What We Do

Forest

We source only from legally designated forest areas and operate to the letter of applicable African forestry laws and regulations. Before any harvest begins, we complete a documented due-diligence process:
Concession & Permits
Verify land tenure, harvest rights, and all operating permits; comply with approved forest management plans and annual allowable cut limits.
Pre-harvest Inventory & Mapping
Tag and map candidate trees; identify set-asides, riparian buffers, and high conservation value (HCV) areas to avoid.
Protected Species & CITES
Exclude protected species and comply with CITES requirements where applicable; apply seasonal restrictions to protect wildlife and soils.
Reduced-Impact Logging (RIL)
Plan skid trails and directional felling to minimize soil disturbance, erosion, and waste.
Community & Labor Safeguards
Engage local stakeholders, uphold fair labor, and enforce strict health & safety standards on site.
Traceability & Chain of Custody
Assign unique IDs from stump to shipment; maintain full documentation to meet international legality frameworks.
Taxes & Royalties
Ensure all stumpage fees, royalties, and export duties are properly declared and paid.

Felling & Transportation

We selectively harvest target species in designated forest areas under approved plans. After felling, logs are debranched, bucked to manageable lengths, numbered, and their basic data recorded (species, length/diameter, batch). Logs are then moved by truck or skidder to our mill.

Transportation of sawn timber to YYW premises
Container Handling and Forwarding Services
Declaration
Loading to the vessel

Sawing& Edging

According to customer specifications, logs are processed into boards or strips using optimized cutting patterns—whether plain, quarter, or rift sawn—to achieve the best balance of yield, stability, and grain appearance. Each log is assessed for defects such as knots, checks, and tension wood, and cutting lines are adjusted in real time to maximize usable output. After sawing, boards are precisely edged to ensure clean, parallel sides and are end-trimmed to the required lengths for consistent sizing and improved handling. This attention to detail ensures both higher recovery rates and superior product quality.

In short, every log is cut for maximum efficiency and the best possible grade.

Drying

Depending on the order, lumber is air-dried (AD) or kiln-dried (KD). We run controlled schedules
—
temperature, relative humidity, airflow, and time
—
to prevent checking and warping. Moisture content is measured at multiple stages with calibrated meters and oven-dry verification where required. Conditioning and stickering help equalize MC and relieve stress before grading.

Initial Processing

At the yard, logs are debarked to remove dirt and grit that can damage saws. We buck logs to required lengths and diameters, then perform primary sorting/decking by species, size, and grade to streamline downstream

Packaging& Shiping

Conforming lumber is bundled by species and size, strapped, corner-protected, labeled/barcoded (species, grade, dimensions, piece count, MC), and given a final QC check against the purchase order. We coordinate export or domestic logistics, including documentation, ISPM-15-compliant dunnage, fumigation if required, customs clearance, loading, and delivery scheduling.