Major acquisitions at the Ebolowa sawmill

Always higher, always farther. Drying cells, new sawing line, renovation of the sharpening room, purchase of forestry equipment: in recent months, Cameroon United Forests has continued to invest and develop, especially at the heart of its Ebolowa sawmill. It thus responds as best it can to the policy of industrialization of logging advocated by the Head of State.

3 new drying cells

Since the month of July, the boiler of the dryer of the sawmill of Ebolowa no longer counts its hours.  It runs at full speed to supply hot water to the 6 drying cells, twice as much as in June.  Each cell produces an average of 100 m3 of KD (kiln dried) wood per cycle.   A white wood cycle varies between 10 to 25 days.  With these three new drying cells, the CUF can produce 1500 m3 of KD wood per month, an increase of 150% in its production compared to June.

Renovation of the sharpening equipment

In the sharpening room, saw blades need only be held well. New machines arrived in May and September to improve the quality and performance of sharpening. The CUF has acquired a carousel blade sharpener, a circular blade sharpening machine, a planing bench and a grinding machine.

Commissioning of the 3rd sawing line

On the 3rd sawing line commissioned in June, the timber logs run under the blades of several machines before being transformed into blanks.  Multi-blade saw, single-blade saw, baler and horizontal saws succeed each other, for optimum performance and profitability.  Renamed by the General Manager «the Swiss Knife», the 3rd line allows both fixed cut (according to the customer’s request) and standard cut.  A revolution where line N°1 only makes fixed cuts with its multiblade and line N°2 only standard cuts with its single-blade saw.   Much more automated than the other two lines, the 3rd line of sawing has a capacity of 2000 m3 per month.  With its three lines, the CUF is now able to produce 5000 m3 of processed wood per month.

According to the General Manager, “the challenge now is to provide the food for this big fork and knife, because to produce 5000 m3 of processed wood per month, it takes about 15 000 m3 of wood”.

And to ensure in the forest, the CUF has acquired two new Bulldozer and a Skidder. At the Ebolowa site, two 966H and STLG loaders were purchased to transport the logs, two additional platform trucks as well as a Manitou forklift assist in the logistics of the sawmill. And it is not over, the CUF is planning to buy 10 new grain trucks in 2017.