Mark Tibbetts has joined the staff of APA—The Engineered Wood Assn. as he transitions to the president position July 1, 2021, when Ed Elias retires. Tibbetts was selected by the group’s Board of Trustees through a lengthy search process after Elias announced plans in 2020 to retire.

Tibbetts brings more than 15 years of experience in association and nonprofit program management, environmental policy and business development. He has held leadership and management positions in the Air Conditioning Contractors of America, Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute, Thermostat Recycling Corp., National Electrical Manufacturers Assn. and American Public Works Assn. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Maine. He and his family are moving from Alexandria, Va. to Tacoma, Wash. where APA is headquartered.

Elias has served APA and the engineered wood industry for more than 40 years, beginning as an associate scientist in 1977. After 10 years in various roles within the Technical Services Div., he went on to lead the International Marketing and Financial and Administrative Services divisions. He also served as corporate secretary and vice president before being named president in 2013.

“APA is in as strong a financial and strategic position as it has ever been,” Elias says. “I am confident that through Mark and the APA staff, the Board of Trustees and the support of this industry, this association will continue to grow, capitalizing on a fluid marketplace and becoming more globally relevant every day.”

Tibbetts becomes the 12th executive leader in the group’s almost 90-year history.

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North America structural panel production was 33.201 billion SF in 2020, down 0.8% from 2019, according to APA—The Engineered Wood Assn. Both the U.S. and Canada showed slight declines. However in the U.S., OSB production was up 141MMSF from 2019 at 15.495 billion SF. U.S. plywood production was 8.325 billion SF, down 232MMSF from 2019.

Canada OSB production was 7.491 billion SF in 2020, down 140MMSF from 2019. Canada plywood production was 1.890 billion, down 32MMSF.

U.S. OSB and plywood production for 2020 was 23.820 billion BF, down 90MMSF from 2019. Canada OSB and plywood output was 9.381 billion SF, down 172MMSF.

North America glulam production was 286.7MMBF, down 5.5%. I-Joist production was 752.2MMLF, up 5.4%. LVL production was 75.4MMCF, up 2% from 2019.

Turkish wood-based materials manufacturer Starwood has ordered its second thin-board plant for the production of thin MDF/HDF to be built near Inegöl. The new plant is designed to run at 2,000 mm/s.

The core of the scope of supply is the continuous press line to be supplied by Siempelkamp. The 9th-generation ContiRoll is 8 ft. x 28.8 m. Besides a flexible infeed, the press is equipped with a hydraulic concept developed for thin and ultra-thin board production and lightweight board package for furniture board production. Also included in the delivery range is a fiber dryer from Siempelkamp subsidiary Büttner, as well as the glue dosing system including Ecoresinator. The Ecoresinator installed in Starwood’s first thin board line in 2010 was the first of its kind and the result of a joint development project between the two companies.

With this plant, Starwood will operate five Siempelkamp continuous press lines—two for particleboard production and three for MDF.

Assembly will start in mid-2021, with the goal to produce the first board is planned for end of 2021.

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Collins has appointed TJ Rosengarth as President & CEO. Rosengarth succeeds Eric Schooler and assumed responsibilities on February 15.

Rosengarth is well known for his extensive background in the wood products industry, including stints with Willamette Industries in composite panels (1985-2000), Weyerhaeuser as VP of Composite Panels (2001-2006), Flakeboard as Chief Operating Officer (2007-2011), and Northwest Hardwoods as President and CEO (2011-2018). Most recently he served as a partner with a private equity firm where his focus was acquiring companies.

“TJ is the right and best choice for our company to lead us forward,” states Cherida Collins Smith, Board Chair. “He has a depth of experience and success in our industry, which is especially important during these challenging times. He embodies the ethics and values that have been and continue to be core to our company.”

Rosengarth received an Operations Management degree from Portland State University as well as Executive Management Studies from Stanford University.

Based in Wilsonville, Ore., Collins has been family-owned since 1855. It operates softwood sawmills in Chester, Calif. and Lakeview, Ore., hardwood sawmill in Kane, Pa., particleboard and siding/trim operations in Klamath Falls, Ore.

Collins upholds its long-standing commitment to land and resource stewardship with more than 311,000 acres of FSC-certified forestlands. Collins was the first privately-owned forest products business in the U.S. to be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).