Quality

– Wood is a fantastic material and we have access to the best raw material. We use birch and late-growing northern pine and spruce. With the right raw material, the conditions are the best for high quality in the end products, says Björn Öhgren, quality manager.

But it's not just the raw material that counts, the manufacturing process and employee involvement are equally important. The machines are modern, safe and carefully adjusted to maintain high precision and avoid unplanned downtime. The company is committed to continuous improvement and involves all employees in regular reviews to identify bottlenecks, suggest improvements, new ideas and actions.
– We work according to the Lean philosophy and we particularly use the plan, do, check and act system, says Björn.

Action cameras show in detail

One example of improvements using technology is the camera equipment that monitors and records some of the machines' work. This is a very rewarding method.
– Thanks to the cameras that are located in confined spaces where we cannot see, we can document deviations in production. We use an app that can show an event in slow motion up to 1000 frames per second. Then we see exactly how a deviation occurs and understand whether it is enough to adjust the machine or whether it is due to the wood, says Björn.

Minimising waste in advance

Tegsnässkidan also optimises timber orders. Mainly standard lengths are purchased and in some cases specially adapted lengths to minimise waste. In the production system, it is entered exactly which pieces are to be cut and split. Then the machines handle the rest. Follow-up on output and waste is almost 100 per cent.
– Cheap raw material means poorer quality and a lot has to be discarded. That's why we have a good dialogue with the timber suppliers. The timber should be straight and fine with as few jagged edges and knots as possible, says Björn.

In the case of fork stacker sticks, for example, there must not be too many sharp edges. This risks tipping over and makes it difficult for tractor and lorry drivers to load. The tolerances are small for drying sticks. The drying sticks must have even dimensions so that there is an even air flow in the dryers, otherwise the moisture distribution will be uneven and the timber risks becoming warped. Binding sticks and stakes must not have too large knots because the dimensions are thin. In addition, the sticks must not have the knots closer than one decimetre from the edge where they are turned.

Quality is improving every day

Björn Öhgren is passionate about quality and happy customers.
– Both I and the company like to satisfy our customers and always want to do a good job. With our continuous improvement work, we always get a little better and can focus on the right things and deliver more and faster, he says.