RICHMOND, Virginia — The 35th East Coast Logging and Equipment Exposition, known as the EXPO Richmond, is shaping up to feature some new faces among suppliers. The event takes place May 13-14 at the Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia.
The exposition, co-sponsored by the Virginia Forest Products Association (VFPA) and the Cooperative Extension Service at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, is a leading trade show for the forest products industry. And it has become the U.S. trade show for live pallet industry equipment demonstrations. See the list of live demonstrations below.
The EXPO Richmond will offer the year’s largest collection of sawmilling, kiln drying, harvesting, biomass, trucking, pallet manufacturing/recycling, optimization/scanning, material handling, firewood production and related equipment, supplies and services, according to organizers.
There will be a lot of new suppliers exhibiting at this year’s show, according to Susan Jennings, VFPA president. The show will feature “more new names in the industry than I’ve ever experienced,” said Jennings, who has been putting on the trade event with the association for more than 15 years. “We’ve had a surge” in registration of suppliers that are new to EXPO Richmond.
Of the new suppliers that will be exhibiting this year, the biggest percentage represents the biomass sector of the forest products industry, according to Jennings – suppliers of machines for processing wood fiber, chippers, grinders, and suppliers of related equipment and services. Other new exhibitors range from suppliers of tires to milling equipment and custom machinery manufacturers. There also will be a good contingent of companies that supply technology and software.
When Jennings talked in mid-April about the upcoming trade show, the association had less than 20 exhibit spaces left to be a sold-out event — and she was expecting those to be sold. “We are still getting inquiries daily” she said, and encouraging suppliers to be represented at the event. By that point 327 companies had registered to exhibit. The figure is down slightly from previous years, Susan noted, but the amount of exhibit space is larger due to some consolidation.
Visitor registration closed April 1 but was extended to April 11. Online advance registration reached about 4,500, and Susan estimated that total advance registration would reach 7-8,000. Including visitors who do not register in advance, she is expecting between 13,000 and 13,500 people to attend this year’s event, which would be higher than previous years. The trade show has enjoyed a steady increase in visitors since the 2012 event, according to Jennings.
EXPO Richmond will feature the Cat® Loader Championship, a popular event for operators of knuckleboom log loaders in which they compete for the fastest time picking up and moving short sections of logs on a checkerboard-like surface. The competition is a fundraiser for Log-A-Load for Kids, an organization sponsored by loggers and other forest products businesses to raise funds for hospitals associated with the Children’s Miracle Network.
Classes for the SHARP Logger training program also will be conducted at the trade show, and loggers will be able to earn half of the required points for certification.
The National Wooden Pallet and Container Association will hold a reception for members at the Omni Richmond Hotel May 13 in conjunction with EXPO Richmond. Advance registration is required through the NWPCA website, www.palletcentral.com.
Virginia Tech will put on an educational program May 12 in conjunction with EXPO Richmond. The title of the session is “Taking Advantage of Current Trends, Market Opportunities and Improvements.” The session, to be conducted at the Hyatt Place-Richmond Airport, will focus on how markets have changed, new market opportunities and ways to improve competitiveness in those markets. The subject matter will deal with such topics as the impact of the housing market on the wood products industry, hardwood exports, cross-laminated timber, pallet industry trends and improving lumber drying quality. The course, designed for those involved with the business, operation and management of wood products businesses, will be taught by associate professor Brian Bond and assistant professor Henry Quesada.
More information about EXPO Richmond, including the educational session, is available at the trade show website, www.exporichmond.com.
Pallet industry suppliers will be well represented at EXPO Richmond, including the following Pallet Enterprise advertisers on the next pages.
Baker Products
(Lot G 23, 24, 25)
Baker always likes to make news at EXPO Richmond. Baker will display sawmill and resaw equipment including its BP Dominator sawmill with reverse flow edger system featured on the cover of this issue of Pallet Enterprise. Baker will demo this system as well as its double head resaw with slide return and Blue Streak Model 3665D portable bandsaw. Baker will also be introducing the Wood Wizz, a new machine that will plane and sand white planks and large timbers. In its static displays, Baker will have its popular resaws, notchers and other equipment.
Excelsior Marking
(Booth 534)
Excelsior will exhibit the innovative EBS HandJet printers, which are hand-held ink jet printers, and provide demonstrations. These portable devices offer an update to traditional marking. The battery-operated printers provide fast, clean printing on lumber, metal, glass and plastic. The unit’s ink-jet cartridge efficiently provides up to 100,000 characters. The printer is programmed via a personal computer. Excelsior Marking has been serving the lumber and pallet Industry for several years. In addition to offering hand-held printers, the company manufactures steel branding dies, stencils, rubber stamps, roll coders and steel stamps.
GO FAST Manufacturing
(Lot F 8)
GO FAST will exhibit its newly re-designed de-duster, a new double-end trim saw, and its resaw with a new belt return. The de-duster was re-designed for smoother, safer operation. It features a heavier frame, precision laser cut parts, and is available with more options. The new double-end trim saw is simple, versatile, and reliable; it features a variable feed speed and cut material ranging from boards to cants. Go Fast Manufacturing has engineered a return system for its 6×8 Master resaw; the re-cut material is sheared off the feed belt, on to the return belt, and back up to the operator’s position.
Innovative Data Systems
(Booth 515)
Innovative Data Systems continues to expand features and options for its Pallet-Track Mill Manager ERP software system. They include the new Dynamic Driver’s Schedule, MRP module, and improved Purchase Order features. The MRP module allows up to four choices for the best yield, based on current inventory. Transfer Inventory directly from Mill Manager or a kiosk. Integrate WIP directly into Sage 100/200, and integrate with 3rd Party Dynamic Routing Systems. The company also has a new line of kiosks. Innovative Data System says its ERP system is the easiest designed for the forest products industry and tracks everything from standing timber to sawdust.
Machinery Installation Co.
(Lot F 5)
Machinery Installation Co. will have a live demonstration of the new MEBOR HTZ 1200 SP PLUS horizontal bandsaw. It will cut boards and cants as both a single cut or a double cut. The saw is powered by an 87 hp electric motor and offered with a 7-inch Stellite blade. It will cut logs up to 24 feet long and 48 inches in diameter. The company also will display 7-inch-wide band resaws with run-arounds, double-arbor gangsaws with up to 14 inches of cutting height, optimized two-and three-saw edgers, portable bandsaws, and more.
Pallet Machinery Service
(Old Dominion Building)
Pallet Machinery Service, an affiliated business of Pallet Machinery Group, will introduce pallet nailing machine parts for sale, both new and used.
Pallet Machinery Group (Old Dominion Building) will demonstrate several machines in the Old Dominion building. It is the exclusive sales agent for Storti SPA and will demonstrate a Storti TGSP 500 package saw, which cuts from the bottom upwards, and Storti R-35 vertical arbor gang saw cutting 3- and 4-sided cants. Pallet Machinery Group also will demonstrate a TS board stacker capable of 25 layers per minute and a M2L high speed stacker capable of 15 layers per minute.
Pendu Manufacturing
(Booths 434,436,438,533,535, 537)
Pendu Manufacturing will display its redesigned 2400C chop saw. The new design features heavier components to increase durability and efficiency, including a heavy-duty tubular steel frame. Powered by a 30 hp electric motor, the 28-inch saw blade cuts cants up to 9 inches high and 12 inches wide. The 2400C chop saw can precision cut cants as short as 24 inches or up to desired length. Pendu’s exhibit also will include static displays of other machinery and equipment.
The PRS Group
(Booths 731,33,35)
The PRS Group exhibit will highlight new and redesigned machinery, including the Mach II nailing line from CAPE. The CAPE Mach II, featuring quick change-over, can assemble decks, skids, and two-way reversible pallets. With only three operators, the machine can produce 2,500 pallets in an 8-hour shift. It is easily expanded to assemble block pallets and for robotic loading. The PRS Group exhibit also will feature its newly redesigned 2016 Optimax Trim Saw and an improved High Speed Pallet Sorting System.
Rotochopper
(Lots H 1-3,11-13)
Rotochoppher, a manufacturer of grinding equipment, has continued to pioneer electric grinding systems with its upgraded Mechanical Soft Start Sequence. The program decreases the amp surge at start-up and can help to reduce costly penalties charged by power companies. This is accomplished by mechanically spinning the grinding rotor to a pre-set RPM prior to engaging the main electric motor. This improved sequence simplifies machine start-up. It also reduces resistance on the motor and can decrease wear on drive belts.
Smart Products
(Lots J 4, 13, 14)
Smart Products will display and demonstrate a number of existing machines and related equipment. The company’s exhibit will feature live displays of trim saws, pallet dismantling machines, board accumulating conveyors, and related equipment.
Simonds International
(Booths, 128, 130, 132)
Simonds International will be displaying their latest innovation in filing room technology, the model 095 Automated Bench. The 095 uses the same touch screen technology used in the model 095, but this new machine has the capacity to level and tension bandsaws up to 15" wide. The increased capacity on the 095 allows for easier loading of the Bands and features a new slide ramp loading system making it easier for single person loading. Stop by the Simonds booth to see the new model 095 as well as all the great products Simonds offers.
Universal Machinery Sales
(Booth 231)
Universal Machinery Sales will exhibit several new pieces of equipment. The Sort-Tech pallet sorting and lifting system enables one person to effortlessly handle pallets for sorting and repair operations. The company also will introduce a fully adjustable pallet lifting attachment for the versatile line of vacuum tube lifters it offers. The new Universal Automatic In-Line Nailing System can build up to three 64×84 four-stringer pallets per minute, according to the company. It features PLC drive and motor controls, and slanted bars are designed for ease of filling the automated runner feeder. The system also features a pallet flipper and automatic stacker with 10-foot outfeed table.
Vecoplan Midwest
(Booth 606)
Vecoplan Midwest will introduce its Containerized Pellet Plant (CPP), which is describes as a quick, easy, affordable solution for producing 1-2 tons of wood fuel pellets per hour. The turnkey system is housed in a standard shipping container. It comes complete with controls and arrives on two semi-trucks. All that is required is a flat 40-foot surface and electric feed to the main panel. A crane is used to stack the containers, and the CPP can be operating and producing pellets within four hours. It is easily adaptable to most existing trailer load-out systems and alleviates the need for costly buildings to house pellet-producing equipment.
Viking Engineering
(Arena)
Viking Engineering, which manufactures automated pallet assembly systems and fasteners, will debut two new machines at the trade show. The company would not divulge details of its two machines, but it extended an invitation to visitors to the trade show to come to its exhibit to see the live demonstrations and learn more. The company says it is constantly improving technology and emphasizing the highest number of pallets per man.
White & Company
(Booth 737)
White & Company will demonstrate its new 3.2 software packages for optimizing shipping. Users can generate mixed truckload layouts of stacks of different size empty pallets and different types of unit loads for any shipping mode. It also calculates void space dimensions for load bracing and dunnage positioning-development. Pallet stack and unit load parameters are provided in a data table accompanied by 3D graphics. The company also offers Best Pallet™, a user-friendly, cost-effective pallet design and analysis software program, and Best Load™, which it says is the only software that models the mechanical interactions between packaging systems, pallets, and storage-handling equipment.
Wood-Mizer
(Lots G 4-10)
Wood-Mizer’s exhibit will include live demonstrations of its new FS500 log splitter. It has 29 tons of force, splits in two directions, and its 4.5-second cycle time can produce up to two cords of firewood per hour. Features include two-stage hydraulic pump, oil cooler, log lift, and three-way splitting wedge. Wood-Mizer’s exhibit also will include demonstrations of its SUPER70 portable sawmill, which can cut up to 1,050 board feet per hour, and its heavy-duty EG200 twin-blade edger, which can increase production up to 30 percent, as well as displays of material handling equipment.
Baker Products
Lot G 23, 24, 25
BP Dominator sawmill with reverse flow edger system, Baker double head resaw with slide return and the Blue Streak Model 3665D portable bandsaw.
Excelsior Marking
Booth 534
EBS hand-held ink jet printers.
Innovative Data Systems
Booth 515
Expanded features and options to Pallet-Track Mill Manager ERP software system.
Machinery Installation Co.
Lot F 5
New MEBOR HTZ 1200 SP PLUS horizontal bandsaw.
Pallet Machinery Group
Old Dominion Building
Storti TGSP 500 package saw, Storti R-35 gangsaw, TS board stacker, M2L board stacker.
Rayco Industries
Lots K 17 & 18
Pallet nailing machine.
Smart Products
Lots J 4, 13,14
Trim saws, pallet dismantling machines, notching machines.
Simonds International
Booths 128, 130, 132, 134
095 Automated Bench
Viking Engineering
Arena
Will introduce and demonstrate two new machines.
White & Company
Booth 737
New 3.2 software packages for optimizing shipping.
Wood-Mizer
Lots G 4-10
New FS500 log splitter, SUPER70 portable sawmill, EG200 twin-blade edger.
