JGA invests in lumber kiln from Valutec – aims to increase production

Småland’s JGA invests in a lumber kiln from Valutec for its sawmill in Linneryd. It is a TC continuous kiln with an annual capacity of 80,000 cubic meters (33,900 MBF) that will be used for the entire board production of the sawmill. In the future, JGA plans to increase today’s annual production of 250,000 cubic meters (105,900 MBF) to 400,000 cubic meters (169,500 MBF), which is made possible by the new TC dryer.  
“With the TC dryer, we are well equipped for the future,” says Magnus Ragnarsson, HR manager at JGA. “At the same time as it gives us high capacity, it also delivers a good drying result that lives up to the quality requirements of the future.”

JGA has been active in sawn and processed wood products since 1928 and produces 250,000 cubic meters (105,900 MBF) of sawn lumber per year. About 70 percent of the production is exported, mainly to Denmark, England, the Netherlands and Poland.

In 2018, they invested in four batch kilns from Valutec and at the same time took the opportunity to invest in Valutec’s control system Valmatics 4.0 for the entire drying fleet. Valmatics 4.0 is packed with intelligence that senses and adapts the drying process accordingly. Integrated in the system is the Valusim simulator, which optimizes new drying programs with regard to capacity, quality and electrical energy consumption, in order to avoid costly running-in times.

“We are very satisfied with Valmatics 4.0. The built-in simulator is fantastic and makes everything a lot easier. As long as I know the incoming moisture ratio and the desired final moisture ratio, it calculates the rest,” says Leif Gustafsson, drying manager at JGA.

“It’s an honor to be chosen by JGA once again. We know each other well and have had a good collaboration for many years,” says Jon Lindberg, sales manager at Valutec. “They are knowledgeable and provide useful feedback, not least in drying control, which contributes to our development work.”

The TC dryer to be delivered to JGA has eight drying zones and will be used exclusively for drying side boards. The annual capacity will reach approximately 80,000 cubic meters (33,900 MBF). It’s made of stainless steel and will be delivered with pressure frames for minimal deformation of the upper lumber layers and heat recovery.

“In the end, it was an obvious choice for us. We have good experience of Valutec both in terms of quality of the lumber dryer and the lumber that comes out. It’s also a security to be able to continue with the same control system,” says Magnus.

Installation of the new lumber dryer will begin in August 2022

For more information, contact:
Eric Johansson
Marketing Manager
Valutec
Phone: +46 76 767 6968
eric.johansson@valutec.se

______________________________________

The desire to increase the use of wood is the ultimate reason for Valutec's existence. We have been combining Nordic expertise in lumber drying for almost 100 years with a deep understanding of the challenges facing our customers. Our goal is to expand opportunities not only for value-adding lumber dry kilns, but also in intelligent control systems. The Valutec Group is a part of Addtech Industrial Process and has offices in Sweden, Finland, Russia and Canada and has an annual turnover of around EUR 40 million. With more than 6 000 lumber drying installations delivered, we are a world leader. Find out more about our corporate philosophy "Good for wood" at www.valutec.ca.

Tags: