Stockholm, Sweden 06 December 2017 -- (News release) -- The measuring station at Värö will be the first at Södra to introduce new technology for measuring timber stack volumes on trucks. The new method is based on automated volume measurement using laser technology, developed by Swedish company, Mabema AB.

Introduction of the new technology will also involve a transition from manual to digital timber stack measurement. This will speed up the process, while maintaining and gradually improving measurement precision, and bring logistical gains due to faster passage through the measuring station. The data produced by the new method will include gross volume under bark, the height, length and width of the stack, and average diameter of the logs.

"Södra has been working with Mabema AB for some years - throughout the entire development phase of the new technology - together with several other industry players. To have now reached the stage where this is being realised represents a technological shift for timber measurement in the forest industry," said Roger Andersson, head of timber measurement at Södra Skog.

The new measurement technology at Värö is being introduced gradually and will soon be used for all softwood pulpwood, with other ranges to follow. While Södra owns the measuring station, VMF Syd - an independent timber measurement association that operates throughout most of Götaland - will be using the new method.

"The roll-out and introduction of Södra's new laser measurement system has been a highly successful joint project," said Anders Svensson, President of VMF Syd.

"The idea is that the Värö facility will be evaluated prior to future decisions about the technical options available for measurement at Södra's other facilities," said Roger Andersson.

This is the second facility of this type in Sweden, and the first for Södra and VMF Syd.