Wood-Mizer Rules the 2013 Sawmill Competition

Organised by a sawmilling industry magazine, the Sawmill Shootout is another Wood-Mizer traditional event we share with our competitors. Open to all sawmill companies, the Shootout brings the various makes and models together for a competition, whaere the spectators are able to compare the mills in action side by side.

Each sawmill is allowed two operators, and must completely saw four poplar logs. Judges make sure that all the resulting timber meets grade, so not only is it a competition where speed is important, quality is just as crucial. The use of edgers is allowed. 

The United States Wood-Mizer team entered four sawmills into the competition, and here are the results. 

Out of the nine sawmills in the non-hydraulic sawmills competition, Wood-Mizer’s mills placed first (LT28) and second place (LT15). The LT15 team used extensions to cut two logs end to end, which the crowd enjoyed as an unusual method for speeding up their production. 

Out of the four sawmills in the hydraulic sawmills competition, the LT70 sawmill with a twin-blade edger was first, finishing four logs in a mere 22 minutes. The LT40 hydraulic sawmill with a single blade edger finished third, finishing only minutes after the competition’s mill, which is 2,200kg heavier and 15,000€ more expensive.