Softwood - Canada

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Softwood is the source of about 80% of the world’s production of timber and coming primarily from conifer trees. There are many uses for Softwood logs with the primary application being lumber to be used in building houses.

Within the Canadian market there is uniqueness from province-to-province in the process of transporting, manufacturing and reporting.  We will identify some of those unique requirements for you.

The Canadian Government is the primary owner of all timberlands in Canada and they are managed by the Ministry of Forests (MoF).  Forest Management Agreement, Timber Volume Area Quotas and Timber Permits are used to manage the harvesting of the timber.  Companies that acquire a Quota from the MoF are entitled to harvest timber and will pay Crown Dues on the logs at the time they are scaled.

Within British Columbia there is the Harvest Billing System (HBS) scale data management and invoicing system.  Scaling data is submitted by the Forest Industry to the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations electronically or through online entry in HBS.  It supports submission of detail data through XML.  Scaling data is validated and stumpage invoices or volume statements are calculated, issued and delivered to clients.

The list of approved scaling software for British Columbia can be found at the following link:

http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hva/hbs/approved_software.htm

The MoF uses Population/Stratum/Year to identify dates, location and type of logs being received.  Timber Marks and/or Hammer Marks are commonly used in Canada to identify a specific log as would a barcode might be used in other areas.  Sampling of logs is automated and managed within the WeighWiz application.

Our software manages all aspects of log delivery, transportation and transfers, sampling and conversion, quality control, contractor pay, inventory management, TM9’s, HBS and crown dues.

TM9’s in Alberta monitor and track the movement of timber produced from both crown and private land sources, and account for private timber volumes being exported out of the province. The TM9 ensures that Crown dues, based upon either timber production or sales, can be accurately calculated.

The use of TM9 forms is established under the Timber Management Regulation.  Applicable forms must accompany shipments of all primary timber products transported on any public roadway.  They are critical in monitoring the movement of primary timber products within Alberta. It is important that these forms be properly completed and used so that the harvest source can be determined and timber volumes are accounted for, ensuring that sustainable harvest levels are maintained.

Some areas within Eastern Canada are primarily French and our software offers the capability to translate the system to another language.

Types of HBS Anomalies:

  • Gaps – scale return arrives in HBS without a matching predecessor or successor
  • Duplicates – repeat of scale return or weigh slip number
  • Mismatches – scale return arrives with a mismatch with associated counterpart
  • All harvested timber must be scaled and invoices or statements must be issued
  • HBS is designed to receive scale data based on sequential numbering and expects scale returns, weight slips and load arrivals to be created in numeric order

3LOG’s Scale Event Anomaly tools help both the MOF and industry users ensure scaling information is accurate and complete.

HBS Documents Flow

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XML files can be generated in LIMS and imported/exported to the MoF/HBS.

Crown Dues

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WeighWiz BC provides the capability to capture and manage scaler license and signature attached to loads.

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Export of XML to HBS

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MoF Invoice Import

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Reports and reconciliation

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Processes and areas that LIMS will support

  • Electronic scale detail import to eliminate manual data re-entry
    • Detail down to individual log level
    • Scales that will be supported:
      • Metric
      • Scribner
      • JAS
      • FBM
  • Deliveries and receiving reporting by location, block (source) and sort
  • Current inventory reporting
    • Down to log level with costs
  • Log inventory processing
    • Two options to handle inventory process
      • Logs packaging before shipping into
        • Booms (bundles)
        • Ships
    • Support for logs tagging, shipping logs by tag
      • Ability to import shipped tags electronically
    • Ability to split package/boom if it cannot be loaded onto a vessel
    • Functionality to record other consumption type:
      • Loss
      • Rescale, etc
  • Log inventory costing
    • Contract management for loggers, suppliers, haulers in order to generate invoice matching invoice for supplied logs and redistribute log cost properly
    • Support of scaling and other log handling related costs
    • Cost adjustment and reporting
    • Support for multicurrency and exchange rates
  • Shipped logs sale
    • Based on delivered cost plus shipping costs
  • Boomsticks and gear inventory management
    • Automated sticks and gear inventory management
      • Sticks flow support, on boom, floating, removed, put in a flat, consumed at booming location to recirculate
    • Sticks and gear accounts by supplier and location
    • Sticks trimming and consumption
    • Sticks and gear adjustments and valuation
  • Integration with financial system
  • Built in ReportWizard with report writing and scheduling capabilities
  • Support for vendor statements and emailing reports
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LIMS tracks gear and boomstick inventory

Reports

Production Boom Reports

  • Boomstick Detail
  • Boom Distributions
  • Group Export Reports
  • Boom Log Listing by Source
  • Boom Log Summary by Mark
  • Boom Summary of Scale FS72
  • Boom Summary Scale by Sort
  • Boom Summary Scale (Other)
  • Boom Summary Scale (Metric)
  • Boom Summary Scale Other by Mark
  • Boom Summary Scale Other by Length & Diameter

Production (Loads) Reports

  • Load Listing by Day (PS)
  • Load Log Sum by Mark & Sort
  • Load Log Sum by Mark & Species
  • Load Log Sum by Mark, Sort & Grade
  • Load Log Sum by Mark, Species & Grade
  • Load Log Sum by Destination, Mark, Species & Grade

Gear and Stick related reports

  • BW_Gear_Details_by_Location
  • BW_Gear_Summary_by_Location
  • BW_Gear_Transactions_by_Location

Contact 3LOG sales to learn more about our solution and how it is positively impacting our customers in the Canadian softwood industry.