Three GSI printers mounted on a timber line with control cabinet and touch screen

Industry · Sawmills

Sawmill marking: barcodes and quality stamps directly on timber at full speed

End grain, flat side, stack and package. Up to 120 m/min.

From dot-matrix printing to high resolution

Permanent codes instead of labels that stop the line

Marking in sawmills has long meant low-resolution dot-matrix printing with poor readability, or labels that require roll changes and adjustment of mechanical arms, and that come loose during transport.

UV-curable inkjet technology replaces both with high-resolution stamps and codes directly on the timber or the packaging, using the same ink.

GSI Nordic and our products are EPAL-certified for marking Euro pallets, including the new requirements for QR codes. We are also APA-certified for durable marking on timber and panel products in the USA.

GSI printers with touch screen mounted at a timber line

JAS stamp printed on the flat side of a plank

Strength class C16 printed on the end grain of an entire timber stack

Barcode and the dimension 2x4 96 printed on the end grain of a stud

Barcodes printed on the end grain of planed boards on a conveyor

UPC-A barcode printed in black on end grain

CE, UKCA and Tp stamps printed on the flat side of timber

CE and UKCA marking with strength class and barcode on upright timber

Package information, QR code and barcode printed directly on wrapping plastic

Package information with barcode and QR code printed on white wrapping plastic

DataMatrix codes printed from below on a timber package, verified with a camera reader

Paper label with barcode coming off a plank

Two timber packages with package information and barcode printed directly on the wrapping plastic

Printers at the timber line

Applications

Six examples of what we mark in sawmills

Thanks to a uniquely long throw distance and UV-curable ink, we mark reliably on surfaces where other systems fail, and the printhead can sit protected behind a robust mechanical cover.

In production

End grain and flat side marking directly on the timber line.

Barcodes on the end grain and quality stamps on the flat side, printed in line without labels.

End grain and flat side marking

Traditional

Adhesive labels

Come loose when wet and during handling
Manual work to apply
Stops for roll changes and adjustment
Consumables and waste

With UV inkjet

Direct printing

Permanent, weather-resistant UV-cured ink
No labels, no waste
Automated, at full line speed
New layout on screen, no new stamps

Example solution

Planer marking directly after trimming

Directly after planing and trimming, every piece of timber is marked with information for internal traceability and regulatory compliance. UV-curable inkjet printing replaces traditional stamps and labels with fast, durable and flexible marking at production speed.

Inline at production speed

Printers mounted directly at the planer mark at full speed with no bottleneck, no manual handling and immediate UV curing.

Internal traceability

Every piece of timber is linked to its original log, sawing grade and kiln schedule, from forest to end customer. Essential for claims and EUDR.

2D codes and DataMatrix

Compact machine-readable codes with article number, batch data and traceability, readable even on partially damaged surfaces.

ISPM 15 stamps

International standard for wood packaging in export: marking of heat treatment (HT) or fumigation for pallets and packaging timber.

Strength class, CE marking and barcode on timber

Traceability & EUDR

Every piece of timber linked to log, sawing grade and kiln schedule.

Compact DataMatrix and QR codes with article number and batch data, readable even on partially damaged surfaces. Ahead of EUDR, you change the layout in the software instead of ordering new stamps.

Read about traceability and EUDR

FAQ

What sawmills usually ask us

Do the printers need a lot of maintenance in dusty environments?

No. The long throw distance means the printhead can sit behind a robust mechanical guard. We have printers half a meter from the corner trimmers that are cleaned roughly every other week.

How much work is the changeover for EUDR?

Very little. You change the layout in the software and generate unique QR codes for every package automatically.

Can the printer fetch data from our ERP system?

Yes. Data is fetched per order, so the right code ends up on the right product without manual handling.

Is it difficult for the operators?

No. The interface is similar to a smartphone, and changing the marking takes a few taps on the screen.

Recommended printers

For sawmills

NoLabel® SOLO

360 DPIOne color: black, white, red or a spot color

Quality stamps and codes on the flat side, at very high speed.

NoLabel® ICON

2 colorsBlack and white simultaneously

High-contrast barcodes on end grain and dark surfaces, in a single pass.