National Hardwood Magazine - August 2018

TRADE TALK CONTINUED

TRADE TALK CONTINUED Lumbermen’s Club, National Wooden Pallet & Container Association and the Southeastern Lumber Manufacturer’s Association. More information can be found at www.iskbiocides.- com. LANGLEY, BC—Hardwoods Distribution Inc. (HDI) has, through its subsidiary Rugby Architectural Building Products, purchased the distribution assets known as Hardwoods of Atlanta LLC, Hardwoods of Georgia and Hardwoods of Alabama. HDI did not acquire the lumber manufacturing operations of Atlanta Hardwood Corp. HDI has now consolidated the two new Georgia operations into their existing Rugby Atlanta and Suwanee facilities and the Alabama facility is now operating under the Rugby brand. Operating under Atlanta Hardwood Corp., AHC Hardwood Group retains its distribution sales operations and kiln-drying yards in Clarksville, TN and Huntersville, NC, along with kiln drying yards in Crystal Spring, PA and Cleveland, GA. In addition, HDI, and under its three distribution brands, Hardwoods Specialty Products, Frank Paxton Lumber and Rugby Architectural Building Products, has entered into a full-line distribution partnership with Fritz EGGER GmbH & Co., OG (“EGGER”), one of the world’s leading wood-based materials suppliers for the interior, furniture, wood construction and flooring industries. EGGER brand Eurodekor Thermally Fused Laminates (TFL), decorate laminate and edgebanding is available for sale at 35 locations across North America. As a result of exceptional growth, Hardwoods, Paxton and Rugby have recently expanded facilities in Elkhart, IN; Phoenix, AZ; Perris, CA and Rugby Eastvale, CA. The Perris and Eastvale locations service the massive Los Angeles/ San Diego market. Robust growth, a significantly expanded product offering, great people and strong long-term plans are the drivers for the distribution facility expansions. For more information, visit www.hdidist.com and www.hardwoodweb.com. Jim Parker BARRE, VT–Vacutherm Inc., located here, recently debuted a new kiln product called iDRY. According to Jim Parker, president of Vacutherm, “The iDRY system was designed with ease-of-use as the first priority. It’s as simple as setting the system in place, plugging it in, then you’re ready to start drying 56 AUGUST 2018 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE

Pictured here is Vacutherm’s new iDRY system at a rate that is three to five times faster than conventional kilns.” Specifications for the iDRY system include: • Capacity: 1,000 to 2,000 board feet • Lumber pile: 13-foot long by 42-inches wide by 55-inches tall • Power requirement: 208-230V 1PH 60A • Heating: Electric or hot water • Energy consumption: Electrically heated: 6kwh average. Hot water heated: 1kwh average • Dry time: 1 week per inch of thickness • Installation: Inside, level ground or slab, water connection, 208-230V power connection, done. • Loading: Forklift loaded. • Water Requirement: 0.75 GPM • Controls: Touch screen • Total weight of equipment: 7,500 pounds. To learn more about the iDRY system, visit www.vacutherm.com/idry-start-drying. KANE, PA—Rick Engebretsen has been hired as the general manager of the Collins mill, located here. Engebretsen has worked for Collins seven years, and currently works in the Hardwood division. He has been in the forest products industry since 1995, when he started Rick Engebretsen as a dry chain puller. He graded Red Alder and Pacific Coast Maple and has been involved in Hardwood and softwood lumber manufacturing, starting at Northwest Hardwoods in Eugene, OR and worked for three other lumber manufac- Please turn the page AUGUST 2018 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 57