Forest By-Products Processing
S. Howes has designed and built industrial process equipment for paper, pulp, and other forest by-products for over 100 years. Our robust line of pulp and paper processing equipment is available for the mixing, conveying, particle sizing, screening, and filtering steps of forest by-products. Our experienced sales engineers can guide you through the selection process based on your specific product requirements.
Equipment
Processing Challenges in Forest Products Operations
Paper mills, pulp processors, sawmills, and wood byproduct producers operate with fibrous, abrasive, and moisture-variable materials that challenge even well-maintained equipment. Inconsistent feedstocks, particle-size variability, and the need for precise screening and sizing make equipment selection critical for maintaining throughput and product quality.
S. Howes has designed and built industrial process equipment for the forest products industry for over 100 years. Our equipment handles the mixing, conveying, size reduction, and screening steps that keep wood and fiber processing operations running reliably.
Pain Points We Solve
- Inconsistent chip or fiber sizing leading to downstream quality issues
- Material bridging, clumping, or poor flow in conveyors and hoppers
- Fibrous or sticky materials fouling screening equipment
- Particle size distribution that doesn’t meet product spec
- Equipment wear from abrasive wood particles and bark
- Inefficient separation of overs, fines, and acceptable fractions
- Unreliable conveying of bulk wood byproducts disrupting production flow
- Moisture variability affecting material handling and processing performance
Optimize Your Forest Products Processing Line
We help pulp and paper mills, sawmills, and wood byproduct processors achieve consistent material handling and processing across a range of feedstocks and production requirements.
S. Howes engineers work directly with plant engineers and operations teams to design systems tailored to:
- Material characteristics such as wood chips, pulp fiber, bark, sawdust, and lignocellulosic byproducts
- Particle size distribution and sizing requirements
- Batch or continuous throughput targets
- Scale up from pilot operations to full production systems
- Facility layout and structural constraints
- Moisture content and environmental control considerations
Engineered for Forest Products Material Processing
Bulk Material Conveying Systems
For wood chips, pulp, sawdust, bark, and fiber-based bulk materials.
Screw conveyors, tubular conveyors, U-trough conveyors, and feeders are engineered to reliably transport fibrous and abrasive bulk materials while maintaining consistent feed rates and minimizing material loss.
Applications include wood chips, pulp fiber, sawdust, biomass residuals, and specialty wood byproducts.
Screening and Separating Equipment
For particle classification, purity, and process control.
Sifters, shakers, and screening systems remove overs, fines, and foreign material while improving product consistency and classification accuracy.
Used for wood chip screening, sawdust classification, fiber separation, and byproduct sizing applications.
Size Reduction Systems
For controlled particle sizing of wood, fiber, and processed byproducts.
Lump breakers, knife cutters, granulators, and graters reduce wood chunks, compacted fiber, or oversized material into consistent feedstock for downstream processing, conveying, or product applications.
Ideal for wood chip sizing, sawmill residuals, pulp byproducts, and specialty fiber materials.
Industrial Mixing Equipment
For blending, conditioning, and homogenizing wood and fiber-based materials.
Ribbon mixers, paddle mixers, and pug mills provide thorough blending of wood byproducts, additives, or conditioning agents in both batch and continuous configurations.
Used for animal bedding production, composite wood material preparation, pulp conditioning, and specialty forest byproduct processing.
Why Choose S. Howes
What Forest Products Processors Need
- Heavy-duty construction designed for abrasive and fibrous materials
- Engineered internals that resist fouling from sticky or wet feedstocks
- Reliable conveying and feed control for variable bulk densities
- Screening systems capable of handling fibrous and irregular particles
- Custom systems for challenging wood and fiber materials
- Reliable performance for continuous industrial operation
Applications
- Wood chip processing and screening
- Sawmill residual and byproduct handling
- Pulp and paper fiber processing
- Animal bedding production from wood shavings and sawdust
- Biomass and wood fuel preparation
- Bark and lignocellulosic byproduct processing
Capabilities
- Particle sizing and classification systems
- Bulk storage and transfer line design
- Mixers, feeders, and conveyors for wood and fiber materials
- Screening and separation for chip and fiber classification
- Custom agitator and internal designs for fibrous materials
- Systems engineered for wet, dry, and variable-moisture feedstocks
Scalable Systems From Pilot Test to Full Production
Forest products processors rely on S. Howes to support every stage of equipment development, from pilot testing to full-scale production systems.
We provide lab-scale and pilot-scale equipment that allows processors to evaluate material flow, sizing performance, and screening efficiency before committing to production equipment.
Our testing services allow companies to bring their materials to S. Howes to confirm handling characteristics and processing performance before investing in production equipment. This approach reduces risk and ensures equipment is properly engineered for real-world operating conditions with forest-derived feedstocks.
Applications Across Forest Products Processing
S. Howes supports a wide range of material processing applications within the forest products industry, including:
- Wood chip screening and classification
- Sawmill byproduct handling and sizing
- Pulp fiber conveying and processing
- Animal bedding production from wood residuals
- Biomass fuel preparation and sizing
- Bark and residual fiber processing
- Deagglomeration of clumped or compacted wood materials
System Integration Capabilities
S. Howes equipment integrates into complete forest products processing environments, including:
- Bulk storage bins and feed hoppers
- Screw and tubular conveying systems
- Screening and classification equipment
- Mixing and blending systems
- Dust collection and air handling equipment
- Downstream packaging, baling, or pelleting operations
Featured Resources
Wood Chip System For Forest Products Company
Residual waste wood from a sawmill gets convert it into a value-added product to be sold as animal bedding.
Avert Powder & Bulk Solids Processing Issues
No two bulk solids are the same, presenting just one of many challenges when it comes to process operations.
Size Reduction Processing Equipment
Download brochure about size reduction equipment and testing in our state-of-the-art lab.
Forest By-Products Processing Equipment
S. Howes has designed and built industrial process equipment for paper, pulp, and other forest by-products for over 100 years. Our robust line of pulp and paper processing equipment is available for the mixing, conveying, particle sizing, screening, and filtering steps of forest by-products.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of materials does S. Howes equipment handle in forest products processing?
Our equipment is designed for wood chips, sawdust, pulp fiber, bark, shavings, and a range of lignocellulosic byproducts used in paper, pulp, biomass, and animal bedding applications.
Can S. Howes equipment handle wet or high-moisture wood materials?
Yes. Our equipment is designed for variable-moisture feedstocks and can be configured with appropriate materials and internals for wet, dry, or seasonally variable wood and fiber materials.
How does S. Howes equipment handle fibrous materials that tend to foul or bridge?
We engineer internals, agitator designs, and conveyor configurations specifically for fibrous and irregular materials, reducing the risk of bridging, fouling, and flow interruption.
Can your screening equipment accurately classify wood chips by size?
Yes. Our screening systems are designed to accurately classify wood chips, sawdust, and other irregular particles into precise size fractions to meet downstream process requirements.
Do you offer custom-engineered systems for specific forest products applications?
Yes. Every system is engineered based on the material properties, throughput requirements, and layout constraints of each facility.
Not Sure What You Need?
We’re here to help you! Tell us what you need to be done and we’ll contact you to recommend the right equipment.