Rebuilding for the Future: Gates Milling Invests in a new McDonough Band Mill

When a fire destroyed Gates Milling's maintenance shop and primary breakdown area, the mill lost its ability to saw logs, bringing a critical part of the operation to a standstill.

As Gates Milling began rebuilding, the focus was on restoring production while making thoughtful investments for the future, and one of those investments was a new McDonough band mill.

Rather than simply replacing the equipment that had been lost, the team chose a larger band mill configured with a 17-degree slant, giving the mill greater flexibility and efficiency for the work it does every day.

"We decided to purchase a larger band mill and put it on a 17-degree slant," said Bob Bell, Mill Manager at Gates Milling. "This will allow us to saw larger logs. With the irregular shapes of cypress logs, the slant headrig assists in rotating the logs, which will minimize our time not in the cut."

For a mill that specializes in Atlantic White Cedar, Cypress, and Poplar, that means being able to process larger logs while reducing the time spent positioning material between cuts, helping keep production moving efficiently.

A Straightforward Decision

When it came time to choose a manufacturer, Bob says the decision was an easy one.

"It was a simple decision. McDonough is the premier bandmill company."

That confidence comes from McDonough's reputation for building equipment that's designed to last.

"They make bandmills that last 30-plus years."

In an industry where capital equipment is expected to perform day after day in demanding conditions, longevity isn't simply a feature, it's an important part of the investment.

Built to Last

Bob says another factor in the decision was finding equipment that reflected Gates Milling's long-term outlook as a family-owned business.

"This is a family business that will soon be in the hands of the third generation. We want to install equipment that will last into the next generations."

That long-term mindset is something we understand well at McDonough. As another family-owned company, we've always believed that the best equipment isn't just built for today's production goals, but for the people who will be operating it decades from now.

Looking Ahead

Recently, we shared the journey of this band mill as it made its way from our facility in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, to Gatesville, North Carolina. Seeing it arrive safely was an exciting milestone, but the real work is just beginning.

We're grateful to Gates Milling for choosing McDonough to be part of their rebuilding efforts and appreciate the trust they've placed in our team. We look forward to seeing this band mill serve their operation for many years to come!