New direction

OK, everyone, I have changed direction. After 28 years on the tools I have accepted a position with a company that turns me into a desk jockey. I have finished 6 months and they have offered me the position full time. No more programming and no more planning. Gawd what a change. At the end of May my focus will be on education of contractors and trade students. The wood industry will be decades before it recovers. This could be the smartest thing Ive done or the dumbest thing since leaving the south east corner of BC. If I only had a crystal ball....
Cheers,

Bruce99 said:

At the end of May my focus will be on education of contractors and trade students.

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This isn't surprising given your recent posts.

The wood industry will be decades before it recovers.

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I doubt it will take that long, I have seen all of this before, 1982 was gruesome too but that was decades ago but two or three years later the industry was up and running again. There is no way the demand get be pent up forever, but must people can't wait more than a few months.

fight for life

Most local mills are in a fight for their lives. All are taking downtime this summer and fall. The ones that are closed will not likely start up. Some were just not smart in buisness. The cost per thousand board feet is artificially high as a result. Trucking wet wood is a common error up here. Another problem is some mills just refuse to upgrade their old junk. Scanning cants with banner beam arrays just will not compete with laser heads and optimizers. One thing I have noticed as I visit the mills, the mills running are all cutting wood with newer teck. The oldies are all down for the count. When things do turn, I'm sure some will learn from this. Many private mills however, will just buy somone elses junk and try to keep competative by cutting other costs. (wages and benefits, stumpage fees,trucking costs etc).

Bruce

All you have said seems to be the norm for the sawmill business.
Especially so for the smaller outfits.

Are you having to move or can you stay where you are?
CURIOSITY
Trucking wet wood is a common error up here. I assume you mean non dried (ie green) finished lumber??

Dan Bentler

Not sure why but things seem to be looking a bit brighter for the company I work for. It seems like more mills are closing but it seems to help other mills. I work for a hardboard portion of the company and 2 months age we were all working 32 hours per week and we went from 4 shifts 24/7 operation to 2 shifts with an estimated 3.2 days per week. Now we are spreading those 2 shifts over 7 days and we are buying outside board to fill the orders. We are producing the same as we were over a year ago. If a company positions themselves well and doesn't have too much in overhead they can come out in a really good position.

Kevin

leitmotif said:

Bruce

CURIOSITY
Trucking wet wood is a common error up here. I assume you mean non dried (ie green) finished lumber??

Dan Bentler

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Yes, the dry kilns are 60 km from the mill...
not very smart.