Forest management
The company purchases wood directly from forest owners (1/3 of its needs), either from “Office National des Forêts” (2/3 of its needs) or from private landlords (1/3).
Fire wood and slushing trading
To comply with owners’ specifications and to leave cuttings area in order after woodentting for better regeneration, crowns are processed and transformed either into 200 cm length for the panel industry (slushing) or into 100 cm length for fire wood.
These products are staying in the “cut area” until to be sell, its approximately represents a permanent stock of 10 000 cubic meters..
The sawmill
Watering
Logs intended for the sawmill are brought directly to the park to be cross-cut and then milled, or, in the spring, is stored under a water unit to avoid damages due to worms and weather-stains ; these damages can be significant if logs are not protected by continuous spinkling.
Production units
Sawing is performed with modern equipment :
- Centry off
- Debarking
- Tele-Twin
- “Cobra” edger saw
- “Grecon” cross cutter saw
- Sorting
1. Centry off
2. Debarking
3. Tele-Twin
4. "Cobra" edger saw
5. "Grecon" cross cutter saw
6. Sorting
Drying and storage
After sawing, sime of the categories are brought directly to the kiln; the sawmill owns three dry kilns with a total capacity of 200 cubic meters.
For the remaining categories, wood is placed on pallets and waxed at each end to avoid cracks and splits, before being stored away from direct sunlight.
Hand splitt oak staves
In addition to sawing, one of the activities of the Sawmill Petitrenaud is the production of hand splitt oak staves used to make barrels for fine wines.
