Garnica Group, Spain - Maximizing veneer recovery and cutting downtime

MAKING WOOD MATTER

Summary

Garnica Group, Europe’s leading poplar plywood producer, modernized its Valencia de Don Juan peeling line by upgrading to Raute’s Block Centering Analyzer R7 - Peeling with autocalibration. The upgrade improved log centering accuracy, enhanced veneer recovery, and drastically reduced maintenance hours – delivering measurable efficiency and profitability gains.

Garnica Group

Garnica is Europe’s largest poplar plywood manufacturer, known for sustainable, high-quality panels exported worldwide. Their growth strategy focuses on continuous innovation and trusted partnerships with technology leaders like Raute.
Founded
1941
Location
Valencia de Don Juan, Spain
Annual output
300,000 m3 poplar plywood + 50,000 m3 softwood plywood
Export markets
90% of production exported globally
Raute Partner Since
2002

Challenge

By early 2019, Garnica’s Valencia de Don Juan mill faced significant issues with its aging block centering technology, initially installed in 2003. While the peeling line had served well for many years, the system was increasingly challenging to maintain and no longer met modern performance standards.

According to Garnica, the key challenges included:

  • Obsolete components
    Laser sensors and the control PC were no longer available, making repairs and replacements difficult and costly.
  • High maintenance requirements
    The system needed calibration several times a month, resulting in excessive downtime and increased labor hours.
  • Inconsistent centering performance
    Log centering accuracy had declined, impacting veneer recovery and overall line efficiency.
  • Manual calibration complexity
    Adjustments and calibration procedures were time-consuming and prone to error, reducing reliability.
  • Need for modernization
    To maintain competitiveness and efficiency, Garnica required a solution that would improve performance, reduce maintenance, and eliminate end-of-life components.

 

We needed a system that could deliver better centering accuracy, reduce maintenance hours, and simplify calibration. The old technology had reached its limits.

— José Augusto Huerga, Technical Director, Garnica Valencia de Don Juan mill

Want to learn how Garnica modernized its peeling line, improved veneer recovery, and reduced maintenance hours?