Wood Industry
We offer gearmotors tailored to the unique requirements of the wood industry, Including Sawmills, Plywood Mills, Engineered Wood Products Mills
What Your Operation Is Up Against
Unplanned Downtime
A failed speed reducer can stop an entire production line
In the fast-paced operations found in the Wood Products Industry, lost production can cost thousands of dollars per hour, as multiple downstream machines are affected, and sit idle
Maintenance often has to work overtime to get production running again. This cost additional time and money, while other routine maintenance items do not get the attention they require.
High Shock Loads & Harsh Operating Conditions
Wood processing creates an extremely demanding environment
Reducers are exposed to heavy starting torque, frequent load reversal, impact loading from logs, wood dust moisture and washdown contamination, and temperature extremes
Only the best gearing survives this face-paced environment, while the weaker assets cost additional maintenance time and dollars, lending to revenue loss.
Maintenance & Replacement Challenges
Due to the fast pace of the industry, many reducers stay in service long past their ideal life because replacement many times is disruptive. The possibility of oil changes being skipped and the lack of condition monitoring add up.
Replacement challenges include, long lead times for OEM gearboxes, difficult installations, limited maintenance windows, difficulty sourcing replacement parts,
When a reducer finally fails, the repair often becomes an emergency. Production and revenue suffer.
How We Serve the Wood Industry
Shock Load & Extreme Duty Gearing
Robust speed reducers built to withstand harsh environments and extreme operating stress, offering up to 500% shock load capacity to prevent unexpected failures.
Local Replacement Options
Fast delivery of critical replacement options that are often available within 24 hours through an extensive partner distributor network.
Aftermarket Support
Comprehensive repair services for both Sumitomo and competitor-brand units, restoring performance and extending the lifespan of installed equipment.
Asset Management
Technical guidance on storage best practices and spare inventory management, helping mills preserve spare gearboxes in the warehouse while reducing holding costs.
Navigate Solutions by Application
Many of the gear drives used in the Forestry Industry receive punishment from changing speeds and high shock loads. Heavy log weights dropped onto conveyors and other applications can snap the teeth of many gear drives. Proven through decades of service in forestry, Sumitomo Drive Technologies delivers the toughest gear drives available to meet the harsh demands of forestry applications.
Sawmills
Chain and Belt Conveyors
Chain and belt conveyors move bulk materials or unit loads continuously along assembly lines using rotating belts or heavy-duty linked chains.
Related Products:
Log Turners and Kickers
Log turners rotate raw logs to optimal cutting angles, while kickers eject or redirect them off the conveyor line.
Related Products:
Debarkers
Debarkers strip outer bark from raw logs before sawing or processing, preparing clean wood for lumber, veneer, or paper pulp production.
Related Products:
Screw Conveyors
Waste conveyors transport scrap, recyclable materials, and production refuse away from machinery to collection bins or recycling systems.
Related Products:
Plywood Mill
Log Handling Conveyors
Log handling conveyors move heavy timber, whole logs, or processed wood through sawmills and lumber yards using rugged chains or rollers.
Related Products:
Veneers Lathes and Veneer Dryers
Veneer lathes peel thin wood sheets from logs, while veneer dryers reduce moisture content in the sheets before plywood assembly.
Related Products:
Panel Trimming Saws
Panel trimming saws make precise edge cuts on wood, composite, or plastic panels, squaring and sizing them for production.
Related Products:
Engineered Wood (OSB, MDF, Particleboard, LVL, CLT)
Wood Chip and Fiber Conveyors
Wood chip and fiber conveyors transport loose wood fragments, sawdust, and fibers to silos or processing units using high-capacity belts or chains.
Related Products:
Blenders and mixers
Blenders and mixers combine, homogenize, or agitate liquid and solid ingredients in industrial manufacturing to achieve uniform consistency.
Related Products:
Sanding Lines – Feed Rollers
Sanding line feed rollers pull and guide panels smoothly through high-speed abrasive belts to ensure uniform thickness and surface finishing.
Related Products:
Automated Palletizers and Stackers
Automated palletizers and stackers load and arrange finished goods, boxes, or bags onto pallets with robotic speed and precision.
Related Products:
Packaging and Shipping
Automatic Stacking
Automatic stacking uses automated mechanical lifters or robotics to systematically stack products or materials without manual labor.
Related Products:
Palletizers/Stretch Wrapping/Strapping Machines
Palletizers stack products onto pallets, while stretch wrappers and strapping machines secure loads with plastic film or bands for transit.
Related Products:
Loading Conveyors
Loading conveyors transfer bulk materials or packaged goods directly onto trucks, railcars, or ships to streamline loading and shipping.
Related Products:
Wood Industry Solutions in Action
Every application has its own challenges, and choosing the right solution requires confidence in both the product and the team behind it. Our customer stories show how we work through real requirements, real environments, and real operating demands to deliver solutions built for the job.
Cyclo Drives the Veneer and Plywood Industry
This manufactures automated process controls, utilizing the latest in machine vision technology for the veneer and plywood industry. Their most recent product, an automated veneer plugging system, uses a scanning process to detect defects in sheets of veneer and robots to replace or plug the damaged items.
Their new automated system is quite demanding for conveyors that feed the veneer sheets to the robots. For this application, they required reducers capable of handling high-speed start and stop rates at an extremely high cycle rate. End the end, they selected a Sumitomo Cyclo® 6000 as the speed reducer to operate their conveyor.
The BBB Solution for the Forestry Industry
A wood chipping and mulch processing plant wanted to simplify and improve the mechanical drive system of their infeed chain conveyor. The old drivetrain consisted of a belt driven motor to an inefficient helical shaft mounted gearbox. Tree stumps, branches and brush can cause uneven loading which in turn can cause belts to slip and chains to stretch or even skip teeth. The constant maintenance of these components reduced production due to downtime. The Sumitomo Bevel Buddybox 4 was the solution that they needed.
Resources to Support You
Review our Food & Beverage Industry brochure for more information on our industry solutions.
Connected Drive Solutions
Speak With our Industry Specialist
Ira Betts
Forestry & Pulp and Paper
Since 1988, I have served multiple industries with a focus on Pulp & Paper and Wood Products. I have a passion for providing the best solution for gearing challenges, increased productivity and reliability, and gear education.
Email [email protected]
Phone 1-251-753-1654