Thompson Hardwoods in Hazlehurst, GA needed to replace a late-1990s horizontal feeding system serving their drum debarker. FiberPro delivered a modern horizontal feed system engineered to reduce fiber damage, increase production throughput on challenging hardwood pulpwood, cut conveyor maintenance, and dramatically reduce debris cleanup demands.

The mill's drum debarker infeed had reached end of life — and its original design compounded the problem. The conveyor layout offered no ability to reverse the system, and inadequate grade clearance made feeding hardwood pulpwood a constant production bottleneck. Distance from grade further constrained what a replacement could accomplish.

Beyond throughput, debris accumulation beneath the conveyor created real safety and cleanliness challenges. Mill management recognized that any replacement had to solve both problems simultaneously: maximize production while eliminating the hazardous cleanup conditions in the area below the conveyor. Working within the existing footprint, we collaborated with the mill team to define a solution path that could meet both goals.

We replaced the worn conveyor with a new horizontal feed system built on the latest 3D design and flow analysis engineering. Operating within the same footprint as the original system, the new conveyor delivered immediate, measurable results — mill management reported very high production increases following commissioning.

To solve the debris challenge, we engineered a fully enclosed chain return system paired with an active tail take-up assembly. Together, these features keep the area directly below the conveyor clear, directing all debris to the tail end where it can be transferred out for processing. The result is a substantially cleaner and safer work environment, with far less need for mill personnel to access the area for cleanup.

The combination of greatly increased production, reduced maintenance requirements, and efficient waste handling delivered a strong return on investment — validating mill management's decision to pursue an aggressive, innovative upgrade rather than a like-for-like replacement.