Contrast of sawmill performance and economic income in traditional and modern sawmills in northern Mexico

Abstract

The transformation of roundwood into sawn timber is crucial in Mexico, where the industry faces challenges in both the quality and quantity of products, requiring technological improvements to minimize waste and enhance competitiveness. In this context, the objective of this study was to compare the production of traditional and modern sawmills based on the sawing coefficient, total product yield, and the economic revenues generated. The study was conducted in Guachochi, Chihuahua, a region with cold temperate forests. Two types of sawmills were evaluated: traditional (private company) and modern (communal ejidos). The yield of sawn timber, secondary products, and solid waste was analyzed, as well as the revenues generated by each product. The Shapiro-Wilk test (p < 0.05) was used to assess the normality of the data, and the Student's t-test (p < 0.05) was used to compare yield and revenues between the types of sawmills. Significant differences (p = 0.008) were found between the sawn timber yield of communal ejidos (53.32%) and that of the private company (45.82%). The sawdust yield generated by communal ejidos was 17.92%, while that of the private company was 25.00%, with a p-value of 0.009. Revenues varied between sawmills, being higher in communal ejidos due to their greater sawn timber yield (p = 0.012). Solid waste that showed differences included broomstick wood and firewood, with p-values of 0.030 and 0.000, respectively. It is concluded that the modern industry is more efficient, thus it is necessary to define strategies to improve the efficiency of traditional sawmills.