It’s become the War of Letters between Weyerhaeuser Co. and Willamette Industries. Weyerhaeuser, in what has evolved into a hostile takeover attempt, has offered $5.4 billion to purchase Willamette, $48 per share, as well as assuming $1.7 billion in debt. Willamette has continued to fight off Weyerhaeuser’s takeover effort, which began last November and has grown increasingly nasty.

Like a pilgrim seeking higher rewards, Suwannee Lumber Co. has been journeying since 1995 to find its balance. Mechanically speaking, the mill has achieved a bottleneck-free material flow. Management has now turned to employee development and its cash flows to find more efficiency. Meanwhile, the product mix continues to undergo evaluation in response to the markets.

When Timber Processing last visited McShan Lumber in summer 1994, the high grade southern pine operation had completed several major projects during the first portion of the decade, including the installation of three sorters, a trimmer optimizer, an optimized edger and two carriages with headrig scanning/optimization.

Thirty-six-year-old Hunter McShan smiles when he’s asked when the powers that be at McShan Lumber (namely his father, John Tyler McShan) named him president. He hadn’t been president when I visited the operation in late summer 1994. He had been a vice president, in charge of production. Walking into his office, seeing his hardhat and ear plugs on the table, seeing a little dust on his sweater and jeans, and realizing in a second that this was not the office of a man who spends all day in his office, it was obvious that he was still in charge of production at the high grade southern pine lumber operation.

The rugged and compact Model 3680 Beast Recycler is now available as a self-propelled unit designed for off-highway and off-landing use. It is ideal for land clearing and logging operations wishing to dispose of unwanted slash and cull material. Orchard operators should also find the machine effective in processing unwanted trees. Mulch and composting operations that regrind material from compost piles will also be impressed with this self-propelled Beast as it can move among the piles without having to be towed.

Shimpo Drives, Inc. offers a modular adjustable top mount adaptor for the Gyromax speed reducer. Adaptor easily accepts belt guards, cuts down on length of motor/reducer assembly and can accommodate wide range of motor frame sizes. It uses long full thread bolts for tensioning and is made of fabricated steel for strength and durability.