Jartek is a Finnish supplier of wood processing technology and equipment and one of the world’s leaders in Thermowood® kiln systems.
Proven Thermowood® technology, industrial precision, and a collaborative partnership model.
Over the past three decades, Jartek has delivered more than 80 thermal modification chambers and more than 20 boiler plants, continually developing its technology to meet the needs of industrial wood producers.
This rich legacy is one of the reasons why Western Forest Products selected Jartek as our thermal modification technology partner. We were not looking for a kiln supplier in the narrow sense. We were looking for a proven process partner with deep Thermowood® experience, strong technical discipline, and the ability to help us develop thermally modified Hem-Fir into a reliable, market-ready wood platform.
‘We chose Jartek because this project requires more than equipment. It requires process knowledge, testing discipline, and a partner with a proven record in thermal modification.’
– Mark Dubois-Phillips, Director, Business Development, Western Forest Products
A thermal modification technology partner with deep Thermowood® roots.
The roots of modernthermal modification are strongly tied to Northern Europe. The Thermowood® process was developed in Finland as an industrial-scale method for modifying wood at elevated temperatures using steam, under atmospheric pressure, without added chemicals.
The International Thermowood® Association, ITWA, based in Finland, was founded in 2000 to support the growth, standardization, research, quality control, and proper use of the ThermoWood® trademark and certified product classes. Today, ITWA includes permanent members from multiple countries, and only permanent members have the legal right to use the Thermowood® trademark for thermally modified timber. The ITWA mark is also used as the association’s official quality control mark.
Jartek is a member of the ITWA, and that alignment is important to Western Forest. We want a thermal modification technology partner connected to the technical framework, standards culture, and industry history.
Jartek’s connection to ITWA is not just symbolic. ITWA members cooperate in standardization, quality control, and research to advance Thermowood® products. We are bringing a proven European process to a local fibre opportunity, and we need the discipline that comes with established standards.
Why process control matters.
Thermal modification changes the internal chemistry of wood at elevated temperatures. The process reduces moisture uptake, improves dimensional stability, and increases biological durability, without chemical additives.
But the outcome is not defined by temperature alone. It depends on how consistently the process manages heat, steam, airflow, moisture, time, conditioning, and material variation across a full industrial load.
Thermal Modification Control Interface – Jartek
Since treatment outcomes are strongly influenced by species characteristics, and Hem-Fir, as a natural material, exhibits variability in density, moisture behaviour, and knot structure, maintaining tight process control is essential to ensure uniform treatment conditions. This is why we selected a Jartek kiln, as its system is designed for precise control of temperature, steam, airflow, and process timing across varying material inputs. This control is achieved through engineered airflow distribution, reversible high-capacity circulation fans, and optimized load spacing that reduce thermal gradients, while integrated sensors and embedded probes enable continuous monitoring and closed-loop adjustments for consistent batch-to-batch performance. Our primary requirement was not simply the ability to heat wood. It was the ability to control the full treatment environment with repeatability, predictability, and stability.
Thermal modification technology partnership, not just a purchase.
One of Jartek’s strongest advantages is its partnership model. For example, they often work with customers to map the properties of different species and assess their feasibility as thermally modified wood products.
That approach fits our project directly. Hem-Fir is familiar to Western, but thermally modified knotty Hem-Fir has not previously been commercialized at scale in the way we are pursuing it. We need to understand how our fibre behaves under different treatment schedules, how it machines, how it finishes, how it performs in exterior applications, and how it can be developed into specification-ready products.
Jartek also notes that its thermal modification chambers are tailored to the common wood batches and dimensions that its customers produce, helping avoid production bottlenecks and unnecessary work. The company also helps customers identify the right parameters and formulas for treating different wood types.
That is exactly the kind of support this project requires. We are not simply installing a machine. We are building a production capability around a specific Pacific Northwest fibre base.
From kiln to capability.
Western’s thermal modification kiln installation is designed as a scalable production platform. The equipment is supplied by Jartek Invest Oy in Finland and supported by a thermal oil heating plant designed to provide stable energy input for continuous operation. The heating system is designed to support up to three thermal modification chambers on shared infrastructure, with the first installed kiln having a working volume of 38 cubic metres.
The Jartek kiln will operate in coordination with our existing continuous drying kiln at the value-added division. That creates an integrated production flow from controlled drying and moisture stabilization through to thermal modification. Consistent input conditions are essential for consistent output, especially when developing a new product platform from Hem-Fir.
The first kiln is expected to arrive in May 2026, with commissioning and start-up planned for July 2026.
Continuous drying kiln at value-added division
Best-in-class platform for a new wood product.
Jartek’s role as our thermal modification technology partner is strategic. Their technology brings together decades of thermal modification experience, alignment with the Thermowood® framework, industrial process control, and a collaborative R&D culture. Their kilns are already used by established thermally modified wood producers in Europe.
For Western, that gives us the confidence to move forward with discipline. We benefit from Jartek’s accumulated experimentation, technical development, research, process learning, and global installation experience. In practical terms, we are not starting from zero. We are applying proven technology to a new fibre opportunity.
‘This is a best-in-class technology partnership. Jartek brings the process pedigree, and Western brings the fibre, manufacturing discipline, and market opportunity.’
– Mark Dubois-Phillips, Director, Business Development, Western Forest Products
