Weima America is working hard to work with customers in the wake of the IWF cancellation, said Audrey Brewer, marketing manager. “Currently we’re brainstorming ideas, like everyone, to possibly host educational events that are virtual, distanced, etc.,” she said, but nothing specific has been confirmed.

“We were really excited to debut a brand new shredder at IWF,” she said, highlighting the Weima Horizontal Beaver 600, which is similar to the Weima HB300 but with a 600mm wide rotor instead of a 300mm wide rotor. “This means that companies can shred wider/larger boards at lower capacities without pre-cutting each piece prior to shredding,” Brewer said. “This is great for companies with lower scrap volume but who still have a need for space savings and easier disposal/reintegration of wood waste.”

The other Weima machine that was going to make its debut at IWF is the Weima Beaver 400. This is a vertical-style machine that is made for shredding bulky panel scrap. “The vertical nature of this machine means it doesn’t take up as much space as a horizontal machine with a long infeed conveyor, and it can be hand fed right where the scrap is created,” she said.

“The pandemic made everyone rethink space in woodworking operations—how close are the machines? The people? The stations? The scrap piles? Who has to walk which way to do what, and how can we change the flow so people are safer,” said Brewer. “One thing an on-site wood shredder can do for an operation is it can handle scrap right where it’s made, instead of having to transport it across the building. It also eliminates the need for large areas for storage of skeletons or other bulky wood waste, which frees up more production space for social distancing measures, extra cleaning, etc.”

Brewer said the pandemic also made woodworking shops reanalyze their cashflow and opportunities for increased return on investment long-term. “For companies that are paying by the dumpster load to dispose of bulky wood scrap, eliminating a few of those dumpsters being hauled off each month really adds up, and quickly,” she said. “That’s immediate, obvious ROI.”

“The machines we were going to reveal at the show are shredders we’d suggest for small-to-mid-sized woodworking shops that are fighting the good fight to maximize their workforce and invest in machinery with long-lasting impacts for their operation,” she said. “Installing a shredder on site is an incredible way to make the most out of wood scrap and out of the corporate budget in the wake of COVID-19.”