A project
of superlatives
Complex log handling system for Groupe François in Virton
Engineering at the highest level
Groupe François, headquartered in Virton, Belgium, is among the leading companies in the European packaging and pallet industry. In addition to pallets and packaging, the company’s business model includes pellets and energy generation from wood – driven by a clear commitment to fully utilise all residual materials. Groupe François and HOLTEC share a long‑standing partnership. The recently completed project in Virton marks a new milestone in this collaboration and ranks among the largest and most complex installations in HOLTEC’s history.
Task
Groupe François pursued the goal of significantly expanding the raw material base at the Virton site. In future, the facility was to process not only small‑diameter logs, but also larger dimensions efficiently. This would provide greater flexibility in procurement, improved access to wood resources, and increased security of supply.
The particular challenge lay in the spatial conditions: the existing site is tightly confined between a road and a railway line, leaving no room for expansion. As a result, the new log yard had to be constructed on the opposite side of the railway line. At the same time, a high‑performance, highly automated solution was required – one capable of reliably supplying two saw lines, reducing staffing needs, and ensuring a fully integrated digital data flow.
Solution
HOLTEC, working closely with Groupe François, developed an exceptional overall concept. At its heart is a new log yard on the opposite side of the railway line, connected to the sawmill via a 12‑metre‑high bridge structure. This enables automated log transport directly into the mill without any additional lorry traffic – efficient and sustainable.
At the centre of the installation is a HOLTEC VPK portal crane, responsible for the complete log‑handling process. From lorry delivery, incoming measurement and log separation using chainless technology, through to the butt reducer bypass and metal detector, all the way to sorting into specially designed steel boxes – the entire material flow is integrated into a single system solution.
Two separate saw lines – a high‑performance HewSaw line and an EWD line – are supplied with precision and as required, in part via a 150‑metre‑long conveying system positioned 12 metres above ground level. In parallel, a fully digitalised data flow has been implemented: from log arrival to processing, all relevant parameters are recorded automatically and processed in real time. Together with JÖRG‑ELEKTRONIK, this created a seamless workflow as a building block of the “Sawmill of the Future”.
Despite the tight space, the complex integration into existing structures and an ambitious schedule of just twelve months, the project was completed on time. The new log yard is now operated by only two staff members and combines maximum resource utilisation with high process stability and a CO₂‑oriented production philosophy.
The customer’s conclusion underscores the project’s ambition: they consciously chose HOLTEC – not as the cheapest, but as the best partner.
We deliberately did not choose the cheapest solution, but for the best.
Florent Vanlaetem
Happy faces after the completion of a successful project
from left to right: Alexander Gebele, Nicolas Scholzen,
Jan Zimmer, Nicolas Quoirin, Hugo Dewamme, Florent Vanlaetem, Marco Heyen, Erwin Franzen, Michel Hartman
