Sawmiller driving home successes in the Eastern Cape

Press Office: Wood-Mizer

Denver de Kock, MD of RD Sawmill near Maclear in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province, is defying tough trading conditions with a thriving sawmilling business.

The de Kock clan is a legendary part of the sawmilling landscape in the Eastern Cape.

This multi-generational league of aunts, uncles, brothers and cousins have used their shared legacy of sawmilling experience and tradition to build a sawmilling empire that prospers across the province.

The Eastern Cape has a significant commercial forestry sector, with plantations covering approximately 129,334 hectares, representing 10% of the country’s total forestry plantations.

The downstream beneficiation opportunities stemming from the province’s forestry assets are significant.

Denver de Kock tapped into these prospects to continue the family legacy with his sawmill in Maclear that is close to the de Kock clan’s home in Tsolo near Qumbu.

Qumbu in isiXhosa means ‘pointed’ like the Dragon Mountain (Drakensberg) range’s skyline that crisscrosses the area.

The start of RD Sawmill in 2010 also stayed true to family tradition with Denver and his cousin starting the business before Denver became the sole proprietor.

RD Sawmills’ initial momentum came from circular mills, but recovery losses saw Denver opting for a Wood-Mizer LT10 to claw back recovery and improve the sawn quality.

The one Wood-Mizer LT10 then duplicated into two LT15’s with two Wood-Mizer HR200 resaws adding to RD Sawmill’s current capacity.

The sawmill’s primary focus is wet-off-saw sawn timber, which is distributed through retail or directly to the public for use in construction applications, pallets, and furniture-grade material for manufacturing.

It’s in the recovery where the gold’s at

When RD Sawmill started in 2010, the business used circular blade mills to break the logs into boards.

“But we soon saw the light when we got our first Wood-Mizer LT10.

“The circular blade mills weren’t giving us good recovery. When we changed to the LT10, our recovery and cut size accuracy improved significantly.

“The improved cut quality of bandsaws that left less marks on the timber also opened the doors to new markets with furniture grade material going to manufacturers,” Denver says.

The initial results of the first Wood-Mizer LT10 prompted a mill closure, which saw the two new LT15s and HR200 resaws replacing the mill’s previous line.

Riding out the challenges with Wood-Mizer

Several challenges in the Eastern Cape sawn-timber market have made it increasingly important for sawmillers to streamline their businesses to remain competitive.

“The demand for logs and constraints on the supply side has made it tough for small and medium-sized sawmillers,” says Denver de Kock.

Commercial plantations in the area are closely linked to key offtake markets like board and sawn timber production, with the remainder up for grabs by the higher bidder.

A growing sawmilling sector that competes for an ever-thinner slice of the log supply pie, combined with high log prices, has put margins under pressure.

“But we’re using Wood-Mizer’s thin-kerf narrow bandsaw tech to recover every scrap of saleable material to boost profits,” Denver says.

Operational cost increases brought on by a mix of factors have also eroded margins further.

Electricity supply constraints, combined with a steep increase in diesel prices, make it expensive to run generators to supplement power and get products to market by truck.

“Although our diesel costs have spiked, we’re offsetting some of it through the lower rolling resistance that thin-kerf, narrow bandsaw tech like Wood-Mizer offers us.

“We’re also working hard to secure better pricing for our product. The retail sector in the Eastern Cape dictates pricing. We’re finding new markets willing to pay a premium,” Denver continues.

Sawmilling in the blood

“It’s become tough,” says Denver de Kock.

“It’s hard work, and it’s up to the individual to think innovatively around making the most from what they love doing.

“In my instance, sawmilling is in my blood. I work on the business from early to late. I think about the company when I wake up and go to bed. And importantly, I’m hands-on.

“We’re privileged to have a business and a supplier network like Wood-Mizer that partner with us to build forward and prosper.

A final take

RD Sawmill stands out for several reasons.

The mill signage welcoming visitors is new and well-maintained, testimony to Denver de Kock’s careful hand over the entire business.

He’s a sawmiller with remarkable insight. He steers and directs, remaining open to innovation and exploring every avenue to unlock the gold in timber.

The sawmill is one of only a few that uses its sawdust for extra revenue. Blades are maintained in a pristine saw shop for a sharp cut in the morning.

The sawn product is precise, the stacked sawn timber standing regimentally straight, ready for delivery.

Keep an eye on Denver de Kock. He’s in it for the long run.

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