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NEKDA News

2008 Kiln Drying Workshop

Our “Kiln Drying Workshop: Drying Quality Lumber for Profit” was held January 7-10, 2008 at SUNY ESF in Syracuse. For further information call the ESF Outreach Office at 315/470-6817, look to or contact Bill Smith at or 315/470-6832.

Contributions to the 2008 NEKDA Scholarship and Jim Catterick and Bill Rice Award Funds

Contributions are greatly appreciated and help enable your association to recognize and support excellence in wood drying and processing. We would like to publicly acknowledge the following people and firms who have generously contributed in 2007: Andrew Oleksak, Bill Rice, Bill Smith, Bob Pope, Champlain Hardwoods, Delmhorst Instrument, Dick Hale, H G Wood Industries, Julius Enekes, Kiln Drying Systems, MacGregor Mill Systems, Madison Lumber Mill, Maritime Lumber, Morse Hardwoods, Precision Lumber, Qubica AMF, Steinway and Sons, and U*C Coatings.

2008 Jim Catterick Industrial Award

The NEKDA is again sponsoring its annual Jim Catterick Industrial Recognition Award (application) to recognize outstanding performance in the area of dry kiln and drying related and/or associated manufacturing. The award, named in honor of Jim Catterick, will be presented at our Spring Meeting with an engraved plaque and a $500 cash prize. Jack Little, Keiver-Willard Lumber, was honored with this award in 2007. We encourage you to nominate one of your employees, colleagues, or yourself for this prestigious award. Award application forms can be found online at , or from any NEKDA Officer or Board Member whom you can also contact with any questions.

2008 Bill Rice Achievement Award

The NEKDA Bill Rice Achievement Award (application) recognizes outstanding people who have made significant contributions in service, education, and/or technology in the area of dry kiln and drying related and associated operations. The award, named in honor of Dr. Bill Rice for his many contributions to the NEKDA and wood drying technology and industry, will be presented at our Spring Meeting with an engraved plaque and a $500 cash prize. We encourage you to nominate one of your employees, colleagues, or yourself for this prestigious award. Award application forms can be found online at, or from any NEKDA Officer or Board Member whom you can also contact with any questions.

2007 Student Scholarship Awards

At our 2007 award program the following students were presented with NEKDA Scholarship Awards:

  • James Brown, SUNY ESF Wood Products Engineering, Maurice Roy Award ($1,500)

  • Adam Bell, SUNY Morrisville Wood Technology, J. Harry Rich Award ($1,500)

  • Neil Kohan, SUNY ESF Wood Products Engineering, Bill Delmhorst Award ($1,200)

  • Chris Waite, SUNY Morrisville Wood Technology, Jack Bent Award ($750)

  • Chris Dickey, SUNY Morrisville Wood Technology, Al Brouillette Award ($750)

These students have keen interests and capabilities in developing a professional career in the field of wood processing. We encourage you to consider them, along with the other highly qualified Wood Products graduates at these and our other northeastern area Colleges, for your staffing needs.

2007 Review

We held two very successful meetings this year; in Bangor, Maine in April and Owego, New York, in October. In addition to our traditional Kiln Operator's Clinics, we had informative and well presented technical presentations and interesting plant tours of high quality wood products manufacturing and kiln drying operations at each meeting. In March our plant tours were at Pleasant River Lumber, Dover-Foxcroft, and Old Town Lumber, Kenduskeag, Maine. Our technical presentations included:

  • Kiln Drying for Quality - Market Expectations, Jack Little, Keiver-Willard Lumber
  • White Pine Shrinkage - Practical Observations and Determination, Bill Smith, SUNY ESF Wood Products
  • Sawing Practices and their Impact on Kiln Productivity, Bob Stevens, Stevens Kiln Drying
  • Kiln Design and Improved Moisture Content Uniformity, Thom Smith, Old Town Lumber
  • Triple Length Continuous Kilns - are they part of your future?, Bob Pope, USNR
  • Presorting Green Lumber Based Upon D-C Moisture Measurement, Rene Ricard, Fabrication Delta
  • Update on Stain - Issues and Prevention, Bob Rice, University of Maine

In October we toured R. J. Williams Lumber, Apalachin, Wagner Lumber, Owego, Double Aught Lumber, Candor, New York. Our technical presentations included:

Premier kiln operators and managers know that the best way to become knowledgeable and informed about interesting subjects such as these is to attend and participate in our meetings!
State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
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