Sawmills are unique, fast-paced, harsh environments where visibility matters. From operator feeds to monitoring machinery and keeping employees safe, video monitoring plays an important role in daily operations. 

But for Shuqualak Lumber, a Mississippi-based lumber company with three sites, that visibility used to come with more frustration than function.

Multiple Systems, Countless Headaches

Before working with Opticom Tech, Shuqualak Lumber’s video system was a patchwork of different cameras, software, and recording devices. The system was managed by a local installer that didn’t have sawmill expertise.

“We had multiple DVRs and NVRs scattered throughout our sites,” said Jessica Atkins, Vice President of HR and Safety at Shuqualak Lumber. “Some were analog, some were IP, and we had multiple apps and logins to try to keep up with. Nothing was cohesive.”

Some cameras came from reputable brands, while others were just from eBay. Cameras kept failing because they couldn’t withstand the harsh sawmill conditions, which cost Shuqualak in several different ways:

• Production downtime
• Camera and part replacement
• Contracting costs for the local installer

Shuqualak also had little control over who accessed the feeds, and network security was an issue. Over time, camera counts grew—15 turned into 80 at the sawmill, with another 30 at the planer mill—and reliability faltered. Failures were common, troubleshooting was constant, and remote access was a no-go.

Operators could only see what was connected to their own NVRs, and managers couldn’t get a full view of operations across all facilities. Security and production monitoring suffered as a result. 

A Smarter, Cost-Saving Solution

Atkins first learned about Opticom Tech through a family connection—her uncle met Heidi Schmidt, Global Sales Manager, at an industry expo. That meeting led to a walkthrough at Shuqualak’s mill and a plan to modernize the company’s video infrastructure without starting from scratch.

“Heidi came in with affordable solutions that made sense,” Atkins said. “We were able to use some of what we already had while upgrading where it really mattered.”

Opticom designed a system that ties Shuqualak’s three sites together (two sites are currently up and running). The system was designed to use equipment Shuqualak already had in order to save costs. But re-use was balanced with adding industrial sawmill cameras in the right areas where commercial cameras were failing and durability matters most. 

But before any cameras could be installed, Shuqualak had to tackle some foundational network challenges. After guidance on network requirements from Opticom, they brought in a new IT provider to rebuild the network from the ground up. They set up a virtual server for the cameras and made sure video monitoring was on a separate network from other business operations—which is industry best practice. 

In this process, they transitioned everything to IP, implemented a centralized viewing platform, and provided remote access so managers could securely monitor operations no matter where they were. “We knew analog was going away, so we had to move in the IP direction,” Atkins said. 

Clearer Views, Fewer Problems

Today, Shuqualak Lumber runs approximately 116 cameras companywide. The new setup has drastically improved reliability, image clarity, and ease of use—without disrupting production during installation.

The unified system also brings new visibility across sites. Managers can review footage from any location to analyze production issues or confirm safety procedures. “There was a production incident and we were able to go back and see exactly what went wrong,” Atkins said. “We have control over who can access the recordings, and we’re now able to export and share clips as needed.”

Opticom also offloaded technical support and maintenance from Shuqualak’s local installer, who had been billing hourly, to bring it in-house. “Opticom has trained us to do most of our own technical support and maintenance on-site,” said Atkins. 

Now, when they have an issue, they’re not paying someone to chase it down. “The system stability and doing troubleshooting ourselves makes a huge difference,” Atkins said. “Our downtime—and our ongoing and contracting costs—have gone down.”

Video Monitoring Built for Sawmills 

Atkins said working with a provider that understands sawmills made all the difference. “Heidi knew exactly the kind of environment we’re in and the personalities we work with,” she said. “She focused on simplicity and production efficiency—which is exactly what we needed.”

The partnership also gave Shuqualak confidence that their system could evolve without major overhauls or integration hassles. “We like that everything worked together,” said Atkins. “We never want to get to the point where one vendor controls all of our cameras, so Opticom’s focus on integration with other products was really important.”

For a company that once juggled multiple systems, apps, and unreliable cameras, the transformation has been significant. Now, Shuqualak Lumber can see every corner of their operation clearly—and focus on running the mill, not on managing its monitoring system.