Economics of Manufacture of Wood Components

With the sales volume of furniture increasing at the rate of 10 percent per annum, the demand for semifinished dimension stock is growing rapidly. Some of the important factors to be considered in setting up a dimension stock plant are acceptable species, grade economics, and investment costs. Species that find best acceptance are yellow birch, hard maple, white birch, and aspen. Each species requires special treatment in the drying process and in the manufacturing operation and it is inadvisable to have a mixture of all the species in the same operation. For the semi finished dimension stock plant orders for lengths should vary from 12 inches upwards. The plant should accept orders not only for the white sap stock, but also for some heartwood stock which will often bring a premium. The use of grades 3 Common, 2 Common, and 1 Common provides the most economical method of operation for a semifinished dimension stock plant. A typical dimension stock plant, using two cut-off saws and producing yellow birch or maple, will use 3 million board feet on a one shift basis. The sawmill should contain a band mill with an automatic carriage as well as a band resaw, an edger, and various conveyors. The approximate total investment is $1,300,000.

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