How Georgetown Pallet Transformed Operations With The Urban Sawmill
Georgetown Pallet, a leading player in the pallet manufacturing industry, was facing significant challenges in utilizing and maximizing the yield from their manufacturing processes for new, recycled, and remanufactured pallets. As a response to these challenges, the company turned
to an innovative solution – the Urban Sawmill. This case study explores the journey of Georgetown Pallet in integrating the Urban Sawmill into their operations, highlighting the value and efficiency it brought to their manufacturing processes.
The Situation
In the realm of optimizing yield from recycled lumber and efficient sorting into designated bins, Georgetown Pallet faced a multifaceted challenge that necessitated an innovative resolution. The prevailing practice of uniformly cutting lumber into fixed 40” and 32” boards yielded suboptimal results, hindering both sorting for automated nailing processes and the overall yield potential. This issue was underscored by the presence of trims reaching up to 8” in length, revealing the untapped opportunity for additional boards. Moreover, the aspiration to introduce longer board variants 48” or 45” lengths – encountered roadblocks when attempting to implement a system enabling operators to concurrently trim across multiple board lengths. The complexity of this task was exacerbated by the operational constraints, ultimately thwarting efforts to achieve 16 distinct board categories through the actions of a solitary operator. This confluence of challenges brought to the forefront the critical need for an
innovative solution to elevate both yield and sorting efficiency within the realm of lumber recycling.
How to Improve
The company faced instability due to irregular recycled lumber, revealing sorting issues with varying wood thicknesses. Manual sorting for nailing caused slowdowns, evidenced by excessive trim saw waste. Efforts with an industrial trim saw fell short in terms of scalability and
efficiency. Manual sorting options were also impractical. A visit to Bo’s Pallets showcased an automated sorting machine, highlighting its efficiency and speed. Recognizing its potential, the company embraced automation to address sorting inefficiencies, enhance stability, and boost production.
The Solution
Alliance Automation transformed operations at Georgetown Wood and Pallet with a comprehensive solution, converting recycled lumber into sorted products based on width and thickness. This automated approach eliminated manual sorting, boosting efficiency and aligning with their five-year transformation plan, covering new pallets, combo balance, remanufactured pallets, and recycling. The Urban Sawmill’s successful integration marked a crucial step, while future advancements like a sort repair line and robotic pallet dismantler solidified their pioneering position in sustainable pallet production.
Outcome Highlights
The integration of the Urban Sawmill proved to be a game-changer for Georgetown Pallet. By addressing their challenges related to yield optimization, resource utilization, and sustainability, the company transformed its operations and achieved remarkable results. The success story of Georgetown Pallet highlights the importance of innovation and adapting cutting-edge solutions to industry-specific challenges, ultimately paving the way for sustainable growth and success.