More performance
with zero downtime
Log yard modernised during ongoing operations.
A new log yard in two construction phases
With two sawmills in Lauterbach (Hesse) and Uelzen (Lower Saxony), Bien-Holz has been one of the leading specialists for pallet timber and sawmill by‑products for more than 30 years. Each year, around 600,000 solid cubic metres of logs are processed – with around 50 lorries delivering fresh timber to each site every day.
At the Lauterbach location, the complete renewal of the ageing log yard system was scheduled for 2023/24 – all while maintaining ongoing production and under restricted spatial conditions.
Task
The existing log yard system was to be completely replaced without interrupting the sawmill’s supply. At the same time, ambitious performance figures were required to efficiently handle the high daily delivery volumes.
A particular challenge arose from the spatial constraints on the premises. The new system had to be built within the existing footprint while the old equipment remained in operation. In addition, the solution needed to process both short and long logs flexibly – despite the site’s specialisation in 2.50‑metre sections, which are cut to 1.25 metres before sawing.
What was required, therefore, was a compact, high‑performance concept capable of reliably transporting and processing even short, curved or asymmetrical logs.
Solution
HOLTEC implemented the new log yard in two construction phases. The new short‑log line was installed first and commissioned in November 2023 – including all foundation work. Just 14 days after production started, the old line could be shut down and dismantled, as the new equipment was already supplying the mill reliably with logs.
Efficient log logistics begin with two mirror‑image infeed stations, allowing two trucks to be unloaded simultaneously. High‑performance step feeders separate the logs and transfer them to the central longitudinal conveyor. Following visual quality inspection, precise measurement is carried out via a 3D scanner. Depending on requirements, butt reduction is performed before the logs are automatically reintroduced into the sorting process, which leads to a total of 54 boxes.
Particular attention was paid to the safe transport of short and partially curved logs. The system was designed to ensure stable and trouble‑free conveying even for challenging geometries – a crucial requirement in pallet production.
In the second construction phase, an additional long‑log yard was built, providing greater flexibility in raw material purchasing. Here too, unloading is performed independently by the truck drivers before the logs are separated, guided precisely to the crosscut saw and cut down to short‑log length.
The result: significant efficiency gains and noticeable relief in daily operations. At the Lauterbach site, two to three shifts per week could be saved; the previously required Saturday shift has been eliminated entirely.
With the new log yard, Bien‑Holz now has a powerful, flexible and future‑proof solution – realised without any production downtime.
from left to right:
Ellen Schlett, authorised signatory Bien-Holz, Alexander Gebele General Manager Holtec,
Oliver Schmidt General Manager Bien-Holz, Klaus Oestreich Technical Manager Bien-Holz
and Daniel Engel Sales Manager Holtec
