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A Hatton-Brown Publication
Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. 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
Volume 46 • Number 5 • June 2021 Founded in 1976 • Our 474th Consecutive Issue
Publisher: David H. Ramsey Chief Operating Officer: Dianne C. Sullivan Editor-in-Chief: Rich Donnell Senior Editor: Dan Shell Senior Associate Editor: David Abbott Senior Associate Editor: Jessica Johnson Associate Editor: Patrick Dunning Publisher/Editor Emeritus: David (DK) Knight Art Director/Prod. Manager: Cindy Segrest Ad Production Coordinator: Patti Campbell Circulation Director: Rhonda Thomas Online Content/Marketing: Jacqlyn Kirkland
Renew or subscribe on the web: www.timberprocessing.com
5
ISSUES
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NEWSFEED
16 42
Lumber Market Almost Defies Description Upgrades Planned For Holden, Malvern Mills
SOFTWOOD LUMBERMEN
Can It Get Any Better Than This?
HARDWOOD LUMBERMEN It’s Been A Long Time Coming
MACHINERY ROW
Classified Advertising: Bridget DeVane • 334.699.7837 800.669.5613 • bdevane7@hotmail.com
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Advertising Sales Representatives: Southern USA
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AT LARGE
Randy Reagor P.O. Box 2268 Montgomery, AL 36102-2268 904.393.7968 • FAX: 334.834.4525 E-mail: reagor@bellsouth.net
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PRODUCT SCANNER 10
Developments At Microtec
Federal Funding For Mass Timber Wheel Loaders, Chipper Knife Clamps
COVER: The market is demanding as much softwood and hardwood lumber as it can get, and U.S. lumbermen expect it to continue for a while. Story begins on PAGE 16. (Jessica Johnson photo from Angelina Forest Products)
Midwest USA, Eastern Canada John Simmons 32 Foster Cres. Whitby, Ontario, Canada L1R 1W1 905.666.0258 • FAX: 905.666.0778 E-mail: jsimmons@idirect.com
VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.timberprocessing.com Member Verified Audit Circulation
Western USA, Western Canada Tim Shaddick 4056 West 10th Avenue Vancouver BC Canada V6L 1Z1 604.910.1826 • FAX: 604.264.1367 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
Timber Processing (ISSN 0885-906X, USPS 395-850) is published 11 times annually (monthly except Jan./Feb.) by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc., 225 Hanrick St., Montgomery, AL 36104. Subscription Information—TP is free to qualified owners, operators, managers, purchasing agents, supervisors, foremen and other key personnel at sawmills, pallet plants, chip mills, treating plants, specialty plants, lumber finishing operations, corporate industrial woodlands officials and machinery manufacturers and distributors in the U.S. All non-qualified U.S. Subscriptions are $55 annually: $65 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.timberprocessing.com and click on the subscribe button to subscribe/renew via the web. All advertisements for Timber Processing magazine are accepted and published by Hatton-Brown Publishers, 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 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. Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. neither endorse nor makes any representation or guarantee as to the quality of goods and services advertised in Timber Processing. Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to reject any advertisement which it deems inappropriate. Copyright ® 2021. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Periodicals postage paid at Montgomery, Ala. and at additional mailing offices. Printed in U.S.A.
Postmaster: Please send address changes to Timber Processing, P.O. Box 2419, Montgomery, Alabama 36102-2419 Other Hatton-Brown publications: Timber Harvesting • Southern Loggin’ Times Wood Bioenergy • Panel World • Power Equipment Trade
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THEISSUES
Rich Donnell Editor-In-Chief
GOOD TIMES DON’T LAST LONG SOMETIMES 16
—LEVON HELM
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ever—for as long as we’ve been conducting an annual Sawmill Operations & Capital Expenditure Survey—have softwood lumbermen and hardwood lumbermen in the U.S. expressed at the same time as much optimism for the immediate future, with about 92% of the softwood lumbermen and 88% of the hardwood lumbermen forecasting good-to-excellent business for the remainder of this year and into 2022. This issue contains the reports on the results of our survey, with the softwood lumber article starting on page 16 and the hardwood lumber story beginning on page 42. Those articles obviously separate out the results for the two lumber segments. But it’s also interesting to combine the results and gain a quick snapshot of the U.S. lumber industry as a whole. The survey was e-mailed to the lumbermen several times during April. The respondents—mostly owners, presidents, general managers and plant managers—represent about 300 individual sawmills. About 35% of those mills produce mostly 2 in. lumber, 30% produce 1 in. boards, and 12% are heavier to timbers. About 38% of the mills have allocated at least $1 million toward capital expenditure for 2021-2022. They were given 45 areas in the mill to check off as to where the money is going. Here’s the top 10: —Maintenance —Log yard handling —Lumber handling forklifts —Dry kilns and controls —Downstream sawing (gangs-edgers-trimmers) —Debarkers —Filing room equipment —Planer mill sorting and stacking —Metal detectors —Dust control The results of the granddaddy question of them all: 46% forecast their lumber business situation as excellent for 2021-2022 and 46% forecast it as good. That’s no surprise, given the tsunami of record lumber prices, which has been driven by several factors, supply-demand obviously at the heart of it along with some supply chain logistics, but more specifically a supply that has yet to catch up with demand dating back a year ago to the pandemic, as home repair surprisingly boomed to the degree it did, and then new housing took off and continues to rise, partially brought on by that demographic of young professionals who had too much student debt to enter the market, until now, and a flux of oldtimers deciding to build second homes or sell their existing ones and build a new one, and now perhaps multi-housing finding some momentum, all of this leaving sawmills to wrestle with their production capabilities, while wrestling with their labor pool, and now staring straight into another 20% potential leap in new housing—if you’re thinking 2 million starts. Still, especially given the “new” federal government, as some comments in our survey bear out, lumbermen may be uneasy not knowing how soft the softening of these unprecedented lumber prices and demand will be once it comes, how quickly it might come, and how much government interference or some strange occurTP rence will be entangled with it. Contact Rich Donnell, ph: 334-834-1170; fax 334-834-4525; e-mail: rich@hattonbrown.com TIMBER PROCESSING
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NEWSFEED WEYCO PLANS HOLDEN MAKEOVER Weyerhaeuser Co. announced plans to make a two-phased $157 million capital investment at its southern yellow pine sawmill in Holden, La. Phase one includes nearly $19 million to upgrade lumber kiln drying capacity, while the second phase will include a major investment of $138 million to completely modernize the facility. “This investment is a testament to each employee here at Holden,” says Brent Mitchell, Holden interim mill manager. “It reflects a personal commitment to the highest level of performance, both operational and safety-wise, that each employee has. After years of planning this project, we’re excited for the sustained benefits it will bring to our people, our operation and the community.” Weyerhaeuser plans to modernize the sawmill to produce longer-length lumber,
add a new planer mill, and add two continuous dry kilns for increased drying capacity. Additionally, the company will build out the necessary infrastructure; upgrade computer technology, control rooms, and heating and fan systems; invest in environmental technology to meet current performance standards; and invest in quality and safety equipment. Work is expected to take place over the next three years. The Holden facility began lumber operations in 1980 under Crown Zellerbach, and Weyerhaeuser acquired the mill in 1996.
UPGRADE COMING FOR ATI MALVERN Anthony Timberlands, Inc. (ATI) will invest $10 million in improvements to its pine sawmill in Malvern, Ark. during the next six to eight months. “Our sawmill in Malvern has been in place for almost 75 years. We have made
numerous improvements over the years, ensuring the viability of the mill through technological and production enhancement measures,” according to Steve Anthony, President of ATI. The project will include an upgrade to the primary breakdown systems of the mill—the carriage headrig for large logs and the sharp chain small log side. The mill’s trimmer line will also be enhanced to handle the higher production volume afforded by the upgraded primary breakdown systems. “Sawmill equipment is constantly evolving. If you are not periodically upgrading scanners, optimizers and lumber handling equipment, you are falling behind your competitors,” Anthony adds. “The windfall provided by recent record lumber markets will allow us to finance these, as well as major projects at other ATI locations, internally.” Installation of the new equipment will take place on a staggered schedule between August 2021 and January 2022. ➤ 10
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NEWSFEED 8 ➤ Employment numbers will not be impacted, while hourly production levels are expected to increase by 25%.
PELLET PLANTS WILL COUNT ON RESIDUE Drax Group, a major producer of industrial wood pellets and owner of the world’s largest biomass-fueled electricity
generation plant in the United Kingdom, will begin constructing the first of three satellite pellet plants in Arkansas. The three plants are together expected to produce 120,000 metric tons of wood pellets a year from sawmill residues, supporting Drax’s plan to increase self-supply to its power station in the UK. Drax will begin construction of the first plant near a West Fraser sawmill in Leola, Grant County, with commissioning ex-
pected in October. Drax will utilize sawdust and other dry residual materials from the West Fraser facility. Drax will begin construction on two more plants in other locations in the coming months. In total, Drax will invest $40 million in the state, creating 30 new direct jobs and many more indirect jobs across three Arkansas communities. Drax has transformed its power station in the UK to become the largest decarbonization project in Europe by converting it to use sustainable biomass instead of coal. The development of the satellite pellet plants is part of Drax’s strategy to increase biomass self-supply to 5 million tonnes by 2027, improving supply chain resilience while reducing pellet costs. Drax owns and has interests in 17 pellet mills in the U.S. South and Western Canada which have the capacity to manufacture 4.9 million tonnes of compressed wood pellets a year. The pellets produced at the new satellite plants will be transported to Bruce Oakley terminal in Little Rock, Ark. before being shipped south to Louisiana to oceangoing vessels. l Meanwhile, Enviva, the world’s leading producer of industrial wood pellets, reports the possible development of a wood pellet plant in Bond, Miss., about 50 miles north of Gulfport. This plant would produce between 750,000 and more than 1 million tonnes per year. Enviva reports that construction of a 750,000 tonnes wood pellet plant continues in Lucedale, Miss., with completion expected in the middle of this year. And Enviva continues to move forward on the development of a wood pellet plant in Epes, Ala. Enviva has acquired a wood products mill adjacent the Epes site and is evaluating utilizing the existing infrastructure there to reduce installation costs of the Epes plant, as well as increasing the Epes plant’s production capacity to more than 1 million MTPY.
SYP SAWMILL PLANS TO BUILD BACK Thankfully no injuries were reported after an air compressor exploded and started a fire at East Alabama Lumber’s sawmill at Lafayette, Ala. on April 22. The fire took out most of the sawmill in the primary breakdown area. “We’ve got some equipment that it didn’t affect,” says owner Bob Dudley, 10
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NEWSFEED adding that while the planer mill and kilns weren’t damaged, much of the lumber breakdown green end was a complete loss. “We’re definitely going to rebuild.” He says mill personnel are looking at replacement equipment and developing a plan to get the facility back up and running as soon as possible. Dudley Lumber also operates a pine sawmill at Salem, Ala. and a small hardwood mill at Hatchechubbee, Ala.
Dudley Lumber’s fire woes continued in early May when a line of extreme thunderstorms moved through the state causing extensive damage, and a lightning strike ignited a diesel tank fire at the hardwood mill. No additional equipment or property was damaged. Dudley Lumber purchased East Alabama Lumber from Byron Welch in 2001. Welch began the operation in 1950.
STIMPSON RETIRES AFTER ACTIVE CAREER Canfor announced that Fred Stimpson was elected to the Board of the company in April. Stimpson was previously president of Canfor Southern Pine for six years before retiring this past December. He resides in Mobile, Ala. and continues to work with Canfor in an advisory capacity, supporting the company’s continued growth efforts as well as providing overall assistance to the Canfor leadership team. Stimpson, a Timber Processing Man of the Year in 2000, spent much of his lumber career with his family’s Gulf Lumber Co. sawmill and forestry operations based in Mobile. Educated in forestry, Stimpson became president of Gulf Lumber in 1987 and served in that capacity to 2009, which was the same year Gulf Lumber and Scotch Lumber merged to form Scotch Gulf Lumber, including the Gulf Lumber sawmill in Mobile and the Scotch sawmills at Jackson and Fulton, Ala. Stimpson served as CEO of Scotch Gulf Lumber. Scotch Gulf Lumber sold to Canfor for $80 million in 2013 in a three-year purchase plan and Stimpson joined Canfor. In 2015, Stimpson became president of Canfor Southern Pine, based in Mobile, and led the company’s Southern U.S. business, helping the company expand from four mills to 15 operations including a transportation company for hauling lumber and wood residuals across the Southeast. Stimpson’s successor as president of Canfor Southern Pine is Tony Sheffield. Previously, Sheffield served in financial and sales positions for Canfor Southern Pine, most recently as vice president of Southern Yellow Pine Sales and Marketing. He was chief financial officer for Scotch Gulf Lumber before the purchase by Canfor and was general manager at Scotch Lumber before that.
COMING IN JULY SFPA EXPO PREVIEW 12
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THEY’RE
BOOMING By Rich Donnell
U.S. softwood lumbermen are coming out of the pandemic and running full speed into record lumber markets.
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n April 2020, as the pandemic temporarily shut down everything in the United States, including the building products industry, U.S. softwood lumbermen were feeling down in the dumps. About two-thirds of them forecasted their business situation as fair at best for the remainder of 2020 and 2021. What made it especially tough is that right before the pandemic hit, nearly 90% of them were anticipating good-toexcellent times ahead. One year later, in the middle of recordsetting lumber prices, it’s no surprise that U.S. softwood lumbermen are once again
feeling upbeat—very upbeat. Conducted in April, Timber Processing’s annual 2021 U.S. Sawmill Operations & Capital Expenditure Survey reveals that 92% of softwood lumbermen are forecasting their lumber business situation as good-to-excellent for the remainder of 2021 and into 2022 (with 49% saying excellent). And they’re going after it, many of them having recently completed capital expenditure projects and currently investing in new projects. “This is the strongest market ever,” comments Robert Jordan IV, president/CEO of Jordan Companies, based
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What is your forecast for your lumber situation for 2021-2022? Excellent
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in North Carolina. “We added a new sawmill line in 2019. The timing was great.” “We see it as staying strong, both demand and price,” says James Robbins, president of Robbins Lumber in Maine. “Excellent markets for the foreseeable future,” adds Steve Swanson, president/CEO of Swanson Group in Oregon. But there’s also a little bit of apprehension among some lumbermen—that is, the market and prices eventually have to slow down, right? And will it be to a satisfactory new normal or a screeching halt? “A good two to three years, and then maybe a bust coming,” speculates Charles McRae, owner and manager of Rex Lum-
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“This is the strongest market ever. We added a new sawmill line in 2019. The timing was great.”
ber based in Florida and with several sawmills. “The political situation is very scary to watch. We hold our breath every time another executive decision is made,” says Mike Engel, president of WKO Inc. based in Washington. The survey questionnaire, which was e-mail blasted to subscribers of Timber Processing, drew responses from representatives of approximately 220 softwood sawmills. Mostly owners, presidents, VPs, finance managers, general managers, regional managers, project managers, plant managers and other supervisory personnel completed the 29-question survey during April. About 47% of their mills produce mostly 2 in. lumber, with 20% focusing more on 1 in. boards and 13% emphasizing timbers, and the remainder producing a variety of products. Some of these mills are hitting big production numbers. About 5% of the mills expect to produce more than 300MMBF this year (only 1% topped 300MMBF in 2020), and another 5% at 250-300MMBF, 10% at 200-250MMBF, 12% at 150200MMBF, 9% at 100-150MMBF, 14% at 50-100MMBF, 12% at 25-50MMBF, 9% at 10-25MMBF and 24% at less than 10MMBF.
CORONAVIRUS Several questions focused on the impact of the coronavirus on their operations in 2020. About a quarter of the respondents said their mill production last year was reduced by at least 10% because of it, and another 25% had a smaller reduction. Close to a third said production remained the same, while 19% actually saw an increase in production (and 8% by more than 25%). About 59% had capital expenditure projects in the works when the virus came. The majority of those projects weren’t
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delayed. “The crisis provided an opportunity to perform some upgrades,” a lumberman comments. But some projects were delayed. “The Canadians installing the equipment returned to Canada when the virus hit, causing a delay in implementing the projects,” a lumberman says. And while most of those delayed projects have resumed, some mills that put their projects on hold still haven’t moved on them. “Due to the current lumber market, we have delayed projects that require significant downtime unless the return is significant enough to offset lost opportunity of downtime,” another lumberman weighs in. More than 61% said they had completed capital projects in the past year, with emphasis on rolling stock for log and lumber handling, as well as downstream scanning/optimization in the mill, upgrades to the filing room and boiler work. Other areas of emphasis included dry kilns and planer mill sorting/stacking. Interestingly, about 38% of those projects involved off-site or remote communication due to the pandemic. “We learned that offsite support is not optimal, but does work,” a lumberman says. At the end of pandemic 2020, 51% of the mills report they reached 90-100% of normal capacity last year, while 20% were at 80-90%, meaning nearly 30% produced at under 80% of capacity, of which 9% were under 50%. Obviously COVID was cited as a big factor by many. Other factors were log shortage, bad weather, trouble maintaining labor and time given to mill renovations. Compare the figure 51% at 90-100% capacity in 2020 to 67%, which is the percentage of capacity the mills expect to produce to in 2021, with 12% at 80-90%. A related question reveals that 47% percent expect to experience less downtime in 2021 than they did in 2020, while 45% expect the same, and 8% a little more in 2021. “The higher demand will mean more run time,” a lumberman comments. “For the first time in three years we’re planning a week long maintenance shutdown in May,” another lumberman says.
EXPENDITURE The survey asked how much new capital expenditure in machinery and systems their mill has allocated or committed to for 2021 and 2022. Two companies said more than $100 million, one company said $50-$75 million and three companies said $30-$50 million, one company at $20-$30 million, two companies at $15$20 million, and four companies at $1022
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$15 million. In other words, 12% said at least $10 million. Another 7% said $5$10 million, 8% at $3-$5 million, and 21% said $1-$3 million. That’s close to half of the mills indicating capital expenditure of at least $1 million into 2022. Another 12% said $500,000 to $1 million. The survey offered up 45 equipment areas of the mill for the lumbermen to choose any or all of as to where their expenditure is going. Maintenance as usual received more than 30% selection. Log yard handling and lumber handling forklifts were each at 27%, dry kilns/controls at 22%, downstream sawing (gang/edger/trimmer) at 20%, wheel loaders at 20% and planer mill sorting/stacking at 20%. Also scoring high were filing room equipment at 18%, metal detectors at 16%, downstream scanning/optimization at 15%, and dust control at 14%. Several companies indicated they had built and recently started up a new sawmill (talk about excellent timing!) and several said a new one is in the works (better hurry up!). Most of them are
“For the first time in three years we’re planning a week long maintenance shutdown in May.“ “The most valuable lesson learned was to have a plan in place and to stick with it.”
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pleased with how those projects finished. Cross-laminated timber seems to be making a little more noise with softwood lumber producers. Nearly 4% said they are selling a significant amount of lumber to the CLT market, while 15% said they are selling a little bit and
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would like to sell more. Another 4% said they’re selling a little bit but don’t expect much growth, while 6% said they’re aren’t selling into CLT but would like to get into that market. More than 71% aren’t selling to CLT and don’t really plan to get into that market.
OPERATIONS A couple of other questions were related to the pandemic, one in which six choices were given for lumbermen to choose any or all of as they applied to their business. Almost 81% said they con-
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tinue to implement employee safety measures and 69% said they have used Zoom or other remote communications. Nearly 8% have added back shifts after reducing them, and 8% have reduced shifts. About
7% have re-hired after laying off employees. Only 5% applied for a second round of payroll protection funding. An open-ended question invited lumbermen to reflect on what it was like for
their operations to work through the pandemic and if they added any practices that they will maintain because they’ve proven to be beneficial. “Will continue to do morning produc-
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tion meeting via Teams; much more efficient than face to face,” comments Michael Chapman, mill manager at DS Smith-Riceboro Lumber in Georgia. “Because of COVID, we changed our shipping process in terms of how our lum-
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ber trucks come and go,” comments Wendy Dalrymple, controller, Pyramid Mountain Lumber in Montana. “The driver used to go into our scale shack and get their weights, then come into our shipping office to exchange paperwork. Now the
driver stays in the truck and our personnel in shipping tell them their weights remotely. We have a walk-up window for paperwork exchange and the drivers no longer enter the office. This practice will continue post-COVID restrictions.”
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“Learned to encourage folks to stay home if they felt ill or thought they might be ill,” adds George Emmerson, president of Sierra Pacific Industries based in California. “As a consequence, we have had fewer folks sick with common colds or the regular flu.” Other comments: “Relationships between all facets of employee/employer has improved. Use of safety measures unique to our business were installed and followed a majority of the time and will continue into the foreseeable future.”
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“The most valuable lesson learned was to have a plan in place and to stick with it.” “Cross training was extremely beneficial during the pandemic.” “Made life a little more difficult with all the free money the government threw around. With each stimulus check we lost employees for a few days.” “To be better prepared for the unexpected. How to run the mills with as few people as possible. Have a plan on how to keep paying key people in the worse case scenario.”
“Transparency and getting creative on communicating with smaller groups helped us get through the ‘tough’ times. Getting with the people on the floor level to get their buy-in and ideas helped keep everyone informed and drove ownership.” “In the beginning, we were making the best decisions we could given the information we had. As information evolved, we had to make adjustments to our protocols. Our mill is relatively new and the employee anxiety levels were elevated during the first several months of
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the pandemic. As things have progressed, we have settled into a new normal with limited positive results and no internal transmissions.” “We had to address the new reality but redouble our focus to do our job and keep our customers supplied with the products they expect from us,” comments Eric Fritch, owner, Fritch Forest Products in Washington.
MARKETS Lumbermen were also asked to comment on the lumber markets and their business situation. “Lumber markets have always been volatile,” adds Fritch of Fritch Forest Products. “This last year has been unprecedented and I expect plenty more excitement but ending up at a new higher price plateau. I think there is far more real inflation in the general economy than the government reports are showing.” “We believe the lumber market will eventually slow down and prices will come down, but not to the level they were at prior to COVID. We believe 2021 and 2022 will be good financials years,” adds Dalrymple of Pyramid Mountain Lumber. Other comments: “New home market seems to be ‘booming’ and the need for lumber has caused such large increases in prices. What will happen in the next few months is anyone’s guess. We will do the best we can with all of the tools we use and what is made available for us to work with.” “The outlook is rosy, but proposed tax increases will slow economic growth,
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negatively impacting the markets for lumber and building materials.” “Somewhat volatile in the 3rd and 4th quarter...Supply and demand should come back into realization by then...Those who are prepared to run efficiently will be successful.” “Strong lumber markets, but poor business climate for manufacturing in West Coast.” “Lumber market is scary good. Got to make hay while the sun shines so we can weather the storms that will surely happen.” “Business is good, but expect higher taxes and continued difficulties to maintain a workforce.” “Markets have to come down at some point but we are loving every bit of this market as of now.” “If the Federal Reserve keeps the rates low and mortgage rates remain low, then we should have a good run.”
LABOR A final question invited comments on lumbermen’s biggest concerns with regard to keeping their mills running efficiently. Seventy-seven lumbermen provided comments, and out of that group an amazing 46 of them mentioned “labor” as a major issue. Some of their comments: “To be able to hire and retain highly skilled employees as our workforce is aging out.” “Decreased labor pool due to the potential of added benefits from the federal government.” “Our biggest concern is manpower. We are in a rural area with limited housing available and we have trouble finding enough people to run the shifts we want to run.” “People wanting to actually work, stay healthy and be committed to their job.” “Access to labor. Unemployment benefits can’t be more lucrative than work.” “Lack of labor, especially electrical and maintenance.” “Keeping good millwrights on staff and retaining machine operators.” Lumbermen cited other concerns as well, including many who pointed to lack of log supply. “Timber and logging regulations continue to be a concern,” comments Kenny Pusey, president of Paul Jones Lumber in Maryland. Others mentioned the challenge of upgrading older technology, lack of availability of electronic components, finding byproducts markets for sawdust and chips, and concern over “higher taxes because of Biden.” TP 40
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WHILE
IT LASTS By Rich Donnell
U.S. hardwood lumbermen are about as upbeat as they have been in years. For how long?
W
ho says hardwood lumbermen don’t get optimistic? A whopping 88% forecast their lumber business situation for 2021-2022 as goodto-excellent, according to Timber Processing’s annual 2021 U.S. Sawmill Operations & Capital Expenditure Survey The survey questionnaire, which was e-mail blasted to subscribers of Timber
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Processing, drew responses from representatives of approximately 70 U.S. hardwood sawmills. Mostly owners, presidents, general managers, regional managers, plant managers and other supervisory personnel completed the 29question survey during April. (See page
16 for the results of the softwood lumbermen survey.) This upbeat expectation stands in stark contrast to how they felt when this survey was conducted a year ago, right after the pandemic hit and the building products industry was temporarily put on
hold. About 82% saw their immediate future as no better than fair, and of that group 45% expected it to be poor. But now…“Hardwood lumber prices on most species have come up fast over the past six months. I believe the market will hold for the coming year, TIMBER PROCESSING
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hopefully longer,” comments Melvin Lewis of Dwight Lewis Lumber Co. in Pennsylvania. “Presently excellent and hopefully good markets for the remainder of 2021,” says Tim Parker of Parker Lumber in North Carolina. More than half of the sawmills involved in the survey produce 1 in. lumber, with 13% producing pallets and 10% timbers. Two-thirds of the mills produced less than 10MMBF in 2020, with about 27% producing in the 10-25MMBF range, and 8% producing more than 25MMBF (with a couple of mills topping 75MMBF). Many of them expect production to swing upward a little in 2021, with 12% producing above 25MMBF About a third of the mills produced 90-100% of capacity in 2020, with 31% at 80-90%, 11% at 70-80% and the remainder below 70% capacity. One lumberman comments, “It was a difficult and very unusual 2020!” Many lumbermen obviously pointed to COVID as impacting production in 2020, with 48% saying it was a leading contributor in reducing production by at least 10%, and another 19% saying there was some reduction up to 10%. “The COVID-19 pandemic proved to be a big challenge. Keeping person44
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nel and enough staff to run at full capacity,” says Sawyer White of Harold White Lumber in Kentucky. Labor was/is also a huge factor. “Never stopped working but when the government pays people over a thousand dollars a week to stay home it is very challenging to keep a workforce,” comments Daniel Woods, CEO of Beckwith Lumber Co. in West Virginia. Weather, shortage of logs (due to lack of demand for hardwood pulp) and a generally slow lumber market were also cited. But not all was bleak. “We built a new mill and production is ramping up,” says Pat McGinn, owner of Central Alabama Wood Products. Consider that while a third of the lumbermen pro-
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“It was tough with staffing. We were really lucky with no COVID cases exploding throughout our facility.” duced at 90-100% capacity in 2020, nearly 65% expect to reach 90-100% in 2021, and only 16% coming in below 70% (compared to 24% in 2020). “Markets are moving upward, which is long overdue,” says Mark Haessly of Haessly Lumber in Ohio. Another lumberman says production in 2021 will continue to hinge on getting and maintaining enough employees. As far as anticipated downtime in 2021 compared to 2020, a significant 61% expect less this year, with 31% anticipating about the same and only 8% thinking more downtime this year. One lumberman says, “We’re going to run close on logs.” Another lumberman notes a snow-collapse on the sawmill building, and probably not being able to dig themselves out anytime soon, if at all. Exactly half of the respondents say they had one or more capital expenditure projects in the works when the virus came in spring 2020. About half of that group put the projects on hold while the remainder moved forward on some or all their projects. A lot of emphasis was put on maintenance work, but expenditures on log loaders, bandmill resaws, conveyors, trucking, and downstream sawing stations were realized. About 13% of those completed projects involved off-site or remote communication due to the pandemic. The survey asked the lumbermen how much new capital expenditure in machinery and systems they have allocated or 52
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committed to for 2021 and 2022. About 10% indicate $1-$3 million, another 11% at $750,000 to $1 million, and another 10% in the $300,000 to $750,000 range. Close to 21% are spending $100,000$300,000, while 46% are coming in at under $100,000. The survey offered up 45 areas of mill machinery and systems for the lumbermen to choose any or all of as to their upcoming expenditures. Expenditure on maintenance and purchasing wheel loaders led the way with 23% each, followed by log yard handling equipment at 21%. Debarkers came in with 17%, dry kilns and controls at 15%, bandmill resaws with 13%, downstream sawing stations at 11%. Another question asked lumbermen to choose any or all of several choices related to operating through the coronavirus. About 71% continue to implement employee safety measures, 42% have used Zoom or other remote communications, 54
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“When the government pays people over a thousand dollars a week to stay home it is very challenging to keep a workforce.”
and 24% applied for a second round of payroll protection funding. About 16% reduced shifts in the sawmill operation, and 11% have re-hired after laying off employees, while 7% have added back shifts after reducing them. An open-ended question invited lumbermen to reflect on what it was like for their operations to work through the pandemic and if they added any practices that they will maintain because they’ve proven to be beneficial. “It was tough with staffing. We were really lucky with no COVID cases exploding throughout our facility. We implemented wiping down stations, sanitizing breakrooms, and social distancing,” comments Jay Andrews, Sawmill & Site Facility Manager, Northern Hardwoods in Michigan. “We should have been more prepared and organized when employees tested positive,” adds White of Harold White Lumber. Another lumberman comments, “We had to really buckle down to make ends meet. PPP was a really big help.” “It will take two years to get to normal,” adds another lumberman. “Mostly untouched by the virus at work. Has caused supply and parts issues,” a lumberman says. TIMBER PROCESSING
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“Markets are moving upward, which is long overdue.” An open-ended question asked the lumbermen how they foresee lumber markets and their business situation. “Markets should continue to improve. We expect to do well if we can keep enough employees. Generally, labor will be our biggest issue in the foreseeable future,” comments Jack Jones, Plant Manager, Allegheny Wood Products in West Virginia. “Tariff war followed by a pandemic would kill any business that didn’t have a strong will to live. We just keep working and plan to outlast our competition,” adds Woods, CEO at Beckwith Lumber. “Markets are great. We just can’t seem to get production where it needs to be,” says McGinn of Central Alabama Wood Products. “Shortages will push demand into the fall,” a lumberman says. “I think it will continue to trend in a positive direction,” another lumberman says. The final question asked lumbermen to comment on their concerns with regard to keep their mills running efficiently. Almost all of those who commented pointed to labor issues. “Finding and keeping the correct help and key people,” says Mark Haessly of Haessly Lumber. “Labor and high cost of all that pertains to running a small business,” another lumberman says. “Labor and cash flow,” another says. “New regulations and competing with unemployment benefits.” “Labor is getting increasingly hard to come by especially in a manual labor intensive industry.” Woods of Beckwith Lumber says his concerns include “maintenance and reinvestment. Having run in downturns has been hard on our machinery and run it TP down hard.”
“I think it will continue to trend in a positive direction.” 58
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MACHINERYROW Microtec Announces Branding Strategy Microtec, a global leader of scanning and optimization solutions for the sawmilling and wood processing industry, announced the official integration and inclusion of FinScan and WoodEye within the Microtec family. From now on the two companies situated in Finland and Sweden will work under the common corporate
brand of Microtec, reflecting the merger and enhanced cooperation between the companies. “Altogether we will work towards a common goal: to be even stronger together for our customers and partners, to act globally while maintaining a local and regional presence,” states Frank Jöst, CEO of Microtec Headquarters in Bressanone/Brixen. Left to right, Microtec CEOs Leif Erlandsson, Frank Jöst, Allan Flink
The new Microtec organization will consist of different competence centers and offices in six countries: the headquarters in Bressanone and Venice in Italy; former FinScan now Microtec Espoo in Finland; Microtec Rosenheim in Germany; former WoodEye now Microtec Linköping in Sweden; Microtec office in Vancouver, Can.; and Lucidyne—a division of Microtec in Corvallis, Oregon, in the U.S. Customers will have access to an extended product portfolio based on integrated scanning and optimization solutions through all the woodworking processes: from the log yard to the sawmill, planer mill and remanufacturing applications, the company states. The purpose of being one brand is to combine in all Microtec’s solutions the competences, key technologies and strengths of all these companies in one global company with strong product brands. ● Following the announcement of the integration of FinScan and WoodEye into the Microtec branding, Microtec revealed a new generation of longitudinal scanners for sawmill, remanufacturing and second processing applications. “Together with our colleagues in Italy, we have worked hard during the past year to be able to launch a new range of scanners, which combines the best of the two worlds from Woodeye and Goldeneye. With the new common platform for longitudinal scanning we will take wood scanning solutions to a whole new level,” says Stefan Nilsson, CSO of Microtec Linköping. The range will be defined by two product lines: the new Microtec Goldeneye scanners for softwood applications and the Woodeye scanners for hardwood applications. The scanners are based on a new common platform developed by a joint team from Italy and Sweden. 60
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MACHINERYROW WMF Emphasizes Business Matching In an exhibition area of 45,000 sq. m, more than 300 world-leading exhibitors will showcase cutting-edge equipment and machinery during the Shanghai International Furniture Machinery & Woodworking Machinery Fair (WMF) in National Exhibition and Convention Center in Hongqiao, Shanghai September 3-6. Mul-
tiple theme zones will cover different sectors of the whole industry chain including finished furniture, components, and woodworking machinery, demonstrating the strength of a one-stop exhibiting and trading platform connecting upstream and downstream in the industry chain. Apart from on-site exhibition, WMF will launch a dual mode business matching platform and a series of concurrent events, helping the visitors to keep up-
dated with the latest market trends and connected with industrial partners. Buyers may directly contact and communicate with specific exhibitors, or find suitable exhibitors through the WMF professional matching team. Also in response to the dramatic change of the era, WMF will further upgrade its online service this year, including online business matching activities. The popular event “Tech Talk – Surface Treatment Technology” will be held again this year. WMF will also invite experts and exhibitors from diverse sectors in the industry as guest speakers to analyze the current market situation and forecast market trends. Along with CNFMA (China National Forestry Machinery Assn.) as one of the organizers of WMF, China’s leading woodworking machinery associations Qingdao Woodworking Machinery Assn. and Foshan Shunde Lunjiao Woodworking Machinery Chamber of Commerce are long-term partners. Many of the last year’s premium exhibitors are planning to participate in this year’s show such as Homag China Golden Field, Biesse Trading, Nanxing Machinery, China Foma Group, Yalian Machnery, Qingdao Godn Mechanical, Shang Gong Group, Leuco Precision Tooling and Tianjin Laminuo Woodworking. Visit woodworkfair.com/WMF21/ idx/eng/home
VDMA Forecasts Machinery Growth The machinery order intake in the woodworking machinery sector increased significantly in a double-digit range in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the previous year, reports Bernhard Dirr, Managing Director of the VDMA Woodworking Machinery Assn. There are increasing signs that last year’s severe setback with a 14.5% drop in production can largely be made up for in the current year. In total, woodworking machinery worth 2.88 billion euros (2019: 3.36 billion euros) was produced last year. VDMA expects a total production increase of 15% for the industry in 2021. “With this, we are massively raising our forecast of plus 3% announced in November last year. However, there are also risks that we do not want to leave unmentioned. As of today, limited travel and the related hindrances in sales and assembly work continue to be the biggest risk,” Dirr says. 62
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ATLARGE Weyco Sells 145,000 Acres To Hampton Weyerhaeuser Co. announced an agreement to sell 145,000 acres of timberlands in the North Cascades region of Washington to Hampton Resources for $266 million. Weyerhaeuser also announced the completion of its acquisition of 69,200 acres of Alabama timberlands from Soterra, a subsidiary of Greif, Inc., for $149 million. The Washington disposition is largely composed of high-elevation terrain in the North Cascades range, with 25% of the acres located in Chelan County on the east side of the mountains. Weyerhaeuser acquired the property through the acquisition of Longview Timber in 2013. It primarily supplies Hampton’s nearby lumber mill in Darrington, Wash. Weyerhaeuser owns or manages nearly 1.3 million acres and also operates two mills, two nurseries and several other sites in Washington, including its company headquarters in Seattle.
USDA Announces Grant Awards U.S. Dept. of Agriculture awarded more than $15 million to fund grant proposals to develop and expand the use of wood products, strengthen emerging wood energy markets and protect community forests. The grant funding, delivered through USDA Forest Service programs, will support 60 projects that
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cover a diverse range of activities from the development of affordable housing to expanding markets for mass timber, biochar, wood energy and other emerging wood products. The grants also include funds to help tribes, local governments and qualified non-profit organizations permanently conserve working forests that benefit communities. Forest Service awards will leverage an additional $30 million in matching and partner funds bringing the totals well above $45 million. Forest Service Wood Innovations Grant program awards for fiscal year 2021 include $8.9 million for 44 projects across 23 states and Puerto Rico. Twenty-one of the projects focus on mass timber and cross-laminated timber. These projects will support critical needs for expanding markets and species options (hemlock, ponderosa pine, white fir), improve structural performance, increase education and outreach, and promote design and construction of highly visible buildings. Seven of the projects will focus on developing affordable housing using mass timber as a major building component. Forest Service Community Wood Grant program awards include $2.1 million to support six shovel-ready projects in six states. Initiated in the 2018 Farm Bill, the grant program helps to fund the costs of installing wood energy systems and building innovative wood product facilities in rural communities nationwide. Two of the Community Wood Grants
are awarded to DCI Furniture, Inc. in New Hampshire and Arizona Log & Timber Works, LLC in Arizona. DCI Furniture will use the funds to install a new wood boiler to generate heat and electricity at a furniture plant. Arizona Log & Timber Works will use the funds to build a biochar plant, firewood kiln, and pole peeler to expand a forest products facility. Forest Service Community Forest Program awards include $4 million to support 10 projects across nine states. The grants include financial assistance to local governments, Indian tribes, and qualified nonprofit organizations to enhance community owned and managed forests. Project work will help communities acquire and conserve forests that provide public access and recreational opportunities, protect vital water supplies and wildlife habitat, serve as demonstration sites for private forest landowners, and provide economic benefits from timber and non-timber products.
GreenWood Names Head Of Timberland GreenWood Resources has appointed Chris Lipton as Head of Timberland Investment. Based in Portland, Ore., Lipton will oversee a team of 200 employees in 10 countries and will be responsible for GreenWood’s investment platform and operations. He will also develop the company’s future strategy for timberland development. GreenWood is one of the top 10 man-
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ATLARGE agers of timberland globally with more than 741,000 acres across all assets and $1.7 billion of assets under management. Lipton joins GreenWood from Hancock Natural Resource Group, where he was managing director for Timberland Mergers & Acquisitions. Previously, Lipton held senior positions at BTG Pactual Timberland Investment Group and Longview Timber Corp., where he developed extensive experience leading all phases of timberland transactions and operations throughout North America, South America and Australasia.
NHLA CEO Steps Away National Hardwood Lumber Assn. (NHLA) announced that Lorna Christie will resign as CEO after five years of service. “Lorna worked closely with the NHLA Board and staff directors to increase the value NHLA offers to its members. She will leave an exceptionally talented team in place and NHLA well positioned to serve our members at a higher level,” comments Jeff Wirkkala,
NHLA President. Lorna adds, “It has been an honor serving the men and women of the hardwood industry, and I wish NHLA and its members all the best in the future.” NHLA Executive Committee is working on a transition plan.
Hancock Receives Miles Freeman Award Late last year, Habitat for Humanity York County recognized Maine-based lumber producer and distributor Hancock Lumber as the first-ever business to receive the Miles Freeman Award of Service. Named for Habitat for Humanity’s York County founder, the award honors a business that embodies Freeman’s passion and commitment to serving York County families through safe and affordable housing. While on-site this March at the Saco Habitat house build, Habitat York County Executive Director Amy Nucci presented the award to Steve Rickert, Hancock’s General Manager of its Saco and Kennebunk locations. ➤66
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ATLARGE Last July, Hancock Lumber pledged to donate 100% of the building materials for the new home being built in Saco. Then in January 2021 Habitat announced the partner family it selected for the home. In early March, construction began on the house. This year Habitat for Humanity York County is celebrating its 35th anniversary, founded by the award’s namesake, Freeman. Hancock Lumber proudly displays the award—a custommade walnut bowl—in the company’s Saco Kitchen Design Showroom, located just a few miles from the new home site.
WWPA Zooms Annual Meeting The Western Wood Products Assn. 2021 Annual Meeting was conducted via Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Quality Standards/Techncial Services Committee convened March 16 and the Members Meeting and Board of Directors were held March 17. Although the association was unable to recognize annual meeting award recipients in person, the following recipients will be recognized in the WWPA newsletter and on the WWPA website. Two lumbermen have been approved by the review committee to receive the Master Lumberman Award for 2021. These two gentlemen will bring to 427 the number of recipients of the award since the program was inaugurated in 1968. Through their many years of experience and commitment to the highest ideals of the Western lumber industry, Jose Armando Lavalle of Sierra Pacific Industries and Gordon Watts of Mendocino Forest Products are awarded the title of Master Lumberman. WWPA Safety Awards are based on statistics reported in the quarterly Injury and Illness Incidence Report. WWPA provides two major safety awards. The Chairman’s Award spotlights mills with the best five-year safety records. The District Awards honor mills for the best safety performance over the past year in their respective districts. Lowest five-year incidence rate (2016-2020): —Hampton Lumber Mills, Darrington, Wash. (more than 340,000 employee hours annually) —Georgia-Pacific Wood Products NW LLC, Philomath, Ore. (220,000 to 340,000 employee hours annually) —Interfor US Inc., Longview, Wash. (less than 220,000 employee hours annually) 2020 lowest one-year incidence rate awards by district: —District 1, Western Forest Products US, LLC, Vancouver, Wash. —District 2, Stimson Lumber Co., Forest Grove, Ore. —District 3, Woodgrain Lumber, Pilot Rock, Ore. —District 4, Montrose Forest Products, Montrose, Col. —District 5, Stimson Lumber Co. , St. Maries, ID 66
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WOOD PRODUCTS MARKETPLACE NORTH AMERICA
■ Minnesota
■ North Carolina
■ Canada ■ Ontario Buyers & Wholesalers We produce quality 4/4 - 8/4 Appalachian hardwoods • Red Oak, White Oak, Poplar •
Green Lumber: Air Dried, Kiln Dried Timbers & Crossties
• Hickory, Sycamore, Beech, Gum & Elm • Custom Cut Timbers: Long lengths and wide widths
Sales/Service: 336-746-5419
336-746-6177 (Fax) • www.kepleyfrank.us
■ Tennessee
STACKING STICKS
FOR SALE
Next closing: July 6, 2021
AIR-O-FLOW profiled & FLAT sticks available Imported & Domestic
■ United States
DHM Company - Troy, TN 38260 731-446-4069 Fax: 707-982-7689 email: kelvin@kilnsticks.com www.KILNSTICKS.com
■ Georgia Beasley Forest Products, Inc. P.O. Box 788 Hazlehurst, GA 31539
beasleyforestproducts.com Manufactures Kiln-Dried 4/4 Red and White Oak, Poplar, Ash and Cypress Contact: Linwood Truitt Phone (912) 253-9000 / Fax: (912) 375-9541 linwood.truitt@beasleyforestproducts.com
Pallet components, X-ties, Timbers and Crane Mats Contact: Ray Turner Phone (912) 253-9001 / Fax: (912) 375-9541 ray.turner@beasleyforestproducts.com
■ Kentucky HAROLD WHITE LUMBER, INC. MANUFACTURER OF FINE APPALACHIAN HARDWOODS
(606) 784-7573 • Fax: (606) 784-2624 www.haroldwhitelumber.com
Ray White
Domestic & Export Sales rwhite@haroldwhitelumber.com Cell: (606) 462-0318
Green & Kiln Dried, On-Site Export Prep & Loading Complete millworks facility, molding, milling & fingerjoint line
WANT TO GET YOUR AD IN OUR NEXT MARKETPLACE? Call or email Melissa McKenzie 334-834-1170 melissa@hattonbrown.com 08/20
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Call Toll-Free: 1-800-669-5613
EMPLOYMENTOPPORTUNITIES Recruiting Services
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LUMBERWORKS GREENWOOD KILN STICKS
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Depending on Circumstances / Needs
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Recruiting and Staffing George Meek
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geo@TopWoodJobs.com www.TopWoodJobs.com (360) 263-3371
Dennis Krueger 866-771-5040
Jackie Paolo 866-504-9095
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jackie@gwi.us.com
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE 2000 Optimil 6-ft. Twin Bandmill
Never used. Bandsaw with covers..................................$150,000 3779
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motor, includes unscrambler, control cab, infeed and outfeed .........................................$110,000
Please call Jenness at 207-745-2223 or Jeff at 207-342-5221 for more information
PRODUCTSCANNER10 New Knife Clamp
Fulghum Industries’ front-loading knife clamps
Fulghum Industries recently developed a new knife clamp design to aid those utilizing disc chippers. These new, front-loading clamps will lead to a safer, more efficient chipper operation. Traditionally, knife clamps and their hardware are located on opposite sides of the chipper disc, requiring two workers just to change knives. With Fulghum’s new design, the clamps and their mounting hardware are located on the same side as the knives, meaning that one worker can now change the knives in the same amount of time that it takes two workers
with a traditional clamp. Also, with fewer people having to physically interact with the clamps, there is a reduced chance of accidents due to miscommunication or inexperience. In addition to greater efficiency and safety, Fulghum’s front-loading clamps are engineered to resist chip packing and unwanted stud releasing that can occur with traditional clamps. Visit fulghum.com.
Wheel Loader Series
Doosan introduces wheel loader line.
Doosan Infracore North America, LLC, is launching its next-generation wheel loaders, the -7 Series, in the U.S. and Canada. All-new redesigned cabs with
first-class comfort features, increased bucket capacities and new, fuel-saving technologies are highlights of this next generation of Doosan wheel loaders. Seven models of the new Doosan -7 Series wheel loaders, with standard bucket capacities between 3.7 and 7.6 cubic yards, are available now. Five additional Doosan models with bucket capacities between 2.6 and 3.3 cubic yards are planned to launch in early 2022. Wheel loaders launching in 2022 will include the popular tool carrier iterations for two models. “While we have made enhancements to our wheel loaders during the past 15 years, this is a significant milestone in the Doosan product,” says Aaron Kleingartner, dealer and product marketing manager. Bucket capacities for select models are 7% greater than prior models. These beefed-up models feature stronger, larger axles and a strengthened box frame. Large center bearings and self-centering, double-tapered roller bearings distribute vertical and horizontal loads over a larger area. TIMBER PROCESSING
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MAINEVENTS JUNE 4-5—PA Timber Show, Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center, Pennsylvania Furnace, Penn. Call 814-8632873; visit agsci.psu.edu/timber.
JULY
15-17—West Virginia Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Cannan Valley Resort & Conference Center, Davis, W.Va. Call 681265-5019; visit wvfa.org. 20-23—AWFS Fair 2021, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV. Visit awfsfair.org. 25-28—Walnut Council annual meeting, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Ill. Call 765-583-3501; visit walnutcouncil.org.
AUGUST 1-3—Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Summer Conference, The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, WV. Call 336-885-8315; visit appalachianhardwood.org. 2-4—American Forest Resource Council annual meeting, Skamania Lodge, Stevenson, Wash. Call 503-222-9505; visit amforest.org. 11-13—Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Expo, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga. Call 504-443-4464; visit sfpaexpo.com. 24-26—Louisiana Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino Resort, Lake Charles, La. Call 318443-2558; visit laforestry.com. 31-September 2—Florida Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Sheraton Panama City Beach Golf & Spa Resort, Panama City Beach, Fla. Call 850-222-5646; visit floridaforest.org.
SEPTEMBER 8-10—Tennessee Forestry Assn. annual meeting, Westin Hotel, Chattanooga, Tenn. Call 615-883-3832; visit tnforestry.com. 9-11—Great Lakes Logging & Heavy Equipment Expo, UP State Fairground, Escanaba, Mich. Call 715-282-5828; visit gltpa.org. 15-17—National Wooden Pallet & Container Assn. Annual Leadership Conference, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, Orlando, Fla. Call 703-519-6104; visit palletcentral.com. 17-18—Kentucky Wood Expo, Masterson Station Park, Lexington, Ky. Call 502-695-3979; visit kfia.org.
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JUNE 2021
24-25—Loggers’ Expo, Cross Insurance Center, Bangor, Maine. Call 315-369-3078; visit northernlogger.com. Listings are submitted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations with contacts prior to making plans to attend.
14-17—2021 Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. Annual Conference, JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, Marco Island, Fla. Call 770-631-6701; visit slma.org.
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21-23—Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Assn. D.C. Summit, Yotel Washington DC, Washington DC. Call 504-443-4464; visit slma.org.
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This issue of Timber Processing is brought to you in part by the following companies, which will gladly supply additional information about their products. ADVERTISER
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