BID Group
Driving Digital Transformation in the Wood Processing Industry

The wood processing industry is on a quest to embrace comprehensive digital solutions to streamline operations. The divergent processes involved in lumber production makes it one of the most complex systems in the manufacturing world. Traditionally, errors occurring at any stage of the operations are hard to identify, often leading to significant production and quality losses. The challenges are exacerbated by a combination of complex technologies and people who have limited wood processing experience.

The pioneers at BID Group, who literally have sawdust in their boots, have identified that having industry-specific technologies to monitor and control operations and offer real-time updates is key to embracing the shift to a digital-first world.

By leveraging its experience in wood processing, BID Group has created integrated solutions that help minimize operational costs and increase profit margins for clients. Engineered with adaptability in mind, its solutions can be easily integrated in the client's existing ecosystems to optimize overall operations.

“Our solutions act as the central point for our clients to monitor operations without having to use complex and standalone systems,” says Stéphane Desjardins, Senior Vice President of Technology for Wood Processing at BID Group.

BID's OPER8^TM platform is the only purpose-built industrial, out-of-the-box IoT solution aimed at digitally transforming the wood processing industry. Created by specialists in automation and optimization, the solution helps clients gain visibility into production and asset health using real-time data analytics along with insights and production reporting.

The platform gathers, analyzes and visualizes machine data, enabling clients to identify the efficiency of the production line and boost the overall revenue.

In an industry where the price of goods rapidly fluctuates, minimizing operational costs is key. OPER8^TM helps clients manage their production costs by overcoming the challenges posed by traditional methods.

The platform eliminates time-consuming manual inspection processes required for understanding the root cause of a problem. It provides a clear view of operational information at the machine level across the factory. This reduces the pressure on the workforce and minimizes any additional labor costs incurred by clients.

The software also provides employees with the required data to complete the tasks according to their roles. For instance, while a mill floor operator can access a distinct set of information regarding the equipment, a supervisor can leverage a varied set of information regarding the entirety of the operations.

To ensure clients gain the true benefits of the solution, BID Group offers training to its clients who are specifically oriented toward driving quick, positive outputs. “Employees who are trained to read the dashboard can perform tasks easily by identifying and rectifying the problem with minimal supervision, empowering them to have a direct impact on the production results,” says Anne-Marie Lévesque, vice president of business and product development at BID Group.

BID Group is also leading the digital transformation through Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has triggered the start of a major revolution in the wood processing industry, and BID is spearheading this revolution with the most recognized solutions in the industry. In fact, BID’s AI-enhanced technologies, combined with its industry-leading optimization software, have proven to be the most powerful and reliable solutions on the market, bringing sawmills to higher productivity levels.

Being dedicated to constant innovation to better serve its customers, BID Group is expanding its digital transformation offering with its new AI-powered Smart Vision. The different applications of the Smart Vision can be deployed in all stages of wood processing and uses AI to analyze images from the cameras to constantly monitor the process and identify production anomalies, leading to an increase in productivity, reduction in downtime and increased safety.

BID Group’s all-encompassing solutions bring technology, innovation and expertise together to set it apart in the industry. Aiming to empower clients to achieve optimal efficiency, the experts at BID group continue to work on developing more tools to revolutionize the industry.