Assessment of the lumber drying industry and current potential for value-added processing in Alaska.

Abstract

An assessment was done of the lumber drying industry in Alaska. Part 1 of the assessment included an evaluation of kiln capacity, kiln type, and species dried, by geographic region of the state. Part 2 of the assessment considered the valueadded potential associated with lumber drying. Various costs related to lumber drying were evaluated in an Excel spreadsheet. About 2.2 million board feet of lumber per year is currently being dried in Alaska, over 90 percent of which is softwoods. Total installed kiln capacity is about 94 thousand board feet. On a board-foot basis, lumber drying premiums and profitability were most influenced by species dried (whether softwoods or hardwoods) and not as strongly influenced by geographic location or type of kiln used.

Alaska's lumber-drying industry—impacts from a federal grant program.

“…Because this report includes only those firms remaining in business and actively drying lumber between 2000 and 2004, the 2000 results understate somewhat the actual dry kiln activity in Alaska for that year, as reported in previous studies (Nicholls and Kilborn 2001). Also, previous studies included two small research kilns that we did not consider here.…”

“…In 2000, Alaska kilns had a combined installed capacity of only 94 thousand board feet (mbf) (Nicholls and Kilborn 2001). However, since 2000, installed dry kiln capacity in Alaska has more than doubled to an estimated 220 mbf, drying close to 813 mbf of lumber annually.…”

Contemporary wood utilization research needs in the Western United States.

“…Technology transfer efforts have been directed toward a wide audience, including wood products entrepreneurs and natural resource professionals (Rapp 2003). The team has worked closely with many of Alaska's primary and secondary wood products businesses, including evaluations of sawmill efficiency (Kilborn 2002), lumber drying (Nicholls and Kilborn 2001), lumber moisture content (Nicholls et al 2003a), and bioenergy potential from wood residues (Nicholls and Crimp 2002) (fig. 11).…”

The U.S. glulam beam and lamstock market and implications for Alaska lumber.

“…The study noted that much of the lumber used in Alaska was imported from the Lower 48 States and there was potential to substitute Alaska forest products for some of these imported products. As of the year 2000, Alaska kiln-drying capacity only had an installed base of 94 thousand board feet (mbf) (Nicholls and Kilborn 2001). This limited capacity hindered Alaska sawmills' ability to supply lumber to regional markets, which demanded dried lumber certified by recognized lumber grading standards.…”