Although new technology has drastically changed the way mills do business, grading areas are still one of the last areas to be automated despite its high cost-effectiveness potential. For decades, the Shark Fin™ (“Shark Fin”) system has revolutionized grading areas and brought proven results to mills across North America and around the world. With worker compensation premiums proving to be huge costs to businesses, Shark Fin™ provides a unique solution to help reduce strain on highly-skilled graders and improve your business’ bottom line.
Rather than relying on traditional electricity or wiring to move boards, Shark Fin’s non-mechanical “no-touch system” uses inertia to have the boards flip themselves over as they are pushed along by lugs. This no-touch system assists graders in seeing all four sides of a board while preventing the hand, shoulder, back, and wrist injuries that can occur when handling boards. Shark Fin’s ergonomic design allows your graders to concentrate on grading while sitting, standing or walking, allowing them to safely finish each shift with more energy than ever before.
Efficiency & Flexibility
Shark Fin is not only great for improving working conditions for your graders, but it is also a valuable investment to improve your business’ efficiency. If desired, your Shark Fin system can be fitted with a pop-up system that allows only the boards that need to be graded to be turned while the remaining board turners stay below the table until required. When your work is done, Shark Fin’s automatic lugs and chain return makes clean-up simple and easy. Shark Fin works with up to four graders and can be easily operated with different grader numbers on different days of the week.
Shark Fin is highly flexible to your business’ needs. Whether your business operates a stud mill that handles 45-60 pieces of lumber per minute, a planer mill with 1-4 graders, a highly specialized hardwood mill, or anything in between, Shark Fin can be designed to accommodate your mill’s specific needs. When it comes to day-to-day operations, Shark Fin™ can handle a wide variety of board sizes, from 1’ x 3’ up to specialized 6’ x 24’ hardwood. With speeds of up to 80 boards per minute, our system can help you reach your desired grading quotas with ease. Regardless of the board size and speeds you choose, Shark Fin™’s double-pulp safe polyurethane lugs and turners will ensure your boards remain free of damaging marks, oil, or grease. Best of all, Shark Fin™ is expandable and can be altered at any time in any way.
By the Numbers
Shark Fin is an investment that pays itself back in no time. Assuming a mill produces 100,000 board feet per shift and lumber is selling at $300.00 per thousand, at 2 shifts per day and 5 days per week a mill will produce 4 million board feet per month. If Shark Fin provides even a mere 5% upgrade to your grading area, your mill could achieve $60,000 in extra profit per month; at a 1% upgrade, $12,000 in extra profit per month.
At $32,000 dollars for a 3-grader system, Shark Fin pays for itself lowering WCB premiums, reducing man hours lost, and making your mill run more efficient than ever before.
Testimony
“We would like to inform you that the shark fin board turner recently installed at our planer operation has been a great success and accepted by all our lumber graders. The system is so simple and maintenance free. The Worker’s compensation Board visited our plant recently and were very impressed with the system. They asked for our permission to take pictures and would also like to write an article for the monthly magazine. We at the Lakeland Mills would like to thank you for your assistance during the installation.”
Monty Williams
Lakeland Mills Ltd.
Prince George, BC
Re: Britt Lumber Shark Fin Install, the largest Shark Fin Install in the World. June 2007
“We have installed Shark Fin Board Turners at both of our grading stations, in September 1998. We selected the Shark Fin Board Turner because of it’s mechanical simplicity and it’s hassle free versatility. We are happy with this system, and we strongly recommend it.”
Britt Lumber
Pacific Lumber
California, USA
“The payback on our board turner project was entirely based on lowering our WCB Premiums. With the shark fin, 6 of our senior graders could come back to work. The minimum estimated savings for us (at the time we asked Alliance for the money) is $100,000/year.
Denis Boulanger
Alliance Forest Products
Mistassini, Quebec