Recovery rate and quality of rotary peeled veneer from 30-year-old Pinus taeda L. logs

••CONTEXT : In the construction sector, wood is facing competition with other materials such as concrete, steel or plastics. Therefore, there is a need for more efficiency in the forest–wood chain by improving silvicutural management and wood processing technologies. ••AIMS : The objective of the study is to analyse the influence of log diameter and quality to recovery rate, veneer quality and economic benefit. ••METHODS : The trees used in the study came from a 30-year-old Pinus taeda L. thinning trial in Southern Brazil. In total, 57 logs (20.7 to 67.0 cm) were peeled following the standard industrial processing methods of the plywood mill. ••RESULTS : Average recovery rate was 54 % ranging from 35 to 72.6 %, with a linear trend (R ² = 0.48) of increasing recovery with an increment on the log small-end diameter. Results show that the gap between theoretically possible and real recovery was lower in the logs with bigger diameters, indicating their higher efficiency in industrial processing. Moreover, the economic analysis detected that the current prices for log assortments reflect only the industrial potential of low-quality pruned logs. An optimised pruning strategy would result in higher industrial efficiency, which would allow higher log prices. ••CONCLUSION : The results indicate that the recovery rate of bigger logs is higher in terms of volume of peeled veneer. The quality and therefore the value obtained from each log were negatively influenced by inadequate pruning strategies. Management of pines for higher value utilisation requires optimized thinning and pruning strategies in order to meet high growth rates and proportionally bigger dimensions of clear wood.