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TA K I N G
STOCK
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Co-Publisher David H. Ramsey Co-Publisher David (DK) Knight Chief Operating Officer Dianne C. Sullivan
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Publishing Office Street Address: 225 Hanrick Street Montgomery, AL 36104-3317 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2268 Montgomery, AL 36102-2268 Telephone: 334-834-1170 Fax 334-834-4525
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Executive Editor David (DK) Knight Editor-In-Chief Rich Donnell Managing Editor Dan Shell Senior Associate Editor David Abbott Associate Editor Jessica Johnson Associate Editor Jay Donnell
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Production Manager/Art Director Cindy Segrest Ad Production Coordinator Patti Campbell Circulation Director Rhonda Thomas Online Content & Marketing Manager Jacqlyn Kirkland
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Advertising Sales Manager David H. Ramsey • (334) 834-1170
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVES SOUTHERN U.S. Kathy Sternenberg • (251) 928-4962 ksternenberg@bellsouth.net Classified Advertising Bridget DeVane • (334) 669-7837 • 1-800-669-5613 bdevane7@hotmail.com MIDWEST USA, EASTERN CANADA John Simmons Mar-Tech Communications 32 Foster Cres. Whitby, Ontario, Canada L1R 1W1 (905) 666-0258 Fax: (905) 666-0778 E-mail: jsimmons@idirect.com WESTERN USA, WESTERN CANADA Tim Shaddick 4056 West 10th Ave, Vancouver BC Canada V6L 1Z1 604-910-1826 Fax: (604) 264-1397 E-mail: tootall1@shaw.ca Kevin Cook (604) 619-1777 E-mail: lordkevincook@gmail.com INTERNATIONAL Murray Brett 58 Aldea de las Cuevas Buzon 60 03759 Benidoleig (Alicante), Spain Tel: +34 96 640 4165 +34 96 640 4048 E-mail: murray.brett@abasol.net
AFTER ALL THESE YEARS GP STILL KNOWS PLYWOOD
O
ur friends Dick Baldwin and there’s Dudley, NC, which GP started Rich Baldwin write about the up in 1980; and plants in Corrigan, North America softwood plyTexas; Camden, Texas; Madison, Ga.; wood industry in this issue. They and Gurdon, Ark., none of which, we note that about 28 plywood mills disapthink, GP actually started up but rather peared since pre-recession or basically in purchased. the past dozen years, leaving 58 or so in GP started up the recently closed operation. They note that Boise Cascade Warm Springs mill in 1974. The next and Georgia-Pacific have the two largest year GP started up a mill in Talladega, softwood plywood caAla., which GP idled pacities in North during the recession, America. But things then closed in 2016. happen quickly in the But the Talladega site plywood industry, and has had a resurgence. I believe it has been After the site sat mosince they wrote the tionless for 10 years, article that GeorgiaGP has recently startPacific closed its ply- GP’s second oldest operating plyed up a new sawmill wood mill in Warm wood mill: Taylorsville, Miss. (1983) there, and in fact was Springs, Ga. and Boise able to restore a couCascade sold its mill in Moncure, NC. ple of the barrel buildings that housed Upon hearing that GP had closed the plywood mill. I visited the sawmill Warm Springs, the editors at Panel in January, and a local at a nearby conWorld began guessing how many softvenience store told me they were never wood plywood mills GP has left. How so glad as when the log trucks started many do you think? Here’s a hint: They rolling again. are all southern pine plywood mills. Of course it’s easy for us to toss around Here’s another hint: The list doesn’t inmill statistics, but rest assured we’re very clude GP’s original plywood mill site in sympathetic to the fact that each time one Fordyce, Ark., which started up in 1964 of these mills closes it’s a major life alterand was recognized as one of the first ing episode for the workers and their famthree southern pine plywood mills to ilies. Unfortunately, mill closures has bestart up that year (along with Kirby’s come a fact of life in the plywood indusmill at Silsbee, Texas and Temple’s mill try, but there are signs that this segment is at Diboll, Texas). Neither GP’s mill at stabilizing, and in fact new plywood mill Fordyce or its mill at Crossett, Ark., production has even come on in the past PW which started up in 1965, made it out of couple of years. the recession. Our best educated guess is that GP’s oldest softwood plywood mill site still in operation is at Emporia, Va. GP started it up in 1966. We think the next oldest GP site still going is Taylorsville, Miss., which started up in 1969. Third oldest GP site still producing plywood? Perhaps it’s Prosperity, SC, which began production in 1975. So that’s three GP plywood mills still ticking. But there’s more. As best as we RICH DONNELL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF can tell, GP still has eight softwood plyPh: 334-834-1170 wood plants in operation. In addition to Fax: 334-834-4525 Emporia, Taylorsville and Prosperity, e-mail: rich@hattonbrown.com
PanelWorld • MARCH 2019 • 3
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(Founded as P l y w o o d & P a n e l in 1960—Our 495th consecutive issue) VOLUME 60 NO. 2
18
MARCH 2019
Visit our web site: www.panelworldmag.com
VENEER-PLYWOOD DRY END Lots Of Technology To Manage
28
STRUCTURAL PLYWOOD TODAY The Trends Are Steadying
TAKING STOCK The Game Of Plywood
SUPPLY LINES Retirement Time
PANELWORKS Classified Advertising
UPDATE GRASSBuilt
WHAT’S NEW Moisture Sensor
EVENTS Ligna In May
3 8
50 55
PROJECTS Berneck MDF
CLIPPINGS Roseburg People
46
56
COVER: Ten years after shutting it down, Tolko Industries has refurbished and restarted its OSB plant in High Prairie, Alberta. Story begins on PAGE 10. (Jessica Johnson photo)
57 62
Panel World (ISSN 1048-826X) is published bimonthly by Plywood & Panel World, Inc., P.O. Box 2268, Montgomery, AL 36102-2268 (334) 834-1170, Fax (334) 834-4525. Subscription Information— PW is sent free to owners, operators, managers, purchasing agents, supervisors and foremen at veneer operations, plywood plants, composite products plants, structural and decorative panel mills, engineered wood products plants and allied export-import businesses throughout the world. All non-qualified U.S. subscriptions are $50 annually; $60 in Canada; $95 (Airmail) in all other countries (U.S. funds). Single copies, $5 each; special issues, $20 (U.S. funds). Subscription Inquiries—TOLL-FREE 800-6695613; Fax 888-611-4525. Go to www.panelworldmag.com and click on the subscribe button to subscribe or renew via the web. All advertisements for Panel World magazine are accepted and published by Plywood & Panel World, Inc. with the understanding that the advertiser and/or advertising agency are authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The advertiser and/or advertising agency will defend, indemnify and hold Plywood & Panel World, Inc. harmless from and against any loss, expenses, or other liability resulting from any claims or lawsuits for libel violations or right of privacy or publicity, plagiarism, copyright or trademark infringement and any other claims or lawsuits that may arise out of publication of such advertisement. Plywood & Panel World, Inc. neither endorses nor makes any representation or guarantee as to the quality of goods and services advertised in Panel World. Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to reject any advertisement which it deems inappropriate. Copyright ® 2019. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Ala. and at additional mailing offices. Printed in USA.
Postmaster: Please send address changes to Panel World, P.O. Box 2419 Montgomery, AL 36102-2419. Member, Verified Audit Circulation Managed By Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc.
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UPDATE
Hemmings’ plan centers on sourcing species of bamboo from Mexico and the United States. The Meridian plant currently procures its bamboo from Mexico, where prior to shipping to the U.S. the bamboo is pre-processed, which involves splitting the bamboo culm (stem) apart and planing the inside and outside surfaces to remove the natural waxy substance that won’t bind to adhesive. Another pre-processing step is heating the material in an autoclave with no oxygen in order to carbonize the fiber (a form of thermal modification). Once the bamboo slats arrive in Meridian they’re run through a scrimming (crushing) mill, coated with adhesives and steam-pressed. The Meridian mill is building inventory of the billets to fulfill orders. It reportedly has had some installations, such as for flooring in
bamboo materials. At GRASSBuilt we’re 100% committed to being as sustainable and reliable as possible, and 100% transparent with our materials’ eco-quotient and consumer protection regulations.” Hemming says bamboo has harvesting rotations of four to six years with certain types growing 2-3 ft. per day. He believes the finished engineered building material will compete in some structural applications, as well as many if not all decorative applications, and find applications in the furniture market. Increasing sustainability regulations in the construction market, a desire to lessen dependence on imported goods and materials (particularly from China), bamboo engineered building and the manufacturing trend of bringing product called GRASSBuilt is manufacturing jobs back to the United being manufactured at a small States after decades of outsourcing all plant in Meridian, Miss. combine to produce a new supply The patented technology, chain economy, according to Hemowned by TimTek, LLC and licensed mings, which he refers to as the to GRASSBuilt LLC, involves merg“Bam-Boom.” ing long strands, called scrim, coating “I’m not aware of any other U.S. with adhesives and steam–pressing to manufacturing firm which is beating produce bamboo billets, which are China at its own game,” Hemmings further processed for various endadds. uses. The TimTek manufacturing process “Applying the TimTek process to stems from a product called Scrimber bamboo has really proven to be the that was started in Australia in the mid perfect marriage,” says Nicholas 1970s. The manufacturing process Wight, vice president of GRASS- GRASSBuilt bamboo-based building product curwas that pine or other species logs in Built. “The process results in what rently manufactured in Meridian, Miss. hopes to eat small diameters would run through a can be described as ‘super bamboo,’ away at Asia product dominance while establishing scrimming machine where the log was and is extraordinary as a base build- a U.S. industry. crushed to form a mat of interconnecting material for superstructures, floored long strands, followed by drying, ing, cabinetry, furniture and a host of Florida, and at Mississippi State Univeradhesives application, layup and comother possibilities.” sity where cut-up billets have been inpression, steam pressing, cutting-to-size The company reports that its aim is to stalled as paneling. and finishing. shift the dynamic of nearly 90% of all “Many Eastern economies, including In 2000 a forest products industry vetbamboo products in the world being exChina, focus on employing as many peoeran and former long-time Georgia-Pacifported from Asia, with China alone acple as possible,” Hemmings says. “At ic corporate director of forest resources, counting for 65% of world exports. GRASSBuilt, we look forward to creatWalter Jarck, spearheaded the formation Creating a fully integrated and diverse ing new jobs, but also to infusing our inof TimTek and gained exclusive rights to bamboo economy in North America is novative, new technology into the equaScrimber research and technology. the vision of GRASSBuilt founding parttion of bamboo building materials.” But the technology or product has ner, Sean Hemmings. “I’ve been inHemmings adds that GRASSBuilt’s never found commercial success with volved in the bamboo trade for over proprietary method of processing bamwood species. The small Meridian manueight years,” Hemmings says. “Worldboo coupled with the plant’s inherent facturing plant exists because a previous wide, bamboo represents a $30 billion sustainable attributes make bamboo a venture there had a license agreement industry for China alone. There’s no reapremier building material for any project with TimTek and planned to use wood, son the United States can’t become a that desires to maximize its USGB, and but the last recession killed that project. vital part of the global bamboo equation LEED opportunities. Reportedly, a plan to build a manufacand foster our own bamboo-based econ“GRASSBuilt products meet or exturing facility in Canada, possibly Queomy right here in America—especially ceed the most stringent of federal and bec, and also using wood, had significant since the U.S. and EU represent 78% of state regulations for sustainable building private and government investment betotal end-user consumption of the baminitiatives,” Hemmings says. “The same hind it but fell through only a couple of boo-based products currently available.” cannot be said for much of the imported years ago. PW
NEW COMPANY MAY FINALLY GIVE RELEVANCE TO OLD SCRIMBER TECHNOLOGY USING BAMBOO
A
8 • MARCH 2019 • PanelWorld
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HIGH PRAIRIE, Alberta reg Johnston, General Manager of Strand Based Business for Canadian forest products titan Tolko Industries, says sometimes there is a distinct advantage to working for a privately held company. The process for getting the third Tolko orientated strandboard facility out of hibernation and into production was one of them, he says. “We don’t mess around here,” he adds. “That’s one of the joys of working for a private company—we can be reasonably agile. This is one of those cases where we were reasonably agile.” Johnston and Dean Lamberton, the SBB Capital Projects Manger, were asked in June of 2016 by Jim Baskerville, the VP of the Strand Based Business, to develop a budget for restarting the High Prairie mill located in the northern part of the province of Alberta. The mill was shuttered in early 2008 to protect the health of the company as the Great Recession settled in. High Prairie was Tolko’s first OSB mill built from the ground up
G
GET ‘ER DONE: TOLKO RESTARTS HIGH PRAIRIE OSB, SHUTTERED SINCE 2008 RECESSION After a lengthy shutdown, Tolko’s High Prairie OSB mill goes from restart approval in June 2018 to first board in November of the same year. BY JESSICA JOHNSON
in 1994. In late June of 2018, Tolko approved the restart and a number of capital projects in order to modernize the idled facility. Tolko is very appreciative of the support it received from the community and First Nations communities whose support was critical in the license renewals needed to give Tolko the fiber security it needed to re-open the plant. Tolko immediately began putting out feelers for employees, cognizant the job market in northern Alberta was strong. High Prairie, AB only has about 2,500 residents—many who remember when Tolko CEO Brad Thorlakson came in 2008 to personally deliver the shutdown announcement to the employees and the community, while promising that Tolko would return and restart High Prairie as soon as it could. Johnston points to the strong presence of forest products, ag, and the major player, oil and gas, pulling employees from the local area. “There’s a lot of good jobs up here and not a lot of people to do them,” he says pointedly. Tolko made a concerted effort to hire
Aspen/poplar short wood intake fluctuates with the season, but a revamped log handling system is ready.
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Production knowhow came back quickly.
locally and according to HR Business Partner Bronwyn Dunphy, the plant was able to successfully recruit about 90% of the 76 person production group from local talent. The managers and tradespeople were a different story. In order to make High Prairie a more attractive place to live, Tolko bought a duplex and
Logs move out of conditioning into processing lines.
built four new houses, and has about 20 additional rental units. “We didn’t want housing to be a barrier for people to come to town,” Johnston explains. In an ideal world, the former employees would have come back, but many had moved in different directions, such as the former production
manager who now owns the local Home Hardware store. One of the most interesting things that Johnston found as the hiring process began was while the talent might not have been rooted in OSB production (or even forest products production), watching someone who worked at a
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Forming line lays mats for 12-opening press.
glass shop 14 months prior run the control room of an OSB facility built in the mid-1990s has been a bit of a wild ride. “It’s an older mill,” Johnston laughs, stating the obvious. “But they’ve done well. We’ve taken a bunch of people with by and large not a lot of wood products experience, and started up this facility without a ton of vendor support. We could have taken everything apart and put it back together, but the cash implications wouldn’t have made it practical for us.” Instead, the rookie team guided by veterans Baskerville and Johnston with support from the capital projects group within Tolko’s strand based business designed a plan to get the mill back to its heyday—following a tight timeline. The board conditionally approved the proposal June 20, 2018. First board was pressed November 18, 2018. The biggest area of improvement for High Prairie was in the log yard. Prior to the restart, High Prairie took long wood, operated a merchandizer, and bucked wood into 8 ft. lengths. At the recent restart, Tolko moved to only taking short wood and went to a ground based log system instead of the merchandizer and overhead crane. Johnston says this change was motivated by a desire to have a tighter control on moisture. The mill can dry more than enough with its existing conveyor dryer. However, the dryer had a lot of issues with fires as the crane-based handling system would have dry wood on top and basically ice blocks on the bottom. Johnston says the big issue with the dry wood then green wood then dry wood was having to alter the heat too much, and not having enough free water. With the ground
Giben book saw station has new controls.
based system and a tighter grip on inventory control, Tolko is controlling the incoming moisture to the dryers a lot more consistently, driving fire frequency down. In addition to the log yard improvements, Tolko also rebuilt its existing press in an effort to mitigate problems from moist wood. When first installed in the 1990s, the press was damaged and never repaired correctly, so as part of the restart project 12 new platens were installed in the Dieffenbacher press. It was also converted from a non-vented press to a vented press, which is more tolerant of moist wood Johnston believes. The rest of the restart work centered around controls. Before shutdown, Johnston believes the plant ran reasonably well, performing above its rated capacity of 600MMSF/year. But a number of the Multi-opening press received considerable work, including new platens. technologies in the
12 • MARCH 2019 • PanelWorld
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plant were trending toward obsolete 10 years ago, so it was necessary to upgrade at restart. In terms of the rest of the plant, if it was working, Johnston and his team more or less left it alone. Now that the mill has been operating for a little while, he’s starting to see areas that could also be upgraded or otherwise given capital attention. “Until we get this performing as well as we can we’d only be guessing where we want to spend money. We’re trying to anticipate
that and think about it, but we’re still going through the startup curve,” he explains. Johnston, a former plant manager at another of Tolko’s OSB mills, leaned on existing knowledge but found that with High Prairie, a lot of the same processes were just slightly off. “There’s been room for improvement,” he earnestly says. “Not a lot of what we knew from operating the other facilities is directly transferrable over to here. It is the details that catch you.”
It’s sheathing for now at High Prairie.
PRODUCTION PROCESS The overall process is straightforward—log trucks, a 70/30 mix of aspen and poplar, pass scales, de-chain and the short wood is either put into inventory or fed to the mill immediately. Intake varies by season for High Prairie, though average is 40 trucks per day. Typically, loggers will curtail in the spring and not haul heavy in the summer; fall is spent fighting mud. Winter is the time: Wet ground freezes up and basically becomes pavement everywhere creating ideal logging conditions. It is not uncommon in the winter for High Prairie to see more than 200 loads in a single day. Tolko’s log yard in High Prairie is operated by a company that is owned by the local Driftpile Cree Nation. Once in inventory, Tolko’s woodlands group, working with the log yard contractor, tracks moisture content and maintains a log diet with a consistent moisture content to the mill. The contract puts them in charge of everything from the scales to the infeed of the conditioning ponds. Once ready for processing, wood is put into the conditioning ponds then brought up through jackladders and Comact wave feeders before the Nicholson ring debarkers. The ring debarkers were installed when the plant was first built, and while Johnston says they would not put them in a greenfield OSB mill today, they are a “don’t fix what isn’t broken” element. From the ring debarker, logs go to upgraded 18 ft. batch feeders and the original stranders. Strands travel to green bins before the Wolverine Procter (now CPM) conveyor dryer. Upon completion of the three tiers of drying, strands go to rotary primary screens, then PAL super screen, before dry bins. Coil blenders add all liquid resins—another change at restart —PF 14 • MARCH 2019 • PanelWorld
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The Giben book saw is original to the plant, but was part of the controls upgrade prior to restart. PCTM redid the controls and as Johnston says, really made it a hot rod. High Prairie uses ConVey Keystone paint booths. Product is loaded inside the warehouse and either trucked to Edmonton for rail shipping or loaded straight onto rail cars. Current capacity with this setup is all sheathing. As the mill comes out of the startup curve, Johnston anticipates more products for export long-term. “We are doing a tiny slice today. But we’re going to need to get our processes nailed down tighter before we play that game,” he says.
SAFETY Weather conditions at High Prairie demand constant focus on log preparation.
resin for the surface and MDI for the core. The existing Schenck (now Dieffenbacher) forming line lays mats for the upgraded 12 ft. x 24 ft. Dieffenbacher 12-opening press. In a departure from traditional down-
stream machinery, High Prairie uses a bookmaker and Giben book saw. The mill has the ability to store as many as six bundles on its reject line that can be refed into the system if downstream is bogged down.
For Johnston, one of the biggest focal points of the restart was training the new crew on safety precautions. And he’s proud of the culture that has been built—everyone in the plant seems to look out for one another. However, disappointingly there was one loss time accident in March of 2017. In an attempt to drive home the im-
16 • MARCH 2019 • PanelWorld
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The onsite High Praire management team, Will He, Technical Director, inset; Andrei Dolgireu, Plant Manager
portance of safety, High Prairie’s incentive program for employees is based solely on leading safety indicators. “When we started this plant we wanted to make sure we made it very clear— costs are important but not critical; production is important but not critical. Safety is important and critical. Safety is
first and foremost. And we are willing to pay for it,” Johnston emphasizes. For the first year of startup the per hour bonus incentive program was based completely on meeting leading safety indicators. Dunphy says in addition to the critical focus on safety, the crew focused heavily on training. As operators were hired
on, they rotated training for two weeks at Tolko’s OSB mill in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, which opened in 2003. Additionally, each person was given a competency book for their position to study when they weren’t training at the sister mill. Trainers, with OSB experience, were hired to ensure workers learned how to work safe and that they comprehended the training material. 175 people are employed in High Prairie, plus the woodlands operation, and Dunphy says the vibe of the plant is best described as happy and enthusiastic—typical for a startup, she believes, as employees are excited to be a part of something new, but she expects it to be sustainable. Once a quarter she conducts engagement focus groups. For fourth quarter 2018, High Prairie had the highest engagement in Tolko across all facilities—78%. During the first year, the employees already formed a social club and held activities throughout the year, corn mazes with hot chocolate, Christmas parties and a golf tournament. A happy vibe indeed for both Tolko and the community of High PW Prairie.
PanelWorld • MARCH 2019 • 17
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VENEER
DRY END EDITOR’S NOTE: The following companies supplied the editorial profiles and photos, and all statements and claims are attributable to the companies.
CROSS WRAP When it comes to storing and transporting boards with the best possible all-weather protection, there is no substitute for the all sides covering, Cross-Wrapping. Cross-Wrapping keeps the moisture out and the package tight in all transport positions, therefore ensuring the product quality. Not only does Cross-Wrapping create a strong package, it simplifies and streamlines the packaging operation. Cross Wrap has been known for manufacturing unique bale wrapping machines for more than 25 years. This industry proven wrapping solution has been specially engineered to work in the board packaging industry, where it boosts production, gives stronger package, weatherproofs the packed material and offers more operational flexibility. The CW board packaging line reduces labor costs and is suitable for many different packaging sizes. The use of only two packaging materials helps to do a more environmentally friendly package, and the production line can be automatically operated to change between various wrapping programs. The electrically operating machine is fully automatic, so Cross Wrap automatic packaging lines can be equipped with no manual labor is needed in order to create the all sides cov- helpful options such as automatic labeling. ering package. New machines are bound for several board manufacturing plants in Russia. Board packaging with Cross-Wrapping is especially suitable for long transports, multiple handlings and to protect the packed material from moisture. The wrap keeps the packed board materials in shape even when storing outdoors.
ELECTRONIC WOOD SYSTEMS
Electronic Wood Systems’ Blow-Scan provides reliable, repeatable and durable performance to detect blows in plywood panels.
EWS Blow-Scan automatically detects blows, blisters and unglued areas. The system sends inaudible ultrasound through the panels and can be deployed in harsh production environments, such as dust, steam and high temperatures. Blow-Scan systems automatically calibrate in the gaps between panels. Dust deposits and temperature drifts are automatically compensated. No need to stop production, no calibration plates needed, no moving frame construction required. Blow-Scan can work with your high production speed lines (330 m/min or 1,080 FPM). It can meet your automation requirements as well as your bi-directional data interface needs. EWS has supplied blow detection systems to wood panel producers for 25+ years. EWS serial no. 1 blow detector is still running and supported by EWS 25+ years later. EWS offers the full range of quality measurement systems for the panel industry and spark extinguishing systems. The scope of supply includes weightper-unit-area gauges, thickness gauges, foreign body detection, blow detectors, continuous non-contact board weight scales, online board dimension measurement, moisture meters, ink marking systems, laboratory equipment for density profiles, spark extinguishing systems and more. EWS GmbH headquarters is 30 minutes south of the LIGNA fairgrounds in Hannover, Germany. EWS North America is in Beaverton, Ore.
18 • MARCH 2019 • PanelWorld
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VENEER
FEZER
DRY END
Fezer supplies a complete set of equipment for veneer production, including drying, grading and stacking lines. The company has recently introduced its new vacuum feeder generation, which includes improvement and vacuum system and drive components, allowing faster cycling capacity and more reliability. Recent deliveries include a complete new dry veneer stacker, totally redesigned including new vacuum plenum, upgraded pneumatics and vacuum fans. The new generation brings smoother veneer transport and discharge, which converts to higher stacking accuracy, faster speed and less damage on sheets. The waste diverter at stacker infeed was redesigned for faster response time. The company also counts on a wide range of jet dryer models, including roller dryers up to six decks, single and multiple deck screen dryers and press dryers. Heating system is designed according to heating sources, available for steam, hot water, thermal oil, gas burning or direct hot air injection. Fezer dryers implement automatic climate control which Fezer offers drying, grading and stacking lines. commands the exhaust damper position, insulated flat floor, suction section at infeed and outfeed to collect smoke from the dryer process and a range of feeding and discharging options.
GRECON
GreCon’s new UPU 6000 fs provides a full scan across the panel for a complete measurement of manufactured product.
Big box home improvement centers are known to reject whole truckloads of product for defective panel board. Their customers are returning panels because of veneer-plywood delamination or OSB blisters and voids. These defective boards affect their work quality requiring rework, returning boards, and wastes time. The new GreCon UPU 6000 provides a quality control system that prevents delamination rejects, instead of simply detecting problems after they occur. Manufacturers can now monitor lamination quality and detect problems in the production line, as they happen. The UPU 6000 provides immediate feedback data to detection trends in delamination, blisters or blows caused by inconsistent gluing or press problems. As delaminations increase or decrease in size or number per panel, the system records positive or negative trends. When small, unbounded areas begin to appear in the production process, adjustments can be made by the operator to ensure that defects do not reach an out-of-tolerance range. The UPU 6000 uses ultrasonic transmitters and receivers to scan the panels. When unbounded areas begin to appear,
the received ultrasonic signal weakens and activates a preset alarm. Operators have commented, “In day to day use, this equipment alerts us to press, material or other problems. It warns us at the first occurrence, which saves approximately 15 to 20 minutes of bad production.” In panel board production the system is installed after the press for immediate control of both gluing and pressing. By monitoring production in-line with the UPU 6000, an operator can keep the production process within the preset quality control limits. The bottom line payback is realized by the combination of reduced resin/glue costs decreased press cycle times, resulting in higher and defect free production levels. The UPU 6000 is used for quality control in plywood, LVL, OSB, particleboard, hardboard and MDF applications.
PanelWorld • MARCH 2019 • 19
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VENEER
DRY END
PROGRESSIVE SYSTEMS
Progressive Systems Model RF8-40 roll feed machine grooves the top surface of the panel with close tolerance tool depth control—shiplap, tongue & groove panel edges. —Precision anvil and air loaded press plate hold down provided on removable type grooving saw arbor arranged for fast sizing changes. —Air cushion loaded poly press rolls provided ahead and after grooving saw arbor and ahead/after shiplap/profile/t&g saw motors. —Shiplap/tongue and groove & profile saw motors mounted on horizontal and vertical hardened steel rail and linear bearings with hand wheel adjust and digital LCD position readout (00.000"). —Precision anvils and air loaded roller hold downs provided on shiplap/t&g/profile saw motors for positive close tolerance panel edge machining. —Timing belt lower roll drive for quiet and smooth operation at high production feed rates. —Powered vertical adjustment provided on the upper poly Progressive Systems new panel groove and edge profile machine press rolls and saw arbor with digital led position readout (00.000"). —Saw arbor & press rolls mounted and adjusted on hardened steel rails & linear bearings. The machine is available for a variety of panel sizes and thickness.
RAUTE Raute introduced high humidity veneer drying to North America in the 1980’s, a concept that seemed outlandish and counterintuitive at the time. Since then, Raute has delivered hundreds of jet dryer systems, proving that drying veneer to achieve the best quality, yield and strength is best done in a hot and humid environment. This philosophy changed the industry but presented some new challenges. High humidity drying produces superior veneer quality but also increased internal dryer pressure. Starting with the steel insulated dryer floor, Raute made significant design improvements to fortify the dryer. Automated exhaust dampers, new door systems, and seal welded internal box construction are now standard on most dryers. Raute further advanced the veneer dryer by integrating dryer exhaust controls utilizing precise measurement tools and automated processes to reduce manual material handling. Today plants are faced with different challenges than Raute test dryer; inset, research those of the past. Committed to continuous improvefacility ment, Raute has a dedicated research facility to tackle these concerns. With more than 110 years of industry expertise and customer experience, Raute is using state-of-the-art precision measuring tools, equipment and software to comprehensively test and monitor everything happening inside of the dryer, including airflow, pressure and humidity. As the industry adapts to raw material availability, rising costs, and new policies and regulations, mills must also address environmental issues, energy efficiency, plant emissions, an ever-dwindling human resource pool, along with ROI on the life-cycle of their equipment. Raute’s first-class research facility is responsible for design ingenuities found in Raute’s new green veneer dryer. Innovations that include an advanced air control system that produces zero fugitive emissions inside of the plant, eliminating dryer panel corrosion and pitch build up. The floor has been designed for improved insulation and structural stability, while other improvements increase efficiency and accuracy, including a patent pending jet nozzle design to optimize airflow circulation. Another clear advantage is Raute’s modular design which makes installation fast, getting a return on your investment sooner. 20 • MARCH 2019 • PanelWorld
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VENEER
DRY END
ROO GLUE
Roo 6510 is a one-part, water-based PVA-copolymer adhesive ideal for high-speed splicing equipment. The clear-drying formula bonds a variety of hardwood and softwood species. Veneer faces and panels constructed with Roo 6510 comply with CARB regulations and outperform competitive 2-part systems. Roo 6510 has excellent viscosity stability, water resistance, sandability, heat resistance and a very fast setting speed. Veneer splicing guidelines: spread rate 0.8-1.3 grams (measured on 0.75 in. x 39.375 in. masking tape); staging time immediate 48 hours after glue applied; press time 0.5-0.7 seconds, 160°C temperature Key features: no discoloration, dries clear, ideal for variety of veneer species, fast setting speed, water resistant Roo Glue is a dynamic, family-owned manufacturer of water-based adhesives for the woodworking and industrial wood products industries. As a division of Specialty Polymers, Inc., Roo Glue offers products formulated based on the latest adhesive polymer technology developed in-house. Our diverse product line is truly technology driven. Roo Glue products are designed to meet the most demanding needs from customers around the world, and our employees are committed to providing the best customer service in the industry. With a fully equipped wood glue testing lab and manufacturing sites on the East and West coasts, Roo Glue is ready to provide solutions for any wood Cherry veneers spliced with Roo 6510 adhesive needs.
SAMUEL CODING & LABELING Samuel Coding & Labeling provides numerous ink jet printing and labeling solutions for the panel industry. Some of the Samuel automated systems in mills throughout North America include ink jet APA grade marking and marketing information, ink jet stencil Samuel SLP-10 machines, ink jet nail lines, and package tag print and apply staple systems. With the recent demands by retail stores to ensure that bar code labels are secure from the mill to the retail shelf, Samuel has developed and installed several Model 600P sysSamuel ink jet printing application tems for panel applications. The Model 600P will print and apply bar code labels on individual panels with Guaranteed application rates that will survive from the production line to the retail shelf. Some of the features of the Model 600P include full automation, the ability to print labels during application so only one label stock is required, high speed non-contact label application, complete replacement of the older style thermal transfer print engines eliminating hundreds of moving parts by using a disposable cartridge. ● Samuel Packaging Systems Group offers the SLP-10 press that is a smart solution for durable packaging of panel and veneer products. The SLP-10 can be custom designed to suit your specific needs, with up to 10,000 lbs. of top compression force and automatic top or bottom bunk dispensers. Edge protector dispensers ensure complete package protection while a robotic bulk bunk dispensing system provides long running times with no operator intervention.
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VENEER
DRY END
SIGNODE
Signode Packaging Systems is a global manufacturer of steel and plastic strapping, and the application equipment and accessory products for each. For more than 100 years, we have been helping our customers improve their profits by reducing the costs they experience in moving their products to market. Our products are used throughout the world in a broad range of industries to secure everything from dimensional lumber, panels, cotton bales to steel coils and corrugated cartons. Our BPX strapping system for the forest industry is the most innovative and fastest machine in the industry. The BPX has been designed to deliver maximum package reliability in a simple to operate and easy-to-use machine. Engineered with a number of cost and timesaving features to facilitate easier maintenance and operation, the BPX also reduces maintenance time to maximize productivity. The BPX’s innovative features and overlapping functions result in maximum load stability. It starts with unique independent side compression for improved load Signode BPX machine for the panel industry squaring and alignment. The BPX pre-folds edge protectors prior to placing them on the load to ensure consistent strap tension. Battens are precisely delivered to the load and held securely in place until strapping had concluded. Together, these features enable faster and more consistent strapping of lumber and panel packages. A firm commitment to research and development has earned our company a reputation for being at the forefront of packaging innovation. We provide our customers with advanced solutions that increase production efficiency, improve load integrity and reduce operating costs. Over the years, we’ve constantly refined our existing products and created new ones to address evolving technologies and to meet our customers’ ever-changing needs.
SWEED Sweed’s newly patented “Smart Pause” technology provides veneer dryer infeed operators additional time to address veneer feeding issues while maintaining a 100% dryer fill rate. All this can be accomplished without stopping the dryer, thus maximizing production. Sweed’s “Smart-Pause” infeed functions separately from the veneer dryer, utilizing the latest innovation in infeed programming and driving each deck independently. “Smart Pause” allows the operator to pause the feeder for up to 20 seconds upon a misfeed, without stopping the dryer. Once the misfeed is corrected, the “Smart Pause” infeed allows the veneer to catch up, and eliminates the gap created from the pause. Primary and secondary stop-gates on each deck assures a veneer lap occurs prior to veneer entering the dryer. This technology virtually eliminates feedSweed dryer infeed “Smart Pause” technology er misfeeds, and helps to improve veneer presentation to the dryer. Smart-Pause is a proven solution and increases overall dryer efficiency and production.
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VENEER
DRY END
USNR
In response to the growing influx of offshore veneer products, Browder & Sons Veneer in Thomasville, Ala. upped its game with a new dryer to increase its capacity and achieve efficiencies from labor and resources. The proven Coe-brand dryer takes its place alongside three older models. Today the plant features four lathe lines and four veneer dryers, and processes around 40 truckloads of hardwood veneer each week. Species include red oak, hickory, white oak, and poplar or gum. 90% or more of the products go into the hardwood flooring industry. USNR reports that the company is the largest volume hardwood veneer producer in North America While the company battles its competition, especially imports from China, it increased its production with a fourth lathe and needed to similarly boost its dryer capacity to handle the flow. The company wanted to save on overtime and run two shifts around the clock. Browder received prices from several different vendors, but they’ve always operated Coe dryers and maintained a good USNR 4-deck, 6-section dryer at Browder & Sons Veneer relationship with Coe, now USNR. The dryer selected is a 4-deck, 6-section dryer, with one cooling section. Each section is 6 ft. long, with a heated enclosed length of 36 ft. The heated and cooling sections are equipped with insulated floors, and the dryer uses direct-fired natural gas heat. The new dryer is more efficient on gas used, probably at least 30% more efficient, than the older Coe dryers that date back to 1959, 1969 and 1993. They’ve been updated with new burner systems. Browner & Sons Veneer is happy with the way the project went, especially since they had a lot of projects going on at the same time including the installation of a new chipper system. The plant is considering updating its lathe system to allow for a thinner peel.
WESTMILL Westmill’s WestVac Emission and Dryer Control System is an effective method of controlling dryer emissions at the dryer’s end walls. Our (patents pending) WestVac system costs nothing to operate and can be easily installed onto new dryers or retrofitted onto existing jet dryers. WestVac simply returns any escaped gases, moisture and heat energy back into the dryer via the adjustable Re-Intro-Duct where the heat and humidity can benefit the drying process. The WestVac system reduces in-plant dryer fugitive emissions, reduces dryer energy consumption while helping to maintain maximum humidity levels inside the dryer, improving dry veneer quality and reducing the incidence of fires. A new Westmill jet dryer includes a 36 in. wide Seal Section at both the infeed green end and at the dry end “Dead Air Space.” The seal sections also incorporate certain confidential technologies and control into our proprietary design. Several systems have been installed around North America and the WestVac system has proven to be very effective Westmill WestVac emission and dryer control at controlling dryer humidity levels and emissions. WestVac does not need a costly auxiliary fan to draw the emissions from the seal chamber. Nor does it need an additional heat-source attempting to keep these emissions hot and pitch from forming in the dryers exhaust system. The cost to operate and maintain vent fans and an auxiliary exhaust heating system is extreme. Why waste this heat energy and humidity? Rather, why not re-introduce this back into the dryer where it can benefit the drying process? WestVac benefits include: reduced energy consumption; reduced fire risk; greatly improved veneer quality; reduced in-plant emissions; increased dryer humidity ratio. One embodiment of this proprietary system includes an innovative new design of Dryer Roll Baffle, providing a long lasting, positive end-wall seal at this typically difficult area to keep fugitive emission from escaping. Westmill is very proud of the proven benefits delivered by the WestVac system and thanks our performance-minded customers who have been early adopters of this cost-effective system.
26 • MARCH 2019 • PanelWorld
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STRUCTURAL PLYWOOD & LVL: PRODUCTION & CONSUMPTION TRENDS IN NORTH AMERICA Veneer-based products ride end-use innovation and mill technology enhancement toward a friendlier economy.
BY DICK BALDWIN AND RICH BALDWIN
decade has already passed since the chaotic economic events of the Great Global Recession (2008-2009). Demand for all construction products, including engineered veneer-
A
based products like structural plywood and laminated veneer lumber (LVL), substantially decreased as the implosion of the North American mortgage markets caused housing starts to fall by more than two-thirds. However, demand for veneer-based products is again growing because of the improved economy, more housing starts, and innovative product offerings. The following analysis examines the interrelationship between these two important veneer-based segments. This examination is designed to provide in-
sights so producers and other participants in the supply chain can profitably supply the growing demand for veneerbased products.
MAKING PROGRESS Housing demand is highly correlated with the nation’s economic health and is a leading indicator of the relative prosperity of the wood products industry. (See Exhibit 1) Realty Business News recently portrayed the present day housing market as follows:
Swanson Group operates the newest plywood plant in North America at Springfield, Ore.
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“A full decade after U. S. housing markets were crushed by the so-called Great Recession…things have improved drastically since then. Home values have risen to record highs in many markets, well above prerecession levels, and foreclosures have fallen to historic lows.” From the end of World War II to the Great Recession, average U.S. housing starts of about 1.6 million each year matched the growing population. However, nearly a decade after the Great Recession, housing starts have never returned to the long-term average even though the U.S. population continues to grow (unlike some other developed countries). These are reasons that the housing recovery has not returned to what is believed by many to be a sustainable level. Certain factors have evolved over time such as shifting generational demographics, the rising real cost of acquiring and owning a home, and the overall shift in consumer behavior in a knowledge-based society. These fundamental forces are impacting the operating environment for structural plywood and LVL producers.
VENEER-BASED PRODUCT Structural plywood and LVL are the two key outputs of the softwood veneerbased industry. The two are interwoven within a network of complementary raw material needs and markets. In fact, plywood and LVL are so interwoven that the largest veneer-based companies own and operate plywood and LVL mills. Dry veneer production at a given location results in many veneer grades, some of which is more optimal for LVL than plywood. The production volume of dry veneer for LVL depends upon the log species, individual log characteristics, and even the variable wood properties that exist within a given peeler block. The LVL recipe requires higher strength veneers on the outer plies, and other specified veneers for the inner plies. Structural plywood and LVL compete with other construction materials, like solid sawn lumber, steel beams and concrete, using attributes such as environmental-friendliness and high strength-toweight. Cross-laminated timber (CLT) and mass plywood panels (MPP) also are intended to replace concrete and steel, with the advantage that these building elements are pre-fabricated to speed construction. MPP, made of plywood panels laminated into larger and thicker assemblies, is intended to use wood more efficiently than solid-lumber CLT.
MAGIC OF PLYWOOD The plywood industry has stabilized—some use the euphemism “rightsized”—its North American manufacturing base in recent years. (See Exhibit 2) Production steadily fell from the late 1980s until after the Great Recession; since the recovery annual volume has stabilized at about 11 to 12 billion SF (3⁄8 in. basis). The long-term volume declines, which occurred principally due to substitution by OSB as a lower cost sheathing material, have stabilized as the economy improves, the industry promotes alternate industrial uses for
plywood, and makers further develop customer-specific plywood and veneerbased products. There were 86 operating mills in North America immediately before the Great Recession. (See Exhibit 3) Mill count trended downward through the Recession before leveling off in 2012; in 2016 and 2017 there were 58 mills. In general, the mills that closed were the less-efficient lower volume mills. Fewer and larger capacity mills represent the trend going forward. The mill tally includes two state-ofthe-art softwood plywood mills that opened in 2016. These are the first new PanelWorld • MARCH 2019 • 29
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tenance to take advantage of the robust market; but possible obstacles (described later as “speed bumps”) may preclude permanently higher capacity utilization. Imitating softwood plywood’s desirable structural and functional attributes continues to be a focus for competitors. The magic of plywood is its proven versatility to offset lost volumes with value-added panels that have innovative end uses. The ongoing task of the plywood industry is to develop new products and new uses that take advantage of plywood’s unique properties and attributes and are difficult to duplicate. However, speed bumps are visible in the road ahead.
SPEED BUMPS
plywood mills built in North America in more than 20 years. Both mills (Winston Plywood & Veneer in Louisville, Miss. and the Springfield, Ore. plywood mill of Swanson Group) are on the same sites as lower capacity plywood mills that were destroyed by natural disasters. These efficient new mills have yet to adversely impact the North American supply/demand balance for structural plywood as they progress through startup given that the market has readily absorbed the incremental capacity during this period of economic expansion.
Boise Cascade and Georgia-Pacific have the largest capacity shares of North American softwood plywood. (See Exhibit 4) (Boise’s recently announced sale of its plant in Moncure, NC is not figured into the pie chart.) However, the majority of mills, some very efficient, are run by independent owner-operators. As North American capacity has declined, capacity utilization has fluctuated more or less around 80%, though as the numbers come in capacity utilization in 2018 may have increased as manufacturers possibly deferred main-
We focus on four speed bumps on the road ahead. 1) Plywood as a globally-traded commodity While imports to North America are greater than exports, until recent years North American net import volumes were relatively small relative to aggregate North American consumption (keeping in mind that Canada usually runs a trade surplus and the U.S. runs a deficit). (See Exhibit 5) The plywood trade deficit significantly deteriorated starting in 2015 and grew to more than 1.0 billion square feet in 2017, or the equivalent of three modern plywood mills. Statistics for the first half of 2018 indicate that softwood plywood imports increased even more. In 2017, Brazil supplied nearly half (48%) of softwood plywood imported into North America, with substantial volumes also coming from Chile. China, the largest global producer of plywood, was the source of about a fifth of North American plywood imports. Softwood plywood imports from China to the U.S. accelerated in 2017 in anticipation of the Trump Administration placing punitive tariffs on Chinese hardwood plywood. Due to the triple-digit tariffs, many Chinese hardwood plywood producers modified their panels to meet the Customs definition of softwood plywood. The modification often occurred through substituting radiata pine veneer, which is tight-grained like hardwood, for the outer plies while keeping hardwood inner plies. The resulting “softwood plywood” panels are mostly used for furniture and cabinetry. Besides unique factors related to Chi-
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Structural plywood production in North America has settled around 11 billion SF since the recession.
nese plywood over the past two years, three primary drivers increase imports. Two could be considered main causes with the third acting as a catalyst for the two main reasons. First is the strong U.S. dollar relative to most trading partners. The dollar significantly strengthened against foreign currencies starting in mid-year 2014 and plywood imports trended upward shortly thereafter. (See Exhibit 6) Second, near record-breaking plywood prices have resulted from robust construction and industrial usages. (See Exhibit 7) Western plywood prices are invariably higher than Southern plywood prices. The plywood price differential reflects markedly higher log costs in the West, differences in the typical panel mix between Western and Southern mills, and the premium that customers remain willing to pay for Western fir. Although Canadian prices are not itemized, Canadian plywood prices behave similarly to Western (US) fir prices. Third, the attractive appearance and improved quality of imported plywood has facilitated imports. Aesthetic advantages include the greater number of plies for a given panel thickness (typical of European, South American and Asian producers), edges of imported panels that typically have fewer voids than domestic panels, and Chilean sanded panels often with Agrade or relatively patch-free faces. Several Brazilian mills also have improved quality enough to qualify for the PS-1 stamp per U.S. Department of Commerce voluntary product standards and equally compete in structural applications. The process of softwood plywood imports gaining customer acceptance in 32 • MARCH 2019 • PanelWorld
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Plywood is becoming a factor in the mass timber equation, as exemplified in the new Freres Lumber mass plywood panel (MPP) facility in Lyons, Ore.
North America has not been unlike the history of Japanese or Korean vehicle brands that initially were distrusted but now sell millions of cars. Chilean softwood plywood panels have become wide-
ly accepted as equivalent to North American product after establishing a track record of quality, and Brazilian panels continue to improve. A growing number of domestic users believe that offshore
plywood satisfactorily substitutes for domestic plywood in many applications. Certainly, these offshore panels have had occasional quality concerns. In the case of plywood sheathing of Brazilian
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origin, APA—The Engineered Wood Association issued a Product Advisory warning in June 2018 regarding conformance to PS 1-09 standards. 2) Cumulative effects of current capital spending Virtually every plywood producer has decided to invest in major capital projects designed to improve mill efficiency. Currently, demand for new capital equipment is high and it is not uncommon for vendors to have long delivery queues for equipment orders. A leading equipment vendor recently declared that they will temporarily forego trade show participation because their order file already is large and they need to focus on order completion instead of soliciting new business at trade shows. The authors are unable to precisely determine total capital spending for the veneer-based industry, but, based on our industry knowledge, we believe cumulative investment spending and commitments likely exceed several hundred million dollars. There have been frequent announcements for green end and dryer projects in trade publication articles, plywood and LVL manufacturer press releases, and equipment vendor advertisements.
Green end projects are typically intended to increase log yield, reduce labor inputs, and speed up the process while veneer dryer projects often focus upon drying efficiency and greater automation. Much of the capital spending will increase veneer yield that is suitable for LVL. In other cases, the veneer will become raw material for new products such as mass plywood panels. Freres Lumber in western Oregon recently built a $32 million state-of-the-art mill to make MPP. Housing starts, and the resulting demand for commodity plywood, are cyclical. However, the industry has a legacy of eventually oversupplying the market and causing sharp price corrections. In a declining market, the industry tradition of maximizing production to reduce unit costs, ostensibly in anticipation of mill closures by less efficient competitors, exacerbates the price decreases. Those currently investing in lowering their cost of production are positioning themselves to survive the next downturn. 3) OSB: the “nemesis” of commodity plywood
Oriented strandboard has steadily gained market share from commodity plywood as wall sheathing, flooring and roofing since it was commercialized in the early 1980s. OSB now has more than 60% share of structural panels. Given that most OSB is used in construction compared to plywood that now has many industrial uses, Exhibit 2 shows that OSB demand is even more cyclical than plywood. OSB increasingly substitutes for structural plywood in construction applications. However, finding non-construction uses is an imperative for OSB producers because OSB is even more exposed to economic cycles than plywood. At least five additional OSB mills have opened/reopened within the past two years and there are now nonwood substitutes for wood sheathing panels. The OSB industry is researching adhesive and other process improvements that increase product flexibility. OSB increasingly competes with plywood in customer specific end-uses such as furniture framing and other industrial cut-to-size components. 4) The North American economy & plywood price performance
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Since the Great Recession, the “rightsized” North American plywood industry had constrained production increases even as more favorable business conditions cause higher demand. Per the Random Lengths composite indices for Southern pine plywood and Western fir plywood, prices steadily trended upward in spite of seasonal dips. (See Exhibit 7) Southern pine plywood prices increased by about 68% and Western fir plywood prices increased by about 61% from 2009 to the start of 2018. Almost a decade has passed since the Great Recession, and some now argue that economic cycles are a historical relic so today’s favorable economic conditions will continue forever. However, the authors accept as reasonable the theory of the now obscure economist Hyman Minsky, who postulated that the longer the period of stability, the greater the potential instability when the cycle finally turns (paraphrased from page 6 of “The Growing Economic Sandpile,” John Mauldin newsletter), Relevant questions are: “When will the next down cycle occur? How deep will the next downturn become?” Hard experience teaches the
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lesson that mill operators must sacrifice some upside of a good market in preparation for the down cycle that is certain to follow.
LVL SUBSTITUTION Nearly 50 years ago, Art Troutner and Harold “Red” Thomas of TrusJoist pioneered a solution to the pending shortage of high-quality lumber used as flanges in open-web trusses. They established that a parallel assembly of dry veneer, made
from veneer with selected structural properties and subsequently bonded under heat and pressure, could replace natural lumber. TrusJoist resolved its immediate problem, and then went on to engineer, patent and market many innovative products featuring LVL technology. Others followed TrusJoist and a global industry was born. Ten companies currently manufacture LVL at 16 locations across North America. Weyerhaeuser, purchaser of the TrusJoint business and trademarks,
and Boise Cascade controlled 60% of North American manufacturing capacity in 2017. (See Exhibit 8) Overall, the United States manufactures about 90% of North American LVL. I-Joist flanges and other new residential construction applications are the primary use of LVL, and manufacturers were hard hit by the Great Recession. LVL production declined by about 60% in the two years from 2007 to 2009. LVL industry participants subsequently rightsized capacity by closing mills until order files bottomed out in 2010. However, the industry did not again reach the pre-Recession peak until 2017. Expansion of Pacific Woodtech is currently under way in northwestern Washington and Roseburg Forest Products is constructing a greenfield mill near Chester, South Carolina. Capacity creep will likely occur at many of the remaining mills. When the next economic downturn occurs and product prices decline, we will find out whether the older, less-efficient mills are able to survive tougher business conditions. In our opinion, the normal economic cycles of expansion and recession will continue and competitors will continue to develop new materials that substitute for veneer-based products. Continual identification of underserved markets is key to the long-term survival and prosperity of veneer-based producers. The ongoing task for manufacturers is to innovate products for new markets and to upgrade technology and processes that more efficiently use raw materials and are environmentally friendly. The optimal answer likely will be the ever-closer integration of products that contain veneer, whether for plywood, LVL or some other (perhaps not yet inPW vented) product. Longtime plywood industry expert Dr. Richard (Dick) Baldwin and his son Richard (Rich) Baldwin are with Oak Creek Investments, which specializes in wood industry investment and consulting. E-mail them, respectively: dbaldwin@ocinvest.com and rwbald@gmail.com
COMING IN MAY LIGNA PREVIEW 40 • MARCH 2019 • PanelWorld
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UPDATE
BOISE SELLS MONCURE MILL
Boise Cascade Co. is selling its plywood operation in Moncure, NC to an affiliate of Southern Veneer Products, which operates a plywood mill in Fitzgerald, Ga. Moncure primarily supplies hardwood plywood to the furniture panel sector. “The acquisition of this facility more closely aligns with Southern Veneer’s business strategy. We believe this sale provides the best long-term option for continuing to serve the furniture market and sustain employment at the mill into the future,” says Mike Brown, executive vice president of Boise’s Wood Products division. “Southern has been a proven and trusted veneer supplier for Boise Cascade for more than
committed to our Chester (SC), Florien (La.) and Oakdale (La.) facilities, we believe there is ample veneer capacity internally and externally to meet the future needs of our EWP customers.” Boise operates LVL plants at Alexandria, La. and Thorsby, Ala. and an Ijoist line at Roxboro, NC. Boise acquired the Moncure plant and one at Chester in 2013 from Wood Resources LLC. Boise significantly refurbished the Chester plant and has upgraded aspects of the Moncure plant. A plywood mill has operated at Moncure since 1966. Its string of ownership has included Triangle Plywood, Boise Cascade, Williamette Industries, Weyerhaeuser Co., Wood Resources LLC, then Boise again and now Southern Veneer. Boise Cascade reported it recorded a pre-tax charge of approximately $25 million in the fourth quarter of 2018 as a result of writing down the carrying value of the Moncure facility and the associated inventories, as well as accruing anticipated expenses related to the sale to Southern.
OSB LEADS OUTPUT UPTICK
Staying power: Moncure plywood facility has changed ownership seven times in its 53 years of operation.
10 years. They have a committed ownership and management team.” Moncure employs 150. “The addition of the Moncure facility is a continuation of our plan to expand our geographic presence and build a diversified portfolio of world class assets,” comments Ken Adams, president of Southern Veneer. “We intend to invest in equipment upgrades to make full use of the production capacity at the plant.” Brown adds, “As we conclude optimization of our veneer sourcing strategy and with the capital investments we’ve
North America structural panels output was down 5.8% in the fourth quarter 2018 from the third quarter, but for the year, paced by OSB, panel production was up 1.9%, according to APA—The Engineered Wood Assn. OSB output was 23.52 billion SF, up 3.7%. Plywood in 2018 fell 1.7% to 10.84 billion SF. U.S. OSB production was 15.129 billion SF, up 3.6%, while Canadian production was 8.395 billion SF, up 3.9%. U.S. plywood production was 8.869 billion SF, down 1.7%. Canadian plywood production was 1.969 billion SF, down 1.3%. North America I-joist output fell 2.7% to 766.5 million linear feet and LVL production dropped 2.4% to 78.3 million cubic feet. Glulam production was up 3.9% at 303MMBF. APA also reported that U.S. housing starts probably reached 1.26 million in 2018 (880,000 single-family and 380,100 multi-family), but APA is currently forecasting a drop in U.S. housing starts for 2019 at 1.23 million, with single-family accounting for the decline while mutli-family maintains its 2018 levels. APA cited an affordability challenge driven by the combination of
higher home prices and mortgage rates has reduced the pool of potential buyers. Meanwhile the inventory of homes available for sale was 1.74 million, up 4% from a year ago.
MASS TIMBER LOOKS UP AT 18 STORIES
American Wood Council reported that the International Code Council (ICC) in its release of unofficial voting results on code change proposals passed the entire package of 14 tall mass timber code change proposals, including allowance for up to 18 stories. The proposals create three new types of construction (Types IV-A, IV-B and IV-C), which set fire safety requirements, and allowable heights, areas and number of stories for tall mass timber buildings. The three new types of construction include: Type IV-A: Maximum 18 stories, with gypsum wallboard on all mass timber elements Type IV-B: Maximum 12 stories, limited-area of exposed mass timber walls and ceilings allowed Type IV-C: Maximum 9 stories, all exposed mass timber designed for a 2hour fire resistance. “Mass timber has been capturing the imagination of architects and developers, and the ICC result means they can now turn sketches into reality. ICC’s rigorous study, testing and voting process now recognizes a strong, low-carbon alternative to traditional tall building materials used by the building and construction industry,” coments AWC President & CEO Robert Glowinski. The vote caps off several years of scientific research and testing, and verifies that mass timber meets the robust performance standards called for by the nation’s building codes, according to AWC.
ROSEBURG INCREASES MDF PRESENCE
Roseburg Forest Products is purchasing PotlatchDeltic Corp. subsidiary DelTin Fiber LLC, including a medium density fiberboard (MDF) plant in El Dorado, Ark. The acquisition will be Roseburg’s third MDF plant purchase in three years, having acquired Pembroke MDF in eastern Ontario in early 2018, and an MDF plant in Medford, Ore.
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from SierraPine in 2015. “Roseburg is gradually expanding its geographic footprint in North America in high-performing markets with growth potential,” Roseburg President and CEO Grady Mulbery says. “The El Dorado facility in Arkansas will allow us to leverage synergies with our existing southern composite panel plants, while delivering our successful MDF brands to a broader customer base.” The EL Dorado MDF plant was built in 1998. Jim Buffington, Roseburg’s Business Director for Industrial Products, comments, “We are committed to the composites business in North America, and look forward to welcoming the El Dorado plant and its team members to our organization.” PotlatchDeltic Corp. reported the purchase price is $92 million, consisting of $63 million in cash and assumption of $29 million of revenue bond obligations. “We obtained this well-positioned MDF business through our recent merger with Deltic Timber. The sale of MDF focuses our Arkansas operations on timberlands and lumber while enhancing shareholder value,” comments Mike Covey, chairman and CEO.
FRERES MPP GAINS U.S., CANADA PATENTS
Freres Lumber Co. reports it has been granted a Canadian patent for its Mass Plywood Panel (MPP), which is currently the only mass timber panel constructed entirely from Structural Composite Lumber (SCL). MPP will allow builders to build taller structures for less cost, faster, while using less wood than with any other mass timber product on the market today, according to Freres. The company received the Canadian Patent the day after the hard copy of their U.S. patent arrived in the mail. Patents have also been granted in Australia and New Zealand. Additionally, Freres Lumber received fire test results from Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), verifying that MPP demonstrates the necessary life safety fire protection performance for single- and multi-family, and multi-story structures up to 18 stories high. MPP has met or exceeded multiple industry building and fire safety standards tests, including APA certification and SwRI fire safety performance evaluation. “Freres Lumber has spent the last three years researching, developing and testing
UPDATE LIGNA HOSTS THIRD WOOD INDUSTRY SUMMIT
Hatton-Brown Publishers is partnering with the Wood Industry Summit.
Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc., which produces Panel World, Timber Processing, Wood Bioenergy and Timber Harvesting magazines, is the official media partner for North America for the upcoming Wood Industry Summit at LIGNA, May 27-31 in Hannover, Germany. The Wood Industry Summit, which will be in its third season at Ligna, will be staged in Hall 26 and themed “Access to Resources and Technology.” The summit is organized by Deutsche Messe in conjunction with the German Forestry Council (KWF) and comprises a forum, lounge and exhibition area. The summit will include an all-new group pavilion that will explore the implications of the German government’s “Charter for Wood 2.0” policy direction. Titled “Future Workshop for Wood & Forestry under the Charter for Wood 2.0,” the pavilion is a showcase for international startups, a hub where young, innovative companies can present their ideas and visions for the future of the forestry and wood industries. The new group pavilion is produced and run by the organizers of LIGNA in partnership with the German Sawmilling and Wood Industry Assn. (DeSH), Germany’s Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR), the Ministry for Environment, Agriculture, Conservation and Consumer Protection of the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MULNV) and the German Forestry Council (KWF). “Our aim in establishing this new showcase is to secure the ongoing international competitiveness of the forestry and wood industries and to facilitate networking and relationships between industry startups and industry incumbents,” explains Christian Pfeiffer, Deutsche Messe’s Global Director LIGNA & Woodworking Events. The Charter for Wood 2.0 is part of the “Climate Action Plan 2050” that Germany’s federal government adopted in November 2016. Its primary objectives are to boost the wood and forestry contribution to climate protection through sustainable forest management and wood utilization; to maintain and grow the value added and competitiveness of the German forestry and wood industry; and to conserve finite natural resources through sustainable and efficient forest and wood use. The Wood Industry Summit is also focused on ways of optimizing the entire forest-wood-logistics value chain. Other key themes include digitization in forestry, data protection and data integrity, forest firefighting, forestry infrastructure, road networks and logistics. Of all of these themes, digitization will be at the forefront, both in the summit’s discussion forums and in its exhibition area. The summit will once again feature delegations from the timber-rich regions of Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Germany, Finland, Canada, Columbia, Romania, Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. The 2017 summit resulted in contracts worth more than 30 million euros.
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UPDATE
MPP, and our hard work has come to fruition with the patents being awarded and industry tests verifying the strength, safety and versatility of this product,” comments Tyler Freres, vice president for Freres Lumber. “The ASTM E119 and E84 tests are rigorous tests that exposed the panels to intensely hot flames. The test results allow designers and developers to use MPP in buildings that require fire resistance ratings.” MPP is composed of extremely thin and dense layers of Douglas fir veneers, and uses approximately 20% less wood than CLT, according to Freres; and MPP is lighter than lumber-based CLT and is as strong or stronger.
GP CLOSES MILL IN WARM SPRINGS
Georgia-Pacific reported it is closing its plywood facility in Warm Springs, Ga., impacting 300 employees. The company stated that plywood continues
to be challenged by competing products and imports, but is still focused on its eight remaining plywood mills across the U.S. GP started up the Warm Springs plant in 1974.
based on integrity. These values are in direct alignment with the values that TP has delivered to their clients.” Stafford will operate as a subsidiary of WRD, TP’s parent company, and be headquartered out of Conyers, Ga.
TIMBER PRODUCTS BUYS STAFFORD
ARAUCO COMPLETES MASISA ACQUISITION
Timber Products Inspection, Inc. (TP) has acquired Stafford Inspection & Consulting Services, LLC., which is headquartered in Orlando, Fla. Both TP and Stafford have been providing professional inspection and certification services for more than 50 years. The acquisition aligns with TP’s objective to strengthen its position in the lumber, export wood packaging, truss and log home markets. Jeremy Williams, controller of TP, comments, “The management team at Stafford has always been committed to providing dependable services and has built their reputation as a solid company
Arauco reports it has completed the purchase of MASISA’s industrial assets in Mexico, which involves two industrial complexes located in Durango and Zitácuaro. The US$160 million acquisition positions Arauco as the world’s second producer of wood panels with an annual 10 million m3. Both facilities combined have three particleboard lines with an annual installed capacity of 339,000 m3, an MDF panel line with an annual capacity of 220,000 m 3, melamine laminate lines with an annual capacity of 309,000 m3, a chemical plant that produces resin and formalin, and treatment lines.
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PROJECTS
BERNECK INSTALLING BÜTTNER HEATING
Dryers remain the largest consumer of thermal energy and, as a consequence of the process, the largest source of emissions in the production of MDF. The energy used to produce heat is usually generated in the form of flue gas in a biomass grate furnace and fed to the dryer. Emissions from the furnace are in this case supplied directly to the dryer and discharged with its exhaust air. Berneck S.A. Painéis e Büttner fiber drying will be in- Serrados in Brazil has decidstalled at Berneck in Lages, ed to employ a different sysBrazil tem of heating. The company has, in conjunction with Büttner Energie- und Trocknungstechnik GmbH, which is based in Krefeld in Germany, developed a fiber drying heating concept that uses steam from the company’s own power plant at its new production facility in Lages/Santa Catarina. The power
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PROJECTS
plant delivers an electrical output of 30 MW and uses biomass as its fuel. The concept for heating the Büttner dryer is to heat the freely drawn-in fresh air with a multi-stage steam-condensate-air heat exchanger. Berneck S.A. is one of the leading manufacturers of wood-based materials in Latin America and employs around 1,600 at its locations. The company has closely linked its biomass power plants, sawmills and wood-based production plants at its three existing locations in order to make maximum use of the raw material, both where materials and energy are concerned. Büttner is a long-standing company that is based in Krefeld and that operates with a workforce of more than 100. It is a one-stop supplier of energy and drying systems for wood-materials plants. Büttner was able to draw on its many years of expertise it has gained from its roles both as an expert in drying and as a specialist for steam in its contributions to this joint project. The benefits that this method of drying delivers are apparent: besides the fact that the considerably smaller fan consumes less power, no emissions are introduced into the dryer from the heating. The dust loads contained in the dryer exhaust air behind the highly efficient Büttner cyclones are therefore significantly lower than in dryers heated directly with flue gas.
Heating with steam from a power plant is consequently a particularly economical and environmentally friendly option compared with the typical use of flue gas.
BERNECK ORDERS MDF PLANT Brazilian company Berneck S. A. Painéis e Serrados has ordered a MDF plant from Siempelkamp, including ContiRoll continuous press technology. The plant, which will be located in Lages, is scheduled for a spring 2021 startup and will produce 1,665 m³ daily. The installation of the plant is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2020. Berneck intends to meet the increasing demand of the Latin American market. Founded in 1952 as a sawmill in Bituruna in the federal state of Paraná, Berneck is one of the largest producers in the South American market and maintains trade relations to more than 60 countries. The manufacturer primarily processes wood from pine trees grown on the company’s sustainable plantations which cover an area of 63,000 ha. To offset forestry use Berneck plants more than 4 million trees each year, both pine and teak trees at the company’s plantations close to Brasnorte in Central Brazil. The waste materials from its sawmills are the source material for the production of MDP, MDF and HDF. Berneck em-
ploys 1,600 at production locations in Araucária, Curitibanos, Brasnorte and ultimately Lages. The scope of supply for the order from Berneck includes the resin kitchen equipped with the Ecoresinator, the continuous press line with ContiRoll to the finishing line with the cooling turners and the intermediate storage. The drying of the wood fibers will take place in a flue gas-free indirectly steamheated flash tube dryer made by Büttner. The engineering of the whole plant is carried out by Siempelkamp’s Belgium subsidiary Sicoplan based on laser-scan-supported surveying of the local production site. Sicoplan is also responsible for the planning of the steel construction and the wiring necessary for the process equipment. Both will be implemented by Siempelkamp. The heart of the plant comes from Siempelkamp’s production in Krefeld— a ContiRoll Generation 9 with a length of 48.8 m and a width of 9 ft. A key design feature of the NEO version is its ultra-flexible, extended press infeed. Ten press frames with a distance of 530 mm from each other provide for solid static conditions; the booster hot platen, extended by 100%, together with the highly specialized press hydraulics, allows production increases of up to 30%. The scope of supply also includes that all five of Berneck’s lines will be equipped with Prod-IQ Next.
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S U P P LY
LINES
FISHER WAS PIVOTAL TO PLYWOOD GROWTH
USNR announced the retirement of Tim Fisher, who spent the last 10 years of his long and storied career as the Veneer & Panel Business Development ManagTim Fisher retires. er for USNR, based in Woodland, Wash. Fisher came to USNR from Coe Manufacturing under the leadership of Fred Fields and his career in the plywood industry dates back to the 1970’s and included a long stint as sales director. He joined Coe from Georgia-Pacific’s machinery division, where his tenure included work in engineering, manufacturing and sales. One of the highlights of Fisher’s career was his involvement in the development of the M790 lathe charger, which advanced the processing of very small peeler blocks industry wide. The development was due, in large part, to a strong relationship he built with then Riverside Forest Products in Lumby, BC. With a love for 1960-era cars, Fisher expects to attend more car shows during retirement with his all-stock 1964 GTO. As a long-time Oregon “Duck” fan, you’ll be able to find him at most of the games. “I’m still not fully adjusted to the new retirement routine,” Fisher comments. “It is nice not to be concerned with travel schedules and meeting all the normal deadlines, although the home front still keeps me plenty busy with all the ‘assigned’ little projects. So far everything is working out fine and I’ve even returned to USNR for a day to assist with a project that was in process prior to retirement at the end of 2018. I’ll miss all the exceptional people I’ve met in the industry.” Alan Knokey, vice president at USNR and a long-time peer of Fisher’s dating back to Coe, comments, “Tim Fisher early in his career mastered the skills required to be an effective capital equipment salesman. He had true empathy and took great pains to listen to those fortunate to be his customer. In addition, he had an unwillingness to
A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL
Engineered Wood Technology Assn. presented its 2018 Supplier Awards during the Chairman’s Dinner at the APA—The Engineered Wood Assn. annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas last October. Recipients, left to right, included: James Slay, technical service manager, Arclin; Dale Brown, USNR President; James Wright, Arclin VP; Rich Donnell, editor-in-chief, Hatton-Brown Publishers (Panel World magazine); John Murray, president, Willamette Valley Company; along with Jim Enright, vicechairman, APA; and Terry Kerwood, managing director, EWTA. Eighty-seven EWTA member companies exhibited at Info Fair’s 25th annual supplier event held during the APA annual meeting.
sacrifice his personal integrity, which provided those who purchased from him the confidence that they were committing to a very solid individual. Tim will be missed by the industry.”
REGISTRATION OPENS FOR WMF CHINA
WMF China returns this September 8-11.
In view of the rising demand in innovative technologies across the entire supply chain of furniture production and woodworking industry, the Shanghai International Furniture Machinery & Woodworking Machinery Fair (WMF) has been collocated with CIFF (Shang-
hai) at Shanghai Hongqiao, China once a year since 2018. The two fairs together attract more than 1,300 exhibitors to display products that include furniture products, woodworking machinery and accessories in the 400,000 sq.m. fairground. WMF serves as a one-stop platform connecting upstream and downstream enterprises and stretching across the entire production chain of woodworking industry. WMF will be held September 8-11, 2019 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center, Shanghai Hongqiao, China. By assembling a variety of cuttingedge machines and a wealth of market information, the exhibits in WMF span across wood primary processing, wood based panel production, sawmill technology, automation machinery, machinery for custom production, wood architecture, green production and safety control, CAD/CAM and wood products packaging. WMF will be occupying Hall 7.1 and 8.1. It is expected to have 400 exhibitors from around the world in an exhibition area of 53,000 sq.m. WMF 2018 received more than 33,751 visitors from 99 countries. It is
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S U P P LY
LINES widely supported by different organizations, including China National Forestry Machinery Assn. as one of its co-organizers, and China’s leading woodworking associations (Qingdao Woodworking Machinery Assn. and Shunde Lunjiao Woodworking Machinery Chamber of Commerce) as long-term partners. In addition, it is the only exhibition in
China supported by EUMABOIS. Registration for WMF 2019 is open now on www.woodworkfair.com. Exclusive benefits will be offered to registered visitors, including free admission (one badge, two fairs: WMF + CIFF (Shanghai)), one free copy of show catalogue and priority to participate in conferences.
DIEFFENBACHER SAYS THANK YOU The family-owned company Dieffenbacher from Eppingen, Germany held its Christmas party December 14 and 500 employees from the Eppingen and Leverkusen sites as well as retirees came together in the Hardwaldhalle in Eppingen to round out the year. Dieffenbacher honored long-time employees and bid farewell to those retiring. Together with Mayor Klaus Holaschke, the Dieffenbacher Management Board and Human Resources Management honored 53 employees. Of these, 39 employees celebrated their 10th anniversary, 10 employees celebrated 25 years at Dieffenbacher and four employees were honored for 40 years: Hans Fruh, Rüdiger Knapp, Jürgen Kress and Oliver Rapp. The manufacturer of press systems and complete production plants for the wood-based panel industry as well as automotive, aviation and recycling indus-
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S U P P LY
LINES tries achieved significant milestones in various business areas in 2018. In its wood-based panel business, Dieffenbacher has now sold more than 20 CPS+ continuous presses for the production of particleboard, MDF and OSB. The CPS+ was introduced in May 2015. Additionally, Dieffenbacher reached a milestone of 100 continuous presses sold for the production of wood panels in China.
Dieffenbacher’s Recycling business unit supplies plants that recycle waste wood and process industrial and municipal solid waste. Thanks to its new waste wood recycling plant from Dieffenbacher, wood panel manufacturer Pfleiderer from Neumarkt saved more than a quarter of a million tons of fresh wood by replacing it with recycled wood. This technology provides economic and eco-
logical benefits for the customer and is better for the environment. The Dieffenbacher group of companies is run by the fifth generation of the Dieffenbacher family. The company employs more than 1,700 worldwide, about 800 of whom work at the company’s headquarters in Eppingen. Currently, 49 junior staff members are being trained in the company’s training center.
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W H AT ’ S
NEW
MOISTURE CONTENT CONTROL
MoistTech Corp. is a leader in moisture measurement & thickness control utilizing near-infrared technology to develop world class sensors. Insensitive to material variations such as particle size and material height/color, the sensors provide continuous, reliable readings with no maintenance, a one-time calibration with a non-contact, non-drift optical design allowing for immediate process adjustments based on real-time measurements. MoistTech’s IR-3000 online sensor allows for moisture content to be continually monitored and adjustments made on the fly. Having the correct MDF moisture levels is a critical component during the various stages of production. Fiber quality can be influenced by moisture content and incorrect moisture resin addition can not only waste money but can cause dramatic process interruptions. Moisture content varies widely in raw materials, and at different points in the production process, so non-contact moisture measurement is essential for achieving an outstanding final product. Visit moisttech.com.
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CLIPPINGS ELSTON NOW LEADS RFP MANUFACTURING Roseburg Forest Products announced Jake Elston as Senior Vice President of Operations, responsible for all Roseburg manufacturing operations, including both industrial and structural products; and named Mike Reardon as Director of Industrial Products Manufacturing, overseeing the entirety of Roseburg’s Industrial Products manufacturing structure. Elston has an established and respected reputation in the wood products industry, with 23 years of experience in manufacturing and operations. He began his career as a superintendent and technical director at Willamette Industries, became manufacturing director for Weyerhaeuser Co.’s North American Composites Business, and moved on to Arauco North America, where he served most recently as vice president of operations. Elston served seven years as an aviator, mission commander and flight instructor for the U.S. Navy. He earned an MBA from the University of Oregon and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the U.S. Naval Academy. “We are thrilled to have Jake join the executive team at Roseburg,” Roseburg President and CEO Grady Mulbery says. “His extensive history with wood products, including broad national and international experience, allows us to structure our executive leadership to maximize opportunities for continued growth and development.”
Elston will work closely with Roseburg’s Ashlee Cribb, who has been promoted to Senior Vice President – Chief Commercial Officer, responsible for sales, marketing and logistics functions, and the supply chain initiatives for the company. This is the third promotion for Reardon since he rejoined Roseburg in January 2017 as plant manager for the company’s composite panel plant in Simsboro, La. Reardon served as plant manager for another Roseburg facility from 2006-2009. “In the past two years Mike has made a significant impact through process improvements at Simsboro and our other industrial products plants,” Industrial Products Business Director Jim Buffington says. “After more than 30 years in wood products, he brings a depth and scope of experience to improve and enhance oversight of our operations.” Mike Henry will replace Reardon as Plant Manager at Simsboro Composites. Henry brings 25 years of experience successfully managing particleboard, MDF and TFL operations for companies including Jeld-Wen, Del-Tin Fiber and Arauco.
JORGENSEN, BROWN PROMOTED AT BOISE Boise Cascade Company announced the promotion of four company officers and the retirements of two veteran industry leaders. Nate Jorgensen has been named Chief Operating Officer, responsible for overseeing the Wood Products and Building Materials Distribution divisions. Jorgensen has 32 years of experience in the industry, including past positions in engineering, product development and distribution operations. He joined Boise Cascade in 2015, most recently leading the engineered wood products (EWP) sales and marketing organization. Mike Brown has been promoted to Executive Vice President and will lead the Wood Products division, as the successor to Dan Hutchinson who is retiring on April 1 with nearly 39 years of service. Brown joined the company in 1999, serving in several leadership roles including guiding Boise’s Brazilian operations and the Southeastern U.S. region. He relocated to Boise, Idaho in 2015 to assume the position of vice president for Wood Products manufacturing operations. Erin Nuxoll has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Human Resources. She rejoined the company in 2016 after serving as SVP of HR for a global, privately held company for 10 years. Prior to that, Nuxoll had a 23-year tenure at Boise Cascade following her graduation from Washington State University with a forest management degree. Jill Twedt, vice president of legal, has been promoted to General Counsel and she also currently serves as corporate secretary. Nuxoll and Twedt will be assuming the responsibilities held by Senior Vice President of Human Resources and General Counsel John Sahlberg, who is retiring on March 1 after 37 years with Boise Cascade.
COLUMBIA FP NAMES THREE NEW MANAGERS Columbia Forest Products, leading producer of decorative hardwood plywood products, announced the following staff appointments to newly created managerial positions at the company: ➤ 61 56 • MARCH 2019 • PanelWorld
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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
5394
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES DIRECTORY 5515 S.E. Milwaukie Ave, Portland, Oregon 97202 503-230-9348 Fax: 503-233-2051 www.kh2aengineering.com Email: kh2a@kh2aengineering.com
Nextwire, LLC, the leader of broad loom wire weaving and finishing in North America, has the following opening at the Star City, AR facility
CONSULTANTS & ENGINEERS FOR THE FOREST PRODUCTS INDUSTRY Feasibility Studies, Cost Estimates, Complete Project Design, Structural, Civil, Mechanical and Electrical Design
SALES POSITION
9237
We are seeking an individual with exceptional communications, interpersonal, computer and organizational skills.
1009
The Feltham-McClure Co., Inc. 2151 Wembley Place • Oviedo, Florida 32765 407-366-9333 Office • 407-366-4900 Fax www.thefeltham-mcclurecompany.com
Veneer Lathe Service - All makes, models and peripherals for all end products. Installation, Laser Alignments, Retrofits, Rebuilds and Troubleshooting Peel Problem Troubleshooting and Rectification Lathe Training Seminars - Operational and Maintenance Representing: DEMCO Manufacturing, Inc. 9926
Job Qualifications and Experience • Business degree is preferred and/or specific experience in the Engineered Wood Industry Essential Functions • Responsible for account strategies, territory planning and administrative responsibilities to ensure a high level of customer satisfaction is maintained • Develops and increases sales revenue to meet assigned targets • Becomes actively involved in a new sales orientation and sales training programs • Acts as a resource in contract opportunities and proposals • Assists with contract negotiations, closing the sale and developing marketing plans for contract accounts • Assists with the planning of sales exhibits • Attends trade shows • Keeps informed of new products, services and other general information of interest to customers • Checks on competitive activity and develops new methods of attaining customers and in attaining new accounts • Troubleshoots problems regarding products provided • Performs other job-related duties and responsibilities as may be assigned from time to time
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Nextwire is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin or any class protected under State or Federal Law.
SEARCH NORTH AMERICA, INC.
The Jobs You Want — The People You Need
1615
IT'S YOUR MOVE...
FOREST PRODUCTS RECRUITING SINCE 1978 WWW.SEARCHNA.COM
Tel: (800) 985-5191
3779
jon@olsonsearch.com Custom search & recruitment services for the complete range of composite panel and related careers in the U.S., Canada and Europe. www.olsonsearch.com
4231
Top Wood Jobs Recruiting and Staffing George Meek geo@TopWoodJobs.com www.TopWoodJobs.com (360) 263-3371
Interested individuals should submit a resume to the following for consideration: HR@next-wire.com Subject line: SALES POSITION 13574
THE Forest Products Group
Jon Olson
CONTACT CARL JANSEN AT 541-593-2777 OR Carlj@SearchNA.com
The position will focus on sales to the manufacturers of OSB, MDF, and Particle Board within the Engineered Wood Product market. It requires a combination of inside and outside sales responsibilities with an expected average of 3050% airline travel.
Visit us online: panelworldmag.com PanelWorld • MARCH 2019 • 57
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VENEER/PANEL SUPPLIERS
DIRECTORY ASIA
AUSTRALIA/OCEANIA
■ Poland
■ Malaysia
Manufacturer In Malaysia CARB P2 / EPA Certified
SPECIALISTS IN AUSTRALIAN & PACIFIC VENEERS FSC & PEFC ECO-CERT
Fancy plywood/MDF/ Particle Board/ Blockboard Layon Veneer, Veneer Parquet, etc.
Veneers from around the world Over 150 species in stock Reconstituted veneer/spliced faces/rotary veneers
Lot 488, Jalan Jati Kiri, Kg. Perepat 42200 Kapar, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia Tel: +603 3259 1988 • Fax: +603 3259 1886 E-mail: bungaraya@bungarayapanel.com Website: www.bungarayapanel.com
Website: Email: Tel: Fax:
www.briggs.com.au admin@briggs.com.au +61 2 9732-7888 +61 2 9732-7800
EUROPE
■ Taiwan
GREAT GIANT INC.
www.fsc.org FSC™ C004099 The mark of responsible forestry
■ Romania
■ Austria
VENEER AND VENEERED PRODUCTS 260 Dachang Road Niao Song District Kaohsiung, Taiwan 833 Tel: 886 7 3790270 Fax: 886 7 3790275 E Mail: jc.giant@msa.hinet.net
■ Spain
■ Vietnam
PRODUCERS OF SLICED AND ROTARY CUT VENEERS
SUPPLIERS OF FSC SPECIES • All figured species (Eucalyptus, Anegre, Sycamore...) • All pommeles and African species • All burls (Ash, Elm, Olive, Walnut, Oak...) • Bookmatched jointed burl faces.
We supply furniture, panel and architectural grades. VALENCIA – SPAIN Tel: +34-96126 5400 Fax: +34-96126 5144 timbercom@timbercom.com
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VENEER/PANEL SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY ■ Switzerland
■ United States ■ Georgia
A new “Dimension” in Veneer & Plywood
Dimension Plywood Inc.
Custom Architectural Plywood & Doors 415 Industrial Blvd. • New Albany, IN 47150 Tel: 812-944-6491 • Fax: 812-944-7421
Dimension Hardwood Veneers, Inc.
Rotary & Sliced Veneers 509 Woodville Street • Edon, Ohio 43518 Main Office - Tel: 419-272-2245 • Fax: 419-272-2406 www.dimensionhardwoods.com FSC-C041275
NORSTAM VENEERS, INC.
NORTH AMERICA ■ Canada
Proud to announce we have the “Newest Veneer Mill in the World”
■ Idaho
■ British Columbia
6670 - 144th Street, Surrey, BC V3W 5R5 Plant: (604) 572-8968 Fax: (604) 572-6608
Producers of high quality fine face veneers. Specializing in species indigenous to the West Coast. We manufacture Music grade solids and veneers. We also offer custom slicing, cut-to-size and log breakdown. Fir • Hemlock • Spruce • Pacific Maple (Figured and Plain) • Alder Western Red Cedar
■ Ontario
MANUFACTURER OF QUALITY HARDWOOD AND SOFTWOOD VENEERS Knotty Idaho White Pine Western Red Cedar Red Alder Clear White Pine & Ponderosa Pine Clear Vertical Grain Douglas Fir, Hemlock, & Cedar
P.O. Box 339 Post Falls, Id. 83877 208-773-4511 FAX 208-773-1107 email: info@idahoveneer.com
■ Indiana
Green & Kiln Dried Hardwood Lumber
P.O. BOX 32 HWY. 135 BUS: 812.732.4391 MAUCKPORT, IN 47142 FAX: 812.732.4803 EMAIL: info@norstam.com
Reserve your space today. Call Melissa McKenzie 800-669-5613
Amos-Hill Associates, Inc.
A FULL SERVICE PLYWOOD & VENEER COMPANY WE OFFER: Short turnaround time, In-house veneer mill—ROTARY, FLAT CUT, RIFT and QUARTERS, Custom pressing capabilities, Architectural specified plywood jobs, Huge veneer and core inventory, Over 100 natural species and engineer veneers in stock, All sizes and thicknesses–6'x4' to 5'x12', Internal logistics for fast on-time deliveries Contact us: Birchland Plywood-Veneer Ltd. TeL: 705-842-2430 • Fax: 705-842-2496 Visit www.birchlandplywood.com to view our “Live Log Program”
RSVP is proud to offer
Quality Veneers Manufacturers of Decorative Hardwood Veneer Domestic and International Markets Species include: Walnut, White Oak, Red Oak, Hard Maple, Cherry and Birch “Quality is the Lifeblood of our Business” 112 Shelby Ave. ◆ P.O. Box 7 Edinburgh, IN 46124 Phone: 812-526-2671 ◆ Fax: 812-526-5865 E-mail: info@amoshill.com Website: www.amoshill.com
a full line of imported and domestic veneer that includes burls, crotches and highly figured woods. If you would like more information pertaining to these products or others we offer please contact us directly or visit our website.
The mark of responsible forestry FSC Supplier: SCS-COC-002445 * SCS-CW-002445
www.RSVPveneer.com
4920 N. Warren Dr. • Columbus, IN 47203 Ph: 812-375-1178 • Fax: 812-375-1179
Reserve your space today. Call Melissa McKenzie 800-669-5613
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VENEER/PANEL SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY ■ Kentucky
MAGNOLIA FOREST PRODUCTS, INC.
Universal Veneer Mill Corp.
DISTRIBUTORS OF SYP Plywood & Lumber OSB Cut to size
Manufacturing and Sales Sliced Harwood Veneers Custom Cutting Available
1-800-366-6374
1776 Tamarack Road Newark, OH 43055 Ph: (740) 522-2000 Email:
www.magnoliaforest.com Terry, MS J.I.T. & P.I.T. Nationwide
■ Ohio ■ Michigan A new “Dimension” in Veneer & Plywood
Dimension Hardwood Veneers, Inc. Rotary & Sliced Veneers 509 Woodville Street • Edon, Ohio 43518 Main Office - Tel: 419-272-2245 • Fax: 419-272-2406
Dimension Plywood Inc. Custom Architectural Plywood & Doors 415 Industrial Blvd. • New Albany, IN 47150 Tel: 812-944-6491 • Fax: 812-944-7421 www.dimensionhardwoods.com FSC-C041275
■ Minnesota
info@universalveneer.com
Promote your veneer and plywood or located veneer and plywood products and services worldwide. Reserve your space today. Call Melissa McKenzie 334/834-1170 Fax: 334/834-4525 melissa@hattonbrown.com ■ Oregon
BUFFALO VENEER & PLYWOOD CO. Quality Plywood, Six decades strong! Stock Panels Counter Front Panels All Thicknesses and Cores NAF, FR and MR Availability Domestic and Imported Veneers CARB P2 Certified
Architectural Paneling, Door Skins, Custom Cabinet Package and Furniture Plywood ● Panel sizes up to 5' x 12' ● 4', 5' and cross-grain sanding capability ● Veneer manufacturing to 14' lengths ® ● FSC Certified ● NAUF products available ●
501 6th Ave. NE - Buffalo, MN 55313 Tel: (763)682-1822 Fax: (763)682-9769 Email: sales@buffaloveneerandplywood.com Website: www.buffaloveneerandplywood.com
2323 Cross Street ● Eugene, Oregon 97402 Sales: (541) 461-0767 ● Fax: (541) 461-0738 Email: sales@westernpanel.com web site: westernpanel.com
■ Mississippi
■ Pennsylvania
NEXT CLOSING: MARCH 22, 2019
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VENEER/PANEL SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY ESTABLISHED 1972
VENEER/PANEL SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY NEXT CLOSING: MARCH 22, 2019. Proudly serving our clients in the hardwood plywood sheetstock, plywood component, solid wood component, face and core veneer markets for over 40 years. Looking forward to applying our worldwide knowledge and resources to help create the solution you need. inquiry@pittsburghforest.com Office: 724.969.5000 375 Valleybrook Rd, McMurray, PA 15367
■ Vermont
Submit your ad information and we will typeset it for you for FREE. Please be sure to include this form for payment/contact information. Please send any good-quality artwork that should be included. We will fax you a proof before final print for your approval. AD COPY: _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ ❑ Payment enclosed
❑ Bill my Visa or MC
■
$315 (3x)
or
■
$595 (6x)
Card# _________________________________________________ Exp. Date ______________ North America’s largest manufacturer of fancy face rotary veneer. Offering FSC certified veneer products in Red Oak, Hard Maple, Birch, Ash, Tulip Poplar, Basswood in Stock Panel & Cut-to-Size Lay-ons as well as unspliced veneer .4mm thru 1.5mm thickness
Plain sliced Alder and Aromatic Cedar faces and flitch stock are regularly available. Also offering domestically produced FSC Mixed Credit/CARB Phase II Compliant Aspen platforms - both long grain & cross grain dimensions in a variety of thicknesses.
Contact Sales at 802-334-3600 • Fax: 802-334-5149 www.cfpwood.com • 324 Bluff Rd. • Newport, VT 05855
Signature _______________________________________________________________________ Name _________________________________ Company ______________________________ Street ___________________________________________________________________________ City ______________________________________State _____________ Zip ________________ Phone: _________________________________ Fax: ___________________________________ Email: ___________________________________________________________________________ Please return to: VENEER/PANEL SUPPLIERS DIRECTORY PO Box 2268 • Montgomery, AL 36102-2268 or email ad info to: melissa@hattonbrown.com
CLIPPINGS 56 ➤ John Hampton has been named Director of Plywood Sales. Hampton is responsible for all U.S. and Canadian sales regions covering Columbia’s Distribution and OEM business segments. A Columbia Forest Products employee since 1996, Hampton has served in various positions of increasing responsibility including inside sales, field sales and OEM direct sales. Most recently, he served as the company’s Eastern U.S. sales manager. Mike Young has been named Director of Supply Chain & Customer Service. He is responsible for all U.S. and Canadian materials and customer service activities. Young has worked for Columbia Forest Products since 1999, holding positions in inside sales, materials management, plus regional materials and customer service management. Gary Meyer has been named Director of Customer Service, where he is responsible for all North American customer service functions. Meyer has been employed by Columbia Forest
Products since 1993, serving in various positions in inside sales, customer service, enterprise resource planning, and product pricing strategy.
BRONSON LEWIS AWARD GOES TO NYBLAD Mary Jo Nyblad, former Engineered Wood Technology Advisory Committee member, APA Board of Trustees member and retired vice-president of commodity sales and transportation of Boise Cascade, was the 2018 recipient of the Bronson J. Lewis Award at APA’s Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas in October. The award recognizes individuals for their leadership and outstanding contribution to the engineered wood industry. It is dedicated to the late Bronson Lewis, who served for 24 years as secretary and then executive vice president of APA. Nyblad was an active member of many industry associations, including the North American Wholesale Lum-
ber Assn. and the Pacific Northwest Association of Rail Shippers. At APA, she served as chairman and vice-chairman of the Board of Trustees, as well as chairman of the APA Finance Committee and Marketing Advisory Committee. For EWTA, she served as chairman of the association’s Advisory Committee.
ROSEBURG’S FORD LEADS AWC BOARD American Wood Council announced the election of Roseburg Forest Products Chairman Allyn Ford as the AWC Board of Directors’ Chairman for a second one-year term. Neil Sherman, Executive Vice President of Siding at LP Corp., was elected the First Vice-Chairman, and T. Furman Brodie, Vice President of Charles Ingram Lumber Co., was elected as Second ViceChairman. Stimson Lumber President & CEO Andrew Miller will continue to serve as the Immediate Past Chairman.
PanelWorld • MARCH 2019 • 61
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EVENTS MARCH
SEPTEMBER
10-12 • Western Wood Products Assn. annual meeting, Westin La Paloma, Tucson, Ariz. Call 503-224-3930; visit wwpa.org.
4-6 • Wood & Bioenergy Exhibition, Conference and Fair Centre Paviljonki, Jyväskylä, Finland. Visit puumessut.fi/en.
12-14 • Dubai Woodshow, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Call +971 4 39 23232; visit dubaiwoodshow.com. 13-16 • Delhiwood 2019, India Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida, India. Call +91-80-4250 5000; visit delhiwood.com.
APRIL 3-5 • IWPA 63rd World of Wood Annual Convention, Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson, Ariz. Call 703-8206696; visit iwpawood.org. 23-25 • American Forest Resource Council annual meeting, Skamania Lodge, Stevenson, Wash. Call 503-222-9505; visit amforest.org.
MAY 5-7 • American Wood Protection Assn. annual meeting, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Orlando, Fla. Call 205-733-4077; visit awpa.com. 5-7 • Composite Panel Assn. Spring meeting, Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples, Fla. Call 703-724-1128; visit compositepanel.org. 12-14 • Hardwood Plywood & Veneer Assn. Spring Conference, Santa Rosa, Calif. Call 703-435-2900; visit hpva.org. 27-31 • Ligna: World Fair For The Forestry And Wood Industries, Hannover, Germany. Call +49 511 89-0; fax +49 511 89-32626; visit ligna.de.
JUNE 26-28 • Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Expo, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga. Call 504-4434464; visit sfpaexpo.com.
JULY 17-20 • AWFS Fair 2019, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV. Call 800-946-2937; visit awfsfair.org.
Check us out online at
panelworldmag.com
15-19 • American Wood Protection Assn. Technical Committee meeting, Hotel Captain Cook, Anchorage, Alaska. Call 205-733-4077; visit awpa.com.
OCTOBER 6-8 • Composite Panel Assn. Fall meeting, Grand Hyatt Regency, Denver, Colo. Call 703-724-1128; visit composite panel.org. Listings are submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with contacts prior to making plans to attend.
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This issue of Panel World is brought to you in part by the following companies, which will gladly supply additional information about their products. ADVERTISER
Altec Integrated Solutions Andritz Baumer Inspection GmbH Biele Automation Process Buttner GmbH Casey Industrial Corvallis Tool Cross Wrap Custom Engineering Dieffenbacher GmbH Electronic Wood Systems Evergreen Engineering Fezer Grecon Hashimoto Denki Hexion Imal S.R.L Interzum Johnson & Pace Meinan Machinery Works Mid-South Engineering Modul Systeme Engineering GmbH MoistTech Nondestructive Inspection Service Pal S.R.L Peninsular Cylinder Progressive Systems R & S Cutterhead Manufacturing Raute Wood Roo Glue Samuel Packaging Systems Group Siempelkamp Gmbh Signode Packaging Systems Southern Environmental Stela Laxhuber GmbH Sweed Machinery Taihei Machinery Works U S Metal Works USNR Uzelac Industries Westmill Industries Willamette Valley WMF 2019 China Woodtech Measurement Solutions
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