Title :
Unleashing Power for the Wood Products Industry: Biomass-Powered Lumber Mills Take Sustainable Energy to the Next Level
Author :
Durocher, David B. ; Powell, Bill
Author_Institution :
Eaton Corp., Wilsonville, OR, USA
Abstract :
Over the past several years, the business of manufacturing dimension lumber in the Unites States has become a hill for climbers. This traditionally cyclical business, driven primarily by housing construction, has experienced significant challenges and setbacks in the current economic climate, in which new construction has been depressed for several years, environmental pressures have limited the availability of wood fiber, and supply and demand continue to struggle to find a balance. In this climate, some sawmills have continued to produce wood products in hopes of producing enough to save their way to profitability.
Keywords :
environmental factors; profitability; supply and demand; wood processing; wood products; Unites States; dimension lumber manufacturing business; economic climate; environmental pressure; profitability; sawmill; supply and demand; unleashing power; wood fiber; wood product industry; Biomass; Economics; Manufacturing processes; Pulp and paper industry; Renewable energy sources; Wood industry;
Journal_Title :
Industry Applications Magazine, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/MIAS.2012.2222072