Alpha Modular Conveyor System for Sawmills
A modular conveyor structure designed for how sawmills actually evolve
Alpha is McDonough’s modular belt conveyor structure developed to simplify conveyor planning in sawmills. Built on pre engineered, standardized truss modules, Alpha reduces design time while supporting the stringer style belt conveyor layouts commonly used to move chips, sawdust, and byproducts out of the mill.
Developed through McDonough’s acquisition of BID Canada, a bulk handling specialist with over 40 years of experience, Alpha brings expanded conveyor capability from a trusted supplier sawmills already rely on.
Why Alpha Was Developed
Sawmill conveyor systems are rarely static. Equipment upgrades, process changes, and expansion projects often require conveyors to change direction, elevation, or length. Traditional stringer style conveyor structures typically require each section to be individually engineered, making these changes time consuming and costly.
Alpha was developed to address this challenge. By standardizing conveyor truss modules and using a proprietary coupler system to manage changes in direction and elevation, Alpha reduces repetitive engineering while maintaining structural consistency across long conveyor runs.
For sawmills, this means faster planning today and flexibility for future changes.
Built on Expanded Expertise
Alpha reflects McDonough’s continued investment in conveyor systems through the acquisition of BID Canada. With decades of experience in bulk material handling across industries, BID Canada strengthens McDonough’s conveyor design and engineering capabilities.
This expanded expertise allows McDonough to offer a modular conveyor structure that combines proven structural principles with a more flexible, standardized approach to planning and expansion.
Alpha is not a departure from McDonough’s conveyor thinking. It is an evolution of it.
Designed for Sawmill Applications
Alpha supports a wide range of common sawmill conveyor needs, including:
-
Chip handling conveyors
-
Sawdust and waste removal systems
-
Byproduct transport to storage or processing
-
Long conveyor runs with elevation changes
-
Stringer style belt conveyor layouts
The modular structure allows these systems to be planned efficiently while remaining adaptable as mill layouts evolve.
How Alpha Works
Alpha is built around two core components:
Pre engineered truss modules
Each Alpha truss module is standardized and engineered once, allowing consistent application across conveyor systems without repeated structural design.
Proprietary coupler system
Couplers connect truss modules and allow conveyor profiles to change direction or elevation without redesigning the entire structure. This supports complex layouts while maintaining modular consistency.
Together, these elements allow conveyor systems to be configured, modified, or expanded without starting over.
Alpha Resources for Sawmills
Conveyor Planning Checklist
A practical checklist designed to help sawmills gather the information needed for early conveyor planning and layout discussions.
Modular vs Traditional Conveyor Design
An overview of how modular conveyor structures compare to traditional custom designs in sawmill environments.
Alpha Case Study
A real world example showing how Alpha was applied to reduce design repetition and support complex conveyor layouts.
Why McDonough and Alpha?
With over 40 years of experience supplying equipment to sawmills, McDonough understands the realities of mill operations and long term maintenance. Alpha extends that experience by incorporating bulk handling expertise gained through the acquisition of BID Canada.
The result is a modular conveyor structure that supports efficient planning while maintaining the durability and reliability sawmills expect from McDonough.
Planning a sawmill conveyor upgrade or expansion?
Alpha can help simplify early planning while supporting long term flexibility. Contact dlawrence(at)bidcanadaltd.com to chat!