specialized preseruatiues Ton 25 PreSsure Treaters

ln 1994, the first year of The Merchant Magazine's profile of the nation's Top 25 Pressure Treaters, 15 companies treated soley with CCA; seven treated with CCA plus a fire retardant. Of those, fewer than half offered a water repellent, and only a handful carried a color additive. Only three of the country's largest treaters offered anything else (two had recently added ACQ, one treated with borates, and two also offered multiple industrial-use preservatives).

But the days of one chemical-fits-all quickly evaporated with the phase-out of CCA for residential applications at the end of 2003. Every large treater made the switch to a copper-based alternative, usually the one promoted by their existing CCA supplier: ACQ Preserve from CSI, NatureWood ACQ from Osmose, or copper azole (CA) from Arch. Although the transition went more smoothly than many expected, some in the industry viewed the copperbased alternatives as not quite as versatile or affordable as their arsenate-based predecessor.

That, in turn, has opened the door for a number of other substitutes. Most claim they're environmentally friendlier. Some say they're more affordable.

At the same time, treated wood has seen tremendous competition emerge in its core markets-decking and fencing-from composites, plastics and hardwoods. Wood preservers, once comfortable with selling merely generic treated wood, now realize that their best defense may be adding some of the new branded preservatives.

Pacific Wood Preserving Cos., uses eight different chemicals at its four treating plants. The diversity, explains Dick Jackson, "allows us to hit different niche markets, so

Companies are ranked by production of lumber, timbers and qmialty products. Firm* exclusively lreating poles, pilinS, nailrod tiegf etc., are nol included. Abbreviations includ€ NfP {l,lot for Publicalion), ttA (Not Avdbbto), FRT (Fire Retardant Tr€atment), and WR (Water Repellent).

All inlormalion was provided by the mmpanies themselves. While every eltort was made to ensure full accuracy and coBplelenoss, several lqgol treaters elected not to participate in this survey.

-The Edito$

Annual Production (millionsbd. ft.) 2005 2W Change

1 Z great Southern Wood Plwerving NfP NfP +8% Abbeville, Al.

7 plants: Abbeville, Mobile, Muscle Shoals, Al.; Bushnell, Fl.; Conyers, Jesup, Ga.; Columbus, Tx.

Treatments: CCA, ACQ, Borates, FRT, WR

Products: Lumber, Plywood, Timbers, Specialties, Pilings, Posts

4l Z 1 UnivsealFqetProducts 1112 1146 '3oA z4dallsi WiiiOs,i, Co.;nubumdale, Fl.; Moultie, Union C8, Ga.; Granger, Westville, In.; Belchertown, Ma.; Lansing, ]VH.; White Bear Lake, Mn.; Harrisonville, Mo.; Elizabeth City, Salisbury, N.C.; Blanchester, Hamilton, Lodi, Oh.; Gordon, Stockertown, Pa.; New Waverly, Saginaw, Schertz, Silsbee, Tx.; Ranson, W.V.; Janesville (2), W.

Grand Rapids, Mi.

Treatments: CCA, ACQ, Borates, FRT, WH, Colo|attt

Producb: Lumber, Plywood, Timbers, Specialties, Posts