one who: challenge the issued A19 certificate. Sadly, the homeowner
>>
46

from page 45
LCP Inspecta roof inspection app ensures compliance
for SANS10400 A19 certificate
Sawmilling
will ultimately bear the consequences of a wrongly certified an erection drawing, which clearly illustrates to the erector
roof structure and is the first in line to accept liability. While the truss marks, names and where and how the trusses
a large percentage of this is as a result of ignorance, the should be erected. Some companies offer a full fabrication
consequences for the homeowner amount to the same as and erection service and in other instances the supply
a fraudulently issued certificate, he says. and erection are done by two separate parties according
to the design intent; in both cases the erection drawing is
What does regulation A19 cover? paramount.
Regulation A19 governs the appointment of persons

The inspector should have a copy of the erection drawing
responsible for the design, inspection and assessment
in his possession when he goes to inspect the structure, so
duties for any structural component in a building not just
that he can assess the building against the original design
roofs. Forms 3 and 4, which fall under SANS10400 Part A,
intent. The roof inspector should inspect the building before
and which bear reference to timber and wood trusses as a
the ceiling has been installed and the roof tiles are in place,
structural system, must both be completed for a building to
because he is assessing the structural components of the
be signed off per National Building Regulations (NBR).
roof. This includes the roof trusses, battens, purlins, bracing
and ceiling battens.
Form 3 is the declaration of a competent person that
s/he has been appointed to design a component or an
This is when the roofing inspection checklist and Forms
element of a system or roof structure in this case in line
3 and 4 are completed by the inspector or engineer for
with the NBR. In terms of the Act, the homeowner or building
final issuance of an A19 or engineers certificate. Only
owner must appoint the engineer or responsible person, who
once the inspector has given the go-ahead, can the tiling,
knows roofing, who will then declare his professional status,
which adds a significant load to the roof, and ceiling
accept the appointment and responsibility for certain
installation, commence.
design components, and sign the form along with his
registration number.
Category A buildings
Form 4 is a certificate of completion of the structural, fire If the structure is a Category A building according to ITC-SA
protection and fire insulation system in terms of the Act, regulations, and if it is a public building (not the same as
through which the engineer declares that the component defined by SANS), then the design must also be signed off
for which s/he is responsible has to the best of [his/her] by the system engineer (currently MiTek, International Truss
knowledge, been designed and constructed/erected/ Systems or Multinail). If the structure is considered a normal
installed in accordance with the application in respect of and not a complex structure, the design need not be
which approval was granted in terms of section 7 of the Act signed off by the system engineer if it has been executed
and that it satisfies the requirements of the NBR. according to the software employed.
But completion and submission of these forms in support While public buildings like hospitals and schools, or those
of the A19 certificate (and subsequent issuing of a with very complex details, may only be designed and
completion certificate) does not necessarily mean that installed by a Category A fabricator and erector under
the design is correct or that the structure is safe to occupy. the current ITC-SA rules, a Category B, C, or D fabricator
This could put banks, insurance companies, property and erector may design or erect such a building with
developers and homeowners current and future at direct input and supervision from the system, or a highly
tremendous risk. An engineers certificate might secure a competent engineer, who can do a rational design.
bond payment, but could potentially offer no structural
protection, cautions Cotton.
Not ticking off items on the roof inspector checklist

amounts to negligence, in my opinion, and while most
roof inspections are above board, drive-by inspections,
where engineers certificates are issued without the
inspector even visiting the site or literally just driving past, do
take place. Whether it happens because of incompetence,
ignorance, negligence or plain fraud, this is unacceptable;
the inspector must physically go to the site to inspect
the structure.
What should a roof inspection entail?

Once the timber trusses have been fabricated according to
design specifications, they will be sent to the site along with
>>
48
from page 46
LCP Inspecta roof inspection app ensures compliance
for SANS10400 A19 certificate
Sawmilling
LCP Inspecta helps stop

illegal roof inspections
Taking a proactive stance against drive-by inspections
and the consequences of signing off on roofing structures
not designed or erected according to the NBR, LCP Roofing
has developed LCP Inspecta, a mobile application digitally
integrated with a digital signature platform for a watertight,
digitally encrypted paper trail that brings the A19 certificate
into the future.
We developed LCP Inspecta with the hope to eradicate LCP Roofings Inspecta is mobile and user friendly
illegal inspections, not only to ensure the safety and security
of our clients and theirs, but to play our part in making
our industry better by making sure that what has been How it works
designed and erected has been done so correctly. This The roofing inspector uses the mobile app to complete
is also about making inspections cheaper and easier to the compulsory roofing checklist per the ITC-SAs Roof
do; its about shaking up the status quo, innovating, doing Erectors Handbook Volume 2. At this point, the app
things differently, better, says Lyndsay Cotton, LCP Roofing requests the user to geo-tag himself on site to prove that he
general manager. was there and uploads images pertaining to the site, the
layout drawings, as well as pertinent details of the structure,
LCP Inspecta offers the user a three-part digital form that before the form is signed digitally, including the date and
confirms the inspector, system supplier, and truss fabricators inspection number, remarks Cotton. The geo-tagging on
undertaking from design to inspection of a given structure, the platform has been set up as unchangeable, so the
with all parties signatures, unique submission identification location cannot be resolved after inspection or without the
and a 256 bit encryption date and paper trail stamp. inspector physically having been to site.
This system confirms by whom and according to what The LCP Inspecta system is set up so that the Forms 3 and
codes the roof structure was designed, whether it has 4 are automatically populated when the site information
been designed according to SANS codes, that the values is uploaded from the device. Forms are imported by the
of the plates have been manufactured correctly from fabricator/designer in PDF format and via email, after
a design perspective, that the roof trusses have been which a signing order with a digital signature, COC number
manufactured to standard and that the erected structure and fabricator/designer number are included. The form
has been properly inspected. All LCP Inspecta submissions is then sent to and digitally signed by the engineer, who
have ID certificates with unique encryption codes for includes a certificate number, which is based on the date
ultimate security. of inspection. The form is then saved and printed out for the
client, who will use this to gain a certificate of completion
and resultant finance and/or insurance for the structure,
and for company records.
LCP Inspecta is a product of LCP Roofings mission to put a

stop to illegal roof inspections, to protect our customers and
their customers, and to elevate not only the standards, but
the standing of the local timber construction industry
by making roofing inspections easier, better and faster,
says Cotton.
We are also driven to help educate and inform our

customers on what to look out for when investing in a roof,
both safeguarding and empowering them in navigating
and protecting their investments, large and small. We
believe that clients, both in and outside of the building trade
must insist on a proper inspection of their roof structure, in
so doing, creating an informed demand for better quality
LCP Inspecta app is integrated with a digital signature platform
roofing downstream as well as upstream in our sector. LCP
for a watertight, digitally encrypted paper trail that brings the A19 Inspecta is poised to change the face of roof inspections in
certificate into the future South Africa one screen tap at a time.

Woodworking
Modern modular timber homes
from Swissline grow in popularity
Ten years ago, when master carpenter, Marc Ldi, and his wife Nadia, decided to leave Switzerland and settle in
Cape Town, they had no idea of the impact their modular timber homes concept would have on the local market.
The Ldis established Swissline Design in 2006, specialising One of these is the publics belief that there are high
in staircases, exposed roof trusses, and balustrades. maintenance costs associated with exterior timber. But
When a client asked them to do a loft conversion this this is not the case with Swisslines innovative design. The
got them thinking because their vision was to produce structures we erect need no maintenance, says Nadia.
European style timber construction and joinery for the
South African market. Our design is very different to a kit form house, explains
Marc. He constantly draws on the five years of master
We studied the local market and realised there was an carpentry studies he completed in Switzerland and his
increasing demand for timber frame homes that could experience in the European timber building trade. Clients
be completely manufactured off-site and then, in very are completely involved in the project and have the
little time, be transported and assembled, ready to be opportunity to inspect their erected new home or office
connected up to the various servitudes," explains Marc. at Swissline before it is transported and assembled on-site
by specialised installation teams. The overhead crane in
In 2011 they decided to test a broader public response to the workshop is an invaluable piece of equipment and is
their concept at the Decorex exhibition in Johannesburg. extensively used to transport the structural elements.
Our scale model of a timber frame house attracted a lot
more attention than we thought it would, in fact people The main materials used by Swissline Design are kiln dried
imported spruce and larch, oriented strand board (OSB),
were fascinated by it, says Nadia. "The modular system is
DWD tongue and groove boards, and insulation.
completely rubble-free and is ideal for a second home or
an extension to an existing one, such as the addition of a
guest suite or staff accommodation." Siberian larch
Siberian larch, which is similar in appearance to Oregon
They have had to overcome a number of myths pine but has far superior qualities, is used on the facades. >>
while making inroads in the southern African market. Swissline imports it from Europe and it is increasingly in 50

from page 49
Modern modular timber homes from
Swissline grow in popularity
Woodworking
Swissline designed, manufactured and erected this timber frame cottage with a loft area
demand for decking, stairs, flooring and on facades as Swissline has a colour swatch to help their customers
a high quality cladding. Larch is one of the toughest and make their decision. Once applied there is no need for
most durable hardwoods due to the resin and extracts in further maintenance.
the wood that makes it resistant to decay and rot.
Nadia explains that it needs no treatment, maintenance, European spruce
or oiling. It does change colour with natural aging and
Swissline Design imports spruce for construction
walls exposed to the sun go grey quicker than others.
building and exposed roof trusses from sustainable
Some customers prefer to have it lightly oiled with a soft
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) managed forests
grey stain or brown hue to keep the colour uniform.
in Europe. We have a very reliable supplier who >>
52
This garden sheds walls are clad with Siberian larch, and the roof
with spruce

AUSTRO JRS12TK
STRAIGHTLINE RIP SAW
ANTI-KICKBACK AND LASER
Laser light to ensure accurate reference and corrective cutting
HOLD-DOWN PRESSURE ROLLERS

Accurately aligned pressure rollers extend from the cast iron machining head to provide absolute
cutting tolerances, low maintenance, and superior safety
VARIABLE SPEED DRIVES

Ironwood JRS machines offer a variety of speed adjustments ranging from fixed speeds to
vario speed drives with frequency inverters allowing for infinite feed speed control
HAND WHEEL ADJUSTMENTS

Convenient positioning of hand wheel adjustments and analog scales for height
positioning & blade settings
AUSTRO JOHANNESBURG AUSTRO DURBAN AUSTRO NELSPRUIT

Tel: +27 (0) 11 222 8300 Tel: +27 (0)31 700 1820 Tel: +27 (0)13 753 2879
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Tel: +27 (0)21 905 0430 Tel: +27 (0)87 350 8746 www.austro.co.za
www.austro.co.za
from page 50
Modern modular timber homes from
Swissline grow in popularity
Woodworking
R-value the better the performance

and effectiveness of the insulation.
Swissline uses Eco-insulation with an
R-value of 3.37.
DWD boards
A fairly new introduction from
Germany in the domestic market,
DWD boards are a formaldehyde-
free bonded medium density fibre
board (MDF) with a tongue and
groove profile similar to that of
laminated flooring.
It can be used in various

applications and Swissline uses
it mainly on exterior walls. It is
vapour impermeable, windproof
and rainproof.
It has passed all the relevant

A braai dome made by Swissline using Siberian larch standards tests and Marc describes
it as a breakthrough material. It
provides us with only the highest of quality A grade timber
makes the construction of the modular elements easier to
at very good prices, says Nadia
do and enhances the integrity of the structure and
its cladding.
Insulation
The walls and floors are all insulated using Eco-insulation, We have years of experience planning, managing and
a fire retardant, blow-in, recycled newspaper and executing timber construction projects of all kinds. Our
eco-friendly thermal insulation and has a high acoustic newly established draughting department is helping us
and R-value. The R-value is the measure of an insulation enhance our services. Our site teams are professional and
products ability to restrict heat transfer, and therefore an reliable and we always stay on the job until the client is
indication of its insulation performance. The higher the satisfied, Nadia says.
A rendering that illustrates Swisslines modular timber-frame home concept

Woodworking
American hard woods make Akin
Dubai a hipster barber shop
Tucked away inside Burj Al Salam Tower in Dubai lies a hidden grooming gem for the UAEs most discerning
gentlemen Akin Barber & Shop.
A
kin, which means of the same kin, is unlike any and Al Zaharna were intrigued by the idea of a luxurious
other hair and beauty salon for men. Glossy mens salon in a limited 35 square metre space. Responding
black tiles, the finest furnishings, a cactus or to the brief, we wanted to reinterpret traditional barber shop
two and The Sum of Us coffee on tap makes elements, says Al Zaharna.
this place a member of the new movement
sweeping the UAE: the rise of the homegrown hipster. We set out to achieve a niche, high impact shop to tie
together the design and function in a very tight space,
Founded by regional entrepreneur, Australian Leith Matthews, says Ashmore.
Akin Barber & Shop offers haircuts, beard tune-ups, straight
razor shaves, a curated concept store, and the caffeine We spent a lot of time on all the timber detailing. It needed
kings lattes and cold drip brews. Open six days a week the to be robust, consistent and of standard timber section sizes
mens beauty destination was inspired by the classic New to make it easier for the joinery contractor and to keep waste
York city barbershop. to a minimum, says Al Zaharna.
Matthews chose Jonathan Ashmore of Anarchitect and The architects looked at methods of wall and floor
Tarik Al Zaharna of T.ZED Architects to conceptualise and construction in timber frame-houses and decided to
design his shop. Leith Matthews identified an opportunity incorporate the structural integrity of solid ash in the Akin
and was in the process of securing a really great location in Barber & Shop. All the framing is solid American ash, the wall
Burj Al Salam when we had our initial project discussions, panels and barber stations are ash veneer and the chevron
says Ashmore. Having previously worked with Matthews on a flooring is American white oak to add a subtle contrast in
>>
collaboration commissioned for Art Dubai in 2012, Ashmore colour and increased texture. 54

from page 53
American hard woods make Akin Dubai
a hipster barber shop
Woodworking
The American ash was sourced by the main contractor on the to frame transitions and junctions between different
project, Neo-Matrix who is based in Dubai. The team worked primary materials.
closely to select the right materials, finish and the bespoke
design joints. The major challenge was the span of the self- The architects went with barbershop tradition with an inlaid
supporting beams, which made it necessary for them to work brushed-brass Akin logo in the marble lobby floor, and black
with solid timber, which is less commonly used in Dubai, as it and white hexagonal mosaic tiles to distinguish the barbering
can be more expensive than using man-made boards with area from the rest of the space. Key Akin collaborations
applied veneer finishes. included custom lighting projectors and recessed spots by
PSLAB in Beirut, a ceiling fan by Boffi in Italy, and the basins
We referenced Japanese style joinery techniques to that were made locally from Corian.
find a way of maintaining robustness while being able
to span four metres across the space without any Project partners
bowing occurring. Project Name: Akin Barber & Shop
Completed: September 2015
They used solid ash custom joinery with open grain Client: Akin Barber & Shop
to highlight juxtaposition between this natural material Architects: Jonathan Ashmore of Anarchi tect and
and the man-made existing concrete. The precise
edges of powder-coated aluminium panels were used Tarik Al Zaharna of T.ZED Architects
Joinery: Neo-Matrix
Area: 35 square metres
Location: Burj Al Salam Tower, Dubai, UAE
Wood Species: American ash and white oak
Photography: Gerry O'Leary and Sandra Tinari

Studio Bruno Guelaff wins
Woodworking
AHEC award
A boutique design studio was awarded the Outstanding use of American Hardwood in the Middle East prize at the Commercial Interior
Design (CID) awards in Dubai.
T
he award, which was sponsored by the American
Hardwood Export Council (Ahec) for the sixth year
in a row was presented by Roderick Wiles, regional
director of the Ahec, to Bruno Guelaff, executive
director at Studio Bruno Guelaff.
Studio Bruno Guelaff was praised by the judges for their

committed and inventive use of American white oak
that defines the space and sets the material rhythm. The
winner was awarded for a dynamic and playful use of
wood demonstrated in all aspects of the project from
bottom to top.
The judges were impressed with the fact that the concept
was entirely wrapped around the material with wood
being used in furniture, lighting and panelling. Bruno Guelaff, executive director of Studio Bruno Guelaff (left)
accepts the Outstanding use of American Hardwood in the Middle
East Award from Roderick Wiles, regional director of the Ahec
In his submission, Guelaff explained that the client, the
real estate company Unique Properties, wanted not only
a space that would satisfy its logistical needs but a space Material selection was the first and main focus on this
that would make a bold design statement while creating project as Guelaff wanted to approach the wall cladding
an urban environment for its employees. in a different manner. A wall of American white oak
The boardrooms angled wood cladding in white oak gives a treehouse effect

Woodworking
A wall of American white oak spanning seven metres with a 2.5m high company logo cut-out greets visitors at the entrance of the office
spanning seven metres with a 2.5m high company logo All the work surfaces are made of American ash finished in
cut-out greets visitors at the entrance of the office. a matte sealer to protect its light colour.
Angled wood cladding in white oak in front of all glass The ash brings a great natural feel to the work space
partitions gives a treehouse effect and provides privacy in and the light colour goes hand in hand with the sap from
a unique way. the oak.
>>
58

from page 57
Studio Bruno Guelaff wins AHEC award
Woodworking
This project was truly a work of passion.

Every part of the project was custom
designed besides computers
and chairs.
The wood in this project is the real star

and drives the organic energy in the
office therefore, it is heart-warming to
win the Ahec award for this project as
so much of our hard work focused on
the very thing the award celebrates,
says Guelaff.
The CID Awards have proved, time

and again, to be an extremely popular,
enjoyable and high profile event,
attracting all the leading lights of the
UAEs design industry. For a once-a-year
opportunity to get in front of the regions
specifying community, we couldnt ask
for anything better.
Our category received a record

number of nominations this year.
Weve seen for a long time that the
Middle East is really committed to
sustainable design in principle and
through our partnership with the CID
Awards, we aim to throw the spotlight
on projects where material selection
and design come together to make a
true difference to the environmental
footprint, says Wiles.
Angled wood cladding in white oak in front

of all glass partitions provides privacy in a
unique way
American ash
American ash is a versatile light colored hardwood, with strong distinctive grain patterns.
The sapwood is light colored to nearly white, and White oak is mostly straight grained with a
the darker heartwood varies per growing region. It medium to coarse texture, with longer rays than
is a strong, hard-wearing wood with excellent shock red oak, producing a distinctive and attractive
resistance, and is good for steam bending. grain pattern.
White oak The wood is hard and heavy, with medium bending
American white oak has a creamy colored and crushing strength. It is low in stiffness, but very
sapwood and a light to dark brown heartwood. good in steam bending

Woodworking
Networked production helps

German joinery company make
a difference
The family-run Bavarian joinery company, Daxenberger, is reaping the benefits from the installation of a full Homag
Group system, including a Holzma HP 300 beam saw and Homag Automations TLF 211 horizontal storage system.
B
ernhard Daxenberger, co-managing director of
the business explains: Before we installed the new
equipment our production process was not time
efficient. It was taking us the same amount of time
to feed the saw as it did to cut the panels. Also our facility
space was very restricted and it was difficult to carry on
feeding the saw using forklift trucks.
When the brothers Bernhard, Josef and Simon took

over the company from their father, it was competitive,
however time had passed and the industry had changed
dramatically. In order to stay ahead of the competition,
they realised they needed to implement measurable time
and efficiency processes, maintain an effective workflow,
and use as little space as possible for stock. Bernhard Daxenberger master joiner and co-director of the
Daxenberger joinery, points to the barcode label - a decisive
factor in networked production
They decided it was time to invest in new technology, and,
with the assistance of the Homag Group, embarked on the
implementation of a fully networked process, from design
to delivery.
The production line starts with the TLF 211 logistics system
feeding a second and new Series 3 Holzma panel sizing
saw. The TLF 211 has an ST61 suction cross rail support to
transport materials to the beam saw, which is almost never
idle. It can handle coated panels from 8mm thick.
The new Holzma HPP 300 saw enables the cutting of 20

large panels of up to 5600mm in length a day, and can be
The Holzma HPP 300 beam saw

Woodworking
connected to a storage system in a cost-effective way. The
saw can be manually handled by one machine operator,
and is networked. Features such as offcuts management,
offcuts labelling and scanner connection were added.
The cut boards are fed into a single-sided KR 77 Optimat

edge bander with an automatic panel return conveyor,
and requires only one operator. The BOF 311 Profiline CNC
machining centre then tackles the complex trimming and
drilling tasks, and the Weeke BHX 055 Optimat processing
centre takes care of standard processing operations.
These machines work so efficiently that they have more

than paid back the initial investment, says an enthusiastic
Bernhard. Everything is computer based and networked Homag Automations TLF 211 horizontal panel storage system is
to ensure steady throughput. Productivity has increased by the start of the networked manufacturing system.
>>
up to 40 percent. 64
Upstream of this, a window

machine is located between
the panel saw and the
BHX. This machine does not
need to be flexible and is
equipped with tools for one
profile. "Because we only
build one type of window
that is a proven product, we
dont need to be as flexible
as a window specialist,
says Bernhard. Two sanding
from page 63
Networked production helps German joinery company
make a difference
Woodworking
Hand held bar code scanners are used to control the The KR 77 one-sided edge banding machine with its automatic
movement of each component through the production component return system needs only one machine operator
process
machines are followed by the surface processing assembly, agrees with the Daxenburger brothers. Fuchs suggests
which consists of two wide belt sanding machines and two that business owners who have the resources consider
spray painting stations. Anyone looking around the factory following the German companys lead.
will notice the absence of fork lifts and trolleys stacked with
components parked wherever theres space. Thanks to The Daxenberger office workstations, TLF 211 logistics
the way we have organized the networked production, we system, CNC machines and software solutions are all
no longer have to search and we always know where the networked. The Homag software system links every
material to be processed is located. machine and hand-held bar code readers to the central
computer. Bar code labels are printed out at the panel
We have substantially increased productivity with the saw and attached to each component to control its
same number of staff, says Bernhard. He says he was passage through the production system. The bar code not
amazed by the good cost to performance ratio and only identifies the part but enables access to the bill of
predicts that the plant will have paid for itself in five materials and work plan.
years. He firmly believes that the HPP 300 and TLF 211
combination is of interest to even smaller joineries. But this wasnt enough for the Daxenbergers. They were
The local supplier of the Homag Groups products, aiming to achieve seamless networking and wanted
Donald Fuchs of Donald Fuchs Woodworking Machinery, Homags "Schreiner-Plus" software to talk to the
The BOF 311 profiline CNC processing centre is the second machine of this type at Daxenberger

Woodworking
A brief history of the Daxenberger journey
The Daxenberger carpentry business was founded by master
carpenter Josef Daxenberger in 1963 in his in-law's garage with a
workshop area of 60 square meters.
Two years later the first assistant was hired, and in 1966, the first
carpentry trainee joined them. In 1970, a new workshop was built,
and after the last extension in Truchtlaching in 1988, the effective
work and storage area was 1000 square meters.
The philosophy of the founder, excellent personal contact and first-

class work allowed the company to continue to grow and forced
them to build new premises on the meadow in neighboring Seeon.
After 18 months of construction, the company moved into the new
operating premises in October 1996 with a team of 35 employees.
The pride and joy of the Daxenbergers: window scantlings are
trimmed so that they cover the profile of the moulding and do not In 1997, the founder Josef senior retired and his sons, Bernhard, Josef
show any joints and Simon took over the management of the joinery. The three
sons have continued to develop the company they inherited and
have equipped the joinery with the latest machines and computer
companys Imos 3D software and machine control technology.
systems. Friedrich Schweiger, the area manager for
It was, however, very important to them to be able to say that their
south east Bavaria, ensured that the Homag Group joinery, which now employs 85 people, has remained a business
stepped up to the plate and achieved the integrated dedicated to craftsmanship.
manufacturing process the company required.
Eighty percent of sales are to private customers who value excellent
quality and exclusive joinery work. Thanks to the integration of
We realized that simply buying machines and different computers into their business and the relatively high level of
software programs would not be enough. All the effort automation, the three brothers are able to apply for tenders. Their
paid off. I never want to return to the way we worked motto is: unterschiede schaffen (make a difference).
before, says Bernhard.

Woodworking
Festool launches its Sysrock

BR 10 construction site radio
Festool has extended its "unplugged" battery-powered product range with a new construction site radio, which offers
high-quality sound, is compact and lightweight, has a Bluetooth interface and an integrated hands-free function.
T
he Sysrock is compatible with a wide range of and a sturdy housing with an impact-resistant and non-slip
smartphones and other music players, and is ideal rubber surround.
as an attractive and unobtrusive companion on the
construction site and in the workshop. It is available The modern design and LCD display makes the
locally from Vermont Sales. construction site radio intuitive and easy to use.It can be
operated and charged via an interface using Festool 10.8-
The radio has a specially designed resonance chamber. 18-volt Li-ion battery packs or the mains adapter provided.
This, in combination with its digital signal processor (DSP)
and dynamic range control (DRC) allows the new Sysyrock The Bluetooth interface and integrated aux-in socket makes
to offer a balanced, full and perfect sound at any volume. it easy for users to connect the Sysrock to smartphones, MP3
players and tablets. In conjunction with a smartphone and
Festool has also equipped the radio with a powerful the hands-free function, it can therefore also be used to
2.5-inch neodymium loudspeaker with a flexible aerial make telephone calls.

The finalists of the PG Bison 1.618 design competition celebrate their achievements. The winner, Karen Boshoff is standing in the centre of
the back row.
Karen Boshoff wins the PG Bison

1.618 student design competition
The annual PG Bison design competition awards evening took place in October and Karen Boshoff from Inscape
Education Group in Johannesburg won the all-expenses-paid trip for herself and her lecturer, Anja Holtzhausen, to
the 2017, Furniture Fair in Milan, Italy.
T
he PG Bison 1.618 Awards evening was held at The create an opportunity for our up and coming designers
Good Luck Bar, in downtown Johannesburg. The to showcase their talents. We love seeing these young
theme of the evening was The Charmed Society of designers developing through the educational system, and
Stylish Persons, and guests turned out in their finery to this competition creates an incredible opportunity and
support the finalists who had been styled to suit the event. stepping stone for their careers.
Masasa Mbangeni was the master of ceremonies and The winning students for 2016 are:
hosted the event. The ceremony allowed all finalists to
1st Place: Karen Boshoff from Inscape Education Group
reveal a little of their personalities. The thankyou speech by
in Johannesburg.
Karen Boshoff was especially touching when she explained
Valued at R120 000.00, Karen won an all-expenses-paid
how her hard work and persistence had finally paid off
trip for herself and her lecturer to the 2017 Furniture Fair in
after many setbacks and rejections.
Milan, Italy.
The 2016 brief tasked students with creating a space for a
2nd Place: Dominic Ferreira from the University of the
collective put together to work on a massive international
Witwatersrand.
sporting event which would be hosted in Port Elizabeth.
Dominic won an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2017 Design
Cape Recife Lighthouse on the Southern tip of Algoa Bay
Indaba in Cape Town, plus R3 000 in cash.
located within the bounds of the Cape Recife Nature
Reserve, was chosen to house the collective.
3rd Place: Carli Kuschke from the University of Pretoria.
Carli won R10 000 in cash.
All finalists work was displayed on custom displays to
showcase their artwork. PG Bisons managing director of
The remaining finalists each received a R2 000 cash prize.
Surface Innovations, Philip Roux explains that We want to

Classifieds
To advertise in
Classifieds Call
Mickey Petersen
on 011 726 3081

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October 2016 Vol. 41. No.

Editorial...................................................................................................................... 2 First Cut: 60 years and counting................................................................... 32

Saving rhinos with Saws for a Cause ....................................................... 20

October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times 1

are. However, we have no choice:

Remote controlled gate openers new technology was worth the

2 October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times

SAWS FOR A CAUSE

4 October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times

Husqvarnas Saws for A Cause initiative is a global

October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times 5

production with a second Bell logger

Botha & Barnard manufactures solid wood furniture from a

6 October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times

October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times 7

8 October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times

October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times 9

Low maintenance Lasting power

10 October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times

Innovation powers STIHL from

12 October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times

operate, with reduced noise levels, lower emissions and a

STIHL quality and focus on service

STIHL in South Africa maintains high stock levels of

Supported by the nationwide network of STIHL dealer

14 October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times

The company was established in 2009 by brothers, Justin

Ashley Bell says the Skogger is unique as it can be classified

We understand that a weakening currency and the

October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times 15

This business is in our blood

A critical element to any equipment manufacturing

16 October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times

October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times 17

Desmond Equipments Dezzi AT20B articulated timber truck

Dezzi clocks 20 years service to

18 October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times

Born in Mthata in the Eastern Cape, Coert gained his

20 October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times

Husqvarnas battery blower also

First, water is poured on the rhino

If a rhino is dehorned without cutting

October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times 21

Local is still lekker with new

The Bell TLB has an exclusive digital monitor providing

"Ride control is offered as an optional feature, which can

"In keeping with the philosophy that a happy operator is a

Re-designed rear lighting is more robust to facilitate easier

Maintenance and reliability

22 October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times

A heavy duty transmission oil filter gives increased reliability

October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times 23

Aerial view of the infeed area. Logs of 2.4m to 24 m can be handled

Weza Sawmill starts up its new

24 October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times

October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times 25

About the Merensky

26 October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times

UCLs requirements for initiating the upgrade was to

Stage two, which is already far advanced, will see the

Wood-Mizer rebrands and supports

October 2016 // Wood Southern Africa & Timber Times 27

Boards without wane exiting the multi-rip are transferred

The servo control ensures accurate and quick size