The influence of sawkerf and target size reductions on sawmill revenue and volume recovery

Sawmills can implement quality control procedures to lower their lumber target sizes and/or sawkerf widths, but the economic benefit of such programs has been uncertain. A methodology using sawmill simulation to estimate the value and volume recovery from changes in sawkerfs and target sizes is demonstrated. A specific example for an interior British Columbia sawmill producing dimension lumber is described. Reductions in target sizes and sawkerfs were shown to significantly increase mill revenues. Target size and sawkerf reductions were found to have a much larger effect on sawmill revenue than on volume recovery. Reductions in green target sizes are shown to have a significantly larger impact on mill net revenues and recovery than sawkerf reductions. It was also found that producing 1-inch lumber in the product line significantly increases lumber recovery, but has a minimal effect on mill net revenue. Equations were developed that predict the net effect in revenue and volume recovery of specific changes in target size and sawkerf for the study mill.

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