Norra Timber is currently modernising its kiln capacity with two new energy-efficient cross-circulation continuous kilns, also known as TC kilns.
According to the announcement, the first TC kiln, which is produced by Valutec, has just come on stream in Sävar, and in Kåge test runs will begin in January 2019.
The investment is expected to speed up the drying process significantly and enable the old batch kilns to be decommissioned.
The company's total drying capacity will increase by around 200,000 cubic meters (85,000 MBF). In Kåge, the capacity has almost doubled in eight years, from around 130,000 cubic meters (55,000 MBF) to 240,000 cubic meters (102,000 MBF). This includes previous investments in batch kilns from Valutec. Drying capacity has peaked, which has lead to the investment in a new TC continuous kiln.
“This gives us high capacity per SEK, and as we saw both pine and spruce, we also need to ensure significant flexibility. Purely from a design perspective, we’re also very happy with Valutec's kilns. The batch kilns from 2011 are dependable and look almost new after six years’ operation. Which clearly bodes well,” says Johan Oja, Technical Manager at Norra Skogsägarna.
Norra Skogsägarna is an economic association owned by 17,000 individual forest owners with a collective forest holding of more than one million hectares of forest land. Family-owned Martinsons is one of Sweden’s leading producers of glue-laminated and cross-laminated wood.
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