Manufacturing

Investments are made toward quality and efficiency.

 

 

Sawmill

 

 

 

Producing lumber is a time-honored profession, but Durgin and Crowell knows that it must continue to look to the future in order to provide its customers with the highest quality product. This forward-thinking approach has two benefits: it creates a better end product for customers, and it promotes a better trained, more motivated and safer workforce.

Durgin and Crowell boasts a technologically advanced sawmill complex, and the company’s push toward modernization ensures an accurate and consistent product for its customers. Durgin and Crowell seeks to get the most out of each pine log, and optimization occurs throughout the mill at every key manufacturing station. Lewis Controls are used at the primary breakdown site to scan all the logs that enter the mill. All round edge boards pass thru a PHL Optimized Edger with Autolog scanners to ensure accurate width lumber. A fully automatic FinScan grader was installed in 2004 to ensure that customers receive a consistent product. This system has been used in Europe for years, but this was the first installation on white pine in North America.

Two of the biggest problems in manufacturing Eastern White Pine are torn grain and moisture related issues. Durgin and Crowell has addressed these issues heads on in our Filing Room and with our Dry Kilns.

 

 

Filing Room

 

 

The filing room in the sawmill is one of the best-equipped in the industry. All band saws are tipped with Stellite, which is the material of choice for White Pine. Once tipped, the saws pass by a computer-controlled automatic leveler, face grinder and side grinder before entering the mill. Variable pitch and depth saws are used to assist in the elimination of torn grain in the mill.

 

 

Dry Kilns

 

 

Eastern White Pine is a difficult species to dry because of the wide variation of moisture in the wood entering the kilns. While it may be more economical to install kilns with 100,000 board foot of capacity, Durgin and Crowell decided to install kilns with 34,000 board foot of capacity. The smaller kilns allow Durgin and Crowell to load smaller amounts of a more uniform product. The more uniform the material that enters the kiln, the more uniform the material that comes out. It may take more time and effort to load smaller kilns, the end result is a better, more consistent product. As an additional check, there are two inline Wagner Moisture detectors in the planing mill, which every board passes through before dressing.

 

 

Planer Mill & Distribution Center

 

 

One of the more recent and important additions to the mill is our planing distribution center. Within this facility is a Yates-American A-20 planer and a Waco-Weing 30XL moulder. With the ability to produce over 30 patterns, Durgin and Crowell has the right machine for the needs of its customers. All lumber is staged for shipment within the warehouse and all trucks are loaded inside the facility. With all the attention given to moisture concerns, it does not make sense to load outside where the environment could jeopardize lumber quality.

The finishing operations facility allows Durgin and Crowell to serve its customers throughout the U.S. based on their specific needs, whether it is special moisture requirements, multiple patterns or unique moulder finishes.

 

 

Enhance Pre-Coated Pine Paneling

 

 

Durgin and Crowell has developed a pre-coated pine paneling, where we coat high grade lumber with an all-solid, UV-cured, VOC-free coating. Our Enhance paneling looks great, is better for the environment, and saves time and money on installation. To learn more about Enhance, please visit our products page.