This market study was written on behalf of Uni4 Marketing (U4M) and investigates the Egyptian Softwood market. The objective was to identify what characterises a good Softwood supplier according to Egyptian importers. In addition to this U4M?s competitiveness compared to their competitors was evaluated. The study also identified possible sources of competitive advantage possessed by U4M.

The study of the French market for Softwood has been done in collaboration with VIDA AB. The aim of the study was to investigate important product quality and service quality dimensions, the customers? perception of the offering and generally describe the French market and present actors. The market for Softwood around the world changes over time and new markets can mean opportunities for the sawmilling industry. The French market is the second biggest European market for Softwood, has had presence of actors with sourcing of raw material from the Nordic countries for decades and there is a growing interest for building with wood. Theory being used is about the different dimensions that make up the total quality of Softwood, together with intangible dimensions making up the total offering that helps the sawmilling industry to create positive perceived value for the customers. Methodological approach in the study was a case study research design, aimed at providing knowledge about one specific subject in one context. The general description was mostly carried out by literature studies and data from various statistics sources.

This study has analyzed particel size distribution and needle content in chipped logging residuals (branches and tops) delivered to the district heating plant Ryaverket in city of Borås, Sweden. Two fuel assortments has been analyzed: Chipped logging residuals from pure Softwood and from mixed fuel (connifers and broadleaves). The samples has been sieved at Linneaus University laboratory.The study of particle sizes indicates that only 53,2 % of delivered fuel is within the fuels specification (7? 45 mm). The needle content is in this study 12,4 % (dry mass) which is higher than expected..

The project focus on combustion of Softwood pellets and pellets in a 40 kW grate fire reactor at TEC-Lab. Dept Applied Physics and Electronics at Umeå University. Experiments were performed at four primary airs to fuel ratios (0.7 to 1.3), where aspects such as temperature profile, levels of gases (CO and NO), sintering-/-slagging and unburned fraction of the ashes were studied. Four different fuel loads were used for wood pellets (10, 20 and 30 kW) and one fuel load for straw (10 kW). Combustion of straw proved very difficult to ignite, and also led to other combustion-related technical problem such as slag formation due to the relatively low melting temperature-/-slag temperature of the straw.

The purpose of this study is to analyse how a distribution and sale-network for quality Softwood lumber should be designed to fit sawmilling companies? business concepts, and at the same time satisfy customer needs regarding delivery time and quality aspects. This thesis work is a case study based on a sawmilling and retail company in Sweden. AB Karl Hedin is a private owned sawmilling company with 500 employees. The company?s turnover is 1500 million SEK, it includes 4 sawmills, 16 builders merchants stores and a packaging company.

Fast pyrolysis is a method for converting biomass into three energy rich products: char, gas and bio-oil, where the latter is most interesting.  Pyrolysis is an endothermic process where biomass is heated in an anaerobic environment and, with the right operating conditions, up to 80 %wt bio-oil can be extracted. Key parameters for fast pyrolysis are: stable reactor temperature (~500°C), short residue time for gas in the reactor (<2 s) and a very high heating rate for the biomass. Today there are several different process solutions for fast pyrolysis, where fluidized beds and rotating cones are most developed. Bio-oil has compared to fossil oil: lower heating value, low pH and also polymerizes with time. Because of this upgrading is desirable for increasing competitiveness.

I Sverige har debatten om brand i hallbyggnad pågått under en längre tid. Grundkravet enligt EKS 8 för hallbyggnader som innehåller samlingslokal är R30, men konstruktionsdelar som vid kollaps inte leder till fortskridande ras eller ger för stort skadeområde kan förbli oskyddade. Framförallt handlar debatten om möjligheter till oskyddade takbalkar av stål samt vilka verifieringsmetoder som ska vara tillämpningsbara.I denna studie har FDS-simuleringar utförts med olika scenarier där parametrar som bland annat bränsletyp, takhöjd och öppningsstorlekar har varierats. Dessa scenarier har jämförts och parametrarnas betydelse har analyserats. Fokus i denna studie har varit analys av temperaturerna i takbalkarna, men även utrymningssimuleringar har utförts i programmet Evac.

Forest enterprises have always searched for ways to improve efficiency. For the past few years there has been an emphasis on stock-keeping levels. Increased demand for fresh round timber and the need to decrease the amount of tied-up capital has made the forest industry reduce its inventory levels. This has brought on a higher demand on the timber supply from the forest management districts concerning both delivery in time and assortment output. As a result, the flow of timber has fluctuated a lot with serious consequence for the timber supply during 1994.