New 6-Deck Jet Dryer
West Fraser | Edmonton, AB
Powering Performance at West Fraser
In 2020, Westmill Industries completed a major dryer installation at West Fraser’s Edmonton facility — a high-efficiency, 6-deck jet dryer built to handle the rigorous demands of modern veneer production. This project marked a significant upgrade in throughput, reliability, and energy efficiency for the mill’s operations.
Project Highlights
The new system, known as Dryer #1, features:
- 20 hot sections and 3 cooling sections for maximum drying performance
- 2 WestVac™ seal sections to ensure controlled pressure differentials and heat retention
- Insulated floor panels and a seal-welded upper hotbox to minimize energy loss
- Westmill’s modular door cartridges and our state-of-the-art door system designed for long-term durability and ease of maintenance
This dryer installation included four of Westmill’s patented technologies, notably:
- 2-PEx™ Two-Point Exhaust and Humidity Control System — improving drying consistency and environmental control
- Quick-Change™ Dryer Roll Baffle System — enabling faster maintenance and operational flexibility
Integrated Infeed System
This wasn’t just a dryer installation — it was a fully integrated system upgrade. Westmill also supplied the complete dryer infeed package, which included:
- Heavy-duty scissor lift and hydraulic power unit (HPU)
- Sheet accumulator
- Powered vacuum feed roll
- Electrically actuated tipple feeder
- Rollcase deck drives — each powered by Rexnord gearboxes and individual VFDs
This turnkey approach ensures synchronized operation across all stages of material handling and drying, improving efficiency and reducing downtime.
Trusted Partnership, Proven Results
This project is another example of how Westmill partners with leading forest product companies like West Fraser to deliver tailored, high-performance drying solutions. From infeed to outfeed, we engineer every system to meet the highest standards of efficiency, durability, and innovation.
