GRADEYIELD - Lumber Grade & Yield Studies for Analysis of Sawmill Profit-Potential
Overview
Operating within an environment where both stumpage and delivered log costs have risen dramatically over the past decade, and where procurement of higher grades logs has become increasingly competitive, more mills are finding it desirable (if not absolutely necessary) to more closely monitor their raw material costs. The GRADEYIELD spreadsheet has proven to be a simple and easy to use tool for analysis of data from hardwood lumber grade/yield studies. It can be operated "as-is" by persons with even the most basic spreadsheet experience, however it may be easily modified by more experienced users in tailoring the program to suit their specific needs, desires and circumstances.
This user's manual will follow the GRADEYIELD model, explaining what entries are required and what is being done in the various parts of the spreadsheet -- the step-by-step explanation of data entry included in the program itself is not exactly duplicated. Rather the manual focuses on how to go about conducting hardwood lumber grade/yield recovery studies and on how to use of the GRADEYIELD spreadsheet program to perform analysis of data collected in a hardwood lumber grade/yield study.
Downloadable Manual and Program
Acknowledgments
The USDA Forest Service, Technology Marketing Unit located in Madison, Wisconsin provided financial support for the development of the GRADEYIELD -- Preliminary Sawmill Financial Feasibility User's Manual.
Authors
Robert Govett, Professor, College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
John (Rusty) Dramm, Utilization Specialist, USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry
Scott Bowe, Assistant Professor, Department of Forest Ecology and Management, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Terry Mace, Forest Utilization and Marketing Specialist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry
Updated: 2008.04.14