2017: The Year Of Activity

In the publishing world we’re always working on next year’s media kit or next year’s conference, so sometimes we stumble and have to think a moment about what year we’re actually in.

2017, right?

Okay, so where has it gone? To refresh my memory of what transpired in the panel industry in 2017, I pulled out the issues of Panel World. Here are just some of the highlights of 2017, in chronological order:

—Freres Lumber of Lyons, Ore. started putting in machinery to produce Mass Plywood Panel.

—Huber went full speed into preparing its OSB plant in Spring City, Ten—closed since 2011—for reopening in 2018

—Siempelkamp became majority owner of Pallmann Industries.

—RoyOMartin celebrated the 10th anniversary of its OSB facility in Oakdale, La.

—Our friend Brian Luoma, former vice president at LP, became President and CEO of Westervelt.

—Raute purchased high speed strength grading technology leader Metriguard.

—Arauco held a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of its new particleboard facility in Grayling, Mich.

—Bernd Deffland became president of Dieffenbacher USA.

—Long-time influential industry figures Paul Ehinger, John Fery, William Whelan and Robert Crawford passed away.

—After 20 years of pursuit, CalAg closed on financing for a new rice straw-based MDF plant in Willows, Calif.

—CalAg named plywood veteran Fran Eck as Chief Operations Officer. —Brad Southern succeeded Curt Stevens as CEO of LP.

—Two new plywood mills

—Winston Plywood & Veneer in Louisville, Miss. and Swanson Group in Springfield, Ore. went into manufacturing mode after courageously rebuilding from tornado and fire destruction, respectively.

—The Ligna wood products show in Hannover, Germany featured 1,500 exhibitors and 93,000 visitors from more than 100 countries.

—Sandvik divested its Sandvik Process Systems steel belt producer to FAM AB.

—Roseburg announced it’s building a laminated veneer lumber facility in Chester, SC.

—International Beams announced it is building the world’s first southern yellow pine cross-laminated timber plant in Dothan, Ala.

—Tolko announced it will restart its OSB plant in High Prairie, Alberta, which has been closed since 2008.

—Katerra reported it will build a CLT plant in Spokane, Wash.

—Logs began showing up in the wood yard at RoyOMartin’s new Corrigan OSB mill in Corrigan, Texas.