Lyons, Ore.-based Freres Lumber installed the Taihei Horizontal Press Model P25-AB, a horizontal hot press for laminating plywood after the gluing and prepressing processes. Freres Lumber is the first company in the United States to install such a plywood press, according to the company. Aichi, Japan-based Taihei designed and produced the horizontal press.
The horizontal press differs from conventional vertical presses in that the heat plates are installed vertically and apply pressure to the plywood horizontally. According to Freres Lumber, the press increases production efficiency and maximizes the uniformity of contact pressure. The company says the horizontal press is also easier to maintain, safer, and more energy efficient than conventional vertical presses. The horizontal press does not require a dedicated operator because the system has an automatic feed system.
Freres’ horizontal press is designed to produce 10-foot plywood and will provide the opportunity to produce long-length panels in the future. The system has a smaller footprint in relation to the number of platens, according to the company.
“We are committed to investing in advanced technology to keep Freres current and competitive, and have always looked to the future when making equipment and product decisions,” Kyle Freres, vice president of operations for Freres Lumber, said in a press release. “This new horizontal press will broaden the range of products we can offer, by freeing up two other presses to accept additional production from our spreader and our PLV (parallel-laminated veneer) line.”
Freres Lumber manufactures finished plywood products, lumber, veneers, and structural composite lumber and introduced the Mass Plywood Panel, a veneer-based engineered large-scale plywood product, to the market in 2016.
