Sawmill and glulam production from 100% Swiss timber – from log sawing to glued structural timber.
Dahinden Sägewerk AG
Hellbühl (Kirchrain 20)New on Amplifa
About Dahinden Sägewerk AG
Dahinden Sägewerk AG in Hellbühl (LU) is a family business founded in 1898, now in its fourth generation, processing exclusively Swiss logs, predominantly from Central Switzerland. In the sawmill, large-diameter timber, high-value timber and hardwood are sawn into standard goods and custom products on two processing lines – a computer-assisted circular saw headrig (LINCK-KCSU) and bandsaw technology. Further processing includes debarking, technical drying (up to 12 m in length), planing and profiling, finger-jointing, as well as in-house glulam production for FSBV, DUO and laminated timber. The company also offers contract work (sawing, drying, storage, further processing of customer timber), custom production up to 14 m in length, hybrid products such as excavator mats from its own mechanics department, as well as residual/energy wood. Since 1994, Dahinden has supplied the municipality of Hellbühl with district heating from its own wood-chip firing system and invests in research on wood-based materials and energy storage. Customers come from the building trades, joineries, timber construction, agriculture and the wood-processing industry.
- Site
- Hellbühl
- Processes
- Sawing (circular saw technology & bandsaw technology, two processing lines), Custom production / cutting timber to size, Contract work (processing, drying, storing, further processing of customer timber), Planing, Profiling, Technical drying, Glulam production (gluing, finger-jointing), Manufacture of hybrid products (e.g. excavator mats) in the in-house mechanics department
- Materials
- Spruce, Fir, Spruce-fir laminated timber, Hardwood, Large-diameter timber, High-value timber, Large-diameter timber / high-value timber, Polyurethane adhesive (PUR)
- Certificates
- Swiss Timber label, ISPM standard, Gluing / glue audit (certified glulam SFH)
- Founded
- 1898
- Industries
- building contractors, joineries, timber construction, agriculture, wood-processing companies
- 01
Log purchasing
- 02
Debarking & log scaling
- 03
Sawing (circular saw & bandsaw)
- 04
Edging & lumber grading
- 05
Technical drying
- 06
Planing & profiling
- 07
Finger-jointing & gluing (glulam)
- 08
Storage & logistics
Wood species & processes
Spruce
Main raw material for structural timber, DUO, construction timber and glulam products.
Fir
Second main wood species, processed together with spruce into spruce-fir laminated timber for FSBV and profiled mouldings.
Spruce-fir laminated timber
Technically dried laminated timber (at least C24) for dimensionally stable, glued structural timber.
Hardwood
Processed on the two sawing lines alongside softwood large-diameter and high-value timber.
Large-diameter timber / high-value timber
Raw material base for standard goods and custom products in sawing.
Polyurethane adhesive (PUR)
Formaldehyde-free, certified adhesive for all moisture classes in glulam production.
Location
Hellbühl
CHSawmill, further processing centre, glulam production, district heating / headquarters
- Part weight / size
- Components up to 14 m in length
- Lot size
- Standard goods to one-off pieces
- Materials
- Spruce, fir, hardwood
- LINCK-KCSU circular saw headrig (2007)
- Bandsaw (sawing technology II)
- Computer-controlled edging line with board grading
- Fully mechanized log bandsaw line
- Finger-jointing system HOWIAL
- 2 gluing lines for surface bonding
- Planing line (modernized 2018)
- Trimming mill Costa
- Drying chambers for timber up to 12 m
- Log sorting crane
- Stacking system
- In-house mechanics department
Components & products
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sawing (circular saw technology & bandsaw technology, two processing lines)Machining | – | – | – | – | spruce, fir, large-diameter timber, high-value timber, hardwood |
| Custom production / cutting timber to sizeMachining | – | 14.00 m (structural timber according to | – | – | spruce, fir |
| Contract work (processing, drying, storing, further processing of customer timber)Machining | – | – | – | – | wood |
| PlaningMachining | dimensionally accurate | – | – | – | spruce, fir |
| ProfilingMachining | – | – | – | – | spruce, fir |
| Technical dryingHeat treatment | moisture content 14 % (±2 %) / 12 % (+/-3 %) | 12.00 m (drying chamber) | – | – | spruce, fir |
| Glulam production (gluing, finger-jointing)Joining | – | up to 12.00 m | – | – | spruce, fir |
| Manufacture of hybrid products (e.g. excavator mats) in the in-house mechanics departmentAssembly | – | – | – | – | wood |
| DebarkingMachining | – | – | – | – | logs |
| Lumber grading / stacking systemAssembly | – | – | – | – | wood |
| Log scaling / log yardEngineering | – | – | – | – | logs |
| Storage / warehousing for customersEngineering | – | – | – | – | wood |
| Research & development (wood-based materials, energy storage, prototyping)Engineering | – | – | – | – | wood |
12 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Circular saw headrig (computer-assisted) | LINCK KCSU | – | – | 2007 | Hellbühl |
| LINCK sawing technology | LINCK | – | – | – | Hellbühl |
| Bandsaw (sawing technology II) | – | – | – | – | Hellbühl |
| Edging line (computer-controlled, with board grading) | – | – | – | 1985 | Hellbühl |
| Log bandsaw line (fully mechanized) | – | – | – | 1978 | Hellbühl |
| Finger-jointing system | HOWIAL | – | – | 2005 | Hellbühl |
| Gluing line for surface bonding | – | 2 | – | 1998 / 202 | Hellbühl |
| Planing line | – | – | – | 2009/2018 | Hellbühl |
| Trimming mill | Costa | – | – | 2000 | Hellbühl |
| Drying chamber | – | – | up to 12.00 m of timber (additional chamber 2020) | ab 1976 | Hellbühl |
| Log sorting crane | – | – | – | 2022 (erse | Hellbühl |
| Stacking system | – | – | – | 2003 | Hellbühl |
Additional services
Quality & certificates
Dahinden works with certified gluing (successful glue audit 2014, certified glulam SFH), the Swiss Timber label and ISPM stamping for packaging wood. Drying to defined moisture content (14 % ±2 % or 12 % ±3 %) guarantees dimensionally stable structural timber of at least C24 quality.
| Evidence | Hellbühl |
|---|---|
| Swiss Timber label | |
| ISPM standard | |
| Gluing / glue audit (certified glulam SFH) |
Company history
- 1898
Jakob Dahinden purchased a small sawmill operation including a bone mill in Hellbühl, with a single headrig saw and water-powered drive
- 1924
Jean Dahinden took over the business at the age of 22
- 1928
Purchase of a full headrig saw
- 1930
Purchase of a truck – the first semi-trailer in Switzerland
- 1954
Founding of the limited partnership with the sons Hans and Franz
- 1969
Start of export activities
- 1976
Investment in drying technology
- 1978
Installation of a fully mechanized log bandsaw line
- 1985
Installation of the computer-controlled edging line including board grading
- 1994
Expansion of the log yard, district heating contract with the municipality of Neuenkirch, entry of the 4th generation
- 1995
Conversion into a public limited company (AG)
- 1998
Expansion of the further processing centre, commissioning of glulam production
- 2007
Complete renovation of the saw hall, investment in LINCK-KCSU circular saw technology
- 2014
Successful glue audit – certified glulam SFH
- 2023
Launch of the flagship project "Pilatus" in the fields of energy and synthesis
- 2024
Founding of Dahinden Energie AG