Vanderhoof-based BID Group of Companies is advancing their foray into southern United States with mechanical support from home.
Selected by Two Rivers Lumber Co. to deliver a turnkey sawmill complex in Demopolis, Alabama, BID will begin construction in early 2017, with mill production to start in the fall.
Successful execution of the project will require the combined efforts of the company’s facilities located across North America, as well as Two Rivers management.
“A large percentage of the handling equipment for this project will be manufactured and shipped from the Nechako Mechanical shop including, but not limited to, conveyors, decks, wave feeders, transfers, rolls, gates, belts, fences, and sorters,” said Kane Kelly, BID’s vice-president of business optimization. “The Nechako Mechanical shop is an important strategic manufacturing location for the group due to the many efficiencies of this facility, especially in terms of the reliability and quality exemplified in both the team of employees and the finished products.
“This project will also benefit the many local suppliers that are an important component of all BID Group projects.”
The Demopolis sawmill will involve technologies designed, supplied, and installed by the BID Group including a Comact optimized log bucking system, a Comact saw line with profiling systems, and a fully-automated mill outfeed. The planer mill will be equipped with the Miller high speed planer, and the latest Comact GradExpert 2.0. Lumber drying will utilize continuous kiln technology provided through a Deltech dual-path kiln.
As part of BID’s expansion strategy into the southern states, the project with Two Rivers is the second sawmill BID will build in the region within a year. In February, BID was selected by Biewer Lumber to deliver a turnkey mill in Newton, Mississippi.
“The BID Group has built a strategy around delivering turn-key solutions for customers.” Kelly said. “This allows the BID Group to take a project from concept through to completion almost entirely through the diverse offerings contained within the group.
“The BID Group has built a reputation in Canada of executing large scale projects on-time and on-budget and this is now becoming known, and proven, to US customers.”
BID’s original construction company was founded in 1983 by Brian, Ike, and David Fehr in partnership with Bob Derksen and Barrie Topper, starting with construction and fabrication work for Northern B.C. sawmills. The group now operates 11 facilities for forestry-related construction, mechanical, equipment, and transportation across North America.
