Saint-Georges, Quebec, Canada—In order to make its two plants run more independently of each other, five new air drying “T” sheds have just been completed at Mirage’s number two plant here. “The purpose of the ‘T’-sheds is to pre-dry the wood before it goes to the kilns,” said Luc Robitaille, vice president of marketing for Boa-Franc, Mirage’s parent company.

“Basically, the ‘T’ sheds are designed to expand our number two plant, which is located just one to two miles away from our first plant. It provides us with more expansion and increased air drying capabilities.” The only hardwood flooring manufacturer to invest in this type of building, he noted, Mirage stops at nothing to ensure an impeccable final product.

“We already had four T-sheds, and now we’ve added five this year. And the plan in the future is to add more as well, and to support the second plant, which opened in 2002.” “It’s a question of logistics,” said Robitaille, “and not having wood down at plant number one in the T-sheds, and then having to put it on tractor trailers and bring them up to the second plant here, to be put into the kilns. We really want to have the two plants work as two independent, fully-equipped plants.”

Since green wood begins to lose its moisture as soon as it is cut, he noted, it is essential that it undergo air drying. “These ‘T’-sheds allow us to control the natural drying process. Without them, wood is exposed to sun, wind and rain, and it can dry incorrectly—sometimes too quickly in places —creating unwanted cracks. “This process requires special care given the variable nature of wood,” explained Robitaille.

“It presents challenges at each stage of the wood’s processing, from the moment it is cut until the final product is produced. “Technicians must therefore have an in-depth understanding of the various strengths of wood and how wood interacts with moisture,” he concluded, “your best and surest guarantee of a superior floor.”

For more on Mirage, call 418/227-1181. —Louis Iannaco