Africa’s True Big 5 Sawmills
As the toughest animals to hunt in Africa, the Big Five stands for what it takes to endure and excel in Africa. Wood-Mizer’s Big Five Sawmills are also deeply rooted in Africa, their built-tough grit allowing sawmillers in Africa to thrive.
LT15 – The King of the Jungle
Far outstripping any other sawmilling brand’s claim to the throne of sawmilling king of Africa, Wood-Mizer’s LT15 range works in more locations across Africa than any of its competitors.
Defeating the toughest sawmilling challenges, conditions and competitors in the hunt for the title of King of the Jungle, Wood-Mizer’s LT15 range is the undisputable champion of sawmilling in Africa.
With a blend of simplicity, industrial grade build strength and affordability, the LT15 provides for a rock-hard, affordable and reliable sawmilling solution that works.
The successes of sawmillers using LT15’s across Africa over decades is proof of the range’s ability to saw the continent’s timber into premium grade sawn material.
Matched to a variety of power sources and options to muscle through and conquer Africa’s toughest timber species, Wood-Mizer’s LT15 range is the cornerstone of, and true king of sawmilling in Africa.
LT20 – Fierce as can be
Pound for pound, Wood-Mizer’s LT20 packs the same sawmilling punch as Africa’s toughest predator.
Just like its Big Five namesake, the LT20 range is the perfect blend between speed, agility, strength and fierce cutting power.
Africa’s large diameter log sizes and tough-as-nails hard and softwood species are ideal hunting grounds for the LT20.
This beast is equally at home in start-ups or large timber businesses where the search for efficiency and productivity is a priority.
With a hefty 800mm cut diameter and 4.8-8.4 log-length capacity, the LT20 is used across Africa to process indigenous or commercially grown timber into high-value sawn boards that’s prized world-wide.
With manual or hydraulic log handling options to choose from, sawmillers can bank on effortless log loading and positioning on the mill that hikes processing speed and boosts productivity.
Further features like the LT20’s Setworks 10 control system (AC models) make it simple to select the board thickness required with the head height automatically positioned for each cut – no waiting for manual calculations.
Forward and reverse movement is made by the adjustable power feed.
With a range of power options to choose from, the LT20 is just as ferocious in the cut as its Big Five cousin. Petrol, Diesel and Electric powerplants delivers instant power on tap for the world’s toughest sawmilling jobs.
For the sawmiller that wants the best blend of efficiency, flexibility and productivity at a low price, look no further than the LT20.
LT70 – Built to charge through anything
With its iconic hulking shape, the LT70 mirrors the low-slung muscled shoulders of its Big Five equal. The message is simple – uncompromising, brutal sawmilling strength.
The Wood-Mizer’s LT70 reigns supreme across Africa, but its real superpower is on full display in the world’s toughest sawmilling arena – West Africa!
Here, large diameter, heavy and unyieldingly hard logs are not the exception, but the rule. It’s in this hardwearing world of big, bone-crushing logs that the LT70 is relied on and trusted to do the job.
But then it goes further. The LT70, just like its Big Five cousin, is equally at home on the wide planes of Africa where commercially grown logs are cut into industrial scale volumes.
The LT70 easily powers through logs up 900 mm in diameter and 5 – 8.6 m in length with the LT70WIDE geared to cut even larger logs sizes of up to 1050 mm in diameter and 5 – 8.6 m in length.
Several log handling packages make it easy to lift and position logs on the sawmilling bed for the best cut, least work and higher efficiency.
A full range of power options expands the LT70’s punch further with Electric, Diesel and Petrol powerplants on tap to boost cutting power and productivity.
Just like its Big Five peer, the LT70 is also not about brute strength either.
Its sharp mind in the shape of work optimizing Accuset or PLC computer Setworks, keeps the LT70 way ahead of other predators and competitors with higher profits and better cutting results a winner for sawmillers.
The LT70 range also provides stationery or mobile options to adapt to whatever a sawmiller’s needs are, and to always stay ahead of the pack.
Drive home your sawmilling advantage with Wood-Mizer’s LT70 – a formidable sawmilling machine.
Intimidated by nothing, ready to rumble
Wood-Mizer is the only sawmilling equipment manufacturer globally that provides for monorail and twin rail sawmilling solutions.
With that in mind, meet Wood-Mizer’s twin rail beast – the LX450.
Like its Big Five packmate, the LX450 provides for sturdy, unyielding and rugged sawmilling capacity with the use of a rigid LX Frame saw-head tower that holds the control panel, engine, and the sawmill head.
Designed to accommodate a larger width and depth of cut, the LX Frame travels on parallel hardened steel bars on the bed and allows the operator to have better visibility during the cutting process.
Similar to its Big Five cage mate, the LX 450 carries armor to contend with the toughest sawmilling challenges.
Standard features include power feed, power up/down, hydraulic log handling and a bi-directional log turner to easily swivel the log into the optimal cutting position.
A walk along operator control console with SimpleSet Setworks gives the operator full visibility of sawmilling process. Six heavy-duty fine adjustment outriggers add even further stability to the cut.
A drag back board return makes it easy to offload sawn board effortlessly and with minimal manual inputs.
A powered blade guide arm, hydraulic blade tensioning system, blade lubrication, roller blade guides, and an auto-clutch.
The LX450 cutting capacity spikes at a 920 mm log diameter x 6.4 m log length with a 800 mm width of cut and 410 mm depth of cut adding further clout to the unit’s punch.
Several power options are on tap with 15 or 18.5kW electric motors the first choice but petrol and diesel options lying in wait to the rugged strength of the LX450.
Reach the next frontier with Wood-Mizer’s LX450, by far Africa most potent twin rail sawmilling solution.
Strength that rumbles the ground
Finally, and not the least in Wood-Mizer’s formidable Big Five lineup, is the WM5500 that mirrors and exceeds the performance and impressive track record of the WB2000.
The WM5500 quite literally rumbles the ground in terms of sheer size, cut-ability and strength.
The WM5500 is a high-performance industrial sawmill featuring a heavy-duty twin rail head construction with quad post support and 6-ton log capacity.
It can shoulder the heaviest logs that Africa has on offer and more. It now provides for expanded capacity to cut up to 1 m wide and 5.2 – 8.2m long log lengths.
The blade capacity of the WM5500 has also been advanced to now provide for 50-, 75-, 100- and 120-mm blade widths to add to performance, cutting accuracy and output even further.
Packed with high-performance features, the WM5500 provides for 30kW, 37kW and 45kW power options, heavy-duty construction, low maintenance, HMI cab operated feed controls, two camera video system, and an efficient operation with precision setworks for sawing large diameter softwood, hardwood, and tropical logs.
A servo-driven up/down cutting height adjustment system beefs up capacity even further and adds to the cutting accuracy and efficiency of the WM5500.
Like its Big Five twin, the WM5500 is also kitted out to handle big log sizes with ease. Bi-directional chain turners, vertical side supports, power roller toe-boards and a board removal conveyor all combine to position and cut heavy, irregular sized logs or uniform, commercially grown logs.
The WB2000 can be used as a standalone sawmill to fully process a log, or in addition to an existing system to process irregular logs or produce custom orders.
Step up and lift the heaviest sawmilling loads with Wood-Mizer’s WM5500.
Contact: Wood-Mizer
Source: Forest & Timber Value Chain Newsletter – August 2025
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