Dr. Raymond Roberts Employment HISTORY

Carter Holt Harvey Timber Products to improve blending efficiency in high-speed blenders and to improve the performance of decor paper  impregnation operations.

I was employed by Proline Floors to optimise high-density fibreboard (HDF) for the manufacture of laminated flooring in China specifically in relation to swell and machinability. A list of specifications was drawn up so that Proline Floors can take their specific requirements to HDF  substrate manufacturers. I also optimised paper-treating specifications for the decorative overlay.

I developed a multi-phase wetting enhancing system Rezex A that improves spreading and penetration of simple and complex water based fluids on previously difficult to wet surfaces. It is very effective in improving blending efficiency with high-speed particleboard blenders, reducing resin use and improving properties.

Employed by Carter Holt Harvey (Panels) to further improve machinability of particleboard at the Gympie site using the newly developed multi-phase wetting system Rezex A.

As a result of the detailed resin distribution analysis carried out in 2008 for Carter Holt Harvey, full-scale plant trials were undertaken at the Oberon factory involving the multi-phase wetting system Rezex A  made by Oxford Technologies and significant changes to the blender setups to improve blending efficiency resulting in better resin distribution leading to improvements to physical properties and  reductions in overall board density.

Employed by Carter Holt Harvey (Panels) to conduct a detailed study on  resin blending efficiency at all of the particleboard plants of the group, Tumut, Mt Gambier, Oberon and Gympie. 

This was done to a detailed level by examining resin distribution at a flake level for both core and surface as opposed to the standard Kjeldahl analysis commonly used.

Employed by the Rexcel C.A. Zitacuaro Mich Mexico to solve machinability  problems in LPM and white spots on dark coloured laminates.

In doing so I also improved the general efficiencies of the impregnation line,  laminating presses and the particleboard press particularly blending and pressing cycles.

Employed by the Just Bench Group in Queensland to improve the efficiency of the pressing of high-pressure laminates onto particleboard substrates to produce benchtops. 

This also involved optimising the  post-forming of the laminate after pressing. As a result there has been a  large reduction in the generation of defective product. 

The work involved determining the interfacial energy between the resin and the substrate and optimising it to improve resin efficiency.

Consultant for Carter Holt Harvey Panels (Gympie) to improve machinability

of LPM particleboard. 

Gympie board was unusable on flat bed routers. The cause of the problem was found, to be ineffective blending and was  more prevalent on the local species used. 

This was identified through the use of SEM, light microscopy and the use of a goniometer at ANU. It was caused by high interfacial energies between the resin and the  surface of the flake. A solution was found using pre-treatment of the  flake as well as modifying the resin. 

There was no additional capital expenditure required. The board is now as good as any board in Australia. Savings to Carter Holt Harvey of $6m per year were realised.

Consultant for Forest and Wood Products Research and Development Council

investigating the need for undergraduates in the Australian wood processing sector and identifying options for establishing an  undergraduate education program specifically for wood science and  technology in Australia, (report to be published see below).

Consultant for Carter Holt Harvey Pinepanels for impregnation and panels operations.

Visiting fellow Department of Applied Mathematics, Research School of  Physical Sciences and Engineering, The Australian National University working on complex fluid flow in paper.

Consultant for Carter Holt Harvey Pinepanels for impregnation and panels operations.

Visiting fellow Department of Applied Mathematics, Research School of  Physical Sciences and Engineering, The Australian National University working on complex fluid flow in paper.

Built and managed CCA treatment plant for CSR Softwoods at Gilmore (near  Tumut NSW) including installation of complete containment systems with a  number of fail-safes as well as ground water monitoring systems.

Harvesting manager for CSR Softwoods and Wood Panels in Tumut NSW

Logging Manager Fibron MDF plant Oberon NSW:

• Supervision of construction of woodmill capable of generation of 360,000 chips per annum from roundwood
• Establishing and managing harvesting operation sustaining MDF plant.1989 Production and Logging Manager for board production which included introduction of low-density board, which was the first such  product in the world
• Managing factory’s environmental systems including air monitoring and waste water remediation.

Forester NSW Forestry Commission Oberon:

• Managing planning, road survey and construction for plantation establishment roads up to Class 1: 100 km/h design speed.
• Managing plantation harvesting.
• Managing fire protection including large area aerial hazard reduction operations.
• Managing environmental monitoring (water quality and soil movement)  and optimising harvesting and road construction operations accordingly  particularly in Jenolan Caves catchment area where there existed karst  features in the areas to be roaded, established and harvested.

Forester Forestry Commission of NSW Bombala:

• Managing harvesting and planning for hardwood operations for wood supply to Harris Daishowa wood chip mill at Eden and Tablelands Sawmill  at Bombala.
• Managing planning, road survey and construction for plantation  establishment and hardwood harvesting up to Class 1: 100 km/h design  speed roads. including locating and planning for large areas of native forest in Bondi SF
• Conducted Preferred Management Priority Planning for Coolangubra State Forest including identification of areas of significant  environmental value i.e. rare sites of Telopea oriades (Gippsland  Waratah) as well as sites specific to Mountain pygmy possums,  Feathertail gliders and other endangered species.
• Managing radiata plantation establishment, maintenance and  harvesting for Bondi and Coolangubra State Forests including  introduction of helicopter spraying of any description for woody weeds for the first time in Australia.
• Fire fighting operations around Bombala including many Section 41F emergency situations in 1980, 1983 (Ash Wednesday) and 1985 involving  hardwood, plantation and grass fires.
• Monitoring revegetation and streamside stabilisation after wildfire events.
• Managed fire prevention strategies including aerial hazard reduction and construction of fire tower on Kelly's Mt south of Bombala.
• Involved in establishment of E. nitens and E. fastigata plantations in the Bombala forestry district.
• Conducting environmental remediation of log dumps by re-establishing native flora on dumps.

Assistant District Forester Forestry Commission of Tasmania Devonport

• Managed hardwood and plantation harvesting operations
• Managed plantation subdivision road construction
• Managed plantation establishment and maintenance
• Managed fire protection for district including setting up aerial detection systems involving fixed wing aircraft.
• Involved in forestry extension activities with local schools and community

Forester Forestry Commission of Tasmania Hobart

• Involved in assessing areas for suitability for plantation establishment in NE Tasmania
• Hardwood resources assessment on Bruny Island