Consulting Engineers - Market Analysts - Project Managers

Experience with “Low Grade Timber” and Residue Utilization

Given the changes in forest policy over the last several decades, much of the work Mater Engineering has been performing has been in the field of “low grade” timber utilization. The term “low grade” means different things to different people. For a sawmiller, it relates to log size and grade recovery, to a forester it may relate to tree form, traditional scaling, or market availability, to a lumber salesperson it be traditional grades or traditional market demands. To Mater Engineering, the term “low grade” merely comes from the fact that no one has figured out how to make a profitable product out of it yet.

Mater Engineering has conduct numerous studies on utilization of “low grade” timber. In Pennsylvania, we conducted a study on utilizing small and low grade hardwoods including identifying markets and processing techniques. For the Grand Canyon Trust in Arizona, Hayfork Watershed Council in California, and the Southern Utah Timber Association, our work was focused on utilizing small timber and over mature timber for various forest locations and ownerships in there regions. Our work in Kansas and Iowa developed new markets for low quality Eastern Red Cedar. Our current work in hybrid poplar is actually focused on developing an entirely new solid wood market for an entirely new tree species and has involved a significant amount of market research and technical analysis of processing options.

Over the years, Mater Engineering has been involved in developing studies and/or designed facilities to utilize by products or develop new products. We have developed biomass fuel and cogeneration projects throughout the U.S. including plants utilizing production residue for cogeneration, energy plants utilizing biomass as their fuel source, small wood fired boilers for dry kilns and heat, and analysis of augmenting existing systems with biomass collected specifically for fuel. Mater Engineering was involved in one of the first comprehensive studies of cementitious board plants in the Country and has been involved in numerous studies of ethanol production, engineered wood products, and charcoal. We have also analyzed and designed several chip plants of various sizes. Our files include production and cost information on most types of production facilities in the wood products industry. What needed information we do not have, we know where to get.

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101 S.W. Western Blvd.
PO Box O
Corvallis, Oregon 97339
541-753-7335
Fax: 541-752-2952
E-Mail: mater@mater.com

Web page last updated on January 7, 2001