April, 2025 - KDS Windsor

KDS Windsor and Windsor Engineering Achieve Major Milestone: 100th CDK Contracted Worldwide

Hendersonville, NC, April 7, 2025 — KDS Windsor and its sister company, Windsor Engineering, proudly announce a major milestone in the company’s legacy of innovation and service to the global forest products industry: the award of its 100th Continuous Dry Kiln (CDK) contract. This achievement underscores KDS Windsor and Windsor Engineering’s position as a world leader in drying technology, offering reliable, energy-efficient, and species-flexible kilns.

Of the 100 CDKs, 53 are in the Southeastern United States, a region known for its production of Southern Yellow Pine. One project has been contracted in the Pacific Northwest, and the remaining 46 are distributed across Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and other global markets. Over the years, KDS Windsor and Windsor Engineering kilns have been custom-engineered to dry a wide variety of timber species, including:

Southern Yellow Pine (SYP)
Radiata Pine
Spruce-Pine-Fir (SPF)
Douglas Fir
Caribbean Pine
Rubberwood

Our flexible kiln systems are compatible with a range of heating mediums tailored to the needs and resources of each client. Systems have been delivered with:

Green Sawdust Gasifiers
Dry Shavings Burners
High-Pressure Hot Water
Thermal Oil
Steam (including geothermal)
Direct Gas Firing

From large corporate sawmills to independent operations, KDS Windsor and Windsor Engineering’s CDKs are trusted for their performance, durability, and automation. Our proprietary DrySpec® kiln control system and DryTrack® moisture measurement system have become the industry benchmark for precision drying.

Looking forward, KDS Windsor and Windsor Engineering are expanding their footprint and forging new partnerships in two key strategic regions: Europe and the Pacific Northwest. With growing interest in energy efficiency and timber quality, KDS Windsor and Windsor Engineering are poised to bring our proven technology and expertise to these critical markets.

“This milestone reflects not just quantity, but consistency, quality, and trust from our customers,” said Patrick Godfrey, Vice President of Sales and Service at KDS Windsor. “We’re deeply proud of our global team, our engineering excellence, and the strong relationships we’ve built.”

For more information, visit www.kdskilns.com or contact us at sales@kdskilns.com or 828-891-8115.

Employee Spotlight: Austin Marcus, Mechanical Design Engineer

Meet Austin Marcus—a key player here at KDS! Austin is a Mechanical Design Engineer who has been with the team for five years. These days, he’s the go-to person for releasing sections to manufacturing, making sure everything is correct and ready to go. He began as a drafter and has since progressed to his current position, and along the way, he has made a significant impact.

When asked what he enjoys most about his role, Austin said, “The different challenges—no two days are ever the same.” One challenge he faced head-on was the Holden CDK A project, where he stepped up as the lead guy and guided the team to a successful completion. Talk about handling business.

Austin says what makes KDS special is the people. “Everyone helps, and I feel like I have value here.” And if he had to sum up the KDS team in one word? “Family.”

But Austin isn’t just an engineer — he’s got some fun quirks, too. He’s politically “purple,” collects swords, and can probably out-list anyone thanks to his love for Excel spreadsheets. Coffee is his fuel of choice, and when the workday wraps up, you’ll most likely find him unwinding with video games. His ultimate comfort food? Subway — loyal to the sandwich life.

What motivates Austin most is the rewarding feeling of self-accomplishment, and the best career advice he has received is simple yet powerful: “Care about what you do.” When it comes to inspiration, Austin gives a special shoutout to Troy — “the man, the myth, the legend.”

Austin is looking forward to tackling the Raymond CDK Project, which will be the largest CDK in the world. We’re lucky to have Austin on the KDS team—swords, spreadsheets, and all!

100th CDK Contracted Worldwide

Employee Spotlight – Austin Marcus

234 Industrial Drive

Hendersonville, NC 28739

931 Herman Alford Memorial Hwy

Philadelphia, MS 39350

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