SPI continues to demonstrate its commitment to the community with its latest investment

Although it may have taken nearly a year to coordinate the install of the newest upgrade to Sierra Pacific Industries’ (SPI) Quincy Sawmill, the estimated $2 million investment and project is complete. “The new fully-computerized wood sawing system will produce a significantly higher yield from every log we process,” said plant manager Matthew Taborski.

He is referring to the company’s latest improvement to the small log mill operation, the Real Performance Machinery (RPM) Gang Profiler. It analyzes and measures every log and calculates the optimum sizes for each particular cut. It also provides a direct path to a byproduct conveyor for the chips and sawdust byproduct used to fuel the company’s biomass co-generation power plant.

This unique saw box is only the second of its kind in the nation built by RPM in South Carolina. It was specifically designed to integrate with the existing equipment and production flow at the Quincy plant. “We’ll be able to reduce the bottleneck that often occurs at the edger,” Taborski explained.

“Installing the machine was a challenge in itself,” said Taborski. The Profiler had to be placed in the center of the small log mill production assembly, requiring a large portion of the building’s roof to be removed. Then an enormous crane lifted the 70,000-pound machine and carried it over the building some 120 feet to place it.

“Our crew is really excited about this latest addition to Quincy. We’ll get more production done in the same amount of time and ensure we are utilizing every fiber of each log,” Taborski said. “It better distributes our workload through the processing centers,” he said adding that it won’t mean any reduction in staffing, again just greatly improve the efficiency of his existing team.

SPI’s commitment

Since 1975 SPI and its owners, the Emmerson family, have continued to make significant investments and improvements in the Quincy facilities, surrounding timberlands and throughout Plumas County reinforcing the long-term commitment they’ve made to this community and to their employees (referred to as crew members).

The company’s family culture and roots run deep in Quincy. As the county’s largest private employer, the Quincy lumber mill sits on over 100 acres and is operated by some 340 valued crew members. Taborski, a Quincy High School graduate, has been with SPI for 27 years and has managed the Quincy plant for the past two years. He highlighted the fact that the company has lots of career opportunities, with an extremely competitive salary structure and excellent benefits package. “Our culture allows people to grow and advance as much as they want to in this industry with our company,” he said.

For seventy years, SPI has continued to be a steward of sustainable forests and national leader in the lumber industry. It manages over 2 million acres of timberland in California and Washington, where they also own and operate 14 sawmills, 7 biomass cogeneration plants, 3 millwork and remanufacturing plants, and 3 Sierra Pacific Windows Plants.

SPI tours

The SPI team welcomes the opportunity to provide education and outreach opportunities with community partners.  Community Groups and organizations are encouraged to schedule guided tours of their sawmills and forestry districts. For more information call 283-2820.