2022 NEKDA Fall Meeting
New England Kiln Drying Association (NEKDA) Officers and Board of Director's have put together an excellent meeting program with important and informative topics and opportunities for kiln operators and managers, including an interesting tour of Milan Lumber Company.
Meeting location is the Town & Country in Shelburne at 2 Main Street, Gorham, NH. The Town & Country in Shelburne is conveniently located about 0.25 miles east of Gorham on the south side of Route 2.
The details of the meeting program is below or you can download the Meeting Program (PDF).
NEKDA Elections
Elections for several open positions on the NEKDA Board of Directors are held at our fall membership meeting. We encourage any who are interested in this most stimulating and rewarding activity, and in becoming more active in the NEKDA, to consider serving as an Officer.
Registration
Please mail your Registration Form and check directly to Bill Smith, wbsmith@esf.edu (by May 6). All tour participants are required to pre-register.
Program
Wednesday | October 26
Milan Lumber
9:00 AM ET
Wednesday Plant Tour
Milan Lumber Company saws and kiln dries high quality spruce-fir dimension lumber, manufacturing over 70 MMBF per year. Our tour will include their sawmill, sorting, new kiln, new high-speed production planning and grading operations, and wood-fired boiler system.
Pre-registration is required.
Tour participants should bring their own hardhats and safety glasses and wear appropriate footwear.
Directions:
318 Milan Road
Milan, NH 03588
Phone: 603-449-2200
The Town & Country Motor Inn
Welcome and Introductions
Chuck Sackett, NEKDA President (Kennebec Lumber, Wentworth, NH)
12:30 - 1:15 PM ET
Registration and Lunch
Meeting Room
1:15 - 2:00 PM ET
Custom Kiln Drying - Managing Variables
Expert Panel Discussion
2:00 - 5:00 PM ET
Kiln Operator's Clinic, Led by Bill Smith, others
Informal and practical instructions and discussion on the basics of kiln operations, maintenance, stacking, DH, conventional, and high-temperature drying, stain and discoloration, scheduling, changing species, wood-moisture fundamentals, kiln loading and baffling, moisture meters, restarting kilns, drying degrade, and more. Bring your individual problems, questions, and solutions!
Please note any particular interests for discussion at the clinic on your registration form.
3:15 - 3:30 PM ET
Refreshment Break
3:15 - 3:30 PM ET
Banquet
Thursday | October 27
The Town & Country Motor Inn
7:00 - 7:45 PM ET
Board of Directors Meeting
7:45 - 8:10 PM ET
Registration and Coffee
8:10 - 8:15 PM ET
Welcome and Introductions
Chuck Sackett, NEKDA President
(Kennebec Lumber, Wentworth, NH)
8:15 - 9:00 PM ET
Wood Moisture Meter Advancements
Tom Laurenzi, Delmhorst Moisture Meters
9:00 - 9:30 PM ET
Milan Lumber
Steve Halle, Milan Lumber, Milan, NH
9:30 - 10:30 PM ET
Steam Production, Utilization and Management
Sam Fox, FW Webb
10:30 - 10:45 PM ET
Coffee Break and Questions
10:45 - 11:15 PM ET
Heat Treatment and Certification
Matt Pomeroy, NELMA, Cumberland Ctr., ME
11:15 - 12:00 PM ET
Dry Storage of Lumber - Basic Knowledge for Best Quality
Bob Pope, SII Dry Kilns, Montpelier, VT
12:00 - 12:15 PM ET
NEKDA Annual Business Meeting, Elections
12:30 - 1:15 PM ET
Luncheon Buffet
Past Meeting Presentations - Please look to the Past Meeting link (to the right) to see some of the topics presented.
Click here to view the technical presentations from our past meetings.



- Our 2009 Bill Rice Acheivement Award was presented to Scott Ferland, Cersosimo Lumber, Brattleboro, VT, by NEKDA Life Member, former President, former Executive Secretary, and Professor Emeritus Dr. Bill Rice (below).
- NEKDA Student Scholarship Award Applications - Click here for an NEKDA student scholarship award application.
- Please contact Bill Smith at wbsmith@esf.edu if you have any ideas or suggestions for topics, tours or locations for upcoming NEKDA meetings.
Date and Time
Wednesday and Thursday, October 26 and 27
Location
The Town & Country Motor Inn, Shelburne
2 Main Street
Gorham, New Hampshire
Phone: 603-466-3315 or 800-325-4386
Be sure to tell them you are with NEKDA to receive the group rate ($88/night)
Directions
It is about 0.25 miles east of Gorham on the south side of Route 2.
Directions to the Town & Country Inn
Forms
Contact
Bill Smith
Email: wbsmith@esf.edu
Phone: 315-470-6832