Durgin and Crowell has what it takes to produce a quality product.

Sawmill

Producing lumber may be a time-honored profession, but to provide its customers with the highest quality product, Durgin and Crowell knows that it must look to the future. This forward-thinking approach has two benefits: it creates a better end product for customers, and it ensures a better-trained, motivated and valued workforce.

Durgin and Crowell boasts a technically advanced sawmill complex. The company’s push toward modernization ensures an accurate and consistent product for its customers. Optimization occurs though 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. As with any new products, there were issues, but the can-do attitude at Durgin and Crowell addressed them and the machine is producing a well-graded consistent product for its customers.

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 within 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 is much 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 into the kilns. The more uniform the material that enters the kiln, the more uniform the material that comes out. As an additional check, there are two inline Wagner Moisture detectors in the planing mill, which every board passes through before dressing.

Finishing Operations

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.

Modern Cut-up Shop

Taking advantage of its modern cut-up shop, nothing goes to waste at Durgin and Crowell. All shorts are sent to the cut-up shop where each board is graded and then automatically cut to produce the most clear knot-free pieces. The knotty sections are even saved and later used to generate power.