DV Hardwoods’ quality control manager Martin Brunet grades Hard Maple. Also pictured is lumber piler Pascal Bernier at the company’s facility in Fassett, Que.
DV Hardwoods Responds To Customers By Doug Knowles
Fassett, Quebec—DV Hardwoods’ relocation to its new 40-acre facility in Fassett positions the company to expand its efforts to meet the ever- increasing requirements of its customers in Canada, the United States, Europe and Asia.
“This move gives DV Hardwoods more product flexibility,” said Viateur Girard, president of DV Hardwoods. “At DV Hardwoods we believe the key to success in today’s market is to understand our customers’ needs, accommodate them and develop long-term partnerships, rather than simply respond to supply and demand of the market.”
In order to better serve customers needs, the company installed a brand new Machinage Piche grading chain with Exact Modus software, which will more than double its hourly grading capacity to 4,000 board feet per hour. The grading chain is equipped with an optical laser to read width at the ¼-inch and thickness, as well as a limit switch to read lengths. This allows for DV’s NHLA certified graders to better concentrate on
Quality Control manager Martin Brunet and Sebastien Leduc, yard manager, on the newly installed grading chain.
grade.
Additionally, DV installed a new planer in August to meet ever-growing demand for surfaced lumber.
“With this new equipment and technology, we are better equipped to develop custom grades and custom dimension for our customers,” said Girard.
With these new tools in place, DV Hardwoods is prepared to handle an annual capacity of 15 million BF of grade lumber. Its primary species consist of Hard Maple, Yellow Birch, Red Birch, White (Paper) Birch, Red Oak and Basswood in thicknesses ranging from 4/4 to 9/4. DV Hardwoods also sorts Hard Maple and Yellow Birch for color and pulls full-width strips ranging from 3-½ to 9-inches and wider.
“In recent years we have all seen the lumber industry change substantially,” Girard said. “One important trend we’ve noticed is that lumber can no longer just be sold as random width and length. Instead we need to develop custom grades including pulled lengths and widths.”
DV Hardwood’s onsite custom kilns.
In order to ensure continuous supply, DV Hardwoods exclusively markets all lumber produced at Lauzon Resources Forestieres (LRF-T) sawmill, located in Thurso, Que., approximately 25 kilometers east of its Fassett location. Total production for 2006 will be 18 million BF, with 70 percent in Hard Maple; 20 percent in Yellow Birch; and the remaining 10 percent distributed between Red Oak, White (Paper) Birch and Basswood.
DV recognizes that forests are a renewable resource that must be managed responsibly. The company ensures that its supply source, through LRF-T, is known and legal and that forests are managed according to current legislation.
“We believe in sustainable forest management to ensure ongoing and renewable supply,” said Girard. “We adhere to logging techniques that respect the bio-diversity of our forest. Harvested trees are carefully selected to allow for the forests improved growth.”
To round out its operations, DV Hardwoods has nine steam-operated kilns at its Fassett facility that can h
Lumber that is ready for shipment is wrapped in plastic in one of DV’s warehouses.
andle approximately 11 million board feet annually. The company also has two T Sheds with a 500,000-board-foot capacity and two pre-kilns. Once dried, all lumber that is not pre-sold is wrapped in plastic to protect it from the elements.
With adequate inventory on-hand and upgraded equipment, the company is able to fulfill a wide range of customer orders. DV ships domestically, cross–border and internationally. Conveniently located one hour west of the port of Montreal, DV can load containers for export onsite, and can use a trans-load facility in nearby Boisbriand to load rail cars.
“Everyone in the industry is feeling the effects of globalization,” said Girard. “Every business needs to be as competitive as possible and increase its overall yields while maintaining a reliable and continued raw material supply. By adequately responding to our customers needs our goal is to develop a mutually beneficial long term ongoing partnership that will enable them to remain competitive in today’s marketplace.”
Commitment to its customers, quality products and respect of the environment have been DV’s missions since i
Fork lift driver Jean Guy Raymond prepares to load an export container.
ts foundation in 1992. Its subsequent evolution and growth bears witness to the firm’s ability to remain true to its core objective —“ Understanding the Customer.”
As much as DV values its customers, it also places tremendous importance on its personnel: Benoit Martin and Sylvain Beaulieu in sales; Martin Brunet and Sebastien Leduc, yard managers; Rachel Leduc in logistics; and Louise McCormick and Stephanie Van Dystadt, sales agents.
“At DV Hardwoods, we respect the customer and understand their changing needs,” said Girard. “We are committed to investing in equipment and technology, installations and personnel in order to meet the continual demand of the customer in an ever-changing industry.”
The new signage at the Fassett facility welcomes customers and visitors to DV Hardwoods.
This aerial photo shows the impressive size of the DV Hardwoods facility.
