Macdonald Report

Macdonald Inspection

  The Macdonald Inspection Trademark has been recognized by the lumber industry for over 40 years.  Macdonald Inspection was among the first grading agencies to be recognized by the Canadian Lumber Standards Accreditation Board and the American Lumber Standards Committee when these authorities were formed.  Macdonald Inspection also joined the National Lumber Grades Authority in 1975.

  The original agency was known as Macdonald and Macdonald Inspection Services.  The Coast Elridge Group had acquired the company prior to the modern use of the NLGA grade stamp under the CLSAB/ALSC system.  Lumber was graded under Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau “R list” rules, WCLIB rules, “N” list rules or custom grades.

  Warnock Hersey acquired Macdonald Inspection in 1970 from the Coast Elridge Group and was under the management of Greg Clarke P. Eng.  The following names are people who have served as Chief Inspectors for Macdonald Inspection over the years; Herb Roberts, Tom Reekie, Dave Reekie and Rob Finch.

  On December 1, 1996 Macdonald Inspection was purchased and formed as an independent company and relocated to its present address in Campbell River.  It is now under the direction of Rob Finch, President of Macdonald Inspection Services Ltd.

Macdonald Inspection has licensed agreements with 37 mills producing 1,276,769 MFBM annually.  They include primary and secondary lumber mills on Vancouver Island, Lower Mainland, the Sunshine Coast, Southern Interior, Northern BC and Alberta.

We also have agreements with Heat Treatment and Kiln Drying Facilities on Vancouver Island, in the Lower Mainland, Southern Interior and Northern BC.

 The inspectors on staff at Macdonald Inspection include Senior Inspector George Henczel who resides in Oyama, BC, Inspector Charles DeWitt of Victoria, BC, Inspector Bill Zerkee, Surrey, BC and Inspector Ken Larson, Burns Lake, BC.  Each of these inspectors has over 20 years experience in quality control supervision.  Their experience reflects grade surveys on SPF dimension, boards & commons; Western Red Cedar products; Coast Douglas-Fir and Hemlock dimension, timber, clear & shop items as well as other products.

  Macdonald Inspection has been active in both Interior and Coast grading classes on a fee for service basis.  For more information, please contact the office of Macdonald inspection.

European Lumber Export Program

This year Agriculture Canada formed the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).  CFIA has taken over the administration of the Plant Health Requirements for export of Canadian softwoods to the (EEC) European Economic Community.  CFIA will accept registrations of mills and/or shippers in the program if they are under the supervision of a recognized Canadian lumber-grading agency.  Macdonald Inspection Services has been recognized under this program from the start.

  Canadian Softwoods may be shipped under the following conditions.

  ·        Pasteurization

     Pasteurization or  “Heat Treating” of any Canadian softwood is allowed to be shipped to EEC providing

1.      Lumber is heat treated in a certified Kiln or Heat Chamber according to an approved schedule.

2.      A facility must have a 3^rd party certification of a Kiln and Schedule. (which will be from a professional certification lab)

3.      The appropriate certificate “Heat Treatment using Heat Chambers” will be used.  All certificates shall be complete and all products traceable to the original treatment charge.

4.      The agency shall monitor compliance to the program of the facility on a monthly basis.

  ·        Kiln Drying

   Lumber and wood products may be kiln dried in an agency recognized Kiln Facility that is registered with CFIA proving

·        a facility can demonstrate to an agency that its kilns are capable of reaching sufficient temperatures to ensure the thermal death of the Pinewood Nematode.

·        the agency has registered the kiln with CFIA.

·        the appropriate certificate “Heat Treatment using Kiln Facilities” will be used.  All certificates shall be complete and the product traceable to the original kiln charge.

·        the agency monitors compliance with the program at least every 3 months.

  ·        Debark & Grubhole  Control

  Only Thuja species, which include Western Red Cedar and Eastern White Cedar, are eligible under this program.

  In B.C., Western Red Cedar may be shipped green to EEC providing that

·        the facility is recognized by an agency and registered with CFIA.

·        the product complies with the program, that it is free of outer bark and grubholes.

·        the agency monitors compliance with the program every month.

Office shippers may also participate in this program.  The shipping office may be registered with a grading agency and assigned a unique mill number.  It is the responsibility of the shipper to maintain on file the original certificates from the registered kilns to provide traceability of the lumber product.

  CFIA has recently drafted a new Plant Production Manual.  Rob Finch, President of MI and Chief Inspectors from other agencies across Canada will be attending a meeting in Ottawa on Nov. 23/24 to review the draft and make recommendations to CFIA.

  A report on this meeting will follow in Novembers Macdonald Report.