Anders Roos , Matti Flinkman, Armas Jäppinen, Mats Warensjö

Adoption of value-adding processes in Swedish sawmills

Roos A., Flinkman M., Jäppinen A., Warensjö M. (2000). Adoption of value-adding processes in Swedish sawmills. Silva Fennica vol. 34 no. 4 article id 623. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.623

Abstract

Adding value to lumber by processing it after sawing and standard drying is one means for the sawmilling industry to increase market shares in competition with other materials, e.g. glass, steel, concrete, aluminium, and plastics. In this study the adoption patterns of value-adding processes used in Swedish softwood sawmills were analysed based on production data from 1995. About 90% of the sawmills applied a value-adding process after initial sawing and drying, and 72% of the sawmills applied two or more processes. The total share of processed sawnwood was about 40%. Important dimensions of value-adding processes are: extra drying and production of blanks for doors/windows and for furniture; surface-treatment, mainly planing, which is sometimes associated with preservation and painting; length trimming and pallet production; extra drying and production of edge-glued panels and laminated beams; and stress grading and production of building components. The association of different value-adding dimensions with location, ownership and production characteristics were investigated. The total share of value-added production were higher for private sawmills than for mills owned by forest companies or by forest owners’ associations, and it was higher for mills in southern Sweden than for sawmills in other parts of the country. Value-added share does not clearly correlate with mill size or with the dominating tree species being sawn.

Keywords
sawmilling; production structure; technology adoption

Received 19 January 2000 Accepted 18 September 2000 Published 31 December 2000

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Available at https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.623 | Download PDF