Dwindling rlesources encourage value-?dded wood products

LlEW PRODUCT opportunities are I lpossible for wholesalers and rctailers as several western states take a promising look at promoting their secondary wood products industries.

In Washington State, a year-old Forest Products Program is growing rapidly. Orcgon rccently passed legislation to assist its producers. Private pursuits in Montana and ldaho ane exploring possibilities for similar efforts.

Secondary wood products arc manufactured from primary wood products. Examples include composite wood products, veneered mouldings, wooden outdoor furniture, specialty products and custom manufactured items.

At least two factors have prompted the emphasis. One is a broadening consumer market for such items as doit-yourself projects and ready-to-assemble furniture. But more important is the rapidly changing western timber rcsource base. This is prompting state governments to diversify their economies by encouraging more valueadded products. Policymakers note that their efforts are intended to supplement, rather than supplant, western lumber products.

The $90 billion a year d-i-y indusnry is drawing attention from western producers wishing to either expand current production or develop new products.

Lumber retailers have already seen an influx of products including modular shelving, storage systems and paneling as well as wider material and design selections in kitchen and bath cabinets. A host of outdoor products such as deck kits, planters, benches, pattemed fences, playground sets, and treated millwork items including balusters, handrails and even post caps are available.

Outside of consumer Eends. environmental concerns are reviving old favorites. Wood berry baskets and ex-

By Pele Kent Special Prcjects Manager Wood Products Information Center Portland. Or.

celsior packing materials arc again on the risc.

In addition, trim ends and other traditional "hog" material, once viewed as waste, are now being sorted for fingerjoint stock, toy parts, and other components. These so called "wastestream" products could carry through to the retailer. For example, retailers could have custom packages of clear short lengths, which are highly sought after for small projects, packaged in shrinkwrap.

Retailers also are seeing the results of fingerjointing technologies that have improved to provide almost invisible joints. Fingerjointed pine door jamb and door/window assemblies provide a clear, smooth paintable surface without incurring the usually higher cost of using all clear lumber materials.

Story at a Glance

How retallerE can uac secondary wood producb to advantags...deck klts, treated mlllwork, modular shelvIng flll d-l-y needs... flngerlolnt stock can cut prlces ...lnnovatlve merchandlsIng posslbllltles.

Improved veneered slicing technologies have helped boost such products as oak wrapped mouldings with a fingerjointed pine core. Door stiles and rails may also be a solid core of a less expensive material covered with a fine grained veneer. Such combinations provide a natural wood appearance at a reasonable cost.

The product influx includes structural components. For example, westem prcducers of glued laminated tim- bers, or glulams, are providing more standard sizes to satisfy the demands for door and window header stock.

Specialty wholesalers may find increasing domestic and international opportunities in supply materials for glulam fabricators, or in supplying the glulams themselves.

Wood composites, end and edge glued panels, and face laminated products are increasingly being used for non-structural items, such as fumiture components and flinished floor material. One westem window producer is using wood composites for the hidden components, relying on vertical gxain material for the exposed portions. In doing so, he can offer an atEactive yet affordable product.

Another trend and area of emphasis is the specialty manufacturer. Even now, retailers and wholesalers can arrange to have specialty products designed and produced exclusively for their operations. Current examples in the marketplace include designer outdoor furniture, storage modules, ready-to-assemble workbenches, stackable sawhorses and complete packaged deck kits.

Other opportunities may develop to rcstructure the industry. For instance, recent Oregon legislation provides incentives for forming manufacturing networks. Such networks, which originated in ltaly, could work like this: a hardware supplier, lumber manufacturer, and computer-aided design firm pool their products to deliver a complete retail package such as an in-store computer-designed fence and deck system. Once designed, the take-off sheet is automatically figured, lumber components custom cut, with hardware and fasteners provided to specification.

Retailers and wholesalers can further their own opportunities by providing insight to manufacturers on consumer fiends, current wants and needs.