Forest Products Innovation Technology Summit
The Forest Products Innovation and Technology Summit will focus on what technologies in the primary wood products sector can benefit your operation in regards to optimization, grading, management and distribution. Innovation and technology for both hardwood and softwood production will be discussed. The summit will provide you with the chance to hear about these technologies from experts and to interact and question them about how they might fit your operation. The summit will consist of presentations by the industry’s leaders in technology, discussion panels and networking opportunities.

Where and when
Location: Hilton Garden Inn Richmond Airport. 441 International Drive, Sandston, VA.
Date: May 19, 2022
Agenda
- 8:15 am-8:30 am: Welcome and introductions
- Brian Bond and Henry Quesada. Professors and Extension Specialists. Department of Sustainable Biomaterials. Virginia Tech.
- 8:30 am-9:15 am. Automated softwood lumber grading technology and application
- Patrick Lepage. Optimization Specialist. The Bid Group.
- 9:15 am-10:00 am. Log scanning technology and automated hardwood lumber technology
- Rado Gazo. Professor. Department of Forestry and Natural Resources. Purdue University.
- 10:00 am- 10:30 am. Break
- 10:30 am-11:15 am. Latest technology in sawmill optimization and automation
- Duncan Ferguson. Sawmill MD.
- 11:15 am-12:00 pm. Using information technology to support Logistics and Transportation
- Joseph Conrad. Assistant Professor. Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. The University of Georgia.
- 12:00 pm-1:15 pm. Lunch and Networking
- 1:15 pm-2:00 pm. Round Table discussion
- 2:00 pm-2:45 pm. Information technologies in the mass timber industry
- Maria Laguarda-Mallo. Project Director. Via Technik LLC.
- 2:45 pm-3:15 pm. Break
- 3:15 pm to 3:30 pm. Industry 4.0 and the secondary woodworking industry in North America
- Urs Buehlmann. Professor and Extension Specialist. Department of Sustainable Biomaterials, Virginia Tech
- Matt Bumgardner. Research Forest Products Technologist. US Forest Service.
- 3:30 pm-3:50 pm. LORCAT – a spreadsheet-based Log Recovery Analysis Tool for hardwood sawmills
- Ed Thomas. Research Computing Scientist. US Forest Service.
- 3:50 pm-4:05 pm. Final discussion and questions
- 4:05 pm. Adjourn
Registration
Registration fee is $50. To get registered, please follow this link: https://register.ext.vt.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=1681610
Questions and more details
For question and details please contact Henry Quesada at quesada@vt.edu
Organizers and sponsors
This educational session is organized by the Department of Sustainable Biomaterials at Virginia Tech, Virginia Cooperative Extension, and the Virginia Forest Products Association.
Virginia Cooperative Extension programs and employment are open to all, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital, family, or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. An equal opportunity/affirmative action employer