Measurement as the Foundation of Quality Control
Pfeifer is one of Europe’s leading wood processors, with a production capacity of 1.2 million cubic meters. The company processes roundwood into a range of wood products -- sawn timber, sawdust, and wood blocks -- at industrial scale. Quality control across that volume, and across the full drying and sorting process, requires measurement systems that produce consistent, actionable data at every critical point in the production chain.
Steffan Funk, Technical Specialist at Pfeifer, is responsible for the implementation and calibration of measuring equipment within the production processes.
The collaboration with Brookhuis has been very positive and pleasant. Brookhuis has extensive technical expertise, especially when working with specialists like Pieter and Bart. The measuring equipment itself is of high quality and reliable. I would recommend the system because it provides better control over our processes. Proper calibration is crucial for optimal performance -- it is important that companies are ready to invest the time and effort into that process.”
The Situation
Before implementing Brookhuis measurement systems, Pfeifer’s quality control capability was constrained in several interconnected ways. Existing measurement systems produced inconsistent data, limiting the reliability of any decision based on them. Feedback on drying processes was insufficiently accurate to support precise kiln management -- a gap that translated directly into higher energy costs and uneven drying outcomes. Without reliable measurement data at the sorting stage, control over how dried material was classified and routed through the production line was limited.
The combined effect was visible in the final product: quality issues that could not be reliably attributed to a specific point in the process, because the measurement data available was not granular or consistent enough to support root-cause analysis. For a processor at Pfeifer’s scale, where incremental improvements in yield or energy efficiency have significant commercial impact, the absence of dependable measurement data was a structural constraint on performance.
The Solution
After a thorough evaluation process, Pfeifer selected Brookhuis measurement systems to address the quality control and process optimization challenges across its production operations. The implementation covered the installation of advanced measuring equipment configured for Pfeifer’s specific production context, integration with existing production processes to ensure measurement data was available at the points where process decisions are made, and structured support from Brookhuis specialists -- including dedicated involvement from Brookhuis engineers Pieter and Bart -- throughout the calibration and optimization phases.
Ongoing calibration and optimization are part of the engagement. Steffan Funk is direct about the importance of this: calibration is not a one-time event but a process that requires time, specialist knowledge, and a commitment from the customer to invest in getting it right. The Brookhuis support structure is built around that reality.
Early Results
The implementation is still in its development phase, and Pfeifer is already reporting measurable early results. The technical functionality of the measurement systems has improved substantially compared to the previous setup. Feedback on drying processes is now more accurate, giving kiln operators better data to work with at the point where energy consumption and drying quality are determined. Control over sorting processes has increased, with more consistent classification of dried material through the line.
A concrete early indicator: 5 to 7 percent of dried material is now being processed through the new installation, with measurable improvement in the quality of final products from that volume. As the installation’s operational scope expands, that proportion -- and the associated quality and yield improvements -- is expected to increase accordingly.
Looking Ahead
Pfeifer’s expectations for the full implementation build directly on the early results. Energy savings from more precise drying process control are a primary target -- at 1.2 million cubic meters of annual production, even a small reduction in energy cost per cubic meter compounds into significant savings. Quality improvements across the broader production volume, and further process innovation including wood density measurement, form the next phase of the development roadmap.
Beyond immediate measurement performance, Pfeifer anticipates that the data foundation established through the Brookhuis installation will enable broader process automation and more systematic optimization of quality control systems across the operation. The measurement infrastructure being built now is the prerequisite for those longer-cycle improvements.
