Services
Engineering, Fabrication & Support
Gillingham-Best is a full-service manufacturer — engineering, machining, fabrication, controls, startup, training, and ongoing remote support, all delivered by one Spokane-based team.
Capability
In-House GBI Capabilities for Responsive Customer Support
Remote Stacker Support
When the Stacker Stops, the Mill Stops
In a sawmill, the stacker is a chokepoint: if the stacker is down or running below capacity, the sorter fills and the whole mill shuts down. Every hour of stacker downtime is an hour of production lost across the entire line.
GBI Remote Stacker Support connects your stacker directly to GBI automation and mechanical engineers through cameras, a network video recorder, and a hardware-encrypted VPN. Most issues resolve in minutes — not a site visit. The service was developed during the COVID period and has since been refined into a standard offering for GBI customers.
Customer Benefits
What Remote Support Delivers
Cost
Eliminates technician travel for most support incidents — no flights, no per-diem, no mobilization delay.
Speed
Issues that would require a site visit often resolve in minutes. The engineer is on the line as soon as the call is placed.
Immediate Access
Engineering response without scheduling a trip — useful for hard downtime, start-up questions, and shift-change diagnostics alike.
Breadth of Expertise
Automation, mechanical, and controls engineers can review the same issue together. No single specialist becomes the bottleneck.
What Happened, Not Just the Result
The NVR records continuously — GBI engineers review the seconds and minutes leading up to a fault, not just the stopped state after.
Uptime Cascade
Reducing stacker downtime reduces sorter fill events, which reduces full-mill shutdowns. Every resolved incident compounds.
Two Configurations
Pick the Level That Fits the Mill
Basic Package
Monitoring & Remote Support
- Four cameras positioned at critical stacker vantage points
- Network Video Recorder (NVR) for continuous recording
- Hardware-encrypted VPN for secure remote access
- Remote engineering support from GBI automation and mechanical engineers
- Ability to review recorded footage of events leading up to a fault
Advanced Package
Monitoring + Remote Engineering Workbench
- Expanded camera coverage beyond the basic four
- Network Video Recorder (NVR) with extended retention
- Hardware-encrypted VPN for secure remote access
- On-site computer loaded with the PLC and HMI development tools GBI engineers use
- Enables remote minor PLC and HMI modifications without a site visit
Beyond Reactive Support
The Ongoing Relationship
Remote Stacker Support is more than incident response. Once configured, the service includes:
- Ongoing access to GBI automation and mechanical engineers for questions and diagnostics
- Periodic performance monitoring — GBI engineers review recorded operation and flag issues proactively
- Proactive customer notification when GBI identifies an issue before the mill does
- Remote execution of minor PLC and HMI modifications (Advanced Package)
Remote Stacker Support is periodic monitoring with on-demand remote engineering access. It is not a 24/7 live monitoring service — GBI works with each customer to set response-window expectations as part of the engagement.
Site Requirements
What the Mill Needs
- High-speed internet — hard-wired strongly preferred over wireless
- Network drops at the chosen camera and NVR locations (GBI specifies during planning)
- Power at the NVR and computer locations (120 VAC, standard outlet)
- IT coordination for VPN firewall configuration — GBI provides what the mill’s IT team needs
On earlier-generation GBI stackers, some control-system hardware upgrades may be required before Remote Support can be installed — reviewed and quoted as part of the proposal. Mills running the Third Generation platform or that have completed the Controls, Sensors & Monitoring Upgrade are already configured for Remote Support out of the box.
Common Questions
What Mills Ask About Remote Support
How quickly does GBI respond?
GBI establishes response expectations with each customer as part of the engagement. The service is on-demand remote engineering access — when the mill calls, a GBI engineer connects. Proactive monitoring is periodic rather than continuous.
Is the VPN secure?
The remote connection runs over a hardware-encrypted VPN. Cameras, NVR, and any on-site computer sit on a dedicated network segment — they do not share the mill’s production or office network unless the mill’s IT team elects to integrate them.
What can GBI actually do remotely?
With the Basic Package: observe live camera feeds, review NVR recordings, and advise on recovery steps. With the Advanced Package: additionally make minor PLC and HMI modifications directly through the on-site development computer.
Will this work with our existing stacker?
Most GBI stackers can be configured for Remote Support. Some earlier-generation control systems need hardware upgrades first — GBI reviews the installed machine as part of the proposal. Third Generation stackers and machines that have completed the Controls, Sensors & Monitoring Upgrade are ready out of the box.
Does it pair with the Controls, Sensors & Monitoring Upgrade?
Yes. Many mills add Remote Support at the same time as the Controls, Sensors & Monitoring Upgrade because the on-site work overlaps and both services benefit from the same modern control system.
Connect Your Stacker to GBI Engineering
Tell GBI about your stacker and your current support situation. GBI will confirm what the mill needs and return a proposal.
Request a Proposal Contact Us