New CLT production plant in Canada

Ledinek Engineering began assembly of the CLT line for the Canadian company Element 5 in August 2020, after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite the unforeseen challenges arising from the pandemic, the highly automated, state-of-the-art manufacturing CLT line was installed, commissioned, and certified on the project’s originally projected timeline. The fully integrated production line does everything – from lumber conditioning and finger-jointing of lam-stock to sanding and CNC machining of the finished components. The line also features Ledinek’s new Z-Press which edge glues the panels and results in a superior appearance-grade finish free from cracks and gaps.

With respect to CLT, the press can produce various layups / thicknesses in sizes up to 16m in length by 3.5m in width. At 3.5m, Element 5 will soon be producing the widest panels in Canada. Mass timber projects will benefit from the design and material efficiencies this wider format panel provides including fewer panels, less lifting time, and a reduced number of connections.

Once the St. Thomas factory is completed and full-scale production is underway, the output capacity of the mass timber factory will be around 45,000 m³ per year. Element5 has already received certification from PFS TECO of Cottage Grove, WI (USA) for the production of CLT under the ANSI/APA PRG 320-2019 Standard for Performance-Rated Cross-Laminated Timber.

The whole project was marked by changed conditions due to the world health crisis. Nevertheless, excellent cooperation with Element 5 team and our partners, made it possible to carry out the project according to plan. We proudly produced the first CLT panel in December 2020. Meanwhile, the technical acceptance protocol was already signed, test production and optimization of the line is currently underway.