Title: Continuous sawmill studies: protocols, practices, and profits

Author: Mayer, Robert; Wiedenbeck, Jan

Year: 2005

Publication: Gen. Tech. Rep. NE-334. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station. 32 p.

Abstract: In today?s global economy, the ?opportunity cost? associated with suboptimal utilization of raw material and mill resources is significant. As a result, understanding the profit potential associated with different types of logs is critically important for sawmill survival. The conventional sawmill study typically has been conducted on a substantially similar ?batch? of logs to gain insight into gross (volume) yield, grade yield, and profitability of those logs. Traditional mill studies capture data only for a day or two. Mill study data should be collected continuously so that the results reflect potential profitability for a range of operating conditions.