Weyerhaeuser, located in Elkin, North Carolina, for 38 years, has recently welcomed the first 835MT in the states as a part of their OSB operation.
Sennebogen has been a part of their operation for 13 years with 5 SENNEBOGEN machines currently on site. These machines assist in their 24/7 operation, which ranges from unloading 100-150 log trucks a day to feeding flakers that make woodchips. Their SENNEBOGENs include 4 830MTs, one stationed on a pedestal, one run from a hardwired cab outside of the machine, and one that pulls a trailer, as well as an 835MT, which unloads log trucks.
A Yard of Green
“These SENNEBOGENs are run 24 hours a day no matter the weather, and they do extremely well with what they are put through,” explained Cody Billings, the lead for the wood room area. “They get put through the test, and they hold up to it.”
The 835MT is their newest machine, which they received in January of this year. It offers them 100 more horsepower and a 4 ft longer boom, which has been game-changing for their operation. “Before, we were pulling trailers that were close to what the machine could pull, so we went with the 835 because it could hold more weight. We had some places we just couldn’t reach before that we can now. It’s been a great addition and has run every day since we got it.”
Heath Danley, a wood yard tech at Weyerhaeuser, operates the 835MT. “I love it; it’s a great machine,” he said. “I think with how smooth it operates and how quick we can run it makes it very effective for what we need it for.”
The Strander Cab
Weyerhaeuser’s operation includes a strander cab, which is utilized to operate different portions of the mill, including a SENNEBOGEN 830. It is hard-wired to the machine so that the operator can use the 830 to feed wood into different parts of the mill and clear jams.
“If that machine is down, we are down; the mill couldn’t run without it,” said Cody. The SENNEBOGEN 830 has roughly 60-70,000 hours and is still going strong 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This setup eliminates the need for a second operator and increases safety.
Training – Taking Control of Downtime
With close proximity, Weyerhaeuser takes advantage of SENNEBOGEN’s free training program and takes control of their downtime. “Sennebogen is an hour and a half from our plant, so we send our maintenance technicians twice a year. Some go more for the advanced classes.”
“It’s really helped us out as far as handling little things on a machine,” Cody explained. “When something little is broken, we don’t have to call someone to come fix it. We have a guy ready to work on it.”
“SENNEBOGEN Makes You Feel Welcome”
Beyond the ease of operation and service, Cody believes that what sets SENNEBOGEN apart is how much they care about the people they work with. “It seems like any time I reach out to someone at SENNEBOGEN, they make it personal. We can talk about machines and then talk about everyday life.”
“You can tell their operation is a lot like ours. Everything is family-oriented; it seems like no matter what part of the operation we go to, everyone is willing to help. It’s definitely made us feel welcome.”