About HALCO Software
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- HALCO Software Systems Ltd. is located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was founded in 1988, but our history goes back much further.
- Howard Leach, the founder of HALCO, is a chemical engineer who developed his computer programming and optimization skills working for IBM and Imperial Chemical Industries in England. There he developed a linear programming model of a huge oil and petrochemical complex.
- He began applying his computer programming and optimization skills to the North American forest industry in 1968. He founded his own company in 1970 and started to develop the SAWSIM® program as a means of calculating lumber yields for optimization purposes. The initial development was to simulate sawing of large logs with crook, sweep and variable taper, for a variety of products on a carriage-type headrig. Quite a challenge! The program was soon used to show the potential benefits of optical scanning systems, and better log bucking and alignment in machines. SAWSIM® has been continuously updated since then, to reflect changes in technology and operating practices in the industry.
- After founding HALCO in 1988, Howard was joined by Tim Sargeant and Brad Turner and later, Alex Rapoport, as principals, and the company developed from there. In the 1990's, much of our development was directed to the simulation of woodlands and panel operations, to allow us to provide integrated analysis of operations from the forest to logs, through to finished products.
- Important decisions are taken by the four principals jointly, but Howard now takes a less active role in the company than the other principals.
- HALCO now has a very dedicated and experienced team of analysts and professional software developers. Tim Sargeant and Brad Turner both have extensive experience in the application of the SAWSIM® programs and in project engineering in the forest industry, and Alex Rapoport has extensive experience in both sawmill simulation and operations-wide optimization using HALCO's WOODMAN™ software.
- As a company we believe in attention to detail and are dedicated to getting things right. We develop theoretical models and calibrate them against test and operating results.
- We believe in strict ethical behaviour, and that the interests of our clients and employees must come first. We focus on offering value to our clients. In this way our own interests will be served best.
Contact Information:
Suite 505 Broadway Plaza
601 West Broadway Vancouver, B.C. Canada V5Z 4C2
Tel: (604) 731-9311 Fax: (604) 872-3849
Email: