High Grade, Kiln-Dried Lumber Isn’t Easy, but Battle Lumber Does It
Volatile lumber prices are a reminder of why maximizing lumber yield is a key goal for every sawmill. Weather that limits access to timber and inventories can drive prices up, and those spikes can be followed by sharp price corrections.
Maximizing yield protects sawmills when prices drop and helps them have inventory to sell when industry inventory is low. Battle Lumber Company has been working to maximize yield in a responsible, sustainable way since its founding in 1962.
The Wadley, Georgia, mill has grown by continuously modernizing its operations and technology. It achieves consistent production of high-quality lumber with advanced technology throughout its operations, from its grade mill to its dry kilns and a sorter with in-line moisture detection.
Kiln-Dried Lumber Supports Grade Mill Operations
Battle Lumber opened its Dry Kiln Division in 1993, followed by its Grade Mill Division in 1994. Together, the two divisions and the technology they use have made Battle Lumber a major producer and exporter of kiln-dried lumber. At the time of this article, the grade mill produced 90 million board feet a year.
Battle Lumber ships 5 million board feet of kiln-dried lumber a month to more than 20 countries. The mill uses 17 steam-heated package kilns with accurate temperature control to consistently produce high-quality lumber at the target moisture content. A 100-bay sorter lets Battle Lumber efficiently handle a wide range of widths and colors.
Consistently producing high volumes of kiln-dried grade lumber in a variety of products helps Battle Lumber do well even when prices fall.
Omega Moisture Measurement Is an Essential Part of Its Kiln Operations
Battle Lumber recently upgraded its kiln drying operations again, moving from Wagner Meters’ Apex In-Line Moisture Measurement System to the Omega In-Line System.
Both the Apex and Omega systems reliably detect moisture and provide accurate wood moisture readings. But the more robust Omega system has the speed and capacity to handle Battle Lumber’s volume.
Dry Kiln Division Supervisor Clay Grace says, “With the Omega In-Line System, we can check each board that comes into the sorter to ensure specified parameters are met since it keeps a tally of each board’s moisture content. If there’s a moisture spike somewhere in the kiln, it gives us a red flag. We can then check the line with hand-held meters to see if it’s just a wet pocket or a problem with the fan, a leak, or something else. In some cases, it may be necessary to re-dry the lumber.”
To meet its buyers’ varied demands, Battle Lumber needs to be able to easily adjust the out-of-spec moisture range for different species. Target moisture content varies widely by species and product, from hardwoods like red oak and poplar to softwoods like pine and cypress, which are typically dried to a higher MC. A major lumber producer needs a moisture measurement system that can handle them all.
Battle Lumber runs the Omega in the sideways configuration, where boards pass over the sensors sideways and each sensor takes multiple readings on every board. That gives Grace and his team a detailed moisture profile of each board.
Free Download – How to Choose a Moisture Measurement System for Your Sawmill Buying Guide
According to Grace, “We use the sideways configuration with four sensors because it’s easier to mount and easier to use because of our trimming system. It gives us an average percentage of the whole board all the way up to 16 feet.”
The sawmill has integrated the data from the Omega system with its automated lumber grading system. This kind of data integration makes grading more accurate and faster.
Grace shares another benefit of the Omega system: “Another plus to having the Omega is the Wagner Meters’ service. Whenever I call them with a question or issue, they respond quickly. About 95% of the time we can resolve any issue over the phone. They also regularly call and occasionally visit to see if everything’s running fine. Just knowing they’ve got my back gives me good peace of mind.”
Tony Morgan, Wagner Meters Senior Systems Technician, explains, “We’re always looking for ways to take advantage of advances in technology so we can offer our customers better products and greater production. As our customers’ needs change, we’ll continue innovating and providing the tools and resources they need to do their jobs well.”
Consistent Quality and Production Keep Battle Lumber a Major Player
The lumber market will always have unpredictable variables, from weather and demand to trade policy and mill closures.
That unpredictability is exactly why a large sawmill like Battle Lumber stays at the leading edge of technology. Using technology to maximize quality, yield, and efficiency helps Battle Lumber have inventory available for its customers.
Tony Morgan is a senior technician for Wagner Meters, where he serves on a team for product testing, development, and also customer service and training for moisture measurement products. Along with 19 years field experience for a number of electronics companies, Tony holds a B.A. in Management and his AAS in Electronics Technology.
Last updated on October 12th, 2026
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