This piece was written and provided by FTMA Supporting Partner, OneFortyOne Wood Products.
OneFortyOne’s continued investment in modernisation and new technology ensures that Jubilee Sawmill remains one of the most progressive and efficient mills in Australasia.
Based in Mount Gambier, South Australia, the Jubilee Sawmill’s modernisation program is improving productivity, upskilling team members in robotics and automation, and creating more modern, safer work environments.
The program is ongoing, and 2022 marked another year of progress and achievement. We met a significant milestone in April, with the completion of the two-year $16 million capital investment in two Continuous Drying Kilns (CDKs). Powered by our own sawdust and wood waste offcuts, the CDKs have increased capacity while improving the quality of the dried timber. Their efficient design uses approximately 28% less energy to process more timber than the old batch kilns.
The modernisation program has also featured the $13 million Drymill A Modernisation Project. Under this project, we invested in state-of-the-art sawing equipment including a DO2 Rapid Wrapper automatic lumber packaging system, two Carbotech lug loaders, an Accu-Gate positioning fence, ten additional sorting bins and a Carbotech electric dual fork high-speed stacker.
The Drymill A Modernisation Project is expected to be completed at the end of 2023, with exciting upgrades still to come. In the coming year, we’ll be installing a continuous tilt hoist, completing a high-speed trim saw upgrade, and increasing the capacity of the high-speed planer, which will go from top speed of processing 600m of timber per minute to an impressive 800m per minute.
A goal of the modernisation program is to gain a minimum 30% increase in productivity. This will allow us to process the same amount of material in less time and helps us move towards our vision of implementing a four-day work week. From a business perspective, moving to a four-day week makes good sense, from attracting and retaining great employees, improving work life balance and wellbeing, and boosting the bottom line.
Equipment will be running for 20% less time, reducing costs and gives us more time to maintain the plant, and it’s estimated that this equipment upgrade will reduce Jubilee Sawmill’s emissions by approximately 134 tonnes of CO2e every year. These savings will primarily come from lowering electricity consumption.
Since 2018, OneFortyOne has invested over $60 million back into the Jubilee Sawmill. The modernisation program has already improved safety, productivity, and wellbeing for employees, with some exciting projects still to come.
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